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Let’s face facts. There’s just something about an over-under shotgun that says “shooting in style.” Couple this with the fine craftsmanship of Franchi in either 28 gauge of .410 bore, and you’ve got a great value, shooting in style. Made 100% in Italy, there is no high quality sporting shotgun that is better at the price of a Franchi. This year Franchi introduces the Aspire, a weight-saving, hand-friendly rounded receiver over-under that is a truly elegant, heirloom quality shotgun.

Franchi calls it a “round-action receiver.” The diminutive gun points naturally (or as at least as naturally as you can point anything in a SHOT Show crowd) and it feels great. It looks even better. I passed it along to a much more knowledgeable shotgun writer and his first words were, “Whoa, I love it.” Coming from this guy, that’s a pretty good endorsement.

In a field full of great striker fired polymer pistol it is very hard to stand out. Walther’s top of the line take on this type of duty gun is the PPS, and we thought it was a fantastic gun last year when we reviewed the first version. This year Walther is no longer under the wing of Smith & Wesson and the PPS will still be their flagship pistol, but they got rid of that trigger guard safety and installed an ambidextrous button. H&K is the only other company with the trigger guard design and American’s haven’t taken to it the way the German’s thought they would. Truth is, the thing was hard to use without tilting the gun to the side. This new standard usability safety should make the PPQ more palatable, and hopefully it will get the recognition it deserves in the market.

Even bigger news is the PPX, a Walther under $500. We haven’t gotten a good look at it yet, but it appears to be an external hammer version of the PPS, with most of the same features. At first glance, at the booth, it appears that the PPX is going to be double action only, similar to a striker gun, with about a 6 pound trigger and no decocker or manual safety. At a street price probably well under $500 it should be extremely competitive in the market. Can’t wait to try one!

And last but surely not least is the famous PPK-S, in .22 LR. Ammo being as expensive as it is these days, everyone wants .22 LR version of their favorite guns, and Walther has answered the call with what is its most iconic gun, and one that continued into the wildly recent James Bond movie. Julie Mac, our host, is an avid handgun shooter and loved the feel of this gun. Walther is flying on their own again and it looks to be an exciting first year.

The Aimpoint Patrol Optic was designed for the US Military and carries a street price of $453. They can’t make enough of them because of the worldwide reputation for Aimpoint quality and durability. This year Aimpoint has opened up the sale of this high demand sight to all of its dealers, not just Law Enforcement (known as LE) dealers. If you are looking for an up-head read dot sight for your AR-15, the Aimpoint Patrol Optic is going to be the one you want to shop last. Be careful online buying Aimpoint. There are cheap copies out there that are not Aimpoints and they are absolute junk. Nobody is selling real Aimpoints at less than retail prices, because the demand is so high that they had to re-purpose an entire factory just to make more of this one Patrol Optic, and it is still backordered. Only a real Aimpoint is a real Aimpoint, so beware and don’t be tricked by non-Aimpoint dealers selling fakes. Also check out the new Blaser mount for the Aimpoint hunting sight. We haven’t actually tested it in hand, but it is said to return to zero when you remove and re-attach the mount. No word on the price yet, but if you shoot a Blaser this is an exciting development. That hunting sight is great choice for North American game. There are a lot of red dots on the market, but there is only one Aimpoint, and they are the world leader.

Ruger first introduced the 10/22 in 1964, and today the tried-and-true .22 Long Rifle blowback semi-automatics are owned by millions. Last year the company introduced an all-new twist to the popular rifle in a takedown version with a polymer stock. It has a rail atop for mounting optics, but also comes with iron sights. Take a look at the video to see how easily it comes apart for easy storage or transportation. This year the company made it a little more sweet by threading the barrel and mounting a flash hider (MSRP $419). Of course, it can be removed and a suppressor can be mounted if you’re like the thousands of shooters out there who are concerned about noise pollution. Overall length is 36.75 inches, barrel length is 16.62 inches and it weighs only 4.67 pounds. I’ve shot the Takedown extensively, and the accuracy, trigger and trigger reset are amazing. Also new in 2013 for Ruger is an extension of its popular SR Series of handguns, but this one is chambered in .45 ACP. The SR45 is has a reversible backstrap to tailor its fit, it comes with a 4.5-inch barrel, has an overall length of 8 inches and the magazine holds 10 cartridges. The adjustable sights are in a three-dot configuration and the MSRP is $529.

SIG Sauer’s booth is always busy, but after fighting through the crowds this year I discovered the longtime rumors were true. The Exeter, NH, company has introduced the P227—a double-stack semi-automatic in .45 ACP.

The gun struck me as more of a P226 when I first saw it, but when I looked down at the label, sure enough, it said “Sig P227, .45 ACP.” I picked it up and thought, “Boy, I would have never thought this was a .45.”

The gun has all the classic looks of the P226 line. Its milled stainless steel slide is mated to an aluminum-alloy frame and an accessory rail allows the mounting of lasers or weapon lights. The slide’s Nitron finish provides a businesslike look that’s attractive, and, it’s a SIG, so the double-action trigger pull is better than most. The usual decocker is there as well. The gun has mildly aggressive texturing on its one-piece polymer grip, with no screws to dig into your hand. Capacity is 10 rounds in the flush-fitting magazine, but a 14-round extended magazine is available.

