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
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.