Wallet guns are relatively niche firearms known for their small size and their idealness for concealed carry. As you can likely tell from the name, these guns are small and shaped to look similar to a wallet. Many of them will also have leather or cloth coverings to make them easier to conceal since, at a glance, they end up looking like a regular wallet.
In the case of the LifeCard, it looks like a credit card. It’s nowhere near thin enough to be one, but for such a small gun, it’s a surprise that it works at all.
The LifeCard At A Glance
The LifeCard is a discreet carry gun introduced by Trailblazer Firearms around 2017. The gun quickly made waves for its impossibly thin build and compact size that allowed users to carry it in a back pocket or attached to a lanyard. Seriously, it’s that small.
The gun folds into a square that’s 3.37 inches in length and 2.12 inches in height when closed. This makes it about the size of your average pocket knife when unfolded.
The gun is made of a combination of steel and aluminum with a black corrosion-resistant finish so you can count on your wallet gun to fold and unfold smoothly for years to come.
So far so good, right? But what makes potential buyers think twice about this gun is that it’s a .22 caliber single-action pistol. You only get one chance to stop an attacker with this gun before you have to fumble with the 3-round capacity storage compartment in the handle.
That said, its extremely small and inconspicuous size makes it worth considering as a concealed carry firearm.
Is the LifeCard Legal?
As with any legal question, it depends on the situation and which jurisdiction you’re in. Wallet guns in general are considered illegal in California under Penal Code 24710.
Is the Wallet Gun Worth Your Money?
The Pros
While there are definitely a ton of options for small and effective guns, like the Kimber Micro 9 STG Semi-Auto Pistol, the LifeCard has one unique advantage: It doesn’t look like a gun. At first glance, this wallet gun looks more like a weird multitool than a firearm.
Most regular people aren’t going to be in situations where they need a gun that doesn’t look like a gun, but for those who do, the LifeCard can make a great backup firearm. Another cool thing about it is that it’s ambidextrous so it’s not completely awkward to use depending on your handedness.
The keyword here is ‘completely’ because the LifeCard still feels “off” in your hand and that brings us to the cons.
The Cons
There is barely any space to hold onto this gun. While the length of the grip itself isn’t that bad, the fact that it’s half an inch thick and is completely smooth makes it extremely slippery compared to most handheld firearms.
Clearly, this is not a gun for people with large sweaty palms.
The gun suffers from all the constraints you can feasibly imagine to come with its size. Not only is it awkward to handle, but it’s a single-action firearm with very little storage capacity for additional bullets. At any given time, you only have four bullets at most in your LifeCard.
Should You Still Get the LifeCard?
Frankly, very few people are going to get a ton of value out of this gun versus “typical” concealed carry firearms. At its current price point, you’re likely to get better use out of your money if you bought any of these guns instead.
Let’s be real: This is a novelty gun for collectors and people who love the idea of Bond-esque spy tech. By no means is it a bad gun considering that it accomplishes exactly what it was made for. It’s just that it’s a very niche item.
Other than that, it’s reliable and has solid build quality which is pretty much all you want from a gun that’s supposed to be there when you need it.
Are There Accessories for the Trailblazer LifeCard?
If you do get the LifeCard, make sure to pick up a LifeCard sleeve to keep it safe and, for the collectors out there, in mind condition. This LifeCard sleeve from Trailblazer is made of genuine leather and is embossed with the Trailblazer logo. It has a simple brown varnish for a classic look.
You can find the LifeCard sleeve here.
Final Thoughts
The LifeCard wallet gun is an engineering marvel that does exactly what it promises to do. If you’re on the market for the most discreet gun money can buy, the LifeCard is the one for you. If you like collecting cool guns, the LifeCard is definitely for you. But again, for most people, a regular concealed carry firearm like those from Kimber and Smith & Wesson are going to be a better choice overall.
