Images by the author
I recently took a mini-break to North Carolina to visit friends and was able to stop by Trailblazer Firearms (TF) in Fletcher. I wrote an introductory article on this innovative company… look for it here soon. I also reviewed their fold-up, single-shot .22 pistol, the breath-mint-box-sized LifeCard… again, look for that review here, as well.
This third article on TF is a review of their other product, the Pivot. This is a truly unique folding 9mm pistol-caliber carbine (PCC).
Folding Carbines… A Trend
I am no stranger to PCCs, especially ones that fold. I’ve shot the Kel-Tec (.40 S&W), and I’ve reviewed the Ruger and the S&W folding PCCs in other calibers… the most recent of which is here. These folders are truly handy and can easily go in a backpack or truck.
It was with great anticipation that I ventured to the TF facility, knowing they not only made the innovative LifeCard but also a 9mm carbine with a 16-inch, threaded barrel that takes Glock magazines. This, I wanted to see!
I visited with Production Manager Chad during my time there, and we ventured to their mini-range near the building. (I live in the boonies and really appreciate the ability to shoot in my backyard… these guys can do the same. As a matter of fact, when we were headed back into the building, an employee who’d clocked out was headed to the range for some gun fun. Now, THAT’s what I call having a good job!
We shot a suppressed LifeCard… the suppressor was as long as, or longer than the gun… and then broke out a FDE-finished Pivot with a Holosun red dot and a GSL suppressor. The company has a relationship with GSL, and the provided suppressor worked very well and was not overly large or heavy.
Back to the Pivot. Before I get further into the weeds, let’s look at some specifications and features…
- Caliber: 9×19
- Action: Semi-Automatic, Magazine Fed, Direct Blowback
- Length (folded): 20.9″
- Min. Firing Length (stock collapsed): 26.7″
- Max. Firing Length (stock extended): 29.7″
- Height: 5.9″
- Thickness: 1.15″
- Weight: 5 lbs.
- Materials: Aluminum / Steel / Polymer
- Finish: Corrosion Resistant with five color options
- Safety: Will not fire when closed / Manual Safety
- MSRP: $1795 (blem models available for less)
- Maximum portability – 20.9″ long (folded)
- Full 16″ threaded barrel +extendable stock
- Uses Glock-compatible magazines
- Extra magazine storage in stock
- Built-in safety features
- Made in USA
- Warranty: Limited Lifetime
The Pivot Ultracompact Folding Rifle was recently named the 2024 American Rifleman Golden Bullseye “Tactical Gun of the Year”.
Using The Pivot – Do The Twist
I am old enough to remember when Chubby Checker brought out that classic oldie, “The Twist”. We were twistin’ the night away, back in the early ‘60s. Now, I’m doing a different kind of twist… twisting my wrist to flip this rifle open or closed.
This rifle folds… or more precisely, pivots… by the upper receiver turning 180 degrees and locking into the lower, either open or closed. Most folding PCCs simply have the butt stock swing over to the side and lock in place. This rifle is different, and its spinning, folding technique really allows it to be shorter when folded (pivoted… they named it well!) Among the benefits of the pivoting method, if you attach a suppressor (which I will), the folded length is still short and easy to transport.
Doing The Twist…
They make it easy. Hold the gun by the grip. Then press the button at the rear of the receiver to unlock it. Flip your wrist, spinning the lower around. It will twist the upper 180 degrees into position, either open or closed. It takes longer to write about it than it takes to do it. That is clever and allows you to get the gun ready to fire in an instant. My review sample is much newer than the one we shot in NC and is stiff, but the wrist twist will work after it’s been Pivot-ed a few times.
Once the rifle is flipped, you can then extend the (included) butt stock. Again, a great idea… there’s nothing else to buy.
Other features that aid in shooting the Pivot include two short Picatinny rails on the top of the receiver and M-LOK slots on the handguard. You couldn’t mount a light or laser under the barrel, but you sure could put one on the side where it wouldn’t hit when folded or on the handguard. Just add a short Pic rail M-LOK adapter.
With the two Pic rails on top of the receiver, you can choose where to place the optic. I had a Bear Creek Arsenal red/green dot handy, so I stuck that on the rear rail and used my Wheeler bore sighter to get things close. I am curious about adding a light to the top, as well… I have a couple of HiLight Tactical weapon lights/lasers that sit pretty low. They’re meant to hang off a pistol’s dust cover, of course, but if the red dot clears it, a light or light/laser combo on the front Pic rail might be an option. They’re not designed for this purpose, but I tend to use what I have. Stay tuned…
Another nice touch that a couple of other companies include in their PCCs is magazine storage in the butt stock. You have that here, as well. It’s nice to have an extra mag on hand. I know I’ll sure do that. One thing to remember, though, is that you won’t be able to fully retract the butt stock if you’ve stuck a 33-round mag in the mag holder… It’s too long to let the butt stock slide all the way forward. If you don’t mind the stock sticking out a half inch or so, then go for it, but it might be better to put the long mag in the mag well, and stick the 15-round Glock 19 mag they send with the gun in the butt stock holder. That’s right – it’s an actual Glock-branded mag. Impressive.
