23 More Things From SHOT Show

March 15, 2017
Firearms, holsters, knives, a new trigger … even a pair of socks

It’s always a pleasure to see old friends and new products at SHOT Show. There is never enough time to see everything and there certainly isn’t enough column space to report everything. I can give you an overview though. Here goes.

Handguns

At the range, the handgun that generated the most amount of attention was the Hudson 9. This is a 15 round, 34 ounce, striker fired, 9mm firearm with controls and ergonomics similar to a 1911. It had a familiar feel and grip angle to the traditional slab sided gun, except that there was a little more metal where the traditional dust cover resides, making it look a little “retro futuristic”.

The purpose of the unusual design is to reduce the recoil impulse by placing the axis of the bore closer to the hand and directing the energy closer to the palm. The fire control system and recoil system is engineered in a very nonconventional way. That is, the recoil spring is just barely above the trigger finger, allowing the barrel to sit just above the hands. What they are doing definitely works.

Cy and Lauren Hudson were on the range, sharing some of their design philosophy about the gun. They tried to duplicate some of the aspects of the 1911. For example, the dimensions of the trigger guard are nearly identical.
The fact that the workmanship of the gun we were shooting had a custom quality was not lost on us. We are looking forward to testing this in the future.

I was excited to see the Colt Cobra release this year. This is a .38 special +P double-action handgun. It is different than many other pocket .38s, because it carries 6 shots. It also differs from other revolvers because it uses leaf springs, which give a consistent trigger pull throughout the cycle. The workmanship was great and the trigger didn’t disappoint anyone. However, the double-action mechanism did not favor users who “milk” the trigger. The Colt Cobra handled +P cartridges rather well. It felt as good in the hand as my old Colt Detective Special. I definitely want to get one.

While I was shooting on the Colt range, I saw Mike McNett and Kristie Hill of Doubletap Ammunition. (We were shooting their product.) Doubletap Ammunition has a reputation for being one of the most consistent products in the industry. I asked why we weren’t shooting Colt Defense Ammunition in the Cobra. Apparently, the ammo I was shooting will eventually have the Colt brand. This is outstanding news.

Kimber responded to officers who liked the quality of their gun, but needed something smaller. The Micro 9 is a 15.6 ounce, 6+1 9mm with a 3.15 inch barrel. The fit and finish is typical of Kimber quality. This gun is palm-sized, with a grip that might be a little short for bigger hands. However, the concealability of this gun is better than some micro compacts. The handling and accuracy was superior. It comes in several configurations, including a Micro 9 CDP with KimPro II finish and Micro 9 Stainless Raptor, with the signature slide top scalloping.

The Avidity PD10 is a double-action striker fired, polymer framed, single stack 9mm pistol designed by defensive shooting instructor Rob Pincus. Holster makers, if you do not have a design in place and a plan for this handgun, you had better move now. This handgun will shake up the industry in a very good way.

I’ve known Rob Pincus for a few years now and, besides being one of the most talented firearms trainers in the industry, he is his own worst critic. That is, Rob’s success is based on a constant drive toward self-improvement. This particular drive has been transferred to the Avidity Arms PD10. When he first embarked on this journey, he shared with me how many different “tweaks” he had done to this handgun. I got to play with the 3D printed mock up long before it was shootable. What I got on the range was a gun that fit well, shot well, and was light enough to stuff into an IWB and carry all day.

The 4” barreled Avidity Arms PD10 was designed around the single stack 10 round 9mm (1911 style Chip McCormick) magazine. It comes with EMS Claw (Emergency Manipulation Sights) sights from Ameriglo, and aggressive rear serrations.

There are three characteristics that distinguish the PD10. First, the grip area from the web of the hand to the trigger area is recessed. This not only will accommodate more hand sizes, it allows the grip pressure between the thumb and forefinger to steer the gun more naturally, plus the angle encouraged a level muzzle. Second, the gun balanced a bit forward, which encouraged accurate follow up shots. I put a few rounds down range with it and found that the design allowed it to float to the next target smoothly. Third, the gun is flat, allowing for sleek concealment in a full sized, full featured gun, including a glove friendly trigger guard. Eagle Imports is the distributor. I predict that within a few short years, this will be in the top three guns for law enforcement. MSRP is predicted to be under $500.

