Let's be honest: the last day of every trade fair is always a very special challenge. For the industry, it's about the last business meetings and deals, but also about seeing what's new on the market away from your own stand. For the visitors, of whom there were probably far fewer on the last day than on the days before, this means more space and also more time for discussions with the stand crews. Many exhibitors also used the last two days for a stand party or small get-togethers. After all, there is no substitute for communication and personal dialogue. For us journalists, it's still a matter of gathering the last missing pieces of information, taking the last photos or shooting videos and then looking for a place from where we can send it all to our colleagues in the editorial offices with the fastest possible internet connection. For many, however, it is already time to rush to the airport at midday or in the early afternoon. Especially as former President Donald Trump chose the weekend directly after the SHOT Show for his first public appearance in Las Vegas in 2024. Due to the preparations and increased security precautions, there were already a number of traffic jams and traffic obstructions on the final day of the trade fair, which probably kept potential visitors away from a SHOT Show visit.
Last but not least, one realisation remains: there is never enough time to see everything you want to see live. This trade fair is simply too big for that. We hope you enjoyed our selection.
We'll give SHOT Show 2024 officials the last word here before we get to the news from our Day 4 of the show: "The energy at SHOT Show this year was off the charts," said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. More than 55,400 visitors over the 4 days of the show is an excellent result for the organiser NSSF, the Firearm Industry Trade Association and all international exhibitors.
SHOT Show 2024: IWA goes USA. With the new IWA Pavilion and a digital bridge to Europe
SHOT Show 2024 saw a previously announced premiere: IWA OutdoorClassics, the leading international trade fair for hunting and shooting sports, which is held in Nuremberg, Germany, every spring, was represented with its own pavilion. The "IWA Pavilion" serves to facilitate access to the American market for the international exhibitors and partners of IWA OutdoorClassics. A total of 13 companies presented their products, including Schmidt & Bender, Hoernecke, FBT Fine Ballistic Tools, Zollern, Theissen, Intarso, Hans Wrage, Huntex, Ballistol, Spohr, STP by Prommersberger, Eemann Tech and SW North America.
The IWA Pavilion at SHOT Show 2024 also acted as a digital bridge between the United States and Europe. In the so-called IWA Living Room, IWA OutdoorClassics press spokesman Georg Loichinger conducted many video interviews for the IWA's social media channels. There were reviews of the year 2023 as well as previews of the highlights of the upcoming IWA OutdoorClassics 2024. These interviews were broadcast live on the IWA OutdoorClassics YouTube channel. The stand also served as a meeting point for German industry representatives in the USA. But there were also many influencers, press representatives and well-known German companies without their own stand, such as MAK, at the SHOT Show in the IWA Pavilion to discuss the latest developments. There will certainly be one or two additional exhibitors in 2025. The organiser, NürnbergMesse, has succeeded in modernising the German pavilion at SHOT Show 2024 in a very good and target group-oriented way. After the unexpected cancellation of funding by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs, this was certainly a major financial achievement. From our point of view: everything done right – please keep it up.
And as we all know, after the SHOT Show comes the IWA: the 50th edition of the IWA OutdoorClassics will take place in Nuremberg from February 29 to March 3 2024. The IWA is celebrating its 50th anniversary – and the signs are more than promising.
SHOT Show 2024: new Walther pistols WMP and PD380 premiered for the US market. The PDP Steel Frame is available for all international markets
The Walther team, traditionally represented at the SHOT Show by the US subsidiary Walther Arms, already scored points at the Industry Day because many trade journalists naturally wanted to try out the new models in the field. These included some models that will probably not reach the European market, at least not in the foreseeable future. The Walther WMP (Walther Magnum Pistol) in .22 Winchester Magnum, for example, which releases its 15 rounds from the magazine into the open with a powerful stream of fire (you can find our article on the Walther WMP here). Or the small, compact Walther PD380 in .380 ACP (again, we already introduced the Walther on all4shooters.com PD380 here). Or the three new steel frame versions of the Walther PDP, which are particularly popular with action shooters and are complemented by a 5-inch polymer version (see our report at all4shooters.com). Will there be anything new for the European market at IWA 2024? We'll find out for you!
