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Heizer
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The PAR 1, a .223 pocket pistol.
Most of you are familiar with the concept by now. The Heizer is a slab of steel about the size of an iPhone in a case that fires one round. The .410 version has been popular, and they’re making news with even more hand-abusing calibers. They’ve brought a .223 to the show, the PAR 1, and it is something to see.
I’m not sure how many of you have fired these types of guns. I have. I’m not a fan of the punishing recoil energy that drives straight back into your hand. But you aren’t supposed to like it. This isn’t a range toy. It is a defensive firearm meant for close range work. And you’d rather have your hand hurt than die–I think that’s the idea. Firing a .410 would be bad enough, but I’d hesitate to pull the trigger on a .223, and I’m not sure who would volunteer to shoot the .308 version that’s coming.
I was expecting to see the .223. What I wasn’t expecting was the semi-auto version. This flat single-stack will hold 5+1. It is heavy, too. Details about the semi-auto are few and far between, as it is still in the early stages. I do know that it has an external safety, and that the trigger breaks at 6 pounds. And what would you call this new gun?
I’m curious about the safety–so I’m asking for your input. Would you want a safety on a gun like this? If the trigger was beefed up, would you carry it in your pocket with no holster? Let us know in the comments below.
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Fixed barrel. 5+1. And solid steel.
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Heizer’s new semi-auto, as yet unnamed.
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Thin.
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The Hedy Jane pistols have a touch of color.
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The slide in the open position shows the fixed barrel.
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The unique flush extractor.
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I appreciate the information, but the author needs to take a basic journalism class.
They’re not my cup of tea, but I wish them all the luck. Some folks will just have to have one, and I think that’s great. I remember 15 or 20 years ago someone came out with a single shot Derringer in .45-70. Saw it with my own two eyes, but I’d sure never fire it. My wife has the Kel-Tek 3AT and the Ruger LCP. (We had problems with the 3AT.) I love shooting .44 mags, but those two guns HURT! And they are only .380s. Can’t imagine a tiny .223 or .45. I’m quite happy with my S&W 638 in my pocket with 5 rounds of .38+P. It may not be the tops in firepower, but I can hit pretty darn good with it, and it sure doesn’t hurt to shoot.
Very cool pistol.
For those of you that complain about the FPS, a slightly slower FPS is still very effective.
Go stand in front of a train going slightly slower than full speed, let us know how that goes.
I’ve fired both the .410 and the .223…..the .223 is a great shooting pistol, very little recoil.
It’s a very high tech gun, with very cool styling and very effective!
The only question I have about this gun is “Why?” I guess it would make a nice conversation piece at the range (especially after firing it), but I cannot think of another reason for owning one.
I like that prototype little 45 semi auto. It reminds me a lot of my Semmerling but square edges. Interesting.
I think knowing how a little .380 auto feels after a round or two if this thing shoots a .45 caliber round the only name I can think of is the wrist wrecker and I mean that in the truest way 100%. a .380 auto almost breaks your wrist so I couldn’t even imagine what your wrist would feel like after just 1 round and 96% of us wouldn’t even think of taking another shot.
ya I still think wrist wrecker or possibly even the finger snapper or bone breaker or pretty much anything that includes the final result and how long do you think you would still be married if you acted all nice and bought one for the old lady for protection and took her out to shoot it? I know id definatly only put 1 round in it because now I see a reason why someone would fire more than one round or you better be a damb fast runner. LOL
I’ll stick with my Glock 27 for CC
Not your best work here Dave. Poor report of the facts
.45 ACP ? SMALL SIZE ? STEEL ? SEMI AUTOMATIC ? FIXED OR REMOVABLE MAGAZINE ? NAME ?
DROPPER ? PANTS AND PREDATORS …..DID NOT AMT DO THIS WITH A DOUBLE ACTION ONLY .45 ACP ?
MAC..No AMT did not make one like their 45 auto prototype at all. AMT made a Back-up. Totally different animal.
This has to be a joke. Someone is having a big laugh reading all these comments.
I’d call it the Dumb Ass Gun II or DAG 2.
I’ve fired a derringer with a 45-70 barrel.
Dumb ass!
So this is DAG 2.
Wrong cal. but it could be a pretty good CC weapon. Make it a 380 or 9mm maybe even 40. No it doesn’t need a safety.
I have trouble envisioning a magazine long enough to hold 223 in a grip-able frame, but I’ll give Heizer the benefit of the doubt. No, I would not likely be seeking something like that but please let me offer my congratulations to Heizer for developing this.
I’d like a 22 magnum semi auto. Is there any such animal?
