The Annual Pre-SHOT Show Wishlist - 2025 Edition
As the time comes for this years SHOT Show I am making my list of some things I would like to see from the industry for the 2025 SHOT Show as well as a few things I think they need to get away from. We had a great victory in the 2024 election and it would be a great time for the gun industry to capitalize.
Things That I Would Like To See At SHOT Show
1. A 416 Barrett Option for the M107A1
I know this is a niche request as there are not many people like me who have the mighty Barrett M107A1. The 50 BMG round is awesome but the simple truth is that the 416 Barrett is better for long range shooting. That is why Barrett released their MRAD ELR in 416 Barrett instead of 50 BMG. I would love to have a 416 Barrett upper receiver for my M107A1. Since it will not need a brake that is nearly as extreme as a 50 BMG, how about you give it a 32" - 35" barrel? It would be heavy but would generate some crazy velocity and let us see just how 416 stacks up in a semi auto platform for extreme long range.
2. A Modernized FAL
With an unconstitutional federal assault weapons ban off the table for at least four years, this is a classic that can be made modern. Imagine how cool it would be to give one of these a 3.5 - 4.5lb trigger and a match grade barrel to make it a 1 MOA gun? Sure it's an old design that is showing its age, but it would still be really cool. I love my DSArms SA-58 clone of the FAL and I think the next thing DSA needs to do is give this old girl an much needed update to bring her into the 21st century.
3. Some Actual Innovation from Glock
Gaston Glock has passed away and it's time for Glock to get its head out of its ass and into the 21st century. It's time to start shipping guns with better triggers. This could be very easily done for dirt cheap: make the 3.5lb connector, 6lb return spring, and maritime spring cups ship standard with every glock and build an overtravel set screw into every trigger housing from the factory. It's time to lose the damn plastic sights and ship every pistol with night sights or, at the very least, fiber optic sights. It's time for a lighter and more streamlined look to reduce weight. Maybe front cocking serrations on all pistols? Also, it's finally time for a steel framed competition pistol. Do that for the Glock 50. A metal frame Glock 34Gen5 with a tungsten guide rod and threaded barrel as standard options, and adjustable fiber optic sights. Maybe the Timney or McNally triggers as stock on the 50? 21rd extended magazines? So you will have that. Maybe you make the Glock 51 a longslide versions of the same weapon with a 6" barrel? Cool? The Glock 52 could be a Glock 19 sized compact version with night sights and a more standard trigger for people who want a carry gun with a metal frame. Then the Glock 53. This could be the one where you create a true microcompact and metal magazines for the first time in a Glock. The issue with the 43X is that it has limited capacity compared to the Hellcat or 365. Fix that. Naturally the 54 could be a 380 version of the same pistol. The 55? Ok Glock, time to correct the mistake you made with the Glock 44 and give us a high capacity 22 that actually WORKS. I am thinking 22 rounds so it competes with the Sig 322. The Glock 56? Well, you release that as the same time as the 57. The 56 in 22 WMR and the 57 in 5.7 FN. See if you can make a reliable 22 WMR semi auto and I am thinking you could do 20 - 23 rounds in the 57 but offer extended magazines that hold 30 rounds. THAT would be cool. There are your next four SHOT shows Glock. You're welcome.
4. A Resurgence of the 10 Gauge
I ask for this every year and keep getting told no. They claim the trend is toward smaller shotguns. Well, what about us who want to play with the big boys? The truth is that the 10 gauge patterns better than a 3.5" 12 gauge and, because they tend to be heavier in gas operated platforms. I think a scaled up Beretta A300 and A400 in 10 gauge would be nice, and from Benelli, maybe an inertia drive gun with a ported barrel to reduce recoil a bit? And lets be real: these need 30" barrels since their purpose is geese, cranes, swans, and late season mallards. Imagine what bismuth 10 gauge would do?
