SHOT Show Archives

Last year GLOCK was downsizing. The .380 GLOCK 42 is a force to contend with, but it doesn’t compare to the new GLOCK 40. If you are think bigger is better (and we’re talking much bigger) check out this behemoth from SHOT Show 2015.

Tac-Con made a big spalsh with the 3MR, an AR trigger that runs almost as fast as full-auto. Now they’re adding to that trigger and taking on the AK platform, too. Drop in triggers for AKs and the Saiga 12? That’s just half of the news. The 3MR is evolving too. Now the lightning fast trigger has a third position–a two-stage trigger with a one pound break. Speed and accuracy from one trigger–and the price is coming down.

As AR pistols get smaller and smaller, they loose power. And the blast is hard to handle. The pistol caliber carbines have been slow to catch on, but that’s about to change. CZ’s new 9mm powerhouse, the Scorpion, is epic. It is exceptionally well built, and the price is going to knock you over.

Fans of the Ruger 10/22, listen up. The Charger, Ruger’s big .22 pistol based on the 10/22, is back. There are two new versions, and both come packed with features that I hope will be standard on every new Ruger. These fun guns look good, too–read our review.

The Magnum Research Desert Eagle is a big gun. It is Hollywood large. The pistol is so big that it isn’t practical for much of what we use pistols for. Yet the beast of a gun is a heavy hitting .50 AE with a lot of personality. And now, in the all stainless version, the Desert Eagle looks even better. And the built in compensator makes it even more practical. A practical Desert Eagle? Yes. Read on.

Just in time for SHOT 2015, FN America has released a compact version of their FNS. The new FNS-9C is a solid pistol–it shoots well, has great controls, and is ideal for concealed carry. And the best part may be the price tag.

Springfield Armory has overhauled the XD, and the new gun is worth a look. Start with the grip. Their new Grip Zone design is like Velcro for you hands. It is sticky in all of the right places. But that’s not all they’ve done. They’ve taken a good pistol and made it much more ergonomic and effective. And we have one to give away. Want the details? Read on….

The .308 battle rifle is making a comeback. Ruger released their SR762 to high praise. Colt’s modular 901 can accept uppers in .308 and .223. The AR10 is still alive and kicking, and rocking throwbacks, like Springfield Armory’s MiA line, manage to be both nostalgic and innovative. What is it about the hard-hitting 7.62 x 51 that makes it so appealing? Wasn’t the high-pitched crack of the AR-15 sound the death knell of oversized, overweight, overkill? Apparently not. There’s more staying power in the old-school battle rifle than the slew of 5.56 rifles would have us believe. None of this is news to the fans of the H&K G3. Yet import restrictions make the G3, and the H&K 91 (the civilian version of the G3) hard to come by stateside. Don’t give up hope. At the upcoming SHOT show in January 2014, PTR will launch a new version of the Classic Wood 91, the KR. The K is for Kurz, which refers to the 16-inch barrel. The R denotes a welded rail. With a shorter barrel and a rail, the new iteration will appeal to those who respect the classic look of an old G3. It will also speak to those who want a hard-hitting CQB rifle with manageable length and the option to more easily add optics. If you are looking for heavyweight precision, with just a hint of German engineering, take a good long look at the PTR 91. These American-made 91s are taking the iconic H&K design to new levels of precision and reliability.

In this short-action version of the AR, Armalite shortened the receiver and has changed the forestock to get a shorter bolt action. The rifle has a 24-inch barrel and uses AR 10B magazines.

Leupold has long been associated with quality scopes at reasonable price points. In the words of their founder, Fred Leupold, “the customer is entitled to a square deal.” That remains a guiding principal as Leupold continues to develop and improve their line of scopes. They had an improved Delta Point 2 reflex sight for handguns and shotguns at their show booth, but their biggest news this year was the brand new VX-6 7-42x56mm rifle scope. It is so new, in fact, that the design hasn’t been completely finalized. Here’s what we know: it’s the highest variable power scope they’ve ever made, it has their Extended Twilight lens system for increased light transmission, the MSRP will be in the $2,200 range, and they expect to start shipping scopes in 4-6 weeks.

Tapco makes low-priced aftermarket parts for a lot of different guns. They define the value-oriented end of the customization market. And the R&D teams can turn around products fast. The latest offering, and one that will fly off the shelves, is a tactical stock set for Ruger’s 10/22 Takedown, one of the most versatile configurations of the venerable rimfire ever made.

