If you have been on x44 for very long, you know that I am an enthusiast of many dimensions. I am passionate about many things. I tend to be an all or nothing person. The WORD is the biggest love of my life followed closely my incredible wife and 4 boys and the communion of our “tribe.” My wife calls me the last renaissance man as I am “REALLY INTO” a lot of different things. I have always said I could live life 100 times and do something totally different each life and thoroughly enjoy every one of them. I think over the years I have earned more than 50 certifications such as EMT, AMGA MTN Guide, PADI, various canoe and kayaking certifications, PPA master photographer, A Th.D. Degree and many other credentialed things. But one of the things I have spent a life pursuing is shooting. My father was a writer for several gun magazines in the Peterson line. I grew up shooting competitively every week at the local range and have competed in nearly every NRA discipline, some at the national level. I have been sponsored by more companies than I can remember. About 15 years ago I opened a private NRA gun range that is one of my favorite things in life. My boys have grown up literally learning the ins and outs of the firearm world as they learned to tie their shoes and drive a tractor or motorcycle. It is second nature to our family. Most everyone knows of the NRA because of their legal initiatives, but less people have heard of the Firearm Industry Trade Association. The NSSF is an association “that leads the way in advocating for the industry and its business and jobs, keeping guns out of the wrong hands, encouraging enjoyment of recreational shooting and hunting and helping people better understand the industry’s lawful products.” [1] They put on a several shows but one of them is the SHOT SHOW which is only open to industry professionals. This is truly a MAN CARD lifetime bucket list item. It is amazing. This year here are some things that really stood out to me.

1. Hk has a history of building the best. Those of you that know me well, know I own an arsenal of their products. I truly believe they are what you would choose if you could have anything, and your life depended on it. They are the number one choice of special forces and have been for many years across the globe. They came out with the HK 416 in the early 2000’s and it has been a stapple for many years. There have been some slight mods over the time but this year marks likely the biggest upgrade the line has seen, at least in the civilian market. “The MR556 A4 and MR762 A4 are the latest products released by HK-USA. The A4’s updated furniture and fully ambidextrous controls make it more user-friendly than ever. A new lifetime barrel bore guarantee, an HK first, reflects HK’s confidence in this no-compromise civilian product.” [2] The MR556 and MR762 are civilian versions of the HK416/417, as used by the U.S. military and other elite military and law enforcement organizations around the world. Although some these features have been available in European exchange, much of these options are new to the US market. For instance, previously you couldn’t get an HK 5.56 in a pistol platform in the US. The A4 series of firearms use the multi-lug, rotating bolt operated by a short-stroke gas-piston system of the original HK416/MR556 (still the best imho), housed in aluminum alloy upper and lower receivers. Beyond this, improvements abound. A new tensioning buffer improves fit between upper and lower receivers. The gas block is adjustable for both suppressed and unsuppressed usage (best on market imho). Controls include ambidextrous bolt release and magazine release buttons, as well as the safety lever with 45-degree throw, all of which are present on both sides of the receiver, and the charging handle is also ambidextrous. I could go on and on… but in brief, this new rifle has it all right out of the box. It’s a no frills no nonsense best option built (period) firearm. The CC9 is also worth mentioning. If you are looking for a CCW gun this is likely the one. The VP9 got an upgrade by way of the VP9A1 F and K models. In my mind the USP’s will always be king though.

