Industry Day

SHOT was difficult for me this year. As usual, I looked forward to the trip, to seeing the new products, and to seeing people I only get to spend time with once a year. But I just couldn't muster much enthusiasm. If you watched out live feeds, it was readily apparent that my heart wasn't in it this year.

For the life of me, I can't figure it out.

Nonetheless, I had a good time and got to put my hands on some really cool things.

GunDudes Jay and Mez, me, and GunDude Robbie

Industry Day started out nicely, as I got to shoot the new Mossberg 940 JM with none other than the Master himself, Jerry Miceluk.

I'm not gonna lie, I fell in love with the shotgun. But it is a bit out of my price range. It's well-thought out and Mossberg is doing a good job of listening to the Miceluk family as the end users. 3G folks are going to be falling over themselves to pick up this shotgun.

We also shot the much talked about Glock 44. I wanted to hate it, because I feel like Glock has been resting on their laurels when it comes to innovation. They were ground breaking in the 80s, but haven't been doing much in the way of innovation since. Yes, what they had worked, and changed the gun industry with their fantastic plastic. But ... they haven't done much since. They were very slow to market with single stack versions (G42 and G43), despite people clamoring for them. To be so late to turn out a .22 trainer is almost unforgivable, so I really wanted to hate this gun.

Turns out. I kinda liked it. A lot. Maybe not enough to buy one yet, but I do see that it has a place in my gun safe as a teaching gun. There have been some reported issues with the polymer on the slide cracking, and some feeding issues, but I'm not convinced it's as big a problem as some writers would like you to believe. I'll wait until this has been on the market a year or so before I made a definite decision whether or not to buy one.

Another highly anticipated gun was the Colt Python. I loved it. So much fun. However, my carpal tunnel syndrome did not like it. At all. We were only shooting .38 Specials, so nothing that I shouldn't have been able to handle, but after only ten rounds my carpal tunnel was flared up for two days afterward. I also managed to tweak my thumb and am now suffering from tendonitis. I think between the carpal tunnel syndrome and the tendonitis in my thumb, it's a clear indication that this gun does not fit my hand and isn't the gun for me.

The trigger was so nice and smooth. I'm not an expert in revolvers, but I know that pretty much every revolver I've shot has had a "crunchy" trigger. This new Colt did not. Other than the flaring up the carpal tunnel and giving myself tendonitis, I had so much fun shooting this gun.

Despite my love for fire power, I have an almost equally deep love for crossbows. GunDude Jay bought me one a few years ago for Christmas and I do love that crossbow.

It's awesome, but there's one itty, bitty problem with my Christmas Crossbow: I'm both too short and too weak to cock it. I've been threatening for years to buy an aftermarket crank, but those things are expensive!

Luckily, GunDude Jay loves me and would do the heavy lifting when I wanted to shoot, but that's hardly being self-sufficient. Imagine how happy I was to see the Mission Crossbows Sub-1 Lite. Not only is it compact and light-weight, but I can run it by myself without an issue.

With a price tag of $1,399.99, it's going to be a while (or never) before I can afford one of these beauties. I can buy a lot of personal training sessions to get strong enough to use my Christmas Crossbow for $1,399.99. 😂

Of course, I had to go by the knife/axe/shovel/star throwing (AKA Buckmaster) tent and throw pointy things, something I also really enjoy. I had left the boys to at whichever booth piqued their interest and wandered over to throw sharp, pointy things, so unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but I do have some fond memories.

Being Industry Day, we shot so many guns they've run together in my mind. Mez took good notes about each gun he shot, but I only jotted down notes on the ones I was interested in, so this is what you get from me.

Eventually, everyone else will get around to posting their impressions of what we saw at Industry Day.

Time for SHOT Show 2020!

Hey internet.  It is that time of the year again.  Time for SHOT Show 2020.
In a few weeks the team here at GunDivas will be heading out to Las Vegas to SHOT Show.

