Trailblazer Firearms Lifecard

Discussion in 'Range reports' started by gunbunny, Jul 29, 2020.


  1. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    I've done some thread searching, and I'm really surprised nobody has reviewed one of these little wonders. Yes, it's not as good as an NAA mini revolver, but the Lifecard is really neat. Trailblazer Firearms describes the Lifecard as "The one gun you won't leave home without." For me, this has been true, as the Lifecard is so easy to carry and unobtrusive that you really don't realize you have it on you.

    And yes, it does fit into an Altoids tin.

    IMG_20200729_193759087. IMG_20200729_193809743. IMG_20200729_193821410.
    IMG_20200729_204401943.

    Shooting the Lifecard is accomplished after unfolding it and cocking the firing pin. Aiming takes a bit to get used to because there are no front and rear sights; just a V notch along the barrel (guttersnipe) to aid in aiming. It took me 20 or so rounds to really dial it in, and another 100 or so to really get used to it.

    The trigger is decent, I can't remember anything bad about it, nor anything great about it either. I doubt it would be a big factor if it was ever hastily pressed into service. Of course, you would have to unfold it and cock the firing pin before pulling the trigger. Reloading is another step altogether- you have to open the barrel latch (which pulls in the opposite direction than the grip latch) and pull the empty casing out before replacing it with a live cartridge.

    Before I knew it, I blew through half of the 500 rd bucket of .22 WMR. I would have never figured that shooting at single leaves lying on the bank of a stream (approx 15-20 yards) took up an hour of my time and a pile of spent rimfire brass.

    Recoil is very manageable due to the 7/16" width of the grip. Yes, I know, it's just .22 WMR, but I've shot a Stinger pen gun in .22LR, and the grip was less than ideal and was actually painful after a dozen or so rounds. This is nothing like that, I put over 200 rounds through the Lifecard in one sitting without thinking about it.

    Another nice feature that Trailblazer Firearms sold was a .22LR threaded barrel. I figured it would be nice to practice with inexpensive rimfire over the very expensive WMR. The short barrel was actually louder with the suppressor than when shooting the same brand .22 LR in other pistols with the suppressor attached.
    IMG_20200729_201840796.
    IMG_20200729_201740087.
    IMG_20200729_202427762.
    I added a drop of the purple (temporary, light hold) Threadlocker to the shoulder screw that holds the barrel in place. I can remove and replace it easily and not have to worry about it rattling loose. Shooting with the suppressor is a little easier because sighting down the tube is actually more accurate than using the guttersnipe V notch on the barrel.

    So yeah, it's not like the NAA mini, where you get a whole cylinder full of ammo. Does the neatness factor, or the utility of the Lifecard outweigh the width and weight of the NAA mini? Each person has to answer that for themselves.
     
    Seawolf1090, VisuTrac, Ganado and 4 others like this.
  2. Dunerunner

    Dunerunner Brewery Monkey Moderator

    Cute... How much time is needed to deploy that before it is shootable? Can it be carried with a round in the chamber? What is the reload time, shot to shot for say five rounds? just curious....
     
  3. Thunder5Ranch

    Thunder5Ranch Monkey+++

    Nice idea but I can think of better things to spend $350 on :)
     
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  4. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    The deploy time isn't bad, when you practice it becomes instinctual. Using both hands and the pistol indexed easily to grab, release the latch and unfold the handle until it clicks into place. At the same time with the other hand, pull the striker back into place while pushing forward with your strong hand on the grip and trigger. The first shot can be a little over a second.

    It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. There is quite a bit of engineering that went into the design and build of this little gun. Would you get a shot off quicker with an NAA over the Lifecard? Of course, the NAA would be a few tenths of a second faster; I'm not disputing that.

    Reloading is another thing altogether, you have to pull the empty casing out and replace it with a fresh one, close the barrel, and pull the striker/firing pin back. It's definitely not a primary weapon; more like your backup, or a last resort tucked into your survival kit.

    The company motto comes into play at this point, where I am more likely to have this on me in the summer heat (in swimming trunks, already been there and done that) than my Glock 43. It's the same size as my wallet, and most people don't worry about wallets.

    So far, in the last year of carrying it, there is NO corrosion. I wipe it down once a week because it collects lint like a magnet.

    You can carry loaded, it's safe. The firing pin is in a half cock position all the time and can't be pulled into full cock until the handle is fully deployed. The trigger isn't even exposed until the handle is rotated into place and unlocked (with a tactile 'click') as the handle is locked in place. You can hold the trigger down (akin to a cowboy fanning his SAA?) and just pull-release the striker, but you have to pull the striker all the way back or suffer possible misfires. Practice is the key to the Lifecard!

    It is what it is, I reviewed it because it is extremely well made and the fit and finish is great. I got mine for $279, the MSRP (like most guns) is a bit high over street price unless your local gun shop is a price gouger. Trailblazer Firearms is now selling a polymer handle version that is less expensive, and if they made it as well as their original weapon, I would have no problem buying and carrying it.

    What would I like to have that the Lifecard doesn't have right now? I'd like to see a version with actual sights on the barrel, even if it won't fit into an Altoids tin anymore. A small front bead sight would be helpful with the V groove. A longer extra barrel (with sights) would be fun to play with when concealability isn't a concern.
     
