I like everything about the Lionheart Vulcan…except for the fact that I’ve never shot one. I’ve kept an eye on the Vulcan’s development since it was announced at SHOT 2023. The good news: it’s almost here. For real. Lionheart will be shipping the first Vulcan 9 pistols in mid-February.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Vulcan, it’s a “double-action plus” design based on the Korean Daewoo DP51 pistols going back to the 1980s.
Double action plus means that, like a standard DA/SA gun, racking the slide cocks the hammer. It can then be de-cocked by simply flipping the hammer forward. The first trigger pull, however, is lighter (about 4.5 pounds) than a full double action pull. If that makes you uncomfortable, you can always use full double-action for the first pull.
Lionheart makes four Vucan 9 pistols — Anode ($1,599), Ember ($1,699), Shadow ($1,799) and Combat ($1,899).
All four pistols have frame safeties, a reversible magazine release, nicely sculpted and textured machined G10 grip panels (including a small left side “go pedal” thumb shelf that doesn’t interfere with holsters), Shield RMSc slide cuts, Pic rails and ship with two magazines. As you go up the price scale, you get items like an upgraded flat-faced “J trigger,” a magazine with a built-in NANO2 multitasker tool in the base plate (see above) and a threaded barrel.
See here for the four models, all made right here in Georgia.
It’s been a long road for the Vulcan 9 after the earlier Regulus and LH9CN, but Lionheart seems to have worked hard to get it just right. The Vulcan 9 is an impressive, well thought-out pistol. Now we need to get one for a full review. Stay tuned.