Kel Tek makes a ,22 mag semi auto, I have one and it runs fine but it’s too large to be a pocket rocket, a holster would work well.
I’d like a 22 magnum semi auto. Is there any such animal?
Keltec PMR. A little large for IWB or any waist carry concealed, really, but it carries well in a vertical shoulder holster and offers 30 rounds of .22.WMR in a barrel long enough to develop a good deal of this nasty little calibur’s potential.
Why?
more gimmickery , some scared little bird is always searching for the magic bullet…..whats a matter, higgy , you just needed to write some crap ?
is the 45 blowback operated with the fixed barrel? Recoil spring must be very heavy.
For all the talk about a safety, what kind of safety? I don’t mean where it is located or how it is operated. If the safety, like most, is only a trigger block, then it is a waste of engineering and expense. If the safety actually locks or disengages the firing pin/hammer then it would be well worth while.
With it’s weight and 6 lb trigger pull, I’d call it the Heizer “Hammer”. It’d be like carrying a framing hammer in your pocket and hitting your hand with it.
No, I wouldn’t carry something that heavy and punishing.
(Modem disconnected as I hit “Submit”, so I am not sure if my comment posted. I don’t see it, so I’ll try again. Please forgive me if it does show up twice.)
Not for me! I have considered both the Double Tap in .45 ACP and Bond Derringers in .45 LC/.410 GA. However, I just cannot bring myself to shell out around 500 bucks for any weapon that only offers 1 or 2 rounds. A Taurus Judge Public Defender or Ruger LCR will fit in your pocket. They each hold 5 powerful rounds and can be purchased for less than one of these Heizers.
Not for me! I have considered both the Double Tap in .45 ACP and Bond Derringers in .45 LC/.410 GA. However, I just cannot bring myself to shell out around 500 bucks for any weapon that only offers 1 or 2 rounds. A Taurus Judge Public Defender or Ruger LCR will fit in your pocket. They each hold 5 powerful rounds and can be purchased for less than one of these Heizers.
Call the .223 version the “Shrink Wrap” gun. Toss a plastic trash bag at your target and fire a single .223 shot out of a 2″ barrel in the same general direction. You may not hit your target, but I bet that the muzzle flash would melt the plastic bag neatly around your target….
I once had a .45 ACP two shot derringer but the thing wasn’t accurate out to five feet.
Got rid of it for a N.A.A . five shot .22WMR.
The thought of a .223 in that configuration is laughable.
No, no and no again. This is nothing but a child’s blast-happy toy. Too heavy for concealed carry, definitely needs a safety, underperformace of a .223 in the short barrel – and the .45 does not appeal, either. No, Thank you very kindly, but I’ll keep my Beretta EL 950 Jetfire – light, compact and balanced – a far better weapon for any conceivable short-range or back-up situation.
I would name it the MONSTER.
I would name it the MONSTER.
It is great that a number of hobbyists are entering the industry. This pistol looks like an interesting piece.
Over-powered, and heavy to try and compensate for the cartridge.
It’s good to see Heizer try and rebound after their failure with DoubletTap. Hopefully they have fixed their quality issues.
Has to be ear drum bustingly LOUD!
Maybe the colored ones are called the Ready Hedy?
That’s an answer to a question nobody asked. I kind of like the machined steel look of the muzzle and fixed barrel. It reminds me of the old smith model 61 .22 pocket pistols, or even a 422. But something that small should not be chambered in a rifle round IMHO.
Oh I think someone asked! Not sure exactly who, but somebody asked, “I wonder what would happen if I tried to make a .223 pistol?” and thankfully this is a question that still can be answered in the anti-gun world we live in. Maybe it’s a novelty, maybe it’s a great gun for someone who has a stockpile of .223 ammo, maybe it’s a Gun Case display conversation piece, like my all but useless vintage “pen gun” .38 lots of talking about it, no shooting it. And no doubt some will use it for CCW. And what an advertisement for Heizer!
No purpose. I carry a Ruger LCR .357 Magnum. All the power necessary, without the gimmick. This piece is for conversations, not ccw.
I have to agree with David Miller on velocity-you’ll probably sear your attacker to medium rare with the unburned powder, but you’ll likely have a subsonic 55-80 grain projectile. I’m not sure that’s the kind of stopping power you’d want. Cool, OK yes it has some unique factor. Practical, maybe not so much. It might be fun at the range to have a handheld M-44 (Mosin carbine length). Lotsa flash-not much smash though. They should name it puff the magic dragon.
I’d call it “Punisher”. It’s going to punish the user! And scare the hell out of anyone near it when it discharges!
