SHOT Show Recap

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Well, I'm back from the 2010 SHOT show. We left after day 3, tired, wet and bedraggled, to head back to headquarters and compile our findings so that we could share them with you.

Overall, there weren't a whole lot of new exciting products unveiled at this year's SHOT show. Sure, Remington and Bushmaster finally had the ACR out on display, and Vltor had a functioning version of their Bren Ten redux. FN even had a civilian legal SCAR on display, but none of these really rose to the level of what I'd consider "revolutionary" or "game changing". That being said, there were some bright spots. One notable theme of the show was the seemingly never ending parade of small .38 and .380 caliber pocket pistols. It was obvious that there is a huge groundswell of demand for small concealable pistols, and the industry has responded in kind with nearly every kind of compact and sub-compact carry pistol you can imagine. From Smith & Wesson's Bodyguard line of handguns, to the new Taurus .380, it seemed that everywhere you turned there was another pocket heater on display.

It was somewhat refreshing to see the enormous amount of AR variants and accessories being showcased by literally hundreds of exhibitors. The NSSF has been heavily promoting AR style rifles as "America's Rifle", emphasizing the important role it plays as a sporting arm. If the number of dealers we saw at the show hawking their newest AR part or accessory was any indication, NSSF's efforts have paid off. Even ESPN wrote a news piece about the enormous popularity of the AR platform at this year's SHOT show, stating:

The growing popularity of these rifles follows a familiar pattern. The military adopts the latest, greatest fighting weapon, whether a Winchester lever-action or a Springfield '03 bolt-action, and soon those firearms enter the civilian market. That's also what happened with black rifles, whose fame began in the Vietnam War era. Vets, and second- and third-generation vets since then, notched out a place in their hearts for such firearms long after their terms of duty ended.

An assault rifle is an assault rifle, as far as the general public and the mainstream media is concerned, and while the AR-15 models being marketed here shoot one bullet for one trigger pull, just as any other rifle does, the AR-16 shadow hangs like a pall over the shooting sports community.

Slowly but inevitably, perhaps modern sporting rifles will win tolerance, if not universal acceptance. They've already won the hearts of shooters, but the public is always a harder sell.

Yeah. I know. They called the M16 an AR-16, an obvious though understandable error. But, they're making an effort and, as we saw at this week's SHOT show, they're right. The AR-15 is gradually becoming accepted by the mainstream media and public as the modern American sporting rifle.

So: what other goodies did we see that might interest you?

A-TACS Camouflage
DCS's revolutionary A-TACS camouflage system was on display at the SHOT show, and Bushmaster even had some ACR and AR-15 rifles wearing the new pattern. A-TACS joined the competition vying for contracts to provide a universal pattern of camouflage that worked effectively in a wide range of environments. The A-TACS design does away with the square pixeled digital patterns currently in use by the United States Armed Forces. DCS felt that the sharp edged pixels did not effectively replicate the shapes and shadows of a natural environment, and that they in fact stuck out when viewed through optics making detection actually easier. DCS argues that the digital patterns currently in use blend together to produce a "blobbing" effect that causes the pattern to appear as a solid color when viewed from long range.

EOTAC President Fernando Coelho commented on the pattern saying:

"I am very happy that we are involved in the A-TACS® project. Of all the camo
patterns I have seen over the years, this is the first one to break from tradition and
actually makes sense."

A number of factors make the A-TACS patterns inherently superior. First, DCS uses far more colors than traditional camouflage. This decreases the definition of shapes and gives a smoother and more natural transition from light patches to darker patches. They also use smaller patterns that are worked together to create larger and more distinct shapes which are brought together to create a distinct asymmetrical design with no clear horizontal or vertical pattern. They use this "pattern within a pattern" principle to break up the outline of the wearer and eliminate the "blobbing" effect caused by having smaller patterns blur together. To create this uniquel organic pattern, DCS uses specially created mathematical algorithms which draw incredibly organic designs and patterns. The result, while obviously digital when viewed up close, is an effective organic camouflage that breaks up the shape of the wearer and allows them to blend in to their surroundings.

