The History of S&W Shotguns

By

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March 8, 2025

What’s S&W known for? Revolvers mostly, but the company has also had a fair bit of success with its semi-auto designs. The M&P 2.0 series is likely the second most issued police handgun on the market. Their M&P rifles are also popular, and the Sport series are great entry-level ARs. What S&W isn’t known for is shotguns. Sure, most people know S&W-made shotguns, but what do you know about S&W shotguns?

Today, we are going to dive deep into the world of S&W Shotguns, give a brief history of these guns and their features, and maybe see why S&W has seemingly never fully dived into the world of shotguns. Maybe there is room for some new S&W shotguns, and I’ll make my pitch to S&W at the end.

The First of the S&W Shotguns – the 916

S&W shotguns start with a gun called the 916. The Model 916 was produced in the 1970s, and roughly 10,000 were produced. S&W acquired a small firearms company called Noble Manufacturing Company. Noble produced rimfire rifles and shotguns. In 1973, S&W bought the company and its designs, which included the Noble Model 66.

S&W took this pump action design and turned it into the Model 916. They produced several models. The standard 916 was your classic sporting shotgun. The 916T was a takedown design, and the 916A was the tactical model. S&W’s first venture wasn’t that great.

The guns had reliability issues, specifically the takedown model, which had a tendency to rupture barrels. The guns were discontinued, but S&W shotguns would continue.

The Model 1000

The Model 1000 was S&W’s first semi-auto shotgun. Well, it’s not their shotgun. It’s built by Howa Machinery in Japan and imported and branded by S&W. The Model 1000 was a simple gas-operated semi-auto shotgun built for sport shooters.

These guns came in both skeet and trap models and came in both 20 and 12-gauge variants. These are fine guns. Nothing special, but nothing terrible either. S&W imported and sold the guns from 1973 to 1985. After that, Mossberg sold them for a brief period of time.

The Model 3000

It’s time for deja vu when it comes to S&W Shotguns. The Model 3000 was also a Howa-produced shotgun from Japan. This one was a pump action design and available in both 12 and 20-gauge. S&W sold sporting variants and tactical variants that were adopted by a few American police forces.

S&W also produced a slug version with open sights. These guns were branded and sold from 1979 to 1986. After that, much like the Model 1000, Mossberg sold them. The model 3000 seems to be the S&W shotgun I run into most often.

The 1000 Series

The 1000 series is different than the Model 1000; it just turns out that S&W isn’t all that creative. This Series consists of two models, the 12 gauge model 1012 and the 20 gauge 1020. The 1000 Series were Turkish imports. I don’t remember a whole lot of Turkish guns in 2006, so maybe S&W was ahead of the curve.

These were basic gas-operated, semi-auto sporting shotguns. They weren’t all that revolutionary but were apparently competent and well-made. In 2006, S&W wanted $650 to $900 for these guns, which must have been a tough sell for the period. These guns were only imported from 2006 to 2010.

The Elite Series

The Elite Series followed the 1000 Series. These were double-barrel shotguns produced in Turkey from 2007 to 2010. The Elite series came in both 20 and 12-gauge models. The Elite Gold was a 20 gauge side-by-side shotgun. The 12 gauge was the Elite Silver and was an over-under gun.

There were various barrel lengths available. These, again, weren’t revolutionary or fancy but competent guns. The problem? An MSRP of $2,350. Who pays that much for a Turkish gun that an Ottoman emperor didn’t own? Seriously, I don’t see a lot of people spending $2,350 on Turkish-made S&W Shotguns.

The AS

The AS, or Assault Shotgun, never made it past the prototype stage and was never intended for the civilian market. The Assault Shotgun came in three models, the AS-1 being a semi-auto-only mode. The AS-2 was a selective fire model with a burst feature, and the AS-3 was a selective fire with a full-auto mode.

The AS competed with the HK CAWS for the CAWS contract, but it went nowhere. It looked a bit like an M16 and fed from 10-round magazines. The AS was produced in minimal numbers, and it is unclear how many were made. This is the rarest of the S&W Shotguns.

The M&P 12

The latest and only current shotgun produced by S&W is the M&P12. The M&P12 is a radical design idea that admittedly borrows a bit from KelTec’s KSG series. It’s a bullpup, dual tube, pump action shotgun. It holds 14 rounds and looks like you should be fighting the bugs on Klendathu.

It’s a fairly capable gun. I was doubtful but surprised. It’s very modern and easy to accessorize. The gun is also surprisingly ergonomic and easy to operate. It looks a bit clunky and heavy, but I applaud S&W for diving into the deep end.

My Pitch for S&W Shotguns

What would I like to see? S&W should build a shotgun like the Kriger 12. It’s a semi-automatic shotgun with extremely modern ergonomics. The charging handle is on the left side; the stock gives you an inline design for less muzzle rise and more controllable recoil. It’s optics-ready, light-ready, takes AR stocks, etc.

I would love to see someone create an extremely modern semi-auto shotgun that takes cues from modern rifles. I think that makes for a more controllable, more ergonomic, and more modular platform. There is plenty of room for modern S&W shotguns, and I’d love to see them take their quality to a semi-auto shotgun.

Protect Yourself First – PPE for the Emergency Kit

By

Jim Cobb

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March 7, 2025

One of the most basic tenets of emergency response is to protect yourself first. Whether we’re talking about strapping on the oxygen mask from the airplane ceiling or pulling on gloves before treating someone’s injuries, it helps nobody if you expose yourself to unnecessary risk.

As you put together your bug-out bag, get-home bag, or similar sort of kit, don’t overlook the personal protective equipment (PPE). An image I’ll never forget from the 9/11 attack was how the billowing clouds of dirt, dust, and debris quickly enveloped people on the street. They were instantly covered, with visibility cut to near zero. Air quality wasn’t much better.

So, what sorts of PPE do you need in your BOB?

Masks

Start with some type of good quality particulate mask. It isn’t going to do anything about poisonous gasses, but it should filter out most of the dust that may be floating around in the air. It may also help to a degree against smoke. The goal is simply to keep as much stuff out of our lungs as possible.

Eye Protection

Next on the PPE list is eye protection. An eye injury will negatively impact your bug-out or evacuation scenario with a quickness. It’s pretty hard to get to where you’re going if you can’t see. It’s also a terrifying prospect to find yourself miles from home and suddenly be blinded.

Look for goggles that will wrap around your eyes and protect them from all sides. If you wear prescription glasses, look for ones that will fit over your glasses. Anti-fogging lenses and UV protection are good bonuses.

Foot Protection

Many types of disasters will result in broken glass and other debris littering walkways. Uneven terrain isn’t uncommon. This isn’t a situation where you’ll want to be gallivanting around in bare feet, sandals, or dress shoes. Instead, PPE for your feet would be lightweight hiking boots or at least rugged shoes.

When I worked outside the home, I kept two bags in my trunk. One was my trusty get-home bag, and the other had a full change of clothes, including trail shoes. The plan was to change into hiking clothes and shoes before hitting the road in an emergency. My current favorite trail shoe is the Toskana Trail Walker.

Gloves

The last item on our PPE list is a pair of gloves. If you end up in a situation where you’re dealing with downed branches, broken bricks, and the like, you’ll want to avoid cuts and scrapes to your hands. A robust pair of leather work gloves is great, but you might want something with a little more comfort and dexterity.

