NRA Annual Meetings 2016: Part 2
Last week, I traveled down to Louisville, Kentucky for the NRA’s 145th Annual Meetings. While at the event, I tried to catch up with as many interesting vendors as possible. I published my impressions from day one last Friday, but day two was much more active as I visited far more companies. This is part two of my trip. The included vendors are (in order):
- 2A Armament
- Blackhawk!
- Century Arms
- Cobalt Kinetics
- Daniel Defense
- DDI
- Desert Tech
- Gemtech
- Hill & Mac Gunworks
- Innovative Arms
- IWI
- Manticore Arms
- Nemo Arms
- Ruger
- SilencerCo
- Smith & Wesson
- Surefire
- Thunder Beast Arms Corporation
- Walther Arms
- Zenith Firearms
2A Armament
2A Arms has established a reputation for manufacturing extremely light AR-15s and components. In their booth, they had several of their rifles on display, and I was particularly amazed by their .308 AR-10 variant that felt more like your standard AR-15. They were also showing off their Regulated Bolt Carrier (RBC). A lightweight carrier group with an adjustable gas key, the RBC is a solid option for those who cannot or do not want to install an adjustable gas block. It also happens to be around 40% lighter than standard carrier groups. At $419, the RBC isn’t cheap, but it is an interesting product nonetheless. I hope to try one soon.
Blackhawk!
As some readers might have seen, Blackhawk! announced a new line of suppressors just hours before the show started. I talked to the company about the cans and can verify that Blackhawk! is working with SilencerCo. Looking at the various models, it’s pretty clear that each is a slightly modified SilencerCo suppressor. The aesthetic changes probably won’t appeal to everyone, but I’ve seen worse. So far, the line looks like this:
Barrage – 5.56mm – Specwar 556K variant
Carnivore – .300 WM – Harvester 30 variant
Gas Can – 7.62mm – Omega 30 variant
Mini Boss – 9mm – Omega 9K variant
Pulse – 22 LR – Spectre II variant
Smoke Stack – .45 ACP – Octane 45 variant
Wrath – .338 LM – Harvester Big Bore variant
MSRPs for the cans are the same as their SilencerCo counterparts. Look for the entire line to drop later this summer.
Century Arms
I stopped by Century’s booth primarily to check on the possibility of threaded barrels for their Canik TP9 pistols. The guns have fantastic triggers and good ergonomics, but as of yet, no threaded models are available. Unfortunately, Century has no plans for threaded barrels until at least 2017. It’s a shame because the suppressor market is growing rapidly, but I cannot personally justify a TP9 purchase without the option of a threaded barrel.
I also spent some time with the new TP9 SFX pistol. Geared towards competition shooters, the SFX has a longer slide, better sights, and a slightly lighter trigger than base models. The sights were a definite upgrade, but the trigger was only marginally better than standard TP9 SF examples in the booth.
As far as AKs are concerned, Century assured me that WASRs are still on order, but Cugir’s military contracts continue to monopolize manufacturing resources. Century also had the new C39V2 and RAS47 SBRs in the booth. Neither had much appeal to me.
Cobalt Kinetics
Cobalt Kinetics made a splash back at SHOT Show Media Day 2016 when they showed off their AR-15s that automatically drop the magazine after stripping the last round. Their rifles also look like something out of Star Wars, so they certainly aren’t your average AR builds. I played with a few of the guns at NRAAM and was impressed by the quality and ingenuity of the designs. I’m not sure I would want to roll with a rifle that drops magazines automatically, but they also have models with dual forward assists that also function as bolt releases.
In addition to their rifles, Cobalt is working on a suppressor. I talked to them about the possibility of selling through Silencer Shop, but it sounded like the development process is still very early. There is an outside chance that I will bring a Cobalt Kinetics rifle in at some point for further review.
Daniel Defense
Daniel Defense showed off their new 32 round magazines. I’m not sure what inspired the development of these accessories, but they’re attractive and I am sure they will work well.
