In the spring of 2019, the Czech company "Laugo Arms" announced the release of a new model of the 9-mm pistol, which received the unusual name "Alien". The pistol chambered for 9x19 mm is distinguished by a number of revolutionary solutions aimed at improving the accuracy of shooting. The first mentions of the pistol and detailed materials about the new product appeared in the press back in 2018. It should be noted that the Czech company "Laugo Arms" is not a newcomer to the small arms development market. Previously, the company's representatives had a hand in the creation of the 9mm Scorpion EVO 3 submachine gun, the production rights for which were transferred to CZ (Česká Zbrojovka).
The main feature of the new Czech pistol is an unusually low barrel placement for such a weapon, the barrel is located not in the breech-casing, but in the pistol frame. This feature is explained by the fact that the self-loading pistol was originally designed as a weapon for the most accurate shooting, even at the highest rate. The unusually low and rigid barrel significantly reduces the toss of the weapon after firing. For this reason, the pistol will be appreciated by all people who are fond of sports shooting.
The official presentation of the novelty of Czech gunsmiths took place on March 8, 2019 within the framework of the international exhibition IWA 2019, which is traditionally held in Germany in the ancient city of Nuremberg. Initially, the pistol was released in a very small batch, consisting of only 500 copies, which received serial numbers from 001/500 to 500/500. Exclusivity, limited batch and rich equipment predetermined the very high cost of the Laugo Arms Alien pistol, which is approximately 5 thousand dollars. In addition to the pistol itself, the delivery set includes a bag and a holster, three magazines, a collimator sight, an aluminum magazine receiver neck and two shutter-casing. One shutter-casing is designed for installation with mechanical sighting devices, the second - for use with a collimator sight.
Laugo Arms history
The full name of the manufacturer of the alien pistol is Laugo Arms Czechoslovakia. The mention of the name of a non-existent country should not confuse anyone, this is a deliberate choice of the founders of the company and a reference to the history of its emergence. The new Alien 9mm self-loading pistol is designed by Jan Luchanski. Representatives of the arms market know him first of all as the person who created a good 9-mm submachine gun CZ Scorpion EVO 3. Work on the submachine gun Jan, together with his colleague, began 15 years ago in Slovakia in the city of Trencin (for a long time the city wore a different name - Lugarizio), but the project was completely completed already in the Czech Republic, where the large arms company CZ acquired all the rights to a new submachine gun and brought it to the stage of mass production.
In 2013 Jan Luchanski left the Česká Zbrojovka company, going on a "free voyage". In its current form, a new arms company, called Laugo Arms Czechoslovakia, was formed only in 2017, its location was Prague. The company itself is positioning itself as a manufacturer of premium firearms. In 2018, the company presented to experts in the arms market its new project of a self-loading pistol for ultra-precise shooting called Alien, the official debut of which at international exhibitions took place in the spring of 2019. It can be noted that the "Czechoslovak" name of the new arms company reflects the cooperation of the two countries, which until January 1, 1993 were a single state, and may also carry a note of nostalgia that attracts potential buyers.
Features of the Laugo Arms Alien pistol
The main feature and feature of the Laugo Arms Alien pistol, which distinguishes it from other 9-mm self-loading pistols on the world market, is the sports format of the Czech model. The manufacturer claims "the lowest bore axle fit" and is not dissembling in this definition. The barrel of a pistol with a total length of 124 mm is fixed in the frame and is only 1.7 mm higher than the grip of a regular shooter, almost at the level of the extended index finger. Such a solution, which was implemented by the creators of the pistol, reduces the angle of throwing of the weapon when firing. Thanks to this, it is easier and more convenient for the shooter to make new shots without spending a lot of time on it. According to experts and representatives of specialized weapons media, who were able to test the model back in 2018, the pistol is really much less "goat" in comparison with similar models in the same caliber. You can notice this not only by sensations, but also visually on videos.
The barrel of the new Czech self-loading pistol is distinguished by the lowest location among all classmates, practically being an extension of the shooter's brush. In the basic version, the mass of a pistol without a magazine and cartridges is 1009 grams, the mass of a weapon with an empty magazine increases to 1120 grams. Moreover, the pistol is relatively compact. The total length of the model does not exceed 210 mm, height - 148 mm, width - 29 mm. The force on the trigger of the Laugo Arms Alien pistol can be adjusted in the range from 1 to 2.5 kg.
The developers themselves do not suffer from particular modesty, therefore they position their "alien" as "a semi-automatic revolutionary pistol with a number of patented unique technical solutions." For example, the design of the model does not use an outdated locking system or an ordinary trigger mechanism. The pistol is distinguished by its modular design, which allowed gunsmiths to split the classic frame from the handle into two separate elements: an outer housing module for the barrel and a handle with a trigger guard.
The manufacturer claims the Alien pistol automatic operation system as a "gas piston with a delayed semi-free shutter". In this case, the gas outlet of a small diameter - 1.6 mm - is located only 5 mm from the chamber. The retarder piston and the return mechanism stem are a single U-shaped assembly (the gas piston is on the right, the return mechanism stem is on the left), which is located above the pistol barrel.
In the standard version, the pistol is equipped with mechanical sights, which consist of an adjustable rear sight and a fixed front sight, which has received a red fiber optic indicator, which allows better aiming in low light conditions. At the same time, if necessary, the set of sighting equipment can be easily changed; on the top cover, there are optional mounting straps that allow you to install collimator or even optical sights. Also on the central frame of the barrel there is a Picatinny rail, integrated into the design of the pistol, which can be used to install a tactical body kit: a laser designator, a flashlight or other devices that make the shooter's life easier.
An important feature of the model is that the sights are completely isolated from the bolt and at the time of the shot they remain motionless relative to the pistol frame. Replacing a standard mechanical sight with a collimator is done by replacing the bar on which the trigger and sear are installed.
The performance characteristics of the Laugo Arms Alien pistol:
Caliber - 9 mm.
Cartridge - 9x19 mm.
Length - 210 mm.
Height - 148 mm.
Width - 29 mm.
Barrel length - 124 mm.
Weight - 1009 g (without magazine and cartridges).
Magazine capacity - 17 rounds (standard).