Pocket pistols started out at .22LR then went to 32 ACP then .380 then 9MM and now .223 and .410.
What’s next, 50 BMG?
This is about as useful here in 2015 as carrying an FP-45 Liberator. It’s a novelty and will only add a little more weight to the gun safe. Given so many better options, why would any one carry this?
I like the original pocket pistol when it was called a derringer!
My sentiments exactly. I like the old High Standard double-action .22 magnum. They are defeating the purpose of trying to get a derringer to do what a full sized handgun was meant to do. The best compromise you’re going to find for EDC and capacity at bad breath distance is a hammerless airweight snubby or a pocket .380 auto: The former always goes boom with little maintenance or experience required. The latter with proper ammo and practice is pretty reliable in a small package with 7 or 8 shots. You don’t really need a woodpecker for point blank defense. And as far as multiple attackers? True, you will run out of bullets – but probably not before they run and high tail it. Once a cohort is down, they lose their anonymity; and when they’re caught the ‘Let’s Make A Deal’ finger pointing begins. So really ANY gun is better than the safe queen you left at home. Just make sure you put him in the hospital first.
Nice gun I would call it The ‘AR’ gun and add it to the collection. Power you can relay on.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
Just what we need a useless firearm that gives gun owners horrible press for gun haters to jump on .Public relations is is what need not gasoline on a fire
QUOTE E.D. “Just what we need a useless firearm that gives gun owners horrible press for gun haters to jump on .Public relations is is what need not gasoline on a fire” I won’t touch your grammar, but what gun is not going to make gun haters hate it? By definition there isn’t one. As far as this gun being a thumb in the eye of gun haters, might as well be a HMR .17 Public Relations? Who are you kidding? In my humblized opinion:
The people who make a difference in how the public perceives gun violence, gun ownership, gun designs, are the BIG MONEY heavy weights like HCI, (Handgun Control, Inc.) CSGV (The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence) who have been hard at work since the 1970’s to make sure we all eventually lose our guns, Andrew Cuomo, HELP Network (part of Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago) The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (PBS programing is often funded by this Foundation) the groups, foundations, coalitions, activists, politicians, Kentuckians moms etc are lining up to pour money on the fire, we don’t even have a need for the figurative “gasoline” and this little gun isn’t even going to show up on the radar of these rabid ferrets. So if you don’t like the gun, eh so you don’t like the gun, but to try to say this is going to be fuel for the anti-gun crowd, is just a waste of time you could have spent learning about the true fuel for the fire in the bellies’ of the media driven anti-gun campaign. So don’t fool yourself, Public Relations is one of those “Keywords” the anti-gun crowd has an all out monopoly on. What we need is political pressure, and groups like NAGR who don’t give an inch when it comes to our right to bear arms.
First of all anyone who carries a .25 cal for defense is retarded. You’re better off with a TOOTHPICK! And secondly safeties are for PUSSYS!
A self defense weapon should ALWAYS BE: LOCKED COCKED AND READY TO ROCK DOC!!! CLICK AND STICK VATOS!
@Woodrow…………you ‘sir’ are a certifiable dumbass
What pray tell do you exactly think that cocked and locked entails? Safeties are for Pussies? I guess that makes you head pussy in charge.
Woodrow, the “locked” part of “LOCKED [and] COCKED” is the safety, bud.
Woody –
i’ve carried a Beretta .25 in my pocket for 26 yrs. and i don’t carry anything i don’t practice with regularly – that equals alot of practice. granted, many times i’m merely carrying it as a “back-up” gun, but there are times when it is all i carry. it isn’t a target pistol, so the “practice” consists mainly of disengaging the safety while gaining the quickest possible access (preferably unnoticed). i carry it with a round chambered and the safety engaged. by the way, it holds 9 rounds. i’m willing to be involved in some training scenarios if u are, so stop by the grocery store and get ur toothpicks – i’ll even let u use the ones that are sharpened on both ends. now who is the “retard” ? people like u, ur stupid comments and ur ignorance make gun-control possible, if not more likely by the minute.
Glad some manufacturers are pushing the envelope on designs and coming up with new stuff. Personally I see nothing that this gun will do that other’s can not do better, or less expensively. The only redeeming value I see in this gun is that it is chambered for .223/5.56, same cartridge as most AR15’s – but that’s it. I will never get one of these things, nor would I recommend it.