So what is SHOT Show you ask?  For those who do not know.  SHOT Show is the firearms industry trade show.  SHOT Show is where everyone (Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers) comes to display their new and existing products.  It includes firearms, firearm accessories, clothing, etc.  There is even sections for Military and Law Enforcement.  All the cool toys we are not allowed to buy.  But fun to window shop.  SHOT Show includes the international industry community as well.
Unfortunately, it is not open to the public.  For the general public, the only way to view SHOT Show is through the various firearms related media such as TheGunDivas.

This year we want to try something a little different.  Instead of trying to see everything and write/video what we think is interesting.
We want to hear from you, the viewing audience.  Tell us what you want to see.  What do you want us to check out and report back on.

Is there a new firearm, accessory, tactical light, optic, clothing, etc. you want us to check out?  Go to our Facebook page and let us know about it.
We will do our best to find it and report back on it.  We cannot guarantee we'll get to everything, but we will try.
(SHOT Show is HUGE!  Four days is not enough time to see everything in any detail other than a quick run by)

Go to Facebook and let us know if there is something you want us to check out and report back on.

https://www.facebook.com/GunDiva/


-Mez
Dec. 2019

Industry Day at SHOTShow 2018

Jay, Mez, GunDiva, Robbie

Today, we were privileged enough to attend Industry Day at the Range. It's always a good time (who doesn't like to shoot other people's ammo?).  Here are some quick highlights, in case I fail to get more thorough posts done once I'm home.

Decibullz is a Fort Collins-based company that has been around for a while, though they're just now getting into the ear protection game. They were kind enough to offer free custom-molded ear plugs to the attendees today. We didn't run into them until later in the morning, but quickly switched out our "foamies" that we got at the front gate for our Decibullz ear plugs and wore them the rest of the day. Their basic model worked very nicely for the range; they have a different model that we'll be discussing in the future. Since we're from the same geographic area, I'll be scheduling a post-show interview with them.

Though I'm not a long-range shooter, Mez talked me into shooting the new .224 Valkyrie. They had the target out 960 yards, and I'm not a long-range shooter, but I'm happy to say I hit all but one (and that miss was barely a miss). I struggled initially with the trigger, as in, I couldn't reach the freaking thing. Could not reach it. At all. They instructed me to use a strong-side only hold, with my thumb alongside the stock instead of wrapped around the handgrip. It was a soft-shooting round and easy to manage. I'm certain Mez will write more about the ballistics of this round/gun.

My "must shoot" list was pretty short - I need a new duty gun, so I wanted to check out the M&P 2.0 compact. I've shot a few rounds from one of the range team members, but the more I get to handle it, the more convinced I am that this is the gun I need. While I was up there, I thought I'd try the M&P Shield 2.0 as well. I carry my G42 daily, but would really like to upgrade to a 9mm. I planned on just going up to a G43 (because deep in my heart, I'm a Glock girl), but the Shield might be a contender. I'll have to shoot them side by side before I make a final decision.

Again, on Mez's recommendation, Jay and I ducked into the Hudson stall to shoot their pistols. Immediately, I was freaked out by their triggers. I've shot Glock "safe action" triggers since I started shooting, I'm comfortable with the M&P hinged trigger, but this Hudson trigger was just weird. It hinges from the bottom of the trigger. It is supposed to make the trigger reset easier to attain, but while demonstrating it, the Hudson employee had an ND into the dirt just in front of us. Imma go ahead and say, that's not the gun for me. The boys, however, liked the gun.

If you look at the trigger closely, you can see the pin at the bottom of the trigger.

And just for giggles, here's a cute dog picture.

Apollo, the cutest PTSD service dog I've ever seen.

Review: FNAR - Competition rifle that is not ready for competition

For many years Fabrique Nationale (FN) has produced many fine products.  But no one bats a thousand and every company produces a mediocre or bad product.  Today I review one of FN’s least desirable products.  The FNAR. 

The FNAR is a semi-automatic rifle based on the Browning BAR.  (The hunting rifle, not the military rifle)  FN took the Browning design and added a magazine well to accommodate 5, 10 and 20 round magazines and a PIcatinny rail and a fancy stock.  Otherwise, the action is the same.  It is chambered only in .308 Winchester. 

