January 21, 2025
By Keith Wood
The new product offerings at the Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show can be overwhelming. We’ve combed through them and identified some of the ones that we’ve found the most interesting. Here is a sampling of what’s being displayed this week in Las Vegas, Nevada and highly anticipated.
Nighthawk Double Agent 2011 (Photo courtesy of Nighthawk Customs) As a longtime fan of Nighthawk Custom’s handguns, I was excited to hear about the introduction of the new double-stack Double Agent. This pistol, built in collaboration with Agency Arms, combines a high-capacity Commander-sized slide and hand-fit Recon rail frame for a concealable package with a 4.25” barrel. Built to Nighthawk’s high standards but with Agency Arms’ distinctive and functional slide treatment and matching frame texture, this handgun will turn heads. Nighthawkcustom.com
Ed Brown Cobra Carry 25th Anniversary (Photo courtesy of Ed Brown Customs) It’s been a quarter century since Ed Brown released its Cobra Carry 1911—a concealable handgun adorned with the unmistakable Snakeskin texture. To celebrate this milestone, the company has released a 25th Anniversary version. The frame is bobtailed for concealability, another Ed Brown innovation. Both stainless steel and black Gen4 finishes are available. The sights have been upgraded, combining an orange HD XR front with a black rear. The grips are exotic double-diamond cocobolo with the “EB” logo and the frame is engraved to designate it as the 25th Anniversary Model. Edbrown.com
Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0C (Photo courtesy of Springfield Armory) Springfield Armory’s Echelon didn’t catch my eye when it first launched but I’ve become a big fan of the series. This compact version has all of the bells and whistles of the full-size version but in a concealable package. The chassis frame with its interchangeable grip modules and backstraps allows users to tailor-fit this handgun to their size preference and the trigger is far better than most striker-fired handguns. The Echelon has the upgrades you’d expect to find a Gucci custom but in a factory configuration and price. Springfield-armory.com
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MAC Duty 9 (Photo courtesy of Military Armament Corps) Military Armament Corporation (MAC) has quickly established itself as a maker of high-quality 1911 handguns at attractive prices. MAC is now crossing into the double-stack space with the new 17+1 round Duty 9. Built by Tisas, Duty 9 is built from a 4140 steel frame and slide which will mean that recoil in the 9mm chambering will be extremely light. The 5” bull barrel is cut with an 11-degree crown and Cerakoted black along with the frame. The slide is finished with the rock-hard QPQ treatment. With a fiber-optic front sight and an optic-ready slide, this has to potential to be a viable competition handgun at an extremely reasonable price. Milarmament.com
FN Reflex XL (Photo courtesy of FN) FN jumped into the micro-compact handgun world with the Reflex in 2023 and is expanding that footprint with the new Reflex XL. This handgun combines the concealability of Reflex with a longer frame module for a full-fingered grip. Despite being just 6.75” long and weighing 20 ounces, the Reflex XL has a 15-round magazine capacity which can be extended to 18-rounds. There’s a tritium front sight with a black U-notch rear and the pistol is cut for an optic. The Reflex XL will be available in both black and FDE versions. Fnamerica.com
Federal Premium Hydra-Shok Deep (Photo courtesy of Federal) This year, Federal has expanded its controlled-expansion Hydra-Shok Deep lineup to include two of my favorite cartridges: .32 H&R Magnum and .45 Colt. The .32 H&R Magnum is a great defense round for a concealable revolver, providing six-rounds of capacity in a S&W J-frame. This new load with drive an 85-grain JHP at over 1,000 feet per second. In the .45 Colt, a 210-grain bullet will achieve 900 feet per second. These velocities, coupled with the deep penetration and reliable expansion that these bullets are known for, makes them ideal for serious defensive use. Federalpremium.com
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Hornady Backcountry Defense (Photo courtesy of Hornady ) Plenty of folks carry handguns for backcountry defense against predators but often do so with ammunition that is poorly suited to that task. Hornady has launched its Backcountry Defense ammo specifically to fill that niche. When it comes to stopping a charge, penetration is the name of the game and the Dangerous Game Handgun (DGH) bullet is designed for that purpose. These heavy-for-caliber non-expanding loads will be available in seven chamberings ranging from 9mm to .500 S&W. Hornady.com
Remington Performance Wheelgun 22 (Photo courtesy of Remington) Revolvers have made a much-deserved comeback and a .22 LR wheelgun may be the best training tool ever devised. Remington’s new Performance Wheelgun 22 load is designed specifically with revolvers in mind. This ammo uses copper-jacketed bullets to reduce leading and is designed for low noise output. How? Why? Because, since it’s designed to be fired through a revolver, it doesn’t have to be able to cycle a semi-automatic. If you ask me, quieter is always better when it comes to shooting. Remington.com