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If the popularity of the 101-year-old Browning-designed Model 1911 pistol tells us anything, it’s that great guns get even better through the application of modern technology. Remington took a page out of that playbook in the design of its newest pistol, the 9mm R51. What today is a beautiful sub-compact concealed carry gun started in 1917 as the Remington Model 51, designed by John Pederson. Pederson was a contemporary of John Browning, who called him “the greatest gun designer in the world.” Remington based its new gun on the Pederson design, resulting in a pistol with a crisp trigger, reliable action and a low bore to reduce felt recoil.

Daniel Defense makes guns that are well known for their great shooting barrels. The new V9 series of M4 rifles in 5.56 feature three barrel profiles, allowing buyers to select the barrel that best meets their needs. There are a number of features which make the Daniel Defense barrels so good. The first is that they’re cold hammer forged. This process hydraulically hammers the barrel blanks around a mandrel that forms the chamber, lands and grooves. The forging process relieves the strain normally found in a barrel blank while delivering exceptional consistency in chamber size. Both contribute to improved accuracy. The barrels are then externally treated using a Melonite treatment, named for the Melonite salt used. This Nitrocarburizing process results in a smooth, slick surface that improves the surface hardness of the barrel while increasing resistance to corrosion and carbon adhesion. The three barrel profiles available in the V9 series include the16” government profile barrel, 16” lightweight profile and the 18” strength-to-weight (S2W) barrel.

As someone who reviews firearms for a living, I can sometimes mistake going to the range for actual work. I’ve got cameras to line up, lighting to consider. When I get down to shooting, I’ve got a lot on my mind, much more than I used to when I went shooting with friends and isn’t always fun. Slide Fire is here to remind me of the good times, when shooting made smile. They brought out a mess of guns to the Range at SHOT Show 2014: AKs, ARs, even some tricked out Ruger 1022s. They also brought out cases of ammo and a full crew to keep the magazines full. The result was the most fun I’ve had at the range in a long, long time.

The popular IWI US Tavor SAR won this year’s NRA Golden Bullseye Award presented for the best products in the shooting sports. IWI is building on that popularity and customer demand by introducing a complete kit to convert your Tavor from 5.56 to 9mm. If you’ve ever fired a 5.56 gun indoors without ear protection, such as in a home defense situation, you can appreciate just how loud it is. The same platform in 9mm would produce a lower level of sound with the added benefit of less recoil. The 9mm is also easier to quiet with a sound suppressor and less expensive for training. The kit comes complete with a 17” cold hammer-forged barrel, complete blowback recoil assembly including the bolt and carrier, 9 mm magazine magwell adapter, 9mm deflector, 32-round steel magazine and a barrel removal wrench. All you have to add is the ammo.

CZ-USA’s Western Series 550 Sonoran bolt action rifle is highly accurate and extremely tough. These aren’t run-of-the mill production guns. CZ-USA takes Czech actions and custom builds the rifles to give you a rifle you can depend on when the chips are down. Each and every rifle is ferritic nitrocarbonized inside and out. That brings the surface hardness up to Rockwell 72, making the gun nearly impervious to wear and corrosion. It also improves lubricity, meaning you can use less lubricant for a cleaner-running action. As an added bonus, it doubles barrel life. The Sonorran wears the industry’s first all carbon fiber stock and sports such features as a fluted barrel, adjustable trigger and guaranteed accuracy of 1 minute of angle or better. It’s available in four models: .270 and 30-06 with a 24” barrel and .300 Win. Mag and 7mm Mag with a 26” barrel. MSRP is $3199.

Traditions is well known in the black powder community as a manufacturer of superior firearms. The company produces old-fashioned-style flintlocks, but it also makes some of the most advanced black powder muzzle loaders available. The Strikefire rifles use a primer to ignite the main charge. The primers are ignited by an internal hammer. A simple slide of the lock button is all that’s needed to cock the hammer. Should you wish to de-cock it without firing, simply move the same lock switch to the rear, or break the action. You can see it more clearly in the video. A two-stage competition-style trigger with a break force of two pounds means that when you’re on target, you won’t upset your sight picture by firing the gun. The Strikefire system also improves lock time further improving accuracy. Safety wasn’t an afterthought, either. The Vortex Strikefire rifles incorporate not only a trigger block safety but are also equipped with an internal striker block safety. An alloy frame reduces weight, and a Ceracoat finish ensures corrosion resistance. The Ceracoat also makes cleaning a lot easier. To facilitate cleaning the barrel, simply remove the screw-in breech plug, giving you unobstructed access. The end result of the application of modern technology is a fast-loading, consistent-firing and accurate shooting rifle. With an MSRP in the mid $500s, it won’t break the bank either.

Ed Brown Products started life as a machine shop producing parts to consistently close tolerances. This experience greatly influenced the company’s manufacturing as it evolved into a custom 1911 manufacturer. Ed Brown Products is here at Shot Show 2014 showcasing a collection of beautiful guns. If you’re looking for a special 1911, you have to check out the unique pieces coming out of this shop. Because every part of the 1911s is produced in-house, you have a wide selection of components, finishes, and engraving from which to choose. There are four series of guns– the Classic series, Executive, Kobra, and Special Forces. Each has its own unique features and checkering patterns. There is also an in-house master engraver to provide whatever look you desire. Whether you’re looking for a full-size 1911 Commander in stainless steel with black Generation III coating or a Special Forces gun, Ed Brown can help you make it uniquely your own.

Connecticut Shotgun is here at SHOT Show this year with a nice selection of even nicer shotguns. As the name of the company implies, these shotguns are made in New Britain, Connecticut—right here in the good old USA. Just about every gun maker in the country used to make a side-by-side shotgun, but that era is long gone. Connecticut claims to be the only American shotgun company making side-by-sides here now, and I can’t prove them wrong. Will the company be able to hold its own with the foreign competition that dominates the high-end market?

Crye Precision, a company known for tactical gear popular with law enforcement and active duty military personnel, has made a gun unlike anything we have seen at the SHOT Show this year. Actually, it’s not like anything we’ve ever seen before. The Six12 is a bullpup revolving shotgun. The gun holds six rounds of 12 gauge (get it) in a revolving cylinder. The Six12s are designed to mount to AR platform rails, and make an AR look even much more aggressive. And it looks like it is going to be popular. We had to fight through an excited crowd to get you these pictures.