[gilbertfamily2000]

I have two .380's (a p3at and a hi-point) the p3 is a "locked breech" and the hp is a "blowback".

Could someone explain the difference to me?

GoVols

 

[TxCajun]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

At the risk of appearing lazy, rather than answering myself, here's a pretty good description and comparison:

http://yarchive.net/gun/pistol/blowback_vs_locked.html

 

[alamo]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

Just as a visual reference - You can easily take out the barrel of a locked breech pistol with a field strip, like with a P-32 or P-3AT.  With a blow back pistol, the barrel is securely attached to the frame or receiver. It can be removed but usually with special tools, like a barrel press with a Makarov.

 

[tommy51s]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

In the P3 the barrel and slide travel together under recoil until the elbow in the barrel contacts the frame pin, at which point the barrel tilts and the slide continues on its own. So up until that point the barrel and slide are locked together. It is my understanding that in an NAA Guardian or Seecamp (for examples) the barrel is part of the frame and the slide recoils on its own.

 

[TxCajun]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

Yep, IIRC, the NAA Guardian is a straight-blow back pistol while the Seecamp is a chamber-ring delayed blow-back design.

 

[Rubb]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

In this link it shows a blow back (Bersa) field strip.
http://www.geocities.com/bersa_thunder/manual1b.html
On the last pic you can see how the barrel is attached to
to the frame, unlike the locked breech Kel Tec barrel.

 

[brotherjethro]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

Since I didn't see it mentioned (but perhaps it was)...

It is typically necessary to build a blowback action with considerably more moving mass than a locked-breech action, in order to delay & slow down the extraction.  This is one reason why the P3AT is so small and light.

Now, with that said, the seecamp is pretty darn impressive (only a little heavier than the P3AT) -- but from an earlier reply, I guess it's not a traditional blowback.

 

[RAT76]

Re: Locked-Breech/Blowback - What's the Difference

Another difference, "blowbacks" get a lot dirtier than the "locked breach" design.

Jim, who shoots WWB & is glad all that crud is on the front of his P3, not the reciever.