Archive for 2009 SHOT Show
Stark Equipment SE-1 Grip for the AR-15
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The Stark Equipment SE-1 is a polymer grip that replaces the standard AR-15 grip and trigger guard with a single polymer unit. At the 2009 SHOT Show, I had a chance to preview the Stark SE-1, and I was impressed by the look and feel of the floor samples.
Stark Equipment is now shipping the SE-1, and I was able to get one of the early production grips. I am just as impressed by the production model as I was by the samples. Read More→
Sig Sauer P232 Pistols: Updated for 2009
Posted by: | CommentsThe Sig Sauer P232 pistol was updated for 2009. The new P232 features a newly designed slide that reduces “slide bite” on larger hands and removable sights.
For those not familar with the Sig Sauer P232, the gun is a .380 ACP pistol that is more substantial in size and weight thant the recent crop of .380 pocket guns. The P232 runs between 18.5 – 23.6 ounces, has a 3.6″ barrel, and an overall length of 6.6″. The action is a DA/SA design, and has a capacity of 6+1.
The Sig P232 is available in three finishes: black Nitron, stainless, and a two-tone stainless slide with black frame. All models of P232 are available with standard or SIGLITE Night Sights.
Kel Tec RFB: First Impressions
Posted by: | CommentsThe Kel Tec RFB rifle will be shipping early next month (Feb 09) according to a Kel Tec representative at the 2009 SHOT Show. The rep was very upbeat about the rifle, stating they are in production now and will be shipping very soon.
Kel Tec’s sales of the RFB rifles to distributers have been very brisk, selling 1,000 to one distributer on the first day of the SHOT Show alone.
I had a chance to handle the RFB, and I have to admit I was impressed. The rifle, chambered in .308/7.62 NATO, is hefty, but very well-balanced. Kel Tec had several different configurations of the RFB on display, and everyone stopping to check them out seemed to like them.
The RFB looks like it will be a very good seller for Kel Tec.
Federal Nyclad Ammunition in .38 Special Reintroduced at 2009 SHOT Show
Posted by: | CommentsFederal Premium Ammunition re-introduced the Nyclad in .38 Special at the 2009 SHOT Show. Available only in .38 Special, the Nyclad round is a standard-pressure, self-defense load with a nylon clad 125 grain soft lead hollow point. The 
nylon coating allows the bullet to reliably expand at low velocities, unlike traditional copper jacketed hollow points which normally require faster velocities in the .355-.357 bullet size range.
The .38 Special loading pushes the 125 grain hollow point at 830 fps for a muzzle energy of 191 ft-lbs. While this may not seem like a real “manstopper,” keep in mind that the Nyclad proved to be excellent in its class. For a firearm not designed to handle +P pressures, or for someone that is especially recoil sensitive (such as someone who is arthritic), this is a mild recoiling cartridge that will reliably expand.
The Nyclad line of ammunition was developed several decades ago and made its way into one of Federal’s self defense lines of cartridges. The original .38 Special self defense load was a 125 grain, standard pressure round that featured a soft-lead bullet with a very deep hollow point. It appears that the new Nyclad ammunition will be a close copy of the original.
Many experts feel the 125 grain Nyclad hollow point was the best standard pressure cartridge loaded for the .38 Special. It offered excellent expansion with a relatively light recoil in even the lightest of revolver frames.
SIG522 .22 Caliber Rifle from SIG SAUER
Posted by: | CommentsSIG SAUER, Inc. has introduced a .22 LR caliber semi-automatic rifle called the SIG522. The SIG552 is modeled after the popular SIG556 rifle.
Featuring SIG556 parts including a Swiss type folding stock and polymer forend on a durable metal receiver with integral Picatinny rail, and a Mini Red Dot sight, the SIG522 provides the avid sport shooter plenty of action on a classic military style platform that give the look, feel and dependability of the full size SIG556.
SIG522 Rifle Specifications:
- Caliber: .22 LR Action: Semi-Auto
- Overall Length: 29.8″
- Stock Style: Swiss Type Folding
- Length w/Stock Collapsed 29.1″
- Barrel Type: Cold Hammer Forged
- Barrel Length: 17″
- Flash Suppressor: A2 Type
- Rifling: 1 in 7″
- Sight Radius: 14.4″
- Forearm: Polymer
- Operating System: Gas Piston/Rotating Bolt
- Mag Capacity: 30 rounds
- MSRP: $515.00
Charter Arms Rimless Revolver Update: 9mm, .40, and .45 ACP Soon
Posted by: | CommentsCharter Arms is anticipating shipping the new Rimless Revolver in Spring 2009.
I spoke with their reps at the 2009 SHOT Show. The Charter Arms reps explained that the revolvers are ready to begin production, but they are waiting on the patent lawyers. It seems that some of the patents have not been nailed down yet, so 
before they start showing and shipping the revolvers, they have to make sure their design is protected. Charter Arms had hoped to have everything finished by the SHOT Show, but they have been at the mercy of the patent lawyers and paperwork.
The current expectation is that the revolvers will start shipping in April 2009. Initially, the Rimless Revolvers will ship in .40 S&W, followed by the 9mm, and then the .45 ACP. All revolvers should be in the market before the and of ’09.
Charter Arms said the 9mm will also chamber the .380 ACP.
Assuming these revolvers are reliable, they could be excellent backup weapons for law enforcement and citizens carrying concealed for self protection.
From the product announcement on the Charter Arms website:
Charter Arms Rimless Revolver (CARR) will be available in April 2009!
Charter Arms announces an affordable revolver that chambers rimless semi-automatic rounds the same way as a standard rimmed-cartridge revolver.
