The CP1 pistol was intended as a concealed carry weapon for law enforcement and civilian use.

[citation needed] In several reviews it was characterized as being a radically designed gun that looks like something straight out of a science fiction movie.

[1][2] The pistol originally sold in the United States for a retail price of approximately $400.

[6] Most of the CP1 pistols turned in from South African customers were fitted with a safety pin block and returned to their owners with a certificate stating the repair had been made.

The potential risk of a class action lawsuit in the USA, and logistical issues of returning pistols to their foreign owners lead to a buy back program where owners were paid $500 to turn in their gun.