Today I’m taking the new Laugo Alien out to the range to see if it matches up to the original. Spoiler, it does – and it’s even better. The new grip angle is much more natural for me, and the trigger is actually a bit better than the original…
Museum Review
Virtual Tour of the Czech Army Museum in Prague
I spent several days filming some fantastic Czech small arms with the VHU – the Czech Military History Institute. The Army Museum Žižkov is a part of the Institute, and they have a 3-story museum […]
Prototype
The CZ-2000 as a 9mm SMG Prototype
There have been several examples of the AK being used as the basis for a pistol-caliber SMG or PDW. The Russians made the Vityaz, the Hungarians made the KGPF-9…and the Czechs actually made a version […]
Semiauto pistol
CZ’s Embarrassing Volkspistoles: The CZ100 and CZ101
Developed in the 1990s and entering production in 1996, the CZ100 and CZ101 were CZ’s first polymer-framed pistols. They were offered in both 9mm and .40S&W, with the CZ100 being a double stack design (magazine […]
Okay, pistols like the Alien are great if you are flush with cash and want to show off your cool toys at the range or participate in regulated competitions. But I get the impression that it might not stand up to the hard and dirty use of day-in-day-out real combat. What modern pistols designs are combat rugged?
For that, you are basically left with the Smith & Wesson M&P automatics and the SiG P320 aka M17/M18 (U.S. DoD designation).
Ironically, the P320 is fundamentally a polymer-framed reimagining of the FN P35 High Power, a design approaching its centennial year (design finalized 1926).
Stick to 9 x 19mm, as both the SiG and the S&W were designed around that cartridge for DoD acceptance, and .40 S&W or .357 SiG offers no real advantage over 9mm NATO.
Regarding older “modern” designs, it’s strange to think that the first of the ultra-modern “wondernines”, like the Glock 17 and Beretta M92, are over half-a-century old, dating back to the 1970s. Glock 9mms tend to be fairly rugged and reliable. Their heavier calibers like 10mm Auto are less so.
The Beretta M92/M9 family just couldn’t cut it. The Taurus PT92/99 version was better, but now even Taurus has replaced those with the TS9 series, which is basically an S&W M&P clone.
The differences between these more recent pistols in quality and etc. is so slight that ultimately your main issues will probably be which one fits your hand the best, and which one is least expensive.
Items like the Alien are best left to appearing in Keanu Reeves movies.
clear ether
eon
May I suggest that deeper and longer cocking surfaces could act like cooling fins to disappears heat quicker?
Well that looks like, it is more accurate than other pistols; which could be described as accurate, pistols… Which may or may not be cheaper; probably a few that are. That heat thing, you may possibly think they might be able to help aliviate; by running a gas tube through the (Optics mount… Slide runner, thing; you know, that thing on top.) It uses a fairly simple gas piston design “For 7k” so when the piston is able to move back; it in-turn vents through said thing, at an appropriate position – Out through the top or back into the barrel just behind the muzzle… The piston would need a hollow channel in it towards the barrel gas port, and a corresponding gas port to the new vent above; which it expels excess gas through at the appropriate point.
Anyway, looks a great gun; 7k though I assume excess gas is just going splat against that relatively basic gas piston, albeit a neatly fitted one… A basic, part of the design. And thus heating it up; but given the layout, venting via the above might cool it down… I mean the layout already provides a potential option, to possibly cool it thus.
If I had 7k lived in the U.S I would buy it, mind you two 8 shot .357 mags that… One in each hand. Actually, that might be an interesting “Gadget” for folk with two 8 shot fancy S&W’s some sort of mount you could clip two together so the grips are in a: ^ Shape; viewed from behind, offset angled scope on say the left one (Which is in the centre when clipped together) creating a sort of Starwars type blaster…
Essentially the gadget would be some sort of mount you attach to both enabling one to quick release lock into the other; giving the central scope thing.
I would prefer that for 7k personally on a spinner target; by like some Luke Skywalker blaster gun 16 .357 mags with two barrels $6,995 not interested, really?? He he, I digress.
If you hit the spinner; with said gadget, it would spin; maybe the mount would incorporate a muzzle break… Facing up; and a corresponding info leaflet, that says to fire; in blaster mode, pull the “left trigger then right” quick; or vice versa, in-conjunction with muzzle device to get maximum… Compensator value. Practice, meh; 7k gun folk should be able to afford rounds. Fun way to expend a further 7k in ammo, Starwars blaster… No? What were we talking about again… Oh yes this Alien pistol; I like that, I would buy one… You can see the design features are working, in the authors video.
