After decades of running everything from polymer pistols to finely tuned match guns, I’ve developed a short list of firearms that set the standard. The SIG P226 X5, one of my favorites in our safe, has long been on that list. It’s smooth, accurate, perfectly balanced, and built with the kind of precision that impresses me every time. That’s why my first range session with the Laugo Alien pistol was such an eye-opener.
I had been convinced the X5 was the pinnacle of the shooting experience, but the Alien isn’t even playing the same game. Debuting at IWA in 2019 (just two years after the creation of the company, Laugo Arms), the Alien is a unique take on how a pistol can be built to best manage recoil, track sights and recover between shots, and to get the bore axis as low as possible. And it all shows the moment you pull the trigger.
The Laugo Alien Operating System
Whereas the SIG X5 uses the classic short-recoil, tilting-barrel system, the Alien is wildly different, harkening back, in part, to older handgun designs like the Walther PPK. The 9mm Alien has a fixed barrel paired with a gas-delayed blowback system; a gas port just forward of the chamber directs pressure to a piston beneath the barrel, holding the slide closed until chamber pressure drops. With the bore set extremely low in the frame, the muzzle has very little leverage to climb during recoil.
The result? In my slow-motion side-by-side comparison, the Alien showed about 50% less visible muzzle rise than the X5. That’s not a subtle improvement; it’s a visible, measurable advantage that translates into faster follow-up shots and tighter groups.
Ergonomics That Work With the Shooter
The Alien’s steep grip angle is another departure from traditional designs. It naturally tips the wrist forward into a locked position, which, paired with the low bore axis that Laugo claims is the lowest in the world, creates a direct, linear recoil path into the shooter’s arm. At first, the angle feels a bit odd, especially if you’re used to a SIG or Glock, but within a few magazines, the benefits are obvious: the gun tracks flatter and comes back on target with significantly less effort.
The grip frame is modular, allowing swaps without replacing the serialized chassis, and the texture is perfect for me. It has enough grip to feel secure even when my palms are a little sweaty, but not so aggressive that it feels abrasive. My average-sized hands fit nicely and automatically snugged up high on the beavertail. I needed to make zero adjustments on my shooting hand or support hand right out of the gate.
A small but important adjustment I had to make was not using my standard overhand grip to rack the slide. Due to the non-reciprocating top rail (more on that in a sec), the only option is to use a “slingshot”-style grip, pinching the rear of the moving slide only, which requires a slightly different hand placement. And no, you can’t run the slide with the red-dot, because…
Optics That Don’t Move with the Slide
One of the Alien’s most distinctive (and practical) features is its fixed top rail. Instead of the optic reciprocating with the slide, because it’s attached to it, on the Alien, the optic or iron sights stay completely stationary because the rail is independent of the slide. In slow motion, the red dot doesn’t bounce at all; it simply hovers, waiting for the next trigger press. Even the smooth-running X5 can’t avoid a slight moment to settle after a shot; the Alien just eliminates it.
The Laugo Alien on the Range
Live fire drives the point home. The Alien is flat—the kind of flat that keeps the optic in your vision the entire time. Double-taps require almost no correction. Transitions between targets feel sharp and efficient. You don’t have to work to get the gun back onto target; it’s already there.
One thing to note is that after a rapid string of shots, the slide on the Alien can get quite warm. It’s not extreme, but you’ll definitely feel it if you’re running multiple mags back-to-back.
Built to Last, Hard to Find
Aliens are made in small batches in the Czech Republic, and Laugo Arms USA only imports a limited quantity each year. Many go straight to preorders or dealers with long waitlists. You might find one sitting in a high-end gun shop, but it’s not something you’ll just stumble across at your local gun store in the “used” counter. And at $5,000-plus for the full package, they fall in the “serious enthusiast” category.
Currently, Laugo also makes the Alien Creator Evolution pistol, which is an upgraded version of the OG pistol with a decreased grip angle for shooters who simply couldn’t get over it, among other tweaked features.
There’s also the Laugo Alien Remus, a variant optimized for EDC concealed carry; it has an additional feature that allows the user to rack the slide via the optic while still including the non-reciprocating optic rail, a flush-fit 15-round magazine, a manual safety, shorter barrel, and a modular grip.
The Alien Edge
The SIG P226 X5 is still a benchmark pistol, but the Laugo Alien redefines what’s possible in a production firearm. Its combination of low bore axis, gas-delayed system, fixed optics, and intentional ergonomics makes it one of the flattest, fastest-tracking pistols I’ve ever shot.
Of course, the Alien won’t be everyone’s choice. Price, scarcity, and its unconventional design certainly narrows the audience, but for those who get trigger time behind one, it’s a great example of how pistol design can evolve beyond tradition into something entirely its own.
Laugo Alien Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 17+1
Action: Semi-Automatic
Barrel: 4.8 inches
OA Length: 8.2 inches
Slide, Top Rail Finish: Stainless Steel
Frame Finish: Aluminum Alloy
Weight: 2.2 pounds dry; 2.47 pounds with empty mag
Sights: Optics Top Rail with Laugo red dot included + top rail with iron sights
Grips: G10 composite
MSRP: $4,900 – $5,050
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