2. Barrett has been a HUGE man card fan for many years. The ability to take out armored vehicles miles away using a $6 round is simply amazing. When they sold to the Australian defense contractor NIOA in 2023 I was concerned. I have owned many Barrett firearms over the years, and they continue to be one of my favorite items in the locker. Many know them for their 50 calibers which are amazing, but they also have a history in smaller arms. In 2008 they came out with the M468 which had some heating issues plaguing government contracts, but I owned one and it was super cool. It was a big heavy price of machinery. It felt like what a “real” army man should be using. It was replaced by the rec7. I have owned several of these as well and they continue to be one of my favorites. When the company was purchased, they halted production of rec7’s (partly to push MK22 production). I was worried. This year they were released again. Originally when the rec7 came out it was piston operated. I own a few of these and still prefer this system. But the new rec7 (DI for direct gas impingement) is all that is currently offered. To be clear I don’t think this is a big deal. I own both and can hardly tell the difference. This is also a pretty no frills basic “you want this one when your life depends on it” type rifle. The rifle features a mid-length direct impingement gas system, making it well-suited for suppressor use. The upper and lower receivers feature 7075-T6 aluminum construction. All aluminum components include a Type 3 Hardcoat anodizing. The rifle platform features a hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrel and Magpul furniture. An ALG QMS trigger and extended slimline Barrett handguard with M-LOK accessory mounting slots adds to the rifle’s appeal. [3] However, all that said, it is sort of a nothing special rifle. It is just bare bones cool, but that makes it timeless. This is one that will still be at the front of your safe in 50 years. If you own a 50 this also makes a great matching set. If you don’t own a B50 it might seem a bit to “poserish or wanna be.” IMHO it is one of the top mass manufactured rifles on the market and I am very happy to see it’s return. NOTE: This is an early photo, the production ones are significantly better branded and don’t look as generic as the photo below. See the image lower under Nightforce for the production image.

Of course, Barrett was also continuing to show off the MK22, and the MRADELR Rifle which if you haven’t looked into is pretty amazing. The MRADELR is a high quality, military tested, off-the-shelf, extreme long-range system with user changeable barrels and calibers. Designed to deliver precision typically achieved only by custom-built rifles. If you were going to war with a bolt gun, this is the one.

3. TRIJICON: These guys are amazing and it isn’t just because they put Bible verses on their products, although I do LOVE THAT!!! I still believe they make the overall best imaging products. Yes, I am a Nightforce fan (I will get to that) but If I could only choose one optic company this would be it. The RMR is tried and true, the ACOG/VCOG is tank like, and their OASYS thermal is still the best clip on out there and likely the overall singular best NV/Thermal option made. Yes, they are expensive, but again if you’re into the best or a true deployment “life depends on it” unit, these are likely what you’re going to choose. I own the exact setup below. The last three years I have walked around the show with the intent to seek out the best thermal option and for the third year in a row, this is the “BEST YOU CAN BUY” setup. I should also mention that they had perhaps the most convincing display I have ever seen showing the amount of real war abuse their products had taken, literally bullet holes in an ACOG and it was still functioning (not to mention it saved someone’s life from a headshot). That is impressive and defining. Most people don’t see the build benefits of the newer VCOG vs a traditional LPVO. If you aren’t “aware”, you might want to start noticing. This is the future.

4. Nightforce & the others: I am a major fan and own nearly every optic they make. They are just the best imho. Built for a war, proven, repeatable, sharp glass, great designs, unmatched aesthetics. I own them all. And I don’t just mean NF, I mean Schmidt and Bender, Vortex, and the others and I would hands down say NF is still the best. But I do think each has a place to shine. So let me break it down. As I mentioned above, I think Trijicon remains the upper tier across the board. If you want one optic company on all your stuff, they are the one and likely the overall toughest. S&B is awesome and for bragging rights. NF is the best in scopes. As a side note LPVO’s are still the thing for a one rifle do it all platform and the 1-8 ATACR is still the best (yes, I will get to the vortext 1-10). I own two 1-8 ATACR scopes, but that said, they are too big IMHO. The NX8 1-8 24 is smaller, lighter, cheaper, and makes more sense on a one and done rifle. This is the direction things are going. And I have to say, NF saw this a long time ago when they released the unfortunately discontinued 2.5-10 24 (not to be confused with the 42). If you can find this SOCOM relic used GET IT!!! Here is the Barrett rec7 mentioned above with the NF 1-8 24 which I would say is the best LPVO on the market and reasonably priced.