5. Some SxS Safari Guns from CZ
CZ is one of my favorite gun manufacturers. I have their Swamp Magnum and it is an absolute beast. They make great safari bolt actions too. It got me to thinking: why don't they make an affordably priced double rifle for people who want one for safari but don't want to spend $15k for more. Imagine how cool it would be if, for $3.5-$5.5k, you could get a double rifle in 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 470 Nitro Express, 505 Gibbs, and for 10k gives us some special editions in 600 Nitro and 700 Nitro. I am not sure what the practicality of this is, but wouldn't it be cool?
6. A High Quality LPVO with Adjustable Parallax
This one is especially for my friends at Tract Optics. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Tract makes extremely high quality scopes and binoculars - on par with Leupold and Nightforce in my opinion - for reasonable prices. When it comes to LPVOs, I prefer a practical approach. I do not break the bank on an LPVO for weapons I have chambered in 7.62x39, 300 Blackout, 45-70, all of your big bore AR cartridges and new straightwall cartridges, and similar rounds that have limited usage outside of 250 yards. Will they hit a target farther away? Absolutely. But that they are not ideal. For those platforms, I prefer to buy from Athlon, Riton, and even Swampfox. Is parallax an issue from 100 - 250? Well, the advantage of an LPVO with a round like a 5.56mm is that I can be equally effective at close range as I can out to 500 - 600 yards. Parallax becomes a real issue there. Do we need adjustable parallax on a 1-4 or 1-6x LPVO? Probably not. But the 1-8x and certaintly 1-10x scopes need to have it. Imagine this: a first focal plane 1-10x first focal plane LPVO with adjustable parallax and 0.1 mil adjustments. When you are backed off to 1x, you have a nice illuminated red dot or circle and dot for close range applications. As you zoom in, a true mil dot reticle comes into view (with the full reticle clearly visible starting at 6x). This would be a very compact scope usable for both close and long range tactical and hunting applications with a great degree of precision. For hunting, a scope like this would even be practical on rifles in magnum calibers which, while effective for target applications out to a mile, are realistically limited to no more than 600 yards for ethical shots in a hunting scenario. At some point I am going to try to design a scope and submit it to the good people at Tract. I doubt they will make it, but they are very responsive and respectful to their customers and would probably appreciate a bit of fan-fic.
7. Lever Actions in Supermagnum Pistol Calibers
After a lifetime of activities ranging from paintball to bull riding to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, my wrist joints are shot. I have a Smith & Wesson Model 29. I love the gun and its aethetics. The problem is that I am going to have to "ruin" it by sending it in for Magnaporting and then for a high shine cerakote job. Why? I can no longer shoot it without extreme pain. It's no longer fun and I just can't bear to part with it. I have considered replacing it with, of all things, a revolver chambered in 460 XVR. Why? Because I can also run 45 Colt and 454 Casull in that platform and I have tons of brass for 45 Colt. What is stopping me from buying one of those revolvers is the lack of a cost-effective lever gun chambered in 460 XVR. Smith & Wesson just got into the lever gun market and if they released a series of lever actions chambered in this caliber that could also reliably run 45 Colt and 454 Casull (they would also do a 500 S&W version as well), I could justify the expense of the new pistol. Lets face it: the 460 XVR and 500 S&W would have been rifle rounds not too long ago. They are begging to be fired from a lever gun with a 16" barrel.
8. A Return of Classics from Colt and Smith & Wesson
Colt answered our call to re-release its snake series of double action revolvers. I bought a new Python and am satisified with in in all respects. While I don't expect it to hold its value like a classic Python, it is at the very least a high quality 357 magnum revolver that I am willing to shoot because I am not afraid of it breaking. Similarly, Winchester brought back some of its classic. While I don't appreciate that they are made in Japan, I am very satisfied with my Model 92 in 45 Colt. I would really like Colt, under its new ownership, as well as Smith & Wesson, to show some love to the Cownboy Action Shooting community. I think a re-release of the classic Single Action Army from Colt in a package that isn't a custom shop item - chamberings in 357 magnum, 44-40, and 45 Colt - would be a bestseller. On the same note, it would be very cool to see a re-release of the Schofield in these calibers from Smith & Wesson. They could be offered in the original color case hardened finish, or in stainless steel (in lieu of the more expensive and difficult to maintain nickel) to keep prices low. While I love the Peacemaker, the Schofield was one badass revolver during its day.