Personally, I’ve found that Mechanix brand gloves are perfect. They have a wide range of models, and I own several of them. In addition to work gloves, you may want to stash a few extra pairs of nitrile gloves for providing medical care. They weigh nearly nothing.

A disaster is bad enough without adding avoidable injuries to the mix. PPE will help keep you safe from harm as you make your way through the situation.

The Creative Guns of John P. Foote

By

Travis Pike

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March 7, 2025

Have you ever heard of John P. Foote? I hadn’t until recently when I researched and wrote about the Cobray Terminator shotgun. I found the man behind the gun, and a brief read fascinated me. Mr. Foote worked with men like Eugene Stoner and Gordon Ingram. He seemed to have a knack for building affordable, easy-to-make, and cheap-to-make firearms.

He was a mechanical engineer and test engineer on the SR-71 Blackbird. The first firearms he worked on were rocket-powered, but there isn’t much information about them. Small Arms Review mentions a 16mm pistol and a 40mm shoulder-fired, drum-fed magazine. He worked with Eugene Stoner on the 25mm Bushmaster gun.

Throughout his career, he designed a number of firearms, and I wanted to catalog some of his designs, at least the ones that made it further than a single prototype.

Terminator Shotgun

One of his most successful commercial designs comes from what’s easily the worst shotgun ever made. The Terminator Shotgun from Cobray is a weird one. It’s an open bolt, single shot, slamfire shotgun with some tactical flare. The short barrel and metal collapsing wire stock keep it away from the traditional sporting single-shot firearm.

The gun had intensive recoil, and the slamfire action sent the bolt flying backward, which didn’t help. It was an economical design that kinda reminded me of the Liberator pistols and later Winchester shotgun. It looks perfect to cheaply drop behind enemy lines so a partisan could retrieve a better weapon eventually. Yet, it was sold as a commercial shotgun.

M261 M16 .22LR Conversion

The Terminator might have been his most well-known commercial design, but Mr. Foote also designed a .22LR conversion kit for the M16A1. The military purchased the kit, and it became the M261. This allowed troops to train on the cheap and likely at ranges that wouldn’t allow rifle rounds.

The M261 used a drop-in bolt and built-in buffer. It’s a bit like the CMMG kit but a little less refined. This was likely the first conversion kit. The unit used special adapters to fit the magazine inside an M16A1 magazine body. These kits are highly collectible these days.

R68/FAC-70

Mr. Foote designed an assault rifle concept in 1968. The intent was to produce a 5.56 assault rifle that used STANAG magazines but to do it super cheap. It competed with the AR-180 as a cheap-to-build and simple gas-operated assault rifle. The original was the R68, which developed in the FAC-70.

Notably, the rifle was seemingly ambidextrous. A top-located charging handle was easy to reach, and the safety sat inside the trigger guard. Foote tried to sell the design of the Sterling but lost to the AR-18.

Foote-Sterling Mk.22 Pistol

Foote did end up working with Sterling to develop the Foote-Sterling Mk.22 pistol. This was a .22LR version of the Sterling submachine gun. These were semi-auto pistols that retained the look of the Sterling as well as the side feed magazine. It was roughly 3/4s of the size of an actual Sterling.

I imagine this would be an incredibly fun plinker, but only 100 were produced. They are insanely rare, and a preliminary look at the auction sites doesn’t show any coming up for sale. A design like this is ultra neat, and I would love to have one. Someone remake this!

Encom Pistol

John Foote designed the Encom Pistol for Encom America, a company also known as Enfield America, which had no connection to RSAF Enfield. The Encom pistol is a somewhat crude, TEC-9-like 9mm or .45 ACP pistol. It’s huge, with a stamped receiver and a massive magazine well.

It was a very simple blowback-operated pistol. The guns could be converted to a carbine with a screw-on barrel and attachable wire stock. It’s very simple, crude, and somewhat ugly, but 5,000 were made, and it might be Foote’s highest-production firearm.

FAS-173

The ’70s and ’80s were a weird period when full-auto, magazine-fed shotguns seemed to be the future. Between the original AA-12 and the CAWS, there was plenty to go around. Mr. Foote’s entry into the genre was the FAS-173. Like most of Foote’s guns, it was designed cheaply. It was stamped steel and super simple.

He made both 12 and 20-gauge prototypes which were based on the FAC-70 carbine. It’s gas-operated and fed from ten-round magazines. There isn’t a ton of information out there about these guns, and as a shotgun nut, its existence eluded me.

The Guns of Mr. Foote

Mr. Foote isn’t well known, but he had a penchant for designing cheap firearms. He was certainly creative and likely in the wrong era to succeed. If he was designing guns today, he might have had a bit more success, especially with a .22LR Sterling, as even an economical 5.56 rifle. Who knows what could have been? He was an outside-the-box thinker, and I appreciate his talents even if they seemed a bit odd.

Lightning Strike Fire Starter

By

Reuben Bolieu

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March 6, 2025

GAT_Lightning_Strike (1) — The Lightning-Strike Fire Starter includes a metal striker attached by shock cord, fitting snugly inside the tube until needed.

Start your fire with confidence every time with the Lightning Strike Fire Starter. This all-in-one kit eliminates guesswork about what type of tinder or fire-starting device you need for emergencies.

How to Build a Fire Kit

How often you’ve practiced making a fire in your fireplace or backyard doesn’t matter. If you don’t keep a small, portable fire kit with you when the chips are down—it’s useless. Including a handy Lightning Strike Fire Starter in your kit can solve this issue.

After years in the outdoor business, I’ve encountered my fair share of ridiculous “survival gadgets.” The worst? Those cheap overseas plastic whistles that try to do ten things but fail miserably at all of them. In the realm of survival gear, never skimp on quality—especially when it comes to knives and fire starters. Trust me, they’re not the place to cut corners!

Build a small fire kit using a Ziplock bag or waterproof container. It’s ideal to have two or more ways of making a fire. A lighter, matches, and a Ferro rod are excellent options. However, ignition is only one step. Keeping ready-to-go tinder in your kit is also crucial. Manufactured or DIY tinder, like cotton/petroleum balls or similar, are excellent options. Don’t forget birch bark and fatwood are ideal natural tinders for ensuring a quick, reliable, hot fire!

However, if you get yourself a Lightning Strike Fire Starter, you can be done with it!

Lightning Strike Fire Starter

With its clever design, this product packs a punch that unleashes a steady shower of sparks right where you need them. The design features a striker securely attached with a shock cord, and a waterproof chamber in the handle ensures a solid grip while you ignite your fire. The Lightning Strike Fire Starter showcases its aluminum body and firmly bolts a ferrocerium rod in place—good luck trying to pull that out like you would with ordinary rods!

The slot cut-out on the top of the tool allows for precise striker placement and a consistent shower of sparks each time. As seen in the photo, the ferrocerium rod is bolted into the tube.

The tinder storage compartment is a game changer, holding enough tinder to kickstart at least 20 fires, and you can do it all with just one hand—talk about a multitasker! With a CNC-machined, replaceable flint and a size that rivals a mini-mag flashlight, it’s as handy as it gets. The hollow tube is open at one end, letting those sparks fly straight where you want them. I got mine in red—a winner for outdoor survival gear!

The Lightening-Strike has a rubber grip that provides waterproof tinder storage and a full-hand grip.

