ELR Researcher
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SHOT Show 2016, ELR and ELR-related Products, Day 2:
Today I got thru (barely) the lower floor LE/Mil section, the new, seriously cramped, 3rd floor LE/Mil section, and the entire lower main floor. As Day 1, I only talked to folks about ELR and ELR-related, so no info on other products. "NN" denotes "nothing new" - so you see what booths I visited but found nothing that had not already turned up in one of my weekly site-update recaps. Pics ("Pics") to follow on the weekend on my site, way too much hassle to get them reviewed, cropped and onto a site that has decent bandwidth. So here goes, in alpha order.
But first an oversight...Schmidt & Bender was also showing several new, actual-production scope models. I "skipped" (actually had brain fade on) them because all the info was already on their website last weekend - and, quite frankly, I was really focused on the Digital models. See Schmidt & Bender - New Products
1. Brugger & Thomet (Switzerland) - was showing their (not new) "APR338", .338 LM, sniper rifle. They have resellers in the US. See https://www.bt-ag.ch/shop/eng/bt-apr/bt-apr338-bt-sniper-rifle-apr338-cal-338-lm Pics.
2. Christensen Arms - was showing its new, lower-priced, "ELR" model rifle (lower priced than the current "Ultra ELR" model). The 338 LM model is expected to ship in late March-April.
3. "Guns & Gold 2" - showed a rather innovative product but actually a fairly old design, out of production since the '90s, the now-old "Liberty Arms" shell-holder action, bull-pup rifle in .50 BMG. [I spoke at length with the rifle designer, Wayne Barbuto, who is currently acting as a consultant to the company.] Quite regrettable they do not yet have a website but I took several pics and a lot of notes. So... some of the details. Its currently implemented with the .50 BMG Barrett chamber, 26" Krieger barrel, their own-design, 80-MOA, adjustable scope base (looks somewhat similar to the Cold Shot :MOAB"), own-design, HD brake, Fairly spacey looking and the bolt comes into battery with a really sweat "click". That sound alone is going to sell rifles. The brake (which might become available separately) is of a slab design, has a large rear through-hole (90 degrees) and a pair of somewhat smaller ports at 45 degrees to the rear placed in front of the through hole. The different port angles generate turbulence which dramatically dampens the otherwise very substantial side blast. It's also very effective at dampening recoil and is much smaller and lighter than the AR-50 brake. These will be built on state-of-the-art Mazak machining centers in the Salt Lake City area, Estimated retail is somewhere around $2800 including the adjustable scope mount and the brake. BTW, the action is only about 4 (four) inches long an the bolt is three-lobe..Also, the company is very flexible, so lots of variations and some separately-available components might become available. Pics.
4. Innovative Arms - This is a company I was not aware of prior to this show. They were showing, among other products, their 338 LM-class "Kryptic" and .50 BMG-class "Mojave" suppressors. These were "new" to me, include here accordingly. See info at Silencers | Innovative Arms Silencers
5. Kowa - NN
6. March Optics - NN
7. Mason Target Systems - another new player in the very long range (2 miles +, min) remote target viewing solutions market. The system includes a "target", a AR-500, mobile (as in on-wheels) frame, and a software package to display on smart phones and tablets. There are 4 sensors on the back side of the target (one in each corner) to provide shot image position data as a visual display as if shooting on a multi-concentric-circle paper target. The initial version uses an 18" square target and has an MSRP of $2500. The next iteration is expected to have an approximate 30" square target. BTW, their wireless tech is not WiFi. A possible step beyond IRIS when URSA shooters get proficient enough to be concerned with hit location on the target, not just a hit on the target (at and beyond 2000 yards). Their website is https://www.masontargetsystems.com/
8. McRee Precision - was showing a "slider" (a large, aluminum bag rider as a bolt-on extension) for the front of their M50 chassis. They will also offer a rear "slider" for that chassis. Expected to be available in Feb. Pics.
9. Phoenix Defense - was showing the DRD Tactical "Kivaari" 338 LM, semi-auto, sniper rifle. They also had copies of the Vol 20, No 1 issue of "Small Ams Review/SAR" which includes a very extensive article on this rifle. This is one of the sniper rifles Phoenix Defense is offering. They are also going to be importing and offering the full line of Truvelo (South Africa) sniper rifles. [They have been waiting for the last two days for one of the Truvelo models to clear customs and ship to the show. Hopefully in the booth on Thursday.] They hope to be offering the Truvelo rifle line by Spring...AND, possibly the special-order availability of rifle components - which include the rifle actions Truvelo uses in rifles chambered in 12.7x99 (NATO), 14.5x114 Russian, 20x82, and 20x110. Pics.
10. Sierra 7 - was showing their new bipods for Accuracy International AT and AX rifles and AICS chassis systems. No pics (I saw them in the "no-pics" New Products Showcase and they don't yet have these new models on their website).
11. Sniper Extreme (UK) - was showing their .50 BMG ammo, including the "12.7x99 EBB" (Enhanced Barrier Bullet, CNC-turned monolithic solid). This ammo will be manufactured in the US by Lehigh Defense. See http://www.sniperextreme.com/assets/edge_50_solid_ebb.pdf Interestingly, their UK test facilities include a 3000m range.
12. Southern Ballistic Research (SBR-USA) - was showing their new .50 BMG match ammo with 660 gr solid brass projectiles.
13. "The AK Guy" (Brandon Herrera) - was present and previewing his in-development, "AK-50" rifle, an AK platform, functional design implemented, from scratch, in .50 BMG. [Beyond being a product it is also intended to show that the AK platform can be very accurate and that it has legs even up to .50 BMG.] See The AK Guy. Note: The muzzle brake shown at SHOT was massively larger than the one shown on their website. Pics.