3D printing is definitely the wave of the future in manufacturing. However, for the most part, what we’ve seen is novelty items or non-serviceable experiments exploring the limits of the process. As far as I know, TacStar, one of the Lyman family of brands specializing in tactical accessories, is the first company in our industry to bring a 3D printed item to market. The newest product is an AR-15 Adjustable Match Rifle Stock. This is not a toy. It’s a well engineered stock that allows you to customize the length of pull and comb height to ensure that your AR fits you perfectly. A properly fitting gun, of course, allows you to shoot your best.

Chiappa Firearms https://www.chiappafirearms.com/ Chiappa Firearms, best known for their quasi steampunk looking Rhino revolvers, had a shotgun/rifle combo at SHOT this year that the survivalists out among us will surely take note of. The X-Caliber is a folding stock, over-under, shotgun rifle. The basic form of the long gun is a 12 gauge shotgun barrel [...]

The SHOT Show is literally acres and acres of guns. The physical space is comparable to a suburban mall made up of gun stores. With so much to see, so many triggers to fiddle with, some of the real innovation can be hard to see. I first ran into the geniuses behind MyCaseBuilder.com at last year’s NRA convention. I found them again at SHOT, and they’re showing off something truly revolutionary. You can now take a picture of your gun (or whatever you’d like) and their software will convert that photo into a 3D pattern that can be cut in foam.

Blaser introduced their super fast in-line action in 1993 as their model R 93. The R 8 is the next generation. They make a modular rifle with just about any production rifle caliber you’d care to shoot. To change calibers you simply change barrels, or, if you’re changing to a different family of cartridges, the barrel and bolt, which can be accomplished simply and quickly in the field. Their guns aren’t cheap, typically running in the $3,00 – $5,000 range. However, guns wearing synthetic stocks in lieu of exotic hardwood can be purchased for less. That’s a boon to any hunters who hunt enough to appreciate what this gun can do for them. We took a look at a couple of the new synthetic stocks. While the wood stocks are truly gorgeous, the synthetic stocks have a style that we’re not accustomed to seeing, what with all the tactical plastic in the market.

The Kimber .380 is a tight little gun. Like the Solo, it is exceptionally well finished. The Micro Carry makes the Mustangs look rather pedestrian. And that’s Kimber’s niche. If you are looking for a single action pistol with custom features, Kimber is the place to start the search. The Micros will be available in stainless, all black and Kimber’s signature two-tone style (which often adds a third tone with the wooden grips). Once the initial demand recedes, they should settle out around $600.

Timney Triggers https://timneytriggers.com/ Timney Triggers make exacting aftermarket additions for serious shooters. They’re known in the industry for the precision they engineer into products that are, for the most part, already good. They’ve just released a new trigger for the IWI Tavor that will rectify the only complaint I’ve ever heard about the pugilistic bullpup. [...]

The new package from Aimpoint comes with a Micro, the LRP mount (which pops on and off with a lever), and the Micro Spacer High to get that perfect AR fit. Rock it up on your shoulder, and the dot is there. It increases the speed of target acquisition, the mount and riser are as rugged as the T1 itself, and the whole combo makes shopping that much easier.

When Springfield designed the RO 45 Range Officer, the objective was to produce a finely matched 1911 that could be used in competition but wouldn’t cost thousands of dollars. It’s made from close tolerance, match-grade components without all the fancy extras that you may or may not need. The company evidently hit the nail on the head because its selling ROs as fast as they can build them. The newest member of the Range Officer line is the RO 9 in 9mm, introduced a couple of weeks before the 2014 SHOT Show. It has the same dimensions, match grade parts and shooting accuracy, only in the softer recoiling, and less expensive, 9mm cartridge. Springfield also had the new XDs 4.0 to show us. The original XDs had a 3.3” barrel. Extending the barrel to 4” makes for a better balanced pistol with a longer sight radius. Should be easier pointing and more accurate for the average shooter. MSRP starts at $599.

By this point in the development of tactical firearms, the bullpup seems like familiar territory. Yet Desert Tech has created a good deal of buzz with the announcement of its new multi-caliber bullpup design. The company plans to release it in .223 and .308 at first, with 300 BLK, 7.62 x 39 and 6.8 SPC to follow. It will be offered with either a 10.5” or a 16” barrel. One of the most interesting design features of the new gun is a new sighting system that will allow the user to swap between calibers without losing zero. The spent casings will eject above the magazine well forward and to the right via a short chute, which is easily accessible to clear any malfunctions.

