The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will host their annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show next week in Las Vegas, and we’ll be there to report on all the latest Firearms, ammunition, optics, and gear. This post is our Pre-SHOT spotlight to include a preview of what’s coming and what we’re hoping to get more information about.

This year the estimated number of vendors, media, and buyers is expected to above 70,000 making this year’s SHOT Show one of the largest in the entire history of the Show. SHOT Show takes up the entire Sand’s Expo center for the week!

SHOT Show 2017

The BlueSheepDog Crew will be diligently working the floors at SHOT Show to get pictures and details on all of the latest firearms, optics, accessories, uniforms and more that today’s law enforcement officers will either field or come into contact with on the streets. Occasionally we even run across something that is not brand new, but has had very little publicity. For instance, the Street Force Rapid Deployment Gear had been out for more than a year when we came across them at SHOT, but their design was well worth publishing for consideration by our readers. If you are particularly interested in an item drop a comment below and we’ll do our best to find out more information.

For those not familiar with SHOT Show, this is an industry trade show specifically set up to allow manufacturer’s a prime location to show off their newest products and their other offerings as well. Every major firearm, ammunition, holster, and accessory manufacturer throughout the world will be in attendance, as will hundreds of outdoor product makers ranging from all-terrain vehicles to hunting clothing to camping equipment.

The SHOT Show is a restricted event, open only to manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, and media. As a trade show, this is more than just a showcase of products. With over 6700 vendors at the Show, there will literally be tens of millions of dollars in sales next week made to the distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and dealers you buy your firearms and outdoor supplies from. Sadly, those sales are mostly on paper, as very little exchanges hands on the floor.

Spotlight on New Products for 2017

Savage MSR15

Savage Arms is entering the Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) market a little late, but in full force. The MSR15 Recon is one of two AR-15 options, the other being the MSR15 Patrol. Featuring Blackhawk furniture, 5R rifling, and the more unique 1:8 twist rate, the MSR15 Recon appears to offer a lot for $999.00. The MSR15 Patrol comes in at $852.00.

Savage MSR10

The Savage MSR10 Long Range is one of two options in the .308 caliber AR-10 options from Savage. Fielding a Magpul fully adjustable PRS stock, 5R rifling, and a monolithic hand guard, the MSR10 series of rifles look to compete with the outstanding out-of-the-box accuracy that has made Savage famous. The MSR10 also comes in the Hunter version, with the Long Range having an MSRP of $2284.00 while the Hunter is $1481.00.

Springfield Saint

Springfield Armory has also decided to make a bold entrance into the AR-15 market with their Saint rifle.  We previously reported on the Saint here. Springfield also appears to have taken their time in delivering their AR-15, but has offered some fine features including the Accu-Tight system to remove the “wiggle” between the receivers and a 1:8 rifling as well.

Bushmaster Minimalist

Bushmaster has come out with their light weight Minimalist SD AR-15. Using a minimalist stock, muzzle brake, and an integrated monolithic hand guard with keymod attachment slots, Bushmaster is still making a claim to a market they once owned a much larger share.

Ruger Precision Rifle

Ruger announced they will now offer their Ruger Precision Rifle in the increasingly popular 6mm Creedmoor. We highlighted the outstanding features of the Ruger Precision Rifle here, and I was very impressed with its performance during my short time on the range last year. Ruger will also offer a Ruger American Rifle, bolt-action, in 6mm Creedmoor.

Bergara B-14 HMR

Bergara has become world-renowned for making some of the best precision barrels on the market. Their complete rifles have also been widely praised. The new B-14 HMR (Hunting and Match Rifle) combines all the best Bergara has to offer in design and materials, including a Taper #5 barrel, HMR mini-chassis stock, and detachable AICS magazines.

Cobalt Kinetics Stealth

Cobalt Kinetics is always one of the best booths to visit during SHOT Show. They have taken the AR-15 to the next level making not only lighter weight rifles, but rifles with fit, function, and just absolutely beautiful looking as well. The Stealth is chambered in .300 BLK and only 100 will be made in 2017. Featuring the Cobalt linear muzzle device, Cobalt machined billet pistol grip, and ambidextrous controls, the Stealth looks good and is ready to function flawlessly with most .30 cal. suppressors. The Stealth has a 9″ chrome-moly barrel with (again) a 1:8 twist rate, and very nice MVB Arc 5 collapsible stock.

Legacy Sports Howa HCR Chassis Rifle

Legacy Sports has produced the Howa HCR Chassis Rifle this year, chambered .223 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win. The chassis has a fully adjustable stock for length of pull (LOP), height, and cheek well, through the use of easily accessible adjustment knobs for minute corrections. With a Picatinny top scope rail and detachable magazine, this bolt gun has quite a bit to offer.

Wilson Combat Less Lethal Shotguns

Wilson Combat has earned one of the most well-respected names for custom firearm designs in the industry. This year Wilson Combat will offer (3) versions of a 12-gauge dedicated less lethal shotgun. Instead of simply slapping orange furniture on an existing shotgun, Wilson Combat designed their shotguns from the receiver up. Coming in 18.5″ standard, 14.5″ short, and 14.5″ pistol grip versions, these shotguns have 6+1 capacity, Hogue stock and foregrip, Mesa Tactical 6-round side-saddle shot shell carrier, and Armor-Tuff® Finish. Starting at $1200 will be Wilson’s biggest hurdle.

