The Hi-Point Model C-9 is a compact, single-stack pistol chambered in 9×19mm. It has a polymer frame, a slide and bolt made of zinc alloy with steel reinforcement inserts, and a steel breech, chamber, and barrel. The blowback mechanism in the pistols made by Hi-Point is comparable to that in the Walther PPK. In blowback guns, the slide and bolt's bulk absorbs the force that the bullet's motion generates to the rear. The bigger version of Hi-Point's 9 mm pistol is known as the C-9 Comp. (short for "Compensated"). The main distinction between it and the C-9 Compact is the addition of a compensator to the barrel's end. The compensator acts as a muzzle brake thanks to the specially drilled holes in the compensator's top. The barrel length is another distinction between the C-9 and C-9 Comp. The C-9 Comp. features a 4-inch barrel, which is 1/2-inch longer than the barrel of the C-9, that improves accuracy and balance. It weighs 35 oz., which is 2 oz. more than the old C-9 Compact model and 6 oz. more than the modern variant.