The Pivot we shot in NC was suppressed… It’s easy to do, as all Pivots have a threaded barrel for a 9mm-sized can with a ½”x28 thread pattern. I have a suppressor working its way through the bureaucratic weeds, and an adapter coming. I’ll try to update this report with photos as soon as they’re available.
Lastly, I get tired of having to search out the bolt hold-open device on some guns. You won’t have that problem here… the operating handle doubles as that device. Just slide it into the “L” slot on the receiver’s top, and the bolt is held open.
Photos
Let’s look at the gun.
Shown with optional 33-round Glock mag… a couple of those, and you’re set!
The safety is duplicated on the other side for “normal” right-handers.
The sliding butt stock is three-position (in, halfway, out) and sports a mag carrier…
M-LOK slots grace the handguard/forend. Note the short Pic rail and the charging handle. A sideways slap of that handle releases the bolt, and sticking it into its slot locks the bolt. Very handy.
These are not mounting slots under the M-LOKs, but a bit of purchase for your support hand. You can’t mount anything here because it folds away.
Shown with a (not included) 33-round magazine in place and the included 15-rounder in the butt stock.
Ready for travel!
Coming soon to a threaded barrel near me… a suppressor. It’s here, just waiting on the red tape.
So, How Does It Shoot?
Granted, this is a personal defense weapon and, as such, was not designed to be a tack driver. So, I set some targets up at around 20 yards. Some might consider that a stretch for a PDW, but I was curious.
I grabbed an ammo box of Black Hills 9mm ammo – they provide ammo for my reviews, for which I am grateful. It’s good stuff.
I shot a Black Hills 115-grain FMJ load. I figured I could get out all sorts of 9mm ammo for this rifle, but it was designed to shoot plain-ol’ FMJ loads. It did that well, as you can see from a conglomeration off-hand target that I shot around 20 yards. I used a Wheeler bore sighter to get the Bear Creek Arsenal red/green dot (that’s what I had handy) close to the point of aim beforehand.
There are really two groups here… those on the upper right, that were the very first shots by me out of this rifle, and those in the middle. I tried a different hold between them. I guess I figured things out a little better in that second group. I got to shooting my Caldwell 66%-size steel silhouette target at 75 yards with it offhand, and connected more often than not… The gun is plenty accurate enough for its intended purpose.
What Else Is Out There?
If you are looking to add a PCC to your collection, you have some options. First, you have to decide if you want a 16-inch-or-so barrel or something shorter, and then, does the rifle need to fold? If so, your choices are a bit limited. There’s the 16.25-inch-barreled S&W folding PCC in 9mm and now 5.7×28 (link to review above).
Also, Kel-Tec’s SUB2000 folding PCC is an option. It also uses a 16” barrel. Finally, Ruger makes a 16-inch folding PCC in 9mm… see it here.
It doesn’t fold, but my Extar EP-9 is a somewhat similar critter, with a shoulder brace and the ability to take Glock mags. That’s an option if you don’t want a 16-inch barrel, folding receiver, or a threaded barrel. That leads me to say that if you can use a non-folding, shorter-barreled model, that opens things up, but those are well beyond our scope here. I just mentioned the EP-9 because I have one.
Suffice to say, you can get many different models in 9mm, and other calibers such as .45 ACP, 10mm, and 5.7×28 are represented, as well.
I am very happy with the Pivot… it has some unique features and seems well-built. The accuracy is a definite plus.
Summing Up
The world of folding pistol-caliber carbines has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Once upon a time, if you wanted a long(er) gun in 9mm, you were pretty much limited to AR-pattern rifles. These did not fold, nor were they particularly handy. They are still out there, and they serve a purpose… training someone to use an AR is easier if you can start them off shooting .22LR or 9mm. 5.56 mm can come later.
But if you want “quick ‘n handy”, then you need to look at something that folds but is quick into action. With a flip of your wrist, you can have more than 30 rounds, ready to go, with another 30 in the butt stock. And, those rounds are going to be more effective out of a 16-inch barrel than out of a shorter one in a pistol. Add a suppressor, and you have fun just waiting to be had. It’s time to do the Twist!
Links To Items Used In This Review
- Athlon Rangecraft Velocity Pro Radar Chronograph, $500
- Bear Creek Arsenal-Branded Red/Green Dot Sight, $80
- Birchwood Casey Filled Shooting Bags, $40
- Birchwood Casey Range Cleaning Kit, $60
- Black Hills Ammunition
- Caldwell E-Max Low-Profile Hearing Protectors, $33
- Caldwell 66% AR500 Steel Silhouette Target, $127
- Caldwell Ultimate Target Stand, $33
- GPS Medium Range Bag, $150
- MTM Case-Gard High-Low Shooting Table, $160
- Wheeler Spacesaver Screwdriver Set, $22
- Wheeler Red Laser Bore Sighter, $193 (available in green, also)