Opinion
2024 SHOT Show, Las Vegas, NV – Vicki and I are here in Las Vegas, NV for the 2024 SHOT Show!
This is our opportunity to see new products, new ideas, old friends, new friends.
Monday was “Range Day” at a massive outdoor Range in Henderson, NV. It was cold, rainy, and thoroughly miserable.
My main interest, as always, is weapons designed and intended for “serious purposes.” Lots of guns were on display, and I had the opportunity to handle and shoot a number of them that interested me:
Walther’s PDP continues to be Walther’s flagship pistol. It has all the features you would expect: a polymer frame, variable grip geometry, striker-fired, easy field-stripping for user-level maintenance, and a high-tech finish. It is well engineered and very ergonomic.
The one you want is the Walther “F-Series” pistol. They are slick and slim, designed for concealed carry. By contrast, the “regular” PDP is a little clunky!
Shadow Systems continues as a premier manufacturer of serious pistols! My copy has never hiccuped.
Shadow Systems MR920 Foundation Handgun
The one I most recommend is the Shadow Systems MR920 “Foundation.” Very much the size and function of a G19. Ideal for carrying. Competitively priced with any good, serious pistol.
The MR920 “Elite” (same size) is also wonderful. It has a few more ergonomic features, but it is more expensive. Shadow Systems also has a sub-compact version, the Shadow Systems CR920. It runs just fine, but it is not fun to shoot with the +p 9mm ammunition we routinely carry.
The foregoing is an issue shared with the Kel-Tec P15, the Ruger Max-9, and the Kimber R7-Mako. All four are 11-shooters (9mm) and designed for concealed carry, and all fit that role well.
And, in a real lethal encounter, you’re probably not going to shoot many rounds anyway, but the problem is practice. When the act of shooting your pistol is so unpleasant that you hesitate to run many rounds through it during practice sessions, you’ll never get very good with it! Maybe not so big an issue with those with heavy, meaty hands, but it is a genuine issue for small, delicate hands. Extended magazines (incorporating a finger-shelf) may be helpful but compromise concealability.
Kel-Tec’s SUB2000 9mm Rifle
I should also mention Kel-Tec’s SUB2000 folding 9mm autoloading rifle. Excellent for covert travel, and it uses Glock magazines.
Savage is making a 5″ 1911 pistol in 9mm. Very smooth and very pleasant to shoot. A nice “training gun,” but also suitable for concealed carry. At $1,300.00/copy, it’s a bit pricy!
Henry’s entry into the “serious rifle” business is the “Lever-Action Supreme.” Short and compact, chambered for 5.56×45, and using STANAG magazines, this lever gun features a rotating bolt that looks much like an M4 bolt! For convert travel, particularly in places like CA, NJ et al, this little rifle may have a place.
DRYFIREMAG Dry Fire Training Magazines
We all know how helpful dry practice is in developing competent trigger technique. The “Dry-Fire Mag” makes it possible to dry-practice without having to reciprocate the slide between trigger presses manually.
Highly recommended!
I ran into my friend and esteemed colleague, Jeff Gonzales of Trident Concepts, this morning at the Range. Jeff is working with a new ammunition company, called Sim-X. I shot it for the first time today. Jeff has been down the road more than a few times, and when Jeff talks, I listen!
The Sim-X 9mm round features a brass jacket and polymer core. It looks like a typical hollow-point pistol round, but the bullet itself weighs only 45grs. Muzzle velocity from a G19 is in excess of 2200 f/s!
This round is designed specifically for personal defense. Muzzle blast is considerable, but recoil (G19) is mild. Penetration is limited, the bullet loses velocity quickly (not suitable for long-range shooting), and I’m not sure about barriers like car glass, sheet-rock.
However, for personal defense at close range, this round looks promising. I have some for testing!
The Show officially begins Tuesday morning at the Venetian Expo Center and Caesar’s Forum.
I’ll be there all day, reporting back on what interests me.
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor, John Farnam will urge you, based on your beliefs, to make up your mind about what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to ensure that its students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
