Feature Articles

Aimpoint is the gold standard for red dot optics, the mark by which all others are judged. Over the years we have seen the growth, or perhaps shrink is a better term, of the Aimpoint line from the legendary Comp 2, down to the micro T1. With several variations of each, there is something for everyone and every gun. So it is always exciting to hear what is next.

On the fun side of things, we got a chance to stop by the Marlin booth, and look at the new additions to the lineup. I, for one, don’t think lever actions get nearly enough love in the modern world. And what I saw at the booth make me want to fix that immediately.

Kimber has been making waves with the K6s revolver line, which are words I never thought I would be typing. From the introduction 2 years ago, they have been steadily growing the line with more and more offerings. This year, three new models are set to debut.

Desert Tech is certainly among the most innovative of all firearms companies and is primarily known for their bullpup .50 BMG designs. Last year they introduced the MDR (Micro Dynamic Rifle), and this year it has gone into full production. It really says something about a company, when they consider the .308 as their “micro-sized” rifle!

As far as bang for your buck goes, TriStar Arms has established a very good reputation. Way down at the bargain end of the spectrum, the prices are so low that it’s often overlooked by serious shotgunners. At GunsAmerica, we don’t believe you should need a trust fun to shoot trap or skeet, so we dropped by TriStar during SHOT 2018 to check out the new products.

The real surprise of SHOT Show 2018 came from Ruger, and I would argue this for best of the new firearms, and second place contender for the story of the year. Only 224 Valkyrie as a cartridge ranks higher in my opinion, and that is saying something. So Ruger has decided to enter the Pistol Caliber Carbine game, and I am really glad I didn’t spend the last year on R&D for a competing product. Because Ruger is going to sink a lot of ships with their new Ruger PC Carbine.

Oh, those crafty Finns. Apparently not content to just mop the floor with the competition in centerfire rifles, this year have introduced a rimfire called the T1x. How can I be so sure this is a winner since I haven’t shot it yet? It’s simple. The features are insane.

Most of us, at one point or another, have wanted a Tommy Gun. Among the iconic American weapons, it is a stand out just like the 1911 and the M16. Whether we grew up watching Al Capone movies or the Sands of Iwo Jima, this a weapon we remember from our youth. Unfortunately, full auto Chicago typewriters can fetch tens of thousands of dollars, and require that sticky special license. Fortunately, Auto Ordnance has been making civilian-legal versions for some time now.

After several years of development, Kinetic Research Group is finally releasing the SOTIC rifle. At the heart of the SOTIC rifle is a custom action that was designed in-house and offers an end user the ability to quickly swap out barrels.