>Jesus, that manual.

I think I see a connection to the same odd corner of the firearms world that brought us the Um, What The... ? Specifically, the notion that a real special-forces operative would want to attach a pistol to the underside of their rifle is ridiculous ... but it's the sort of thing that people whose entire conception of special forces operations comes from movies might think a special-forces operative would do. And, therefore, the sort of capability someone who has Walter Mitty fantasies about being in special ops would want on their cheap-ass pistol they bought without any real intention of shooting it at anyone.

Deliberately making and marketing a cheap-ass pistol for mall ninjas seems out of character for Doug Donnelly as described. But I could see him getting a little infected with that mindset himself, as part of the lack of business sense that led to his betting his company on this thing in the first place.