Dan Wesson
CZ owned Dan Wesson had a new full size 1911 on display. This latest offering by Dan Wesson is a "back to the basics" 1911. The Valor is available as either a base stainless steel model, or with the new Dan Wesson mate black "Duty" coating. This new coating utilizes a ceramic base that is incredible durable. Other features of the Valor include a forged frame with an undercut trigger guard and slimline VZ grips. The slide comes with fully adjustable night sights.

From Dan Wesson:

We've been listening to our customers again and this gun is the realization of all of their desires in a full sized, defensive style 1911. This gun has everything you need and nothing you don’t.

MSRP for the Dan Wesson Valor is $1913

Burris Eliminator
Burris had an amazing new scope on display that combines their laser range-finder technology with their weapon scope optics to create a unique hybrid that computes bullet drop on the fly and illuminates an aim point on the vertical section of the cross hairs to indicate the corrected point of aim. I've got to say it: this thing is cool and I want one. The scope has an adjustable 4-12 power lens with a 42mm objective.

The Burris Eliminator works by storing the ballistic data of more than 600 different cartridges, from .17 caliber all the way up to .50 BMG. To set it for your rifle, you simply choose one of the preset loads and zero your rifle for either 100 or 200 yards. After that, the Eliminator does all of the work calculating the trajectory of your bullet at nearly any distance. Press the ranging button, and the Eliminator finds the range and then illuminates a small 1/3 MOA aiming dot that indicates exactly where your point of impact will be.

Using a handloaded cartridge, or one that isn't in the Eliminator database? No problem. Zero your rifle at either 100 or 200 yards and then calculate the bullet drop at 500 yards. Input the Drop Number in inches into the Eliminator, and you're all set to go. Knowing just the 100 or 200 yard zero and the amount of drop at 500 yards is all the Eliminator needs to calculate the trajectory of your round. Don't like using yards? The Eliminator is also capable of performing the same calculations in meters. All of your data is stored in the onboard memory of the Eliminator regardless of the status of you battery. The Eliminator will retain your ballistic data even without a battery installed, so you never have to worry about reprogramming it for your favorite rifle and cartridge.

From Burris:

The Burris Eliminator LaserScope is in a league of its own. No other riflescope combines this level of quality, technology, accuracy, simplicity, repeatability and effectiveness. It will greatly increase the distance at which you can be confident in making an ethical shot. You do the hunting and shooting, the Eliminator will do the memorizing and calculating. The Eliminator is affordable and of a size and weight that’s welcome for everyday field use. The revolutionary new Eliminator is a brilliant riflescope innovation that ensures long range hunting success.

ArmaLite
ArmaLite had their SPR (Special Purpose Rifle) Mod 1 at the 2010 SHOT Show. The most striking aspect of the SPR Mod 1 is that it is forged monolithic one-piece upper receiver and rail system. The rails, for their part, use a unique system that allows the side and bottom rails to be removed. This ability to remove the rails makes the ArmaLite SPR Mod 1 stand out from other one-piece systems on the market today.

With the ArmaLite detachable rail system, you can adapt your rifle to whatever role is demanded of you and your primary weapon. The SPR Mod 1 comes with three extra rails. including one with a quick detach sling swivel hole. Inserts allow you adjust the height of the rail, giving you the option of a low profile rail. Changing out the rails is quick and easy.

The one-piece monolithic design of the SPR Mod 1 gives you a long single rail with no breaks along the top of the rifle. this not only gives you more options when mounting your optics, but also provides additional strength and stability to your platform, ensuring that your optics remain solidly zeroed.

All SPR Mod 1 uppers come standard with the extra rails, hard coated finish, as well as a chrome lined barrel with a 1 in 7 twist and a two-stage tactical trigger. MSRP for the SPR Mod 1 is $1,439.