Never Be Cold Again

When you’re freezing, a few minutes can feel endless, and lighting a fire quickly is like having superpowers. The reliable use of the Lightning Strike Fire Starter exceeds traditional methods by directing a focused shower of sparks precisely where you need them while securely holding the ferrocerium rod in place to keep you warm!

To use the Lightning Strike Fire Starter, angle it between 30 and 40 degrees towards your tinder, keeping the open end of the tube steady on it. Slide the metal striker into the slot and scrape it towards the tinder to create a spark shower up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit! Its clever design maximizes each spark, ensuring no wasted energy. In emergencies, it could even serve as a signal flare!

Real-World Fire Starter

I used the Lightning Strike Fire Starter for cooking and warmth. Despite the ferrocerium rod wearing down and flattening, it still produced strong sparks. Unlike matches or lighters, you can easily find and use it after dropping it in a creek.

The author used the Lightning Strike to ignite tough tinders like alder bark and dried yucca, proving more effective than ferrocerium rods.

The supplied Lightning Strike Fire Starter Tinder consists of cotton that is impregnated with a type of petroleum fuel, which allows it to burn for a few minutes. I did indeed test it to make sure that water could not get inside by leaving it in water for about twenty minutes. When I checked inside, it was completely dry.

The Lightning Strike Fire Starter system lights tinder faster than regular spark-based methods. Its bright red color ensures it will stay visible in the woods, jungle, desert, or waterways. It is pretty much foolproof and bombproof. The size makes it hard to misplace, and the waterproof chamber adds to the usefulness of the overall design!

MSRP: $68.00

The “Mini” Lightning Strike firestarter is about the size of a medium-sized Swiss Army Knife.

For more information, please check out Holland Guns.

The Benchmade Mini Bushcrafter

By

Travis Pike

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March 6, 2025

Bushcraft is a hobby I dip in and out of when I have the time. Bushcraft skills can be used in survival situations, but to me, it’s always been about how I can make nature work for me. It could be to survive, but it could be to camp, hunt, or just because I enjoy whittling feathersticks and trying to make spoons. Plenty of knives exist for the enterprising enthusiast, and Benchmade’s 165 Mini Bushcrafter is the latest to join the scene.

The original Benchmade Bushcrafter has been kicking for over a decade and is a well-respected knife amongst enthusiasts like me. It took over a decade for Benchmade to make any serious modification, but they’ve finally delivered us a smaller, lighter option for bushcraft purposes. The Mini Bushcrafter indeed looks like a mini-me variant of the original.

The shape of the blade and grip are almost identical. Both knives use the consistently excellent S30V steel and G10 scales, and both have traditional sheaths with ferro rod pouches. The Mini Bushcrafter has an overall length of 7.58 inches, a blade length of 3.38 inches, weighing 6.45 ounces. The Bushcrafter Mini has a flat grind instead of the scandi grind that came with the original Bushcrafter. We also get the drop point tip for excellent versatility.

The Mini Bushcrafter – Does Size Matter?

A shorter blade provides less cutting surface but makes the knife easier to carry. It’s also an option for folks who might be carrying the knife more on a daily basis. If you’re working outdoors and doing a lot of work with your hands, the Mini Bushcrafter might be a fantastic companion.

The shorter blade is still enough blade, at least for me. There aren’t many situations in bushcraft where I need a longer blade. The 3.38-inch blade will work fine for cleaning fish, deer, squirrels, and other game. The S30V blade is super sharp, and the long handle makes it easy to cut through rope, twine, vines, and more.

The Mini Bushcrafter might be smaller, but it still packs a punch for outdoor use. It’s a great choice for hunting, camping, bushcraft, and anything else that involves the great outdoors.

The Mini Bushcrafter Blade

The Mini Bushcrafter comes ultra sharp. The S30V steel can hold an excellent edge, and while a lot of outdoorsy types like the strength carbon knives offer, I like the corrosion resistance the S30V offers. The drop point blade works well for stabbing, cutting, slashing, and even whittling. The blade cuts smoothly, and while short, the belly provides an efficient cutting surface.

The blade has a fuller, aka a “blood groove.” This helps prevent suction when the knife is stabbed into something. I’ve never stabbed anything deep enough to worry about suction, but hey, I’ll take the extra feature. There is also a notch to insert a Ferro rod. It’s handy and efficient for creating sparks. If your rod doesn’t fit, the spine is squared and strikes a rod easily enough.

Overall, the Mini Bushcrafter has a useful and versatile blade. It’s capable of being super sharp, it resists corrosion, and it provides a versatile blade design for nearly any outdoor activity.

Getting a Grip

The Mini Bushcrafter proves a fantastic grip. While the blade’s short, the grip fills the hand. The G10 material provides a nearly natural no-slip grip on the knife. It’s also a wide and fat grip that fills your hand, which prevents hot spots and discomfort, and helps keep your hand from getting tired.

The grip has a rounded nature that feels nice and provides an excellent grip. In using the knife I never had a problem with my hand slipping or sliding. Fatigue rarely set in, and I stripped a cypress branch of its limbs and bark to turn it into fire kindling. The thick handle felt great, and the G10 digs in enough to keep your hand locked onto the knife.

On a recent rabbit and fishing weekend, the knife got plenty of use when it came to cleaning game. It’s not a filet knife, so it’s not the best for cleaning trout, but it worked fine enough. A little clumsy, and I only cleaned one before switching to a readily available fillet knife. With rabbits, it chopped through thin bones with ease.

The Mini Bushcrafter And The Great Outdoors

If you need a solid, dependable outdoor knife that’s a little lighter and shorter than most, the Mini Bushcrafter will have you covered. It’s mini but mighty and packs a lot of knife in a small package. Like most Benchmade knives, it’s not cheap, but it certainly lives up to the Benchmade reputation.

For more information, please visit Benchmade.com.

Basement Storage – Using This Space for Emergency Supplies

By

Jim Cobb

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March 5, 2025

A basement is a tremendous asset for storing emergency supplies, no matter if it’s poured concrete or rock walls. But like everything else in life, there’s a right way to do it to help ensure success.

Gear that isn’t stored properly may end up damaged or destroyed. Not only does that potentially put you in danger, it’s a waste of money and resources.

Basement Considerations

Basements tend to be damp, so moisture control is crucial. A dehumidifier will go a long way in this regard. If possible, direct a drain hose from the dehumidifier to a floor drain. This way, you won’t have to go downstairs to empty it on a regular basis, something most of us would forget to do.

A dehumidifier is cheap insurance against humidity in a basement. Photo credit: Amazon

Basements are notorious for flooding, sometimes with no prior incidents of it happening. My father’s house had a dry basement. I spent countless hours down there as a kid playing pool and whatnot. When my dad passed away, and we started clearing out the house, we found there was a leak in the basement. Nobody knew about the leak, and it had obviously been an issue for a long time.

A sump pump will help in the event of flooding. I’d also advise picking up a moisture alarm that will alert you to any problems. This is particularly important if you don’t spend much time in your basement on a regular basis.

The other big concern in basements is vermin. This is particularly a problem if you’ll be storing any sort of food down there. Start by using rodent-resistant containers. Five-gallon buckets with secure lids work well. Heavy-duty plastic totes are also an option. Airtight seals are best.

Sure, they’re kind of cute, but they’ll make a huge mess of things with a quickness.