Overall it is a sound design.  The fit and finish is excellent.  Just what you expect from a FN. The Competition model is colored blue (the company color) and looks sharp.  Has a nice adjustable cheek piece to fit the shooter.  A large Picatinny rail for mounting any optic.  It also includes a small Picatinny rail on the end of the barrel if you are so inclined to add iron sights.  The short, medium weight, 20 inch barrel is handy.  The action is smooth and functions well. 

This is where the good ends.  Let me move on to why this is not a good rifle, especially for a competition rifle. 

The Bad:

11. The medium weight barrel unbalances the rifle.  All the weight is up front and makes the rifle clumsy to move quickly and efficiently.

22. The Competition stock has no provisions for a sling or for a bi-pod.  This tells me this rifle was designed for one and only one type of competition.  One that does not require the use of a sling or bi-pod.  Without aftermarket gunsmithing, this rifle is not useful for multiple uses or competition types.    

33. The front Picatinny rail is pointless.  It is intended to put iron sights on.  But with iron sights you want a longer sight radius to minimize aiming errors.  The 20 inch barrel is a bit short for iron sights, especially if you want to win at competition.  Just remove the front Picatinny rail.   Most people will be using some sort of optic in today's world. 

Also, the iron sights sit very high above the bore, which will not allow for a good cheek weld.  This is not good for your accuracy.

44. The magazine release is too far forward.  Though ambidextrous, it is located too far forward for easy access, which will slow down your magazine changes.  This fact alone will lose you the competition.

55. Proprietary magazines that are stupid expensive.  Running around $50 each.  Ouch!  Since you added an extended magazine well, How about using standard off the shelf magazines?  Way to think of your customers needs FN.   

66. The bolt release is also in a bad location that will slow you down. 

77. Trigger.  It is definitely not what I would call a competition trigger.  Though light at approximately 3 – 3.5 pounds.  It is full of slack, creep, grit and crunch.  It is everything but a competition trigger.  Fine for a hunting rifle.

88. Complex gas system that is major pain to take apart to clean.  Definitely follow the instruction manual.  Lots of small screws, pins and springs that need to be taken out.  Good news, you do not need to pull it apart very frequently.  Bad news is the instruction manual that came with the rifle is incomplete.  It only explains how to disassemble the gas system.  But does not tell you how remove the bolt from the receiver.  Thank Google for the power of YouTube.  And a big thanks to FN for doing a half-ass job on the instruction manual.  Incomplete, small with tiny black and white pictures that are hard to see. 

99. Only chambered in .308 Winchester.  Why not 6.5 Creedmoor?  Same horsepower but much less recoil.  Less recoil means faster return to target.  How about .223?  Even less recoil and lower ammunition costs.  The only advantage of .308 is knockdown power at longer ranges (400+ yards).  Assuming you can hit your target.

110. Accuracy:  Definitely mediocre.  Even with the medium weight barrel, the rifle acts very much like a light weight hunting rifle.  The accuracy expands and contracts with the temperature of the barrel.  See Photo.

1.    First group, cold bore.  This is what you expect from a competition rifle.  The separation is most likely operator error. 

2.    2^nd group.  As the barrel heats up, the group open ups.  Still not bad.  Ignore the flying on the lower left of the group.

3.    3^rd group.  WTF?  Pushing 3 inches and no clue where shot #5 went.  This is AK territory.  Or Tavor is you prefer.  It also limits your maximum effective range depending on target size.  A 3 inch group at 100 yards gives you have a theoretical 15 inch group at 500 yards.

4.    4^th group.  After a short barrel cool down, the group closes up a bit.  Getting back to normal.  Again, separation is probably is operator error.

Not good for a competition rifle.  Fine for a hunting rifle.   

