by Michael A. Black
The American Derringer Corporation “Big Boy” derringer.
The National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) held the 39th annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas, NV, January 17-20 at the Sands Convention Center. Featuring over 16,000 exhibiting companies, it’s virtually impossible to see everything, even over the course of the four days, and practically every exhibiting company had something new to show the buyers from the US and around the world. There were products for the average gunowner, hunter or outdoor enthusiast as well as specialized for law enforcement
Attendance at this year’s show was 65,000 people, surpassing last year’s total for the second highest attendance on record. My assignment was to check out the latest guns and products related to law enforcement, concealed carry, and other innovative developments. The exhibit areas for law enforcement products seemed to have the most crowded aisles.
Things started on Monday, Jan. 16 with Media Day at the Range, during which media and industry professionals are bused to the Boulder Rifle & Pistol Club. There were numerous firing ranges set up where shooters could try out a vast array of rifles, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and even fully automatic weapons. We came across some interesting items at the series of booths directly behind the firing range area.
The Caracal USA Enhanced F has the rear sight in front of the ejection port.
Although we received complimentary eye and ear protection upon entering the range area, Peltor Sport (www.3Msafety.com/PeltorSport) was on hand in one booth offering a look at their new rechargeable hearing protection devices. These devices are ideal for both hunting and law enforcement because they allow the wearer to hear normal sounds and conversation, but block any sudden noises of a hazardous decibel range. Mantis (www.mantis.com) creates firearms training products that help shooters improve their techniques and precision. I checked out their MantisX, a unique device that attaches to any firearm and analyzes every shot. The shooter is directed to fire at a target, and the MantisX sends real-time feedback via Bluetooth to a mobile app that provides analysis and coaching while tracking the shooter’s performance. This information can be sent to a smart phone or tablet. The device can be used with live fire, dry fire, air-soft, and simulation firearms.
Angel Armor (www.angelarmor.com) had a variety of advanced ballistic armor products on hand, including some bullet-resistant glass and automobile doors designed to give police cars better protection. The car windows and doors had the results of a spray of fired rounds of various calibers, none of which penetrated the respective auto parts. They also offer the Truth 3085 plate system designed to be inserted into vest carriers to offer upgraded ballistic protection. These plates, which are incredibly lightweight, can also be fitted together with built-in, magnetic snaps to provide tiered threat protection either up or down.
The incredibly fast MagPump can load a magazine in seconds.
We also got to watch the incredibly fast action of the MagPump (www.magpump.com), a handy device that can load an AR-15 magazine in a matter of seconds by simply dumping the rounds into the polymer spout and depressing the loading trigger. There’s no wear and tear on the fingers, and it’s currently compatible with all Mil-Spec AR-15 magazines (models will be available for the AK47 and Glock 9mm soon). Their corresponding MagDump operates in reverse, quickly and safely unloading those magazines regardless of capacity.
The Smith & Wesson .500 revolver.
Eager to get to the firing range, we headed across the road and got to shoot a number of both handguns and rifles. At the Smith & Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) booth I was anxious to try their new, .50 caliber, five-round magnum revolver, the S&W500. Besides looking like one mean gun, its smooth cylinder gives it an even more unique look. I asked about the rationale for not having a fluted cylinder, and was first told that it had to do with increasing the density to strengthen the cylinder. But another engineer on scene said it was merely an aesthetic choice. Whatever the reason, it packs one helluva kick. I also tried Smith’s new M2.0 9mm semi-auto, which also comes with interchangeable grips to accommodate various hand sizes. Among the other stops made were at Beretta, Taurus, Walther and Colt, to name a few. Colt had their new .38 Special +P everyday carry revolver, the Cobra, on hand, which has one smooth trigger pull. Walther had their new Creed 9mm polymer semi-auto ready for some action. Its ergonomically designed grip fits into the shooter’s hand like a glove.
Two-time World Champion Gun Twirler Paula Slaetnik (right) was also the first female champion. Slaetnik posed with author’s companion, Shauna Washington, left, at the Cimarron Firearms booth.
