Hello From SHOT Show 2025

Revolvers

If there was an overall theme on the range and the show floor, it was revolvers. I started out shooting one of my favorite revolvers: a North American Arms 22 Magnum PUG.

North American Arms makes micro revolvers, the fiveshot, single-action variety, which are small enough for a key pocket. Every Officer who serves should be a member of the NAA Club for a variety of reasons. I carried one in a uniform shirt pocket as a backup to my backup. It weighed 4.6 oz, and wasn’t much larger than a wristwatch. A NAA revolver is something an officer can carry anywhere, any time.

I shot the NAA Pug on the range. This is a 6.4 oz 22 magnum with XS Sights. With the improved sights, it’s not hard to hit targets normally designated for larger handguns. For the smaller 22 magnum guns, the Pug is my favorite.

Diamondback Firearms has added a couple of new SDR revolvers to their line, and there is one that should be of great interest to our readers. The Self Defense Revolver (SDR) made a splash last year with a .357 magnum model. I shot one last year, and I found the lockup on the cylinder, push button release, and smooth trigger made it a standout. This year, they added a 3” barrel version. All of the SDR models have adjustable, low-profile fiber-optic sights, and a fairly short arc for hammer travel. They have Hogue black rubber grips and a forged stainless frame.

This year, Diamondback Firearms added a 6-shot 9mm. It takes moon clips. It weighs 21.20 oz. If you were reluctant to go AIWB or needed a backup that works for off duty and suitable for hiking, this is it. If you ever want to meet me on the range, I can show you how to run a moon clip revolver as fast as many autos.

Charter Arms released their Coyote (Model # 53802), a five-shot 380 ACP, which also takes full moon clips. It is scaled down a bit, compared to traditional revolvers, and weighs 14 oz. Charter Arms has always had bargain prices, and the Coyote is on their website for under $450 MSRP. Moon clips are the fastest reloads for a revolver.

Smith & Wesson released three of their legacy models with internal locks. At one point in their model history, a lock was added in the early 2000s that prevented unauthorized use of the firearm. I don’t personally know anyone who actually used this lock, which was a device that blocked the movement of the hammer. It required a hole in the receiver and a specialized key. The three models that Smith & Wesson released are Models 10, 19, and 36. These classic firearms can hold their own in a modern world.

Lipsey’s, one of the nations largest wholesale firearms distributors, often has special editions that are exclusive to their brand. They released their 632-UC Ti, a six-shot 32 H&R magnum revolver with a titanium cylinder and aluminum frame. It weighs 13 oz empty. This is an effective fighting cartridge in a tiny package.

Autos

I shot Kimber’s new guns and found the Kimber 2K11 was a comfortable fit for me. This is a doublestack 9mm with a steel frame and aluminum grip module. It has a toolless full length guide rod, and a match trigger. Most importantly, it had the kind of feel that allows a shooter to smoothly transition from target to target.

For off-duty use, Kimber released the CDS9 (Covert Double Stack 9mm). It uses either a 13- or 15-round magazine. It is a concealable size, with a flat faced trigger, front rails, and an ambidextrous safety.

In the hand, the CDS9 sits low, with lots of texturing in the grip. It is optics ready. Many concealable handguns lack the features of duty-sized guns. It uses a double recoil spring and makes this gun an easy platform for the 9mm.

GLOCK released a few new innovations. First, they brought out more models with the GLOCK Performance Trigger, a trigger with the same safety features with enhanced ergonomics. They also released a second iteration of the GLOCK Tactical Light, the GTL II. Because it is made specifically for the G45/G17, it blends into its form.

There are plenty of new double stack 2011 designs, but the one that caught my eye on the floor was the Jacob Grey HEX. It has a 1911 grip angle, but the alloy grip portion felt better than a polymer grip. The fit between the slide and sub frame shows the evident quality of their build.

I stopped by the Springfield Amory booth and they had the new Prodigy Compact models. This is a 1911 design, with a modern 15+1 capacity. As you recall, I tested the 1911 DS Prodigy when it debuted (with a Safariland holster!), and it had a superior feel in the hand. The Prodigy Compact has that same feel, but the 3.5” barrel version is 25.5 oz. The compact models have polymer grip modules mounted to a 7075-T6 frame. Springfield Armory designed this gun for real engagements; including tritium sights.

Safariland Holsters

Last year, I got to look at the Safariland Vault. When the Safariland Team demonstrated it, they told me it had the strongest holster body in the industry. It definitely is, and has outstanding security. However, many users gave Safariland feedback about the weight and bulk of this product. This year, David Higginbotham of Safariland walked me through their new holster, the Ballast. This has the same type of security as the Vault, but it is a completely redesigned body, including a vise-like precision locking mechanism. It is lighter and less bulky.

Safariland really addressed the professional network feedback on the Ballast. One of the biggest concerns with this type of holster is the potential for finger ingress behind the trigger guard. Safariland put a Hytrel tab in that area. It almost creates a seal on the dorsal part of the holster, preventing fingers from entering the holster without impacting the draw. This is progress.

