The Annual Pre-SHOT Show Wishlist
The SHOT Show in Las Vegas is one of those industry events that I simultaneously yearn for and dread every single year. I yearn for the approaching date because I am eager to see what the newest and coolest guns and accessories are going to be in the following year. I dread the event because, every year, there seems to be some amount of disappointment. It has become a tradition for me to publish my annual SHOT Show Wish List - guns or accessories that I wish the industry would release and that I think would be well received. Some have been on this list forever but there are some new ones this year so....without further ado:
A Complete Redesign For the Glock 50: We already know about this Glock 49, released before SHOT Show, and which promises to be another dud following years of a lack of innovation by Glock. Meanwhile, companies like Springfield Armory and Sig Sauer are dominating the standard capacity pocket pistol market. Let's face it: The Sig 365 and the Sig Macro X make the Glock 26 and the Glock 17 look rather dated. I still think there are very good reasons to buy Glock pistols, the most important of which is the fact that a standard capacity Glock magazine is less than half the price of a similar offering from Sig, Springfield, and others. But, when they release the Glock 50, I would like to see Glock catch up with the times and really do something cool and innovative. Lets make the Glock slimmer and sleeker. Lets finally get rid of the god awful stock sights and make night sights standard. Lets improve the trigger or, at the very least, provide the upgrades everyone does to the trigger anyway out of the box. Glock has sat on its laurels for decades while its fans - and at the owner of six Glock pistols I am one of them - are screaming at the top of their lungs for them to DO SOMETHING.
A Benelli 10 Gauge: This has been on my list for years because I am a huge fan of the 10 gauge (owning of Browning Gold 10 myself). For years, people have been obsessed with the subgauges and how they can use bismuth and tungsten shot to improve the performance of the 20 and even the 28 gauge for waterfowl hunting. Well, why not apply some of these principles to the 10 gauge - the biggest and baddest shotgun of them all - and create a 70 yard bird cannon. I am betting Benelli could have great reliability and mitigate recoil by scaling up the system used in the Super Black Eagle series of shotguns and ported chokes would help as well. Imagine geeese and late season mallards using a 10 gauge loaded with tungsten shot.
More Pistols In 5.7 FN: There are lots of people who poo-poo the 5.7 FN round when, in fact, I feel this is an extremely important load for the future of the Second Amendment. This is a light recoiling flat shooting rounds that causes damage in the same category as a 9mm pistol with more capacity and less recoil. This is a round that can be developed for use by the elderly, female shooters, and disabled shooters. The double stack magazines load like an AR-15 magazine; far easier than a traditional 9mm magazine and good for people with weak or arthritic hands. Of course, they offer devastating capacity with pistol magazines between 20 - 30 rounds. To protect our rights from the communists in the Democratic Party, we need as many people to join the shooting community as possible. The 5.7 FN caliber offers handguns that are easier for new shooters than a 9mm and which have a practical self-defense application. As more of these pistols are released, we can expect ammunition makers to step up 5.7mm production and prices start to drop.
More MSRs in 6.8x51: This is going to be a really cool round but, for now, the only MSR you can get in 6.8x51 (.277 Fury) is the Sig Spear for a cost of about $7,000.00. That's just a bit much. If proper attention is given to the promotion and development of this round, it could be one that is here to stay. However, unless we can get some affordable offerings capable of handling the pressure this round offers, it will never catch on in the civilian world. That would be a shame.
A Magpul Stock for the Tikka T3/T3x Line: As many realize that Remington products simply aren't what the used to be, we are seeing more shooters opt to purchase the Ruger American rifle with the Tikka T3/T3x being a step up. The Tikka offers a sub-$1,000.00 hunting rifle with an MOA accuracy guarantee from the factory. You get a LOT of gun with the Tikka for a reasonable price. As most aftermarket Tikka stocks are heavy and expensive, many shooters up to bed and pillar the stock that comes with the rifle. There can be a long wait for this at the gunsmith and Magpul has a real opportunity to increase its customer base with the Tikka stocks. If you have not checked out the Tikka yet, I highly recommend them. I have one in 308 as do many of my friends and they are phenomenal shooters.
A 416 Barrett Conversion for the M107A1: Ok Barrett, I really like the new MRAD-ELR you came out with. But, you see, I already have an M107A1. So, if you could make a 416 Barrett upper for my existing M107A1 with a 36 - 38 inch match grade barrel and a muzzle brake that would also allow me to use my existing QDL suppressor, that would be greaaaaaat. Oh yeah, and if you could see that we get more companies out there actually making 416 Barrett ammunition so that I don't have to mail order it at a cost of $8.00+ per shot, that would also be greaaaaaat.
A Return of the Colt Single Action Army: Alright Colt. You gave us back the Cobra, the King Cobra, the Python, and the Anaconda. I know its still available from your custom shop, but its time to bring back the old school peacemaker without ANY changes to the original design. I want a traditional hammer without the gay new safety features. I want four clicks when I cock the damn thing and I want to load from half cock. I want you to bring back the ORIGINAL Colt nickel. Oh, and give us the option to order a matched set with consequetive serial numbers.
Still looking for those high power lever guns: I am looking at Ruger and Rossi specifically here. I am still waiting for reasonably affordable lever guns in 460 XVR and 500 S&W. Really, these are pistol rounds that are begging to be put through a lever action rifle and I would consider buying pistols in these calibers IF I had a good lever gun that I could load in the same caliber. I haven't seen the big raging hunter pistols that Taurus was supposed to make in these caliber, so it would probably be wise for Rossi to look into a project like this. While Taurus pistols are hit or miss, Rossi has always made outstanding lever action rifles.
