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SHOT Show 2019 Best Guns

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I love going to SHOT Show each year. Yes, it’s work. Yes, it’s exhausting. But, where else can I be around so many like-minded people with the common interest of being gun nuts? And, as an added bonus, I get to put my grubby hands on EVERYTHING I see, whether new to the market or otherwise.

There are always some items at SHOT Show that stand out more than the others though, and this is my lame attempt at trying to show them all to you.

Here are the top 5 best new guns or gear from SHOT Show 2019:

Colt King Cobra

Colt made its way back into the revolver market a couple years back with their .38 Special 6-shot Cobra revolver. While people weren’t upset that Colt re-entered into this market, what they really wanted was a magnum revolver.

Fast forward to SHOT Show 2019, Colt gave us what all the “experts” insisted would never happen. They gave us a King Cobra (pictured above). The King Cobra, in case you’ve been under a rock since before SHOT, is a 6-shot .357 Mag revolver.

It is sexy. The trigger is smoother than freshly filtered honey, and the trigger guard is oversized for the fatter fingers out there.

Good luck being able to find one, though. Because, much like what happened with the regular 38 Cobra, these will be hard to find in stores. I’ve never seen one in the wild outside of SHOT or other trade shows.

This could be good or bad, depending on your outlook. Good, because Colt is taking their time, not just churning and burning to produce as quickly as possible with shoddy quality control. Bad, because I want one and won’t be able to find it.

350 Legend and CMMG Resolute

Many folks don’t understand the importance of the .350 legend rifle cartridge. It’s highly important in a few states just because there are huge restrictions on hunting with certain calibers.

There are some states with caliber restrictions on hunting. To combat this, the .350 Legend was made.

Because of this, and because the parent case is a necked up .223/5.56, there is huge application for it. Winchester, the developer, has stated that this is the fastest straight walled cartridge in production and that it hits hard. We’ve asked CMMG, the makers of the AR-15 chambered in .350 Legend to send us a rifle, and it sounds like they’ve agreed once they get a few more in stock.

Time will tell. But the CMMG Resolute looks great.

And, when you want to talk about innovation and that all you need to convert your current AR patterned rifle to accept this tremendous hunting cartridge is a new barrel, you should get a smile on your face.

If you don’t smile, what are you even doing here?

Mossberg MC1sc

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises this year was the re-introduction of Mossberg into the concealed carry market. They had made their Mossberg Brownie way back in 1919, and a lot has changed since that point.

While there were a ton of very mixed emotions early on with some fanboys claiming it looked like a certain gun that rhymes with flock, most of those who work for the industry see the gun for what it is: A success.

I’ve now gotten over 150 rounds through one that Mossberg sent to me for a T&E and can say that it’s a great gun that handles and shoots very well.

While I don’t think that Mossberg will be overthrowing any of the kings or queens in the pistol market, they’ve definitely captured a share in it, and they’re around to stay.

Kel-Tec

Innovation isn’t something that Kel-Tec struggles with as they continuously bring different types of products to the market. This year was no different with their CP33, a 33 round .22 caliber, quad stack handgun and their KS7 shotgun.

The CP33 is going straight after target shooters who use guns like Ruger MK III and IV, as well as the S&W Victory 22. Ya know, except that Kel-Tec gives you 23 more rounds of ammo. If it’s reliable it’ll be a great competitor in that space.

I ran out of time to shoot the KS7, but my team mates all shot it, and Joe was so impressed he said he was in the market for one. He’s promised us a review, so make sure you stay tuned for that if he can actually find one in the store.

Daniel Defense

Daniel Defense is known for their above average AR-15 platform rifles. They’ve been known as a top tier AR-15 manufacturer for a long time, so it was a bit of a surprise to some when they announced their latest rifle to the mix: A bolt action called the Delta 5.

This bolt gun helps you reach out and touch some targets being available in 308 Win, 6.5 Creed, and 7mm-08 Rem. The retail price on it isn’t too shabby either, coming in at a $2199 MSRP. I have not shot this rifle yet, but Daniel Defense makes great rifles, and I’ll be looking to shoot one at my earliest convenience.

Conclusion

SHOT Show 2019 was a great show. This was truly a year of innovation. Companies are doing what they can to stand out from their competition which is why we see so many companies venturing into new territory. What lies ahead? Only time will tell, but if the past couple years are any indicator it’ll only get better with more innovation from here.

