Reviews

The 2026 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show, better known as SHOT Show 2026, is just around the corner and we thought our readers would enjoy learning about some interesting facts and figures about the industry’s largest exhibition that were published by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the organisation that owns and sponsors the SHOT Show.

Aimpoint has long been the gold standard for rugged, reliable red dot sights, and the original Duty RDS brought that legendary Swedish quality to a more accessible price point. As there are only so many things you can do with a red dot, I decided to make this review a bit more diverse. So I threw it into a lake for a day to see if the fish would eat it. I also mounted it with a 3x magnifier and used it with a Pulsar Krypton 2 thermal clip-on for some night-action. Let’s see how it performed.

Today’s Photo of the Day highlights a standout item from Collectors Elite Auctions’ December offering. A true first-generation Glock 17L, probably one of the most sought-after early pistols in the Glock lineage. The auction house’s monthly lineup focuses on scarce, investment-grade firearms, and this 17L should represent exactly the kind of transitional, low-production piece that attracts serious collectors.

I was pretty excited to see the Savage Revel when it debuted in late 2024 for two reasons. First, there’s nothing more Fudd-coded than a lever-action rifle, despite the current space cowboy creations that are taking the design into the 21st century. Second, I’d seen design drawings of this rifle a long time ago and after it hadn’t been released to market for years, I thought I’d never get my hands on one.

Savage Arms announced the next generation Model 110, the longest continuously produced bolt-action rifle in America. The updated platform features AccuFit V2 with toolless stock adjustability, manufacturing improvements to the bolt action, and an expanded lineup spanning 16 models with hundreds of SKUs including new cartridge options and left-hand configurations.

Silent Steel USA has announced an expansion of its Streamer suppressor line with three new models designed specifically for 9mm pistol caliber carbines: the Streamer, Compact Streamer, and Micro Streamer.

Bergara has added a new hunting rifle to its Premier Series with the introduction of the Platinum Stalker, blending classic styling with modern performance and rugged reliability. Built on a laminate Monte Carlo stock, the Platinum Stalker offers hunters a traditional aesthetic paired with the stiffness and weather resistance that laminate wood provides, resisting warping and damage in harsh field conditions.

Mossberg has expanded its 590R and 590RM pump-action shotgun lineup with the introduction of the new 590R Chisel and 590RM Chisel, developed in collaboration with Chisel Machining. These new configurations pair Mossberg’s pistol-grip rotary safety platform with Chisel Machining’s folding stock mount, adding compact handling and enhanced ergonomics to the 590R/RM series.

EOTECH has announced the release of the OGL-C, a commercial variant of its On-Gun Laser system that brings the core capabilities of the OGL platform to the civilian market with eye-safe visible and infrared lasers, along with IR illumination. The OGL-C is offered in black or tan and is designed to mount primarily on a rifle’s top rail, though it can be positioned on other handguard surfaces as needed.

Built at State Factory 66, the weapon used a simple blowback action and was chambered for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge. Crucially, the Type 64 was optimized to run a subsonic variant of that round. At the same time, it could fire standard supersonic ammunition, which generated a ballistic crack that negated much of the suppressor’s effect. To further reduce the report, the barrel was vented near the muzzle to bleed gas into the suppressor, thereby lowering the effective muzzle velocity. These measures were intended to maximize sound reduction without compromising reliability and to prioritize stealth over long-range performance.

Today’s Photo of the Day features a specialized counter-UAS shotgun developed by the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Concern. Built on the MP-155 semi-automatic platform and configured for anti-drone roles, this variant made its public debut already at the Army 2024 exhibition. Chambered for 12/89 shells, the system is designed to handle high-energy loads, including cartridges with powder charges of 28 grams or more, giving it the reach needed to engage small, fast-moving aerial targets.

Welcome back to another edition of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week, we talked about some tips to make it easier to carry on a daily basis. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to go over some of the biggest issues I have run into when it comes to carrying a concealed handgun. There are so many products out there that claim to make life exponentially easier for people who carry a pistol, but it just isn't true. Let's take a look at some of the top concealed carry items to avoid.

TriggerTech has announced the release of two new aftermarket triggers specifically designed for the Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR) centerfire platform, compatible with Generation 1 through Generation 3 rifles. Building on its partnership with Ruger that began in 2020, where TriggerTech has supplied two-stage triggers to the Ruger Custom Shop, the company is now offering lower pull-weight options aimed at shooters looking to further refine their RPR’s performance.

When FN brought media to South Carolina last September, the 309 MRD and Next Gen SCAR rifles got most of the attention, but FN also unveiled their first purpose-built rifle suppressors for the consumer market, the QD556 and QD762. These aren't FN's first suppressors. They've been making cans for military contracts since 2011 and entered the commercial pistol suppressor market in 2022. What makes these different is they're designed specifically around the SCAR platform, though they'll work on other hosts too.

The Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have completed the nationwide distribution of thousands of IWI Arad rifles to local rapid response teams, marking a key milestone in Israel’s community defense and readiness efforts.

FN brought media out to Sawmill Training Complex in South Carolina back in September to show off what they've been working on, and the headline was clear. The SCAR is getting a complete overhaul. More than two dozen upgrades across the platform, suppressor capability baked in from the start, and FN claims they're holding the price at current SCAR levels. After spending a day shooting the new 16S, 17S, and 20S, the upgrades are real, but some details still need sorting.