Well, that is the wish list this year. I have a lot of hunts coming up and probably will not be writing again until after the season. I am guessing that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, my next article will be me talking about what came out at SHOT show that seems pretty cool and which products I predict will absolutely suck.
A Complete Redesign For the Glock 50: We already know about this Glock 49, released before SHOT Show, and which promises to be another dud following years of a lack of innovation by Glock. Meanwhile, companies like Springfield Armory and Sig Sauer are dominating the standard capacity pocket pistol market. Let's face it: The Sig 365 and the Sig Macro X make the Glock 26 and the Glock 17 look rather dated. I still think there are very good reasons to buy Glock pistols, the most important of which is the fact that a standard capacity Glock magazine is less than half the price of a similar offering from Sig, Springfield, and others. But, when they release the Glock 50, I would like to see Glock catch up with the times and really do something cool and innovative. Lets make the Glock slimmer and sleeker. Lets finally get rid of the god awful stock sights and make night sights standard. Lets improve the trigger or, at the very least, provide the upgrades everyone does to the trigger anyway out of the box. Glock has sat on its laurels for decades while its fans - and at the owner of six Glock pistols I am one of them - are screaming at the top of their lungs for them to DO SOMETHING.
A Benelli 10 Gauge: This has been on my list for years because I am a huge fan of the 10 gauge (owning of Browning Gold 10 myself). For years, people have been obsessed with the subgauges and how they can use bismuth and tungsten shot to improve the performance of the 20 and even the 28 gauge for waterfowl hunting. Well, why not apply some of these principles to the 10 gauge - the biggest and baddest shotgun of them all - and create a 70 yard bird cannon. I am betting Benelli could have great reliability and mitigate recoil by scaling up the system used in the Super Black Eagle series of shotguns and ported chokes would help as well. Imagine geeese and late season mallards using a 10 gauge loaded with tungsten shot.
More Pistols In 5.7 FN: There are lots of people who poo-poo the 5.7 FN round when, in fact, I feel this is an extremely important load for the future of the Second Amendment. This is a light recoiling flat shooting rounds that causes damage in the same category as a 9mm pistol with more capacity and less recoil. This is a round that can be developed for use by the elderly, female shooters, and disabled shooters. The double stack magazines load like an AR-15 magazine; far easier than a traditional 9mm magazine and good for people with weak or arthritic hands. Of course, they offer devastating capacity with pistol magazines between 20 - 30 rounds. To protect our rights from the communists in the Democratic Party, we need as many people to join the shooting community as possible. The 5.7 FN caliber offers handguns that are easier for new shooters than a 9mm and which have a practical self-defense application. As more of these pistols are released, we can expect ammunition makers to step up 5.7mm production and prices start to drop.
More MSRs in 6.8x51: This is going to be a really cool round but, for now, the only MSR you can get in 6.8x51 (.277 Fury) is the Sig Spear for a cost of about $7,000.00. That's just a bit much. If proper attention is given to the promotion and development of this round, it could be one that is here to stay. However, unless we can get some affordable offerings capable of handling the pressure this round offers, it will never catch on in the civilian world. That would be a shame.
A Magpul Stock for the Tikka T3/T3x Line: As many realize that Remington products simply aren't what the used to be, we are seeing more shooters opt to purchase the Ruger American rifle with the Tikka T3/T3x being a step up. The Tikka offers a sub-$1,000.00 hunting rifle with an MOA accuracy guarantee from the factory. You get a LOT of gun with the Tikka for a reasonable price. As most aftermarket Tikka stocks are heavy and expensive, many shooters up to bed and pillar the stock that comes with the rifle. There can be a long wait for this at the gunsmith and Magpul has a real opportunity to increase its customer base with the Tikka stocks. If you have not checked out the Tikka yet, I highly recommend them. I have one in 308 as do many of my friends and they are phenomenal shooters.
A 416 Barrett Conversion for the M107A1: Ok Barrett, I really like the new MRAD-ELR you came out with. But, you see, I already have an M107A1. So, if you could make a 416 Barrett upper for my existing M107A1 with a 36 - 38 inch match grade barrel and a muzzle brake that would also allow me to use my existing QDL suppressor, that would be greaaaaaat. Oh yeah, and if you could see that we get more companies out there actually making 416 Barrett ammunition so that I don't have to mail order it at a cost of $8.00+ per shot, that would also be greaaaaaat.
A Return of the Colt Single Action Army: Alright Colt. You gave us back the Cobra, the King Cobra, the Python, and the Anaconda. I know its still available from your custom shop, but its time to bring back the old school peacemaker without ANY changes to the original design. I want a traditional hammer without the gay new safety features. I want four clicks when I cock the damn thing and I want to load from half cock. I want you to bring back the ORIGINAL Colt nickel. Oh, and give us the option to order a matched set with consequetive serial numbers.
Still looking for those high power lever guns: I am looking at Ruger and Rossi specifically here. I am still waiting for reasonably affordable lever guns in 460 XVR and 500 S&W. Really, these are pistol rounds that are begging to be put through a lever action rifle and I would consider buying pistols in these calibers IF I had a good lever gun that I could load in the same caliber. I haven't seen the big raging hunter pistols that Taurus was supposed to make in these caliber, so it would probably be wise for Rossi to look into a project like this. While Taurus pistols are hit or miss, Rossi has always made outstanding lever action rifles.
Well, that is the wish list this year. I have a lot of hunts coming up and probably will not be writing again until after the season. I am guessing that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, my next article will be me talking about what came out at SHOT show that seems pretty cool and which products I predict will absolutely suck.
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