Things That I Would Like To See At SHOT Show
1. A 416 Barrett Option for the M107A1
I know this is a niche request as there are not many people like me who have the mighty Barrett M107A1. The 50 BMG round is awesome but the simple truth is that the 416 Barrett is better for long range shooting. That is why Barrett released their MRAD ELR in 416 Barrett instead of 50 BMG. I would love to have a 416 Barrett upper receiver for my M107A1. Since it will not need a brake that is nearly as extreme as a 50 BMG, how about you give it a 32" - 35" barrel? It would be heavy but would generate some crazy velocity and let us see just how 416 stacks up in a semi auto platform for extreme long range.
2. A Modernized FAL
With an unconstitutional federal assault weapons ban off the table for at least four years, this is a classic that can be made modern. Imagine how cool it would be to give one of these a 3.5 - 4.5lb trigger and a match grade barrel to make it a 1 MOA gun? Sure it's an old design that is showing its age, but it would still be really cool. I love my DSArms SA-58 clone of the FAL and I think the next thing DSA needs to do is give this old girl an much needed update to bring her into the 21st century.
3. Some Actual Innovation from Glock
Gaston Glock has passed away and it's time for Glock to get its head out of its ass and into the 21st century. It's time to start shipping guns with better triggers. This could be very easily done for dirt cheap: make the 3.5lb connector, 6lb return spring, and maritime spring cups ship standard with every glock and build an overtravel set screw into every trigger housing from the factory. It's time to lose the damn plastic sights and ship every pistol with night sights or, at the very least, fiber optic sights. It's time for a lighter and more streamlined look to reduce weight. Maybe front cocking serrations on all pistols? Also, it's finally time for a steel framed competition pistol. Do that for the Glock 50. A metal frame Glock 34Gen5 with a tungsten guide rod and threaded barrel as standard options, and adjustable fiber optic sights. Maybe the Timney or McNally triggers as stock on the 50? 21rd extended magazines? So you will have that. Maybe you make the Glock 51 a longslide versions of the same weapon with a 6" barrel? Cool? The Glock 52 could be a Glock 19 sized compact version with night sights and a more standard trigger for people who want a carry gun with a metal frame. Then the Glock 53. This could be the one where you create a true microcompact and metal magazines for the first time in a Glock. The issue with the 43X is that it has limited capacity compared to the Hellcat or 365. Fix that. Naturally the 54 could be a 380 version of the same pistol. The 55? Ok Glock, time to correct the mistake you made with the Glock 44 and give us a high capacity 22 that actually WORKS. I am thinking 22 rounds so it competes with the Sig 322. The Glock 56? Well, you release that as the same time as the 57. The 56 in 22 WMR and the 57 in 5.7 FN. See if you can make a reliable 22 WMR semi auto and I am thinking you could do 20 - 23 rounds in the 57 but offer extended magazines that hold 30 rounds. THAT would be cool. There are your next four SHOT shows Glock. You're welcome.
4. A Resurgence of the 10 Gauge
I ask for this every year and keep getting told no. They claim the trend is toward smaller shotguns. Well, what about us who want to play with the big boys? The truth is that the 10 gauge patterns better than a 3.5" 12 gauge and, because they tend to be heavier in gas operated platforms. I think a scaled up Beretta A300 and A400 in 10 gauge would be nice, and from Benelli, maybe an inertia drive gun with a ported barrel to reduce recoil a bit? And lets be real: these need 30" barrels since their purpose is geese, cranes, swans, and late season mallards. Imagine what bismuth 10 gauge would do?
5. Some SxS Safari Guns from CZ
CZ is one of my favorite gun manufacturers. I have their Swamp Magnum and it is an absolute beast. They make great safari bolt actions too. It got me to thinking: why don't they make an affordably priced double rifle for people who want one for safari but don't want to spend $15k for more. Imagine how cool it would be if, for $3.5-$5.5k, you could get a double rifle in 375 H&H, 416 Rigby, 470 Nitro Express, 505 Gibbs, and for 10k gives us some special editions in 600 Nitro and 700 Nitro. I am not sure what the practicality of this is, but wouldn't it be cool?