Introduced in 2011, the Browning 1911-22 A1 is an 85% replica of the 1911 firing the ubiquitous .22 LR cartridge. Controls and takedown are identical to John Browning’s original design, making it a great companion to a full-sized gun. Since introducing the gun, Browning has added a desert tan polymer frame version, a black and pink polymer version, a Compact or Commander version, and different color grip panels to personalize it to your tastes. It’s a good-looking gun and feels good in the hand. MSRP is $579.99 for the polymer frame pistol; $599.99 for the aluminum alloy gun; $639.99 for Black Label laminate grips, Commander hammer, extended slide release, and extended ambidextrous safety; and $669.99 for the Black Label laminate grip model with an underlug rail.

Electronic imaging systems are coming into their own and were much in evidence at this year’s SHOT Show. American Technologies Network, Corp., better known as ATN, has been developing night vision and thermal imaging optics in California since 1995. They introduced a new, high-tech thermal imaging weapons sight, Thor, in 2011. This year, they have an offshoot of Thor—Tico—intended to be used as a clip-on device with daytime scopes such as the ACOG. It has the same features as Thor and has four memory slots that allow you to tune it to different platforms/calibers. Tico starts at $6,195. Also, the X-Sight is a new standard nightvision without a tube. It relies on video imaging, and can record your action, for under $700. Check these ATN products out!

There are lots of new product introductions at SHOT Show, not the least of which is HK’s new competition gun. With input from the HK shooting team and other competitive shooters, HK started with a stock MR556A1 and proceeded to add what competitors wanted. The result is the MR556A1 Competition. The first added component was the new 14” modular rail system. The versatility of adding rails wherever needed while keeping weight down was especially attractive. In addition, the Competition got an extended mag release for quicker reloads, a new design suppressor from Operator Suppressor Systems, and a Magpul CTR adjustable stock. The end result is a fast, competition-ready AR that shoots ½ minute of angle groups, according to HK Shooting Team captain, Jason Koon. MSRP is expected to be in the $2,950 range, and HK plans to start shipping guns in the spring of 2014.

Steyr is making some big claims for this rifle: 55 shots in under 2MOA from 50 meters. That’s solid accuracy, but incredible dependability, and it takes the Anschuetz .RX22 out of the novelty field, for sure. This is the type of rifle you can sling across your back while skiing. Pack it full of snow on when you fall. Shake it dry and shoot. The ergonomics are familiar enough to anyone who has shot a full-sized tactical rifle. Yet the accuracy will set it apart from the pedestrian rimfire rifles.

Vortex Optics www.vortexoptics.com Two New Red Dot Sights from Vortex, Plus Updates to the Razor Line of Rifle Scopes—SHOT Show 2014 If you’re not familiar with Vortex, they’re an optics company in central Wisconsin. The operating philosophy is to take care of their customers. As you would expect, their customer service is great. In fact, [...]

Caracal has some fantastic new guns. TheCS308 skeletal .308 precision rifle is designed and built entirely by Caracal. The CC 10 is a rocking 9mm carbine.

One of the great things about being at SHOT Show is that you never know what you’re going to find that, once you know it exists, you just can’t do without. We saw a demonstration of the AR-15 charger from Caldwell Shooting Supplies, one of the Battenfeld brands, and it was impressive. Starting with a box of .223 rounds, the spokesperson, Kyle, dumped it into the charger, attached a magazine, and in a matter of seconds had transferred 30 rounds to the magazine. All without having to touch a round. That’s fast! See for yourself what a great accessory this is in the accompanying video or go to www.BTIbrands.com.

Winchester Ammunition https://www.winchester.com/ The new Winchester Long Beard turkey loads were named the #1 new product at SHOT Show by Real Tree Outdoors. Winchester created what they call Shot-Lok to provide tighter patterns that extend the range of their loads from the typical 40 yards all the way to 60 or 70 yards. Shot-Lok prevents [...]

Blackhawk is known far and wide for the quality of its tactical gear and clothing. It’s not surprising since the company was founded by a Navy Seal. While he was negotiating a mine field one day, his pack failed, sending his gear tumbling to the ground around him. You can imagine how that could spike your anxiety level. Then and there he vowed that he’d make gear that worked. True to his goal, Blackhawk has become a source of dependable gear for military and civilians alike. Today we got to see some of the new goodies for all you AR-15 guys and gals. From stocks and grips to rail covers and thumb rests, Blackhawk has a bunch of cool new products. Check out the video for a peek at what they have, then go to www.blackhawk.com to see the whole store.