Which is not to say, even if possibly viable; said potential method to provide some degree of cooling… One may not need to tweek the action a bit… Some sort of Pecheneg air… Thing even… Er… Via the gas being directed back into the barrel just behind the muzzle; ported vent/s behind the chamber draw air into the barrel… Hmmm, ok; not a big gun… Say a simple port covered by the slide when moving back (Thus trapping the barrel gas for the piston) but open when the slide is forward/more or less forward; timed with said venting out the muzzle of the gas from the new upper port – just after the moment the bullet leaves, this exit of gas; draws air in from the back… Some sort of simple method to alivate to a degree the overheating issue, using the available layout; just to say to someone paying 7k we tried to address this.
I mean it is a good pistol that, but like 7k… Want to iron out such things I think, if possible. Dear gun, that. Starwars blaster 6,995… He he.
“(…)If I had 7k lived in the U.S I would buy it, mind you two 8 shot .357 mags that… One in each hand. Actually, that might be an interesting “Gadget” for folk with two 8 shot fancy S&W’s some sort of mount you could clip two together so the grips are in a: ^ Shape; viewed from behind, offset angled scope on say the left one (Which is in the centre when clipped together) creating a sort of Starwars type blaster…
Essentially the gadget would be some sort of mount you attach to both enabling one to quick release lock into the other; giving the central scope thing.(…)”
I fail to see connection between proposed device and https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/gadget-first-atomic-bomb/ nonetheless if you wish .357 Magnum-like less unwieldy solution might be using Para-Ordnance P18 38 Super which can be used in conjunction with
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1371395396/
holding 17 rounds, which is more than 2 x 8.
Two barrels though; quicker follow up shots. That is a nice gun also.
Thats very good shooting really for… Ian who is… Er “Navigationally challenged” as oppose lost, if one is to use an orienteering analogy; in relation to the authors, shooting accuracy… In general… On a bad day eh. Let’s say it was, er… Foggy etc, so to speak. Could happen to anyone, really; fog etc.
Sooo, I mean if folk have 7k these pistols should fly off the shelves; that pistol really must be accurate. Equivilant to buying a really good, compass… Type thing, sort of.
Very accurate that, no doubt. 100% proof, in that video right there.
All the guns that use the simplistic; yet undoubtedly novel, especially at the time… But in the circumstances; must thus overheat to some degree, Steyr Gb, Hk p7 was it… Nazi last ditch ones, clearly… But thinking back to them; this is the only layout which could potentially deliver a cooling solution, which I think would have an effect (Pecheneg) type as alluded to; not in full auto, but as is… A noticible cooling effect for a semi auto handgun using gas delay. So interesting, layout. Apart from for accuracy, potentially; for gas delay pistol reliablilty, not that I heard the Steyr gb had such problems… But I heard little, and it was much larger… Yes Pecheneg, lark… Should assist. I just see that optics rail, as a wee lewis gun thing now; cooling the gas port/plug area.
Not an engineer; but I have picked up, wee things “Cooling” etc; count in designs, so… Glad I watched this video in general. Lovely 7k pistol as it is.
Yes convinced of that; it (Pecheneg) sort of thing… Using said sight as a thinghi would indeed produce a “Thinghi ma bob” good aren’t I; I think wine improves me, no? Meh. You people, he he.
“(…)must thus overheat to some degree, Steyr Gb(…)”
How much cartridge must be fired to cause noticeable overheat-induced problems inside said fire-arm?
I don’t know about this one, but the Steyr GB and its American made clone the Rogak LES P-18 both heated up fairly quickly in rapid fire, due to their VGI 1-5 type gas-retarded blowback systems.
Instead of basically all powder gases going out the muzzle, some were retained inside the slide. Rapid fire caused thermal buildup even as the gases were vented; the gases left but the heat remained.
The H&K P7 in all iterations had similar problems, hence the plastic “heat shield” inside the trigger guard at the top front to protect the shooter’s finger from being lightly grilled.
clear ether
eon
I like that wee scope; that, a 7k gun and hitting a Target. The author must think it is his birthday. (Regardless if it is)
Happy birthday!! Anyway…