Stag Arms 10mm Pistol Caliber Carbine

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10mm pistol caliber carbine

Stag Arms 10mm Pistol Caliber Carbine

We were out at SHOT Show’s Industry Day at the Range and were able to catch up with Stag Arms who introduced us to their new offerings for the year, and I’ve got to say that I’m pretty stoked for what they showed us.

While pistol caliber carbines aren’t anything new to the gun industry, something that many folks have been asking for is a pistol caliber carbine in 10mm, looking for something with a bit more power than some of the current offerings.

Stag Arms showed us their new PCC carbines and pistols, with an available 10mm option.

Also coming available in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP to help round out the different models being offered, they seem to be higher quality AR-15 pattern carbines (and pistols).

The one I paid particular attention to is the 10mm braced pistol model. It was a blast to shoot and the recoil in that platform was very manageable.

We were told that there will be a few different models available for the public, to include a carbine and a pistol model available in the above listed different calibers. I don’t have an MSRP just yet on these, but will update this announcement once I do.


Take a look at the video of me shooting the Stag Arms PCC in 10mm, and then me bumping into one of my old buddies on the range. And no, for all you social justice warriors out there I was not actually threatening to buttstroke him.

Check it out here:

The 10mm PCC is something that many folks have been asking for, for a long time, and it looks like Stag Arms has finally answered that call. It’s nice when gun manufacturers listen to what their customers are asking for, isn’t it?

Let us know what you think about this new offering from Stag Arms for SHOT Show 2019, in the comments below. Will you be buying one? Keep in mind that Stag Arms does allow direct buying from their website, to ship to an FFL. Here is their store.

New From CMMG (and Winchester) 350 Legend Resolute AR-15

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350 legend

One of the coolest new releases of SHOT Show 2019 is the new cartridge from Winchester and the corresponding “Resolute” AR-15 rifle from CMMG. We were there at the unveiling of the new rifle, and saw the 350 Legend cartridge first hand at the range.

I must say that it is an impressive round that does solve a handful of problems for people in certain states with restrictions on hunting.

Why?

Some states don’t allow hunters to use bottle neck cartridges like .223 Remington to hunt. Other states don’t allow you to use a caliber lower than .25 to hunt.

As you can likely imagine, this can cause a lot of problems for folks, not really giving them many options to put dinner on the table. So, Winchester made the 350 Legend cartridge to help with that.

Being that the 350 Legend is a straight walled 35 caliber cartridge, this solves both problems at once for numerous people struggling to effectively take the game this bad boy was designed for.

The rifle CMMG made is called Resolute and currently comes in three models. What’s pretty neat about it, is that, if you already have an AR-15 you don’t need to buy the whole rifle. All you need to do is buy their barrel, and the rest of the parts will stay the same since the parent case of the 350 Legend is .223.

The bolt and everything else you’ve already got can stay the same, even the magazine, with maybe the exception of the follower in the mag, can stay the same.

Winchester is saying that this is currently the fastest straight-walled hunting cartridge currently in development and that it transfers more energy than the 30-30 Winchester and .300 Blackout.

It’s meant to take game like deer inside 300 yards and is being touted as “the most versatile cartridge on the market.” Time will tell how true all this is, but what I can tell you for sure is that this was one of the most talked about releases of SHOT Show 2019.

There are currently five different cartridges being offered, starting at 145 grain weight,  and cruising up to 265 for the Super Suppressed cartridge.

What are your thoughts on this new AR-15 rifle and ammunition joint venture? Let us know in the comments below.

Introducing the Mossberg MC1sc at SHOT Show 2019

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mossberg mc1sc
This is the special centennial edition

Many folks thought that SHOT Show 2019 would be a flub of the worst kind. I mean, how could we top the SIG Sauer P365 release of 2018? How could any gun manufacturer pull something off that would be anywhere near as good?

Or so the naysayers said.

However, Mossberg heard that call, and answered it with something totally outside the norm for them: A subcompact pistol made for concealed carry.

mossberg mc1sc

This isn’t the first time the Connecticut shotgun manufacturer made a concealed carry pistol, as they had a small pocket pistol called the Brownie way back in 1919.

They had a Mossberg Brownie on display at their booth in Vegas at SHOT Show 2019, and it was a cute little thing. I think the name “Brownie” fits it well. I could almost eat it up.

mossberg brownie

While the MC1sc isn’t going to compete directly with the P365, it doesn’t have to. It’ll fit in a totally different market, and I can say that it looks like it’ll fit in quite well. This new Mossberg pistol looks like it’ll compete with the S&W Shield, the G43, and other guns of that size.

