One of the most exciting things about innovative guns is the creativity that people with a vision have. When I go to Shot Show, I enjoy walking through the smaller table areas to see what new ideas are out there. The ability to take nothing and make it into something that can fire a round in an nontraditional fashion is amazing. Taking a vision, developing ideas and turning it into a reality is the true sense of an innovative entrepreneur.
For example, who would envision that a .22 long rifle handgun could be created with the same size dimensions as a credit card? That’s exactly what Aaron Voigt did when he created the Lifecard .22 LR folding single shot handgun. This invention started in 2010 and it is alive and well today.
The Lifecard .22LR is most likely the smallest and lightest firearm one could ever own. It weighs just 6.75 ounces unloaded and 7.25 ounces with a total of five .22LR rounds stored in the pistol. In its folded and locked position, it is a half inche thick, which is no bigger than a stack of credit cards and can easily be stored in something like an Altoids can. The barrel length is 2.5 inches and with its snag free design, it floats in a pocket unobstructed.
The operation of the Lifecard .22LR is quite simple. It has two levers that sit flush in the frame. One lever unlocks the tip up barrel so a .22LR round can be inserted, and the other lever unlocks the grip from the barrel. Once the grip and barrel are unlocked, the Lifecard .22LR unfolds from a credit card size rectangle to an actual firearm. At that point, by simply pulling the striker back on the rear of the pistol, the trigger sets to single action and is ready to be fired.
I took the Lifecard .22LR to the range to experience what distance I could accurately achieve shots on target. Being that the gun has no raised sights, I wasn’t sure how well I could accurately shoot the gun. As the video demonstrates, the Lifecard .22LR performed quite well from nine and 12 yards. I was easily able to hit a 12-inch steel target, which I found quite impressive.
I consider the Lifecard .22LR a backup gun. It certainly could be used for self-defense, but it’s not the type of firearm that one would want to go to battle with. It’s a deep concealment alternative that can be carried or stored several ways. I have enjoyed carrying the Lifecard .22LR as a backup to my primary carry pistol, as it weighs less than my phone and pouch carrier.
Watch the video below and let us know your thoughts about the trailblazer Lifecard .22LR.
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