Every year, anyone in any way connected to the firearms industry descends upon Las Vegas for the SHOT Show. Many manufacturers take this opportunity to show off new products they’ve developed (or are still developing). Here are a few products that caught my eye this year.
At every show, a handful of products give us that “Wow, that’s, uh … different” buzz. Some of these are true developments trying to change norms. Some are just to get attention—Hi-Point, for example, put a shovel handle on their 10 mm Model 1095 carbine, which they know is ridiculous, but people definitely stopped to look at it and therefore to look at the gun in its usual configuration as well.
Even with that mind-boggling setup with which to compete, the most-talked-about “wow” item seemed to be KelTec’s PR57, a 20-round pistol in 5.7x28 mm. Why is it so wow? Well, it’s a top-loader with no magazine. You can either load the rounds in one by one or use a stripper clip to load them, but either way, you’re going through the top. This caliber shoots nicely, the gun is cut for an optic, and having 20 rounds in a gun that is sized for everyday carry is a definite selling point. (NRA Media’s Kevin Creighton shoots the PR57 in this short video.)
Next, Magpul/ZEV Technologies 9 mm Folding Defensive Platform (FDP) is intriguing. If you ever wanted to carry your pistol or carbine the way you’d carry a briefcase, this is the gun for you. Truly, though, while I’m making it sound a bit silly, the gun is in fact a perfect “truck gun.” It is highly portable and very quick to deploy. You can see the pistol version in this short video.
Another Magpul collaboration—this time with Ruger—resulted in the Ruger RXM. The term “Glock” is increasingly used to indicate a platform rather than just a handgun brand, and the RXM is designed for Gen 3 compatibility. Just another striker-fired pistol, then? Well, yes and no. The collaboration with Magpul means the frame is being handled by probably the most-known, and maybe most-respected, name in polymer. Combine that with Ruger’s well-known, well-respected name for the Fire Control Insert (FCI) portion of the gun (this is the serialized part and can be put into other frames), and now you have something special.
The Staccato HD was another firearm that got attention. Staccato is well known for its 2011-style firearms, which are not exactly budget guns but are really, really nice to shoot. The HD, which is available in 4-inch or 4.5-inch models, abandons the grip safety and feeds from Glock-pattern steel magazines made by Mec-Gar. It has a new optic-mount system and is fully ambidextrous. See it in this video.
Another popular item at SHOT this year was the FN America Reflex XL MRD. The original Reflex MRD has been well-received in the market, and the Reflex XL is just a bit longer and taller but gives you 15 or 18 rounds instead of just 12.
Moving from the everyday-carry mold to the home-defense options, Taylor’s & Company showcased its new, beautiful TC73 lever-action rifle in 9 mm. This is its first gun made 100% in the USA, and it’s a fascinating blend of the modern and the historic, with a very smooth action and a threaded barrel—because, as they said, why not?
There were many other interesting offerings on the show floor of both guns and accessories. Keep your eyes on future issues of America’s 1st Freedom for thorough reviews!
