YouTube personality, Graham Baates, gives us a video review of the Full Conceal M3D Folding Pistol
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- When initial news of the Full Conceal Folding Pistol was released I was a skeptic. The creator promised a firearm offering more conceal-ability options, more firepower, and more safety than we have come to expect in modern carry options. My questions were numerous. Why add an extra step to the draw? How safe is it? Can 21+1 rounds of 9mm really be easily concealed?
Let’s get down to business. Before showing the “how’s and whys” let’s take a look at the, “does it actually work?”. I hit the range with a wide variety of magazines and some hollow points. I wanted to know folding the gun would properly align the gun to feed on TorkMag, ETS, Jagemann, ProMag, Korean magazines and more.
Perhaps, more importantly, I wanted to know if Glock’s reliability had been reduced by folding the gun. Will it feed various hollow points? Lastly, I tested the practicality of pulling a folded gun from a pocket, assembling, and shooting. See the range review video below.
Now back to those claims. Here’s the breakdown as I have experienced:
- More Capacity: The M3D packs 21+1 rounds into a package that fits into a pocket. No other pistol that I have tried can do this. Even if you could fit a Glock 17 in your pocket it wouldn’t have 21+1 rounds.
- More Concealable: Sliding the M3D into a pocket presents a print similar to a large phone. Even the smallest of pocket .380s either look like a gun in your pocket or require a holster that consumes just as much space as the Full Conceal.
- More Options: No relying on waist band carry makes the M3D an easy choice for hot weather or business casual attire. Carrying the M3D meant no longer relying on a baggy shirt or awkward carry position to conceal. The M3D also remains comfortable and accessible while seated. I can’t say that about my normal 4 o’clock carry position.
- Safer: It is physically impossible for the M3D to fire while folded. In fact, the gun can not fire until completely assembled. This combined with the way the trigger guard and trigger fold (see tabletop video) makes for a greatly decreased chance of firing while drawing. The gun isn’t ready until the shooter is ready.
My initial concerns included practicality, cost, functionality, and durability.
- Practicality: Drawing from a pocket and folding is the same amount of steps as clearing a garment and drawing. The increased options of carry location and ease of use are a win.
- Cost: A lot of R&D and engineering went into the M3D. It’s also made in America with a lot of by-hand labor. Those factors drive up cost. Additionally, Full Conceal delivers the same warranty as Glock. Subtract the holster, special clothing, spare magazine, magazine carrier, and other bits required to match the capability of the M3D and the price gap narrows. It’s still not cheap, but neither is my life.
- Functionality: No malfunctions or failures were experienced that could not be attributed to the magazine. See the video above for magazine testing.
- Durability: Despite playing with the gun repeatedly, tossing it in a pack for hiking, and range time I found no evidence of wear and tear. Full Conceal’s warranty covers any failures.
Am I impressed? Yes. Would I endorse the M3D? Yes.
The industry needs innovation like what Full Conceal has brought. As the world continues to get more dangerous we need to continue to find ways to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Full Conceal offers a solution that breaks the status quo. For a closer look at how this pistol works see the tabletop video below.
About Graham Baates
“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .
Currently active duty Marine, have been one for over 8 years and ive been carrying since i was 18. I know what some will say oh you can’t when your not 21 which is a lie just get it as a gift and your good. I have carried this gun for over a month and with training which people forget or fail to mention i do not see a difference in my reaction time nor do i find the action to draw any different than my standard glock 19 gen 3. Just my opinion but i personally will keep using… Read more »
My only practial experience is carrying a gun for defensive purposes in the US and abroad for close to 10 years. By training I am an engineer (10yrs experience in the field) with an MBA (3 yrs in business for myself). Gun experience tells me: last thing I want to worry about when I am desperately and in a panic trying to shoot someone to defend my family or myself is to build a rubix cube to get that first and potentially life deciding shot off. Engineering experience tells me: plenty of parts that can work wrong at the worse… Read more »
I have been carrying a gun about 5 days a week for the last 8 years, 3 of those in Central America in higher risk areas. I have carried glocks, berettas, sigs, colts, s&w, rugers, and h&ks. All fine pistols, but I have always gravitated back to glocks….they just work for me. I train often and run guns hard. That said, I am lucky enough that I have never had to use one in a defensive situation; I’ve been real close, but never got to that point. In retrospect during the couple instances where I felt close to needing to… Read more »
I feel like if you’re a gang banger, drug dealer type of guy that’s always looking over his shoulder maybe this isn’t for you. Maybe you should stick with the standard “in your waist” gun. But if you’re just an average Joe that likes guns and wants to feel protected then this is perfect for you. You can be in the mall, grocery store, or picking up your kids and no one would feel uncomfortable around you because they don’t even know it’s in your pocket. AND IT’S WAY SAFER TO FOLD IT UP THAN TO HAVE THE GUN LOADED… Read more »
oh and one more thing wild bill, your 22 is a rim fire , and it is impossible for the pin to go thru the casing destroying it asshole, but on that note 223 and the 5.56 is also 22,s but are center fire rounds , but still ,if the firing pin all of a sudden started to do what your fake ass says , than its an impossibility , because the firing pin just does not start to do that shit, so one more time GO FUCK YOUR SELF………GOT THAT..
Oh and for you the revelator, you my friend , are nothing but a nut job, a physiologist friend of mine seen your post and he told me that your a psychopath by your comments, and your anger in the comments , that you where never successful in any thing in your life and was heavily criticized as a child, and was not successful in life, and that’s why you attack any and all criticism , he also told me that’s why you have a second personality (I.e ) the revelator, and that you have two personality’s and that’s why… Read more »
Oh and wield bill , firing pins all of a sudden don’t do that kind of shit asshole,,,, so fuck you , they either brake or the spring went out …….
wild bill are you the wild bill gun smith out of Castro valley in California ??? if not than send me a pic on my E mail. and info, and I will work on it , send pic of casings so I can see what kind of damage…. then I will give you a price for the work , rayhplevy @ yahoo .com……..
I am interested in this gun. Can you ask a lady to fire it? I’d like to know what another woman thinks about handling it and recoil. Does it sting the hand when firing it?
Thank you for the review! It’s a very interesting gun.
Anything built by man is subject to failure. My opinion is that it looks like an accident looking for a place to happen. I’ll stick to my unhinged gun.