SHOT Daily - Day 1 - 2019 SHOT Show by SHOT Business

SHOOTING HUNTING OUTDOOR TRADE SHOW 1979–2019 NEW FIREARM ROUNDUP SHOT Daily spotlights the latest offerings in rifles P. 10, shotguns P. 22, and handguns P. 30. Plus, we lace up new boots P. 40.

FEATURES

NEWS

Lipsey’s puts the fun into team building PAGE 66

Hard work pays off for Federal’s new president PAGE 68

BRING ON THE FUNK

AN AMERICAN DREAM

WINCHESTER’S BIG STEP

AFRICA, COWBOY-STYLE

Deer Season XP has something special up its sleeve PAGE 72

A lever-action for dangerous game? Why not? PAGE 82

DAY 1, JANUARY 2 2 , 2 019

T H E DA I LY N E WS O F T H E 2 0 1 9 L AS V EGAS S H OT S H OW B ROUG H T TO YOU BY T H E B O N N I E R CO R P O RAT I O N A N D T H E N SS F

SHOT Show 2019 Opens

e’re so glad to see all of you at this year’s SHOT Show—our 41st! It’s always so gratifying to share our successes, challenges, and new ideas when we all meet in January to kick off the new year. Last year saw a lot of serious new challenges to our industry, and emboldened gun-control advocates have certainly dropped all pretense of objectivity in their zeal to run us out of business. But it can’t—and it won’t— work. Ours is a constitutionally protected way of life and a lawful and wholesome driver of outdoor recreation and our economy. It provides food for both the table and the soul, and the means to protect our families and our society. The SHOT Show embodies all of these themes.

Just looking around the Show reveals our diversity, our depth, and the breadth of our American enterprise. In no other venue will you see the continued vibrancy of all that our industry accomplishes and supports. Interest in the shooting sports continues to grow, defying the predictions of outsiders who neither know of nor care for the passion with which we approach and embrace our legitimate lifestyle. For this is more than a business to us—it’s a way of honoring and cherishing the individual freedoms that have truly made America great. We are proud to have customers who are lawabiding, responsible citizens exercising their rights

and enjoying days afield with family and friends. And we advocate for measures that actually help promote a safer America by preventing unauthorized access to our products by those who should not acquire them. To say that we don’t care about misuse of our products is, frankly, ignorant slander, which we will be addressing aggressively throughout the coming year and well beyond. So as you enjoy this year’s Show, take a moment to contemplate the unique place America’s firearms industry occupies, and how each of you makes important contributions in your own way, every day, to the safe, responsible, and lawful sale, ownership, and use

of our products. We, the NSSF, are intensely proud of our industry, and wish you much success in 2019! Sincerely, Steve Sanetti Chief Executive Officer

Joe Bartozzi President

The National Shooting Sports Foundation

news

A pair of Colt 1911s engraved by the American Pistolsmiths Guild are part of the 2019 SHOT Show Auction.

2019 SHOT Show Auction

A pair of Colts by the American Pistolsmiths Guild, and seven new Henry-Turnbull rifles, are featured in 2019 SHOT Show Auction

pair of consecutively serial-numbered Colt 1911s engraved by the American Pistolsmiths Guild, and seven new “Henry-Turnbull President’s Collection” rifles, with themed serial numbers will be featured in the 2019 SHOT Show auction. The pair of consecutively serial-numbered 1911s was crafted by no fewer than nine members of the American Pistolsmiths Guild, who represent the highest levels of skill and craftsmanship in areas including design, engraving, function, and finish.

The 1911s feature consecutive serial numbers GV203452 and GV203453. The consecutively numbered pistols were selected for this project to represent the continuity of the Colt/American Pistolsmiths Guild relationship over the years. Engravings on the pistols proudly proclaim, “The Heritage Grows” and “The Tradition Lives.” Guild members who donated their guidance and artistry to the customization of these handguns include Daniel Batchelor, president of Powder River Precision, Inc., and president of the American Gunsmiths Guild, and Nighthawk Custom gunsmiths Allen Wyatt, Travis Gregory, Bryan Chaney, and Steven Cox. Robert Reeves and David Atchley of Nighthawk Custom also worked on the 1911s, and both are members of the Guild 2019. Doug Turnbull of Turnbull Restoration is a Guild member who also contributed his artistry

to the project. Roy Huntington, publisher of American Hand gunner magazine, originated the concept and kept the complicated and detail-intensive project on track. Beginning in March 2018, at Nighthawk Custom in Berryville, Arkansas, members of the Pistolsmiths Guild performed no fewer than 18 separate procedures to create the smoothest-operating 1911s possible. After Nighthawk Custom completed its gunsmithing artistry, the Colts went to engraver S.R. (Steve) Fiddler, a member of the Firearms Engraver’s Guild of America. Building on “The Heritage Grows” and “The Tradition Lives” themes, Fiddler enhanced the slides of both pistols with scroll engraving and 24-carat gold inscriptions. The right side of each pistol features 100 percent precision scroll engraving on the slide, the Rampant Colt logo in 24-carat gold, and the inscription “The

4 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019

Tradition Lives” engraved in 24-carat gold highlighted in a banner beneath the ejection port. The left side of each pistol mirrors the precision scroll engraving on the right side of the slide and features the logo of the American Pistolsmiths Guild in 24-carat gold. The inscription “The Heritage Grows” is engraved in 24-carat gold and is highlighted within an engraved banner. Highlighting the craftsmanship and tradition of the Colts is a pair of hand-tooled belt-slide rigs (right and left) by iconic leathersmith Karla Van Horn of Purdy Gear. Without doubt, two of the most popular and respected names among American firearms manufacturers and restorers today are Henry Repeating Arms and Turnbull Restoration. These two iconic companies have partnered in the creation of a special series of the popular Henry Big Boy rifles finished with Turnbull Restoration’s signature world-

class color-case-hardening.For the 2019 SHOT Show rifle auction, Henry and Turnbull have set aside Serial #1 of each of the calibers offered, and engraved each with a special “President’s Collection” insignia. In addition to their reputations as world-class firearms manufacturers and restorers, Henry and Turnbull also top the list of SHOT Show auction bid leaders. Between them, the companies have created four special SHOT Show auction guns, generating total high bids exceeding $275,000. The SHOT Show auction firearms will be auctioned exclusively on GunBroker.com until January 25, 2019, and will be on display at the GunBroker.com booth. Booth #15147. The SHOT Show auction is administered for the National Shooting Sports Foundation by the Hunting Heritage Trust and Youth Shooting Sports Alliance.

Slaton L. White, Editor James A. Walsh, Art Director Margaret M. Nussey, Managing Editor David Maccar, Special Projects Editor David E. Petzal, Shooting Editor Judith Weber, Production Manager

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Larry Ahlman, Barbara Baird, Scott Bestul, Philip Bourjaily, Christopher Cogley, Jock Elliott, Shannon Farlow, Tim Irwin, William F. Kendy, Richard Mann, Peter B. Mathiesen, Brian McCombie, Tom Mohrhauser, Robert Sadowski, Robert F. Staeger, Peter Suciu, Wayne Van Zwoll

Anthony Licata, Group Editorial Director Gregory D. Gatto, Senior Vice President, Managing Director ADVERTISING: 212-779-5316

Jeff Roberge, Publisher Katie Logan, Southern Sporting Goods Sales David Hawkey, Northeast Sporting Goods Sales Amanda Gastelum, Integrated Marketing Director

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Tara Bisciello, Business Manager

MANUFACTURING

Kelly Kramer Weekely, Associate Group Director Melissa Beckham, Production Manager

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SHOT Business (ISSN 1081-8618) is published 7 times a year in January, February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November and December by Bonnier Corporation, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 100165695, and is the official publication of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Flintlock Ridge Office Center, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470 (203-426-1320). Volume 27, issue 2, Copyright © 2019 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. All rights reserved. Editorial, circulation, production and advertising offices are located at 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5695 (212-779-5000). Free to qualified subscribers; available to non-qualified subscribers for $25 per year. Single-copy issues are available for $5 each. Send check, payable to NSSF, to: SHOT Business, c/o NSSF, 11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470-2359. SHOT Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. All correspondence should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Requests for media kits and advertising information should be directed to Katy Marinaro, Bonnier Corporation, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 1270, Chicago, IL 60611. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. For Customer Service and Subscription questions, such as Renewals, Address Changes, Email Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to: shotbusiness. com/cs. You can also email SBZcustserv@cdsfulfllment.com, in the U.S. call toll-free 866-615-4345, outside the U.S. call 515-237-3697, or write to SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. For editorial inquiries, write to Slaton L. White, SHOT Business, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016 REPRINTS: E-mail reprints@bonniercorp.com. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to SHOT Business, P.O. Box 6364 Harlan, IA 51593.

VISIT US AT BOOTH 1318

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For editorial inquiries, visit Venetian Level 3, San Polo 3501, in the Sands Expo & Convention Center.

1/9/19 6:24 PM

RIFLES BE RGA RA The Premier Series Ridgeback features Bergara’s Premier action mated with a stainless-steel Bergara barrel.

A PO The Saber M700 Tactical Rifle is now chambered for the .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor.

Filling the Gaps

We’ll see some brand-new models, but this year’s main trend seems to be line extensions of current platforms By Richard Mann

f last year was the year of the 6.5 Creedmoor, 2019 is more of the same as more manufacturers add this wildly popular cartridge to their lines. Given the way 6.5-caliber rifles and long-range precision shooting gear is selling, it makes perfect sense. That said, retailers will see some new MSRs, as well as a traditionally styled semi-auto hunting rifle. Overall, the main trend for 2019 seems to be filling the gaps in existing product lines.

Ashbury Precision Ordnance Ashbury Precision Ordnance is expanding its best-value line of Saber M700 Sport Utility Rifles with the new Saber M700 Tactical Rifle chambered for the .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor. These rifles are manufactured using hand-select Remington Model 700 barreled actions mated with specially configured variants of the patented Saber modular rifle chassis. The rifles use a Rifle Basix trigger and Ashbury’s rugged Saber MRCS-AR MOD-1 modular rifle chassis. The high-tech features are numerous, and custom options are available. SRP: starts at $2,750. Booth #31407. (ashbury precisionordnance.com)

Bergara

The Bergara B14 HMR is one of the best long-range rifle values

for the dollar. For 2019, Bergara is offering a left-handed version with all the same features of its highly regarded right-hand counterpart, and a still very affordable price. SRP: $1,300. For those who shoot from the right side, the big news from Bergara is the debut of the Premier Series Ridgeback Rifle. This rifle is geared toward precision shooting and features Bergara’s Premier action mated with a medium Palma tapered stainless-steel Bergara barrel and a new Grayboe composite stock. SRP: $2,100. Booth #14516. (bergarausa.com)

Browning

Browning’s new X-Bolt Max Long Range Hunter features a new composite Max stock that offers an adjustable comb to dial-in eyeto-scope alignment. The new

Max stock features a black-andgray textured finish and is supplied with ¼- and 2/3-inch lengthof-pull spacers. Three swivel studs, a fluted and threaded heavy sporter barrel, and thread protector are standard. It’s available in 6 and 6.5mm Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, .300 WSM, 26 and 28 Nosler, 7mm Remington. Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, and the .300 Remington Ultra Magnum, all with 26-inch barrels. SRP: starts at $1,269.99. The new X-Bolt Tungsten features an exclusive Generation 2 carbon-fiber stock with palm swell. The barrel and receiver are made of stainless steel with a Cerakote Tungsten finish for extra protection. The lightweight sporter 22- to 26-inch barrels are fluted and threaded for a recoilreducing muzzle brake, and a thread protector is included. The

BROW N I N G The BAR MK 3 DBM Wood semi-auto rifle (top) features a non-reflective matte blued finish with an 18-inch fluted barrel. The alloy receiver has integrated Picatinny rails. The Buck Mark Target Fluted Gray Laminate semi-auto features an 18 3/8-inch, fluted heavy bull barrel with a muzzle brake.

products

CVA The bolt-action Paramount muzzleloader was developed to handle super-magnum charges in excess of 150 grains. It features a customquality, .45-caliber, free-floating Bergara barrel of Nitride-treated 416-grade stainless steel. rifle is chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, .300 WSM, 26 and 28 Nosler, .270 Winchester, .30/06 Springfield, 7mm Remington Magnum, and .300 Winchester cartridges. SRP: starts at $2,069.99. The new Browning BAR MK 3 DBM Wood semi-auto rifle will feature a non-reflective matte blued finish with an 18-inch fluted barrel. The alloy receiver has integrated Picatinny rails, and it feeds from a 10-round detachable box magazine. The stock and forearm have an oil finish in Grade II Turkish walnut and is shim-adjustable for cast on/off and drop. Available in .308 Winchester only. SRP: $1,529.99. The new Buck Mark Target Fluted Gray Laminate semi-auto

features an 18 3/8-inch, heavy-fluted bull barrel, with a muzzle brake that uses ½-28 suppressor threads. The stock and grips are a gray laminate, and a Picatinnystyle optic rail is included. It has an overall length of 34 inches, weighs 5 pounds 8 pounces, and comes with a 10-round magazine. SRP: $739.99. Booth #10744. (browning.com)

Bushmaster

Bushmaster has added four new versions of the popular ACR. There are 16- and 18.5-inch barreled carbines chambered for the 450 Bushmaster, as well as a 6.8 SPC II version with a 16-inch barrel. SRP: $2,249. There is also a 10.5-inch ACR pistol in 5.56 NATO. SRP: $2,149. Booth #14229. (bushmaster.com)

CVA

The Cascade is CVA’s first boltaction centerfire rifle. It will be available in the most popular short-action hunting cartridges, such as 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, and .308 Winchester, and has a 22-inch 4140 carbonsteel barrel finished in a rich matte blue. A threaded muzzle and protective cap are included. The bolt design incorporates a 70-degree throw, and the rifle has a charcoal-gray synthetic stock with a SoftTouch finish for easy gripping. SRP: less than $500. The Paramount is CVA’s newest muzzleloader. It was developed to handle super-magnum charges in excess of 150 grains. The Paramount features a customquality, .45-caliber, free-floating Bergara barrel of Nitride-treated

DP MS The LCAR is a 5.56 NATO MSR with a 16-inch, 1:8 twist, FNC-treated lightweight barrel, milspec six-position stock, and M4-type Glacier Guard handguard. DPMS also has new 6.5 Creedmoor MSRs with 20-inch, 1:8 twist Teflon-coated and threaded lightweight barrels.

12 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019

CZ-USA The Model 457 Rimfire Varmint At-One uses the versatile Boyd’s adjustable laminated stock and heavy barrel.

products

M OSS B E RG The two new Thunder Ranch series rifles are the MVP-LR models chambered for the 5.56 and 7.62 NATO cartridges. The stocks are finished in Kuiu camouflage. The 702 Plinkster rimfire line has also been revamped to include a new, more traditional-styled synthetic stock. 416-grade stainless steel. Paired with PowerBelt’s new ELR bullet—specifically designed for this rifle—incredibly tight groups are the norm. The Paramount comes with a self-deploying compact ramrod and a one-piece range rod. Booth #14814. (cva.com)

CZ-USA

The Model 457 is an updated version of CZ-USA’s classic rimfire rifle. Almost an inch has been chopped from the action length, and a new two-piece bottom metal has been incorporated. The trigger is adjustable for weight of pull, creep, and overtravel, and the same swappable barrel system of the 455 remains. Primary variations include the American ($476) with traditional western lines; the Varmint ($522) with a short, heavy barrel; the Varmint MTR ($752) with a radical high-grade benchrest-style stock; the Varmint At-One ($660) in the versatile Boyd’s adjustable laminated stock; the Varmint Pro ($434) in a black synthetic stock; the Lux ($499) and the Training ($449), with

open sights and a classic European stock; and finally the Scout ($365), which is specifically built for young shooters. Chamberings include the .22 LR, .22 Magnum, and .17 HMR. With a 24-inch-barreled version of CZ’s cold-hammerforged and lapped barrel, the 557 American picks up where the short-barreled Sporter left off. The longer barrel squeezes a bit more velocity out of chamberings like the 6.5x55, .270 Winchester, .30/06 Springfield, .243 and .308 Winchester, 7mm08 Remington, and 6.5 Creedmoor. SRP: $871. Booth #11755. (cz-usa.com)

DPMS

The 6.5 Creedmoor continues to dominate, and the new 6.5 Creedmoor Hunter from DPMS is further evidence it’s not a fad. This MSR is built on the G-II platform, has a 20-inch Tefloncoated and threaded barrel, carbon-fiber free-floating handguard, two-stage match trigger, Magpul MOE stock, and a Hogue overmolded grip. SRP: $1,599.

DPMS has two other new 6.5 Creedmoor MSRs. Both have a 20-inch, 1:8 twist Teflon-coated and threaded lightweight barrels, carbon-fiber free-floating handguards, Magpul MOE stocks, and two-stage triggers. One features the Kuiu Verde camo, while the other sports TrueTimber Strata. SRP: $1,249. The LCAR is a 5.56 NATO MSR with a 16-inch, 1:8 twist, FNC-treated lightweight barrel, mil-spec six-position stock, and M4 type Glacier Guard handguard. SRP: $749. Booth #14229. (dpmsinc.com)

Marlin

After a long hiatus, the 444 Marlin is back. This new Model 1895 features a black walnut stock and forend, standard lever loop, polished blue finish, four-round capacity, adjustable buckhorn sights, and a 22-inch barrel with a 1:20 twist. The 444 Marlin qualifies as a straight-wall cartridge for deer hunting in some Midwestern states. SRP: $769. There are lots of grand guns, but none more iconic or

CZ- USA The Scout has been specifically built for young shooters. Chamberings include the .22 LR, .22 Magnum, and .17 HMR.

MARLIN There are lots of grand guns, but none more iconic than the .30/30 lever-action. The enhanced 336 with a curly maple version (top) comes with a B-grade stock, a standard loop lever, and a 20-inch barrel. The 444 Marlin (bottom) has a black walnut stock and forend, a standard loop lever, and a 20-inch barrel.

14 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019

PRODUCTS

M OSSB E RG The popular Patriot is now available in .450 Bushmaster. It’s perfect for medium and large game.

American than the .30/30 lever action. Marlin has enhanced its 336 with a curly maple version for 2019. It comes with a B-grade stock, standard loop lever, 20-inch barrel, and polished blue metalwork. SRP: $949. Booth #14229.

includes a new, more traditionally styled synthetic stock with a stippled grip and forend, dual swivel studs, and a thick, vented recoil pad. Available with black or pink marble finishes and 14.25- or 12.25-inch youth-proportioned lengths of pull. Mossberg also applied the same stock enhancements to the 802 Plinkster rifles and the 817 HMR. New in the Mossberg Patriot Predator line of rifles is a version

(marlinfirearms.com)

Mossberg

The revamping of the 702 Plinkster line of rimfire rifles

with TrueTimber Strata camo synthetic stock and durable Cerakotefinished components. These rifles are chambered for the 6.5 Creedmoor, .243 and .308 Winchester, and .22-250 Remington. Mossberg is also offering two new Thunder Ranch series rifles. The MVP-LR models are chambered for the 5.56 and 7.62 NATO cartridges, and the stocks are finished in Kuiu camouflage.