The company also displayed their relatively new .308 rifle, the DD5V1.
DDI
Destructive Devices Industries (DDI) might be America’s most interesting purveyor of Kalashnikov rifles and accessories. At NRAAM, the company showed off their new forged trunnions (some of the nicest I’ve ever seen), receivers, bolts, and carriers, along with other new, US-made parts. They also had a working example of their upcoming side folding stock.
The stock, a replica of Russian and Bulgarian triangle folders, will be sold with the trunnion and all related hardware for just $169. It is expected to drop in July and will use 4.5mm pivot pins.
DDI also had two of their new forged receivers on display. A substantial upgrade over their past versions, these have nearly perfect lightening cuts. I think it’s safe to say that the new DDI receivers are probably the best milled versions made in the US.
Desert Tech
As you might expect, the Desert Tech MDR attracted a crowd at NRAAM. Unfortunately, the only models on display were base versions; the 10.5” barreled SBR was absent. Oddly, Desert Tech also had the actions ziptied, so I couldn’t assess the trigger. After talking with company representatives, it looks like they’ll only be offering full rifles in 5.56mm and .308. In order to get the SBR or other calibers of the MDR, shooters will have to buy one of the full rifles and then convert it. Desert Tech’s justification is that the alternative calibers and SBR versions would not sell in the volumes necessary to support a different SKU. It will be interesting to see how the market responds to this as the MDR is already slated to be a relatively pricey gun.
Gemtech
Readers might be aware that Gemtech is under new ownership. As part of this change, the company is stepping up production and claims to have several new silencers on the horizon. At the show, they showed me their new Integra 5.56mm, and .300 BLK integrally suppressed AR-15 uppers. I plan on getting one of them in to test at some point in the near future.
I was able to verify that their Arsenal AK suppressor will be exclusive to K-Var and the Arsenal line of AKs. This fact is unfortunate because I would love to feature one as part of Silencer Shop Authority. This exclusivity could change in the future, but it stands for now.
Hill & Mac Gunworks
Prior to NRAAM, I only thought I was excited about the STG-N from HMG. After having a chance to handle several versions of their new STG-44 replica, I really want one. At over 11 pounds, it was far heavier than I expected, but it is a sort of cool that most firearms simply cannot match. The current guns are still in the prototype stage, yet they look better than past examples. Most of the parkerizing on previous samples have been swapped for a more authentic-looking blued finish. HMG is currently accepting orders and will be shipping rifles very soon.
I chatted with the HMG team for a bit and it looks like I may have an opportunity to bring one of the rifles in for review at some point down the line. Nothing is guaranteed, but I would love to take a look at a .300 BLK STG-44.
Innovative Arms
Since Silencer Shop just started selling Innovative Arms suppressors, I had to take time to stop by and see what the South Carolina-based company has brewing. Some might have seen their new QD Interceptor suppressors. I had a chance to handle the 5.56mm version of the Interceptor and was very impressed with the mounting system. For their first attempt, Innovative Arms seems to have aced the design. The can ratchets onto the mount, but unlike AAC’s designs, the muzzle device’s teeth are timed to match the can’s resting point when snugged down. This helps to reduce or eliminate wear on the Interceptor’s locking gate.
We also discussed the internal design of the Interceptor. Looking at a cutaway of the can, I was amazed to see how thick the blast baffle is. As a matter of fact, every baffle within the silencer’s 17-4 stainless monocore is substantially thicker than most conical designs. This is important because Innovative Arms does not believe in muzzle brake mounts. They claim that brakes negatively affect the way their cans sound. It’s an interesting theory and one I’ve not heard before. Despite the stout baffles, the Interceptor 5.56 weighs a fairly reasonable 18 ounces.