The SHOT Show officially began in the Convention Center on promptly at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. The convention center hosts 16,000 exhibitors on multiple floors and stretches over 13 acres. One of the first booths that caught my eye was a pretty lady in cowgirl gear doing an amazing display of twirling two six-guns at Cimarron Firearms (www.cimarron-firearms.com), which specializes in high quality replica firearms of the Nineteenth Century. The lady spinning her guns was none other than Paula Saletnik, two-time world champion gun twirler, as well as the first female champion. After discussing the development of ammunition and firearms with one of the very knowledgeable Cimarron personnel, I was told that the first self-contained cartridges were developed in 1856 by Smith & Wesson.
Coast Products (www.coastportland.com) produces premium lighting products, including flashlights, headlamps, and emergency area lighting systems, as well as quality knives and multi-tools. They had a new array of rechargeable headbands that would be ideal for law enforcement and civilian needs. They also have a trio of knives that were developed by Navy SEALs. These knives offer variations of the large and burly bladed TX395, to the medium bladed TX399, and the street legal TX360. All their knives are made of stainless steel and have a titanium nitrate coating to make them non-reflective and scratch resistant.
After checking at the Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) booth to tag up with my favorite editor, Joe Tartaro, his lovely daughter, Peggy, who edits Women and Guns magazine, and Founder Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, I stopped next door at PJL Targets (www.pjltargets.com), to visit my friend, retired Belgium police officer Francis Dorao. Francis and his American distributor (Philip Peseux, in West Palm Beach, FL), has a unique assortment of life-like targets that can be adjusted to suit any range-training scenario. Francis mentioned that paper targets are the cheapest and most economical way to provide “shoot-don’t shoot” decision-making training.
The author’s companion, Shauna Washington, tries out the Hechler & Koch all-new 9 mm SP5K at Media Day.
With all the scrutiny on police these days, the mandatory adaptation of body cameras is becoming a reality all over the country. Chicago PD, which is still reeling from the recent DOJ report, has mandated that their department-wide body cam program will commence in March of this year. Safariland, a long-time leader in police products, had its latest body cameras available for inspection. The 4th generation LE4 offers 64 gigabytes of storage and a 95-degree field of view. This is considered the maximum range without distortion. To activate the camera, the officer merely flips down the front portion. Upon activation, a 30-second bumper of preceding audio has already been recorded and is automatically saved to the ongoing recording. The solution app allows for informational narration to be subsequently added to the recording.
Safariland also had samples of their latest In-Ear Hearing Protection devices, which operate without batteries to enable the wearer to hear normal, ambient sounds, but reduces sound levels up to 33 decibels. Besides Safariland and the aforementioned Peltor Sport devices, I was also shown similar products by Silynx Hearing (www.silynxcom.com), which offers rechargeable earplugs with a power-pack, and Beretta (www.beretta.com). While most of the companies offered similar features, all of the insertable hearing protection devices were impressive and allowed greater flexibility as far as hearing spoken directions and not having to deal with the awkwardness of bulky earmuffs. But make no mistake, safeguard your hearing before it’s too late.
As far as eye protection, Edge Tactical (www.edgeeyewear.com/tactical) had some very chic looking glasses on display, and at the US Armor booth Baker Ballistics (www.bakerballistics.com) offered something very unique in ballistic shield protection with “The Reaper.” It’s a lightweight (9 lbs.) framework that allows for hands-free carrying of a ballistic shield composed of light, polyurethane material and augmented by ceramic plates to give it Level IV protection. The framework is fitted to the wearer’s carrier vest, allowing the operator to utilize a rifle or sidearm. Special slots, upon which a rifle may be rested, are located at sight level. The design allows both increased accuracy and efficiency, along with easy 360-degree maneuverability. The Reaper’s shield weighs only 29 lbs. and allows the operator to avoid the fatigue factor of carrying a heavy shield throughout a building search.
Walther introduced their new, affordable polymer semi-auto, the Creed.
Bulletsafe (www.BulletSafe.com) is a company that advertises a quality product at an affordable price. Their ballistic vests are priced at $299 and they also offer a ballistic ball cap for $129, and a backpack plate offering 3A level protection for $99.
