I’m a big fan of people doing something different in the world of firearms, even if it’s not made for me or my needs. The Rideout Arsenal Dragon certainly hits the right keys to please me. It’s a radically different pistol design that qualifies as novel.
A High-Tech Anomaly
Here’s the catch: the MSRP for the First Edition models is $3,600 dollars. That doesn’t come anywhere near what we’d call affordable. So what’s the Dragon? It’s a 9mm, lever-delayed blowback pistol that uses Springfield Echelon magazines.
Bore Axis and Design
Bore axis is something prattled about a lot (I used to buy into the idea that super small differences made a significant difference). In reality, bore axis has to be considerably low to make a difference most shooters will feel. For example, the Chiappa Rhino places the barrel even with the bottom chamber of the revolver.
The Dragon lowers the bore axis to -3.3mms. That’s right, it’s a semi-auto pistol that places the barrel below the grip spur. While I haven’t shot the gun to confirm it, the idea of this, and any low bore axis gun is that recoil is directed linearly back into the wrist rather than rearward and upward.
The slide is also quite small. Smaller means lighter. Lighter means less reciprocating mass and less felt recoil.
The Lever-Delayed System
The barrel is fixed, and the lever-delayed blowback system is a unique way to tame recoil while keeping the barrel fixed. Lever delay isn’t new, but as far as I know, the only other lever-delayed pistol in production is the PSA 5.7 Rock.
The optic doesn’t mount to the slide, but rather to a fixed mount. Rideout Arsenal calls it the Non-Reciprocating Optics Carrier. The benefit is that your sight remains still, making it easier to track.
The faster you can track your sights, the faster you can shoot. With that said, do you have to reach forward to rack the gun? Nope, the N-ROC also acts as a charging handle, so you can grab it and the optic and rack it like any other modern pistol.
Riding the Dragon
A portion of the slide cycles underneath the N-ROC and optic. Ergonomically, the pistol offers a truly ambidextrous design. This includes a “gas pedal” integrated into the frame.
These thumbrests allow you to apply a little weight to the front of the gun and add even more muzzle rise control. The Dragon features a metal frame and weighs a hefty 33.9 ounces which puts it into the Beretta 92 realm.
Weight reduces recoil, especially when you combine it with a light slide and low bore axis. The gun uses a 5-inch bull barrel for superior accuracy. At the end of that barrel, under a nose cap, sits a tri-lug mount that allows you to mount muzzle devices.
Size and Concerns
This isn’t a small gun at 9.1 inches long. For competition use, that’s fine, but I don’t see anyone dropping this thing in an AIWB rig and rocking and rolling.
My only concern is that the front sight is mounted to the removable nose cap. If you aren’t using an optic, does the nose cap index correctly every time? Will it potentially loosen?
But Why?
A minor complaint to be sure, but hey, who doesn’t like whining about a high dollar gun? I joke, but it’s an absolutely fascinating design.
The value of a gun like this isn’t just for competition shooters with deep pockets. I think things like this can inspire the industry, even incrementally, to make changes to their designs. It’s like the wings of a butterfly…they can eventually create a hurrican…or something like that.
Its ugly, looks like when they got to the front someones Parkinson’s was affecting their motor skills while they worked on the design ‘drawings’. I like the idea of the ‘Non-Reciprocating Optics Carrier’ though.
I would love to shoot one, but the price will keep me from owning one. I guess my dream will remain a dream.