One more thing. It came out a year ago, but the NF CFS 6-36×50mm F1 spotting scope is awesome. I switched years ago to a Canon IS 18x set of binoculars for watching my shots and this is the first spotting scope that I might “GO BACK” to. I was never impressed with the NF TS82 and I own the Vortex Razor HD 27-60×85 which is great, but here is the thing with these. A spotting scope at any power doesn’t work well past 1000 yards or so. Yeah, argue away, but they just don’t. So, at under 1000 yards an IS set of binoculars can’t be beat. Two eyes are wayyyyy better than 1. NF figured this out staying lighter and only going to the ultra-sharp 32 power. On paper the 60x vortex would be better, but not in real life. Anyone who has used “SHARP” glass knows this. There is still an argument for the Vortex 60x scope on a bench next to your Vortex Golden Eagle HD 15-60×52 scope; but not as strong of an argument as you would think if you used all of them and were truly unbiased. For shots at a mile plus you have to go with long range digital viewing and for anything 1000 or less there are lots of workable options. Oh yeah, did I mention the newer NF can be setup with thermal and NV as well as mounted next to your Kestrel? hmmmm

5: OTHER NOTABLES:

The Kimber 2K11 is a trendy 2011 platform. Available in three models – 2K11 OR, 2K11 Target OR, and 2K11 Target OI – this double-stacked pistol not only caught my eye with its aesthetics but also its features. If you want a piece of steel that shoots like a laser Kimber has always been the one, but this is their first techy offering and was much needed. These guys have been trying to keep up and I applaud them, love the k6s!

There are several guns that were hyped up that just aren’t my cup of tea such as the SNT Motiv K2S (a.k.a. Daewoo K2). I would say get a DS ARMS offering or an HK91 any day before you consider this. B&T makes cool stuff, so does Q but they are expensive and a bit toyish imo. Everyone loves the FLEX raider stuff and these guys rock but just give me a decent 9 and maybe a weapons light when it gets real. I don’t really like the hype, and I have never been into a bunch of junk getting in the way. I airsoft with a no sight rifle, shorts, sandals, and sunglasses and in a modern-day engagement (God forbid that ever happens) I would likely be wearing the same thing. Keep it simple and train for the reality. Daniel Defense has a new CCW style pistol, I am always hesitant of first year crossovers, but it looks good! I respect PSA and they had a full offering, but I just don’t really care for lower end stuff and in my mind, they will always be there, everything seems like a knockoff. Their Mixtape .338 ARC was pretty sweet though!!! Laugo Alien Remus was good to see. Aliens have had their issues, and I think the company is addressing it. When they work, they work REALLY WELL! The Henry Carbon Fiber was cool, it’s the hipster thing, not for me – Just give me my grandfather’s old wooden octagon barrel lever henry and I am happy, but to some this is the jewel of the show. Holosun went from being a cheap optic to one of the best in a few years and their NV/Thermal pistol and rifle options are incredible. If you aren’t up on this, you need to google it NOW! I love Staccato, the new HD P4 is a 9mm, steel-frame handgun that benefits from accepting Glock magazines. They needed to get creative, so this is great news! I sold my last Staccato 5 years ago after winning a handgun race and someone saying, “anyone could win with that gun!” I switched the next day to a G17 and never looked back, no one has made that statement since. This is still a great company, and I think the world of their products. It is also fun to carry something so cool! 20 years ago, it made more sense to own an STI or Staccato. You had to work on most guns to really get them to shoot. For the first 20 years of my shooting life, I bought a gun and 20 different brands of ammo expecting $500 worth of gunsmithing to come later; or you just bought and STI and called it quits! But now that is no longer the case. There are just too many great out of the box guns such as the HK VP9 match, the Sig Legions, and several others that shoot just as good for half the price. If you’re paying nor than $1500 for the base gun your likely just paying for bragging rights (and possibly aesthetics) today.

There are lots of great people at this show. Also, amazing displays, I am thankful for everything that goes into it. Some of the nicest people I have ever met. Triple Crown products has helped me out every year! THANK YOU! If you need clothing branded this is your team!

CONCLUSION:

Another amazing year! Thank you to everyone who makes this happen! Psalm 144:1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

1. https://www.nssf.org/
2. https://hk-usa.com/heckler-koch-usa-introduces-all-new-mr-a4-series-rifles/
3. https://athlonoutdoors.com/article/barrett-rec7-di-rifle/