Images by the author
Trailblazer Firearms has a couple of unique products, one of which is their 9mm Pivot folding PCC… look for a review of that gun soon.
Their other innovation is a folding .22LR, wallet-sized, single-shot pistol called the LifeCard.
Well, OK, unless you have a humongous wallet, it wouldn’t fit, but the LifeCard isn’t a whole lot larger than some wallets. The first-generation LifeCard did fit in an Altoid box… they’re pretty tiny.
So… was ist das LifeCard? Something truly unique, for sure. (Notice this one has a threaded barrel… we shot a suppressed LifeCard during my visit to the Trailblazer Firearms facility in Fletcher, NC. It was quiet – a fun gun.)
Pocket Pistol Re-Imagined
Many of us like to carry a handgun of some type in a pocket, hopefully in a holster (I have a personal, monogrammed soapbox I stand on to preach about the necessity of pocket holsters, but that’s a different rant.)
I know I like my S&W Bodyguard 2.0 .380 in a Falco Kydex pocket holster, or a leather one… I have a review coming out about those. It keeps the pistol’s trigger guard covered and keeps moisture away from the gun. Pocket holsters for both pistols and revolvers are not unusual. So, how did Trailblazer Firearms (TF) break the mould for pocket pistols and holsters?
They made a last-ditch, deep-concealment single-shot gun that folds (or unfolds, depending on your timing) from a small aluminum rectangle into a full-size-gripped, threaded-barrel, trigger-fired handgun. It comes in .22 LR, and now also in .22 Magnum. It even has ammo storage in the grip.
(I know, these are empty cases, but you get the point)
OK… I would guess that, if you haven’t seen one of these before, you’re scratching your head by now. Let’s look at some photos, then we’ll talk about the details.
Specifications
- Calibers: .22WMR / .22LR
- Action: Single Action
- Length (Closed): 3.375″
- Height (Closed): 2.125″
- Thickness: 0.5″
- Weight: 7 oz.
- Materials: Aluminum / Steel / Polymer
- Finish: Corrosion Resistant
- Safety: Will not fire when closed
- MSRP: $239 – $299
Options, We Got Options…
You have options, as well (at least in the LR version).
Your first choice is caliber. I mentioned that they make both LR and magnum versions.
Next, if you choose an LR variant, you can get a polymer grip or a threaded barrel. These are not offered in the magnum models. I visited the TF facility in North Carolina, and Production Manager Chad and I took turns shooting a suppressed LifeCard. Talk about fun with a gun! Look for my article featuring my visit to TF on this site soon.
How about colors/finishes? I counted thirteen variations. Need fancy grip tape? Just order it with the gun. (You can order from their site and they’ll ship it to your local FFL.)
Why You Might Consider One Of These
Let’s face it. The LifeCard is not exactly quick into action, and you would not want to carry it in its unfolded state… the trigger is exposed. So why exactly would you consider one of these?
As I see it, that question might be answered with, “to always have a gun with you”. This little guy fits easily into its quality leather wallet and slips effortlessly into your back pocket, purse, backpack, etc. It is tiny. You wouldn’t carry it as your primary CCW, but it’s reassuring to know that it’s close by, ready to go. Granted, the threaded-barrel model, as we have here, adds a bump on one end that will stick out, but it’s nothing that can’t be handled. It can’t fire when folded, so it is safe to keep a round loaded.
Here’s another use for the LifeCard that I came up with, living in the boonies as we do. Chickens… I am in an ongoing battle with varmints over our chickens. We recently lost several chickens to a rampaging coon… I caught him in a live trap and dispatched him with my suppressed HM Defense Stealth 5.56mm AR. I know – probably overkill, but I look for every excuse to shoot that great, quiet rifle. It worked.
I could see the LifeCard filling the role of coop protector. Since coons, possums, etc., are not in a hurry to leave the chicken-rich area, I would have time to unfold it and put it in action. Even if I missed the first time, I have ammo available in the grip. An LR version would work well, and the magnum, even better.
How Does It Shoot?
Regular readers of my gun reviews know that I post target photos, discuss basic ballistics, and, in general, report how guns shoot. I won’t do that here… this is not your everyday bullseye or competition handgun.
Here’s the drill… pretty simple. You have two sliding levers, as you can see from the photos. One releases the barrel, and the other unlocks the grip folding mechanism. Release the grip folder and open the gun up, then release the barrel upwards. Load a cartridge, and click the barrel back down. Pull the cocking mechanism back to cock it, and fire. Pop the barrel up to remove the empty, and do it again.
For what it is, it did very well. We shot it at “get-off-me” ranges, at a paper target. I didn’t attempt to measure group size, as there is only a rudimentary rear notch and no front sight. Anyway, with the threaded barrel sticking up, the rear notch becomes a suggestion. Here’s the important part… the gun hit where it was pointed. If, Heaven forbid, you’d ever be put into a situation where you needed to use this gun for protection, it should hit close to where you point it.
I have a Clear Ballistics gel block or two that just sit on a table by my bench… their synthetic construction allows them to sit out in all types of weather. We put a bullet into it, out of curiosity… the load we were shooting was just some ordinary Winchester .22LR ammo, nothing special.
It penetrated over 10 inches… we were impressed! That’s the bullet under the white “squiggle” below. We shot from the right, and the bullet spun around.
I know that .22LR is not a preferred defensive caliber… I get it. But, in a close-up, “bad-breath-distance” scenario, it sure beats a pointy stick or rock.
LifeCard “Bling”
I just received some items that will “dress up” your LifeCard and are useful additions. Here is the overall link to the Trailblazer Firearms store, where you can buy all of these items.
First, there is a charging handle that you can add to the cocking mechanism. It makes it super easy to cock the hammer.
Here it is. It’s a simple screw-on handle. You get the Allen wrench, too.
Next, how about grip tape? You see it in the photos above. The tape is translucent and has several pieces to conform to different areas on the gun. It’s been well thought-out.
Notice there’s even a piece for the sliding ammo box cover. Speaking of that ammo box, you can get what they call a “Rattle Stop”. I noticed that, when I had the three cartridges in that box, they rattled. It was noticeable. This small, fitted sticky rubber pad goes into the well and stops that rattle. This is not earth-shaking, but it works as advertised. You can sort of see it in this photo, behind the cartridges.
Lastly, you can get some primo leather wallets to put your LifeCard in. They come in black – a simple pouch – and brown. The brown one folds and has a small notebook inside. Again, someone thought this through very well. These are good-looking pieces of leather.
There is also a rebuild kit available that includes screws, springs, etc., in case a part breaks and you need to replace it. You order the kit, and it’s got everything you need.
Here is my LifeCard, folded up and ready to go. The threaded barrel will not be naked much longer… my suppressors have been approved, and I’ll pick them up soon. Of course, that takes this little guy out of the small-pocket arena, but it is what it is.
Summing Up
The LifeCard is not meant to be your primary CCW. This unique little blaster comes into its own as a last-ditch weapon. It is not the fastest to act… unfolding takes a few seconds… but it is safe to carry loaded in its wallet, as it can’t fire when folded. I could see some shooters running drills, pulling the LC out of its wallet, unfolding it, cocking it against a timer, but that’s not its purpose. It exists to provide a final layer of security for its owner, and it does that well.
As I said above, it is fun to shoot. I have a .22 suppressor sitting, wading through bureaucratic red tape, and when I pick it up, it will go on the LifeCard for a bit. It’s just the “unique-ness” of the thing… there’s nothing else like it that I’ve ever seen.