If rodents are a problem, set out traps. I don’t recommend poison for multiple reasons. Instead, stick with old-fashioned spring traps. For serious problems, you might consider a DIY bucket trap like this one.

Basement Storage Planning

Metal shelving is typically recommended for basement use, as it is less likely to deteriorate than wood under damp conditions. However, plastic shelving is fine as well, provided you stay within the recommended load weight for the ones you purchase. The goal is to keep everything off the floor. Plus, shelving units allow for some degree of organization. As I’ve often said, if you can’t find something when you need it in an emergency, then you might as well not own it at all.

Metal shelves are typically adjustable, so you can customize the unit exactly as you need it. Photo credit: Amazon

Don’t use cardboard boxes. They tend to act like sponges when moisture is present. Instead, opt for sturdy plastic totes. Don’t cheap out on these, get the best quality you can afford. Keep them small enough that you’ll be able to move them around easily. Make sure to label each one in some meaningful way.

If you’re concerned about other people snooping, you don’t need to list the contents on the label. Use some sort of code if you’d prefer. If you frequent rummage sales, you’ll sometimes find packets of blank mailing labels that would have been used with old dot matrix printers. These work well in conjunction with a marker for labeling totes and such, and they typically cost very little.

Make a point of visiting your basement storage area at least once a month. Write it on the calendar or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do it. When you’re down there, make a point of checking for water problems as well as evidence of mice or other rodents. The sooner you’re made aware of issues, the quicker you can address them before they get worse.

One last bit of advice. Store a flashlight at the top of the stairs. If the power goes out and you need to head to the basement, it’ll help you navigate your way safely. I know some people have hung battery-powered tap lights in the basement stairwell for this purpose. That’s not a bad idea, but I still recommend keeping a flashlight available to help you search your storage for needed items.

The Cobray Terminator – The Worst Shotgun Ever

By

Travis Pike

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March 5, 2025

I love it when companies subtly troll the ATF, gun grabbers, and the enemies of civil rights. Franklin Armory created a business that created weapons and accessories that rode the line between brilliant, crazy, and legal. They’re a company that created a lot of workarounds to existing laws. They weren’t the first company to do so. A company called Cobray made a business of creating controversial firearms that rode the line. One is the Cobray Terminator, which might be the world’s worst shotgun.

Cobray made lots and lots of weird stuff. I’m not sure if they were the first company to create .45 Colt/.410 handguns, but they were some of the early adopters. They famously created open-bolt MAC clones that could be easily converted to full auto. Cobray also produced a ton of full auto MACs for the transferable market before the Hughes Amendment.

They were not afraid to be controversial. In fact, they seemed to revel in controversy. This seemingly pushed them to produce controversial guns just for the sake of being controversial. This is why I think the Cobray Terminator exists. It’s a gun without a purpose other than to seemingly goad the ATF.

What’s The Cobray Terminator?

The Cobray Terminator is a single-shot 12-gauge built to be compact. It has all the markings of a ‘tactical’ shotgun from the 1990s. It’s short, has a collapsing stock, and a pistol grip. It’s far from traditional. Yet, it’s still a single shot shotgun. Single shots are mostly reserved for hunting. They are cheap, light, easy to handle, and effective for hunting.

Single-shot shotguns traditionally have long barrels, somewhere between 26 to 28 inches, and sometimes longer. They have wood, or maybe polymer, stocks, but they tend to be traditional. They don’t have collapsing stocks and pistol grips.

The Terminator certainly wasn’t a hunting shotgun. It also sucked as a tactical shotgun. Who wants a single-shot tactical shotgun? It made no sense. Factor in the groovy layout with the cutout Sten gun-like heat shield that gives it that 1980s look. It’s a gun without much of an identity.

It’s Also A Piece of Crap

Seriously, the Cobray Terminator is a piece of crap. It’s not just a weird single-shot shotgun. The Terminator is an open-bolt, slam-fire shotgun. It’s essentially not that much more complicated than a Zip gun. The barrel is a pipe inside of a pipe, and the only difference is a trigger releases the entire thing.

The Terminator uses an open bolt design, but the bolt isn’t slamming forward. Rather, it slams rearward around the shell, which allows the gun to fire. That’s kind of neat, but it’s not that handy for a shotgun. The rearward force of the bolt slamming rearward combines with the rearward recoil of the shotgun.

This means you get even more recoil than you’d expect from a lightweight, 12-gauge shotgun. Who wants more recoil? To make it even worse, once more, the stock is all metal, collapsing and uncomfortable. It creates even more pain when you deal with the 12-gauge recoil.

Open bolts suck in general and aren’t the safest design. Cobray uses the simplest safety possible. It’s just a notch that allows you to lock the bolt open, making it impossible to slam rearward. You’ll have to rotate the cocking handle to lock the bolt or to unlock the bolt.

The Terminator – A Rise and Fall

The Cobray Terminator was built from 1987 to 1990, and 1,452 Terminators were produced. The name Terminator works perfectly. Shotguns were big in the Terminator series, and the Cobray Terminator looks kind of like a Terminator from the 1980s films. It looks robotic and like it’s from a dystopian future.

John Foote designed the Terminator. Foote designed some interesting things. This includes a .22LR conversion for the M16, an automatic rifle, and a .22 pistol version of the Sterling SMG. He designed several submachine guns, a full auto shotgun, and several interesting designs. He was an interesting guy, but the Terminator wasn’t his finest moment.

The Cobray Terminator was a cheap gun at the time but has risen in value. It’s a bit collectible these days, and the notoriety of the gun has created a rising price point. It might be the worst shotgun ever created, but I won’t lie. I want one.

How to Use an Ulu Knife

By

Reuben Bolieu

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March 4, 2025

GAT_ulu (1) — The ulu, once popular with the Inuit, is now a staple for many Indigenous groups, remaining rugged and functional.

The ulu knife, often mistaken for some exotic artifact from a sci-fi movie, has a rich history rooted in the practical needs of Indigenous Arctic peoples. Let’s learn how to use an ulu knife like a pro at home or in camp!

What’s a Ulu Knife?

Centuries ago, in the frigid North, people needed to survive the cold and prepare meals, leading to the creation of the ulu. This versatile knife, crafted from stone, bone, or metal, features a semi-circular blade and sturdy handle, ideal for skinning seals and carving igloo blocks. Knowing how to use an ulu knife effectively was essential for these tasks.

Initially popular among the Inuit, it became a staple for many Indigenous groups. While its design has evolved over time, the ulu remains rugged, functional, and ready for any culinary adventure.

Check out these two modern ulu knives!

Backwoods Ulu Knife

Designed by my friend, GAT Daily and Athlon Outdoors editor, and outdoorsman Joshua Swanagon, the TOPS Backwoods Skinner Knife was born. Years ago, Joshua discovered an authentic Alaskan Ulu, which highlighted its advantages for skinning, food preparation, and bush crafting. This sparked a strong appreciation for the ulu, which influenced the design of the Backwoods Skinner. His knowledge of how to use an ulu knife effectively played a key role in this design.

The TOPS Backwoods Skinner Knife is made for hunting, trapping, and light bushcrafting in wilderness survival situations.

He drew inspiration from the ulu’s deep belly for the knife’s skinning capabilities but chose a smaller blade with a rear-oriented grip for tighter spaces and finer work. The straight clip point allows for better control, while the angled grip reduces wrist fatigue during extended use.

