By Mike Keleher
Well it’s Wednesday, and some new old guy is going to get his new job started today in Washington D.C. Threats the new guy is going to try and squash a lot of 2A and firearms in the next few years are rampant on the internet.
Why not focus on something more fun? The online SHOT Show on Demand continues to show off new firearms related products this week and I combed through the media available files to show some “new” or “newish” products which may be of interest. Tough sledding this year. Even the normal “The same old gun but now with sprinkles!” campaigns are not showing up.
One of the most obvious things I see, is the whole Covid crackdown has had a chilling effect on development of new firearms design as well dulling us all out collectively-there is just not a lot of new guns being shown off at this version of the SHOT Show. Alas, another year without the Palmetto State Armory’s long promised in-house budget priced MP-5 clone showing up. Two years and still waiting.
Glock is one of the most eagerly anticipated SHOT Show booths each year to introduce new products. Their single stack ultra compact 9mm G43 was introduced there and has already sold more than a million copies in three years. They offered up the G44 in .22 lr last year to much fan fare.
This year, there is no new gun in evidence from Glock. No Gen 6, no Glock Carbine, no “New with more coils in the recoil spring.” Instead, on their website they are hosting a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the introduction of Glock pistols to America. They will host new insider type videos every month during 2021, and you can enter monthly prize drawings by watching the videos as well as be entered into the end of year grand prize.
STOEGER
Stoeger has a new twist on their 3500 Snow Goose 12 ga semi-automatic shotgun. It comes with a rather handsome distressed white finish, and to take advantage of areas with extended Snow Goose limits, it comes with an extended 10+1 magazine from the factory It of course has a high visibility red front sight, multiple chokes. The gun also features 3-gun competition inspired oversized bolt release and oversized charging handle (good for gloved hand manipulation) and in fact, out of the box would probably be a pretty good 3-gun or self-defense shotgun with the well proven Benelli type Inertia Drive. $899
Stoeger is also offering up their Condor 12 ga Over/Under shotgun with synthetic furniture for those who take the hard road and have no fear of the weather, mud, blood and scratches on high dollar wood stocks. It takes 2 ¾” and 3” shells and has a single trigger $349
BROWNING
The Browning Maxus line is not new, but this year they are showing the Maxus II with redesigned forearm and grip with rubber panels for all weather conditions. They have an oversized bolt handle and bolt release for ease of operation as well as their enhanced trigger. $1500-$2000
POLYMER 80
The Polymer 80 company is known for their very successful production of Glock type lower grips which are only 80% completed and must be finished at home by the buyer. Their grips include features not found on standard Glocks to include undercut beaver tail, and undercut trigger guards and a rail system.
This year Polymer 80 is selling a completed pistol from the factory. The appearance is a nicely finished off custom gun with aggressive textures on the sides, front and backstraps. The slide is serrated and has a unique bevel on the nose. They meet all production pistol requirements and includes a serial number-you. and must route through an FFL for purchase. They are offering them in G17 and G19 sizes and original Glock and aftermarket parts are all compatible. Their customer support is well known in the firearms community and the sale price is a very reasonable $550.
ARMALITE
ArmaLite is showing off this gorgeous Semi-Automatic Sniper System rifle (Super SASS). The AR -10 sized Super SASS Gen II is available in 7.62 NATO and 6.5 Creedmoor, with a 20-inch Stainless Steel barrel (7.62 1:10 twist) or 22-inch (6.5 Creedmoor 1:8 twist). From the factory, the trigger is an amazing 4.5 pound break POF two-stage trigger.
ArmaLite is also offering up a 9mm PCC carbine, the AR-19. Their website also shows it in a 9mm pistol variant with wrist brace. You might recall the heritage of the ArmaLite designed AR-10, AR-15 and AR-180. This new PCC takes Glock magazines and sports an 8.5-inch barrel and topped with an Armalite Tac Brake and seven-inch handguard. $1112
SAR USA
SAR has been aggressively selling their moderately priced products for a few years now in the U.S. and their top-of-the-line pistol, the K-12 Sport X was just featured on the front cover of the SHOT Show business magazine. The K-12 is a competition ready CZ-75 style pistol offered at a pretty reasonable price. Out of the box it is designed for immediate USPA Limited class competition with a 4.7-inch match grade barrel with recessed crown, flared mag well and full-length dust cover. The high-rise beavertail, adjustable trigger, adjustable rear sight, changeable front sight colored blades, and ambidextrous safety are all included of course. The frame is alloy steel in a very attractive white chrome finish. $888
SAR USA is also showing off a 9mm PC pistol this year the SAR 109T. The 109T features an 8.6-inch chrome-moly steel barrel and free float handguard and of course operates via the 9mm type blowback design. It comes complete with three high-capacity magazines. $1999
SMITH AND WESSON
Always the home of a million variants, this year on the SHOT Show page they are only showing one new change, adding an optics-ready M&P M2.0 Compact OR pistol. The cut out for mounting a red dot or reflex type scope has become the new “must have” option for manufacturers much like power windows in your car now seem like a necessity. They will come in the 9mm package with a 4 inch barrel and can be had in either a slick side or manual external thumb safety with changeable grip inserts and two 15 round magazines. $616
TAYLOR
Taylor makes a very attractive revolver, and this year features a new Gunfighter Defender with a re-designed flatter hammer spur which will increase accuracy and speed in this six gun package. It is available in .357 Magnum and .45 Long Colt. Barrels are available in 4.75, 5.5 or 10.35 inches. $655 Taylor is also offering a new Gunfighter Nickle in an attractive nickel finish for $705.
Photo Credit: Timney Triggers
TIMNEY TRIGGERS
Timney Triggers leaked a notice last week they would be introducing a Glock type trigger this week during the SHOT Show. I did not see it in the show offerings today and had to go find it on their website. It is indeed a drop-in Glock compatible replacement trigger bar and trigger called the Alpha Competition Trigger for Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glock systems. This is Timeny’s first pistol trigger. They call it their latest overnight success that was only 75 years in the making. The Alpha touts improved trigger design and reliability with a Teflon nickel trigger bar and sear, straight aluminum trigger and 3 pound pull compatible with stock Glock type pistols. Like all of Timney’s drop-in products it is designed to be user installed with no gunsmithing involved and during independent testing they ran 10,000 rounds through the Alpha with no oiling or cleaning and there were zero malfunctions. $149
Also outside the SHOT Show on their web site, Brownells is having their own online “Not-Show” this week with daily specials. Today’s featured special is an Aero AR-15 charging handle.
A charging handle on sale doesn’t light me up too much, but yesterday they featured a Rise Armament AR-15 drop in trigger, and their daily giveaways are pretty worthwhile. Log in through their Not-Show banner and enter with your email. Today’s giveaway is a Stag AR-15 pistol in .300 Blackout with 50 THRiL 30 round magazines, or a new Sig Sauer P320 new slide kit.