SHOT Show 2024: Beretta X30 Tomcat pocket pistol and Beretta APX A1 Compact Tactical
One of the new products from Beretta at the SHOT Show 2024 is the X30 Tomcat series. We talked about the 30X pistols in our report from the Industry Day at the Range 2024. To sum it up, the pocket pistols are characterized in particular by their small dimensions and the resulting ease of handling. The weight of the unloaded gun is only around 461 grams. One of the most important features is the Effortless Loading System (ELS): the barrel can be tipped up at the touch of a button, and a cartridge can then be inserted manually. This eliminates the need to rack the gun and thus benefits shooters with limited strength. The caliber of the gun is .32 ACP aka 7.65 mm Browning, a rather light cartridge with low recoil and good controllability. Other features include the extended magazine, which provides a capacity of eight rounds. In addition, optimally positioned controls, a skeletonized trigger and hammer (35% reduction in trigger weight) and the rear dovetail on the slide. The new "Helica" grip checkering immediately catches the eye. Added to this is the barrel with muzzle thread and suppressor-height rear and front sights. This means that the gun can also be used with a silencer. In the USA, the price starts at $599.99. Availability and prices for Europe are not yet known.
Beretta USA also exhibited the new APX A1 Compact Tactical at the SHOT Show 2024. The new, compact semi-automatic pistol expands the range of striker-fired polymer frame pistols, which was first introduced in 2015-2016 for the military sector and later also reached the civilian market. The latest addition, the APX A1 Compact Tactical, is a smaller version of the full-size variant and is specially designed for use with silencers. It has a muzzle thread and tall sights that are optimized for use with suppressors. The model is also red-dot ready with standard reflex sights. In terms of handling, the pistol offers three customizable backstraps and an extended beavertail for improved recoil control. The magazine capacity is 15 cartridges and three magazines are included in the scope of delivery. The dimensions of the APX A1 Compact Tactical are 190 mm in length, 132 mm in height and the barrel measures 106 mm. The weight is 785 g. The price for the new model in the U.S. is 549 US dollars, which is the same price as the full-size version. Information on the market launch in the European Union is still pending. Further details will be announced as soon as they are available.
SHOT Show 2024: Staccato C compact pistol in 9mm
Formerly known as STI, American Staccato is ideally continuing the path taken by its founders by offering to the market a catalog of pistols built on double-stack frames. At the SHOT Show it was exhibiting among others the Staccato C, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with a 4-inch barrel, fed from 16+1-round double-stack magazines, with an aluminum frame. The Staccato C is a versatile pistol that thanks to its compact size can be carried concealed for personal defense or be used for home defense or even professional use. The barrel of the Staccato C is made of stainless steel with a thick "bull" profile and is available in white or with a DLC finish.
The extractor of the Staccato C is an external type, a solution that makes extraction jams even more unlikely. The pistol uses the Dawson Precision's proven Tool-less guide rod, requiring no tools for disassembly, while the factory trigger pull weight is 1.8-2 kilograms. The steel slide featuring cocking serrations also on the front is fitted with a set of windage-adjustable mechanical sights, with a front sight equipped with a high-visibility fiber optic insert. Immediately in front of the rear sight is the cut for direct mounting of mini-reflex optics. The barrel section visible through the ejection port echoes the slide serrations design. The manual thumb safety is ambidextrous, while the grip safety is a Wilson type. Lastly, the dust cover rail that allows the mounting of accessories could not be missing. Retail price starts at US$2,499.
SHOT Show 2024: GLOCK G27 Gen5, G29 Gen5 and G49 MOS Gen5 – New polymer pistols for concealed carry
Although mourning and sympathy for company founder Gaston Glock, who passed away at the end of December 2023, still played a role at the GLOCK stand, visitors to the SHOT Show 2024 were able to get a first impression of the new sub-compact models GLOCK G29 Gen5 in 10mm Auto and G30 Gen5 in .45 ACP as well as the G49 MOS Gen5 in 9mm (9x19), in addition to the GLOCK G19X already shown in our report from the Industry Day at the Range. The new versions of the G29 and G30 combine their powerful calibres with dimensions and design features optimised for concealed carry. These models will undoubtedly be very popular among fans of carry pistols in the USA. With the new GLOCK G49 Gen5 MOS, the Austrian manufacturer has now married a G19 frame with a G17 slide. This also makes this pistol slimmer for concealed carry, but thanks to the G17 slide it has a longer sight radius and a longer barrel. This naturally has a positive effect on accuracy at longer distances and muzzle velocity. However, in view of the larger bullet diameter of the .45 ACP compared to the 9mm, the GLOCK G49 can only hold 15 cartridges in the magazine, i.e. 2 rounds fewer than the G19. You can find out more about the new pistol models and the manufacturer here on GLOCK's international website.
SHOT Show 2024: Senex Arms MBLR-15, the modular rifle
Senex Arms is a small but dynamic U.S. company that at the SHOT Show presented the Modular Bullpup Light Rifle 15, abbreviated to MBLR-15 which, as the name suggests, is a modular rifle in bullpup configuration, that is featuring a breech located behind the trigger.