RE MIN GTON The Model Seven Stainless Steel HS features a 20-inch barrel, a stainless-steel matte finish, and an HS Precision stock.

RANGEMASTER 2800.COM Accurate long-range targeting, easier than ever.

NEW!

From loading user ballistic profiles via Bluetooth® and the all-new Leica Hunting app to optional direct pairing with the Kestrel Elite featuring Applied Ballistics, long-range point-of-aim adjustments have never been easier, faster, and more accurate thanks to the new Rangemaster 2800.com. Pairs seamlessly with best-in-class Kestrel Elite with Applied Ballistics for a compact, exceptionally capable and cost-effective ballistics solution Best-in-class Leica optical and ranging performance to 2,800 yards Onboard Leica ABC® ballistics system delivers accurate solutions to +/- 1,000 yards Store multiple ballistics profiles in the app and easily update Rangemaster in the field Be among the first to check out the Rangemaster 2800.com. Leica booth #12519.

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Last, Mossberg is adding the .450 Bushmaster to the Patriot line. Perfect for medium and large game, these rifles come with all the features associated with the Patriot rifle that has received so much acclaim. The four new .450 Bushmasters include two 16.25-inch-barreled Predators at 6.25 pounds and a synthetic- and wood-stocked Patriot with a 20-inch barrel. Booth #12734. (mossberg.com)

Remington

Remington is finally giving some serious attention to a rifle that’s been ignored way too long. In 2019, the Model Seven Stainless Steel HS will feature a 20-inch barrel, stainless-steel matte finish, an HS Precision stock, and the X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger. It will be chambered for the .243 and .308 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington, and the 6.5 Creedmoor. SRP: $1,149.

Several new 783 rifles are coming online this year. The 783 Varmint features a 26-inch heavy barrel with a black-oxide finish, laminated stock with a beavertail forend, an oversized bolt handle, and Picatinny rail. It is chambered for the .223 and .22-250 Remington, .243 and .308 Winchester, and the 6.5 Creedmoor. SRP: $625. The 783 HBT (Heavy Barrel Threaded) is available with a 24-inch heavy barrel, threaded

muzzle with protector, Picatinny rail, and Crossfire adjustable trigger. It’s chambered for the .223 Remington, .308 Winchester, and 6.5 Creedmoor. SRP: $459. Another new 783 is an 18-inch barreled .450 Bushmaster, with an OD green synthetic stock. SRP: $459. There is also a Mossy Oak Break Up, 22-inch-barreled version chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. SRP: $464.53. In Remington’s flagship model

SI G SAUER The MPX PCC optimizes the MPX platform with a Timney competition trigger and an ergonomic M-Lok handguard.

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products

STEYR The heart of the Monobloc is its cold-hammer-forged barrel and action made from a single piece of steel and milled to form the chamber and action. The result is an ultra-accurate rifle. The stock features accented leather inlays, and the rifle feeds from a detachable magazine.

SAVAG E The advanced barrel of the MSR 10 Competition HD is the result of a collaboration between Savage and Proof Research.

700 line of rifles, you will find the new CDL SF Limited Edition chambered for the .25/06 Remington. It has a 24-inch stainless, fluted barrel with a satin finish, and an American black walnut stock with an engraved floorplate. SRP: $1,225.95. Booth #14229. (remington.com)

Savage

Savage put the pedal to the metal for 2019 and is offering a host of new rifles over a wide range of platforms. We’ll start with the smallest, the Rascal. The new right- or left-hand Rascal Target is built for accuracy and adaptability. It has a precision hardwood stock, heavy 16 1/8-inch threaded barrel, and Picatinny rail. Two versions will be offered. The standard model retails for $314 and the XP version (which includes a 4X riflescope and bipod) will be $399. Two new 110 Apex rifles debut this year. The first is the Apex Hunter XP, a package rifle featuring a 3-9x40mm Vortex Crossfire II riflescope that comes mounted and bore-sighted. It is available in a wide array of chamberings from .204 Ruger to the .338 Winchester Magnum. SRP: $684. The Apex

S IG SAU E R The M400 Tread entry-level rifle is optics-ready and accompanied by a full-line of Treadbranded accessories.

18 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019

Storm XP is another package rifle, available in 16 chamberings from .204 Ruger to .338 Winchester Magnum. SRP: $739. The 110 High Country is ready for the biggest bulls, tallest peaks, and longest shots. It has a spiralfluted barrel and bolt, and lives in an AccuStock. It is covered in TrueTimber Strata camo, comes with an AccuTrigger, and has a low-friction PVD coating on the barrel, receiver, and other critical parts. It is chambered for a wide selection of big-game cartridges. SRP: $1,129. There are four new Savage Axis rifles. The XP Stainless, which offers all-weather performance, is a package rifle upgraded with a new, ergonomic synthetic stock and paired with a tough stainlesssteel barrel. It comes with a mounted and bore-sighted Weaver 3-9x40mm riflescope. SRP: $515. A blued version is also available. SRP: $415. The base-model Axis has the same redesigned stock and is available in compact and lefthand versions. SRP: $375. The Axis XP Camo comes with a stock finished in either Mossy Oak Break-Up Country or Muddy Girl patterns. It also has a mounted and bore-sighted Weaver riflescope. SRP: $495.

With the new MSR 15 Long Range, Savage tuned the barrel length specifically for the .224 Valkyrie to achieve peak accuracy at extreme range. The barrel is topped with a two-port muzzle brake mounted with Savage’s proprietary taper-lock interface. The custom-length gas system, paired with a low-profile adjustable gas block, is enclosed by a true freefloat handguard. At 10 pounds, this rifle is heavy but is built to deliver at distance. SRP: $1,849. Savage has also introduced competition versions of the MSR 10 and 15. The MSR 10 and 15 Competition HD’s advanced barrel is built specifically for the rifle in a collaborative effort between Savage and Proof Research. The unique ported muzzle brake allows the shooter to tune recoil impulse to stabilize the muzzle for faster, more accurate follow-up shots. Further customization includes the gas block, which can be adjusted for optimal cycling for the full range of bullet weights and with suppressors. The MSR 10 version is chambered for the .308 Winchester. SRP: $3,449. The MSR 15 model is available in .223 Remington and .224 Valkyrie. SRP: $2,875. Booth #14551. (savagearms.com)

products

SIG Sauer

The M400 Tread is a premium entry-level rifle accompanied by a full line of Tread-branded accessories. This is an optics-ready rifle, with an aluminum frame that features a 16-inch stainless-steel barrel with a free-floating M-Lok handguard, single-stage polished/ hard-coat trigger, ambidextrous controls, a Magpul SL-K six-position telescoping stock, and midlength gas system. It’s available in 5.56 NATO. SRP: $951. Treadbranded accessories include an M-Lok handguard, three-chamber compensator, ambidextrous charging handle, and the Romeo5 reddot sight. Tread accessories range from $29 to $149. There’s a new MPX called the MPX PCC. It optimizes the MPX platform, making it ready to compete right out of the box with a single-stage Timney competition trigger, an ergonomic free-floating M-Lok handguard, and a 16-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel with a three-chamber compensator. SRP: $2,016. Booth #12240. (sigsauer.com)

Steyr Arms

The Scout Rifle will now be chambered for—wait for it—6.5 Creedmoor. But the real news is the unique Monobloc rifle. The heart of the Monobloc is its barreled action, which is cold hammer forged from a single piece of steel and then milled to form the chamber and action. The result is an ultra-accurate rifle. The stock features accented leather inlays, and the rifle feeds from a detachable magazine. It will initially be available in .308 Winchester and .30/06 Springfield. SRP: $5,250. Booth #10246. (steyrarms.com)

Weatherby

The Subalpine is built on the Mark V action and wrapped in Gore

Optifade Subalpine camo. This is a feather-light rifle, weighing as little as 5.75 pounds. It has a fiberglass stock with an aluminum bedding block, fluted barrel, and flat darkearth Cerakote finish on all metalwork. Chamberings include the 6.5 Creedmoor, and .257, 6.5-300, .270, and .300 Weatherby Magnums. SRP: starts at $2,700. Also new, and similar to the Subalpine, is the Mark V First Lite. It’s coated in the First Lite Fusion pattern, with a flat darkearth Cerakote finish on all metal parts. Chamberings include 6.5 Creedmoor, and .257, 6.5-300, .270, and .300 Weatherby Magnums. SRP: $2,600. The new Mark V Camilla Ultra Lightweight was designed by women, for women. It has a shortened 13-inch length of pull, slender forearm, slim grip with a gentle palm swell, and a higher comb for optimal scope-eye alignment. The recoil pad is fitted with an ergonomic cant to nest in a woman’s shoulder pocket. This rifle has a composite stock with an aluminum bedding block and is available chambered for the .240 Weatherby Magnum, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 and .308 Winchester, and .30/06 Springfield. SRP: $2,300. The Weatherby Vanguard Badlands is the first rifle to appear in the popular Badlands Approach camo pattern. It has a No. 2 contour barrel and can be had in six chamberings—.25-06 Remington, .257 and 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnums, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, and 7mm-08 Remington. SRP: $849. Booth #12729. (weatherby.com)

Winchester

The expanded XPR line now includes the new XPR Hunter Strata model. It has an advanced polymer stock in TrueTimber Strata camo, with textured panels to help improve wet-weather grip.

W I N C H EST E R The Model 1886 Short Rifle will now be offered in .45-90 WCF.

The flattened profile of the forend improves stability from sandbags, and the barrel, receiver, and bolt have a Perma-Cote finish to minimize glare and protect from corrosion. An MOA trigger system, a detachable box magazine, steel recoil lug, bolt-unlock button, and two-position thumb safety are standard. It’s available in most popular short-action cartridges, including 6.5 Creedmoor, with 22-, 24-, or 26-inch barrels. SRP: $599.99. Another new XPR is the Hunter Highlander, which features Kryptek Highlander camo on the polymer stock. Perma-Cote finish on the barrel, receiver, and bolt are standard, and it’s available in the same chamberings as the Hunter Strata. SRP: $599.99. In the Winchester Repeating Arms historical line of lever-action rifles, the Model 1886 Short Rifle will now be offered chambered for the .45-90 WCF. It has a 24-inch barrel with a 1:20 twist and features a satin-finish walnut stock with a straight grip and a steel crescent buttplate. The receiver is drilled and tapped for an optional receivermounted peep sight. Overall length is 43 inches. SRP: $1,339.99. The Model 1982 Large Loop Carbine is also new. It features a 20-inch barrel, large loop lever, blued-steel carbine strap buttplate, rear ladder sight, and a Marble Arms gold-bead front sight. A straight-grip walnut stock with a satin finish and a blued-steel barrel band on the classic carbine-style forearm give this rifle the look and feel of the original. It’s available in .357 Magnum, .44 Rem. Magnum, and .44-40 and .45 Colt, and weighs 6 pounds. SRP: $1,259.99. Finally, the 6.5 Creedmoor has been added to the Model 70 line. Booth #10744. (winchester guns.com)

WEATHERBY The Mark V Camilla Ultra Lightweight was designed by women, for women. It has a shortened 13-inch length of pull, a slender forearm, a slimmer grip with a gentle palm swell, and a higher comb for optimal scope-eye alignment. The recoil pad is fitted with an ergonomic cant to nest into a woman’s shoulder pocket. This rifle features a composite stock with an aluminum bedding block.

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SHOTGUNS BENELLI Benelli enhances its first 12-gauge over/under model with improved ergonomics for serious sporting clay shooters. The 828U Sport features a 30-inch barrel and comes with five extended nickel chokes and an adjustable weighting system to tune the balance of the shotgun. The improved grip angle and comb height work with the tall rib and sight channel to deliver a shotgun that points fast and swings smooth.

Whetting the Appetite

From highly engraved and expensive models to attractively priced youth versions, there’s a lot to like this year By Richard Mann

hort non-NFA shotguns continue to be the rage when it comes to scatterguns, and for 2019, we have a host of new options from which to select. As cool as these are, more important is the variety of youth model introductions that will help excite and prepare the next generation for the field and range. Regardless of budget, there are a lot of new models to whet the appetite, priced from as little as $400 to as much as almost $12,000.

Benelli

Benelli enhances its first 12-gauge over-under model with improved ergonomics for serious sporting clay shooters. The 828U Sport features a 30-inch barrel and comes with five extended nickel chokes and an adjustable weighting system to adjust the balance of the shotgun. Built around a steel receiver for additional weight, the shotgun’s improved

grip angle and comb height work in conjunction with the tall rib and sight channel to deliver a sporting shotgun that points fast and swings smooth. SRP: $4,399. The Performance Shop version of Benelli’s flagship SBE3 comes with significant upgrades from custom gunmaker Rob Roberts. The shotgun features a lengthened forcing cone, Cerakote finish on the receiver and barrel, and Optifade

Marsh camo on the stock and forend. The shotgun is equipped with an enlarged bolt handle and release. The rest of the tried-andtrue SBE3 features are there, too, as are three Rob Roberts chokes, paracord sling, and full set of five Benelli Crio chokes. SRP: $3,199. The 20-gauge M2 gets the full Performance Shop treatment from Rob Roberts, including a Cerakote finish on the receiver

and barrel, Optifade Marsh camo stock and forend, lengthened forcing cone and custom, enlarged controls. In addition to the rest of the M2’s standard features, this Performance Shop version comes with three Rob Roberts chokes, paracord sling, and full set of five Benelli Crio chokes. SRP: $2,799. The Benelli Performance Shop M2 Turkey combines the proven performance of the M2 line with

BROWNING The Citori High Grade Side Plate Four Gauge Combo (top) features four barrel sets in 12, 20, and 28 gauge and .410 bore. The Citori 725 Trap Max High Grade includes the same features as the BT-99 Trap Max High Grade. It is available with a 30- or 32-inch barrel.

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M OSS BE RG The 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey is coated in Mossy Oak Obsession camo, has a 20-inch barrel, and a six-position adjustable stock.

M OSS B E RG The Shock & Saw (pictured here) and the SPX join the 590 Shockwave series, which all use the Raptor pistol grip, which is uniquely shaped to minimize felt recoil. Rob Roberts upgrades designed specifically for the turkey woods. Equipped with a 24-inch ported barrel, the receiver has a Cerakote finish while the stock and forend are covered with Mossy Oak Bottomlands camo. With a lengthened forcing cone and oversized controls, the shotgun comes with a Burris FastFire II mounted and sighted in. A Rob Roberts XFT choke, five Benelli chokes, and pattern analysis are all included. SRP: $3.199. Benelli’s Performance Shop combines the world’s foremost waterfowl shotgun with top-ofthe-line Rob Roberts upgrades to produce the ultimate turkey gun. Based on the proven, effective 3.5inch Inertia Driven action of the SBE3, the Benelli Performance Shop Super Black Eagle 3 Turkey has a 24-inch ported barrel, pistolgrip stock covered with Mossy Oak Bottomlands, and a Cerakote finish on the receiver and barrel. A lengthened forcing cone, oversize controls, and mounted Burris FastFire II are also included. Comes with a Rob Roberts XFT choke, five Benelli chokes, and pattern analysis. SRP: $3,339. Available in 12 and 20 gauge,

the Benelli Ultralight Deluxe is designed to be the ultimate upland shotgun, delivering performance, durability, and style in a single package. Featuring an engraved nickel receiver and gloss blue barrel, the Ultralight Deluxe weighs in at 6.2 pounds (12 gauge) or 5.3 pounds (20 gauge), ideal for long walks in search of grouse or quail. Equipped with a Weathercoat stock and stepped, carbon-fiber-rib barrel, the Ultralight Deluxe also comes with a full complement of extended nickel chokes. $1,999. Booth #13656. (benelliusa.com)

Browning

Browning may have ceased production of the iconic Hi-Power pistol, but it continues to drive the bus when it comes to fantastically enticing shotguns. For 2019, Browning’s High Grade Program moves into its seventh year with the introduction of the limitedproduction Citori High Grade Side Plate Four Gauge Combo that features a receiver with full side plates with extensively engraved game scenes, including gold bird and dog accents. Four

barrel sets in 12, 20, and 28 gauge and .410 bore are offered in 30and 32-inch lengths, and a John M. Browning Signature leather fitted case is included. SRP: $11,329.99. The new Citori 725 Feather Superlight shotgun features a lightweight alloy receiver with steel breech face and hinge pin, and the gloss oil finish Grade II/ III walnut stock has a straight grip with a Schnabel-style forearm. The receiver features accented engraving and is offered in 12 and 20 gauge with 26-inch barrels. SRP: $2,669.99. The BT-99 Trap Max High Grade is a new single-barrel shotgun featuring special Max High Grade engraving with a Silver Nitride finish. The stock and forearm are in Grade V/VI walnut, and a Pachmayr Decelerator XLT recoil pad is fitted to an adjustable GraCoil Recoil Reduction System, which offers length of pull and angle and location adjustment. A fitted case is included. SRP: $5,339.99. The Citori 725 Trap Max High Grade is a new over-under shotgun that includes the same features as the BT-99 Trap Max High

R E M I N GTON The 12-gauge V3 Waterfowl in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades has a Cerakote receiver and a Hi-Viz fiber-optic front sight with a steel mid-bead. The V3 Waterfowl in Realtree Timber has a 26-inch Rem Choke, a light-contour barrel, and a SuperCell+ recoil pad.