Conclusion:

The FNAR evolved from the Browning BAR hunting rifle.  Fabrique Nationale sexed it up and threw it out into the market place and marketed it as a “competition” rifle.  The FNAR is not a competition rifle in any way shape or form.  It is outclassed by the AR-15.  Hell, it is outclassed by an AK-47 and even a Tavor. 

I know YouTube is full of videos of people singing the praises of this rifle.  Sure, if a 1-3 inch gun is accurate enough and you limit your range to not more than 500 yards on a target not smaller than 10” in diameter, then yes, the FNAR is a fine rifle. 

I disagree with most people on this rifle.  It is outclassed by almost all other rifles.  For the same $1500 I can build a hell of a great AR-15 that will outshine the FNAR in all respects. 

It is the height of mediocrity for a “competition” rifle.  It is something I would expect out of Taurus, not FN.   

Fabrique Nationale needs to discontinue this rifle and remove it from the catalog.  Shut down the assembly line and put the money into fixing their other craptactular products.  

If you are hell bent on owning one of these, I do recommend the Browning BAR version.  It is a nice, sleek design with a flush fit magazine and available in multiple calibers.  It is hunting oriented, but that is what this design was meant to be and nothing else. 

Browning BAR Rifle

This is my $1.02 worth.  

By: Mez

04/17/2016

SHOT Show 2016: Kimber Revolver

Here is a quick post of a neat item from Kimber we found at Industry day.  Normally I am not a big fan of Kimber due to their 1911 line of pistols.  Simply because I think they are overpriced for what they are.  But this time, I think Kimber has a possible winner.
Kimber has introduced a revolver.  The K6s.  It is a snubnose revolver.  2 inch barrel.  Stainless steel body. 23 ounces.  And a 6 shot cylinder instead of the more traditional 5 shot cylinder.  The overall size does not appear to be bigger than a comparable Ruger or Smith snubnose revolver.
It is chambered in .357 magnum.  Will also shoot .38 Specials. 

What sets this revolver apart is the 6 shot cylinder and more importantly, the trigger.  Factory revolvers are notorious for heavy, crunchy triggers.  Typically in the 12 - 16 pound range and desperately need the loving touch of a good gunsmith to smooth them out.
Kimber's specification for this revolver is 9.5 - 10.5 Lbs.  This is a very good trigger weight for a revolver.  To top it off, the trigger is very smooth.  Smooth  is very important in a revolver.

I only had limited time to test fire this revolver.  But after 18 rounds, I was impressed for a Kimber product.  The trigger was smooth, not too heavy and easy to press.  Kimber representatives claimed we were firing full power, 158 grain .357 magnums.  Didn't feel like it.  This pocket revolver was very easy to manage.  My Ruger SP101 can be a handful with full power loads.  First, impression, I like it.   

Now the bad news.  MSRP is $899.  OUCH!  This is very high for a snubby revolver.  A comparable Ruger or Smith will retail for $550 - $750.  But, they have stock triggers and typically need some TLC.  This is where the Kimber shines.  I don't think additional work is necessary on the Kimber.  If you combine purchase price and a trigger job, you are at or almost at the same price as the Kimber.  I do think you are paying a little more for the Kimber name.  But the performance was very nice.

Definitely take a look at the Kimber revolver if you are in the market for a pocket revolver.  The price is high, but the additional work most revolvers need has already been done for you by the Kimber factory.

01/19/2016

By: Mez

It's that time again!

Our annual SHOT Show trip is just around the corner - in approximately 30 hours we'll be hitting the highway on our way to Vegas.

I'm having a hard time getting as excited as I have in the past. I am definitely looking forward to seeing my peers, but I can't say there's anything I'm just dying to see.

Part of my lack of excitement is real-world work stress. Now that I'm finished with work for the week and there's literally nothing else I can do to ensure my students do okay in my absence, I'm starting to feel the stirring of excitement.

Industry Day is always a good time and last year Mez and I spent a lot of time in the non-shooting area. We found it was a good place to wander and talk to vendors. In years past, we'd been too busy wanting to try all the guns and we'd overlooked an area full of great items. We won't make that mistake again.

