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Well, this year’s Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade show, The SHOT Show, is over. Everyone should be back home and, hopefully, will have recovered from whatever infection they picked up while they were in Las Vegas. Numbers from the SHOT Show host organization, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, say that over 2,400 companies were in booths. They put overall attendance around 52,000 industry professionals, whether company employees, dealers, end users (citizens, law enforcement, and military), or the dreaded gun writers. Oh, wait, I am one. The following are some of my impressions from handling these items and talking with the companies that brought them to market rather than from a press release.
Some companies were not on the show floor, so the number of exhibitors was higher. For example, Sig Sauer had a range day on Sunday before SHOT started but did not have a booth in the convention center.
What was all there of interest to the AmericanCop readership?
Double-stack, 9mm 1911-like Pistols
In years past, there have been countless jokes about every company offering an AR-15 rifle. While there were not that many Staccato clones, it is evident that the platform is trendy, and others are entering that market segment.
EAA’s 6″ barreled, double-stack 10mm 2311 pistol – serious potential for wild hogs.
In addition to the Staccato and Springfield’s Prodigy (that we are still reviewing), two others caught my eye during the Show. European-American Armory (EAA) has several 2311 pistols in different calibers and barrel lengths. Which one did I want? Their 6-inch barreled model, the MC1911 S Hunter, is chambered in 10mm. Why? Large, unfriendly critters in rural areas as well as hogs.
An ambidextrous 2311 from Oracle Arms’ and it’s built around a Sig P320 magazine.
The other is Oracle Arms’ ambidextrous 9mm 2311. I had seen pre-SHOT discussions on this model, and a former co-worker asked if I would check it out for him. Rather than continue working with the traditional STI double-stack magazine, Oracle Arms started elsewhere. Their designers choose to build the pistol around Sig’s P320 magazine. In addition to an ambidextrous thumb safety, there is a slide stop on both sides of the frame. Though not genuinely ambidextrous, the magazine release is reversible. While not yet available, I was told they would have reduced-size frame inserts available by this fall.
Pistol-Mounted Optics
One source said that as many as twenty-one new pistol and carbine 1x optics were unveiled at the Show. I only had time to look at a few.
The 507Comp fom Holosun is designed for action pistol shooting.
Holosun has a competition based –USPSA and IDPA– optic coming out later this year, I think by the end of the spring. In keeping with their design parameters, this has a rectangular window that is noticeably larger than previous offerings. It appeared to fit the footprint as their current full-size, open emitter optics.
C&H Precision is bringing out a line of pistol-mounted optics.
C&H Precision, best known for its mounting plates, released three different optics. They have three models – an enclosed emitter, an open emitter, and a reduced-size one for the concealed carry role.
Apex Tactical has developed many good solutions over the years. With theese magazines they are addressing the Hi-Power’s capacity issue.
Apex Tactical has come out with after-market magazines for the Springfield SA-35 version of the Browning Hi-Power. They have also developed several optic mounting plates for various combinations and a replacement mounting bracket for Steiner’s MPS optic. The bracket will address those few instances where the MPS has not been able to mate to an Aimpoint Acro mount or plate completely.
Holsters
With all this talk of pistols and optics, we need some place to carry them. US Duty Gear has released its US-280 holsters that combine a rotating bale (safety retention hood – SRH) with a thumb-released lock mechanism to release the pistol.
US Duty Gear has released its new design with the Safety Retention Hood and a thumb-driven Lock Mechanism.
Safariland announced two new holster designs in a press conference during the Show. First, their Vault is a law enforcement duty holster. Initially, available models will cover various Glock and Sig pistols. Second, they are doing a line of Incognito Inside the Waist Band holsters with Travis Haley.
Everyone goes to SHOT with a different focus – what their business can sell, what they want, what their organization needs and the list goes on. The exciting thing about this year’s SHOT was to try finding products that would interest you and then build relationships to further American Cop’s ability to share those items with you.
After Thought
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