Here are some of my picks from the 2010 SHOT Show. While many of them are not necessarily new I had the opportunity to shoot, or to get a closer look at them.

Smith & Wesson

Although not a choice for Action Shooting, Smith & Wesson released two new handguns for the concealed carry market. Called the Bodyguard, a polymer 380 semi-automatic and a polymer framed .38 Special revolver. Each have an integrated Insight Technologies laser.

Smith & Wesson state that the guns were designed around the laser as opposed to the lasers being added to the guns. The integrated laser allow Smith & Wesson to offer these guns at a very competitive price point. Each of the guns had surprisingly good triggers and were very controllable using defensive ammo. Even though we were shooting at targets only 7 yards away, putting all rounds in a jagged little group was easy.

I’d like to get some more time with each gun as I had only a couple of minutes to shoot them, most particularly the .38 revolver. My main questions with the revolver concern the laser switch, which is a small button on the top of the laser module. To my mind the size and location of the button will make activating the laser difficult if you have to grab the gun from the night stand or pull it from your pocket to deal with an imminent threat. You’ll have to point shoot or use the channel and post sights for those first shots.

In my opinion the lack of pressure activation or a switch that can be easily manipulated using gross motor skills in a fight or flight situation limits the use of the laser. If you’re able to barricade yourself in a safe-room and have time to manipulate the laser it’s usefulness becomes clear.

The laser activation on the Bodyguard 380 makes more sense as it’s located along the frame of the pistol and has a larger button. However, once again the laser most logically would be activated using the trigger finger which precludes turning the laser on in a situation where an instant shot is needed.

My first impressions with only a couple of minutes using the guns was positive overall. Decent trigger, a polymer framed revolver, lightweight, integrated laser, accurate to defensive distances and very concealable make these real contenders for concealed carry. They will be available in May of 2010. Read more here.

Springfield Armory

The latest version of Springfield Armory’s XDm is a 3.8″ Short barrel built on the same full size frame as the 4.5″ version. This shortened barrel and slide bring them flush with the front of the frame. This gives shooters the option of a more concealable gun in the XDm version.

Production Guns

I had the opportunity to shoot the Beretta PX4, the Ruger SR9 and the new Gen4 Glocks. USPSA Production division has the potential to attract industry sponsors to the sport possibly more than any other division.

I was particularly interested to have an opportunity to shoot some of the offerings of manufacturers that aren’t often seen in competition even though they have Production division legal guns. See my review of these guns here.

Competition

One of the most exciting products for the competitive shooter comes from Safariland. Designed as a family of products, Safariland has created a group of gear attachment systems, designated the Quick Locking System (QLS), the Equipment Locking System (ELS) and the Molle Locking System (MLS). Each system consists of a series of mounting plates, and attachment forks, that clip together allowing rapid repositioning of equipment. This system eliminates the need to restring holsters and pouches on and off your belt.

Why the three groups? As far as I can tell the QLS is designed for duty gear rated at a Level 1 Retention™ pull test. The MLS is designed for use with Molle gear, and the ELS is for applications that don’t require retention considerations and have the smallest footprint of the three systems.

For 3-gun competitors this allows you to provision your gear to match each course of fire as needed. If the course of fire calls for rifle – shotgun, you can easily clip-in your AR magazine pouches and shot shell holders, while removing your handgun holster. If the next stage calls for handgun – rifle, you remove the shot shell and add the handgun holster and magazine pouches.

Safariland has redesigned the belt as well, calling it the ELS Competition belt. The belt is a hook-and-loop, under-over, belt system that has pre-cut holes designed to mount the systems receiver plates. The receiver plates can be positioned anywhere on the belt allowing for a variety of configurations.

Sig Sauer

Clearly a new design in polymer frames the new Sig Clear View made it’s debut at this years SHOT Show. The new clear frame allows the shooter to visually inspect the gun for dirt and grime making clean up a breeze. Combined with the new line of clear magazines due out soon, you’ll be able to determine at a glance how many rounds you have left.

Had you going for a minute there, eh? No this isn’t a new product, it’s just a demo gun they had on hand to show how the trigger-bar system operated. But a clear gun might be cool.

Here’s the real modular system from Sig Sauer, the P250®, a modular handgun. The P250 allows you to reconfigure the gun to suit the task at hand, whether competition, home defense, or concealed carry. The serial-numbered frame accepts three grip modules, four caliber choices, three grip sizes, and two trigger lengths. It’s a carry gun on the way to and from the range, and a competition gun at the range.

Leapers

Not everyone needs a $1000 scope on their AR. There I said it. I know plenty of people who have an AR for local 2 or 3-gun matches, and I know several who drag their AR out once a year. Leaving a $1000-$2000 scope in the gun safe all year isn’t a great choice for everyone. I’m just saying.

Leapers was showing a new “Tactical” style 1x-4x 28mm scope with both red and green illumination, on a cross-hair, Mil-Dot reticle. Street price about $90. For some of us this might work just fine, I’m going to try to get one in for testing and see just how serviceable a scope it is for the occasional user. They also have a 1.5x-6x 44mm model.

M&P Drop-in sear

Ok so you’re not convinced with a $90 scope for your mega-competition AR? How about a drop-in sear to give you a competition trigger for your M&P? Randy Lee from Apex Tactical Specialties has designed a sear that replaces the factory sear to improve your M&P trigger without the cost of a custom trigger job. Apex does recommend that a competent gunsmith install and test the sear to make sure the gun functions properly and safely. We’ll be testing this one soon.

Also from Randy Lee is this little gem designed for the Steel Challenge .22 event. Not yet sure what this treatment will cost, but it’s reminiscent of the “Noisy Cricket” from the movie Men In Black.

Rail Vise

The Rail Vise is a new product designed to clamp onto a Picatinny rail to hold your AR in place while you clean or work on it. A lower receiver vice block will also clamp in to hold the AR lower. The Rail Vice has a very small footprint and takes up very little bench space. You can use it to hold your upper while you mount your $90 scope.

Light ‘em up!

Here’s an interesting take on an AR fire selection switch. Modern Arms probably had the most innovative twist on an AR accessory in the entire show. I think many people will debate the practicality of this device, but you have to admit it’s original. As you approached Modern Arms booth you were invited to “try our switch”. When you flipped the AR selector switch to fire, the lights came on. No, I mean the lights literally came on in the booth.

The idea is that if you have an intruder, when you flip the selector switch your house lights go on, or any device that you have hooked-up to a receiver. You could have an auto-dialer call 911 with a pre-recorded message, or trigger an alarm. The sending unit fits into the handgrip of the AR and is activated by a replacement selector switch.

Coming from a background of designing computer interfaces, robotics controllers and home automation devices I have to say I am somewhat intrigued by this idea and am planning on following up on this product.

CHIPs and the Real Cop

Finally, here is Dianne with her favorite TV cop, Poncherello.

Watch for more in-depth reviews of these products and more in the coming months.