get thee to the death chat, sumo.

Well, I guess to steer away from problems in the country, here's a picture of my Hi-Point .380 acp with my CGDM for good measure:

Like they say, there is so much weight from the slide, it feels like there's a brick on the top! What matters to be is that it shoots and that I could afford to buy it!

the larger caliber models still use the direct blowback, right? that's what the huge slides are for?

If by "larger caliber" you mean all of the Hi-Point pistols, then yes, to my knowledge they use the direct blowback design, hence the huge slides.

Could explain to me what the difference is between direct blowback and most other handgun designs?

I know a guy that has abused his Hi Point to no end and it still is running. he also has one of the carbines. I enjoyed shooting the carbine, but the limited amount of rds turned me off. I would love to have a carbine if they took a larger rd mag--then it would be a true truck gun. Lifetime warranty and they tell you not to take it apart.

Well, limited number of rounds is the standard here in California, so I have no choice there. As far as the carbine, it's illegal here due to the detachable mag and pistol grip making it an "assault rifle." (ABSURD!)

I read over the warranty and it doesn't say anywhere that I can't take it apart. In the "manual," it actually has instructions for disassembly. One of the reasons I decided to go ahead and get the Hi-Point was that the warranty is a lifetime warranty. I don't think they'd cover intentional abuse, but the warranty services I've read about online seem to be close to a no questions asked warranty.

The non-dissassembly is for the carbine.

yeah, that sucks that you guys are restricted the way you are. Do you plan on staying in CA after you graduate? OK has its ups and downs, but we can have Full Auto, Class III, and are CCW state. Plus we can not get washed away with a rogue or tidal wave!

well back in the day, when ammo was less powerful, auto pistols like the PPK had the recoil spring around the barrel which was fixed to the frame.

larger, higher pressure calibers required a delayed blowback system to function properly. JMB's hi power and 1911, using 9mm and 45acp respectively, had a linkage that would bring the barrel back with the slide, increasing he mass and absorbing more energy, to a certain point at which the barrel would unlink at the and drop while the slide would continue rearward. eventually sig came up with the locked breech mechanism but it served the same purpose.

if any experts care to correct anything i've stated incorrectly, be my guest.

we have a 15rd limit here in NJ.

15 rd limit? To a Californian that's great!

So for the blowback, does the slide need to be so massive so it doesn't move as fast as a lighter slide?

Sumo: I'm not sure if I'll stay in California when I graduate. I love the coast and have recently taken up surfing, which I also love to do. California, right now at least, has a fair number of engineering job opportunities. As long as the state government doesn't screw things up too much, there still should be jobs here when I'm done with school. What bothers me the most here is the amount that politicians want to control our lives. If it gets much worse in the future, I may have to leave CA to maintain my sanity (and rights)! I guess I'll just decide when I get there (hopefully by the end of the next school year).

well the recoil energy has to go somewhere and the greater the mass of the slide or slide+barrel, the more force it eats up to get it to move.

That makes sense. I just wasn't sure how it worked and wanted to make sure we're on the same page.