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upgraded features are hallmarks of Franchi’s new line of over-under shotguns. Available in 12 and 20 gauge, the Instinct LX has a 28-inch gloss blue barrel to go with a AA-Grade wood Prince of Wales stock. The shotgun’s allsteel, color-case-hardened receiver is engraved with an iconic hunting scene with gold bird and detail inlays. It comes with three extended chokes (IC/M/F). SRP: $1,699. Booth #13656. (franchiusa.com)

Mossberg

RE MI N GTO N The bread-and-butter 870 gets a radical addition to the line this year. The Tactical Side Folder features a right-hand folding stock, a Versamax soft-touch adjustable cheekpiece insert, QD sling attachments, a SuperCell+ recoil pad, an 18.5-inch barrel, and a 6+1 capacity. Grade. It is available with 30- or 32-inch barrels. SRP: $5,859.99. Booth #10744. (browning.com)

Franchi

Franchi is raising the bar for best-

in-class features with its line of semi-customized Affinity Elite shotguns. Available in 3-inch 12 and 20 gauges as well as a 3.5-inch 12 gauge, Affinity Elite shotguns are built to withstand tough hunting conditions with a Cerakote

finish, Optifade camo, and upgraded bolt controls. Built on the proven Inertia Driven action, the Affinity Elite shotguns come with three extended waterfowl chokes (IC/M/F). SRP: $1,249 to $1,419. Best-in-class ergonomics and

Over the last decade Mossberg has become a versatile company, branching into new and innovative firearm designs. However, it has not forgotten the horse it rode to the carnival, and for 2019 Mossberg continues its scattergun innovation. Consumers and dealers alike will appreciate the new Model 500 Field/Deer Scoped Combo Packages that include both a 20- and 12-gauge and come out of the box with a shot and slug barrel, cantilever mount, and a long-eye-relief 2.5x20 riflescope. There are two new Mossy Oak Bottom Land camo shotguns. The

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model 500 Field in .410 comes with a 26-inch barrel. The 935 Magnum Turkey 12-gauge has a 22-inch barrel. If you like old school, you’ll also like the new 500 and 590A1 Retro Pumps. These throwbacks feature walnut stocks, ventilated recoil pads, and corncob forends. The Model 500 has an 18.5-inch Cylinder-bore barrel, blued finish, and weighs 6.75 pounds. The 590A1 weighs 7 pounts and has a Parkerized finish, a 20-inch heavywalled barrel with a heat shield, and ghost ring sights. For shooters of small stature,

Mossberg is offering the 20-gauge 500 Flex Youth Field and Field/ Deer Youth Combo. Both accept the magically versatile and adjustable Flex buttstock. And, both are light—as they should be—for young shooters. Two of three new additions to the 590 Shockwave series are the Shock & Saw and SPX. The first has a unique removable top grip and a bottom-railed forend with M-Lok-compatible accessory mounting holes. The SPX has a receiver-mounted sidesaddle with seven interchangeable polymer shell-holder units, a removable top

rail, and barrel heat shield. Both have the Raptor bird’s-head pistol grip, which is uniquely shaped to minimize felt recoil. The final, and probably best, new Shockwave is the 590 Shockwave Laser Saddle. This is an important enhancement because as cool as these shotguns are, they’re difficult to shoot with precision. The addition of a Crimson Trace laser on the 590 solves this problem. Two new Model 835 shotguns will be appreciated by hunters. The 835 Ulti-Mag Tactical Turkey is coated in Mossy Oak Obsession camo, has a 20-inch

barrel, six-position adjustable stock with Flex pad, 3.5-inch chamber, adjustable fiber-optic sights, and a 5+1 capacity. The 835 Ulti-Mag Field/Deer Combo comes with a 28-inch field barrel and a 26-inch slug barrel fitted with adjustable sights. Booth #12734. (mossberg.com)

Remington

Continuing the legacy of the V3 shotgun, Remington has introduced the 12-gauge V3 Compact. It has a matte black finish, a 1-inch shorter length of pull with adjust-

SAVAG E The 301 Turkey is a single-shot break-action with a synthetic stock and forend covered in Mossy Oak Bottomland or Obsession.

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products

ment shims, a 21.5-inch barrel, and SuperCell+ recoil pad, with cast and drop shims. SRP: $915. The V3 Tac 13 is also new. It has a synthetic Shockwave Raptor pistol grip and a forend with a retention strap. The Cylinderbore barrel is 13 inches long, and it has an extended-magazine capacity of 5+1. It will reliably cycle 1-ounce target or reducedrecoil loads. SRP: $915. The V3 Turkey Pro features an oversized bolt handle, safety, and bolt release, with a redesigned loading port. It’s fully covered in Realtree Edge camo and comes with a 21.5-inch Rem Choke barrel outfitted with a Truglo Headbanger choke tube. A SuperCell+ recoil pad, Picatinny rail, and a Truglo optic are standard. SRP: $1,195. There’s also a V3 Waterfowl in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades and another in Realtree Maxx 5. Both 12 gauges have Cerakote receivers and Hi-Viz fiber-optic front sights with a steel mid-bead. SRP: $1,195. And then there’s the V3 Waterfowl Realtree Timber. It has a 26-inch Rem Choke, lightcontour barrel, and a SuperCell+ recoil pad. SRP: $995. Remington did not forget to enhance its bread-and-butter shotgun, the 870. There are two new offerings, one in 12 gauge and one in 20 gauge. This radical new 870 is called the Tactical Side Folder. It features a right-hand folding stock, Versamax soft-touch adjustable cheekpiece insert, QD sling attachments, SuperCell+ recoil pad, an 18.5-inch barrel, and a 6+1 capacity. SRP: $569. Booth #14229. (remington.com)

Savage

Here’s a shotgun surprise. The 301 Turkey is a single-shot breakaction with a synthetic stock and forend covered in Mossy Oak Bottomland or Obsession camo. This cool-tool turkey killer has a 26-inch barrel optimized for Federal’s 410 Heavyweight TSS turkey loads. SRP: $199.

The Savage Model 212/220 Turkey was originally offered only through the Savage Special Order Office. This gobbler thumper is a bolt-action shotgun built around the model 110 action and is fitted to the AccuStock. It is chambered for 12 or 20 gauge, is 43.75 inches long, and weighs 7 pounds. SRP: $695 to $779. Always doling out world-class over-under performance, the Savage Stevens 555 now does it in 16 gauge. The field- and traptested platform is light and handles fast, thanks to a lightweight aluminum receiver that’s scaled to gauge and reinforced by a steel insert. It’s also loaded with features, including a stylish Turkish walnut stock and chrome-lined 28-inch carbon steel barrels. The Savage Stevens 555 Enhanced in 16 gauge has a light aluminum receiver and incorporates a steel insert that reinforces the breech, minimizing weight and maximizing strength. It boasts upgrades including an imperial walnut stock and forend, auto shell ejector, and a silver, scroll-engraved filigree ornamented receiver. The Savage Stevens 320 Security will allow you to take on any situation with a shotgun specifically built to the task. Redesigned with a black matte synthetic stock and forend, it features a smooth, reliable pump action, rotary bolt, and dual slide bars. It has an 18.5-inch barrel and a 5+1 capacity. SRP: $239, base model; $265, with ghost ring. Booth #14551. (savagearms.com)

Stoeger

Stoeger’s flagship waterfowl shotgun, the M3500 Waterfowler, receives upgrades to enhance its performance and aesthetics. The 12-gauge is chambered for up to 3-inch shells and features a Cerakote finish on the action and 28-inch barrel. Featuring Realtree MAX-5 or Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades camouflage on the

stock and forend, additional enhancements include enlarged controls, paracord sling, and five extended chokes (IC/M/XFT/ Close Range/Mid Range). SRP: $849. Booth #13656. (stoeger industries.com)

Winchester

New models being offered in Winchester Repeating Arms SX4 semi-auto shotgun line for 2019 include the SX4 Waterfowl Hunter Compact. It comes with a 13-inch length of pull to better fit smaller-statured shooters. Two ¼-inch spacers are included to create a more custom fit. It has a synthetic stock with full coverage in Mossy Oak Shadow Grass Blades camo finish and is available in the 12-gauge 3-inch chambering, with 24-, 26-, or 28-inch barrels. SRP: $939.99. An SX4 Compact with a non-glare black finish will also be offered with same specs as the camo version. SRP: $799.99. Another new SX4 is the SX4 Upland Field that will feature a satin-oil Grade II/III walnut stock with straight-line cut checkering, improved ergonomics, and a rounded pistol grip. An Inflex Technology recoil pad directs felt recoil down and away from the cheek to reduce flinch and fatigue, and the alloy receiver has a matte nickel-plated finish with engraved upland game scene. Available in 12-gauge 3-inch chamberings, with 26- or 28-inch barrels. SRP: $1,109.99. The Super X Pump line-up adds the SXP Youth Field model that will offer a super-compact 12-inch length of pull. A satinfinished stock and forearm feature traditional checkering, and an Invector Plus choke tube system, hard-chrome-plated chamber and bore, black chrome protection on the bolt, brass front sight bead, and drop-out trigger group are standard. Available with 20-, 22- or 24-inch barrels. SRP: $399.99, 12 gauge; $429.99, 20 gauge. Booth #10744. (winchesterguns.com)

SAVAGE The Model 212/220 Turkey was originally offered only through the Savage Special Order Office. This bolt-action shotgun is built around the model 110 action and is fitted to the AccuStock. This turkey thumper is chambered for 12 or 20 gauge, is 43.75 inches long, and weighs 7 pounds.

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WIN C HESTER The SX4 Waterfowl Hunter Compact comes with a 13-inch length of pull to better fit smaller-statured shooters.

HANDGUNS Enhanced Models

Though the focus is on sub-compact and compact models, retailers will still see some interesting variants this year By Richard Mann

or the past decade, we’ve seen a plethora of new ultra-compact handguns. For 2019, we will mostly see enhancements to existing compact and ultra-compact models. And yet, after 30 years, we’re seeing the Jeff Cooper–inspired 10mm get the attention it deserves. We’re also seeing the return of the bolt-action handgun. Maybe our newest handguns are simply a much-improved return to the past.

Browning

Browning’s single new handgun is the Buck Mark Medallion Rosewood, which features a 5.5-inch, blackened, stainless-steel, slab-sided barrel with polished flats. The laminated rosewood-colored grips feature a gold Buckmark and checkering, and a Pro-Target adjustable rear sight and Truglo/Marble Arms fiber-optic front sight are standard. SRP: $509.99. Booth #10744. (browning.com)

CMMG

CMMG has a new line of AR pistols and shortbarreled rifles (SBRs) chambered for the FN 5.7x28mm. The new Mk57 line is fed from FN 5.7 pistol magazines and uses CMMG’s patentpending Radial Delayed Blowback operating system. The Banshee in 5.7x28 has a 5-inch barrel and comes as either an SBR or an AR pistol. Other distinguishing features include

CZ- USA The P-10S sub-compact is chambered for 9mm Luger and has a 3.5-inch barrel. A front tritium night sight is standard.

CMMG’s new ambidextrous charging handle and RML4 M-Lok handguard. SRP: $1,549.95. Booth #32001. (cmmginc.com)

CZ-USA

CZ-USA has three American-made versions of its striker-fired P-10 pistol. The P-10S subcompact version is chambered for 9mm Luger, has a 3.5-inch barrel, and weighs 24.4 ounces. A front tritium night sight is standard, and an optics-ready version is available. The P-10C compact is also chambered for the 9mm Luger and accepts 10- and 15-round magazines. It has a 4-inch barrel and weighs 26.3 ounces. The P-10F full-size pistol has a 4.5-inch barrel and weighs 28.2 ounces. Both the P-10C and

BROWNI N G The Buck Mark Medallion Rosewood features a blackened, stainlesssteel, slab-sided barrel with polished flats.

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P-10F come standard with a tritium front sight, and optics-ready versions are available. SRP: $499 to $577. The CZC AO1-LD is also made in America. This custom pistol’s blued frame is hammerforged and CNC-machined. The massively heavy dust cover kills recoil and muzzle rise.

CM M G For 2019, you’ll see a new line of AR pistols and short-barreled rifles chambered for the FN 5.7x28mm. The Mk57 line is fed from FN 5.7 pistol magazines and uses a patent-pending Radial Delayed Blowback operating system. The Banshee (above) in 5.7x28 has a 5-inch barrel and comes as either an SBR or an AR pistol. Other features include CMMG’s new ambidextrous charging handle and RML4 M-Lok handguard.

With a deep beavertail, an under-cut trigger guard, raised 25 LPI checkering, and an integrated magwell, it combines classic CZ 75 ergonomics with purpose-driven features that are ideal for competition. It has a 4.9-inch match-grade 416 stainless bull barrel and ships with two 19-round P-09 magazines. SRP: $2,247. Booth #11755. (cz.usa.com)

Dan Wesson

Continuing its commitment to offer customlike quality 1911 pistols, Dan Wesson has two new models. The DV ECP brings the heavy, match-grade bull barrel from the Officer-size ECO to a bigger platform. The Enhanced Commander Pistol is a 4-inch gun that conceals well, but is still a tack-driver. It weighs a svelte 29 ounces. The ECP also has a flat-wire recoil spring rated for 15,000 rounds. SRP: $1,575, 9mm; $1,600; 45 Auto.

The DW TCP (Tactical Commander Pistol) combines a match-grade bull barrel and Dan Wesson’s new railed alloy frame. The pistol sits in the sweet spot of concealability and shootability. Its compact stainless slide is tri-topped and has aggressive slide serrations, and its ramped bull barrel has a 30-degree crown and is flush cut for easier disassembly. A Dan Wesson one-piece magwell, flat K-style trigger, and square hammer round out the features. The DW TCP is available in 9mm or .45. SRP: $1,575 to $1,725. Booth #11755. (danwessonfirearms.com)

Nighthawk Custom

The Firehawk is an innovative offering from Nighthawk Custom, representing the next advancement in the company’s long line of purpose-built 1911s. By utilizing a recoil-taming, single-port compensator, a bull barrel, and

full-length guide rod that adds weight to the front of the pistol to reduce muzzle rise, Nighthawk has maintained the standard stroke of a 5-inch 1911 for enhanced reliability. The lightened slide reduces reciprocating mass and delivers flat-shooting performance without increasing size. Initially available in 9mm or .45 ACP, it has a gold bead front sight and Heinie Ledge rear. Booth #12579. (nighthawkcustom.com)

Nosler

Though a true mid-year launch, the Nosler Custom Handgun (NCH) deserves mention because it’s part of an emerging trend. There was a time when bolt-action handguns were readily available and popular. The NCH has been mostly overlooked. This handgun is built on the same action as Nosler’s Model 38 rifle and lives in a billet-machined aluminum chassis

CZ-USA The P-10C compact (left) is chambered for the 9mm Luger. The custom CZC AO1-LD (right) is hammer-forged and CNC-machined. The heavy dust cover kills recoil and muzzle rise. It has a deep beavertail, an under-cut trigger guard, raised 25 LPI checkering, and an integrated magwell.

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PRODUCTS

that will accept any AR-15 grip you like. The NCH is available in a wide range of colors and comes chambered for six versatile cartridges. SRP: $2,495. Booth #13951. (nosler.com)

Remington

DA N W ESSO N The DV ECP brings the heavy, match-grade bull barrel from the Officer-size ECO to a bigger platform. The Enhanced Commander Pistol is a 4-inch gun that conceals well but is still a tack-driver. It weighs a lean 29 ounces.

Continuing its climb into the handgun market, Remington has several new offerings of note. The R1 1911 Limited Tomasie Custom is a 5-inch-barreled pistol hand-tested by Travis Tomasie. It comes with a ported slide, fully adjustable sights, EGW competition hammer, extended grip safety, adjustable trigger, a tough PVD DLC finish, VZ G10 grips, and an oversized mag well. SRP: $1,650. The 700 CP (Chassis Pistol) is built on a Remington 700 action. The 700 CP has a fullaluminum chassis, a QD sling plate adapter, M-lok-adaptable free-float tube, full Picatinny rail, and a threaded, light-contour barrel. It is available in .223 Remington (10.5-inch barrel), .300 Blackout (10.5-inch barrel), or .308 Winchester (12.5-inch barrel). It should be ideal for hunters or competition shooters. SRP: $1,020. Remington is expanding the RM380 line. The RM380 Executive features Macassar laminate grips. The RM380 Light Blue Stainless has a robin’s-egg Cerakote finish. SRP: $415. A little known presence in the custom 1911 world are the handguns available from the Remington Custom Shop. The manufacturer

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Come and Visit Us at the Kahr Firearms Group Booth

#13962

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N IGHTHAWK The Firehawk’s lightened slide reduces reciprocating mass and delivers flat shots. Initially available in 9mm and .45 ACP.

offers an a la carte operation where R1 owners can customize their R1 in just about any way imaginable, from minor functioning enhancements to full-coverage engraving. Booth #14229. (remington.com)

SIG Sauer

The Spartan II 938 Micro Compact, part of the new Spartan II series, consists of hammerfired, single-action-only, all-metal pistols in a distressed coyote finish with custom-engraved aluminum grips and slide. SRP: $815. The P320 line might be SIG Sauer’s most popular pistol series. It continues to be adopted by law-enforcement agencies worldwide, and

it’s the platform for the U.S. Army’s M17. The X-Series family of the P320 has undergone a few changes, with two new additions that include the P320 X-Compact and P320 X-Full. The X-Compact combines the concealability of a subcompact with the ergonomics of some full-size pistols. It features the new X-Series Compact grip module, an optic-ready slide with a removable rear sight plate, and a tactile loaded-chamber indicator. It comes with two 15-round magazines. SRP: $804. The X-Full is a full-size version of the popular X-Carry that incorporates many of the features of the newest law-enforcement and government versions of the P320X and Professional models. The hammer-fired P229 SAO pistol is new

to SIG Sauer’s Legion Series. The P229 SAO is chambered for the 9mm and is equipped with X-Ray 3 Day/Night Sights. It has a Legion gray-coated slide and frame, a SIG Master Shop-inspired flat trigger, enhanced checkering on the front strap and under-trigger guard, and custom-checkered black G10 grips with a Legion medallion. SRP: $1,413. Two additional Legion Series firearms include the P938 and P238 micro-compacts. SRP: $904, P938 Legion; $850, P238. After one of the most rigorous and competitive review processes in the history of military firearms, the M17 was awarded the Modular Handgun System (MHS) contract for the U.S. Army. The M17 is a P320-based platform

N OSL ER The bolt-action Nosler Custom Handgun is built on the same action as Nosler’s Model 38 rifle.

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PRODUCTS

SI G SAUER The P320 X-Compact combines concealability with full-size ergonomics. It has the new grip module as well. selected for its innovative modularity. The P320-M17 closely follows the specifications of the M17. SRP: $768. The M17-Commemorative is a variant of the P320. It shares the same components, coatings, and markings as the firearm that was awarded the U.S. Army contract. Only 5,000 are available, serialized M17-0001 through M17-5000. SRP: $1,122. The Copperhead is a new MPX. It has a monolithic upper receiver with an integrated stock-knuckle lower and a 3.5-inch barrel with integrated muzzle brake. The Copperhead also comes with the new Pivoting Contour Brace

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R E MI N GTON The expanded RM380 line now includes the RM380 Executive, which features Macassar laminate grips. The RM380 Light Blue Stainless (above) has a robinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;segg-blue Cerakote finish. Magazine capacity is six.