I am looking forward to the panels and presentations as well. Again, last year, I spent more time sitting in presentations than I had in the past and found that I really enjoyed them and learned a lot.

There is also a women's meet and mingle on Thursday that I'm looking forward to - it's an opportunity to expand my network. As an introvert, that's hard for me to do, but something organized makes it a lot easier.

I know posting has been sporadic here, and I apologize, but look for new (brief) posts throughout the next week. I'll be posting on Facebook throughout the show, so if you're not following us there, you might want to click on over.

Podcast with Molon Labe Forum

Mez and I were lucky enough to spend some time talking with the gents from Molon Labe Forum.  One of my favorite things about SHOT Show is that we're surrounded by friendly, like-minded people.  Making that trip every year is like attending a family reunion.

If you're interested, and have a bit of time to eavesdrop in our conversation, click here.

SHOT Show 2015: Various new items

This post will be a broad catchall for various manufacturers.  I do not have many pictures, if at all, due to the fact the resident photographer was not able to attend due to work commitments, not due to my laziness to take them.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

That being said, Most of the major manufacturers were disappointing in they had little that was new or revolutionary some of it was down right crap catering to tacti-cool instead of practical and useful.  Most of the new, innovative products came from small shops that will be highlighted in other posts.
In light of that, here are some cool items from various manufacturers.


Browning: (www.browning.com)

Browning introduced a new 1911.  The 1911 - .380.  It is a 2/3 size 1911 chambered in .380.   This is a re-chambering of their 2/3 size .22 that has been out for years.
This is a neat product I want to check out in more detail myself.  It sits well in the hand, it a little larger than the standard pocket .380, but smaller than a full size gun.
I think it will do well as a concealed carry gun or as a fun range toy, even as training gun for new shooters who may not be able to hold onto a fullsize 1911 in .45.

Check it out, it is a cute little gun and I have high hopes for it.


Ruger: (www.Ruger.com)

Ruger came out with a long list of new items for 2015.  Some items are very interesting.

1. BX-25 trigger assembly for the 10/22 rifles.  One of the big problems with the standard 10/22 rifle is the trigger.  It sucks.  Normally you call Volquartsen and buy one of their custom triggers, but those are $250 dollars and not very cost effective unless you are building a custom precision 10/22.  In comes the BX-25 trigger.  This is a factory produced trigger that gives  you a 2.5 - 3.5 pound trigger with a crisp, clean break.  All for $90.  Much better value than Volquartsen.
I look forward to checking this out for my 10/22.

2. Trigger for the AR-15 rifle.  Ruger has introduced their own trigger for the AR15 rifle.  The sample I tried was very nice.  If you are looking for a trigger upgrade for your AR, Ruger now gives you an option.

3. 10/22 Charger pistol.  Ruger has brought the Charger 10/22 pistol back but in a take-down version.  Combine this with the new BX-25 trigger assembly and you have a nice little .22 pistol that breaks down and is very back-packable.

4. LCR revolver now in 9mm.  Normally this polymer frame snub-nose revolver comes in .38 special and .357.  Now Ruger has chambered it in the popular 9mm cartridge.
It uses a moon clip to allow the cases to be easily ejected.
If you already shoot a 9mm pistol and want to try a snub-nose revolver but don't want to buy/reload for a different caliber, now's your chance.  Check out the LCR in 9mm.

5. LCP .380 pistol with improved trigger and better sites.  One of the problems with the LCP pistol is the uncomfortable trigger and crappy sights.  Ruger has now fixed these issues.
You might want to reconsider the Ruger LCP with these upgrades.

6. LC9 pistol - Now the favorite LC9 pistol comes with the option of a manual safety.

7. Synthetic stock for the Ruger Scout rifle.  This less expensive polymer stock replaces the heavier wood laminate stock but also lowers the cost of the rifle.

8. Wood laminate stock with adjustable length of pull now available in the 77 series bolt action rifles.
The length of pull is adjusted through the use of spacers.  Similar to what is used on the Scout rifle.