A gut hook enhances versatility by allowing for efficient field dressing. It features a strategic design tailored as a parasite gut hook, keeping it concealed when not in use and safe during operation. The ovulated grip fits the hand’s ergonomics for maximum control and comfort.

The Backwoods Skinner is designed for various applications, from large game hunting to wilderness survival, including small game hunting, trapping, and light bush crafting. MSRP: $272.00

On Three Ulu

This versatile gem is designed by Jason Salyer and made by Bear Forest Knives. The Ulu knife, traditionally used by Inuit and Arctic communities, features a curved blade and scandi grind for versatile tasks like slicing, chopping, skinning, and carving. Its 3.5-inch blade, made from durable 80CrV2 high-carbon or AEB-L Stainless steel, offers easy maintenance. Understanding how to use an ulu knife properly can make all these tasks easier.

Beyond food preparation, the Ulu is effective for shelter construction and can quickly convert into a tomahawk-style tool by attaching it to a split stick. It has a rustic heat treat finish and a custom-made brown leather pouch-style sheath from JRE Industries for added protection. MSRP: $69.99

How To Use It

This ain’t your grandma’s butter knife. You’re about to embark on a culinary journey that combines history, practicality, and a dash of Arctic flair. This crescent-shaped hero is more than meets the eye, and it’s time you learned how to use an ulu knife like a pro!

First things first: Grip it tight! Picture this: you’re holding onto a precious artifact—because, let’s face it, you kind of are! Wrap your fingers around the handle like it’s a life preserver in a sea of kitchen chaos. You want a solid grip, not a graceful ballet hold.

Next, find your steady surface. This isn’t the time for an impromptu kitchen dance party—ensure your workspace is stable. An unsteady surface can turn your culinary masterpiece into a slapstick comedy routine.

Know your prey! Whether you’re tackling a slippery fish or a stubborn squash, take a moment to size it up. The ulu is your trusty companion; treat it with respect, and it’ll treat you right back.

Here comes the fun part: Don’t force it! Channel your inner dancer as you rock the ulu back and forth. This isn’t a wrestling match; it’s a gentle sway, almost like a tango. Let the ulu’s curved blade do its thing, and enjoy the rhythm of the cut. That’s how to use an ulu knife to its fullest potential.

Embrace that glorious curve! The ulu’s shape is your secret weapon. Use it to transform your ingredients into culinary masterpieces while feeling like a true Arctic chef.

And let’s not forget clean-up! After use, show your ulu some love. A quick wash and careful drying will keep it in prime slicing condition and ready for your next kitchen escapade.

Pro Tips

The ulu is great for shelter building and can easily turn into a tomahawk by attaching it to a split stick.

Back up your work with a cutting board. This will ensure safety while using it.

Try your hand at some ulu-based carving. Who knows? You may uncover a hidden talent for creating edible art!

Final Cut

With these tips, your ulu knife can slice through anything—meat, fish, and fruit. You name it! Embrace this traditional tool and unleash your culinary creativity. Appreciate its sleek design and rich history the next time you see an ulu knife. This knife has been serving meals for ages and deserves a place in the culinary hall of fame.

Who needs fancy utensils when you have such a legendary knife? Now you know how to use an ulu knife, make sure to practice and perfect your skills.

For more information, please check out TOPS and Bear Forest Knives!

Remington’s Weird Shotguns (That Failed)

By

Travis Pike

-

March 4, 2025

Remington has been producing firearms since 1816. It’s not a secret that, in recent years, they’ve had some issues financially. The Freedom Group, a part of Cerberus Capital, was responsible for expanding Remington and acquiring numerous brands. It was also responsible for its collapse. However, we aren’t going to dig too deep into the failings of Remington, but rather five specific weird shotguns they produced that failed.

Remington 105 CTi

Remington designed the first bottom feed and bottom eject shotgun, so it wasn’t a stretch that they’d try to bring that technology to a semi-auto platform. The Remington 105 CTi was a semi-auto shotgun that did everything from the bottom. The gun was intended for sporting use and was a gas-operated gun.

It was known to be soft recoiling and lightweight, but the gun has serious reliability issues. The CTi would often fail to feed and eject properly. It was a svelte gun that was friendly to both left and right-handed shooters. As far as appearances go, it was beautiful, and Remington tried to save it with the CTi II, but these weird shotguns never ran right.

Remington 887

One of Freedom Group’s ideas was to take the 870 and copy the Benelli SuperNova. The 887 was born and featured a 3.5-inch chamber, a rotating bolt, and a polymer finish called ArmorTek. It basically ripped off the Benelli design, but the coating was, hmm, odd. Some liked it, I thought it was butt ugly.

As far as weird shotguns go, they weren’t bad guns. It received mostly good reviews, but one reviewer called it “the worst shotgun I’ve ever tested.” Opinions were mixed. There was a recall because the firing pin got stuck, causing the gun to slam fire. Ultimately, like most Freedom Group Remingtons, it was discontinued and disappeared.

Remington 870 Competition Trap Single Shot Shotgun

Have you ever wanted a gas-operated, single-shot 870? What? Why not? Maybe you should shoot trap more? Remington designed this odd 870 for the trap market, which is a single-shot market. The gun uses a gas-operated system to reduce recoil while shooting trap.

These weird shotguns were still pump guns. You had to open the action with the pump and load a round directly into the chamber. Ejecting the cartridge also required you to operate the pump. These weird guns were never super popular, and most trap shooters seemingly preferred their lightweight single-shot clay pigeon killers.

Remington Model SPR-94

The Remington Model SPR-94 wasn’t just a weird series of shotguns. They were a weird series of combination guns. These double-barrel guns used a 12 gauge top barrel and a .223 bottom barrel. They were designed to be super handy combination guns for hunters. These were actually branded Russian Baikal guns rather than American-produced Remingtons.

The SPR-94s were a neat idea, and I’d love to see a comeback. The combination of a rifle and shotgun barrel gives you a gun that hunts practically anything. You could hunt deer, coyotes, hogs, rabbits, squirrels, and whatever else you could want. Sadly, the Russian imports dried up, and the SPR-94 disappeared.

Remington 7188

Our last of Remington’s weird shotguns is the Remington 7188. It’s an insanely rare shotgun that was produced for the SEAL teams in Vietnam. Shotguns became handy tools in Vietnam for anti-ambush work and close-range jungle fighting. The 7188 was a select fire shotgun capable of firing full auto.

The seven-round shotgun could quickly dispense its payload. The idea was to fire as much buckshot as possible in the direction of an ambusher. It worked, mostly, but was fragile and easily malfunctioned when dirty. As you’d imagine, dirt and grime were prevalent in the jungle.

Remington’s Weird Shotguns

Remington has a long history of great firearms. The 870 and 700 are still standard bearers in their firearm genre. Throughout that history, they produced a wide variety of firearms, and some of them were bound to be weird. It’s odd that Remington’s weirdest guns were shotguns, but here we are.

Survival Mindset – Get Your Head in the Game

By

Jim Cobb

-

March 3, 2025

Your single most important asset in a crisis is that gray lump that rests between your ears. The survival mindset is something everyone should develop and hone. There are several aspects of it to understand. Let’s look at just a few of them.