In fact, it almost looks like they’re going right after those guns full steam ahead. And, I think it’s got a fighting chance.

While it may not be the sexiest little pistol on the market, after shooting it multiple times at the Media Day at the Range out at SHOT Show 2019, I can say that it ran great and I’m not the only one. Everyone I spoke to so far this week had nothing but good things to say about it.

Check out our video:

Hopefully you were able to see in the video just how capable it seems to be even with minimal recoil for such a small gun. Even better for me, I was able to hit the magazine release with ease, something that I usually struggle with, with my oddly shaped thumb.

With an MSRP starting at $425, going up from there if you want that Viridian laser model, with a street price likely well under the $400 price point, this is an excellent entry for Mossberg into the pistol market.

Other models includes one with a cross bolt safety for those of you who’d rather have that option, and a model without a safety.

mossberg mc1sc
This photo was taken at the range after the day was over, having shot thousands of rounds through it with nothing more than oiling to keep it lubed up in the dry, windy, sandy climate.

Check out my review, here. 

Shot Show 2019: Industry Day at the Range Top 5

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Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages — welcome to the greatest show on earth. That is how the National Shooting Sports Foundation should introduce their annual get-together that is Shot Show.

Every year at this time the shooting world converges on the sleepy little hamlet of Las Vegas to see all that is new in the shooting sports world. That’s right everything from A-Z that can remotely be related to firearms can be found on display at Shot Show.

This is my second Shot Show and this year looks to be even more exciting than last year. So far, the companies that I have spoken to have definitely brought their A-game. Shot Show is a virtual cornucopia of firearms related product from every corner of the globe.

This year, I will be doing some short posts with the top 5 products that get my attention each day. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here is my Top 5 list from day one:

Kel-Tec KS7

Kel-Tec KS7

If you love bullpup shotguns but think that the double magazine tubes of the UTS 15 and the Kel-Tec KSG are a bit bulky, then do I have news for you. Kel-Tec has done it again with the KS7, a 12GA bullpup shotgun with a single magazine tube that is definitely slim and trim.

Weighing in at 5.9lbs (empty) at 26.1 inches in overall length, with an 18-inch barrel, this shotgun holds 6+1 of 3inch magnum shells.

Those dimensions make it roughly the same size and weight as the Shockwave with an additional shell in the tube. It’s an added bonus that you can actually shoulder this weapon without worrying about having your face rearranged.

It handles well and was surprisingly easy on the shoulder for a 12GA of such light weight. MSRP is listed at $495, but I am sure that you will see them for a bit less in your local gun shop, assuming they are not sold out the day they arrive. Well done Kel-Tec.

Colt King Cobra

In 2017 Colt jumped back into the world of double-action revolvers with the Cobra. This year for the second act of their return to revolvers Colt re-introduced a noted name that hasn’t been seen since the Clinton administration.

That’s right snake-gun fans the King Cobra is back and this time it’s pissed off … Well not really, but it is back and it is badass.

With a heavy-duty stainless-steel frame and a 3-inch barrel, this is just the ticket for those of you who carry wheel-guns on a daily basis.

Now, I am unsure of just what alchemy is going on in the basement at Colt but they claim it weighs in at 28oz, but I swear this six-gun feels a lot lighter in the hand. The double action trigger is something that defies description and is smooth as silk with no stacking, indexing, or grittiness.

I was expecting some stacking as the cylinder came around and instead got a smooth break that was completely unexpected.

As much as I hate to admit it the King Cobra made me want to part ways with my trusty SP101. Colt is on a roll and if they did this well with the King Cobra, I can’t wait for next year … Colt Python, anyone?

Time will tell for sure.

Geissele Automatics Super Duty LE 16”

Geissele Automatics, a well-known name in the world of the AR-15 platform, have spent years solidifying their place in the aftermarket with top-notch accessories. This year they hit the ground running with their Super Duty line of rifles.

That’s right, Geissele now makes rifles and boy what a rifle. The Super Duty is definitely worthy of its name, with a mil-spec upper and lower, low profile Geissele Super gas block, ALG Defense LE Blue Line hard anodized aluminum hand guard, Geissele fixed or flip-up BUS, ALG Advanced Combat Trigger set at 5.5 lbs., and much more at a base price of $750.

The Super Duty LE is specifically intended for Law Enforcement at a price that won’t break the budget. The initial release is strictly limited to LEOs and Law Enforcement Departments, but we were told that Geissele will be releasing Super Duty for the rest of us in the near future.

If you are a fan of Eugene Stoner’s seminal achievement take a look at the Geissele Super Duty.