After introducing their TASER PULSE at last year’s SHOT Show, this year TASER International (www.buytaser.com) announced their new Civilian Training Program designed to teach civilians about TASER technology and how to react in a self-defense situation. Other training and educational programs were available at the SHOT Show University, including the Law Enforcement Education Program. Some of the topics offered were Active Shooter Update, Getting the Most Out of Your K9’s, A Force Multiplier for Law Enforcement, Armorer’s Training, and Improving Undercover Officer Safety with a Concealed-Carry Suit Coat System. The NSSF (www.nssf.org) also offered information on Project Childsafe (www.projectchildsafe.org), a program dedicated to educating firearm owners on how to practice safe firearm storage, and to help prevent firearms accidents, theft, and misuse, and a Suicide Prevention Seminar (www.ReportingOnSuicide.org). The NRA (www.nra.org) gave out information on their many classes available to law enforcement, such as the Law Enforcement Firearm Instructor Training Program.
With concealed carry laws now in effect in all 50+ states, concealability and firepower have been thrust into the limelight. For the latest in ostentatious fashion concerns, Condor Outdoor Products (www.condoroutdoor.com) offered their customary display of quality tactical gear, and Mechanix Wear (www.mechanix.com) offered a fine selection of high dexterity gloves to protect the hands. While clothing lines such as Australia’s Kakadu Traders Australia (www.kakadutradersaustralia.com) offers a variety of specially made jackets with military grade, nylon reinforced pockets, other companies like Gun Toten Mamas (www.GunTotenMamas.com) and Concealed Carrie (www.concealedcarrie.com) appeal to the distaff side.
The Reaper allows for hands-free carrying of a ballistic shield while also providing maximum maneuverability for the officer or operator.
Since gun ownership by women has been steadily increasing every year, a lot of the major companies have designed guns that appeal to the fairer sex. Ruger’s compact, lightweight LCP .380 offers a little powerhouse with a 6 and 1 round capacity. The LCP II comes equipped with a laser-light. Both models include a fingergrip baseplate on the magazine for a better grip.
The author tried out the new Smith & Wesson M2.09 9mm on the range at the Boulder Rifle & Pistol Club on Media Day.
Another impressive small gun is the new stainless steel Spectrum from Taurus (www.Taurus.com). This small .380 also has a 6 and 1 round capacity, but ups that to 7 and 1 with its extended magazine. Another hammerless, striker firing weapon, the Spectrum comes in 20 different colors that are seamlessly integrated into “soft touch” panels incorporated into the grip and slide. It’s also the first Taurus model produced entirely in the USA. For lesser round capacity but more wallop, American Derringer (www.amderringer.com) offers “The World’s Most Powerful Pocket Pistol.” This Texas based company’s handsomely crafted little gun fires a variety of powerful calibers ranging from .45 rounds to a .410 shotgun round. Built from the highest tensile stainless steel, it can handle the big rounds, if you can. While looking at the derringers, I also stopped by Iver Johnson Arms (www.iverjohnsonarms.com) to peruse their four-barreled little gun, as well as checking out the .22 caliber mini-revolvers offered by North American Arms (www.northamericanarms.com). For the record, the distinction between a mini-revolver and a derringer is that the latter has a rotating firing pin, while the former has a cylinder that rotates.
The Caracal USA Enhanced F has the rear sight in front of the ejection port.
Another impressive pistol was the Caracal USA (www.caracalusa.com) Enhanced F, a striker-fired 9mm semi-automatic, which also is now manufactured in the USA. The ergonomically designed grip makes it easy to hold, and reduces felt recoil. Additionally, the rear sight has been machined into the slide just in front of the ejection port. This “Quick-Sight system” places both the front and rear sights on a single focal plane allowing the shooter to acquire a clear sight picture almost immediately.
It’s always a daunting task to try to see everything among the 16,000 exhibits which cover 13 acres of floor space, but there’s something of interest virtually everywhere you stop. Next year’s show, the fortieth, also will be at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas Jan. 23-26, 2018.