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products

S PR I N G FI E LD The XD(M) OSP 9mm is an optics-ready pistol that features a factorymilled slide and co-witness suppressorheight iron sights. Magpul .300 Blackout magazine. SRP: $2,897. Booth #12240. (sigsauer.com)

Springfield Armory

(PCB), giving pistol users a brace that easily adapts to the movement of the shooter’s arm. Two other pistol/sub-gun-style firearms on the docket include the MCX Rattler 5.56 and the MCX Rattler Canebrake. The Rattler 5.56 shows the true capability of the MCX operating system with the shortest 5.56 platform ever made. The Rattler 5.56 features a 5.5-inch barrel with gas-trap design, a free-floating M-Lok handguard, a two-stage Matchlite trigger, and a folding PCB. It also comes with one 30-round polymer Magpul Gen 3 magazine. SRP: $2,727. The MCX Rattler Canebrake comes as a suppressor-ready platform with an SD handguard and an inert trainer that mimics the size and weight of the SIG SRD762 suppressor, making it easily convertible to be run suppressed. Other features include a two-stage flat-blade match trigger, Cerakote E190 finished upper and lower, and a folding coyotetan PCB. It comes with one 30-round polymer

Springfield has eight new handguns for the new year. The TRP 10mm RMR—available with either a 5- or 6-inch barrel— is now available with a Trijicon Ruggedized Miniature Reflex (RMR) sight specifically milled into the slide. The TRP features a forged National Match frame and slide, and match-grade stainless-steel barrels. SRP: $2,507 to $2,558. Springfield Armory’s 911, chambered for the .380 ACP, is well suited for comfort, size, and convenience. Optimizing the frame-to-slide-totrigger guard relationship creates handling characteristics unique among small pistols of its kind. The 911 .380 shoots and feels like a fullsize firearm. The 5.5-inch-long pistol has a crisp, short-reset 5-pound trigger and is designed for life-saving defensive use at close range. Weighing only 12.6 ounces, this is truly a compact pistol for deep concealment. SRP: starts at $599. The brand-new Saint Edge Pistol combines the most popular features of the premium Saint with the compact shootability of a pistol platform. Chambered for the 5.56 NATO, it has a lightweight, 10.3-inch, 1:8 twist CMV barrel, as well as a rugged Maxim Defense CQB

adjustable pistol brace. The pistol has a flattop upper receiver with a forward assist and M4 feed ramps for reliable cycling. At just 24.6 inches with the brace collapsed, and weighing only 5 pounds, 11.5 ounces, it delivers a lot of power in a small package. SRP: $1,559. With the success of the Saint AR-15 Pistol in 5.56, more people than ever are requesting variations. The newest iteration is in .300 Blackout, which features a rugged SB Tactical SBX-K forearm brace, a 9-inch CMV 1:7 twist barrel, and A2 flash hider. The Saint AR-15 Pistol is an ideal choice for home defense. SRP: $989. Like its 9mm sibling, the new XD-E chambered for the .45 has a sleek, 1-inch-wide polymer frame to eliminate printing, and a 3.3-inch Melonite-treated barrel for ideal concealability. The Low Effort Slide (L.E.S.) requires 27 percent less effort to manipulate compared to striker-fired handguns in the same class. And, for customers who are hesitant to carry a striker-fired pistol in their waistband or handbag, the XD-E offers an undeniable set of safety features that will give new shooters the confidence to carry concealed. SRP: $568. The new XD(M) 10mm is a full-size pistol that underwent an unprecedented torture test of 10,000 rounds to prove its quality and reliability. It is available with a 4.5-inch or 5.25inch barrel, Mega-Lock grip texturing, and three interchangeable backstraps. SRP: $652. The new XD(M) OSP 9mm package is all about options. The optics-ready pistol features a factory-milled slide and co-witness suppressor-height iron sights. As an option, the

SIG SAU E R The Copperhead MPX has a monolithic upper receiver with an integrated stock-knuckle lower and a 3.5-inch barrel with an integrated muzzle brake. The Copperhead also comes with the new Pivoting Contour Brace (PCB), giving pistol users a brace that easily adapts to the movement of the shooter’s arm.

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See everything new at booth #15522

New

Litewave H3™

The new Litewave H3™ switches with seamless speed from daylight ﬁber optics to nighttime Tritium—from light gathering to light emitting. Your reward is faster target acquisition in daylight, low light, and no light scenarios.

PRODUCTS

STOEGER Already known as a great value in the shotgun market, Stoeger enters the handgun world with its new STR-9 striker-fired semi-auto pistol. Chambered in 9mm with a 15+1 capacity, the STR-9 features a Nitride finish, an adjustable backstrap grip, and a 4.17-inch barrel for easy concealment and quick deployment. With an overall length of 7.44 inches and weighing just 1.5 pounds, the STR-9 is designed for personal protection without breaking the bank. SRP: $349. Booth #13656. (stoegerindustries.com)

OSP can also come with a Vortex Venom reddot sight installed. It comes out of the box with the threaded barrel, thread protector, and a nonthreaded barrel. SRP: $710. The next generation of the most popular pistol ever produced by Springfield Armory is now available in 9mm. Since the release of the XD-S Mod.2 in .45 ACP earlier in 2018, Springfield Armory has engineered a pistol specifically designed around the 9mm cartridge. The result is a smaller frame and slimmer profile. It was designed to achieve maximum concealability while maintaining life-saving reliability, and has survived a 25,000-round torture test. SRP: $524 to $586. Booth #13151. (springfield-armory.com)

Uberti USA

HIVIZSIGHTS.COM BETTER BUILT & BRIGHTER + VISIBLE SOONER IN ALL LIGHT CONDITIONS + PATENTED

030_SHD01_PRD_HND.indd 38

Uberti’s Outlaws and Lawmen Series gets two interesting additions this year. In spite of his young age, William “Billy the Kid” Bonney was one of the most notorious gunfighters in the Wild West, his life ending in 1881 at the receiving end of Sheriff Pat Garrett’s .44. Uberti USA recreates the lines of one of the revolvers Bonney used, making it possible for modern shooters to relive the thrill of those long-gone New Mexico days. The grip of the .45 Colt Bonney is a simulated bison horn bird’s head. SRP: $799. Hands down, James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok is the prototype for the Old West gunfighter, one who displayed his deadly shooting skills with a pair of muzzleloading, ivory-gripped revolvers. This exact replica from Uberti USA is more practically chambered for the easily avail-

able .38 Special cartridge, while still offering all the romance and flavor of Wild Bill’s legendary sidearms. SRP: $809. Booth #13656. (ubertiusa.com)

Walther

Built on the success of the PPQ, the Q5 Match Steel Frame incorporates all the great features of the PPQ family—only now in a machined steel frame. This premium-quality handgun delivers unparalleled performance with the famous QuickDefense Trigger, considered to be one of the best out-of-the-box striker-fire triggers available. Weighing 41.6 ounces, this pistol has flat recoil and allows you to shoot quickly and accurately. Booth #16241. (waltherarms.com)

WA LTHER Built on the success of the PPQ, the Q5 Match Steel Frame incorporates all the great features of the PPQ family.

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FOOTWEAR 5.1 1 The Norris Sneaker cushions feet from the hard ground, but also features a tough, puncture-resistant WellMax board.

Steady Progress

Retailers will see a broad range of offerings in footwear this year

By Peter B. Mathiesen n early winter across the middle and northern U.S. kept turns brisk into the late 2018 winter season. Most footwear retailers cleaned their shelves by the holidays, and many are expecting to have stronger 2019 orders. In hunting footwear, women’s lasts are posting notable gains. Meanwhile, safety footwear is holding its own, and military and lawenforcement contracts are expected to rise in 2019.

Exacerbated by tariff threats, yet offset by falling oil prices late last year, material costs in Asia are expected to nudge SRP pricing slightly upward in 2019. In addition, with a falling Euro against the dollar, European manufacturers have struggled. Here’s a look at what’s ready to sell in footwear for 2019.

5.11 Tactical

At first glance, the Norris Sneaker

looks like your standard, casual, high-top sneaker. But the Norris is stacked even higher with style, comfort, and tactical intelligence. The exterior is a nylon-suede upper with a scratch rubber toe for durability and protection. The Vibram Marbrani outsole with XS trek provides an optimal balance of traction and durability, particularly on wet surfaces. The Ortholite technology cushions your feet in total support and comfort on hard, fatiguing sur-

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faces like concrete. The shoe delivers far more safety and protection than the casual look displays. The super-strong, American Society for Testing and Materials–certified puncture-resistant WellMax board guards feet against up to 1,200 newtons of force to keep toes safe in tactical conditions. Half sizes 7 to 11; 12

H A I X Protector Ultra Signal Red boots are tested to a chainsaw speed of 24 meters/second.

products

LOWA The Baldo GTX has roller eyelets on moving tabs to reduce top-of-foot pressure.

offered in lightweight ¾-crew and low heights. A heavier version is available for colder months. As with all Farm to Feet socks, it features a seamless toe closure. Made completely with U.S. materials via a transparent U.S. supply chain, the socks will range in price from $17 to $23, depending on height and weight. SRP: starts at $17. Booth #10740. (farmtofeet.com)

Georgia Boots

DANNER The company is introducing a new Pronghorn for 2019 (the fifth generation, if you’re keeping track). Built with the same fit and comfort of the original Pronghorn, the new model reduces weight and adds forefoot flex. Available in brown, Realtree Edge, and Mossy Oak Break-Up Country.

to 15 whole. SRP: starts at $164.99. Booth #13162. (511tactical.com)

Danner

This fall, Danner will introduce the fifth-generation Pronghorn. Danner’s most popular boot, the Pronghorn has been updated with best-in-class technology, delivering even greater all-day comfort and stability. The upper, built from soft, fullgrain leather on Danner’s traditional 851 last, returns to the same fit and comfort of the original Pronghorn. It comes complete with Gore-Tex waterproofing and 400, 800, or 1,200 grams of PrimaLoft insulation. Rugged hardware ensures a secure fit.

I R I SH S E T T E R IceTrek boots come equipped with ThermalBoost, a multi-zone barrier system that protects against frigid temperatures.

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The Terra Force Next platform combines an internal and external shank system for arch support and torsion control. The sole includes premium Vibram components, an SPE mid for maximum rebound, and a thermoplastic shank with a Bi-Fit stability board for additional underfoot comfort. The new design efficiently reduces weight and adds forefoot flex. Colors include brown, Realtree Edge, and Mossy Oak Break-Up Country in whole sizes 7 to 16; half sizes 7.5 to 11.5. SRP: starts at $229.95. Booth #10770. (danner.com)

Farm to Feet Socks

Named after a town in New Hampshire, the North Conway sock is made with ultra-soft, 19.5-micron U.S. merino wool on a 200-needle knitting machine. Featuring a half-density cushioning foot bottom, they will be

The Georgia Boot Rumbler collection is built tough to take on heavy-duty environments, while the rubber outsole technology allows the Rumbler to be both durable and lightweight. With its internal cushioning EVA midsole encapsulated in an external TPU heel stabilizer, the wearer can use the boots with comfort on hard surfaces like concrete all day. It offers resistance against oil, chemicals, abrasions, heat, and slips. The Rumbler also features a TPU-infused nylon upper, Georgia Waterproof protection, and an external TPU toecap for added protection and durability. Six inches in height, the boots offer Georgia Boot’s Ergo-Fit composite safety toe. This durable, safe, and long-lasting boot is available in sizes 8 to 13, in medium and wide widths. SRP: starts at $180. Booth #11340. (georgiaboot.com).

Haix

Designed for loggers and workers in the construction industry, the Ultra Signal Red boot creates a new standard in safety while maintaining all-day comfort. Protector Ultra Signal Red offers a European Class 2 rating; the boots are tested to a chainsaw speed of 24 meters per second. The steel toe provides the highest level of ASTM protection. The brightly colored, signal-red suede upper sports reflective material at the heel and ankle for increased visibility.

products

a memory foam collar, which forms to fit the ankle. A Cushion Comfort Tongue offers long- lasting comfort in the shin area. UltraDry waterproofing keeps feet dry, while the ScentBan lining delivers scent control. Select IceTrek styles have the unique BOA lacing system, making them faster and easier to get in to and out of while wearing gloves. Finished in Mossy Oak Break-Up Country camouflage. Sizes: 8 to 14D, 8 to 12EE, 13 and 14. SRP: starts at $229.99. Booth #10047. (irishsetterboots.com)

REEBOK The new Sublite Cushion Tactical 6-inch boot has a composite safety toe and side zipper for wear with the new Air Force uniform. Its dual-density foam keeps things cushioned and lightweight.

The boot features a soft, closefitting sleeve, preventing wood chips and debris from getting inside. Two-zone lacing allows you to individually adjust the upper and lower lace areas for a customized fit. Roller-ball-style eyelets make the adjustment easy. The thick, breathable leather combines with the Gore-Tex waterproof liner and Climate System to circulate fresh air in and moist air out via side and tongue vent holes. The sturdy Vibram hiking sole resists slipping on a wide variety of surfaces. Sizes range from 6 medium to 14 wide, and in half sizes. SRP: starts at $335. Booth #20158. (haixusa.com)

Irish Setter

The waterproof IceTrek boots have 1,600 grams of PrimaLoft insulation and come equipped with ThermalBoost—a multi-zone barrier system that delivers serious insulating protection against brutal cold. The insulation technology is strategically built into specific zones prone to heat loss, including the toe box, beneath the insole, and within the footbed. ThermalBoost provides the equivalent warmth of 400 grams of additional insulation without the added bulk or weight. The boots are built on the King Toe last. This provides extra space in the toe box to trap warm air. It

also makes getting in to and out of these 12-inch boots easier. The outsole features RPM composite material. Rubber pods provide superior traction on snow, ice, and uneven terrain. To increase traction, rubber lugs are added to key areas of the outsole. An RPM midsole provides comfort underfoot while reducing boot weight. A rubber band surrounds nearly the entire perimeter of the upper base for added abrasion resistance. Additional Armatec heel and toe protection guards against ground hazards. When even more protection is desired, a gaiter clip integrates into the design. The lightweight, breathable upper includes

Kenetrek

Many active military service personnel will tell you their service boots have a lot of room for improvement. For 2019, Kenetrek introduces a new duty boot line, the Leather Personnel Carrier, which meets the same rigorous requirements that have made the company the choice of serious hunting guides for years. The coyote brown, 8-inch-tall, 2.8mm-thick, fullgrain roughed-out leather uppers are supported by full-length, tapered, 7mm nylon midsoles and high-traction, deep-lugged, oilresistant K-73 outsoles with increased toe and heel taper. Depending on the environment, you can choose from non-insulat-

KEN ETREK The Leather Personnel Carrier boot comes with varying amounts of insulation: none, 400 grams of Thinsulate, or 1,000 grams.

L ACROSS E The LaCrosse Atlas (shown here in Mossy Oak BreakUp) has a molded rubber toecap and a DuraFit molded rubber heel cup for extra protection. The LXG rubber outsole grips wet and dry ground.

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products

WOLV ERIN E The 8-inch Mountain Hunt features a waterproof full-grain leather upper. A Vibram outsole allows excellent mobility.

X-Lacing, keep the tongue centered. Roller eyelets on freemoving tabs reduce pressure along the top of the foot. Leather and fabric meld together with a Gore-Tex lining. The Vibram outsole and DuraPU midsole enhance durability and provide shock absorption with excellent rebound. Available in half sizes from 9 to 11.5; whole in 12 and 13. SRP: starts at $260. Booth #10232. (lowaboots.com)

Reebok ROCKY The King Snake protects the wearer from snakebites while offering comfortable and flexible wear. This 16-inch boot utilizes the quick, no-lace BOA closure system and is easy to slip on or remove. The high-walled Vibram outsole grips rocks like a champ. Finished in Realtree Edge.

ed or 400 grams of Thinsulate insulation for warmth without the bulk. Another option is 1,000 grams of Thinsulate for extreme cold protection. Steel toes that meet ASTM F2412-11 and ASTM F2413-11 impact, compression, and electrical hazard safety standards are available in all three models. Made in Italy in sizes 8 to 11.5 in whole and half; 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in whole narrow, medium, and wide widths. SRP: starts at $360. Booth #1318. (kenetrek.

ates an outsole with optimal traction to grip wet and dry ground, while the Infini Trac outsole lug design adapts to terrain for improved surface contact. In addition, every Atlas boot features a Dry-Core waterproof lining. Offered in non-insulated, or 400, 800, and 1,200-gram PrimaLoft insulation packages. Available in Realtree Edge, Mossy Oak Break-Up Country, and solid brown. Sizes: 8 to 14, whole only. SRP: starts at $169.96. Booth #10770.

com)

(lacrossefootwear.com)

LaCrosse

Lowa

The LaCrosse Atlas uses a sturdy, molded rubber toecap along with a DuraFit molded rubber heel cup for extra protection. The LXG rubber compound cre-

The Baldo GTX is an extremely lightweight boot that will keep your feet supported and protected in moderate terrain. Proven Lowa comfort details, like

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The Sublite Cushion Tactical (series RB8809) has a composite safety toe and side zipper for wear with the new Air Force uniform. The new, 6-inch series RB8606 also features a composite safety toe and zipper. The Sublite dual-density foam midsole technology maximizes cushioning for comfort and responsiveness, while minimizing weight. Deep flex grooves in the midsole aid natural movement. The boots also feature a MemoryTech Massage Footbed that adapts to the foot’s unique contours. A slip-resistant outsole grips in slippery conditions. Available in coyote and black in medium sizes 4–16; 4–15 in wide. SRP: starts at $150. Booth #10179. (warsonbrands .com)

Rocky

The Rocky King Snake offers 16 inches of snake-proof protection with comfort

and flexibility. This supportive boot utilizes the quick, no-lace BOA closure system. The Texon Magma upper shaft is finished in Realtree Edge. A Rocky Airport interior footbed provides cushion on rocks and uneven terrain. Best of all, the boot is easy to slip on and off. The outsole uses a rock- gripping proprietary high-walled Vibram outsole stitched to the upper for durability. Featuring Rocky’s Vapor Pass waterproof protection, the boots come with a one-year performance guarantee. Finished in Realtree Edge, sizes 8 to 11.5 D, and 11 to 13 EE. SRP: starts at $269. Booth #11340. (rockyboots.com)

Wolverine

The Mountain Hunt provides excellent stability, support, traction, and durability. The hikerinspired design highlights a premium, waterproof full-grain leather upper. The 8-inch height offers full coverage for ultimate foot protection yet is exceptionally lightweight. A Vibram outsole allows superior movement and traction. The 400 grams of PrimaLoft insulation keeps you warm on colder days, but it won’t slow you down. Made for the hunter who lives for long days in the outdoors, this boot looks good and feels great. Sizes include 7 to 12M, 13, and 14; 7 to 12, and 13 Extra Wide. SRP: FARM TO FEET starts at $210. Booth The North Conway #10340. (wolverine sock is made with ultra-soft U.S. merino wool.

bootsandshoes .com)

FROMthe NSSF NSSF led the way in the effort to enact legislation that would provide incentives to states to upload all disqualifying mental-health records into the NICS database.

FixNICS

Better background checks help support the Second Amendment and the shooting sports By Brian McCombie

his past March, President Donald Trump signed into law a Federal Omnibus package that included the FixNICS Act. Thanks to the leadership of U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), with concerted efforts by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the FixNICS Act will not only improve the efficiency and reach of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), it will further strengthen the Second Amendment and the shooting sports industry.

Named after NSSF’s FixNICS campaign, the FixNICS Act provides incentives to states to upload all disqualifying mentalhealth records into the NICS database operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It requires federal agencies to do the same. Led by NSSF, 16 organizations in the sportsmen’s community, representing millions of hunters and sportsmen, voiced

their support for the FixNICS Act in the weeks leading up to its final passage and encouraged the enforcement of existing laws. NSSF has had enormous success with its FixNICS initiative on the state level, helping to implement NICS legislation in 16

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states. Launched in 2013, the campaign was developed to ensure proper records were being shared with NICS. Established 18 years ago with the Congressional passage of the Brady Act, NICS was actually a recommendation of the firearms industry—a recommendation long before there was a Brady Act. The operating principle then and now is to protect the Second

Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and the lawful commerce in firearms while denying access to firearms by individuals prohibited by current law from purchasing or possessing them. However, it had become apparent over the last several years that the NICS system itself needed work. Some people who should have been included on the list of prohibited individuals were, in fact,

f e at u r e s

SIG SAUER LAUNCHES NEW CLEANING SYSTEM

The last thing the firearms industry wants to see are federally prohibited individuals gaining access to firearms, and submission of proper records to NICS will help alleviate those issues.

not on the list. In several cases, these people actually purchased firearms, and, tragically, used them to commit crimes.

