(Photo Provided by Author)
February 04, 2025
By Yonatan Stern
Shot Show 2025 started off with a very cold and windy Industry Day at Boulder City Rifle and Pistol Club on January 20th as Donald Trump was being inaugurated as President. Lots of new companies were present displaying innovative new firearms and tactical products, and those brave enough to attend Range Day were not disappointed. Tuesday kicked off the main show at the Sands Expo Center at the Venetian, where thousands of firearm, ammunition, and tactical gear distributors brought their wares to the wide eyes of those lucky enough to gain access to the show (SHOT Show is restricted to FFL holders, ranges, training facilities, law enforcement agencies, and 2A Media). Recent years increased attendance requiring expanded facilities, via a pedestrian bridge to the Ceasars Forum, where hundreds of other companies displayed their products.
Between Tuesday and Friday, I managed to cover the entire show (no easy task, and one that my feet and back will not easily forgive me for). In that time, I was able to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of the firearms industry and the following are the products I found most interesting.
1. H&R’s New Line of Retro M16’s (Photo Provided by H&R ) Recent years have seen the growth in popularity of retro AR15’s. Leading the charge has been Harrington and Richardson , with their comprehensive line of mil-spec A1 and A2 models. These rifles are about as close as you can get to the early Colt M16’s, and even feature “Property of US Government” engraved in the receivers. The most fascinating of these in my opinion is the Israeli “Menusar” a cut down M16A1 in use for years by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). This model has been “scruffed-up” from the factory, mimicking the rough finish of the battle-worn IDF rifles, and even includes an engraved Star of David which closely resembles the IDF acceptance marks hammered into the originals. With a 13-inch barrel and proprietary arm brace designed to closely resemble early CAR-15 collapsing stocks, this weapon is legally a pistol and does not require a tax stamp.
2. JRA’s M14 (Photo Provided by JRA) James River Armory (JRA) has been in business for quite some time producing high-quality military rifles from surplus parts kits. Recently, they have come by a quantity of original USGI M14 kits, and have launched a limited line of M14 rifles built on their own high quality barreled receivers, but otherwise using only original GI parts. Collectors will appreciate the authenticity of these rifles, as they are about as close as you’re going to get to owning an actual surplus M14. The price tag isn’t cheap though. With an MSRP of close to $3000, only the most dedicated collectors and M14 enthusiasts will choose this over a brand-new M1A from Springfield Armory, which retails for about half that price.
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3. Kahr Arms New .50 BMG (Photo Provided by Kahr Arms) Kahr Arms is known for their high-quality deep concealment pistols such as the PM9 . They’re also the manufacturers of new production semi-auto Tommy Guns, M1 Carbines and Desert Eagle Pistols. This year they came out with something new, a .50 Caliber BMG sniper rifle that has no recoil. Ok, to be clear it does have some recoil, but not much. It’s approximately the same amount as a .308 rifle, which is incredibly bearable. This is due to its patented jet engine like muzzle device that directs the recoil away from the shooter. While this is a bolt-action rifle, it loads via Barrett magazines.
4. North American Arms Sentinel Revolver ( Photo Provided by NA Arms) North American Arms has been around for decades , famous for making miniscule .22 caliber revolvers, offering the deepest of deep concealment. One problem that many users have complained about has been the slow and cumbersome process of reloading. Recently, NAA has come out with its latest model, the “Sentinel” that loads and unloads via a traditional swing-out cylinder. It comes standard in .22 magnum, but has an extra .22 LR cylinder that can be used interchangeably. And for those wondering, yes. It CAN be loaded via speed loaders.
5. Kel-Tec’s New Stripper-Clip loaded PR57 Pistol ( Photo provided by Kel-Tec) The last major semi-automatic handgun to load via stripper clip rather than by a detachable magazine was the Mauser 1896 “Broomhandle”. While reasonably successful for its time, the broomhandle design didn’t last into the second half of the 20th Century, and pretty much every semi-auto pistol just about everywhere in the world has been designed with a detachable mag since the pre-WWI years of the Luger P08 and Colt 1911. That has changed, with the introduction of the Kel-Tec PR57 . I’ll admit that I’ve never been much of a fan of Kel-Tec and their out-of-the-box, sometimes outlandish designs, but this pistol actually makes a lot of sense once you understand why they designed it this way. Many people assume that the fixed mag, stripper-loaded design was done to accommodate the laws of restricted states. Not so. Every state in the country (at least as of the writing of this article) allows the ownership of pistols with detachable magazines. The idea behind the design was in fact to pack the maximum amount of rounds in a very compact design. With a capacity of 21 rounds of hard-hitting 5.7 ammunition, and with dimensions far smaller and thinner than a Glock 19, this pistol actually makes sense in a lot of ways. I doubt I’ll be adopting it any time soon as my EDC, but the concept is certainly eye-opening.
