Even before the record-high inflation that the U.S. Government seems unable to tame, the price of the average firearm has been steadily rising.
The great demand for guns that began with the global novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020 saw prices for some firearms nearly double with ammo prices also going sky-high.
Yet, prior to anyone hearing the word “Covid,” the Czech-made Laugo Arms’ Alien was already one of the most expensive production handguns ever produced.
Germany may be known for its luxury automobiles, while Italy is certainly the fashion capital of the world – but the Czech Republic has certainly found its place as a maker of quality firearms, and Laugo Arms took the firearms industry by storm with the introduction of the Alien 500 in late 2019.
The first “Single Batch Edition,” sold out nearly immediately – despite the handgun being sold for $5,000.
And that was before the company had an American distributor. In fact, even today, there is a waiting list to buy one.
Understanding the demand requires some history of its visionary.
The Alien was designed by Jan Lucansky, a veteran of the Bosnian conflict in the 1990s. He gained experience on the front lines with various weapons, and when he returned to his native Slovakia, he began to design a submachine gun that caught the attention of the Czech-based CZ.
However, after working on various designs for CZ, he branched out, which led to the launch of Laugo Arms – which now has a distribution deal with Lancer Systems.
Laugo Alien, Explained
The revolutionary semiautomatic 9mm pistol is noted for taking a step backward. It features all-metal construction that makes it heavier than most everyday carry firearms. It weighs in at 2.4 pounds, yet its 4.8-inch barrel is nested low within the frame. According to Laugo Arms, this provides the lowest bore axis available in a 9mm pistol.
To achieve its low bore axis, the Alien utilizes some truly “alien” internals – with the recoil spring located above the fixed barrel.
This isn’t actually the first time this configuration has been utilized.
Still, you’d have to go back more than a century – and to the Hungarian-made Frommer Stop series of pistols to find such an innovative concept. In addition, the Alien also relies on a gas-delayed blowback system to reduce the velocity, while the fixed barrel can float freely in the frame to provide better accuracy. As a result, the striker-fired pistol practically does not elevate after the shot and has an almost flat recoil angle and no muzzle flip.
The firearm was developed to be truly modular and adaptable, and with just a single click, the shooter can change the nature of the Alien pistol by literally changing the upper part of the slide. According to Laugo Arms, there are different slide rails available for iron sight, many types of red dot sights, or even MIL-STD-1913 rail.
In addition, the handgun can be equipped with an open division kit, which includes a compensator, an open division upper slide rail, magwell, and other optional upgrades.
The Alien’s unique design and futuristic profile quickly attracted the attention of shooters with means to have something just a bit different at the range. Since being introduced, the firearm earned top honors at the 2020 SHOT Show, yet, it was also so hard to obtain that it only served to create more demand.
While many products can be artificially hyped up, the Alien’s buzz is well-earned. Despite its high price tag, it has continued to be one of the most sought-after firearms released in recent years – and by some accounts, there are waiting lists just to try one out!
Laugo Alien. Image Credit: Industry Handout.
ALIEN CHARACTERISTICS
Length: 8.2-inches
Width: 1.1-inches
Height: 5.8-inches
Barrel length: 4.8-inches
Weight (with empty mag): 2.47 pounds
Trigger weight: 2.2 to 5.6 pounds, adjustable by the manufacturer
Magazine capacity: 17
Expert Biography: A Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
From 19FortyFive