Now the average gun owner can own an affordable, trouble-free revolver chambered in these popular semi-auto rounds without the need for specialized ammunition clips and a specialized gun.
With the patent-pending Charter Arms Rimless Revolver Round System a round is loaded into the chamber and a specialized spring engages the cartridge’s ejector groove. When the cylinder is opened and the ejector rod operated, it extracts and ejects the fired cases
Available Calibers
Charter Arms will first offer the .40 S&W followed by the .45ACP and 9×19 mm Parabellum (the 9mm Parabellum revolver will also chamber factory .380ACP). All three Rimless Revolvers (9mm, .40 and .45) will be rated for higher velocity +P loadings.
Warranty
As with the other Charter Arms revolvers, the CARR has an industry exclusive lifetime warranty.
Smith and Wesson M&P Pistols with Thumb Safety
Posted by: | CommentsIn December, I first told you that all of the Smith and Wesson M&P pistols could now be had with 1911-style thumb safeties. S&W had every model of M&P pistol displayed with a thumb safety at the 2009 SHOT Show.
I worked with several different M&P pistols and found the safeties worked very well. I wasn’t sure I would like them, but they were easy to manipulate, clicked smartly into place, and did not interfere with my grip. I don’t know that I would order a M&P with a thumb safety, but I certainly would consider it.
The Colt Combat Elite Returns
Posted by: | CommentsColt has brought back the Combat Elite. Announced at the 2009 SHOT Show and now listed in the ’09 Colt catalog, the Combat Elite is a very nice looking and feeling 1911-platform gun chambered in the venerable .45 ACP.
The floor sample at the SHOT Show had excellent craftsmanship, and unlike the Delta Elite at the same show, had no cosmetic blemishes.
Colt lists the following features for the Combat Elite:
- front and rear slide serrations
- three-dot sights, Novak rear
- skeletonzised, three hole trigger
- combat hammer with elongated slot
- 8+1 capacity
- 1/2 checkered, 1/2 smooth rosewood grips
- Smith& Alexander upswept beavertail palmswell safety
- the Colt single side tactical thumb safety
- two-tone finish
- national match barrel
- stainless steel frame
- carbon steel slide
2009 SHOT Show Farewell
Posted by: | CommentsWell the 2009 SHOT Show is now history. Attendance was very good, and the NSSF, who organizes the show, said orders were up 5%. The rest of the economy may be tanking, but guns are still selling well.
I have been working to get as much information and photos up as I can squeeze into my day. I hope that everyone has found the information useful.
During the coming weeks, I will continue to post information and product announcements from SHOT. I met with a lot of people and have secured sights, flashlights, slings, ammo, and more for testing and evaluation in the coming months.
So, stick around…there’s more to come!
Taurus 709 SLIM Pistols a Reality: Information from the SHOT Show
Posted by: | CommentsThe Taurus 709 pistols, also known as the Taurus SLIM, is a series of single stack 9mm pistols designed for concealed carry. They are polymer framed, and offer a choice in slides: blued. stainless steel, and titanium. The blued and stainless models weight 19 ounces unloaded, and the titanium model shaves another two ounces off of that number.
All three models have a 3.2″ barrel and come with a 7-round, flush magazine and a 9-round extended magazine. The pistols have the Taurus SA/DA trigger system, meaning once you chamber a round, the trigger pull is a “short, crisp” SA pull. Should the gun fail to fire, the next trigger pull (second shot capability) is a longer double action shot. Assuming the gun fires each time, the trigger pulls will all be single action.
Sights are a low profile, but very usable, three-dot system.
Taurus announced the 709 series of single stack 9mm pistols last year, but never shipped them. During the past year, the Taurus SLIM has undergone several changes.
There are several cosmetic changes, such as the grips:
and recess around the take down:
The most significant design change has been the addition of a trigger safety. The original 709 did not have a trigger safety, but the shipping models of the Taurus SLIM will have one.
I had the chance to handle the blued and titanium models at SHOT. The SA trigger pull was light and felt pretty good for a polymer gun. The DA pull was much longer, but relatively smooth.
These guns fit in my medium-sized hand pretty well, but someone with large hands may not like the size as much. These guns should conceal easily in a IWB or belt scabbard. While not as concealable as a Taurus TCP or Ruger LCP, they do offer the added benefit of a more serious caliber, better sights, more grip surface, and up to 10 rounds on tap before a reload.
I hope Taurus gets these to the dealers soon. The single stack 9mm is a good choice for concealed carry and if they work well on the range, Taurus may sell a bunch of these.
Taurus 738 TCP: .380 ACP Pistol Takes Aim at the Ruger LCP
Posted by: | CommentsTaurus introduced three versions of the TCP, or Taurus Compact Pistol, at the 2009 SHOT Show. The TCP, also known as the model 738, is a .380 ACP pistol clearly aimed at taking market share from the Ruger LCP.
The TCP is a very small, very thin, very light polymer pocket gun. The sights are described by Taurus as “low-profile,” but I would describe them as almost non-existent.
The Taurus TCP has a slide lock, ambidextrous magazine release, and a loaded chamber indicator. It holds six in the magazine, with an additional eight round magazine available. The TCP has a 3.3″ barrel and an overall length of 5.19″.
It is a double action only (DAO) pistol. The trigger pull was long and moderately heavy. I would have liked it a lot more with a shorter trigger pull with the same weight.
The TCP is the lightest gun that Taurus offers weighing only 10.2 ounces with a blued or stainless steel slide, and a mere nine ounces (!) with a titanium slide. The titanium slide version is so light, you might actually forget you are carrying it.
The Taurus TCP will be manufactured here in the United States. The Taurus rep on the show floor said pricing would be “around $300″ with the titanium model “about $100 more.”