The Modular Bullpup Light Right 15 is an innovative and versatile platform designed to offer shooters a single firearm that can meet a wide range of needs. The MBLR-15 uses the common AR-15 bolt, barrel, and gas system, allowing end users to choose from countless barrel lengths and configurations, from different calibers to twist rates and muzzle thread patterns. Thanks to a proprietary 2-piece barrel nut, barrel replacement is a fast, precise and safe operation. In fact, you just have to lock the bolt to the rear, rotate the integrated lever 180 degrees, and pull out the barrel. Reverse the process for installation. Field stripping of the MBLR-15 is simple, with only 6 major components and no tools required. This provides easy access for visual inspection, cleaning and service of all critical components..
The ergonomics of the MBLR-15 are designed to make handling intuitive, particularly for those already familiar with “Black Rifles”: the magazine release button and safety lever are in fact located in the usual AR-15 positions relative to the pistol grip. Bolt release is located behind the magazine well instead, reducing the movement to operate it when the gun is locked open after firing the last round. The chassis stock can be adapted with differently sized forends to match different barrel lengths and allows for left-sided ejection bolt assemblies, much to the delight of left-handed shooters. As of yet, no list price has been set for the Modular Bullpup Light Right 15 rifle, which aroused much interest from the SHOT Show 2024 audience.
SHOT Show 2024: Uberti 1873 Hunter Short Rifle, the lever-action for American hunters
In some U.S. states there are restrictions on the use of bottleneck cartridges for hunting, and this has made the already beloved lever-action rifles chambered in straight-wall cartridges, such as the .44 Magnum or the .350 Legend, even more popular. Following this trend, at the SHOT Show Uberti too presented a lever-action rifles designed for hunters, but also for those looking for a compact and powerful firearm to sling on their back while hiking in the wilderness.
The Uberti 1873 Hunter Short Rifle is a lever-action gun chambered in .44 Magnum or .45 Colt, two cartridges perfectly capable of taking down a whitetail deer and even something larger and more dangerous. Both cartridges can also be fired in the other novelty presented by Uberti, namely the Hunter Revolver, with obvious advantages in logistic terms. The Hunter Revolver is a version of the Cattleman fitted with a 7.5-inch barrel and especially a long Picatinny rail.
The Hunter Short Rifle is based on the proven Model 1873 mechanical platform and features a 50-cm (20-inch) long barrel with two-stage octagonal and circular section. The tubular magazine has a capacity of 10+1 rounds. The pistol grip stock is Grade A walnut with checkered grip areas and rubber recoil pad. The steel receiver has a particularly scratch-resistant blued finish, while the cocking lever is color case hardened. The top of the receiver is covered with a sliding cover that keeps out dust and foreign objects. In front of the receiver and along the entire forend we find a Picatinny rail that allows the mounting of conventional or red dot optics.
The weight is 3,440 grams in both calibers, while the overall length of the Hunter Short Rifle is 99 centimeters – thus, the definition "short" is certainly deserved. The list price in the U.S. is $1,699.
SHOT Show 2024: Daniel H9, the Hudson H9 pistol fully re-designed
The Hudson H9 pistol had been unveiled at the SHOT Show back in 2017 garnering a lot of interest among industry insiders. The elements to make a sensation were all there: Hudson Manufacturing was the classic American garage-born company offering a 9mm striker-fired pistol with aluminum frame, Colt 1911-style sliding trigger, and a strange recoil spring shroud. The lowered barrel axis promised remarkable recoil control even in rapid firing. As many as seven patents went into in this pistol designed by Cy Hudson, but it did not meet with the success they had hoped for. In addition to the high price, which at the time exceeded $1,100, mass production was plagued by problems, and the few examples that arrived in armories often jammed and broke. Hudson Manufacturing began to have financial problems and declared bankruptcy in 2019.
Now, a few years later, the H9 design has been taken over by Daniel Defense, an American company specializing in the production of AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles. Renamed the Daniel H9, the 9mm gun has the same outward appearance as the previous model, but according to statements gathered by our correspondent, it has been completely redesigned mechanically. The only detail remaining identical to the original is the trigger geometry. Controls are ambidextrous, the magazine is a double-stack 15-round type, the slide is red dot ready, while the dovetail iron sights now have fiber-optic inserts. The barrel measures 110 millimeters and is stainless steel, cold hammer forged and with a 1:10 twist. As standard, the Daniel H9 features G10 grips, but the grip contour should allow the mounting of grips compatible with Colt 1911s and derivatives. The steel slide has a matte black DLC finish. The list price of the Daniel H9 is $1,299.
