24 Jan 20, 2020 SHOT Show, Last Day!

Today, at the Mossberg Booth, I get a chance to handle their new MC2 Pistol. Introduced late last year, it’s a double-column version of the single-column MC1 Pistol they introduced at last year’s SHOT Show.

Both are compact, carry pistols in 9mm. The MC1 is a 7/9 shooter, depending on the magazine used (you get one of each with the pistol). The MC2 is a 14/16 shooter.

Both are really nice guns, but the category is crowded!

The FN 509 pistol is another nice carry-gun. Nearly identical to the now out-of-production FNS, the 509 can be had in full-sized (G17), medium-sized (G19), and compact (G26), much like H&K’s VP9

I notice with all pistol manufacturers, there is a big emphasis this year on pistol optics. All seem to think this is a hard trend, and that nearly all American police will be carrying service pistols equipped with optics not too many years into the future.

They’re probably right!

In any event, nearly all currently-manufactured service pistols are coming from the factory set-up to accept optics.

At Brownell’s Booth I got my hands on a BRN/10A, which is a resurrection of the AR10 (Stoner System in 7.62×51 caliber).

It comes complete with a non-reciprocating bolt-handle that takes the form of an upside-down trigger on top of the upper receiver, protected by the “carrying handle.” At $1.5k, it’s not a bad rifle, but Daniel Defense POF, and others manufacture similar rifles, at close to the same price, with more modern features!

Of particular interest is the 5.56×45 BRN/180. This is the rebirth of the AR18, and it is very well done!
This is the rifle Stoner designed years after he designed the AR!

The AR18 was a commercial failure, over-shadowed at the time by the AR and the Vietnam War, but it inspired many subsequent successful designs.

Brownell’s version is pretty true to the original!

Short-stroke, non-adjustable gas-piston. Nice folding stock! Non-reciprocating bolt-handle on the right side. Full-length rail. Takes AR magazines. Light (polymer lower)!

As a travel-gun the BRN/180 will be an excellent choice!

It will be in production and shipping the first half of this year.

I always miss some things, and I’m sure I did this time, but I hope I identified the most important ones.

Compared with last year, attendance at the SHOT Show this year was down. It’s still a huge trade show, but I could see that local restaurants were not as crowded as last year, and many booths and displays were downsized from previous years.

Directly adjacent to the Sands Convention Center, where the SHOT Show has been held these past few years, a huge (consuming a city block or more) additional building is currently under construction. It is called the “Caesar’s Convention Center,” and I’m pretty sure it is intended to be ultimately continuous with the current Sands Conventions Center.

In any event, at the 2021 SHOT Show, some vendors will be in this new building. They’re already booking space!

I don’t know if the Show will consume the entire building, but it might!

As far as political predictions go, it think most believe DJT will easily win a second term, at least from all current indicators. So, our Art and industry may remain strong and innovative, albeit slow (at least when compared with the BHO years).

Yet, it’s a volatile world, and “earth-shaking events” generally occur suddenly, and with scant warning, and mostly without any kind of preparation on the part of those most affected.

The day before the Flood, you know what everyone was telling Noah!

/John