Positive Thinking

The survival mindset is critical because the body will follow the mind. Time and again, we’ve found that our minds can do some pretty interesting things. When the chips are down, you need to repeat to yourself that you’re going to succeed. Make this a habit every time you encounter a bad situation.

Remember that you’ve successfully overcome every single bad day so far. Don’t dwell on negative experiences. Focus on the fact that you were strong enough to overcome them.

Confidence vs. Arrogance

A big part of the survival mindset is confidence. You have to believe, down to a molecular level, that you will come out on top when all is said and done. That confidence comes from learning and practicing skills over a long period of time.

However, while confidence can keep you alive, arrogance can get you killed. If you get too cocky, you might not recognize when you make mistakes, which can spiral into complete failure if left unchecked.

Strength of Will

This part of the survival mindset is related to confidence. It’s a single-minded determination that you will overcome any and all obstacles and do whatever it takes to make it home safely. This isn’t easy. Frustration, depression, and even guilt can eat away at you and be distractions.

What might work is to make a deal with yourself that you’ll deal with those feelings after you’ve survived and returned to whatever passes for a normal life. For the time being, though, it gets buried.

Sense of Humor

Once upon a time, I spent several years working in the security field. Something I learned early was that humor can be an effective tool for reducing stress. In a tense situation, if I could get the other person to at least crack a smile, if not chuckle, it would go a long way toward defusing things.

This works on a personal level, too. Laugh at your mistakes. Learn from them, absolutely, but don’t let them drag you down.

Compartmentalize

Remember the old line about how to eat an elephant? You do it one bite at a time. Part of the survival mindset is to understand the importance of compartmentalizing. You can’t do everything at once.

Instead of running around in circles, break it down into manageable chunks. Prioritize based on the situation at hand, then take it step by step.

Adaptability

This is an aspect of the survival mindset that people tend to either embrace wholeheartedly or struggle with immensely. Not everything goes according to plan. Being flexible is crucial. Learn how to improvise, how to think on your feet, and how to adapt to the situation as it develops.

If you fall apart the first time something goes awry, this is an area you need to work on further. Develop your survival mindset. Do everything you can to be hard to kill.

The Smoking Gun Has a Hissy Fit About SHOT

By

Travis Pike

-

March 3, 2025

I’ve never heard of the Smoking Gun. Well, kind of. Didn’t there used to be a movie forum called The Smoking Gun? In 2025, the Smoking Gun is an ill-informed, anti-gun rag that I’d never heard of til recently. Judging by their low results on Google, no one seems to be reading or sharing their articles anyway. I’ve probably doubled their monthly clicks to research this article.

They are slightly less read than the Trace, which is impressive. Are they also backed by a billionaire with a squad of armed guards?

Oh, yeah, the answer is yes. It’s part of Everytown For Gun Safety, which is funded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who championed the unconstitutional stop and frisk and gleefully admitted to targeting minorities with the program in a 2015 speech in Aspen. He also has a vast team of armed guards because his life is worth more than yours.

The Smoking Gun had a collective heart attack regarding this year’s SHOT Show. Usually, by February, people are sick of talking about SHOT, but allow me to talk about this anti-gun garbage and fear-mongering.

The Smoking Gun – Fear Mongers To The Extreme

One only has to read the ill-written, poorly informed article on SHOT Show 2025 to realize the Smoking Gun’s purpose is to fearmonger. That’s it. They have two articles on SHOT: one is a preview, and one is an after-action of sorts. Let’s look at the preview first.

The fear-mongering starts right away. For example, they are talking about SHOT 2025 and immediately mention Slide Fire Solutions, which exhibited at SHOT from 2012 to 2017, linking SHOT to bump stocks. They go on to list exhibitors at the SHOW and claim they are selling assault weapons, a term they made up to push fear.

Good golly, there is even a fifty-round drum for Glocks! Don’t forget companies make semi-auto belt-fed guns! Which, apparently, we should all be scared of. Don’t forget BB guns that look kind of real! I’m not joking. They talk about that. That and folding guns, which allow you to conceal an AR on your person! Sure, if I’m dressed like Neo from the Matrix.

The part about suppressors is my favorite. They call Silencer Central a silencer manufacturer, when in reality, they are just a retailer. The Smoking Gun mentions the wait period and Tax Stamp necessary to acquire a suppressor, but it winges about wait times decreasing and mentions the assassination of Brian Thompson as if that was related to silencer ownership.

Examining SHOT 2025

The Smoking Gun examines what they call the Lethal Innovations of SHOT 2025. They immediately mention the ‘bump’ grip that premiered at SHOT and allows a user to bump fire. The fear-mongering is ratcheted up about this device. Since the Smoking Gun is run by ill-informed and ignorant people, they don’t know you don’t need a grip or stock to bump fire. You need a belt loop and nothing more.

My absolute favorite part of this article is where they pivot from the bump grip to Mossberg’s new shotguns, which use AR-style grips and stocks. The writer seems to think or insinuate that you can bump-fire a pump shotgun thanks to this grip. It’s a chef’s kiss to a very dumb article.

From there, it pivoted to deadly handguns as if there was any other type. All guns are lethal. They bring up the RXM, which MAY BE compatible with Glock Switches! Oh, the horror! I don’t understand why they are so scared about Glock switches; they made those illegal, so clearly, criminals will follow the law and not use them…Right?

They also mention KelTec’s new pistol and ammunition, twice as fast as a 9mm! As if that means something. Also, to no one’s surprise, they mention S&W’s new classic revolvers and the fact they lack a lock. They even link to the Firearm Blog to help share the SEO juice, so that’s nice of them.

I won’t be linking to their article because I don’t want to give them an SEO boost to their poorly performing website. If you search Google, you can find it, but I’d copy the link and use the Wayback machine to avoid giving them views.

The Smoking Gun

For fun, I looked into the history of the website. The Wayback machine has it first popped up in 2001. I started clicking around, and it looked like they purchased the domain from a surf company. The domain was listed for sale in 2020, and it seems like the gun grabbers grabbed it in 2023.

If you read the articles, you will find that they are all ill-informed, ignorant, and fear-mongering. That’s it. It’s TMZ of the anti-gun world; it’s trash, but their lack of firearm knowledge makes it entertaining trash.

Bullets Follow Walls – Explained

By

Travis Pike

-

March 2, 2025

I remember when I started MOUT training, I heard the phrase “bullets follow walls, so stay away from walls.” I heard it and did it, but I had to eventually ask what it meant. Why do bullets follow walls? At 18, I had no idea what bullets did. I was told to shut up and clear the street again. At that point, you aren’t asking questions. You’re yelling ‘Aye, Sergeant’ and doing what you’re told.

I’m the type of person who likes to know what and why. I like explanations. I eventually looked into it and figured it out. Years later, it dawned on me that others may have never learned why bullets follow walls, so let’s dig into it.

How Bullets Follow Walls

The way bullets follow walls is pretty simple to understand. The first part of understanding the how is understanding what doesn’t happen. When most of us think of something bouncing off a wall, we think of a rubber ball. If you throw a rubber ball against a wall, it typically departs at the same angle it struck the wall.

Bullets don’t do that. They hit a solid surface and leave at a shallow angle since they aren’t soft like a rubber ball. A bullet strikes the surface, and it loses its momentum perpendicular to the wall. The bullet then seemingly skims along the wall.

