Articles by Paul Helinski

Fausti has been a staple of Italian shotguns since 1948. In 2009, the company established Fausti USA to better service the American market. It makes both over-and-under and side-by-side shotguns in a variety of decorative styles. These are some absolutely beautiful shotguns. They are the type of firearm that is so well-made, engraved and inlayed that they become works of art . Most models come in 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauges and .410 as well. The USA line features laser engraving on coin or case-hardened finished actions. The Caledon model is the introductory gun and starts around $2,000. There is also the Fausti Boutique line of custom shotguns. These offer hand engraving and are made to fit the buyer. These shotguns are classy yet incredibly functional. They are made to look beautiful and to bust clays or knock birds from the sky.

Palmetto State Armory has two new exciting products at this year’s SHOT show. First is their take on the AR-10 platform. Details are still a little vague on the exact configuration for the rifle at this time, but we know it’s in .308. The demonstration model at SHOT is a pretty straight-forward AR-style rifle. The company is also planning to release a 1911 or two this quarter as well. The two examples they have here at SHOT are very impressive. The fit and finish is superb.

MOJO Outdoors has been a leader in the motion hunting decoys for a number of years. This year they have upped the game for the aggressive turkey hunter. The Scoot and Shoot is a full bird decoy that works as a sort of hide or blind for the hunter. It is based on their Boss Gobbler decoy line but incorporates a ground stake and handle. The idea is to be able to creep and crawl up to a Tom or flock and then hide behind this decoy. When a Tom sees another male bird closing in on his lady friends, he will get aggressive. Once the protector of Jenny and the hens closes on the hunter/decoy, it is time for a close-in kill shot. The video below is from MOJO TV and shows the Scoot and Shoot in action. This is aggressive and exciting turkey hunting at its finest.

One of the biggest hits of the show so far has been the Tac-Con trigger group from Tactical Fire Control. With all of the media and industry insiders blowing through ammo as fast as magazines can be loaded, the range can get a bit loud. Yet above that constant pop-pop-pop would come that signature braaaap of a rifle firing very fast. And it didn’t take long to find it. The booth was full of people trying to get a look at something they couldn’t even see.

There’s a time and a place for small guns. The Beretta Pico is the latest in a long of defensive handguns from the venerable firearms family. The Pico’s lines are reminiscent of the Nano, only the Pico is small enough to drop in your pocket. And Beretta’s putting a fashionable twist on the diminutive .380: it will be available in a traditional two-tone or with a variety of colorful frames.

What does a silenced .50 BMG sound like? I have no idea. I should, but we weren’t allowed to shoot it. The range where we were gathered today for the 2014 SHOT Show media shoot wouldn’t let us shoot it. So we had to sit back and look at it, which was almost as rewarding. The rifle they brought (complete with crates of .50 BMG) is an M107A1 with a QDL suppressor. Part of what makes this ambitious suppressor unique is the two-port brake that is bolted onto its end. This helps reduce the recoil, while still cutting the sound signature, and it can be removed to further reduce the visible signature as well. The QDL slides over the muzzle brake and can be installed or removed in seconds.

Sometimes we know what we’re going to see at the SHOT Show. But there are always surprises. One of the best surprises at the range today was the Escort Gladius 20 Gauge Home Defense Shotgun. Escort Shotguns, a division of Legacy Sports International, does not have the following enjoyed by its domestic competition, but if the Gladius is any indication, these shotguns will be winning people over.

Media Day at the Range attracts a lot of unique companies that don’t necessarily exhibit at SHOT Show. One thing that almost all of the guns at SHOT Show had in common this year was that their chambers were filled with plastic chamber flags made by Manufacturing Services, Inc. They have a minimum order of 100 pieces with your custom logo, and if you want to order 250, there is no setup fee. The flags themselves are 50 cents each. Also check out the personal defense tool, 60 cents each for 250, and a really nifty water bottle holder that slips in your pocket (see the third picture, 50 cents each/250. Cool company obviously a big fan of shooting sports, and MADE IN USA. Give them some business for your next shooting event or trade show giveaway.

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