The other Innovative Arms cans I checked out were their Slingshot and Slingshot Micro .22 caliber silencers. These fully stainless cans weigh in at 6.3 and 5.7 ounces respectively but are only 4.5 and 3.9 inches long. The Slingshots feature similar monocore baffles to those found in the Interceptor. They’ll handle anything up to 5.7x28mm and titanium-tubed versions are coming as well.
IWI
IWI had their full rifle assortment on display. Both the SAR and X95 variants were in the booth and I was impressed to find that the X95 is better than the SAR in just about every way. It has a railed handguard, a more familiar magazine release, a better trigger, and a more ergonomic charging handle. Since the X95 has exactly the same MSRP as the SAR, it would seem like the better value. However, some shooters have reported poor accuracy with the newer version.
I also handled the 7.62x39mm and 7.62x51mm versions of the Galil ACE. While both versions are quality firearms, I especially liked the 20” barreled version of the 7.62x51mm rifle. It was much lighter than I expected and balanced better than any full-size semi-automatic rifle I’ve handled to date.
Manticore Arms
If you aren’t familiar with Manticore Arms, you’re really missing out. The Illinois-based company manufactures a wide variety of accessories for AKs, ARs, AUGs, Tavors, and other popular rifles. One of the most revolutionary products they had at the show this year was their Transformer Rail. Available for several different firearms, the Transformer allows users to select between M-LOK, Keymod, or basic panels on the fly. By simply swapping different inserts, a Keymod Transformer can become an M-LOK rail in a matter of minutes. Manticore has had an AR Transformer Rail for several months, but they’re expanding the line to other platforms. The new AK transformer looked great, and they’ve got one coming for the Scorpion EVO very soon.
Also, for AKs, their F3 Stock Adapter is an excellent option for people who want to mount AR-15 stocks to their side-folding AKs. It features a cut out for the AK’s side-mounted scope rail, allowing a fully extended stock to be folded flush with the side of the rifle. The F3 also sports a recess for standard AK cleaning kits, and its geometry is such that the kit won’t fall out during use.
I’ve talked about it before, but the sliding stocks Manticore has developed for the Scorpion EVO, and Bren 805 are phenomenal. They add minimal thickness to the guns and lock up tightly. I doubt you’ll find a more compact way to add a stock to one of these new CZ offerings.
The only other part I would like to see from someone like Manticore is a more traditional polymer handguard for the M92. The Russian/Bulgarian ribbed AKS-74U handguards look great on modern builds, and I would love to see a similar product available. If anyone agrees, it would be a great idea to let Sven and the Manticore Arms crew know.
Nemo Arms
I briefly stopped by the Nemo Arms booth to examine their .300 Win Mag AR rifles. However, because the booth was in a crowded, high-traffic area of the hall, I didn’t stick around to chat with the company representatives. Even so, I was able to handle one of the impressive monsters. Those interested in a Nemo AR should note that Gemtech’s Arrow suppressor fits the stock muzzle devices on the rifles.
Ruger
Ever since Ruger announced their Silent-SR suppressor back in January, I’ve wanted to get my hands on one. Unfortunately, the longtime firearms manufacturer hasn’t come to an agreement with Silencer Shop, leaving those of us affiliated with the suppressor giant largely in the dark. At the Ruger booth, I had the chance to take the Silent-SR apart. Ruger representatives explained how the oddly-shaped baffles are effective at maximizing turbulence and trapping gas inside the can.
I also took a look at their relatively new American Pistol. The handgun comes in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Based on reviews of the American Pistol, I expected it to be far chunkier than it really is. Even so, the handgun’s trigger is rather mediocre and I can’t see myself buying one.
SilencerCo
The biggest news from the SilencerCo booth was the Maxim 9’s lowered MSRP. Previously, the company stated that the integrally-suppressed handgun would fetch around $2,000. Now, the price target is $1,500. The guns are expected to hit the market later this year.
