NRA Annual Meetings 2016: Part 1
Day one of the NRA’s Annual Meetings at the Kentucky Exposition Center is now in the books. After walking 3.75 miles and taking 10,400 steps, I’ve made it through half of the vendor hall and have visited a few of the companies I find most exciting. Let’s take a look at today’s highlights.
After swinging by the Silencer Shop booth (sadly, I didn’t take photos of it) to talk business and shoot the breeze with the guys there, I bounced over to Rugged Suppressors to chat with Chris, Henry, and Michael. Rugged is a young company, but they have some excellent silencers. I harassed them a bit about getting a demo Obsidian 45 to Silencer Shop for me to try and then took one of their booth examples down to get a closer look at the highly adaptable suppressor.
After Rugged, my next stop was ATI’s booth. I’ve discussed their upcoming 9mm MP-40 replica before, and I wanted to see if they had one at the show. The heft of the GSG MP-40 in 9mm feels very much like the originals. According to the ATI folks, the gun is still on pace for a late summer release with SBR conversions likely to follow.
Kel-Tec didn’t really have anything new in their booth, but it was nice to get some hands-on time with the CMR, M43, and RDB. The M43 is essentially a classically-styled RDB, but both rifles have excellent triggers. Kel-Tec advertises them as the best bullpup triggers, and I am inclined to agree. The M43 is expected to be a limited production item, but the RDB should enter full production very soon.
Speaking of full production, Kel-Tec is currently ramping up production of its .22 Magnum CMR. Somewhat of an MP7 lookalike, the CMR is remarkably compact but also is capable of a comfortably long length of pull. The only ergonomic shortcoming I could find is that the pistol grip is a little on the large side for my hands.
Following my stop at Kel-Tec’s booth, I meandered over to the guys from YHM. Since it was just a prototype at SHOT, I wanted to check out their new Nitro suppressor. Since January, YHM has shaved three ounces off the can, bringing it down to 18 ounces overall. It will come with both QD and thread mount adapters and will also ship with a flat end cap and an end cap brake. The entire can is constructed of 17-4 stainless steel, and a titanium model is in development (current prototypes weigh 11 ounces). Like the SIG cans, the Nitro is tubeless. Anticipated MSRP is just under $1,000.
It’s no secret that LWRC International makes some attractive guns. The SMG-45 is no exception. Today was the first time I’ve had hands-on experience with LWRC’s upcoming subgun, and it was every bit as impressive as I expected. LWRC’s folding stock for these is comfortable but could use some cushioning in the cheek area. The SMG series will also be compatible with AR-style stocks, and LWRC plans to sell a pistol version for those who want to convert the gun to an SBR later. The barrels on the SMG-45 are swappable, with 9mm and .40 S&W versions coming as well.
After stopping by LWRC, I spent several minutes at the SIG booth. As you might expect, the triggers on the Legion series handguns are incredible. I’m not sure if I would go with the single action only or single-action/double-action versions of these because both are so nice. SIG tells me that they plan to expand the Legion line to other models, and the P227 is likely next on the list.
Equally impressive was SIG’s newly reintroduced P210. It might as well be a Legion series gun as the triggers and mechanics are every bit as nice. The only things it lacks that the Legion guns have are the PVD finish and G10 grips. The new P225A1 (not pictured) was next to the P210, and I had a brief moment with it. I wish SIG would have stuck with the old P225 magazines rather than adapting the pistol to use P239 ones, but the rest of the firearm feels much like the classic P225s and P6s I’ve handled.
SIG’s optics surprised me. The overall clarity of the scopes and red dots was very respectable and I would love to get a few of the models in for testing. I can’t comment on durability, but what I saw on the floor seemed like good quality pieces.
I also chatted up the SIG Silencers guys. SIG needs to step up their production, and it seems as though they are aware of the fact. They have intriguing cans, but they aren’t available. Interestingly, their titanium models are larger than their stainless/Inconel silencers. According to company representatives, this approach allows them to maximize suppression with their titanium suppressors but keeps them from being overly heavy. I let Silencer Shop know that I want to try one of the SIG silencers as soon as possible.
Going into the Beretta booth, I wanted to see two things: the ARX-100 SBR and the M9-22. As I expected, the ARX is still too bulky for my tastes, even in SBR form. It does have a good single stage trigger.
The M9-22 on the other hand, feels very nice. It is obviously lighter than its centerfire brother, but the pistol’s balance seems right. The trigger also feels almost exactly like the one on my M9. The Beretta M9-22 and M9A1-22 pistols are manufactured by Walther Arms in Germany.
A gun that surprised me on my first day at the show was the M10X from M+M Industries. Essentially, the M10X tears down like an AR-15 uses AK magazines, has a FAL gas system, and a SIG 550 series bolt assembly. The rationales behind all of these design choices are incredibly sound, and I spent ten or fifteen minutes at M+M’s booth discussing the rifles. Remarkably, the receiver is already configured to accept rounds as large as .308 with a simple barrel and lower receiver (unserialized) change. The Zhukov-stocked version of the M10X is new for 2016.
I hate to call the new SP5K from Heckler & Koch a disappointment, but it really was somewhat of a letdown. For $2,699, buyers should get a threaded three-lug barrel. As it turns out, the SP5K is neither threaded nor does it feature lugs. Mounting a suppressor on this new MP5 variant is effectively impossible without replacing the barrel. I understand import/export laws work against HK in this case, but the value just isn’t there in my eyes.
I’ll admit, I spent enough time at the CZ-USA booth that it probably bordered on creepy. CZ pistols aren’t quite as common at gun shops as they probably should be and the company makes so many different models, you can spend quite a while going over all the differences. Their new suppressor-ready handguns were debuted at SHOT in January and I had a chance to check all of them out here at NRAAM. The next time someone asks for a 9mm suppressor host, this will probably be the route I advise them to pursue. The most expensive model, the CZ 75 SP-01, has an MSRP of $723 and the cheapest, the P-07 is just $537. The Urban Grey finish looks great in person, but if you’d rather have a different color, KYGunCo is selling exclusive black and OD versions of the SP-01 for a hair over six bills.
The last booth I visited on day one was that of Inland Manufacturing. Since USGI rifles continue to rise in price and scarcity, I wanted some hands-on time with their M1 Carbine replicas. Sadly, the actions were grittier than I would have hoped (probably due to the finish), but the triggers felt much like my surplus Carbine.
Additional Notes
Silencer Shop is working on a program to help offset the impact of ATF 41F. I got the full scoop and I think people will be pleased. Look for an announcement very soon.
I asked PTR Industries about the possibility of a 9mm PTR-94. The answer I received is that we are likely to see one sooner than most would expect. Pricing will be in line with other PTR guns, so well below other MP5 builds.
More to come in day two!
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.