Remington 700 AWR

Remington continues to expand their venerable Model 700 series rifles with the addition of the American Wilderness Rifle (AWR). Outfitted with a 416 stainless steel action, and X-Mark Pro adjustable trigger, the 700 AWR comes with a Grayboe fiberglass and epoxy stock to withstand the harshest conditions nature can bring. The AWR will be chambered in .270, .30-06, 7mm-Rem Mag, and .300 Win Mag.

Avidity Arms PD10

Avidity Arms and Rob Pincus introduced us to their PD10 prototype last year during range day. Featuring what respected firearm instructor Pincus finds to be the best of the best in a self-defense handgun, the PD10 is a single stack, 9mm, striker fired pistol, with a 10-round capacity.

With a slim profile the PD10 is specifically designed to be a CCW firearm with more capacity. Rob has been working on this project for several years, and the final product appears to be a significant consideration in the CCW market.

Canik Arms TP9 SF Elite and Elite-S Pistols

Canik really impressed us last year with a pistol that felt very good in our hands, was light weight, and packed an impressive capacity of 9mm. All of this was packaged in a pistol case with cleaning supplies, magazine loader, (3) magazines, and a trigger lock at a very reasonable (sub-$400 MSRP). This year Canik delivers the TP9 SF Elite, DA/SA or SA) pistol with optional 15-18-20 round capacity. The TP9 SF Elite is slightly longer than the original Canik pistols. The TP9 SF Elite has a Cerakote finish, trigger safety, and interchangeable magazine release button.

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0

Smith & Wesson will bring their new M&P 2.0 pistol to SHOT Show with anticipation of both good civilian and military market reviews. The M&P 2.0 has been rumored to be designed for a run at the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun contract. The M&P 2.0 is reported to be built upon a new frame, grip, finish, and trigger with smoother, and crisper pull and audible reset. S&W adds front slide serrations, and four palm swell grip options (S, M, ML, L).

Hudson H9 Pistol

The Hudson H9 has been burning up the internet with much anticipation for this year’s Show. Taking many of the highly praised features of the Model 1911, the new Hudson H9 adds modern design and manufacturing processes to create an all new 9mm competitor to the market. It appears this will be another single stack 9mm, with the famous 1911 grip angle and safety, with a modern appearance and apparently integrated light.

Other Firearms

• Century Arms TP9 SF Elite and Elite-S Pistols
• Remington RP9 and RP45
• Walther Creed
• Glock 17M
• Ruger Redhawk and GP100
• S&W 986 9mm revolver
• CZ P-10 striker fired
• Sig Sauer P320 compact
• Springfield EMP 4″
• Horizon Firearms rifle

Optics and Scopes

• Sightmark
• Aimpoint
• Pulsar thermal sight
• Firefield
• Meopta MeoTac 3-12×50
• Lucid MLX scope 4.5-18x
• Trijicon
• Vortex

Holsters and Gear

• Celestrom binos
• Angel Armor
• Bullet Safe shield
• Alien Armor
• Accu-Tac bipod
• Maxpedition
• ETS magazines
• Condor Vanquish Armor
• Condor Rover backpack
• I-Nigma ballistic shirt
• Bulletsafe Shield
• Armaspec SRS-1 stealth recoil spring

Knives

• White River
• CRKT
• Gerber
• First Edge skinner
• Benchmark
• First Tactical

Lights

• Streamlight
• Coast
• Fenix
• Magpul M3 Pmag for .300 BLK
• Nordic Components Rifles
• American Defense ambi-receivers

Early Range Day

This year BlueSheepDog will have the opportunity to view some of the newest firearms coming to the market at a special, early range day on Sunday, January 15th – ahead of SHOT Show. We’ll be doing double coverage as we will also be doing some articles for our friends at The Firearm Blog (TFB), who invited us to this exclusive event. TFB is an international firearm blog with several full-time staff, and a wealth of part-time contributors with wide-ranging experience with firearms. We highly recommend you check them out.

You know TFB has a lot of clout and respect with the industry when they agree to set up an early shooting day just for TFB writers. Last year was the first year TFB was able to score this exclusive opportunity, and this year is already promising to be better attended. You’ll get some of the earliest reports on new firearms right here.

Industry Day at the Range

Industry Day at the Range is a fantastic time where manufacturers bring out their latest and best and allow attendees (invited media and industry personnel) a chance to shoot and try out new products. This is often where we develop our first real impressions about firearms, and sometimes other gear as well. Firearms and gear can appear great in pictures, even handling, but when it comes time to actually shoot a whole other story may develop. Last year had the impressive Kimber K6S, that we rated the best new revolver of the year.

This year we are looking forward to trying out several new rifles, pistols, and shotguns. We may even give the new Ruger wheel guns a spin as well. We’ll try to give you first impressions posts, with more detailed review/information posts later. Industry Day is a closed event for media and industry personnel only, by invitation only. We’re thankful for our sponsors at Angel Armor for getting us in this prestigious event for a sneak peek at what’s new.

Burgers and Bullets

For the second year in a row we’ve been invited to attend the Faxon Firearms “Burgers and Bullets” shooting event. Three days in a row of shooting new firearms – how awesome is that! This event is not associated with SHOT Show, but is put on to exhibit new firearms and accessories for a much smaller group of manufacturers and attendees.

SHOT Show Floor

Obviously we’ll be hitting the SHOT floor each day hard and heavy. There really are too many new items to cover in one article, plus we want to remain open for some very nice surprises. Check in with us early and often as we’ll be trying to push out as much information on new and cool products as we can. Should you want to know more about a particular product, drop us a comment below and we’ll do our best to track it down and get the goods.