The Ballast is built differently than any other holster. The design could be described as “vertically stacked bands.” There is the ejection port area, which is one band. The part that covers the muzzle of the gun is another. It is not built like a taco, which would be weaker. Rather, it is more like manicotti, seamless in the circumference. The advantage here is the fact that it only requires a longer band to go from a GLOCK 19 to a GLOCK 17, while maintaining structural integrity. It is an open muzzle design. It has a removable RDS optic lid. It offers maximum strength, without surrendering real estate on the belt, or adding weight to the loadout.

The Ballast mounts on existing platforms, allowing law enforcement users to re-mount without retrofitting.

Armor

There were plenty of new armor offerings to see, but the overall theme was reduced weight. Angel Armor really stepped up the ICW (In Conjunction With) game by debuting their Truth SNAP, a rifle plate system that uses modular magnetic plates to stack on over standalone plates, increasing the ballistic performance without the significant weight penalties.

Safariland released the SX HP Ballistic Panel and Hardwire 57 Ballistic Panels. I took a serious look at the SX HP Ballistic Panel on the SHOT floor. Both front and back panels were nearly lighter and thinner than the carrier! The SX HP Ballistic Panel uses hybrid technology, and materials from Avient, Honeywell, and Dupont, to make something that turns protection into something that is barely there. The SX HP boasts a 20% reduction in weight, and more protection.

If you think this is revolutionary, the Level IIIA Hardwire is the lightest yet, and its pretty soft, considering the protection. It is stitch less, and includes shock absorber technology. I met the Hardwire in 2016, and it is even more groundbreaking now.

Point Blank introduced the Level II and Level IIIA models of its Elite EXO ballistic soft armor. The new materials are not just lighter, they are more water resistant and contour the body better. The Point Blank Level II panel material weighs .59 lbs/sq foot. For the officers who run events in full duty gear, life just got a little bit easier.

Accessories

I stopped by the Otis booth, where I checked out the new cleaning kits. Otis has a new bug out sized 9mm cleaning kit, designed for 9mm handguns and carbines. I carry a similar kit in my bug out gear, and it includes Shooter’s Choice FP-10 CLP. They also released the Otis Suppressor Cleaning Kit, which includes their Suppressor Cleaner Concentrate, which I imagine will be big with L.E.

Drymax, the sock manufacturers, had an active display where they demonstrated the ability of their socks to wick moisture. Since I run in Drymax, I can attest t the efficacy of their system. Not only does it feel soft against the skin, their wicking system is physics in action. The company is coming out with new prducts using Cupron Copper Technology, a fiber device known to improve skin health. The Cu2O system is not a surface coating, but embedded material. It has natural antifungal capabilities, and could even be considered therapeutic. This technology has even been used in the chin cups of football helmets to prevent skin conditions brought on by chin cups. Drymax duty socks are superior, and I know that personally.

Breakthrough Clean Technologies was on the range, and one of their associates handed me a pack of Military Grade Solvent, Battle Born Grease and HP PRO Oil. I have been using this stuff already. This is USA made, 100% synthetic solvents and oils that run in my guns well.

Knives and lights

I could go on and on about these things, but I only have room for highlights. My favorite knife from the show was a White River Ursus Cub. This is a working knife for outdoorsmen made from Magnacut with linen micarta scales. I liked the feel in my hand, and the full tang construction.

Spyderco released several Magnacut models, which are outstanding. However, the real intrigue is their release of traditional patterns like the Endura 4 in CPM SPY27. I’m just getting around to testing knives of this steel, which has “SPY” in the nomenclature. This is a USA-made, Spyderco proprietary steel with superior edge retention and toughness. It’s the sauce for lightweight duty knives.

Streamlight unveiled their TLR RM 1 HL-X rail mounted light for long guns. It fires 1000 lumens and 22000 candela with a CR-123 A cell. I think the coolest development was their foray into the USB-C rechargeable battery world. The TLR RM 1 HL-X also runs off SL-B9 pack. This is a high-performance, protected lithium-ion pack that is the form factor of a CR123, charges with a USB-C in 2.5 hours, and runs this carbine light for 30 minutes. Streamlight has made many of their products multi-fuel.

The most profound for last

Knives and lights I could go on and on about these things, but I only have room for highlights. My favorite knife from the show was a White River Ursus Cub. This is a working knife for outdoorsmen made from Magnacut with linen micarta scales. I liked the feel in my hand, and the full tang construction. Spyderco released several Magnacut models, which are outstanding. However, the real intrigue is their release of traditional patterns like the Endura 4 in CPM SPY27. I’m just getting around to testing knives of this steel, which has “SPY” in the nomenclature. This is a USA-made, Spyderco proprietary steel with superior edge retention and toughness. It’s the sauce for lightweight duty knives. The most unique product I saw was from High-End Defense Solutions (hedsusa.com). They have an optic system that mounts on a non-optic slide, using magnets.

Gene Whisenand, my photographer, was scouting new products. He’s a firearms instructor always on the lookout for stuff that could benefit his students. He kept going back to the HEDS range and dragged me there. We unclipped the optic, clipped them back on, then put rounds on target. The product was rock solid when on, but easy to take off. It is an excellent way to add optics on one gun, and move the optic to another. This could be great for officers whose duty assignments change regularly. The trick is the rear sight, which doesn’t work any different, except a spot to place the metal loop on the optic. The optic is clicked on the back of the sights and sits flat. Because it sits low on the sight plane, co-witnessing is right there.

While there is no way to cover all of the products I saw during SHOT Show, look for some great reviews ahead.