Long Guns

A few years back Kriss USA introduced one of the most innovative advancements in the firearms industry, a recoil mitigating system that sends the recoil impulse away from the shooter’s shoulder by redirecting it, while maintaining a barrel axis that is much lower than most other firearms. When I shot the first model, I emptied a magazine of .45 ACP almost without muzzle rise. This year they introduced an improved version, the Kriss Vector. This new model offers 5 caliber options, from .45 ACP to 9 x 19 mm.

This wasn’t the most exciting news from Kriss USA. Their new system is the DMK22 Defiance, a 22 caliber AR-15 variant. When they first introduced me to the Defiance, I had the same reaction that most “gun guys” would have had. “Yawn…another AR-15 variant that shoots 22 long rifle, big deal.”

It would be boring except that they have captured the full manual of arms for an AR-15, including lower parts of the interchangeability with the real thing.Law enforcement officers can train on this product without creating training scars. Even the bolt holds open after an empty magazine.

The new Remington 700 Magpul uses 5R rifling. That is, 5 lands and grooves that use sloping walls in the way the grooves are cut. In traditional rifling, the number of lands and grooves are usually even. Viewed in cross section, a barrel’s lands are opposite lands while grooves are opposite grooves. With 5R rifling, the bullet isn’t “squeezed” between opposing grooves. With the sloping sides in the lands, the sharp edges theoretically collect less lead and barrels are easier to clean. I can tell you that 5R rifling will make a rifle with legendary accuracy even more legendary. The 700 Magpul has the 5 round Magpul magazine and the incredibly adjustable Magpul stock. Most shooters will tell you that the cheek and length of pull adjustments are “must haves” for precision shooting. It’s available in 260 Remington and .308 Winchester.

The name of this shotgun gives it away: The KelTec KSG-25 pump 12 gauge holds 25 rounds of standard shotgun shells. If the user wants to go with 1.5” shells, it’s 41 rounds. That’s not bad for a 9.25 pound shotgun. It uses two side-by-side magazine tubes, each holding 12 rounds.

I shot the original 12-round KSG and it is surprisingly flexible, including a quick switch from one shell type to another while still pumping rounds downrange. The KSG-25 is completely ambidextrous and uses the same simple action.

Kel Tec also introduced their RDB, a 5.56x45 survival gun that has an OAL of 26.1” and weighs 5 pounds. It was designed for backpacking. It may not be a bad choice for the mounted or motor mounted officer.
The Mossberg 590 Shockwave is a 5+1 capacity 14” barrel 12 gauge with a polymer “birds head” pistol grip. It has all of the features of a Mossberg 590 in a 26.37” package, which means it does not require a BATFE tax stamp. Let that sink in. Compact shotguns are awesome.

A little longer, the Mossberg ATI Tactical Cruiser comes with an ATI T3 TactLite 6-Position Stock and a ATI Halo Side Saddle. I like my Mossberg Model 500. However, the ATI furniture on it changes the handling characteristics and makes it a little more patrol friendly.

I’ll be reporting on SIG Sauer’s new air pistols at a later date, but I will give you a hint: They have a P320 Airgun, and I ordered one. Why? Because the biggest news at SHOT was the fact that the US Army adopted the SIG XM17, commonly known as the SIG Sauer P320.One of the most versatile handguns on the market today is now sworn for military service.

While I was on the SIG Sauer range, I got another big piece of news: Jason Imhoff, whose innovations anyone would recognize, is working on a 220 grain 300 BLK cartridge for SIG Sauer. I peeked at the prototype, and it looks like it has an exaggerated driving band, and a stepped nose. No one makes a 300 cartridge like that.