The angle does make a big difference in this effect. A direct hit to the wall isn’t likely to skim a bullet. If you tried to skim bullets along walls purposefully, you could do it fairly easily. However, in a gunfight, you won’t know the angle at which your enemy is firing. This is why we just try and stay off walls and resist hugging them.

Can and Will Follow Walls

We always stay away from walls; it’s just part of urban fighting. In this discussion, walls can take all sorts of shapes and sizes. We wouldn’t call a car a wall, but bullets can skim off a car. Is it as likely to skim off a car as a steel ship wall? No, but it can happen.

Material matters. Regarding stuff like sheetrock and wood, the likelihood is pretty low that a bullet will skim off the wall. We still tend to stay away from walls because it becomes a habit. We get to this interesting middle zone when we switch to stone, concrete, and rock.

It can skim off a wall and is likely to, but it also might not. It’s all dependent on how hard the material is and the angle the projectile strikes the wall. If we move into steel, like a ship hull, then the likelihood increases drastically.

I’ve never had to take a ship outside of training, and even in training, it’s terrifying. It’s all tight corridors and walls; if I had to defend a ship, I might just blind fire in corridors!

Bullets follow walls so often that the army used to instruct and teach troops how to use them to their advantage. Manuals from the 1980s and 90s discuss using ricochets off walls to shoot behind and around cover to inflict causalities.

Stay Away From Walls

I feel like this was a painfully in-depth explanation of a simple concept. I’m the type who wants to know the why, and this was typically irritating to my higher-ups. As someone who wants to know the why, I like explaining the why, and hopefully, I’ve done that with the old saying of “bullets follow walls.”

American-made Leuku Survival Knife!

By

Reuben Bolieu

-

March 1, 2025

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Two heavy-duty American-made Reiff F6 Knives.

The flagship of the American-made Reiff Knives company is their F6 knife. This tool is a no-nonsense American-made Leuku Survival Knife! Made for wilderness tasks to any extreme, the American-made Leuku Survival Knife made by Reiff Knives has come out of the gate swinging and has made the utmost impact of any survival knife punching in or out of its weight class!

Reiff Knives F6

Although it sounds like a fighter jet, the Reiff F6 CPM 3V high-alloy steel is sleek and functional. I treated this medium-to-large knife as a versatile tool for light to medium-heavy tasks, particularly in crafting.

The Reiff Knives F-Series is a tough, hard-use outdoor knife made from premium CPM 3V high alloy steel. Its drop point blades and high saber grinds result in a fine 20-degree micro convex. If you ever had a knife that you loved but wished the handle was a little longer or hand-filling, the Leuku Survival Knife might be what you’re looking for.

Creating a maul with the F6 was the first project for which the author used the Leuko-style knife.

Calling all large and extra-large hands out there! You will not be disappointed with the size of this knife handle. The full-sized G10 handle design accommodates extended use. A sure grip prevents the knife from slipping in your hand, making it safer and reducing fatigue. The thick full-tang features a skeletonized design to reduce the overall weight, making it an ideal carry companion wherever you roam.

New Breed of Leuku Survival Knife

The new Reiff Knives F6 Leuku Survival Knife features CPM MagnaCut super steel and striking green and black layered canvas micarta handle scales. Check out the F6 MagnaCut collection for all eight handle options.

The F6 is a versatile camping and survival knife. It’s sturdy enough for light chopping while remaining agile for everyday tasks. Crafted in the USA, it excels in outdoor adventures, whether processing firewood or cooking meals. The ultra-stainless CPM MagnaCut steel ensures low maintenance in wet environments.

The author batoned the Reiff F6 in the dead of winter through frozen wood for a sustainable fire.

The ergonomic handle and balanced design make the F6 feel lighter and more comfortable than others, allowing for fine work over extended periods. This makes it an ideal Leuku Survival Knife for those who need both utility and comfort.

Built from premium, American-made materials, this F6 is ready for anything. Reiff stands behind its products with exceptional customer service and an industry-leading Carry No Cares Warranty, ensuring your investment is safe.

Leuku Survival Knife Winter Test!

After a beech tree fell near my woods camp, I made a maul/mallet for batoning. Using a 24-inch bucksaw, I cut a 5-inch diameter, 8-inch long section of the tree and shaped the handle by driving the F6 CPM 3V steel into the top for a comfortable grip. Testing the Leuku Survival Knife in such a setting was essential to understand its capability.

The new Reiff Knives F6 Leuku Survival Knife is made from CPM MagnaCut super steel and has an improved 90-degree spine for striking a Ferro rod.

To test the knife, I cut a witch-hazel branch for a Figure Four trap. The F6 sliced through smoothly as I made stop-cuts and batoned the wood. I also cut a beaver-chewed stick for a stake, carving a notch for cordage and shaping it with controlled chops.

After crafting the maul and stake, I made feather sticks from dry poplar to catch sparks and then used the F6 in the kitchen. The ultra-stainless CPM MagnaCut F6 impressed me, especially the refined 90-degree spine, which surpassed the former version.

Tough and woods-worthy, the Reiff MagnaCut F6 is here to stay.

For more information, please check out Reiff Knives.

The ATI Road Agent – Double Barrel Blaster

By

Travis Pike

-

March 1, 2025

Who doesn’t love a solid double-barrel shotgun? Especially in a coach gun format? American Tactical Imports is bringing us something called the Road Agent. ATI imports guns from anywhere, and I bet this one will come out of Turkey. That’s where most shotguns seem to be imported from, and they’ve got a long history of double-barrel production.

The Road Agent has retro stylings. The standard Road Agent is a black finish with some silver inlay and 18.5-inch barrels. It’s hammer fired, with a wood stock and forend. The Road Agent Prime is the alternative you get if you want longer barrels, specifically out to 26 inches. The Road Agent also utilizes inlay to make things fancy, as well as a stainless steel receiver with blued barrels.

These hammer-fired double-barrel shotguns have bead sights and, typically, I’d say not much else. The Road Agent has a very interesting hammer setup.

The Road Agent and the Hammer

The two hammers have an interesting safety that goes under the hammers to block them. This is the first hammer-fired double-barrel I’ve ever seen with a safety. The safety lever blocks both hammers. That same safety lever can be pressed past the fire position to decock the hammers. I most certainly have never seen a shotgun with decocking hammers.

It’s cool but kind of a restomod version of the classic coach gun. The Road Agent takes its looks seriously and does seem to favor a stylish flair. The Road Agent series has two triggers and surprisingly smooth trigger pulls.

The forend is large enough to get a good grip to activate a push/pull to mitigate recoil. Handy and light are elements of the gun. We get a gun that weighs less than six pounds and moves with ease. Even with two barrels, a gun can be handy.

The Money

So, a cool coach gun with style and a novel safety/decocker has an MSRP of $599.95, which means maybe around $400 when they get on the market. It’s a fun gun, but you could make it a bang-around working gun. There are admittedly cheaper guns that aren’t so stylish for that task.

The guns are fun, cheap, and look cool. That’s the Matrix I want to hit for my impulse purchases. The ATI Road Agents are shipping now, and it looks like a blast.

SHOT Show 2025: The Optics Round-Up

By

P.E. Fitch

-

February 28, 2025

Every year, tens of thousands of people descend upon Las Vegas for SHOT Show. The show is the place to go for all things shooting, hunting, and the outdoors. While at SHOT Show this year, I was tasked with seeking out the best in this year’s optics. Here is what I found.