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6. New Pistols and PCC’s by Daniel Defense ( Photo Provided by Daniel Defense) Daniel Defense is known for their high-quality line of AR15 rifles , which have been adopted by countless military units and law enforcement agencies the world over. This year they have just come out with a new line of 9mm PCC’s and believe it or not, handguns. The pistol is known as the Daniel H9. It comes optic-ready, with front slide serrations and a picatinny rail, and is available in several colors and finishes. After having dry fired it several times, I can personally attest to it’s having one of the crispest stock triggers I have ever encountered on a defensive handgun. In their PCC line they are offering a 9mm AR platform SBR and a pistol version with an arm brace. Both are identical save for the stock or brace. Those of you who are into PCC’s or are looking for a high-quality defensive handgun from a name you can trust will find what you’re looking for in this new line by Daniel Defense.
7. Nine-Reloaded Austrian Speed Loaders (Photo Provided by Nine-Reloaded) Nine-Reloaded is a new company from Austria (home of the Glock) which makes a revolutionary new speed-loader for 9mm magazines. The way it works is with a stripper clip type rod that is passed over a full box of ammunition. The ‘clip’ (for lack of a better term) extracts the rounds from the box and lines them up in the device over an empty magazine, where you (the user) give a squeeze for each round to be manually seated in the magazine. In this manner you can load a full 15 round magazine in a matter of seconds. This is by far the fastest mag loader I have ever encountered.
8. Sim-X Ultra High Velocity Defensive Ammo (Photo Provided by Sim-X Ammo) If I told you that there is a defensive 9mm round out there that can achieve velocities of well over 2,000 FPS, you’d probably think I was joking. But I’m not. A new company called Sim-X ammo (not to be confused with Simunitions) has done just that. To make a very long story short, they did this using a polymer composite projectile, reducing weight and dramatically increasing velocity. As you probably know, the main advantage of long guns over handguns is velocity, which translates into stopping power by generating a larger shock wave and wound cavity upon impact. By having a handgun with the terminal ballistics of a rifle, Sim-X has given a powerful tool to concealed carriers who want a round they know will stop a determined attacker EVERY TIME without overpenetration.
9. Sabre’s New Home Defense Pepper Ball Gun ( Photo Provided by Sabre) Not every product at Shot Show is either a firearm or ammunition. There are also a lot of non-lethal defensive products on display. This one is Sabre’s latest product, and one bound to gain a lot of attention . It’s a CO2 powered pepper ball gun, which loads via a detachable 7-round magazine, and has integral sights and even a picatinny rail. It’s intended for home defense rather than concealed carry, and is designed to neutralize an attacker at a distance of several yards via the pepper balls, which disintegrate on contact and cause intense irritation but is non-lethal. You may wonder why someone would choose this over a firearm for home defense, and the best explanation I can give you is local laws in some of the most restrictive of states (and potentially other countries). One of their models is 50-state legal, so those living in places such as San Francisco, Washington DC, and Manhattan will now have an option to potentially stop a home invasion while still complying with the law.
10. Front Line’s New Universal Flashlight Holsters (Photo Provided by Front Line) Israeli holster company ‘Front Line’ has been around for a long time , gaining fame for their high-quality leather holsters that have been adopted by the Shin Bet and Israeli Police. In recent years, they have begun manufacturing kydex and hybrid holsters for operators and special unity. Their latest design for 2025 is their universal flashlight holster. This line of kydex holsters (which come in several models including OWB and drop-leg) can accommodate a Glock with ANY type of standard sized flashlight attached. What’s more interesting is that the holsters can also accommodate Glocks without holsters attached, so you can use the same holster with or without your flashlight, with proper retention and absolutely no wobbling.
About the Author: Yonatan Stern is an IDF veteran and professional firearms instructor. He is the director of Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Training Academy in Honesdale, PA. Yonatan can be reached at: mefaked@cherevgidon.com