6. A High Quality LPVO with Adjustable Parallax
This one is especially for my friends at Tract Optics. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Tract makes extremely high quality scopes and binoculars - on par with Leupold and Nightforce in my opinion - for reasonable prices. When it comes to LPVOs, I prefer a practical approach. I do not break the bank on an LPVO for weapons I have chambered in 7.62x39, 300 Blackout, 45-70, all of your big bore AR cartridges and new straightwall cartridges, and similar rounds that have limited usage outside of 250 yards. Will they hit a target farther away? Absolutely. But that they are not ideal. For those platforms, I prefer to buy from Athlon, Riton, and even Swampfox. Is parallax an issue from 100 - 250? Well, the advantage of an LPVO with a round like a 5.56mm is that I can be equally effective at close range as I can out to 500 - 600 yards. Parallax becomes a real issue there. Do we need adjustable parallax on a 1-4 or 1-6x LPVO? Probably not. But the 1-8x and certaintly 1-10x scopes need to have it. Imagine this: a first focal plane 1-10x first focal plane LPVO with adjustable parallax and 0.1 mil adjustments. When you are backed off to 1x, you have a nice illuminated red dot or circle and dot for close range applications. As you zoom in, a true mil dot reticle comes into view (with the full reticle clearly visible starting at 6x). This would be a very compact scope usable for both close and long range tactical and hunting applications with a great degree of precision. For hunting, a scope like this would even be practical on rifles in magnum calibers which, while effective for target applications out to a mile, are realistically limited to no more than 600 yards for ethical shots in a hunting scenario. At some point I am going to try to design a scope and submit it to the good people at Tract. I doubt they will make it, but they are very responsive and respectful to their customers and would probably appreciate a bit of fan-fic.
7. Lever Actions in Supermagnum Pistol Calibers
After a lifetime of activities ranging from paintball to bull riding to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, my wrist joints are shot. I have a Smith & Wesson Model 29. I love the gun and its aethetics. The problem is that I am going to have to "ruin" it by sending it in for Magnaporting and then for a high shine cerakote job. Why? I can no longer shoot it without extreme pain. It's no longer fun and I just can't bear to part with it. I have considered replacing it with, of all things, a revolver chambered in 460 XVR. Why? Because I can also run 45 Colt and 454 Casull in that platform and I have tons of brass for 45 Colt. What is stopping me from buying one of those revolvers is the lack of a cost-effective lever gun chambered in 460 XVR. Smith & Wesson just got into the lever gun market and if they released a series of lever actions chambered in this caliber that could also reliably run 45 Colt and 454 Casull (they would also do a 500 S&W version as well), I could justify the expense of the new pistol. Lets face it: the 460 XVR and 500 S&W would have been rifle rounds not too long ago. They are begging to be fired from a lever gun with a 16" barrel.
8. A Return of Classics from Colt and Smith & Wesson
Colt answered our call to re-release its snake series of double action revolvers. I bought a new Python and am satisified with in in all respects. While I don't expect it to hold its value like a classic Python, it is at the very least a high quality 357 magnum revolver that I am willing to shoot because I am not afraid of it breaking. Similarly, Winchester brought back some of its classic. While I don't appreciate that they are made in Japan, I am very satisfied with my Model 92 in 45 Colt. I would really like Colt, under its new ownership, as well as Smith & Wesson, to show some love to the Cownboy Action Shooting community. I think a re-release of the classic Single Action Army from Colt in a package that isn't a custom shop item - chamberings in 357 magnum, 44-40, and 45 Colt - would be a bestseller. On the same note, it would be very cool to see a re-release of the Schofield in these calibers from Smith & Wesson. They could be offered in the original color case hardened finish, or in stainless steel (in lieu of the more expensive and difficult to maintain nickel) to keep prices low. While I love the Peacemaker, the Schofield was one badass revolver during its day.
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