Enter NSSF and its FixNICS Campaign

FixNICS (fixnics.org) has seen enormous success on the state level, with the implementation of legislation in more than a dozen states to ensure prohibited individuals are identified and placed on the proper list. This NSSF campaign was also developed to ensure the proper records were being shared between the states and the federal agencies within the NICS program. “The last thing the firearms industry wants to see are federally prohibited individuals gaining access to firearms, and we feel the submission of these records to NICS will help alleviate those issues,” says Jake McGuigan, Managing Director, State Affairs for NSSF. But if FixNICS has passed federally, is there still a need for the NSSF initiative at the state level? Very much so, McGuigan notes. “Yes, the federal bill passed, and that was extremely important,” McGuigan says. “We have states’ rights issues, though, and states can decide whether they want to comply. That is why it is necessary for us to pass laws on the state level as well. Also, some states have

laws forbidding the sharing of certain records, and these laws may have to be adjusted to accommodate NICS submissions. Obviously we want every record of a prohibited person to be included. There have been issues with some federal agencies also not supplying the appropriate records, and we are working to improve that reporting as well.” When the FixNICS legislation was first introduced, many incorrect statements about the initiative were spread across social media and other platforms. For example, some insisted that the FixNICS Act would actually violate people’s Second Amendment rights. But according to Lawrence Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President for Public Affairs and General Counsel, “FixNICS is not a ‘guncontrol’ measure, no matter how some opportunistic cosponsors on that side of the gun debate chose to characterize the bill. In truth, the legislation is based on the previous state-level work of the firearms industry to improve a system put into place nearly two decades ago. Ever since its inception, NICS has been hamstrung by the systemic failure to include all necessary disqualifying records in its database.” Keane notes that NSSF’s work has resulted in a 170 percent increase in records submission, to 4.5 million in 2016, up from only 1.7 million

52 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019

in 2013. He added that under the FixNICS Act, the definition of a prohibited person is not being expanded—another bit of fake news that social media was sharing. Government bureaucrats cannot unilaterally and arbitrarily put the names of law-abiding Americans into the NICS database to stop them from buying firearms. Yet, as it was intended, FixNICS will stop prohibited people from being able to purchase firearms from a federally licensed firearms retailer. For 2019 and beyond, NSSF will advance this very necessary work to improve NICS reporting. “NSSF continues to dedicate substantial resources to the effort, since the job is not yet complete,” McGuigan says. “The 2019 legislative session will mark the sixth year of the campaign, and the focus will shift to three states that have not yet implemented FixNICS: Montana, Wyoming, and New Hampshire. We spent the time, the money, and the resources on FixNICS because we know that it is extremely important to our retail members to feel confident when they conduct background checks on their customers. Contrary to what the anti-gun groups claim, the shooting sports industry is the leading proponent of making sure only law-abiding citizens can purchase and use firearms.”

Spec1 is a premium firearms cleaning system specially formulated for SIG Sauer by Slip2000. It’s a non-toxic, non-hazardous, synthetic-based lubricant that does not use Teflon, silicones, or petroleum distillates. “This partnership between SIG Sauer and Slip2000 that has resulted in Spec1 is a win for our consumers,” says Tom Taylor, SIG Sauer’s chief marketing officer and executive vice president of commercial sales. “For years, Slip2000 has been the lubricant of choice among our SIG Sauer Academy instructors. Because of the quality and performance of the product, it’s also been the lubricant of choice of military units in the United States and around the world.” The complete Spec1 Premium Cleaning System includes synthetic gun lubricant, light gun grease, bore solvent, and gun degreaser. Spec1 is formulated to reduce heat and wear, and to keep firearms running smoother and last longer. It will not attract dust, dirt, and sand, or feel sticky and tacky like most petroleum-based products on the market today. The synthetic lubricant also will not dry up, freeze in cold temperatures, or allow carbon, copper, and plastic wad fouling to stick in the barrels or to gun parts. The non-toxic, non-hazardous formula is completely safe for the end user during application, cleaning, and firing. “Slip2000 is honored to be working with SIG Sauer to introduce Spec1,” says Greg Conner, president of Slip2000/SPS Marketing. “We are also extremely proud that our lubricants earned the favor of the elite SIG Sauer Academy instructors through rigorous use and testing.” Booth #12240. (sigsauer.com)

SIG Sauer and Slip2000 have joined forces to create the Spec1 premium cleaning system.

from the nssf

Taking Action NSSF partners with AFSP to reduce suicides By Brad Fitzpatrick

here’s been extensive discussion regarding gun-related deaths in the United States in recent years, and the firearms industry has taken active steps to help reduce firearms-related fatalities by educating shooters on proper gun handling and safe storage methods. These education programs, spearheaded by groups like the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), are having a significant impact: Accidental shootings dropped 17 percent from 2014 to 2015, and are at historic low levels. One statistic that’s often overlooked, though, is the number of firearms-related deaths that are the result of suicides.

According to the latest statistics, roughly 66 percent of firearmsrelated deaths in this country are a result of intentional self-inflicted injuries. NSSF has taken steps to help reduce the number of suicides by firearm, having worked closely with the Veteran’s Administration, the State of Utah, and various mental-health agencies across the nation to educate gun owners regarding suicide prevention. Last year, NSSF broadened its efforts by partnering with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Founded in 1987, AFSP is the largest non-profit dedicated to preventing suicide, as well as helping those affected by suicide. “Recognizing that two-thirds of all firearms-related fatalities are suicides and that we have effective programs in place to help prevent firearms accidents and criminal acquisition of firearms, NSSF was looking for the right partner to help educate the gun-owning community about suicide prevention, with the goal of reducing the rate of suicide over time,” says Bill Brassard, Senior Director of Communications for NSSF. “We found AFSP to be the right partner because of its knowledge of suicide prevention and, importantly, because it had chosen not to engage in gun-control politics and to focus on saving lives. NSSF was the right partner for AFSP because it is a trusted provider of gun safety messaging to firearms owners.” Historically, families of suicide victims and those contemplating suicide have been unwilling to discuss the topic, but AFSP has been working to promote open dialogue. “There’s been a longstanding reluctance to talk about suicide in general,” says Brassard. “Fortunately, that is changing due to the efforts of many groups, including AFSP, which is known for its Out of the Darkness Walks and Talk Saves Lives program. We all have mental health as well as physical health, and if you’re worried about someone, experts say to trust your gut and talk to them, even asking directly about

Working with AFSP, NSSF has developed a Suicide Prevention Toolkit for firearms retailers and shooting ranges.

suicide. Research shows that having that brave conversation will not cause them to act on their thoughts, and that they’ll actually feel relieved someone took the time to bring it up.”

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Historically, suicide has been viewed as a mental-health issue, but by speaking out and working collaboratively with organizations like AFSP, the firearms community can be an active voice in pre-

venting suicide by controlling access to firearms. “NSSF can play a role in helping to reduce suicide by educating gun owners and their families about warning signs, risk factors, where to locate help, and storing firearms securely to prevent access by individuals going through a difficult time,” Brassard says. “Working with AFSP, NSSF developed a Suicide Prevention Toolkit for firearms retailers and shooting ranges to educate staff on how to recognize warning signs so that they will not sell or rent a gun to a troubled person, and to understand how they may help them. “We found that some retailers and ranges that had unfortunately experienced suicide at their businesses were already training their staffs. NSSF’s materials—educational videos, brochures, in-store signage—will expand this education to more businesses and their customers. All NSSF member retailers and ranges received the toolkit last March. The toolkit and its contents, such as the AFSPNSSF Firearms and Suicide brochure and Have a Brave Conver sation poster, can be ordered free of charge at NSSF.org/safety/ suicide-prevention.” Brassard says that being observant of family members and friends, learning the warning signs of suicide, knowing where to locate help, and being sure that firearms are securely locked away when not in use are all ways to help prevent suicide. “The decision to take one’s own life is often impulsive. Putting time and distance between a person at high suicide risk and a means of harm can save a life,” says Brassard. To learn more about the NSSF program for retailers and ranges, go to NSSF.org/safety/suicideprevention. For more information about suicide prevention in general, go to afsp.org.

from the nssf

Renewed emphasis on First Shots and Step Outside programs helps reactivate former shooters and get new participants out to the range.

Strategic Initiatives

NSSF remains focused on taking its mission to new levels in 2019

By Christopher Cogley he National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has always been focused on its mission of promoting, protecting, and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. This fiscal year, however, NSSF is implementing several new strategic initiatives that will take that commitment to a whole new level.

“It’s never been more important for us to make sure we accomplish our overarching mission, and we’re in the middle of a threeyear plan to make sure we do just that,” says Steve Sanetti, NSSF CEO. As part of that commitment, NSSF is implementing new programs, and adding emphasis to existing initiatives, in an effort to ensure that each of those core elements of its mission is achieved. The first part of that mission is the need to raise awareness of the importance of the shooting sports and the many benefits that come with participating in them. As a

way to help accomplish that goal, NSSF spent a great deal of time and effort promoting its National Shooting Sports Month last August to get more people out to their local ranges. “Our goal was to get 50,000 new participants out to the ranges during that month, because we all know that if we can just get people to try it, they’re going to see how much fun shooting can be,” Sanetti says. To help members get involved in the effort, NSSF created a promotional toolkit on its website that retailers, ranges, and manufacturers could use to set up and

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promote local events. NSSF also established the #LetsGoShooting initiative that makes it easy for people across the country to share images and details of their events as a way to help spread the word and show others how much fun shooting events can be. NSSF’s efforts to promote hunting and the shooting sports also continued well past August. Based on the success of the #LetsGoShooting campaign, NSSF expanded its social media reach and engaged in an extensive influencer campaign that’s focused on alleviating common misconceptions about firearms and

from the nssf

spreading the truth about what the shooting sports industry truly stands for. “We aren’t just selling guns. We’re also selling firearms safety, and we need to do a better job of making people aware of that fact,” Sanetti says. Sometimes, the only way to make a convincing case for the reality of what the industry is really doing to promote firearms safety and responsible gun use is to get people to experience it firsthand. So, as part of the increased effort to promote hunting and the shooting sports, NSSF has also placed renewed emphasis on legacy programs such as First Shots and Step Outside as a way to reactivate former shooters and get new participants out to the range. These efforts to get more people involved in hunting and the shooting sports not only help a larger percentage of people understand the firearms industry, but they also make the task of protecting these pastimes infinitely easier to accomplish. And because this aspect of its overarching mission is so important, NSSF in 2018 put in place additional programs that will go a long way toward protecting the traditions we all hold in such high regard. “With everything that’s going on in our country right now, protecting the firearms industry is obviously a big focus for us,” Sanetti says. “So much of the success of that mission is going to come down to our efforts to educate people across the country on who we are and what we stand for.” Sanetti says it’s with that goal in mind that NSSF is going to be focused on “quickly and forcibly responding to” inaccuracies and falsehoods promoted in the mainstream media and presenting the truth about all that NSSF and its members are doing to promote firearms safety and responsible gun ownership. This includes the new Operation Secure Store initiative, one that NSSF is placing a tremendous number of resources behind in an effort to help curb the disturbing trend of smash-and-grab robberies that have been taking place at FFLs across the country. NSSF placed an even greater emphasis on educating the public during the mid-term elections, helping to ensure that voters were aware of key issues in their states and how those issues could impact hunting and the shooting sports. NSSF is also using education as a tool for protecting the industry by gaining support for reforming the restrictions on firearms exports to

Based on the success of the #LetsGoShooting campaign, NSSF expanded its social media reach and engaged in an influencer campaign that’s focused on alleviating common misconceptions about firearms.

help make it easier for U.S. manufacturers to export non-military weapons overseas. In addition to these and many other efforts on a national level, NSSF remains committed to protecting the industry from localized legislation that poses threats to members from one side of the country to the other. To be more effective at accomplishing that goal, NSSF expanded its physical presence this year and established a West Coast office that will allow the organization to better serve the needs of members in Western states who face very different threats from those in the East. “More and more, the Western states are becoming key battle-

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ground areas, and we need to make sure we have a strong presence there so we can respond to threats more quickly and effectively,” Sanetti says. These efforts to protect the rights of its members might be one of the most effective ways NSSF is helping to preserve the heritage of hunting and the shooting sports, but there are many other ways the organization is working to ensure these cherished traditions will be available for many generations to come. At the forefront of that effort in 2018, NSSF launched a comprehensive campaign to help dramatically increase recruitment into the shooting sports by encouraging

the construction of new indoor ranges in cities across the country. “Urbanization is obviously becoming more and more prominent,” Sanetti says. “We already know that people are less likely to participate in the shooting sports if they have to travel too far to do it, so if we can establish more indoor ranges in urban areas, we’re much more likely to get people involved in the shooting sports, because they won’t have to travel so far to be able to participate.” NSSF is also hoping to help increase recruitment and retention by enhancing its website to provide more resources for members and make those resources easier to access. The staff has been working to expand its online training resources for members and grow the internal member services department in an effort to give NSSF members across the country more personalized attention and make it easier for them to come up with new and more effective ways to get their customers involved in hunting and the shooting sports. Another way that NSSF helps preserve hunting and the shooting sports is by bringing the industry together once a year during the SHOT Show. Unfortunately, because the show is such an important event, there simply isn’t enough room to accommodate all the vendors who want to participate. But in 2018, after much anticipation, NSSF announced that it would be expanding to two new properties in Las Vegas. The first addition will take place in 2020, with a new space at the MGM Grand, and a second space at the soon-to-be-completed Caesars Forum will be added to the 2021 show. While the show’s core majority exhibition space will continue to be housed in the Sands Expo Center, the new locations will provide room for hundreds of new exhibitors and show events. “We recognize that these are lofty goals for the coming three years, but we also know that they are critical for the continued success of our industry,” Sanetti says. “We have a great team here at NSSF, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they will rise to the challenge and get this done.” With that kind of determination powering these strategic initiatives, the mission to promote, protect, and preserve hunting and the shooting sports is firmly on track to reach new levels of success in 2019 and beyond. And when it does, each and every one of us will benefit from that success.

MINUTES WITH…

Rod Bremer

Chairman/Founder, Columbia River Knife & Tool

Obsessive Innovation CRKT’s reputation for great designs didn’t come about by accident

By Christopher Cogley rowing up in Montana, it was easy for Rod Bremer to develop a love of the outdoors. He put that passion to use when he went to work for one of the biggest names in the knife industry. But burning with a desire to create the kind of knives he wanted to make, Bremer eventually struck out and co-founded Columbia River Knife & Tool. Although he’s no longer as involved in the daily operations as he once was, CRKT still displays the soul and passion Bremer poured into it. So when SHOT Daily wanted to get a snapshot of what the last 25 years has meant for the company and what retailers can expect in the years to come, we turned to the man who’s been there since the beginning.

SHOT Daily: First of all, congratulations on 25 years in business. In an industry that’s as competitive as this, that’s an accomplishment. Rod Bremer: You bet! We’re proud of standing the test of time during the past 25 years. It’s due to lots of very hard work, some great suppliers, a little luck, and really fantastic people that work and call CRKT home. SD: Tell me about how the idea for CRKT came about.

RB: Truthfully, CRKT came out of a proposal to my former employer as a way to combat the weakening U.S. dollar on products made in Japan. In the end, the parent company declined the proposal. No harm, no foul; it was their company. Bottom line, my team bet on ourselves. We decided to take the leap and do what we do best in this country and execute what we thought was a solid plan.

SD: Starting a business is always a courageous move. Did you have any doubts in the beginning that this was the right direction for you?

RB: Absolutely. I clearly remember taking turns in the early years with my partner, talking each other off the cliff. We had customers, and our products seemed to be well received, but we had real challenges getting into production. Consequently, it sometimes got pretty interesting.

SD: What was your initial goal with the company?

RB: Survive! Seriously, if some-

RB: We looked for things that

one who has started a business gives a different answer, I’d absolutely challenge it. Once you decide that you want to fly without a net, you go into hyper-drive just keeping the wheels on the bus, a bus with a million moving parts.

would differentiate us from the competition and found unique products from the custom-knifemaker arena. Now innovation is an obsession at CRKT.

SD: What innovation really stands out for you?

SD: What were you hoping to

RB: We’ve done so many that it’s

accomplish?

RB: It was our desire to work

with the best designers in order to bring a custom knife to market at an affordable price. After 25 years, I am proud of the relationships we’ve made with the custom-knifemaker community. This goal has withstood the test of time, and we’re still working on it every day.

SD: Did you imagine then that you’d be where you are today?

RB: In the beginning, it was

really about survival, but as the years slipped away, the value of building a brand really started to manifest itself in most of our thinking. As the brand started to gain a little traction, planning and working a longer-term strategy really started to materialize.

SD: What has been the biggest challenge the company has had to overcome in the last 25 years, and what did you do to persevere?

RB: We tap a global supply chain (that includes the U.S.) to manufacture our tools. Sourcing from partners all over the world comes with its own set of hurdles. Early on, we faced a couple of very

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severe challenges with U.S. Customs on importing specific types of products that were key to our success. In 2000, we were singled out locally, and a large portion of our inventory was seized and classified as violating the “switchblade/gravity knife” language in the importation codes. Thankfully, we were able to prove that our product was indeed 100 percent legal. We did that in three weeks, I might add, basically saving our young company. Then, in 2009, we had a similar scare from U.S. Customs, again on a class of products commonly known as “assisted opening,” when it arbitrarily decided to reverse the binding rulings that we had obtained from the same agency that specifically allowed this class of knives to be imported. Fortunately, the entire industry rallied, and we were able to successfully change the federal statute to eliminate any ambiguity about assisted-opening knives.

SD: CRKT seems to be at the forefront of innovation in the industry. Is that something you strive for?

really hard to select one. We’ve been fortunate to have put meaningful innovations into the market that enhance our customers’ safety, ease of use, deployment of a blade, and sheaths that do a better job, to name just a few.

SD: What core values are at the heart of CRKT?

RB: We’re passionate about

everything we do. We work hard building strong, loyal collaborations in the design community, and we expect everyone to interact inside our building and out with integrity. We put grit and hard work into everything we do. And, finally, we respect those who serve our community and our country.

SD: What can retailers expect from CRKT this year?

RB: We have two new significant

innovations on deck for our 25th anniversary. The new Deadbolt locking mechanism— the name speaks for itself—and our Kinematic technology, which is one of the coolest ways to deploy a blade, are both emblematic of everything CRKT stands for and are a must-see. Booth #10051.

(crkt.com)

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Safariland prefers to address the size of the operator rather than gender. That’s why it designs and builds unisex holsters.