Mossberg MC1sc

When you think Mossberg, you think shotguns. Most specifically the 500 series shotguns that rank side by side with the Remington 870 as one of the best-selling shotguns of all time.

What most people don’t know is that Mossberg started out by making a 4-shot pistol called the Brownie. Now, about 100 years after the last Mossberg Brownie pistol left the factory in New Haven, Mossberg is back in the handgun world with the MC1sc sub-compact 9mm pistol.

The MC1sc falls right in with the G43 and the S&W Shield, and I think will give them a run for their money. For a base MSRP of $425 you get a 9mm sub-compact with either a 6+1 or a 7+1 capacity, a 3.4-inch stainless steel barrel, fiberglass reinforced polymer frame, and a 22oz weight (loaded) that has one of the best triggers of its class at a very crisp 5-6 lbs.

The felt recoil is nothing at all what I had expected and to say that I was pleased with the way it shot would be an understatement.

Mossberg may have waited a while to get in the concealed carry game, but they have entered in a big way. With the MC1 Mossberg has upped their game, now up yours.

Adams Arms, P3 .224 Valkyrie

Adams Arms has staked their claim over the years by making the first, and to the best of my knowledge, only piston driven retrofit kit for the AR-15 platform. I still have one of their 1st Gen piston uppers and it is one of the most reliable and accurate ARs I have ever shot.

They now are purveyors of some of the finest piston driven AR-15/AR-10 platforms you can buy.

For Shot Show this year they have a little surprise, a P3 Match Grade in .224 Valkyrie. Now the .224 has really taken off as a popular caliber for precision work, having a trajectory that is ridiculous for what amounts to a long range .22, I mean this thing is stupid accurate and consistent.

Now match that with a proven match grade, piston driven platform from Adams Arms and … What’s that? It’s not listed on the website, you say? I know, right? Apparently, Adams hired all the best from Lockheed’s Skunk-Works, because this has been a better kept secret than the SR-71, the F117 Stealth Fighter, and any “sensitive” information that makes its way into the hands of Congress.

Seriously though, the P3 comes with a very consistent PROOF Research Carbon Wound Barrel, jet comp, free-float rail, and their signature P-Series Micro Block Adjustable gas-piston system. I was consistently vaporizing clay pigeons at 200 yards and to me that in and of itself speaks volumes. This would be my rifle of choice for groundhogs or coyotes out west.

Day one was a complete blast (pun intended), the companies that brought their products out to Industry Day at the Range really made it hard for me to narrow it down to 5. Big shout-out to NSSF and all the people who make Shot Show happen. Stay tuned for Day 2.

New From Kel Tec at SHOT Show 2019

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shot show 2019

We got to catch up with Kel-Tec at SHOT Show’s Industry Day at the Range, 2019. It’s always exciting for us to see what new contraptions Kel-Tec comes out with, because unlike some of the other companies out there, they continue to innovate with new, out of the box designs.

kel-tec cp33

This time around, they had a new 22LR handgun that looks to rival popular handguns like the Browning Buckmark, the Ruger MKIV, and the S&W Victory. Ya know, only the CP33has a magazine capacity of 33 rounds making whoever shoots a competition with this thing king or queen.

Also topping off the Kel Tec CP33 are windage and elevation adjustable fiber optic sights, a rail for a red dot, and a threaded barrel to attach a suppressor.

I had the chance to put some twenty twos downrange with this little bad ass and can tell you that there was almost zero muzzle rise, and the suppressed version was very quiet. It was also easy to shoot, accurate, and a ton of fun.

The magazines are clear so you can see immediately how much ammo you’ve got inside, and the MSRP isn’t too far outside what others would charge for a similar pistol, if you can find one, at $475.

kel-tec ks7

Also new this year from Kel-Tec is the KS7 Bullpup shotgun. Now, I didn’t get a chance to shoot this one so I won’t talk much about it this time around. But, what I can say is that Joe said he wanted to buy one, and that can only mean that it’s a stellar shooting shotgun that looks great for home defense scenarios.

This pump action 12 gauge shotgun has a single tube that is loaded from the rear, and ejects the shells out of the same port. MSRP is set to $495, and looks to be an all around great gun.

You can see some of our Industry Day at the Range coverage showing these brand new to market guns, here:

Of course, this is all only good if you can find the guns in your local gun shop or have them ordered. History has shown that Kel-Tec guns aren’t the most readily available ones out there. Let us know what you think about these new guns from Kel-Tec in the comments below.