Leupold VX 6HD Gen 2 Series

Leupold further advanced its premium VX 6HD hunting riflescope product line by launching the second generation of this product line. The incoming Leupold VX 6HD Gen2 family has six different models, all built around 34 or 30mm tubes and second focal plane reticles. One of the key features in this latest iteration of VX 6HD hunting scopes is the switch to Leupold’s CDS-SZL2. As a result, this allows hunters to easily adjust windage and elevation turrets on the fly without any tools (like those tiny hex wrenches).

Hunters can easily install custom dials on the new VX 6HD turrets, and Leupold will send customers two vouchers for custom dials with proof of purchase of a new VX 6HD riflescope. These dials are tailored to a specific rifle and cartridge combination that basically allows the hunter to dial their rifle to their unique DOPE.

Visit Leupold.com.

Holosun ARO-EVO

Enclosed emitter 1×20 red-dot sights are some of the most popular in the industry. While the original Aimpoint Micro (T1) deserves the credit for pioneering this highly practical format, the rest of the industry has run with it due to its size and utility. One of Holosun’s new optics for 2025 is the ARO-EVO.

The “Advanced Rifle Optic, Evolved” or ARO-EVO takes the basic 1x20mm red-dot format and increases the objective window by an additional 6mm to increase the optic’s field of view. In addition to lining up perfectly with Holosun’s new magnifiers, the ARO-EVO can be had with Holosun’s Special Purpose Reticle that incorporates bullet drop compensators and ranging.

Visit Holosun.com.

DNT Optics “The One” 7-35×56 FFP Illuminated Riflescope

Upstart company DNT Optics is rapidly becoming known for its affordable thermal optics. But they’ve also recently launched a fully-featured precision 7-35×56 first focal plane riflescope they call The One. DNT’s new scope can be had in an MOA or mil format, and it features a precision grid reticle with illumination, matching angular unit elevation/windage turrets, a zero-setting mechanism, a left side focus/parallax knob, and a beefy 34mm diameter maintube.

With its sub-$700 price point and feature set, the DNT Optics The One seems to bring some competitive heat against some of its other rivals in that same pricing tier.

Visit us.DNTOptics.com.

Mecanik M04 Enclosed-Emitter Red-Dot

Canik’s Mecanik division recently introduced its fourth micro red-dot, the new Mecanik M04. The M04 is also Mecanik’s first fully-enclosed emitter unit. M04s make use of a multi-reticle emitter, allowing the shooter to use a 32 MOA ring with a 3 MOA central aiming point, the 3 MOA dot only, or the 32 MOA ring only.

In addition, the top portion of their housing units includes solar charging cells as well, and the M04 feeds off a CR 1620 battery. Like the rest of the Mecanik product line, save for the big-window M03, the Mecanik M04 uses a coated aspheric lens and a Shield Sights RMSc optics footprint pattern. Its external housing is built from durable 7075 series aluminum and is shaped to protect the lens from strong impacts.

Visit Mecanik.com.

Winchester Supreme Optics THSD 384 Thermal Hunting Scope

Winchester Supreme Optics unveiled a few different thermal units at this year’s SHOT Show. One of them is the Winchester Supreme THSD 384 Thermal Hunting Scope. This optic melds sophisticated thermal imaging technology for a very reasonable price.

The THSD 384’s sensor can easily detect heat signatures through barriers such as fog, smoke, or challenging environmental lighting conditions. Hunters also have the choice of various reticle options and color palettes. The THSD 384 runs from a single 18650 Lithium Ion battery and supports the modern USB-C format for its data needs.

Visit WinchesterOptics.com.

Primary Arms HTX-1

Primary Arms is best known for offering an entire suite of different types of weapon optics that are priced fairly affordably. This includes pistol-mounted red-dots, prismatic sights, and full-power precision riflescopes. For 2025, they announced the new Primary Arms HTX-1 enclosed emitter pistol dot.

This new red-dot sight can be had with a single 4 MOA central aiming point or Primary Arms’ unique ACSS Vulcan reticle (which has oversized corrective rings to help guide shooters). The HTX-1 also incorporates its own chassis system with unique interchangeable plates that fit most optics-ready handguns on the market.

But the new Primary Arms HTX-1’s most important detail? Every last circuit and piece of glass used to build these is 100% made in the United States of America.

Visit PrimaryArms.com.

EOTech Vudu 3-9×32 SFP

EOTech kicked off its 2025 by launching the extremely compact second focal plane EOTech Vudu 3-9×32 tactical riflescope. Externally, this optic shares a similar size with the typical ACOG or full-size Aimpoint red-dot unit. However, it’s a fully-featured riflescope that comes equipped with EOTech’s HC1 “lightweight grid” reticle. All windage and elevation adjustments are graduated in ¼ MOA clicks.

Due to its size, it is also compatible with mini-ACOG mounts, and with an upper ring mount, the end user can easily piggyback as a smaller reflex sight to boost targeting capabilities. (EOTech offers the Vudu 3-9×32 paired with their EFLX red-dot sight and the corresponding mount as a turnkey package).

Visit EOTechInc.com.

Aimpoint COA

Exactly two weeks prior to SHOT Show 2025, Aimpoint officially announced the new Aimpoint COA enclosed-emitter red-dot pistol sight and its year-long exclusive partnership with Glock, Inc. The Aimpoint COA red-dot sight flips the script on the concept of what an optics-mounting footprint looks like with the new A-cut footprint.

Unlike conventional factory slide cuts which rely on differing patterns of threaded holes and recoil bosses (the tiny raised posts), the new Aimpoint COA’s A-Cut pattern instead wedges into the clearance on the slide. Holding down the rear end is a combination rear sight that uses a pair of screws on its far end providing maximum leverage. Due to the A-Cut’s divoting wedge, the COA sits very low on slide and doesn’t require the use of taller auxiliary iron sights.

Visit Aimpoint.us.

Burris XTR PS

Coasting off the success of the Burris Veracity PH riflescope, Burris this year is expanding that technology into tactical riflescopes with the launch of the new Burris XTR PS. The new XTR PS series has two 34mm scopes, with variable zoom magnifications and objective lens of 3.3-18×50 or 5.5-30×56, respectively.

XTR PS scopes use the BurrisConnect app just like Veracity PH scopes do. Similarly, the shooter gets to see a built-in HUD (heads-up display) while “scoped in” with all the pertinent data displayed in front of them. Finally, these new Burris XTR PS units use clickless electronic turrets that work off digital sensors and can provide the shooter with extremely precise 1/30th mil click values, which is a finer adjustment than even ⅛ MOA clicks.

Visit BurrisOptics.com.

Gideon Optics Valor Mini

As another upstart, Gideon Optics has been diligently gaining traction and popularity in its own segment of the red-dot optics market segment. One of their brand new red-dot sights revealed at SHOT Show 2025 is the Gideon Optics Valor Mini. It is a very minuscule enclosed-emitter red-dot sight meant for those “thinner” ultra-compact carry pistols that are so popular nowadays.

It uses the cosmopolitan Shield Sights RMSc mounting pattern, which is arguably the most popular in that category. Despite being an enclosed-emitter optic, the Valor Mini was designed with an extremely low deck height, making it very easy to match with most standard-height handgun iron sights, too.

Visit GideonOptics.com.