16 Jan 23
2023 SHOT Show, Range Day.
As always, today was Range Day at the expansive Boulder Rifle Club Range in Henderson, NV, where we were able to get our hands on, and actually shoot, some new products in the gun world, all of which will also be displayed at their respective booths at the regular “show” tomorrow at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.
It was a cold, blustery day, but many brave manufacturers were still there to display their wares, and they all deserve a lot of credit for making the effort!
However, SIG has their own “Range Day” at a different range (nowhere close to Henderson), and some other manufacturers also have a separate “Range Day” at a yet different range! Most of us are not willing to run all over town to all those different ranges, so Vicki and I confined ourselves to the main event in Henderson.
Of note:
An attractive alternative to the Beretta 1301 tactical shotgun is the Turkish-made M1014, imported by SDS Imports. The Tactical Version of the M1014 is “gas-assisted/blowback,” but there is nothing on it to adjust. It runs with all 12ga ammunition, has a rail on top, excellent iron sights! I’ve been using a Beretta 1201 (which has rendered excellent service), but this new M1014 may be my new “standard!”
The “FoldAR” M4 features a barrel that actually folds back against the upper receiver. When folded, it is amazingly compact! For low-profile, compact travel, it represents a good option!
Walther’s PDT, F-Series Pistol is compact and very suitable for concealed carry. It’s a double-column 9mm (14-shooter) and features a short reach for the trigger finger and is thus a good choice for those with small hands and short fingers! Vicki really liked it!
Angstadt Arms has a compact longarm that uses a roller-delayed blowback system. It looks, and works, very much like an H&K MP5, except that it is chambered for 5.7 (5.7×28), instead of 9mm. It runs fine, but I’m not a fan of the 5.7!
A company called Matrix is making an all-metallic (steel and aluminum) pistol the size of a G19. No plastic! The gun is manufactured entirely in NH.
We saw a demonstration of the latest features of the Mantis System. It provides a wealth of analytical data, now from the draw (pistol) to the shot breaking. Colorful graphic displays are very useful in training new shooters!
Rubox is a Polish company that produces a hollow rubber rectangle that can be used to actually build a wall, or an entire room. The hollow cavity is then filled with gravel, and you then have a legitimate bullet stop, upon which you can post paper targets. Rubber seals entry holes.
A company called Mark displayed a fully-automated, but compact, cartridge reloading machine that runs on household current! For $7.5k you can set-yourself up to manufacture ammunition at the rate of 1.2k rounds per hour!
Taurus has traditionally enjoyed a spotty reputation, but friends tell me Taurus has really turned things around and are currently producing highly competitive products. So, I went over to their bay and shot their current-production snubby revolvers and their GX4XL compact 9mm pistol (14-shooter, tabbed trigger). All very nice!
I remember years ago when Gunsite Academy (AZ) produced their “Gunsite Service Pistol.” It was a nice iteration of a 1911 (45ACP), very suitable for serious purposes. Today, I got my hands on the latest iteration of the “GSSP!” It’s a G45 (9mm) with an RDO and several other nice enhancements, but still slick, compact and designed strictly for “serious purposes.” The new GSSP can be ordered directly from Glock, or from Gunsite.
First day of the Show starts tomorrow!
/John