This gun is the worst idea I have ever seen. Horrific sights, horrible ballistics, terrible ergonomics, way too long of a slide cycle, way to long of a grip, heavy, ugly, loud, brutal recoil, excessive muzzle flash, terrible terminal ballistics and the entire concept “AR in your pocket,” will give the anti gun folks a slogan to grab onto. It has but one redemeening quaility: the fixed barrel axis is very low. If someone really wanted something like a .223 in there pocket why not build a gun (something totally different from this heavy, ugly, pos) around the .22 TMC? It’s the size of a 9 mm, so it could fit into something the size of a Kimber Solo with all that guns ergonomics. It would be softer shooting than a 9mm. Have great sights, awesome ergonomics, a safety, great trigger for a pocket gun, 6+1 capacity and was designed around barrels that were 4 3/4-5″ instead of the 16-20″ that the .223 was designed around. Come to think of it I’m gonna see if I can find someone to make me a 22 TMC barrel for my solo
I want to know more about the semi auto .45
I have a double tap in .45 + 9mm – The .45 is just too much for my hand….
I’m still trying to accept the philosophy of use. For last-chance, close range defense, why not just use a small 9mm or similar platform? At close range, anything is affective. So why opt for a .223 or .308 hand cannon, that will over-penetrate, carry fewer rounds of ammo, and probably recoil to the point of destroying any opportunity to hit your target on follow-up shots? .223 and .308 are great semi-auto calibers for battle rifles and great hunting rounds, but aside from the novelty of it, I can’t see the usefulness of building a pocket pistol for them.
I agree. Just because you can make something doesn’t mean you should make it !!
I agree. Just because you can make something doesn\’t mean you should make it !!
Shayne,
Couldn’t agree more! That breaks it down to its simplest….
Just because you can,
doesn’t mean you should.
Wrong application of the Right idea.
With close range situations, improve on what we already have. Don’t try and reinvent the wheel.
…my two cents!
Be Safe!!
PoU?
Range conversation starter and source of humor
The Name that pops into my mind is……, SpitFire due to the fact that is exactly what this.little Hottie is going to do.
Yes I like the safety but would like to see a sub 5 lb break on the trigger. Not much 4.8 4.6 range.
Thanks guys,
Sal
It doesn’t need a safety. For me its not CCW material. This was designed to be a last ditch effort sort of item and lets keep it as such. I don’t believe in POCKET guns anyway. Things happen tooooo fast,,, for me to be digging in my pocket.
Think I’ll wait until they come out with the “Pocket 50” !
My two cents worth. .any armed criminal will already have the draw on you. You wont have time to dig. Might as well fake having a front pocket wallet and let em’ eat lead.
I’d call it Fugly, and useless….. a .223 pistol Why? That thing has to be one of the ugliest weapons ever designed, it hasn’t one redeeming quality ..there I said it, sorry Heizer you wasted time effort and materials.
Useless, not in the least, you may not like the design, the caliber or anything about it, but to say it is “useless”, is, well is actually useless. Your post has no value, is false, and actually useless. Would this gun work as designed? yes. Will this gun sell? yes. Therefore Heizer has not wasted any time, effort, nor materials. Opinions are always welcome, but saying something is useless is as useless as udders on a bull…
That is everything I don’t want in a carry pistol. Over penetrating small bullet and too much recoil for quick follow up shots. For me that’s just another novelty piece.
The .223 isn’t going to overpenetrate. Out of a barrel that short, the .223 will barely be going fast enough to make it a good way into a chest cavity through a cotton t-shirt. Frankly, the muzzle blast itself is as valuable for close-quarters defense as the bullet.
Safety maybe, if not maybe a matching fitted pocket holster. If made to make it look like a big square I doubt anyone would notice given the amount of large smart phones I see people carry in their pockets.
A thumb safety, yes. But I think that a grip safety is also indicated here. The “Colt” solution is probably the best, not to mention a hard shelled holster.
ONLY if it is stainless steel. Otherwise close carry to the body will cause constant rust issues. But I like what I see in the semi-auto version.
Have you ever velocity tested 223/5.56 in a very short barreled gun? Unless you handload (which is recommended against for personal defense) the powders used in 223 are generally intended to burn in 16-20 inches of barrel. Velocities in 2-3 inch barrels are only 800-1200 FPS respectively, but you will get to enjoy a ridiculous amount of muzzle blast and perceived recoil as the rest of the powder burns in front of your barrel. Factory cartridge to factory cartridge I would be willing to bet a 22LR or 25 ACP would be almost as effective for defense as 223 in THIS gun. “Ballistics by the Inch” is a great website to check out for just this topic. Heizer should be ashamed for claiming “AR Performance” from a gun with no real world pros and a lot of cons.