The new Stag Arms Model 8T comes with a 16-inch, chrome-lined barrel with a one-in-nine-inch rate
of twist. This is a side piston design, different from ARs with a standard buffer tube design. They tend to run cooler and cleaner, and most of the parts are still interchangeable. One of the most striking features about the carbine is the use of the Diamondhead VRS-T free-
floating handguard, which has a solid rail atop, but relatively smooth sides and bottom. So instead of
Stag Arms adding unwanted weight to the rifle, the company smartly decided shooters can decide if
any rails needed to be attached, and precisely where. Unlike most offerings from Stag, the 8T employs
a short-stroke piston system, but as is the case with all Stag firearms, it can be ordered in left- or right-
handed versions. Carrier tilt is minimized by the use of pads on the rear of the bolt and it comes with
Diamondhead flip-up sights, so it’s ready for the range right out of the box. Stag Arms has been a big
supporter of 3-Gun competitions and it continues that legacy with its new Model 3-G. It comes with an
18-inch, fluted barrel, free-floated handguard to maximize accuracy, six-position adjustable buttstock
and the company’s proprietary 3G Comp compensator to reduce muzzle rise and improve speed of
target reacquisition. You don’t need to worry about a gritty trigger, either, since it comes with a Geissele
Super 3 Gun trigger. MSRP is $1,459. And remember, Stag is the only manufacturer of lowers and uppers for left handed AR-15 shooters, and all of their models come in left hand. We hope to get an 8T in this year for a test and a field strip to understand how the thing works, but we already know the 3G and it rocks. If you are shooting 3-Gun or you are just looking for a tactical AR at an incredible value, these Stag complete guns are as good as many ARs twice the price.

Kimber produces some of the finest single-action semi-automatic handguns on the planet, and its
introductions at the 2013 SHOT Show are no exception. A whole new lineup called the Master Carry
Series was unveiled last week, with all three siblings chambered in .45 ACP. The Master Carry Pro
version sports a four-inch barrel and an aluminum frame that shaves its weight down to 31 ounces. The
frame has been rounded in all the right spots to minimize printing and maximize comfort when carrying,
and it comes with Crimson Trace’s new Master Carry Lasergrips—striking G10 panels that employ the
company’s instinctive laser-activation system. MSRP for the Master Carry Pro is $1,568. The other pair
of members in the Master Carry Series have five- and three-inch barrels. Also new for Kimber this year
is a “pocket gun” called the Micro Carry .380, a .380 ACP single action with a 2.75-inch barrel. It tips the
scales at only 13.4 ounces.

Crimson Trace has a hard-earned reputation for building some of the finest self-defense, laser-sighting systems on the planet. The company’s patented, pressure-activated switch located in grips of a handgun seem perfect with their automatic activation during a time of stress, when the simplest tasks become nearly impossible. But, this isn’t the kind of company content to rest on its laurels. Red lasers are fine, but the eyes of man are better attuned to light from the green end of the spectrum. So Crimson Trace’s addition of green Lasergrips to its lineup was natural (pun intended). At 50 feet, the 5 mW laser produces a half-inch diameter circle on target. It may not be larger than that produced by the red laser, but it’s certainly more visible in the daytime. They are fully windage and elevation adjustable, power is supplied by a pair of 2032 batteries and the Lasergrips come with a three-year warranty. The Defender Series is also new from the company, and it is tailored toward shooters who are a bit more budget conscious. Activated by an easy-to-find switch, they produce a bright .5-inch red dot at 50 feet, are fully windage and elevation adjustable and come with a one-year warranty. Power is supplied by either a single 1/3N lithium battery, or two 357 silver oxide batteries. The Master Series somehow melds the original Lasergrip versatility into striking-looking G10 or walnut panels. Of course they’re fully adjustable. The power source is a 2025 battery and these come with a three-year warranty.

Delivering a shot at 500 yards accurately is tough, almost impossible without a lot of practice if you’re
battling a full value wind and your rifle is chambered in .223 Rem. Even if you move up to .308 Win.
and need to deliver a precise shot, you need to understand what you’re up against and there’s no
better instrument for doing so than a Kestrel. At first they were considered something of a precision
instrument best left in the hands of competitive shooters as they fought gale-force gusts at Camp Perry,
but today they’ve found their way into the War on Terror. Take a glimpse at the company’s Ballistics
Weather Tracker with Horus Software and you’ll understand why. First it weighs only four ounces.
Second it not only collects critical data, but because it includes the Horus Software, there’s no longer
any need for a shooter to read the data, then input it into a separate PDA to determine a firing solution
. Best of all, it allows the shooter to identify five potential targets, customized by location, declination,
wind, distance and direction, then it continuously plots firing solutions by monitoring key environmental
conditions, even while they change. What about different cartridges, loads and muzzle velocities? Just
enter the data into the Horus software before your next match, and the mini-computer has you covered.