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New guns, optics, and gear from SHOT Show
If you’re a firearm enthusiast and/or hunter, then you’re likely well aware of SHOT Show. It is the annual trade show where all of the companies with gear related to hunting, and shooting sports gather in Las Vegas to show off for dealers and media. There is always excitement in the air this time of year as everyone wants to see the new and cool stuff that is unveiled. Of course, Silencer Central and BANISH®Suppressors are there to show off the latest silencers and talk to dealers and manufacturers about the Silencer Central process that makes getting a suppressor easier than ever. But there is a lot more at the show. Let’s take a look at some cool stuff.
Rifles
There are a lot of new rifles hitting the market, and I do mean a LOT. Here are a few that piqued my interest. I kind of just stuck to bolt-action and lever-action hunting rifles for this go around.

Browning X-Bolt II Mountain Hunter
If you’ve ever shot one of the Browning X-bolt rifles, you know they are smooth and shoot extremely well. Well, not one to stay put, Browning has evolved that platform into the new X-Bolt II, and the Mountain Hunter they created for SHOT is just too cool not to share with you. It comes with a sweet carbon-fiber stock, CeraKoted barrel and new stainless-steel receiver. It comes with a threaded barrel in 5/8x24. There is a muzzle brake attached from Browning, but it’d look much better with a BANISH® suppressor, don’t you think. I do!

Winchester Xpert Suppressor Ready
Leave it to Winchester to keep the flames of rimfire burning bright. They have taken their Xpert bolt-action rimfire rifle and made it suppressor ready. Can you say BANISH 22 anyone? I can! The cool thing is, Winchester has a version in .21 Sharp. How cool is that?

Marlin 1895 Dark Series
I have a weakness for lever guns. And this has been going on since before they were cool again. I’ve got news for you – they've always been cool! The new 1895 Dark Series from Marlin is sweet, especially if you like the “tactical feel. These rifles have all the furniture for customizing the rifle. They also come with a fiber-optic front sight and a tritium peep in the rear, along with a picatinny rail for optics mounting. Threaded barrel? Of course, so you can drop on a BANISH® 46-V2.

Savage 110 Trail Hunter Lite
Savage makes some seriously fine rifles, and when you add in the Accutrigger and the accuracy of the barrels, well, why wouldn’t you want one. The Trail Hunter Lite is one of the more budget-friendly options for the new Federal 7mm Backcountry. It has a stainless-steel finish and comes with a Hogue over-molded stock (I love those). It weighs just 6.6 pounds, too. All for under $700! Add in a Vortex scope and a BANISH Backcountry. Did I just order one? Maybe. Don’t tell my wife yet.

Mossberg Patriot Carbine
I know some of you may not know just how good of a rifle the Mossberg patriot is. I like them a lot. They shoot great and are easy on the budget for sure. I look at it this way – I am one of those who spends more on my optic and my suppressor than I do on most of my rifles. Why not make it a solid rifle that keeps the budget down, so you can opt for better optics, etc? The Patriot Carbine was designed for suppressors, with shorter barrels that come threaded from the factory. The standard action models, like the 6.5 Creedmoor, or .308, come with an 18-inch barrel, whereas the magnums like the classic .300 Win Mag, have 20-inch barrels. A bunch of well-known writers took these rifles to Africa and had a very successful hunt – All with BANISH® Backcountry suppressors attached. Just sayin’.
Pistols
There are a lot of cool pistols coming out. We were mostly drawn to the ones with threaded barrels that are screaming for - You guessed it - BANISH®suppressors! I can't wait to get my hands on some of these, screw on a BANISH and Shoot on Mute!

Fostech Drone Predator
This is a sweet, semi-custom carry 9mm pistol with a 3.9 inch barrel and a pile of features that will make you want one. Of course, the best way to get one is to win it, right? We’re giving one away along with a BANISH 9K, Vortex Defender CCW optic, Streamlight light and MUCH more. You’ve got to be in it to win it – over $3,500 in prizes!

Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0 Threaded
Springfield has several new versions of the Echelon pistol, and the 4.0 comes in several flavors. I can’t wait to get my hands on the threaded version along with a BANISH 9K. This pistol has a 4.7-inch barrel and comes with a 15- and an 18-round magazine. This is going to be a fun pistol.

Stoeger STR-9 COMBAT SX
When Stoeger first dropped the STR-9 pistols a few years ago, I got one for testing. I saw the price and knew it was a Stoeger, so I figured it would be decent. I was pleasantly surprised at how good of a pistol it is. And it fits amazingly in the hand. I had several other shooters try it out, too, including the FFL I had do the transfer. Two of them bought their own, and the FFL dealer started carrying them in stock. The Combat SX model adds an extended magazine, fiber-optic combat sights with an RMR cutout, and, of course, a threaded barrel that just screams out “put a BANISH 9K on me!”

Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 METAL
I love M&P pistols and own several. And while I am a fan of the polymer pistol, I also really like the Metal series. There is just something about a metal-framed pistol that feels so right. Yes, they are a little heavier, but the added accuracy and recoil mitigation is worth it. S&W had to drop a new M&P 2.0 in the Metal series with a threaded barrel. Don’t they care about my finances at all? All of the new guns I want to buy and now there’s a new M&P... Just take my money. I’m pretty sure S&W has my credit card on file already.
Shotguns
What isn't there to love about shotguns. There are some new combat-oriented shotguns out there, which we will cover later. The one that got most of our attention? Read on.

Benelli SBE III A.I.
If you hunt waterfowl, you either own a Benelli, or you want one. The Super Black Eagle line is legendary for durability and accuracy. I have used all of the SBE models along the way and will be using the latest this spring and fall. The Advanced Impact (A.I.) barrel system is Benelli’s latest advancement. It helps transfer more of the energy of the shot to the target, giving you additional knock-down power. This will result in fewer crippling shots, which is important. While we all strive to be 100% accurate all the time, birds tend to play by different rules. I can’t wait to see how it works, and there may just be some pretty cool attachments coming.
Optics
Many of us will spend as much or more on the optics we mount to our firearms than we did for the firearm itself. Accuracy is king.

Vortex Viper HD
Our partners at Vortex, as one of my industry buddies put it, quietly walked into the optics world and quickly ate everyone’s lunch. They make outstanding products, and the latest Viper HD scope line is something to see. This model, a 3-15x44 with a Deadhold Ballistic reticle, is amazing. It is clear and lets the light in, even when you think there isn’t much. It is built on a 30mm main tube and has more coatings on the glass than there are paint layers on the walls in your grandma’s house. I have a rifle that this scope would be perfect for, and I’m betting you do too.

Leupold VX-6HD Gen 2
I inherited my first deer rifle, a Model 70 in .30-06, and it had a Leupold VX-II mounted on it. It didn’t matter what conditions I was hunting in, that scope stayed true and I took a lot of deer with it. Growing up, I thought that scope was the top of the mountain as far as optics went. You might think that way, too. But I can attest, Leupold always has something new and you can bet it will handle whatever you throw at it. The new VX-6HD Gen 2 scopes are mind blowing. I can’t even begin to cover it all. Just know it is the most advanced hunting scope I’ve seen and I suggest you read the review from our friends at Petersen’s Hunting for some seriously good insight.

Riton 5 Primal
If you’re looking for the sleeper optic from SHOT, take a gander at the Riton 5 Primal scope in 3-18x50. These scopes have a lot to offer and Riton is doing a great job at carving out a niche for themselves. Built on a 34mm main tube, these scopes have a sweet LRH Reticle that gives you ballistic aiming points for long range shooting, but without the clutter that can muck up your field of view. The scope has a cool rapid zoom throw lever to give you fast and easy magnification changes. The scope is fully water, shock and fog proof, and the clarity is outstanding. Do yourself a favor and look at a Riton if you want something a little outside the ordinary.

Trijicon RMR HD
RMR red dot sights are rapidly growing in popularity for pistol shooters. In fact, most every pistol coming out today likely has a version with a cutout for the optic. They work amazingly with suppressors, like the BANISH 9K. One of the very best in RMR sights is Trijicon and the new RMR HD is getting attention. It is a 55MOA adjustable LED reticle with a 3.25 MOA red dot that has quick brightness adjustment and clear line of sight. It is built to military specs, so it can handle whatever you want to throw at it. They have updated the windage and elevation adjusters to make it easier to be more accurate with your shots.
Other cool stuff
SHOT Show is chuck full of cool stuff and not all of it is guns. Here are a couple of ATVs on display at SHOT. I have been riding ATVs for over 40 years, and have been writing about them for 20 of those.

Kawasaki Ridge Crew
We like our ATVs and SxSs and the folks at Kawasaki had one of the newest machines to hit the hunting world on hand at SHOT. The Ridge Crew is the 5-seat version of the Ridge, a sweet SxS that has full HVAC and lots of power thanks to a 999cc 4-cylinder engine. I have experience behind the wheel of the Ridge and can say that it is one of the most capable SxS's out there. The handling is outstanding and the comfort is hard to beat. Now that there is a Crew version, I suspect that these will be very popular with the hunting community. I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on one to review, especially if it is during a hunting season.

Honda Rancher 4x4
Honda ATVs were also on display showcasing their partnership with TrueTimber as well. The latest model from Honda is an updated Rancher 4x4 ATV. It has a 420cc engine and I would suggest opting for the DCT EPS model. The DCT stands for Dual Clutch Transmission, which is a sweet setup giving you five forward gears and reverse, both in high and low range. I have tested these models and can attest that the DCT is worth every penny. Add in electronic power steering and fully-independent front and rear suspension, and it is a great ATV with legendary reliability. Honda has a full line with True Timber's Atera camp pattern.
More to come!
SHOT Show 2025 runs through January 24, 2025, and our team will come back with a lot of information. We will be sharing more as we go, as we said in our SHOT Show Preview.

Shoot on Mute

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