India’s government has signed several major contracts for new small arms to equip its armed forces. Two contracts totalling Rs 2,770 crore or $307 million have been signed to provide India’s military with approximately 425,000 5.56x45mm CQB Carbines, ostensibly to replace India's obsolescent SAF 1A1 9x19mm submachine guns.

Beretta has introduced the 694 Black DLC Sporting, an upgraded version of its popular 694 competition shotgun designed for clay shooters and sporting disciplines. The Black DLC version builds on the proven 694 platform with enhanced materials, finishes, and adjustability aimed at durability, handling, and long-term performance.

Mossberg just announced the 990 SPX Magpul, a 12-gauge semi-auto tactical shotgun built on what the company is calling their latest semi-auto platform. It's available in two configurations: A 14.75-inch NFA version and an 18.5-inch standard barrel model.

3D printing has come a long way from the early days of ridiculously expensive machines and low-fidelity, weak PLA prints. While the price of some of these machines is still pretty astronomical, some of the most advanced machines are still affordable enough to make them more than just curiosities, and people like James from Zer0 & Sons have been able to invest enough capital into a few machines to make a business out of it. Fellow TFB Writer Giorgio O. passed along a neat snippet of an article that James had written about how additive manufacturing (3D printing) can, and has, changed the suppressor industry. Today you’ll get to hear me pick James’ Brian about his approach to this unique technology, and how he’s leveraged it to make one of the industry's most affordable 3D Printed suppressors.

In the world of defensive handguns, the sky is the limit with both polymer striker-fired as well as double stack 1911 or 2011 style handguns. What most people don't realize is just how strong the 1911 market is. With the amount of options available today, from optic cuts, accessory rails and upgraded features, the mid-priced 1911 market has some truly strong offerings now that companies are adding a number of optional upgrades as standard. Recently, I have been shooting the new threaded version of the Springfield Operator that has gone through an overhaul in terms of overall design and features, including a standard threaded barrel as well as an optics cut and magwell. Let's take a closer look at the new threaded Springfield Armory Operator AOS.

In today’s Photo of the Day, the drone hunter shoulders a Benelli M4 A.I. Drone Guardian and readies a belt of tungsten-shot ammo from Norma’s AD-LER line. The Drone Guardian, a 12-gauge semi-auto with Benelli’s Advanced Impact system, is purpose-built for neutralizing small UAVs. Its modified barrel-and-choke design produces tighter, denser pellet clouds and extends effective engagement range to roughly 50 meters. In ideal conditions, even out to 100 meters according to the specifications.

Welcome back to another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday. Last week, we talked about my experience at the Rock Island Auction. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I really wanted to take a look at some firearms that changed history and the world as we know it. The first logical one is the Colt Single Action Army, which I wrote about last week. Today, we’ll talk about the Registered Magnum and how those truly changed the world of modern firearms.

The UK Ministry of Defence has published an initial ‘Concept Stage’ tender for the replacement of the British military’s SA80 family of bullpup rifles. This preliminary tender notice officially launches Project Grayburn. The new rifle when selected will replace the SA80’s in-service variants including the L22, L98, L85A2 and the most recent mid-life upgrade - the L85A3. The UK is expected to require around 200,000 new rifles to replace the SA80 variants currently in service.

Trijicon has expanded its AccuPoint lineup with the introduction of the new AccuPoint 1-8x24 riflescope, aimed squarely at hunters pursuing dangerous game and those looking for a highly versatile, battery-free optic. Developed with input from professional hunters operating in environments ranging from Alaska to Africa, the AccuPoint 1-8x24 is designed to support big-bore rifles in both close-quarters and extended-range scenarios.

Nightforce has an entirely new scope family! The NX6 series adds several new magnification options, ranging from LPVO options, to high-magnification precision scopes. Let’s break down the whole family.

Langdon Tactical Technology has expanded its collaboration with Beretta by introducing the LTT 80X Cheetah in .32 ACP, a Langdon Tactical exclusive variant of the Beretta 80X platform. The new chambering offers shooters an alternative to .380 ACP with reduced recoil while maintaining practical defensive performance.

We’ve previously reported on Glock and FN’s selection as part of the UK Police’s National Carbine Framework - when selected a number of designs from manufacturers which British police forces can now procure through the framework. Another of the companies that was successfully selected for the framework was Beretta Defense Technologies UK (GMK Ltd), which submitted the Beretta NARP, the New Assault Rifle Platform (NARP).

Over the years, Azerbaijan has steadily moved from licensed production toward designing and manufacturing its own weapons systems, blending proven features from established designs with local manufacturing practices. One of the latest developments has been in heavy machine guns. Azerbaijan’s AN-12.7 heavy machine gun represents a notable step in the country’s efforts to develop indigenous small arms capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Chambered for the widely used 12.7x108mm cartridge and produced by enterprises under the Ministry of Defence Industry, the AN-12.7 draws on two familiar heavy-machine-gun families, the Soviet DShK lineage and the Chinese W-85, while incorporating modern refinements intended to meet contemporary battlefield requirements. I examined the weapon at IDEX-2025 in Abu Dhabi, where it was on display.

Today’s Photo of the Day highlights two new variants of SIG Sauer’s recently launched P211 platform: the P211‑GTO Equinox and the P211‑GTO Combat. Both models come from SIG Custom Works and represent tuned, performance‑driven editions of the modular double‑stack pistol introduced earlier this year.