Full Conceal Collapsing Glock PistolYeaaaaaah.... this thing. The
Full Conceal pistol.
It's pretty much what it sounds and looks like. I am, admittedly, more than a little dubious about this one.
Full Conceal offers two models (M1 and M2) of Glock conversions that aim to reduce the overall size of your concealed carry piece and reduce printing. They do that by chopping off the bottom of the grip (of what appears to be a
Polymer80 80% pistolf frame PF940 V1.5) and carrying the magazine stuck to the front rail instead of in the mag well, forward of the trigger guard. Or, forward of where the trigger guard would be if they hadn't removed it on the M2 model to make room for the magazine.
But wait, it sure looks like the magazine goes right past where the trigger guard was in into that gaping hole in the front of the grip frame, doesn't it? Yes, good eye, dear reader.
Full Conceal has also monkeyed with the trigger to devise some type of mechanism that allows the trigger to fold up into the frame and out of the way of the magazine.
That's right... no trigger guard, leaving the collapsing trigger exposed.
It's pretty cool that people are coming up with new ideas and trying to innovate in the firearms world. However, not every idea can be a winner (remember the laser we saw at last SHOT Show that only turns on when you put your finger on the trigger?). The issues that we see right away with the Full Conceal FC-G17 are several.
The first is that it doesn't really seem to save that much space. The chopped-down grip doesn't make the entire firearm that much shorter than a Glock G26, which can take higher capacity G19, G17, or G18 magazines just as easily as the chopped down FC-G17. When you factor in that it has a longer slide and, on the M1, the magazine sticks out even past that, you gain a fair amount of length as well.
The M1 was originally slated to ship (and be carried) with an empty mag well, although they claim you can carry with one in the chamber. Aside from giving you only one shot without having to load your firearm, the empty mag well would allow all sorts of debris into the action. While a stubby 7-round magazine is available for the M1, the M2 is still to be carried with an empty magazine (and chamber, thanks to the folding trigger).
On the M2 model, even once you have drawn your firearm, assembled it, and loaded it by racking the slide, there is no trigger guard. If you aren't ready to immediately fire, or you have finished firing, where do most people put their finger? This seems like a major safety concern.
Using the light rail as a spot to hold a spare magazine is an interesting idea, but it does introduce one glaring issue... it takes up the light rail. Where do you put your light/laser if your primary magazine is there? Here's hoping FC-G17 users don't get into any sketchy situations after dark!
Lastly, if the Full Conceal does, indeed, come as a
Polymer80 80% pistolf lower, how many people have the time, desire, or skill to machine their own pistol frame that is expected to be carried and relied upon to protect one's own life with?