SHOT Show 2024: Hornady Click-Adjust Bullet Seating Micrometer for retrofitting
With the new Hornady Click-Adjust Bullet Seating Micrometer, existing Hornady bullet seating dies for rifle cartridges can be upgraded to a benchrest die. All you need to do is simply replace the standard seating adjustment stem with the new Click-Adjust Micrometer version. This has a precise adjustment of the bullet seating depth with a tactile click adjustment in 0.001 inch increments. Since all Hornady rifle die sets already have a compatible bullet seating die, this is a very simple and cost-effective way for owners of such dies to load cartridges to benchrest quality. Thanks to the precise and repeatable setting scale, the Hornady Click-Adjust Bullet Seating Micrometer can also be used alternately with different Hornady seating dies. The Hornady Precision Lab Scale, which has been already launched on the market, is the ideal complement. You should then really be able to reload your cartridges so that they shoot hole in hole – provided you have the right rifle. You can find out more about this manufacturer's reloading products and cartridges on the Hornady website.
SHOT Show 2024: Mountain Billy Gun Lab GOAT 15 "Chibi," the scaled-down Black Rifle
From Mountain Billy Gun Lab, a specialist in survival-style semi-automatic rifles based in Charleston, Utah, comes the GOAT 15 – also known as the Chibi – in .22 LR. In Japanese the word “chibi” means a tiny person or a very small child, and indeed what we see in the photo is an AR-15 scaled down by 20 percent, telescoping stock and magazine included. The only full-size item, for obvious compatibility reasons, is the Picatinny rail. The rifle feds from 10- or 20-round magazines, but a 30-round version is in the works. The barrel is 16-inch long (406 mm), but for legal reasons only the first 12 inches (305 mm) are rifled. Both lower and upper receiver are made of polymer. All this makes the GOAT 15 extremely light: it stops the scale needle at 1,100 grams. The extremely low weight makes it particularly suitable for slinging on your shoulder as a survival gun during long hikes in the U.S. wilderness. The conspicuous round knob around the safety allows it to be locked securely, preventing unintentional movement (unlikely but not impossible) when carrying the rifle in a backpack. Retail price of the GOAT 15 Chibi will be around $500.
SHOT Show 2024: Swarovski Optik AX Visio 10x32, the world's first binoculars to recognise birds and other animals
Swarovski Optik is bringing a real high-tech innovation to the SHOT Show 2024: the AX Visio 10x32. These binoculars are equipped with smart technology. The main feature is the ability to identify more than 9,000 birds and other animal species live with the binoculars – in real time! The binoculars also have an image and video function that allows you to do more than just share your experiences via smartphone: with the so-called "share discoveries" function, the binoculars guide other people directly to the observed object with arrows in the display. This means that users have a fully-fledged observation optic, but their experience of nature is enriched with digitally provided information.
This all works with an integrated operation and object recognition system. A neural processing unit (NPU) is designed to ensure fast processing of information that is relevant for object recognition. Future updates are also planned to ensure a long service life for the smart binoculars. This is combined with Swarovski Optik's usual very high quality in terms of analog and optical parts. There is also an open programming interface that will allow third-party providers to add new functionalities to the AX Visio. The binoculars were designed by world-renowned industrial designer Marc Newson. The focus was on ensuring that the AX Visio has a modern look and feel, is intuitive to use and sits comfortably in the hand thanks to its ergonomic design. Prices for the AX Visio 10x32 start at 4,600 euros. Further information can be found on the Swarovski Optik website.
Further interesting links to the new products at the SHOT Show 2024 at all4shooters.com can be found here:
In our report from the Beretta USA Range Day 2024 you will find information on other SHOT Show innovations from Beretta, Steiner, Tikka, Sako, Langdon Tactical, Burris and Norma.
In our article on Industry Day at the Range 2024 you will also find more information on the SHOT Show innovations from the manufacturers represented there.
You can read the report from the first day of the trade fair (SHOT Show 2024 Day 1) here, including news from Hera, Smith & Wesson, Benelli, Kahles, Franchi and F.A.I.R.
Click here for the report on the second day of the trade fair (SHOT Show 2024 Day 2). Due to the time zone difference, we are always a little ahead of the team in Las Vegas. Or, conversely, have to wait for news from the USA. On Day 2, new products were presented by: Laser Ammo, Keltec, Pulsar, Sightmark, STP and Taurus.
Under the following link you will find our report on the third day of the big gun show (SHOT Show 2024 Day 3) with new products from Burris, Canik, Colt, GPO, Henry Repeating Arms, Rossi, Savage, Sordin and Trijicon from Las Vegas.
If you're looking for more information about SHOT Show 2024 and want to see what's going on in the halls of the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum during the trade fair in Las Vegas, then you should definitely take a look at our all4shooters Facebook page and the all4shooters Instagram page.