Proper Fit

Safariland believes unisex holsters work best By Kris Millgate

alk through any airport. You’ll see it. James Dawson, Safariland duty gear category director, certainly sees it. It’s all he sees as he’s herded through security with the traveling masses enduring preflight screenings. “Every single time,” he says. “It makes me crazy.”

What he sees are misplaced holsters. Airport security, men and women, with sagging thigh holsters. The lower it rides, the more it bounces on the run. Running through an airport with a bouncing holster won’t end well. Trouble is, many officers don’t know they’re wearing the holster incorrectly, and it has nothing to do with gender. It’s about height. Thigh holsters are commonly built for someone who is 6 feet 2 inches tall. Not everyone, though, is six-two. Dawson knows this, and the officer will know it as soon as it’s time to run. “They wear them too far down on their leg, and many officers don’t even know to adjust them upward,” Dawson says. “If it’s outrageous, I’ll introduce myself, tell them where I work, and recommend a better fit.”

Better fit, in many cases, is as simple as going from a two-strap hold to a one-strap hold higher up the leg. Any leg. In fact, Safariland addresses size instead of gender. That’s why their holsters are unisex. No ladies’ versus men’s models here. It’s just a matter of sizing equipment properly. “We want the holster itself to have the same features and attributes regardless of who it’s built for,” Dawson says. “We tailor the fit based on specific body type.” Critical components are the same. Draw is the same. Repeatability is the same. They have to be. When police departments order in bulk, they expect consistency in training and maintenance. That’s why the spike in gender-specific holsters simmered down after a handful of experimental years.

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“There was actually a very big push five or six years ago for female-specific products, especially for law enforcement,” Dawson says. “It’s tempered a bit, and I think that’s because it’s not a good idea to have products that are fundamentally changed for a female officer. Tailored for a specific user is good, but completely different doesn’t work on the lawenforcement side.” The ride of any holster, be it thigh or belt, can be customized in several ways to fit any body size. About 90 percent of officers wear mid-ride belt holsters, but that position can be lowered for female officers and officers with longer arms. Various mounts on belts determine the ride and how the holster lays next to the body. With so many options, size isn’t the challenge anymore. Space is.

“They’re running out of room. More and more stuff is added,” Dawson says. “Tasers take a big chunk of space. And now tourniquets. Things never leave the belt. They only add on.” Belts are crowded and heavy, about 25 pounds. A loaded handgun and the radio are the heaviest parts. That’s why some accessories are moving to the vest. Safariland’s new holsters are injection-molded, which makes them much lighter, whether they’re on a hip, a vest, or, as in the case of the airport security pesonnel who catch Dawson’s eye every time he flies, the thigh. “Where we can save on weight, we do,” he says. “It doesn’t make up for the weight of the gun, but every bit helps.” Booth #12762. (safariland. com)

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Profound Concept

Wiley X is dedicated to a singular premise By Slaton L. White hirty years ago, military veteran Myles Freeman Sr. founded Wiley X to further a profound concept: “To protect the eyes of those who protect America.” Like many businesses in this country, Wiley X started small, and Freeman enlisted the help of his sons—Dan Freeman and Myles Freeman Jr.—in the family enterprise. Today, the brothers are coowners of a worldwide enterprise. How did Wiley X achieve this?

Basically, through a lot of hard work and an unwavering commitment to build superior products. “Wiley X is not your typical sunglass brand,” says Myles Freeman Jr., co-owner and president of sales. “We want to produce a great-looking assortment, but it’s common knowledge in the industry that Wiley X strives to be so much more than that. To be clear, the characteristics that make a Wiley X a Wiley X is that we manage to fuse safety, fashion, and functionality into every pair we manufacture.” That said, you could say that the prime directive of the company is “safety.” Freeman agrees.

Safety First

“Safety is incredibly important to the brand,” he says. “It’s what separates us from the masses, and it’s what we believe in. It’s an easy conversation to have with a potential customer when they understand where your passion comes from. In other words, you only have one set of eyes. Why would you ever compromise them?” Freeman stresses that Wiley X has set the benchmark for safety, style, and utility in the premium performance sunglass category “by absolutely insisting that all adult premium eyewear products meet the ANSI Z87.1 safety standard for high-velocity/high-mass impact. Our Youth Force line of sport protective eyewear meets ASTM F803 sports safety standards, while also being designed for kids to wear all day long. Furthermore, it’s no secret that many adult designs also meet various mil-spec ballistic military fragmentation standards for both goggles and spectacles.” He believes the emphasis on safety remains a strong selling point for retailers. But he also says, “From a retail perspective, why not add a choice to your store lineup that offers multifunction capabilities as well?” Freeman also says another key selling point is the company’s heritage as a supplier to the U.S. military. “You could say Wiley X was

born on the battlefield. Today, this very same ballistic technology worn on the battlefield is available to many civilian markets. Wiley X eyewear and gloves are ideal for weekend warriors or those who live an active lifestyle. Our cut-resistant Kevlar and Nomex gloves used around the world in military and security applications offer the ultimate hand protection, while allowing maximum dexterity. In addition, our eyewear with patented Removable Facial Cavity Seals cuts through Mother Nature’s harshest elements by protecting the wearer from wind, dust, debris, and peripheral light, while boosting polarization. The end result provides our customers the most functional viewing experience possible.”

Looking Ahead

One of the hallmarks of industry leaders is the ability to think ahead, to try to anticipate evolving trends in order to stay ahead of the pack. Freeman believes Wiley X excels in this area. “As for industry trends in tactical glasses, we’re seeing multi-platform sizing for unilateral, functional supply of many large companies and battalions. Along with that, there is demand for consistent and progressive advancement of transitional lens technologies, and temples that fit better with all communication headwear. The future involves eyewear that offers communicative and smart technology to the wearer, including GPS and other forms of mission-critical information.” Wiley X offers both full-frame and partial-frame glasses. Doing so allows the company to offer the type of frame that best suits individual needs. “It really boils down to the individual,” Freeman says. “The standard answer has to do with sight lines and frames getting in the way if your lower view point is the focal point of whatever activity you’re engaged in. Industry experts will tell you that a half frame doesn’t disrupt your sight line. My take on that is that it’s mostly individual preference. We can design glasses to wrap tightly

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The author with a pair of Wiley X Romer 3 full-frame glasses that he wore on a ruffed grouse hunt last fall. Wiley X also was able to provide prescription lenses for this model.

and keep a frame or no frame out of your sight lines regardless. But for some with a high nose bridge or cheekbones, you just can’t get around the image of a frame. This is where naturally a half-frame design would be the clear recommendation.”

The Women’s Market

The shooting sports are seeing an increase in participation by women. Wiley X, Freeman says, is aware of the trend. “Because we are arguably the most durable product out there, we obviously tend to have a lot of male followers,” he says. “There are also those who believe we only sell to men. But, to be honest, we’re already selling pretty well to women. So, the uptick in

women’s shooting keeps us sharp as it relates to designing and building more unisex-oriented products. It certainly influences how we market these products.” Like many manufacturers today, evolving technologies and business practices have had a profound affect on company operations. “We truly believe that changes in technology are directly related to brand and channel growth,” Freeman says. “Therefore, we’re making what we think are the necessary and correct strategic adjustments in order to have a presence in e-commerce in a way that benefits our brick-and-mortar dealer network. I can’t really say more than that right now, but we’re working on it, and we think the future will be very exciting for us and our retail partners.” Booth #32221. (wileyx.com)

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Lipsey’s believes in the power of teamwork, and from the top down works hard to make every employee feel like a member of the team. This culture builds a strong team, and those relationshiops carry over to the company’s vendors and its customers.

Bring On the Funk Lipsey’s puts the fun into team building By Jodi Stemler

f you don’t think Lipsey’s is a funky place to work, then you need to check out their corporate video. Last year, after seeing some of her staff’s dance moves at the company holiday party, Lipsey’s president and CEO, Laurie Lipsey Aronson, got an idea.

“I decided that we needed to go where no other distributor had gone before,” she says. “We were going to make a dance video.” And so they did. She put together a committee, worked with a friend who was a choreographer, and last year they released a company video featuring every employee dancing to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” The antics show off the culture of a family-owned company in operation for more than 60 years, a company that has grown into one of the largest independently owned, single-location firearms distributors in the country. Named Lipsey’s president in 2002 and CEO in 2010, Aronson recognizes that the company is already perhaps stepping away from the norm within the shooting sports industry by having a woman at the helm. “I like doing things differently,” Aronson says. “The video did have a purpose, because it was great, innocent fun. But it pairs back with our corporate culture and shows off what a fantastic team we have here.” She is rightfully proud of her team and their hard work, recognizing that it is essential to find the

best skill sets for her employees and for the company. “We’re looking to get the right people in the right jobs,” she says. “Figure out what the best fit is for the company. We hire for the personality and train for the skills, and that has been good for the whole team.” This culture of teamwork is what has made the most impact for Lipsey’s customers, according to Aronson. It all starts with relationships, first as a team, which then carries over to their vendors and their customers. Aronson’s path to expand the company was to take their existing customers and make them bigger; to build loyal customers, not just recurring customers. Their fully stocked warehouse allows the company to fill any last-minute requests by retailers. Aronson has also had fun with building creative new programs. Working with CFO and senior vice president Mark Emonet, who spearheads the effort, the company’s March Madness is a full-court press for their sales team, their “sell like hell” month. There are a variety of daily games in which team members compete in darts or cooking contests. Manufacturer

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representatives come in to talk about and help push new product lines—and provide giveaways for the entire company. What Lipsey’s learned is that the enthusiasm from March Madness carries forward; though March is always their highest budgeted month of the year, in 2018 the momentum continued, and they had their best April on record. The key is creating opportunities to have fun and increase sales. Another program that sets Lipsey’s apart are their exclusives. The distributor is an active member of the TALO wholesale buying cooperative that offers specialedition collectible firearms. But their unique niche is with Lipsey’s Exclusives—firearms specially developed in partnership with manufacturers and that are available to retailers only through Lipsey’s. The program works because it allows their retailers to offer guns that consumers can’t find anywhere else. Aronson credits Lipsey’s vice president and product development manager, Jason Cloessner, for following blogs and being connected with customers to know what will sell. “Jason really understands the

technical side of what specific features would make things different,” she says. “He then goes to our manufacturing partners and works with their engineering teams to see what can be done. These aren’t just cosmetic changes, but technical improvements that make Lipsey’s Exclusive firearms unique. The key is that when the retailer can get these exclusives only through us, we’re giving them a reason to call us. And because we have a fully stocked warehouse, they can fill their order with whatever other products they need.” Aronson regularly credits the roots planted firmly by her father, Richard Lipsey, for building the strong foundation on which the family business runs. While she recognizes that it’s unusual for a firearms company to be led by a woman, she emphasizes that it doesn’t define Lipsey’s. “I hope that people respect me for how I lead. My hardest lesson was to learn to fit in, but not blend in. I need to be a first-rate version of myself, not a secondrate version of someone else,” she says. “My advice for women in the industry—frankly, it’s for both men and women—is just be yourself, be confident.” Bringing the uptown funk swagger to her family’s company truly shows confidence. And that confidence manifests in Lipsey’s being a well-respected, industryleading company, led by one of the industry’s top professionals, male or female. Booth #11329. (lipseys.com)

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An American Dream Jason Vanderbrink proves that hard work can take you straight to the top By Richard Mann

hat is the American Dream? Actually, it can be many things. Most commonly, it is an ethos based on the ideals of democracy, liberty, and equality, and includes the opportunity for prosperity and success. For the working man or woman, a simpler definition might be the hopefulness for success as an entrepreneur or employee. Jason Vanderbrink is an example of what hard work and a belief in the American Dream can get you.

Vanderbrink grew up on a farm in Michigan, a farm his father still operates. A diehard Detroit Tigers fan, he pitched for his high-school baseball team and played golf. His dream was to become a U.S. Secret Service agent, but after completing a oneyear internship, he realized that the job involved looking for a lot of counterfeit money rather than just protecting the President. Instead, he went to work selling Remington products, and because he was a hunter and an avid sporting clays shooter (he won the Michigan State Junior Championship), he found being in the gun business was just as fulfilling. In 2005, Vanderbrink joined Vista Outdoor (at the time ATK) as a national account manager, handling retail accounts for

Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, and Midway USA. He was successful, and established ATK’s Bentonville, Arkansas, office to better serve Walmart. He was also instrumental in establishing fullline placements of Federal, CCI, and Speer ammunition at several major retail accounts. In 2010, Vanderbrink became director of sales for the entire portfolio of ATK brands, including ammunition and accessories. In that capacity, he was responsible for major retail accounts and drove ATK into the number-one position for ammunition market share. He also substantially increased the presence of the Blackhawk! brand at retail stores. In 2013, he was promoted to vice president of retail sales, overseeing ammunition, accessories, and the newly acquired Savage

Jason Vanderbrink—still a passionate hunter—with a great trophy mule deer taken last fall.

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Arms. The brands under his watch included Federal, CCI, Speer, Blackhawk!, Bushnell, Primos, Hoppe’s, Tasco, and Simmons. In that capacity, he drove many successful product initiatives, such as the Mossy Oak THUGs deer and turkey ammunition at Walmart, Federal Premium Personal Defense ammunition, the Train and Protect multi-purpose handgun ammo line, and the NonTypical deer-hunting-specific ammunition. In January 2017, he received another promotion and was named the senior vice president of sales for Vista Outdoor. He reported directly to the CEO. Eleven months later, he became president of the ammunition division, spearheading a new strategic direction for the company that separated accessories and ammu-

nition into individual business units. He also reestablished ammunition—Federal, CCI, and Speer—as the core business for Vista Outdoor. So, in 17 years, he went from a college graduate to being named the president of the largest division of Vista Outdoor. And that largest division happens to be the largest ammunition company in the world. Federal began humbly, in 1922, when Charles L. Horn took control of a three-year-old fledgling ammunition manufacturer. Knowing the competition would be fierce, he embarked on the novel strategy of getting his product onto the shelves at barbershops, gas stations, and grocery stores. He also succeeded in establishing a contract to sell Federal ammunition through Montgomery Ward and Sears.

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Now the largest ammunition manufacturer in the world, Federal makes a wide variety of products (above). As president of Federal, Jason Vanderbrink doesn’t just sit in an office. He often gets on the factory floor (below) to see those products roll off the production line.

The plan worked, and by 1941 Federal had secured an $87 million contract from the U.S. government. Today, the factory in Anoka, Minnesota, covers 700,000 square feet, and has 1,400 employees working in three 24/7 shifts to produce millions of rounds of centerfire, rimfire, and shotshell ammo per day for hunters, shooters, military contracts, and members of law enforcement. The CCI and Speer facilities encompass 400 acres in Nez Perce County, Idaho, with more than 350,000 square feet of manufacturing space and approximately 1,100 employees. According to the 2017 annual report prepared by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Federal had purchase numbers of 21 percent for end users who bought shotshells, 11 percent of

the amount of rifle ammo purchased, and 14 percent of the handgun ammo sold. But when you factor in the other brands under the Vista Outdoor umbrella, the totals are even more impressive. The share of buyers for rifle ammo was 30 percent, handgun was 37 percent, and shotshells were 26 percent. That’s an amazing success story for an American company, and it parallels that of Vanderbrink, who says he’s not done. “My vision for Federal, CCI, and Speer, in the next 10 years, is to grow our current number-one market share position,” he says. “I also want to become the most efficient manufacturer in the business, and grow the Federal Premium brand in key categories, such as centerfire rifle and premium shotshell, while growing market-leader CCI in

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rimfire ammunition. We need to be more focused on the end users and be the leader in innovation in all of our brands. I think complacency has ruined many great companies, and I can assure you we are not, and will not be, complacent. We will expand research and development activity and consumer insights so we have a solution for any consumer need.” Vanderbrink gives much of the credit for his and the company’s achievements to the passionate and dedicated employees who work at Federal, CCI, and Speer. He’s adamant that none of this would have been possible if those employees were not the life breath of the products and brands for which he’s responsible. With a path for Federal, CCI, and Speer to follow for the next 10 years mapped out, you have to

wonder what’s next for him. “We will see what happens, but hopefully I’m still the president of our ammunition business unit,” he says. “After that, I would like to be a professor at a university or college. I think being able to educate people is an honor, and I’d like to help ensure that everyone realizes this great country has opportunities for anyone who is willing to work hard.” Vanderbrink knows what can be achieved with hard work, and because of that, he just may understand the American Dream better than many. Both he and the company he represents know that with hard work and a dedication to innovation, you can go from the bottom to the top. And that really is the essence of the American Dream. Booth #14551. (federalpremium.com)

f e at u r e s

The 350 Legend should greatly appeal to hunters who live in straight-wallcartridge states, but it will no doubt have appeal far past that special segment.

Birth of a Legend

Winchester Ammo has something special up its sleeve for deer hunters By Slaton L. White

ike County, Missouri, is classic Midwest whitetail country, consisting of rolling hills, timbered draws, and alternating fields of corn, soybeans, and turnips. As such, it is the perfect place to test a new centerfire cartridge from Winchester Ammunition.

Kyle Masinelli, manager of centerfire and rimfire new product development for Winchester Ammunition, has invited me to hunt with this brand-new cartridge, which is debuting at the 2019 SHOT show. He figures the bigbodied bucks we would be hunting would test the mettle of the cartridge. He needn’t have worried. On the third day, with a pair of big bucks hanging in the cooler, we settled down to talk about how the cartridge came to be. “Cartridge development is sometimes a solution in search of a problem,” he says. “Not this.” That said, he admits that “the .30-caliber arena is a really crowded market, and it’s hard to come up with something new.” But Winchester has. It’s the 350 Legend.

What It Is

“The 350 Legend, which will be part of the Deer Season XP line, is

a straight-wall cartridge,” he says. “The idea, when we began work on this 18 months ago, was to develop something really new. Even though there have been a lot of cartridge introductions over the past 10 to 15 years, we felt there

was a void out there that nobody was filling. We believed an affordable, straight-wall-compliant cartridge—one that was accurate, relatively quiet, and had low recoil— would interest a lot of hunters. Clearly, the round will appeal to

Winchester Repeating Arms, Winchester Ammunition’s licensing partner, modified the XPR bolt-action rifle to accommodate the dimensions of the new 350 Legend straight-wall cartridge.