9. Bearcat .22 revolver now has optional adjustable sights.


Mossberg: www.mossberg.com

1. Chassis system for the MVP line of bolt action rifles.  This was a common theme for SHOT 2015, many manufacturers were putting their bolt action rifles into chassis systems and this included Mossberg.  This is good for target shooters as you can choose your grip and buttstock to semi-customize the rifle to fit you.  And get the benefits of a fully free-floated barrel and the ability to add tacti-dodads such as lights or other optics such as night vision.

2. Fiber optic peep sight for their shotguns.  Very need and easy to see sights if you are looking for better sights for your shotgun.


IWI: The makers of the Tavor. (www.IWI.us)

1. IWI has reintroduced the Galil rifle.  The Galil Ace.  For those who don't know what a Galil is, it is an Israeli designed/built AK-47 rifle.  So whats the big deal, it's just another AK right?  Nope, the Galil is an AK-47 built right.  The Galil Ace now fixes many of the ergonomic short comings of the original Galil without sacrificing  quality or accuracy.
If you love the AK platform of rifles and want something that has better ergonomics and ability to attach optics and lights and other tacti-dodads, look at the IWI Galil.  It just may be what you are looking for.


Cimarron:  www.cimarron-firearms.com

1. Short stroke hammer system on cowboy revolvers.  This system is primarily designed for the mounted cowboy shooters who need to hold onto their guns while riding.  The hammer is shorter and wider and the cocking stroke has been reduced to make it easier to cock the gun.
It does eliminate the safety notch, but this is not a problem as competitors only load 5 rounds in the gun anyway.

2. Possible octagon barrel on their revolvers.  This is not officially in the catalog, but it should be.  Please pester Cimarron to add this to the lineup.  The octagon barrel is very sexy.

Winchester Ammunition:  www.winchester.com

1. .17 WSM (Winchester Short Magnum)

A couple of years ago, Winchester introduced a new rimfire cartridge aimed at giving varmint hunters closer to centerfire performance while still using the rimfire package. 

In comes the 17 WSM.  It fires a 20 grain bullet at 3000 feet per second or a 25 grain bullet at 2600 feet per second.  Think of it as a 17 HMR on steroids.  

This additional velocity should extend your effective range to 200-300 yards with a flatter trajectory and more energy (400 Ft-Lbs at muzzle, 200 Ft-Lbs at 200 yards) than the standard 17 HMR or .22 Magnum cartridges.  

If you are looking for more power out of your rimfire, then take a look at the 17 WSM.

I am now seeing the ammunition show up in stores.  Pricing is approximately $16-$20 per box of 50 rounds.  Not outrageous giving the power and performance.  If you want more performance you are stuck going to a centerfire round.  

By: Mez

02/08/2015

SHOT Show 2015: Unique-ARs - making your AR personal and sexy

The AR15 rifle is one of the most popular and most sold rifles in America today.  One of the problems with the AR is it is made of Aluminum and Polymer parts.  It is very difficult to customize these materials unlike a fine piece of wood. 

You can Cerakote your AR rifle almost any color or colors you want but that is basically the extent to beautify your rifle. 

Now with Unique-ARs (www.Unique-ARs.com) you can truly make your AR rifle your own.  Unique-ARs makes handguards with various designs for your rifle.

Choose from an off the shelf pattern or have your own design made into your handguard.  They can even drill and tap your handguard if you need to add picatinny rails for additional accessories. 

If you don’t like the basic black they can anodize or Cerakote your handguard and rifle to your liking.

Pricing will start at approximately $175 and goes up depending on the complexity of the design.  But this is on par with any other freefloat handguard you will buy on the market.  As comparison the new keymod handguards by BCM or Midwest Industries are $260 and $230 respectively.  Unique-ARs is very cost competitive especially since you are getting a custom handguard. 

Below are some samples of what Unique-ARs can do for you and your rifle. 

Who says Aluminum and plastic has to be dull and boring?

By: Mez

02/08/2015