Today I got thru (barely) the lower floor LE/Mil section, the new, seriously cramped, 3rd floor LE/Mil section, and the entire lower main floor. As Day 1, I only talked to folks about ELR and ELR-related, so no info on other products. "NN" denotes "nothing new" - so you see what booths I visited but found nothing that had not already turned up in one of my weekly site-update recaps. Pics ("Pics") to follow on the weekend on my site, way too much hassle to get them reviewed, cropped and onto a site that has decent bandwidth. So here goes, in alpha order.
But first an oversight...Schmidt & Bender was also showing several new, actual-production scope models. I "skipped" (actually had brain fade on) them because all the info was already on their website last weekend - and, quite frankly, I was really focused on the Digital models. See Schmidt & Bender - New Products
1. Brugger & Thomet (Switzerland) - was showing their (not new) "APR338", .338 LM, sniper rifle. They have resellers in the US. See https://www.bt-ag.ch/shop/eng/bt-apr/bt-apr338-bt-sniper-rifle-apr338-cal-338-lm Pics.
2. Christensen Arms - was showing its new, lower-priced, "ELR" model rifle (lower priced than the current "Ultra ELR" model). The 338 LM model is expected to ship in late March-April.
3. "Guns & Gold 2" - showed a rather innovative product but actually a fairly old design, out of production since the '90s, the now-old "Liberty Arms" shell-holder action, bull-pup rifle in .50 BMG. [I spoke at length with the rifle designer, Wayne Barbuto, who is currently acting as a consultant to the company.] Quite regrettable they do not yet have a website but I took several pics and a lot of notes. So... some of the details. Its currently implemented with the .50 BMG Barrett chamber, 26" Krieger barrel, their own-design, 80-MOA, adjustable scope base (looks somewhat similar to the Cold Shot :MOAB"), own-design, HD brake, Fairly spacey looking and the bolt comes into battery with a really sweat "click". That sound alone is going to sell rifles. The brake (which might become available separately) is of a slab design, has a large rear through-hole (90 degrees) and a pair of somewhat smaller ports at 45 degrees to the rear placed in front of the through hole. The different port angles generate turbulence which dramatically dampens the otherwise very substantial side blast. It's also very effective at dampening recoil and is much smaller and lighter than the AR-50 brake. These will be built on state-of-the-art Mazak machining centers in the Salt Lake City area, Estimated retail is somewhere around $2800 including the adjustable scope mount and the brake. BTW, the action is only about 4 (four) inches long an the bolt is three-lobe..Also, the company is very flexible, so lots of variations and some separately-available components might become available. Pics.
4. Innovative Arms - This is a company I was not aware of prior to this show. They were showing, among other products, their 338 LM-class "Kryptic" and .50 BMG-class "Mojave" suppressors. These were "new" to me, include here accordingly. See info at Silencers | Innovative Arms Silencers
5. Kowa - NN
6. March Optics - NN
7. Mason Target Systems - another new player in the very long range (2 miles +, min) remote target viewing solutions market. The system includes a "target", a AR-500, mobile (as in on-wheels) frame, and a software package to display on smart phones and tablets. There are 4 sensors on the back side of the target (one in each corner) to provide shot image position data as a visual display as if shooting on a multi-concentric-circle paper target. The initial version uses an 18" square target and has an MSRP of $2500. The next iteration is expected to have an approximate 30" square target. BTW, their wireless tech is not WiFi. A possible step beyond IRIS when URSA shooters get proficient enough to be concerned with hit location on the target, not just a hit on the target (at and beyond 2000 yards). Their website is https://www.masontargetsystems.com/
8. McRee Precision - was showing a "slider" (a large, aluminum bag rider as a bolt-on extension) for the front of their M50 chassis. They will also offer a rear "slider" for that chassis. Expected to be available in Feb. Pics.
9. Phoenix Defense - was showing the DRD Tactical "Kivaari" 338 LM, semi-auto, sniper rifle. They also had copies of the Vol 20, No 1 issue of "Small Ams Review/SAR" which includes a very extensive article on this rifle. This is one of the sniper rifles Phoenix Defense is offering. They are also going to be importing and offering the full line of Truvelo (South Africa) sniper rifles. [They have been waiting for the last two days for one of the Truvelo models to clear customs and ship to the show. Hopefully in the booth on Thursday.] They hope to be offering the Truvelo rifle line by Spring...AND, possibly the special-order availability of rifle components - which include the rifle actions Truvelo uses in rifles chambered in 12.7x99 (NATO), 14.5x114 Russian, 20x82, and 20x110. Pics.
10. Sierra 7 - was showing their new bipods for Accuracy International AT and AX rifles and AICS chassis systems. No pics (I saw them in the "no-pics" New Products Showcase and they don't yet have these new models on their website).
11. Sniper Extreme (UK) - was showing their .50 BMG ammo, including the "12.7x99 EBB" (Enhanced Barrier Bullet, CNC-turned monolithic solid). This ammo will be manufactured in the US by Lehigh Defense. See http://www.sniperextreme.com/assets/edge_50_solid_ebb.pdf Interestingly, their UK test facilities include a 3000m range.
12. Southern Ballistic Research (SBR-USA) - was showing their new .50 BMG match ammo with 660 gr solid brass projectiles.
13. "The AK Guy" (Brandon Herrera) - was present and previewing his in-development, "AK-50" rifle, an AK platform, functional design implemented, from scratch, in .50 BMG. [Beyond being a product it is also intended to show that the AK platform can be very accurate and that it has legs even up to .50 BMG.] See The AK Guy. Note: The muzzle brake shown at SHOT was massively larger than the one shown on their website. Pics.