Firearm Accessories

Explorer Cases has been making hard cases of copolymer polypropylene for quite some time now. This year, they responded to consumer requests for a 3 Gun case that will survive the rigors of the discipline.
The Ultimate 3 Gun Travel Kit is a soft case with shoulder straps and room for ammunition and accessories that fits inside of the Explorer case #13513. This means that 3 gun shooters can go from packed to the competition site despite gentle handling by baggage handlers. Since this is a 3 gun case, it definitely shouldn’t be lost on law enforcement users assigned to special teams. The hard case has four reinforced padlock areas and a waterproof seal.

Alien Gear released its new ShapeShift Modular Holster System. This system consists of a single modular holster that can be placed into several different configurations, including IWB, OWB, Pocket Carry, and even on the forearm. The forearm may be a little over-the-top, but the retention and low profile of this holster gives it great potential.

Mossberg again? Yes, this is big. As you might’ve guessed, writers like me run from booth to booth trying to get the newest information about new innovations. At best, I have 10 minutes to visit. This year when Linda Powell sat down with me to give me the rundown of new Mossberg products, I thanked her and was getting ready to leave when she told me they had a new trigger. This was surprising— Mossberg usually makes complete guns, not accessories. “Yes, it’s the JM PRO Match Trigger. You know, Jerry Miculek?” she asked. Yeah, I know Jerry, he’s one of the greatest shooters who ever covered down behind a firearm. Linda pointed to the sample trigger in front of me, a 4 pound, drop-in trigger for an AR-15. It…was…incredible. Mossberg’s trigger game is strong, very strong.

Knives

Everyone knows that I can’t talk about tradeshows without looking at knives. I’ve also been accused of fawning over knives that some users wouldn’t put on patrol because of the price. I thought I’d start out with a very affordable deal. Adventure Knives introduced the $38 PROPK7, that uses 440HC steel and G-10 scales. It’s definitely a bargain knife, but it will take a good amount of abuse. This blade feels great in the hand.
Benchmade is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Infidel with a S30V version that sports raw aluminum handles. It ships with a Benchmade challenge coin.

If you are familiar with Geissele Triggers, they had an interesting offshoot from the company this year in Abraham and Moses Survival Equipment. Abraham and Moses are Bill Geissele’s sons, who have formed a separate company. The first product is a Lou Goodman Special Operations Combat Knife, of PD1 steel. This fixed blade is 5.655” and it has very unusual sheath with several interesting advantages, including ambidextrous and airborne configurations.

Some of our readers have the same penchant for handmade knives as I do. I stopped by to see some of the newer ones from Darrell Ralph, a custom knife maker known for his Dominator, a folding flipper whose blade is thicker than a standard bayonet. They are made one at a time, so if you need to ask “how much,” consider a production knife. The Dominators that DDR had on display did not disappoint.

Introduced earlier this year, First Tactical brought their Diamondback Knife, which comes in Tanto and Spear design. This knife is notable, because it is very inexpensive (MSRP $64) and they use Thumb Bridge Technology, a strip of metal that sits atop the blade spine, giving the thumb a pretty good purchase, and a lot of surface to get the blade out, even while wearing gloves.

Other things

Pelican launched Pelican Air, which is a version of their iconic Pelican Protector Cases, only 40 percent lighter. They still have the sturdy construction, including heavy locking surfaces and hinges. They are just using new designs and Super-Light Proprietary HPX2 Polymer.

Last but certainly not least, Farm-to-Feet is a company that uses 100 percent American-made (and grown) components, sourcing and labor. The socks I tried have targeted cushioning, strategically placed channels and seamless toe closures. I wore them throughout SHOT Show which requires good footwear. By 1600 hours, I had clocked 9.5 miles and determined that they trumped my best pair of socks. I’ll be purchasing some more Farm-to-Feet socks in preparation for trail running this year.

I gathered plenty of things to test for 2017. I’m looking forward to SHOT Show 2018!

About the author:

A retired police officer and military small arms trainer, Lindsey Bertomen has taught shooting techniques for over a decade, in addition to teaching criminal justice at Hartnell College in Salinas, California. Off the clock he enjoys competing in shooting sports, running and cycle events. He welcomes comments at [email protected].

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