SHOT Show 2019

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It’s that time of the year again, my friends. And, as with every year that we’ve gone, we’re trying to step up our SHOT Show coverage so that it’s like you’re actually there with us. Here is some of what you can expect from us:

We do quick video uploads and don’t usually do any editing. Therefore, anything they say that may be a mistake or otherwise false is uploaded for all to see. They aren’t the biggest fans of this method, so …

We do always offer them to do a retake, so they can get it right if they’re not happy with the video they’ll be putting it out.

The reason why we do it like this is because we want you to see the videos quickly so you can stay up to date on all the new releases in almost real time.

We were the ones who perfected this strategy and other media companies are following because of how well it works.

You can also expect to see some news articles being published on the site. I struggled with this last year because I had another commitment to fill. This year will be a bit different because I’ll have more help.

I’m also planning to update social media a bit more, just because I want to start playing with Facebook and Instagram live. Stay tuned for that because I’m sure it’ll be a blooper fest because I haven’t a clue what I’m doing with live stuff just yet.

Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Make sure you subscribe to our Facebook.

I have two Instagram accounts, and I’m way more active on this one than I am on this one.

What are you looking forward to the most this year? I’ll try to get one of our guys to have some video time with it. Thanks for being here, and stay tuned.

SHOT Show 2018: American Tactical shows off 9mm adapter for AR-15 lower

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american tactical 9mm adapter

Down Range Daily stopped by the American Tactical booth at SHOT Show, 2018 to check out their new products. Here’s something really different–a 9mm Glock mag adapter for the AR-15 lower. Hopefully it goes without saying that mo re parts are needed to actually make a pistol caliber carbine, but this is an interesting start, and we look forward to seeing anything else American Tactical comes up with.

Make sure you sign up for our SHOT Show 2018 coverage on our YouTube channel to make sure you are up to date on all the latest product releases.

SHOT Show, 2018 Is Upon Us

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Shot show 2018

SHOT Show, 2018 is almost here and it looks like it’s going to be a great convention for everyone.

I don’t talk about it much because a big portion of my writing takes place at my day job over at concealedcarry.com where I actually get paid to talk about guns. I’ve been trying to keep up with the announced guns to be released next week, and so far, I’m pretty stoked. Last year there were a few good things announced, but many of them were lackluster or never even made it into production.

Think Taurus Spectrum.

But, this year we are looking forward to new pistols from major manufacturers like SIG, Glock, Springfield Armory, Ruger, etc. There also seems to be a lot of other gear, rifles, and some other goodies to be announced. My team and I have been doing SHOT Show for a few years now and have it down to a science. What I need from you, is to subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you can stay up to date.

Here is our YouTube Channel, please subscribe so you see what we publish.

Listen to what I’m about to say next, very carefully: We publish videos real time. There is no wait time because we don’t edit anything. Our main goal with going to SHOT Show, is to realize that you cannot be there but want to be so we put videos up as quickly as we can. That way, it’s like you’re there with us.

Last year we recorded and published over 70 videos in just three days between two of us, and this year there will be three of us. As far as I know, nobody does SHOT Show this way, and there is a reason for it. Most of them want to please the manufacturers with edited videos. Me? I want to please you guys, our readers. So, we work as quickly as we can to bring you videos and content fast so it’s like you’re there. Here is an example from last year:

That is one of our most-viewed videos and, as you can see, there was nothing special done with it. No fancy intro and outro. No editing whatsoever. Just information, speed, and intensity. Again, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you can see our videos real time, as we run through the 12 miles of isles trying to bring you the best, possible content. Here’s the link to our YouTube Channel again, make sure you hit it.

SHOT Show 2017: Day 3 Videos

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By this time, SHOT Show 2017 is already beginning to draw to an end. My cameraman, Teddy, has flown home, and these are his last videos. The rest will be done by me, and, are much less professional looking even though I’m using “higher end” equipment.

Here is Cobalt Kinetics showing off one of their new products, the B.A.M.F Edge:

Coonan Inc. is known for their .357 Magnum 1911s. This time around, they’ve brought their .45 ACP 1911, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one:

Jesse James’ Firearms was there with their new state compliant Nomad-15:

One thing I’m looking forward to getting my hands on is a new belt from NexBelt. This thing looks great and is innovative:

Finally, last on today’s list, are these bi-pods from Spartan Precision:

Make sure you stay tuned, because even though SHOT Show 2017 is nearly done, we aren’t quite there yet. To stay up to date, and to see all 70+ videos, subscribe to our YouTube Channel.