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hunters who live in straight-wall states, mainly in the Midwest, where this type of cartridge is allowed, but it has appeal far past that segment.” If you’re not familiar with the straight-wall concept, it’s essentially a non-bottlenecked centerfire pistol cartridge. By design, the range is limited to 250 yards. Many states that now allow straight-wall cartridges for deer had previously banned or severely restricted centerfire hunting, such restrictions having been put in place over concerns that centerfire bullets can travel more than 500 yards. Those same concerns were also part of the appeal of limited-range muzzleloaders and slug guns. “But lower-power straightwalls, and the 350 Legend is no different, don’t have the range or trajectory of a .308, which keeps our cartridge in compliance with applicable state regulations,” Masinelli says. In other words, a straight-wall cartridge gives muzzleloaders and

f e at u r e s

THE OTHER HALF

Straight-wall cartridges, such as Winchester’s new 350 Legend, are designed to deliver maximum performance at shorter ranges.

slug gunners the option of centerfire performance. Going this route allows muzzleloaders and slug gunners to up their game, as the 350 Legend has a much flatter trajectory than that of a Foster slug, or even a sabot slug shot through a rifled barrel. Then, too, there is what Masinelli calls the round’s “overall shootability.” “Recoil is just slightly more than a .223 Remington or a 300 Blackout, but the terminal performance exceeds both,” he says. “In a 20-inch barrel, this cartridge delivers about 1,800 foot-pounds of energy. Compare that to a .223, which is around 1,150 to 1,200 foot-pounds. We’re getting a substantial increase in terminal effectiveness. In fact, it’s the full weight of a classic .30-caliber deer load, but with far less recoil.” It’s also a relatively quiet round. “A .308 will have 43 to 45 grains of powder in each cartridge,” he says. “The 350 Legend has only 21 grains. So, you have half the amount of propellant, but with a bigger bore diameter. That means the exit pressures are very low, the concussion is very low, even though it’s a fully supersonic, full-power cartridge, and the report is minimal. And, of course, the recoil is very light.” This is a light-shooting round that packs a powerful punch. The five of us in camp took big-bodied, heavy-antlered mature deer at distances between 25 and 75 yards. Four of the shots were broadsides that opened gaping wound channels. Those deer all went down within 10 yards. My deer, a 10-pointer, took a quartering shot into the left shoulder, staggered upon impact, and ran into the woods. He went only 50 yards, and we recovered him with little effort. The Extreme Point bullet con-

sists of four features: a large-diameter polymer tip that accelerates expansion, resulting in rapid impact trauma; a streamlined ballistic profile for flat trajectory and energy retention; a tapered jacket engineered for lethal penetration; and an alloy lead core optimized for maximum energy transfer and impact power. At 200 yards, the bullet will drop 8.5 inches; at 300 yards, 31.3 inches. But if you zero the rifle at 150 yards, you can hold dead-on at 200 yards because the drop is only 4.5 inches. That will still put the bullet in a deer’s vitals. Masinelli says the round is perfect for recoil-sensitive shooters, young or old. And because the recoil is so light, it allows the shooter to reacquire the target quickly if a follow-up shot is needed. But maybe the best news of all is price. Because the rimless 350 Legend combines a modified .223 Remington parent shell case with a .357/9mm diameter projectile, it didn’t require extensive retooling to manufacture. It also required fewer steps to make—for example, no annealing, as is the case with bottleneck cartridges. Fewer steps translates into lower manufacturing costs, savings that Winchester intends to pass on to the consumer. “Consumers can expect the 350 Legend to land on the shelves late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter, with a price very similar to that of premium .223 hunting rounds,” Masinelli says. “And you’re getting more performance because we’re not shooting 64-grain bullets here—we’re shooting 150-grain bullets. You get two and half times more material in the projectile, but at a retail price point that’s about the same. Later in the year, we’ll roll out a 180-grain Power-Point version for hog hunters.” Booth #13129. (winchester.com)

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A cartridge without a rifle is akin to a stone without a sling. So, Winchester Ammunition turned to its licensing partner, Winchester Repeating Arms, to provide the shooting platform for the new 350 Legend. Glenn Hatt, Winchester Repeating Arms product manager, got the assignment, and his choice was the polymer-stock bolt-action XPR. “The XPR is all about value,” Hatt says. “It’s rugged, reliable, and accurate, and it combines the proven attributes of the classic Model 70, but in a more affordable package. The Model 70 has been around for 80 years. It’s a legacy. It’s ‘The Rifleman’s Rifle’ for a reason. The XPR is a more utilitarian tool that’s less expensive to manufacture, which helps us get it into a lower price point. For example, the XPR relies on a less-expensive center-feed design, rather than the controlled-feed design found on the Model 70. At the same time, the XPR does have the same MOA trigger found on the Model 70. That’s because we won’t compromise on accuracy.” Hatt says the XPR required only a few minor modifications to accommodate the new cartridge. “Because we’re dealing with a straight-wall case, rather than a bottleneck case, we did need to make a couple of minor modifications to the barrel. We also needed to modify the follower to give it the right amount of lift to handle the 350 Legend’s heavier bullet.” Hatt sees a real advantage to the 350 Legend-XPR combo. “Right now, long range is all the rage,” he says. “We’re seeing shots at game out past 400 yards. But the average guy is going to kill a deer between 75 and 150 yards. The 350 Legend’s performance puts us right in that wheelhouse.” Hatt also took a big deer on this hunt, and when I reported a shoulder buck shot, he hiked out to the shed to take a look. “Any time you have a new cartridge, you want to see how the bullet performs,” he says. “I wanted to see what kind of penetration we have in such a light-recoil gun, and I was curious to see how it handled a shot through the shoulder of a big buck.” Was he reassured by what he saw? “Absolutely, especially at the distance at which you shot it,” he says. “It went through the shoulder, got into the chest, and did its job. You can’t ask for any more than that.” To seal the deal, he says, retailers should emphasize that the XPR has “a premium Inflex pad that directs recoil down and away from the cheek, a great trigger, and an accurate barrel. So, from a firearms standpoint, you’re starting out with a great platform in which to put the competitively priced 350 Legend. All this should make it easy to sell to new hunters who want to get into the game. You should also emphasize the lack of recoil. This is a gun-and-ammo combination that should appeal strongly to younger hunters and smaller-statured shooters, as well as any hunter who has tired of the kick delivered by some of the popular magnum loads out there.” Lastly, talk price. The XPR lists for under $600, and a box of 350 Legend will go out the door priced like a .223, but capable of delivering far more performance. What‘s not to like? Booth #13329. (winchesterguns.com) —S.L.W.

f e at u r e s

The 280-grain Powerbelt ELR was designed for the Paramount. This big muley didn’t go 10 feet after being hit.

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about the Paramount’s primer setup. “The Paramount was built around CVA’s VariFlame breech plug, which uses a hotter and more consistent Large Rifle primer rather than the 209 shotshell primer,” Schearer says. “You can still use the standard 209 primer if you wish, but to really access all the performance of which this rifle is capable, and by that I mean range and consistent accuracy, we recommend using the larger primer.” Schearer notes that CVA prefers the use of 160 grains of loose powder. “You can use pellets,” he says, “but we find more consistent performance with powder.” Schearer and his team spent last year testing the new rifle. “I took an antelope at 301 yards,” he says. “We’ve also shot the rifle at 12-inch steel targets out to 400 yards. Once sighted in, we hit those targets consistently. We are very confident that Paramount owners can replicate that performance, as long as they practice at that distance and properly set up their riflescopes.” Schearer also says that while the rifle can be set up to shoot at 400 yards, it’s also a great tool for the more common 100- to 200-yard shots. “On standard muzzleloaders, you’ll commonly see a 7- to 10-inch drop at 200 yards. You won’t see that with the Paramount. If you sight in 3 inches high at 100 yards, all you have to do is hold dead-on at 200 yards. In this case, you can focus on the animal and not worry about estimating holdover.”

I was able to hunt with a Paramount last fall in Montana with Schearer. Though I was hoping to take a mule deer at 300 yards or more, the fickle weather in that part of the state during my hunt dictated otherwise. For the better part of two days, Schearer and I endured alternating bands of rain and snow and steady wind, gusts of which hit 40 mph. The deer didn’t care for the conditions either, and hunkered down in brushy draws to find some measure of relief from the elements. But with about 30 minutes of daylight left on the second day, we spotted three bucks at the bottom of one of those draws. A careful, quiet stalk put us within 125 yards of one. There was an opening in the buckbrush through which I could see an older deer, in the early stages of the rut, moving in on a doe. It was a small opening, but it was the only chance I was going to get. When the buck stepped into that window, I squeezed the trigger. I saw my buck leap up when I hit him; he cartwheeled forward, but didn’t go 10 feet before dropping for good. That’s a performance aspect I really appreciate. As a hunter, I want my animals to go down fast. Tracking is always dicey, and tracking at night is no picnic. When we field-dressed the deer, I marveled at the knockdown power of the bullet. “That Powerbelt ELR was designed specifically for this gun,” Schearer says. “It’s incredibly accurate and hits like a sledgehammer.” SRP: $1,000. Booth #14516. (cva.com)

1/9/19 6:52 PM

kids & clays raises record amount for critically ill children and their families

What started with a single sporting clays event to help critically ill children and their families has grown into a decades-old national organization benefiting hundreds of thousands of families each year, raising a record $1.6 million net in 2018. The Kids & Clays Foundation supports a national series of sporting clays events with proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Ronald McDonald Houses provide housing and other help to critically ill children and their families across the country. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been a key sponsor and advocate of the Kids & Clays Foundation for 20 years. It is the title sponsor of the New Haven House event in Connecticut. It also supports the Valhalla, New York, sporting clays shoot, as well as other events nationwide. “You can see firsthand the ben-

efits of supporting the Kids & Clays Foundation by visiting the Ronald McDonald House of New Haven or one of the myriad Houses across the country,” says Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “This is simply a cause we must support, and we encourage all companies to get involved. Every dollar makes a great difference in the lives of many.” Founded in 1999 by McDonald’s owner-operators Glenn and Kathy Lubeznik from Michigan City, Indiana, the first Kids & Clays Foundation/RMHC event raised $15,800 for the Chicago House. In 2018, the Kids & Clays Foundation series of events has grown to 23 and has raised more than $18 million net to date. “This success and support of Ronald McDonald Houses is only possible with the help of dozens of key companies and individuals within our outdoor community,” says David Baron of Baron Technology, who also serves as

president of Kids & Clays. “We have been called the ‘shining star’ of the shooting sports industry, and we are also very proud to be the bridge between

outdoor companies and Ronald McDonald Houses. I can’t think of a better charity to support.” Booth #2516. (kidsandclays.com)

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1/9/19 6:52 PM

f e at u r e s

Silver Lining

Sitka Gear uses modern technology to control odor By Shannon Farlow emember the days when your best option for hiding human scent was to wash your hunting clothes in baking soda and pray that you didn’t start sweating in the early-season heat? Thankfully, there are now better ways to keep odor from spooking deer and big game. One of the latest technologies is fabric that’s been treated with silver, which prevents the buildup of odor-causing bacteria. There are a few options available to hunters, but one of the most promising comes from Polygiene, a Swedish scent-control innovator. Polygiene’s proprietary silver-salt fabric treatment, which lasts the lifetime of the garment, is incredibly effective at preventing the buildup of human odor. Thanks to a partnership with Sitka Gear, hunters in North America can now take advantage of Polygiene’s breakthrough performance.

How It Works

bonus, Polygiene helps extend the lifetime of The average hunter may not understand, or products by preventing natural deterioration even care, about the science behind scent- from bacteria, mold, and fungus. control technology. He or she just wants to “It stays hygienic, prevents odor, and proknow that it works. Traditional systems try to longs the lifetime of the clothing. That mask human odor by filtering or absorbing it, means less washing.” DiCuollo says. “It’s which is effective to a degree. However, proven that if you wash your clothes less, nanosilver fabric treatments actually stop they’ll last longer.” human odor from forming by eliminating the agents—be it bacteria and other microbes, fungus, or mildew—that cause it. Although Sitka Steps In nanosilver treatments yield positive results, Polygiene has been used in a wide variety of there are a couple of significant negatives assoperformance-related products, including runciated with their use. First, producing a nanosilning shoes, hockey gloves, and protective helver creates a substantial amount of waste that mets. It also has been adopted by several major can be harmful to the environmanufacturers in the outdoor ment. Then there is the question recreation industry. Presently, of it being safe for human use. Sitka Gear is the primary manu“A lot of these products are facturer offering Polygiene’s found in next-to-skin base layers. technology in the hunting cateSome people argue that nanosilgory. Many of Sitka Gear’s prodvers are not good to have next to ucts that are used in next-to-skin skin,” says John DiCuollo, applications, such as base layers, Polygiene’s senior public relaincorporate Polygiene. Each item tions account manager. “But in the all-new Sitka Gear Early Polygiene is not a nanosilver. It’s Season Whitetail (ESW) completely safe. We’ve done Collection benefits from the extensive testing with that prodscent-control treatment. uct being next to skin.” “We wanted to make sure that Polygiene incorporates silver we went with something that we salt (AgCl, silver chloride) derived know works, especially in the catfrom 100 percent recycled silver. egories where you may wear it for multiple days. We wanted to Found naturally in water and soil, The Sitka Gear Early make sure that we didn’t increase silver chloride has a long history Season Whitetail (ESW) the hunter’s odor profile,” says of use in a variety of consumer Collection benefits from Chris Derrick, Sitka Gear’s whiteproducts, including drinking scent-control treatment. tail product manager. “We add water and personal deodorants. Polygiene to prevent the smell Experts consider it safe for apparfrom building up on those garments. If you el, and it’s environmentally friendly. In fact, the were to use them without the Polygiene treatPolygiene treatment is manufactured using ment, their odor profile would be significantly minimal natural resources. It conforms to strict stronger.” environmental regulations and meets the textile The ESW Collection is designed specifically industry’s stringent bluesign guidelines. for those hunts in the higher temperatures of the early season and for the warmer climates of the South and Southwest. The collection feaWear More, tures several styles of lightweight jackets, Wash Less hoodies, long-sleeve crews, pants, and accessoFor some performance fabrics, machine washries—each treated with Polygiene. ing is like kryptonite. No matter how carefully “During those hunts, there’s no way around you follow the manufacturer’s suggested cleanit. As soon as it hits 85 and it’s sunny outside, ing instructions, eventually the effectiveness of you’re going to sweat. Even if you went out the treatment will fade. Polygiene is different. there with no shirt and no pants on, you’d still Applied to fabric during the finishing stage, be sweating,” says Derrick. “We wanted to Polygiene will withstand several years of hard make sure that we had the Polygiene in our use and repeated washings. It’s considered a ESW line to help control that odor buildup.” permanent treatment, capable of lasting the Booth #10328. (sitkagear.com) lifetime of the apparel to which it’s added. As a

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Thanks to a partnership with Sitka Gear, hunters can now take advantage of Polygiene’s odor-control technology.

news

Africa, Cowboy-Style Using a lever-action rifle on dangerous game allows for action up close and personal By Richard Mann

he lever-action rifle is uniquely American. It’s an iconic symbol of the West and the rough-hewn, can’t-tie-me-down cowboy who epitomized the freedom associated with the red-white-and-blue. Today, its appeal has been diminished due to the proliferation of higher-powered, flatter-shooting cartridges that require stronger actions to house them. However, that does not mean the lever-action is not suitable for hunting, even in Africa.

In The Last Ivory Hunter, The Saga of Wally Johnson, author Peter Hathaway Capstick quotes the late African professional hunter Walter “Wally” Walker on his introduction to the storied firearm: “I had obtained a Winchester .30-30 lever action when I was quite young (about seventeen) from my brother-inlaw, August Wood. So I decided

to start hunting lions.” Today, a man so inclined might be asked by his friends to seek professional counseling. But Johnson also advised, “Don’t ever forget that it’s the bullet placement that counts.” All truly experienced professional hunters know this, and it’s why Geoffrey Wayland, of South Africa’s Fort Richmond Safaris, often says,

This beautiful African buffalo was taken by Carlos Martinez with a Marlin Custom Shop Model 1895 Extra Fancy in .45/70.

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“It’s not the power of the sledgehammer, it’s the placement of the pinprick.” Johnson proved that by using his to kill nearly 40 lions. I’ve taken two African buffalo, both with lever guns. Neither was a textbook example of how a dangerous-game hunt should unfold, but that was due to my failure to place the “pinprick” properly. As

custom-rifle builder Melvin Forbes so aptly points out, “There are a lot of buffalo out there that don’t care if it gets shot.” On the other hand, with my first buff, the poor placement of my first shot led to a chargestopping .45/70 slug to the head. On my second, a lever gun proved the ideal armament for a running battle with a pissed-off dugga boy.

Just as with bolt-actions, you can match the gun to the game. This duiker was taken with an Extra Fancy Custom Shop Marlin 336 in .30/30 Win.

That action occurred last summer, when I went (along with three other hunters) on a South African safari with Carlos Martinez of the Marlin Custom Shop. We collected our buffalo using customized Marlin 1895s chambered for the .45/70. Some of us used those same rifles and customized Marlin 1894s and 336s to take duikers, warthogs, and mountain zebras. The disadvantage of the lever gun—at least a traditional leveraction—is reach. You’ll not be shooting from one end of the savanna to the other. You’ll have to get a bit closer than you might with your typical bolt-action. But

hunting, to me, has always been an endeavor built on closing the gap. The advantage of the lever gun is handiness. In the right hands, it is a nimble instrument, and, short of a semi-automatic, nothing offers the lever gun’s speed of repeated fire. The Marlin Custom Shop will build lever guns to suit, but it also offers standard packages like Fancy, Extra Fancy, and the Modern Hunter version, which I used in Africa. Options include engraving, custom paint schemes, and even threaded muzzles. And, by partnering with companies like XS and Skinner Sights, there are various iron sight options, as well

as the choice of a traditional or scout scope and even a red-dot. We took game in Africa with a mixture of all of these. With the help of the Marlin Custom Shop, what was once considered solely an over-thecounter rifle has now morphed into a highly refined, worldwide hunting tool capable of taking any game on the planet. You can end up with a rifle with a look reminiscent of the golden safari days of Africa or, if you’re of a more modern mindset, you can opt for custom paint schemes and a barrel that’s suppressor-compatible. Long-range precision rifles are

a concept gaining traction, but to me they just don’t have a soul. When you’ve run a lever-action with a hand-tuned action and trigger, you’ll feel the pull. Like a young stallion tugging on the reins, the lever gun will seem to speak to you. It’ll urge you to get out on your hind legs, to find game, and to get as close as possible. And, when you shuck that lever, a little something you may have never before experienced might creep up into your chest, just as a smile spreads across your face. Because, well, everyone has a little cowboy in ’em. Booth #14229. (marlinfirearms.com)

The Marlin Custom Shop will build lever guns to suit, but it also offers standard packages such as the Modern Hunter. Options include engraving, custom paint schemes, and even threaded muzzles.

DAY 1, JANUARY 22, 2019 ■ SHOT BUSINESS DAILY ■ 83

NEWS

Magpul Sets Its Sights on Eyewear

t’s undeniable that Magpul makes quality gear with which many trust their lives. Now the company is introducing products for everyday use that are tough enough to stand up to harsh conditions at the range and in the field. This includes its new line of eyewear.

