The Altor Single Shot Pistol emerged in the late 2010s as a deliberately minimalist handgun designed for low cost, simplicity, and reliability in niche applications. Inventor Alex Malcolm, a scientist with a background in biochemistry and business rather than firearms, developed the concept to create an affordable, American-made pistol suitable for basic self-defense, pest control, or backup use. He collaborated with engineering firms to refine the design, resulting in a firearm with only six total parts—primarily a polymer grip frame (reinforced Nylon 6), a stainless steel barrel/receiver section, and minimal internals including a striker mechanism.
The pistol uses a unique striker-fired system where the "trigger" is a sliding bar pulled rearward by the index finger to cock and release the striker—functioning as a long, firm double-action-only pull with no traditional trigger guard or conventional trigger. A crossbolt safety blocks the striker, and an additional barrel safety requires full trigger pull to fire. The barrel detaches completely for loading: the cartridge seats directly into a shell holder in the frame (similar to a reloading press), the barrel slides back on to lock it in place, and an integral extractor aids removal of the spent case after firing.
Chambered in .380 ACP or 9mm Luger (with some threaded barrel options), the Altor has a short effective barrel (~2.75–2.9 inches), minimal micro-rifling (4 shallow grooves, 1:10 LH twist) added primarily for ATF compliance to avoid smoothbore classification, lightweight construction (10.5 ounces unloaded), and compact dimensions (6.5 inches overall length, 3.5 inches height, 1 inch width). Public introduction occurred at SHOT Show 2020 (January 2020), following late-2019 teasers, with sales beginning shortly after.
Unlike historical single-shot holdouts like the WWII FP-45 Liberator or Vietnam-era CIA Deer Gun (which it superficially resembles in purpose and extreme simplicity), the Altor uses modern materials and manufacturing for better durability and reliability. Reviews consistently report no failures to fire in limited testing, with the design's low part count making malfunctions rare. However, the unconventional trigger and reload process (detaching/re-attaching the barrel) limit practical speed, and the short barrel reduces muzzle velocity by roughly 100 fps compared to compact carry pistols.
Production continues as of 2025–2026 through Altor Corporation, with the pistol remaining available in basic black polymer grips (and occasional color variants) at retail prices often under $100–$150. It has not achieved mainstream adoption but appeals to collectors of odd firearms due to its radical minimalism and tool-like appearance—often compared to a glue gun, hose nozzle, or air tool rather than a traditional handgun.