    Dunerunner and Gator 45/70 like this.
  5. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    I thought about getting one in 380 but prices got stupid with china virus.
    I think the black one really looks like a cell phone in a case at first glance.
     
    Gator 45/70 likes this.
  6. Lancer

    Lancer TANSTAFL! Site Supporter+++

    Interesting...
    I just might go look at one. Given our political environment lately I've been chewing on how to carry weapons as discretely as possible. IWB and Appendix carry are all very good for my primary carry guns, but...
    I found a decent breakdown soft case for an AR in carbine format: definitely does not look like a rifle case - more like an artists board case or similar. But it carries the weapon with optics, and three standard mags just fine.
    And at the range last weekend a member let me play with his Keltec sub 2000 in 9mm. A really, REALLY ugly weapon but; folds up into a 16" long package. With a few practice runs I was able to pull it from the range bag he carried it in, deploy, insert a 30 rd mag and put sights on target in under 10 seconds. Iron sights only if you want to fold it up, but they were good enough to hit an 8" plate at 50 yd on first go.
    I'll be looking more into these ugly but serviceable concealment friendly guns...
     
  7. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Well, ain't that something... I never heard/saw one before. I can see it would be a handy thing to carry in a BOB or even a glove box as a spare gun but at $350 (if that is the true price) that's a bit steep for an oddity. However, I can see it's value in the right scenario...
     
  8. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    More Angles:

    On top of my wallet for size comparison- IMG_20200731_173212909.

    Underside detail- IMG_20200731_173240363.

    Striker pulled back-
    IMG_20200731_173334095.

    Looking at it closely, I noticed what a year of carrying did to the finish. The ammo storage door has taken the brunt of it, mostly due to my wallet having to share the same pocket from time to time. The money clip of the wallet scraped some of the finish from the aluminum.
     
  9. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    its cute but its a 22.... you cant even kill a squirrel with a 22

    back to shot guns!
     
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Well, all you need to do is hit them in the head. Plenty stews are witness to not picking pellets out of teeth ---
    In fact, there have been a few with 177 pellet holes clear thru being cleaned in these parts.
     
    STANGF150 and Ganado like this.
  11. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Well, obviously you have never hunted with a .22 Rimfire.... I filled ALL my annual DeerTags with my .22 Winchester Model 69A, before I was 24 years old.... and bought my first Centerfire Rifle... A Winchster Model 1894 SaddleRing Carbine in 30-30.... As always, Shot placement, over Calibre...
     
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  12. oil pan 4

    oil pan 4 Monkey+++

    Do what?
    My step brother dropped his first 5 or 6 deer with 22WMR. They didn't even know they had been shot, most of them went back to nibbling on grass and just fell over. Only one ever ran and just to the edge of the trees.
    Now he uses a 30-06 and says they alway run 100 yards to 1/4 mile and always away from the direction he needs them to go.
     
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  13. oldman11

    oldman11 Monkey+++

    Back awhile I used a .243 in the day and a .22 at night. I’ve never lost a deer yet. Holidays were the best time to night hunt,the game wardens were all home with their family. Speaking of night hunting the best light I ever used was a air craft landing light,just don’t lay it on your truck seat. I also used a carbide lamp to get in close.The most I’ve ever killed in a night was seven and loaded them all in a 1958 ford fair lane car. I had a mess. A bunch of uncles and aunts took them all. I’m 77 now and that’s all over.
    [flag]
     
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  14. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    Why are there so many golf clubs in a golf bag? Why are there so many sizes and types of hammers? It's the tool better to fit the job; I won't drag my Remington 11-48 Sportsman with me every day because it's too long, too heavy, and confused people will point and freak out.

    Survival Monkey is only to survive on the marsh/swamp/open field by shooting and eating ducks? Survival is survival, regardless of where you happen to be- be it "innawoods" or the urban landscape. It just happens I spend the majority of my time in more populated areas, where the Lifecard excels at it's intended job.
     
    Ganado likes this.
  15. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    I just noticed this picture in an email from Trailblazer Firearms about the founder's EDC, and noticed this little tidbit... Looks like a prototype Lifecard and a 3D printed shell in 5.7x28mm FN. If they get this to market, I'm going to be getting one. 5.7 FN would be awesome in the lifecard, and ballistically better than even the .22 WMR.

    Lifecard prototype 5.7.
     
  16. Navyair

    Navyair Monkey++

    Recommend comparing it with the break top NAA revolver. I have one of the older "non" break tops and it just disappears in the pocket and gives you 5 rounds. Also have the fold up model, which puts a shroud around the trigger and snaps open in half a second...with practice you can have it open as you pull it from your pocket.

    As for this thing...he spent basically $250 for a permit, probably another $500 on a suppressor, and the cost of the gun, so easily over $1000 for a single shot. Beats no gun, but just barely.
     
  17. gunbunny

    gunbunny Never Trust A Bunny

    Jelly much? I spent the last 15+ years getting all the stuff in the photos. I stated that the Lifecard is not for everyone, this is a last ditch/deep conceal weapon. I just like how everything goes together easily; once you get a suppressor, you want to put it on every .22 you have, and the Lifecard is capable if you get one of their threaded barrels.
     
    oldawg likes this.
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