A 300 Blackout version would be a better idea. A 200 grain bullet might actually be useful. But even that would have minimal energy on a body. The .223 mussel blast with factory ammo would be its most effective personal defense tool. And by the way if the thing went off in your pocket it would NOT need the bullet to actually hit you; the muzzelel blast would tear out anything near it. Which includes some essentials if it was in MY front pocket. And give new meaning to “blowing your ass off” if in your back pocket. 🙂 The muzzle blast would definitely scare the hell out of any attacker along with rendering him and the defender permanently deaf. When 9 MM sub-compacts have become so much more small and even .40S&W is so small, and both more effective, this gun’s only purpose is to be cool. Not for actual personal defense. In my opinion it is just a joke.
A 300 Blackout version would be a better idea. A 200 grain bullet might actually be useful. But even that would have minimal energy on a body. The .223 mussel blast with factory ammo would be its most effective personal defense tool. And by the way if the thing went off in your pocket it would NOT need the bullet to actually hit you; the muzzelel blast would tear out anything near it. Which includes some essentials if it was in MY front pocket. And give new meaning to “blowing your ass off” if in your back pocket. 🙂 The muzzle blast would definitely scare the hell out of any attacker along with rendering him and the defender permanently deaf. When 9 MM sub-compacts have become so much more small and even .40S&W is so small, and both more effective, this gun’s only purpose is to be cool. Not for actual personal defense. In my opinion it is just a joke.
Right on junk gun same as the Alaskan no barrel no punch
a .454 Casull out of a two inch barrel and you say it has no punch? Now that statement is clearly this years winner of the
“Stupid is as Stupid does!” Award. It is an award rated right up there with the “Darwin Awards”. Enjoy your reward.
Hey Bob, you hit the nail on the head. I am able to write because of my 454 Alaskan. Mad bear, close range. It is not a gun that is fun to shoot but it is worth its weight in diamonds. Btw, I do live in Alaska
Imagine what that ‘ridiculous amount of muzzle blast’ would do with that short little barrel pressed had into some perps belly!
Dingdingdingdingding!! Exactly. While not my first choice, I can see how this gun would be useful and that is in a last ditch situation involving a muzzle contact shot. All of that high pressure gas getting uncorked in an assailant’s body cavity would certainly be most distracting to them.
We chambered a .223 rem. at Bond Arms in a 3″ bbl and it threw a 3 foot ring of fire about five ft. The bullet entered block of wood at 8 ft. full profile.
Accidental Discharge of .223 into the femoral artery would be fatal, this thing needs a thumb safety.
I agree, A safety is a must on this. I used to keep a 25 caliber Beretta in my front pants pocket, fully loaded with one in the barrel and having the safety made it much better. There are a few other things that are bothering me about this SEMI AUTO VERSION. I cannot see 223 rounds fitting in this thing.
OK no I have not held it in my hand, I have not seen it get loaded but why aren’t they showing the magazine with the rounds in it? The one shot flip up looks OK buy we all know having 5 rounds without opening the barrel is much better.
For clarification sake, the 5+1 unnamed semi-auto pistol is NOT .223… it is .45 ACP. This article is misleading as the author has intermixed descriptions of 2 different pistols liberally. The unnamed semi-auti pistol pictured at the end of the article is clearly .45 ACP, as stamped on the receiver side and muzzle-evident in the photos. The .223 caliber Par1 pistol pictured at the beginning of the article is a single shot, break-action firearm. The second to last paragraph is particularly misleading as the author transitions from description of the Par1 to the unnamed semi-auto.
A .223 semi-auto pocket pistol would be something to see… as of today and despite my best efforts, my FN Five-Seven will not fit in my pants pocket!
Take care all and best wishes in 2015. Finally, thanks to Dave Higginbotham for all the hard work.
It’s a single shot tilt barrel.
Very well said….absolutely agree. Totally misleading on all counts.
I think the semi auto has a fixed internal magazine, not a removable one
If it has an integral magazine, we are seeing a resurgence of an idea found in the old Styer-Hahn and the Broomhandle.
Then possibly it would use stripper clips?
Call it a “Concealed Carry” gun, put it in a good, specialty holster, name it “HD Furious”, and they will sell a bunch of them, mostly to unsuspecting nubies. Safety or not.
I think it should be called “HC” Hard Core!
my grandma has the 50 caliber version. She hunts hummingbirds
Accidental discharge of ANY round into the femoral artery would be fatal. The best safety is a straight trigger finger and regular training.
femoral artery shot? What caliber besides BB gun wouldn’t be fatal??
I agree with David Miller. The barrel isn’t long enough for the powder to burn up before it exits. Most of it will end up on the ground, unburned and there will be a tremendous loss of energy, so what’s the point? So let’s call it the Flash Bang. Oh, that name is taken already.