Click HERE to learn more about the Atomic 6.
Guns are heavy. They have to be. They’re containing and directing a small explosion, so they’re constructed with strong, heavy materials.
But they don’t have to be quite so heavy. At least, your Glock doesn’t.
Utah-based Culper Precision uses a unique method to replace 50 percent of a factory Glock 19 slide with carbon fiber, which reduces the overall weight of the firearm by about 30 percent. We caught up with the company’s founder and president, Brandon Scott, at SHOT Show 2020 to check out the Atomic 6 for ourselves.
Culper Precision uses both mechanical and chemical techniques to bond carbon fiber material to a stainless-steel slide. The slide weighs only 7.94oz fully assembled and will fit any Glock 19 Gen 4 frame, including aftermarket frames.
The entire Atomic 6 handgun weighs only 17.35oz. That’s about one ounce less than the G48 and the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, and about the same as the SIG Sauer P365. Unlike those handguns, however, the Atomic 6 uses standard 15-round G19 magazines.
SEE ALSO: LIVE LOOK at the New Alien Pistol from Laugo Arms – SHOT Show 2020
The handgun is a pleasure to shoot. The gun is noticeably lighter, but we didn’t find that the weight reduction affected recoil management or shootability in any significant way. Two mags worth of shooting at Range Day doesn’t tell the whole story (especially in regard to cycling and reliability with different types of ammo), but we didn’t have any issues with our small sample size.
Scott told us their firearms have been subjected to significant testing (70,000-80,000 rounds), so he said customers can expect the Atomic 6 to withstand the wear and tear of everyday carry and practice.
The Atomic 6 is pricey, but it also comes loaded with premium parts and features. Culper Precision also offers the carbon fiber slide as a standalone product.
The Atomic 6 standalone slide package includes:
- Stainless Slide with co-cured Carbon Fiber to reduce weight and improve performance
- Atomic 6 RMR Cover Plate and Titanium Cover plate Screws
- Threaded Match Grade Stainless Steel Box Fluted Target Crowned DLC Coated barrel
- Non-Threaded Match Grade Stainless Steel Box Fluted Target Crowned DLC Coated Barrel
- Custom Spring-Co Recoil Tuning Kit complete with;
- Dual-Stage Guide rod
- Guide Rod Reducer
- ‘Light’ Spring
- ‘Medium’ Spring
- “Heavy’ Spring
- Zev Pro Upper Parts Kit – Installed
- Stainless steel Skeletonized Firing Pin
- PRO Striker Spring
- Stainless Steel Safety Plunger and spring
- Stainless steel Extractor Rod and Spring
- Zev Backplate
- Your choice of Trijicon Suppressor High Night Sights or Trijicon HD regular height night sights (Orange Dot)
- Price: $1,499
The Atomic 6 full handgun package includes everything in the slide package, along with:
- Nomad Defense Gen 4 Frame
- 3 grip sizing panels
- Enhanced Dovetail (Eliminates Glock Slide Bite)
- Enhanced Trigger Guard
- Apex Trigger
- Locking Block
- Takedown bar and Spring
- Stainless Steel Pins
- Slide Lock
- Magazine release
- Magazine release spring
- 3 – Amend 2 15 round magazines
- Price: $1,999
Click HERE to learn more about the Atomic 6.
Guns do not contain a small explosion. A bullet is propelled by a rapid expansion of a burning propellant,ie
:gunpowder. An explosion will occur if the expanding gases have no where to go, such as a plugged bore. Same as a piston in a car engine. Rapid gas expansion.
It’s pretty cool with nice machining , I really like the CF but $1999 ???? WTF?
I can get a Gen5 all Wilson Combatted out for around $1250 , sure it’s going to be 5 ounces heavier but not $750 worth.
Or, you know, Glock 48 and Shield 15 round mags for 25% the price. This thing takes “Gucci Glock” to a whole new level. “Culper Precision uses a unique method”, yea unique method, milling out pockets in a CNC and gluing in some CF inserts…
I bust out laughing when I seen the price
So did I
The only way to reduce slide weight and keep the slide locked until the pressure drops is to increase the weight of the recoil spring. Just how hard is it to manipulate the slide on this? It should be simple to measure the force required to work the slide/spring combos and report the results.
if the slide weighs half as much, I would guess the spring has to be twice as strong. or something like that. definitely stronger.