Currently, three models make up a newly released line of sunglasses/eye protection, each with a range of available lens and frame-color options. All models are available with or without polarized lenses (though the polarized ones come in more colors) and are available with Z87+ and mil-prf 32432 lenses for superior ballistic protection. They’re all lightweight, rugged, and set at extremely attractive price points. The Explorer is the most casual design of the three, but it still includes highperformance features. The frame is lightweight, with low-profile temples paired with an impactrated lens-and-frame combination. They look perfectly inconspicuous for everyday wear, but

also offer a good level of protection when something unexpected comes along. Available with polarized and non-polarized lenses. SRP: $99 to $139. The Terrain is the most tactical of the lot, and physically the largest. It’s suited for those who require ballistic-rated protection and maximum coverage in a lightweight package. The frame, available in a number of colors, features padded, low-profile temples that integrate smoothly under helmets and communications headsets, as well as over-theear hearing protection. They come with polarized and nonpolarized lenses and are recommended for medium to large faces. SRP: $109 to $149. The Summit model falls some-

People have long trusted Magpul gear with their lives. Now they can trust its new line of protective eyewear with their sight.

where in between the Explorer and Terrain in size, though it is closer in shape to the larger Terrain model. It has a swept lens shape to provide maximum coverage and ballistic protection when engaged in activities that would shake most other eyewear off your

face. It also integrates well under hearing protection and headgear. The design is simple and a perfect size for great protection, and stylish enough to wear anywhere. SRP: $109 to $159. Booth #10263. (magpul.com) ÑDavid Maccar

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1/10/19 11:23 AM

Norma Gets a Brand Refresh

The ammo manufacturer is adding new lines and changing distribution By Peter Suciu

or more than 100 years, Sweden-based Norma, part of the RUAG family of companies, has been the go-to brand of rifle ammunition for many far from common calibers. For 2019, the Norma brand is getting a refresh and repositioning for the U.S. market. “Despite the rebranding, we’re not sacrificing the quality or performance that sporting shooters have come to expect,” says Paul Lemke, general manager at RUAG USA. “We have had a lengthy legacy, and we’re proud that we’ve been known for quality and precision. The Norma consumer of today will still recognize the company for what it has always delivered, so this is really a new coat of paint on an established brand.” For retailers and consumers alike, this rebranding isn’t about changing the magic. It is not a New Coke move; rather, it is a

084_SHD01_NEWS_MAGPUL.indd 85

The Norma polymer tip improves ballistic performance. The tapered and quick-opening front part of the jacket helps enhance penetration as well.

refresh, much like what an esteemed car brand has done recently. “We do compare this to how Cadillac reinvigorated its sedan line with the popular XTS, a product that appeals to a wider and younger demographic,” Lemke says. “At the same time, Cadillac has remained a premier luxury brand.” In other words, Norma isn’t just your father’s or grandfather’s line of quality ammunition. While it will remain the go-to brand for calibers that others don’t readily offer, Lemke emphasizes that the line will also feature new and upcoming cartridges for today’s more popular firearms. As part of this rebranding, shooters can expect to see the popular lines such as Oryx, Vulkan, and Alaska joined by new product lines, including Tipstrike and Ecostrike. “This [move] is meant to attract

a wider demographic of shooters,” says Lemke. “While we’ve been around for many decades, this naming exercise is meant to appeal to those shooters who might not know Norma. So this is more than putting a new look on the packaging. We’re also stretching the brand to new cartridges as well as defense loads.”

New Distribution

The other half of this is rebranding and refreshing of the Norma line will be how retailers can obtain the ammunition, something Lemke says wasn’t always as easy as it could have been. “Previously, there were retailers that didn’t know how to obtain it,” he says.“One of the important things for retailers to know is RUAG has consolidated operations in Tampa, and we’re moving away from direct sales to a twostep distribution market. The Norma brand will be readily available through these distribution channels. We’re very excited to be releasing our products out of Tampa.” Booth #16727. (ruag-ammotec.com)

1/10/19 11:23 AM

news

TrueTimber’s first camo pattern, Hidden, looked like a hardwood forest floor with mainly oak trees. It was based on a photo of the forest floor taken by TrueTimber’s founder.

Risking It All

The rise of TrueTimber is a classic American success story By Kris Millgate

taring at the forest floor from a treestand is like staring into a bowl of soup at your kitchen table. Look long enough and the meat, noodles, and vegetables start to blur in the broth. They turn into one thing, soup. But individually, they each add to the overall tasting experience while blended in the bowl. Rusty Sellars took a picture of that “bowl” from his treestand in South Carolina 13 years ago.

TrueTimber CEO Rusty Sellars, wearing TrueTimber camo clothing, with a nice bull elk taken during bow season.

“It looks like hardwood forest floor with mainly oak trees,” says Sellars, TrueTimber founder and CEO. “In South Carolina, hunting is all about the food source, and acorns are the food source. I took a picture of the floor under the oak I sit in.” That photo turned into Hidden, TrueTimber’s first camouflage pattern on cloth. Today, TrueTimber’s newest camo patterns are created from 100 images instead of one, but the inspiration is just as simple—what’s around you when you’re in the woods. “We knew we could create a pattern using one photo,” Sellars says. “We accepted whatever was in the frame. We can do so much more because we’ve learned through every pattern. Now

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every leaf, branch, and tree is a separate image.” Sellars likes imprinting images on fabric. All kinds of fabric. Sometimes he’s considered odd because of his fabric fetish, but it’s appropriate. Long before he put camo on material for hunting, he put flowers on it for home décor. The textile industry is his background, hunting is his hobby. The year he officially combined the two is the year he started TrueTimber, in 2005. “I said to my wife, Paige, ‘Give me two years and I’ll make a business,’” Sellars says. “We were already in textile and that was a big advantage from the beginning. We have a knowledge of how things are made, and the number-one ingredient in a garment is fabric.”

Sellars knows fabric, but those first two years turned into six years while he tried to land licensing deals as his family’s garages turned into his company’s warehouses. In reality, textile supported his camo habit. He holds four state records for whitetail deer in South Carolina. He’s keen on turkeys, too. The amount of ground he’s stared at from a treestand is surpassed by only one thing—the amount of time he spends with fabric in his hands. “I’m the guy who loves how things are made,” he says. “It’s really cool that we can create camo patterns and they turn into garments. When you see that pattern on a pair of pants, there’s a sense of accomplishment, especially when you see it in the store. It excites me so much, I can’t stand it.” Sellars wanted his product licensed with heavy hitters such as Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. He kept at it, and once he had those connections, business boomed. TrueTimber adds three new licensed companies a week—it’s done so for more than a year. The biggest struggle now is having enough staff. Sellars needs more than his wife, two sons, and their 65 employees to keep up with demand. “In the beginning it was a big risk, but we’ve come so far. We’ve built such a great customer base at the retail level that we know if we create the best new camo pattern on the best fabric, we have enough retail to support it.” Confidence is carrying TrueTimber’s newest line debuting at the SHOT Show—fishing camo. The light blues and grays of the company’s fishing apparel are inspired by the view opposite of what you see from up in a tree. It looks more like what a fish sees when it looks up. Now, TrueTimber supplies most of the camo you see in Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s plus, NASCAR and even Pepsi. And when Sellars goes shopping today, he’s doing much more than feeling fabric. “I walk in a store and it’s all TrueTimber,” he says. “It almost brings a tear to my eye. People don’t understand the sacrifice my wife, my kids, and I made to get to this point. We literally had everything on the line when we started this in our garage. If it didn’t work, we’d be homeless. But I knew we would do it. Took longer than I wanted it to, but it worked.” Booth #10332. (truetimber.com)

news

cold—whether you’re in Africa or staking out local game. SRP: $175.

Jackets

Africa will test your endurance, stamina, resilience... and your clothing. Wear rugged stuff or suffer the consequences. Kitanica passed the test.

Rugged Comfort

Vetted in Africa, Kitanica’s clothing met the challenge of 30 days in the bush By Richard Mann

n overlooked key to a successful hunt is comfort. If you’re not comfortable in the field, you’ll spend less time there. Rugged clothing, tough enough for the environment but with a comfortable and practical interface, is the answer. Every year I spend a month or so on safari in Africa, and every year I take new clothing to try. In 2018, I found some gear I’ve been seeking out for a long time. Let me introduce you to Kitanica.

Kitanica is derived from the word “chitin” (pronounced KY-tin), which is the primary component in the exoskeletons of

arthropods—insects, arachnids, and crustaceans. It’s meant to describe a tough outer protective skin. You could say Kitanica gear is rugged, functional, easy to wear, and even overbuilt. It comes from a family-owned business, and all its products are made in the United States, mostly with domestically produced materials.

Pants

Africa is full of thorns. Threethorn, wait-a-bit, and acacia will shred common hunting clothes, make you utter words unfit for social settings, and leave you looking for a first-aid kit. I wore Kitanica’s RSP Pants for a month and would walk and crawl through the veld and over rocky hills with The waterproof/breathable American Softshell has just the right amount of give and stretch.

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no worry of injury while my professional hunter looked on in awe. RSP Pants are constructed of breathable Nyco ripstop fabric, with double layering at the seat and knees. They have eight smartly placed pockets—some open, some zippered, some snapped, and others that seal with Velcro. My typical load was a rangefinder, compact camera, ammo caddy, snuff can, full bottle of water, knife, flashlight, and a radio. The side size-adjusting straps made for a perfect fit that did not sag under the weight. And, the ingenious Cordura corner pocket protectors prevented clip-knife wear. These are great utility pants for the field, farm, or range. You can load them down without looking like Pockets—Red Buttons’ character from Howard Hawks’ 1962 film Hatari!—and still move like an athlete. There’s also enough room for layering when it gets

Few associate a jacket with a safari. However, in Africa’s Northern Cape during the African winter— June and July—sub-freezing morning temperatures are not uncommon. Kitanica’s Len Riccio suggested the American Softshell. It was the ideal choice. This windproof, waterproof, and abrasion-resistant jacket is constructed from 100-denier, waterproof, breathable laminated fleece, with just the right amount of give and stretch. And, like with the RSP Pants, there are plenty of pockets. I used the right lower sleeve pocket for my jackal call, and the upper for a small notebook. In the left sleeve pocket I carried a cell phone, and under the covering flap a pen. The slash pockets held my gloves and hearing protection. And the Velcro patch on the right sleeve was perfect for a Versacarry AmmoCaddy. The hood was even appreciated during cold morning rides in the back of the Land Cruiser. Because of the stretch fabric, gusseted underarms, contoured sleeves, articulated elbows, adjustable hood, and cinch waist and sweep, few jackets I’ve worn—hunting or casual—are as comfortable as the American Softshell. SRP: $349.

Shorts

I’m not much for hunting in shorts, but for those who do, Kitanica has several. The Range Shorts are sort of a short-leg version of the RSP Pants. My son used them in Africa and sang their praises. With their seven belt loops, eight pockets, and pocketcorner reinforcements, they’d also be ideal for the shooting range. Around the lodge, I preferred the Cargoid Shorts, which are constructed of a lighter-weight, 65/35 poly/cotton ripstop material. They’re cut just above the knees, and offer a great range of motion. They also have seven belt loops and side size-adjusting straps. Like every Kitanica garment I’ve tried, you can tell serious outdoorsmen had a hand in their creation. For 2019, Kitanica is offering a drop-ship service. They’ll ship directly to the customer, allowing web retailers to service their clientele with some of the best outdoor clothing in the industry without stocking inventory. Booth #20111. (kitanica.net)

news

In Her Sights XS Sights didn’t set out to be a woman-owned business, but when tragedy struck, the remaining team had to move ahead By Jodi Stemler

n the mid-1990s, Ashley Emerson and Ed Pastusek believed that handgun sights needed to be designed and tested based on how and when they would actually be used in a defensive situation. With adrenaline racing and in low-light situations, law-enforcement and home-defense shooters tend to focus on the threat, not the gun. The two men wanted to design a sight that could increase light reflection in low light and provide easier target acquisition.

Working with experts in the industry and law-enforcement officers, Emerson and Pastusek developed the DXT Big Dot sight. It has a large white-dot front sight paired with a V-notch rear sight, allowing for an unobstructed view of the front sight. These express sights provide quicker sight acquisition, particularly in mid- to lowlight conditions. What had started as a hobby turned into a good business. Then, in 2011, Ed Pastusek passed away unexpectedly. With Ed’s wife, Mary, at the helm, son Jon leading innovations, and daughter Kellie Brunn handling business development, XS Sights pressed forward with Ed’s good idea. What was now a majority women-owned company had to move forward.

owned on paper—that the women play an active role in running the business.” The WBE certification was approved in mid-2018, and while Brunn says XS hasn’t seen specific business generated by the certification yet, she’s confident it will come. Not only does the certification help their business opportunities, but it also offers tax benefits for their customers.

Moving Ahead

Continuing Innovation

XS has led the charge in the Big Dot sight concept, and after 20 years, the industry-wide increase in the size of front sights shows the market’s adoption of the concept. And yet, government contracts as well as a considerable consumer market segment favor a traditional notch-and-post sight system. XS wanted to engineer the best sight for this market by incorporating their core beliefs of offering superior products and service. In the fall of 2017, XS introduced the F8 (Figure 8) Night Sights, personaldefense notch-and-post sights that work in all light conditions and offer fast sight acquisition. “Gun fights don’t happen in perfect light or complete darkness,” says XS marketing manager Zack Kinsley. “They happen in between these two broad spectrums, and the F8 Night Sights are optimized for fast and accurate target acquisition in varying light conditions. In a defensive shooting situation, this can make all the difference for law enforcement and civilians alike.” The F8 front sight uses the company’s trademarked Ember glow-paint ring around a tritium

Visible colors are determined by light absorption of an object and reflection to the eye. XS is now focusing on increasing light reflection while using absorbed light to give shooters a bigger glowing front sight.

vial along with traditional rear sights. The paint is a special orange color that focuses on yellow, one of the most visible colors in low light. The paint absorbs ambient light to make the ring glow in low-light levels before the tritium becomes visible, but the sight is also visible in full daylight. The wide-notch rear sight increases the visibility of the front sight by allowing more light around the sides of the front sight. There is a tritium vial on the rear sight as well, enabling quick and easy alignment with the front sight in various light conditions. The overhung rear sight reduces glare in bright daylight for greater sight definition, and its angled ledge aids in one-handed slide manipulations in emergency situations.

Getting Certified

With a new product launch that would appeal to government agencies along with additional

OEMs and channel partners, XS started to look at other ways to set the company apart. Before her father’s death, Brunn had worked in a different industry where she learned that being certified as a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE) had some competitive advantages when seeking government contracts, financing opportunities, and proving a company’s commitment to a diversified work environment. In 2016, she began the process of getting XS Sights officially certified as a WBE through the North-Central Texas Regional Certification Agency. Certification requires providing articles of incorporation and three years of financials, as well as site visits and many face-to-face meetings as part of an intense vetting process. “Honestly, it was a bit of a painful process,” Brunn says. “But I certainly understand the need to ensure that it’s not just woman-

For 2019, the company is expanding the F8 line to include all of the main duty-related pistols. They’ve also increased production and made strategic investments in new equipment to increase the ability to provide high-quality products along with rapid turnaround to further enhance the XS customer experience. XS recently launched the second generation of the Express Big Dot Night Sights—the DXT2 Big Dots. Now available in two color options—Optic Yellow and Optic Orange—both are highly visible in bright-light and lowlight conditions (with yellow having a slight advantage overall in all light conditions). Optic Yellow has replaced XS’s traditional white, because it is the most visible color in low light before human color vision starts to decline. If the yellow isn’t charged, it will still appear white. Optic orange provides a highcontrast sight picture in bright light while still working within the yellow spectrum of light for good visibility in low light. “Visible colors are determined by light absorption of an object and reflection to the eye,” says Kinsley. “We are now focusing on increasing light reflection while using absorbed light to force our paint to glow. This gives our customers a bigger glowing front sight when they need it most.” In a nod to their low-light sights, the Pastusek family is convinced that the future is bright. Booth #16054. (xssights.com)

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NEW PRODUCTS M AG NUM R ES E A RCH The 429 DE Mark XIX in the new 429 DE cartridge ships with a seven-round .50AE magazine.

Magnum Research

The 429 Desert Eagle Mark XIX pistol is now available in the recently introduced 429 DE cartridge. The pistol has a stainlesssteel slide, a stainless-steel frame with Picatinny bottom rail, and a 6-inch stainless-steel barrel with integral muzzle brake and black appointments. It ships with a .50AE seven-round magazine. SRP: $2,143. Spare barrels with Picatinnystyle accessory rails for the 429 DE Mark XIX are available in a variety of finishes. The 6-inch barrels are compatible with any MK19 USA or Israel Desert Eagle pistol that has a wide .830-inch rail on top of the barrel and uses a .50AE magazine and bolt. Barrels will be available in the following options: carbon steel with black finish (SRP: $425); carbon steel with burnt bronze Cerakote (SRP: $482); carbon steel with a brushed-chrome finish (SRP: $529); carbon steel with a polished-chrome finish (SRP: $529); and stainless steel with an integral muzzle brake, (SRP: $482). Booth #13962. (magnum research.com)

Taurus

The DA/SA 692 Tracker is a seven-shot multi-caliber revolver that lets you quickly switch calibers from a .357/.38 Special to a 9mm with the simple swap of the cylinder, making it ideal for home, personal defense, and target shooting. Available with a carry-friendly 3-inch barrel or a range-ready 6.5inch barrel. SRP: $609 to $659. Booth #14240. (taurususa.com)

ALPS OutdoorZ

Known for its extreme-duty wilderness hunting packs, ALPS OutdoorZ turns its attention to the needs of serious deer hunters with

TAU RUS It’s easy to switch calibers in the DA/SA 692 Tracker. Just swap the cylinder and the sevenshot revolver goes from a .357/.38 Special to a 9mm—useful for either home defense or target shooting.

the Contender X Whitetail pack. Built to carry everything needed for a full day’s hunt or a minimalist bivouac, the Contender X offers features every deer hunter can appreciate, such as a U-shaped top-zip cargo compartment panel that makes accessing gear easy and spill-free while you’re in a tree stand. For ground use, the pack boasts a self-standing L-shaped frame that allows the pack to stand upright on flat surfaces. Additional conveniences include internal mesh storage pockets to keep small gear organized, a large front exterior compartment for those quickaccess items, a hydration bladder pocket with left- and right-side hydration ports, a drop-down gun/ bow pocket, and pockets along the waist belt. The waist belt is even sized to accommodate clip-style holsters for comfortable sidearm carry. Boasting a robust 30L/1,850cubic-inch capacity, the Contender X manages weight with a molded foam suspension system, shoulderstrap load lifters for weight balance, and side compression straps to keep everything secure. Offered in a brushed Veil Whitetail pattern and weighing just 4 pounds 13 ounces, the Contender X Whitetail pack also includes an integrated rain cover to ensure the pack and contents stay dry in the foulest weather. Booth #2832. (alpsoutdoorz.com)

DoubleStar

The AR-style ARP7 semi- automatic pistol is chambered in

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A LPS OU T D OORZ The Contender X Whitetail pack has a selfstanding L-shaped frame that allows the pack to stand upright.

5.56 NATO, 9mm, and .300 Blackout. This lightweight, compact AR pistol is loaded with upgrades to make it a versatile platform and a perfect gun for a truck or trunk. The billet Strongarm Pistol Brace and Big Timber Brake help keep the gun

under control when you’re sending rounds downrange. Mean while, the Cloak MLOK handguard allows accessories to be mounted and profiled to fit the shooter’s hand. SRP: $1,299.99 to $1,599.99. Booth #20061. (star15.com)