Smith & Wesson
Fans of .45 ACP will be happy to know that Smith & Wesson introduced the M&P Shield 45. Only marginally larger than the 9mm and .40 S&W versions, the .45 ACP Shield also features more aggressive grip stippling than its predecessors. Sadly, the coarse texture won’t be added to the 9mm and .40 guns. For a .45 ACP concealed carry piece, the Shield 45 is very slim and seems like a great option with capacities of 7+1 or 6+1, depending on magazine choice.
Surefire
I stopped by Surefire’s booth mainly to discuss their new entries in the Ryder 9 series. I was pleased to see that the new Ryder 9M in the booth, but the three lug version was absent. In its short configuration, the 9M is exceptionally small. It almost looks and feels like a rimfire suppressor. The three lug, though not at the show, uses a mounting system that is similar to Surefire’s rifle cans and should be more secure than any other three lug suppressor on the market.
The guys at the booth also verified that the company is shipping spare pistons and fixed barrel adapters for the Ryder 9. These vital accessories have been nearly impossible for most shooters to find, so the news is no doubt welcome.
Thunder Beast Arms Corporation
At the TBAC booth, I had a chance to go over their new 22 Take Down with Sales Manager, Ray Sanchez. While showing me its internals, Ray stressed that the company sought to minimize first round pop and maximize repeatability.
Ray also discussed their Ultra series of rifle suppressors. According to him, the Ultra 9 is the quietest .30 caliber can on the market. I’d like to test that claim at some point soon. He also went on to explain how TBAC’s welding methods help to guarantee consistency and repeatability. Apparently, welding the Ultra’s stack takes a whole three minutes per baffle. TBAC has long been regarded as the premier suppressor brand for precision applications and the company’s attention to detail has played a major part in that reputation.
Walther Arms
Walther had a large space at NRAAM. Within the booth, the most popular firearms were the PPS M2 and the PPQ in .45 ACP. The PPS M2 is a significant upgrade over the classic version, at least in terms of ergonomics. The trigger is essentially the same as the original.
I also checked out the PPQ 45. While the gun has been on the market for almost a year, you still don’t hear too much about it. The grip is noticeably thicker than the rest of the PPQ family, but it retains the ergonomic contours that make Walther’s polymer pistols so comfortable. As a matter of fact, it seemed to me like the fuller grip actually made the trigger pull seem lighter on the .45 ACP model than the 9mm or .40 S&W versions.
Though it too has been on the market for quite a while, I was pleased to handle Walther’s PPQ 22. In recent years, I’ve become a fan of Walther’s .22 firearms as I’ve found that they generally work very well and the same basic system adapts nicely to a wide variety of firearms. The rimfire version of the PPQ is no exception (at least in terms of feel), but it does have one noticeable weakness. Since the gun uses an internal hammer in lieu of the centerfire PPQ’s striker, the trigger feels noticeably different on the .22. The pistol still has a reasonably good trigger, it just isn’t all that similar to the centerfire’s.
Zenith Firearms
One of the best discussions I had at NRAAM was at the Zenith Firearms booth with Paul Voska. Above all else, Paul stressed Zenith’s commitment to offering Heckler & Koch style rifles and pistols that match the original blueprints as closely as possible. The company had their MKE-produced Z-5K, Z-5RS, and Z-43P pistols in the booth along with a number of conventional handguns from other Turkish manufacturers like Girsan and Tisas. While the roller-locked guns were obviously most intriguing, the Girsan Beretta-style pistols looked to be of high quality as well. After talking with Paul a bit more, it appears that Modern Rifleman may feature some of Zenith’s firearms at some point soon.
Some readers might have read that Zenith is working on an MP5SD type gun. Paul verified this and went on to say that the SD will feature the same barrel porting found on original HK versions. This will drop supersonic ammunition to subsonic speeds and will vent gas before it reaches the gun’s conventional suppressor, further muffling the report. We should expect to see the SD sometime this year, but no price is available right now.
Miscellaneous Photos
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.