You can’t turn a corner at SHOT Show without tripping over yet another new AR, but they aren’t the only rifles at the show. SHOT 2025 still had plenty of other things to see, and especially if they were a little odd, I probably saw them. Here are 10 that caught my eye throughout the week. A few I arguably could have put in my AR round-up, but since they aren’t semi-autos I added them here. Let’s take a look, and you can see what I mean.
Savage Revel .22LR Lever Action
On Industry Day at the Range, I had a chance to try Savage’s new Revel .22LR lever action rifle. I saw the press release on these and am already interested. After shooting one, it’s on my must-own list.
The Revel is a US-made take-down lever action rifle with walnut stocks. The action is extremely slick, and it’s got a great trigger for a lever action. They hold a dozen rounds of .22LR ammo, and I’m curious if they’ll feed Shorts as well. There’s a Classic version and the DLX version with upgraded wood, shown here.
Shipping was delayed a bit as Savage decided to add a threaded barrel. They made it so that you can still access the loading tube without taking the suppressor off, too. That’s a great touch. .22 magnum and .17 HMR models will follow later this year. MSRP for the Classic model is $439, while the DLX model is $539.
Mossberg Patriot Carbine .308
Mossberg had its Patriot Carbine with a 16-inch barrel at the show. Chambered in .308, it feeds from a 5-round drop-box magazine. The Patriot comes with a threaded barrel and synthetic stock. It has a top-mounted Picatinny rail for mounting optics and an adjustable trigger. The Patriot is available in a number of other caliber and barrel lengths as well. MSRP for the 16-inch .308 model is $515.00.
Faxon Firearms M1 Garand barrels for the CMP
Okay this isn’t a straight rifle post, but I think it’s worth covering. Faxon Firearms is working with the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) to provide new barrels for shot out surplus guns. CMP is using them in their rebuilds, and they’re available for you to buy directly from Faxon as well. MSRP is $270.65.
If you have an older Garand that needs a new barrel these are a great option. Aside from being an excellent barrel, a portion of every sale goes directly to the CMP to help with their marksmanship training programs.
Harrington & Richardson Lever Actions in .357 Magnum
This one surprised me a bit. H&R has been putting out a great stream of retro M16 clones since their rebirth. I did not see a lever action coming though. They had three versions on display, all chambered in .357 Magnum. The rifles look to be on the Winchester 92 pattern.
They had adjustable sights, fiber optic front sights, and threaded barrels. H&R had a full tube, blued model with wood stock, a case-hardened one with a half magazine tube, and a stainless one with synthetic stocks and a Picatinny rail on the rack. The plan is to bring out a variety of barrel lengths and finishes. .44 magnum and .45 Colt models are also planned.
Rifle calibers like .30-30 and .45-70 are a possibility down the road as well. H&R is hoping for a second-quarter 2025 release of the first guns. Pricing isn’t set yet, but is said to be competitive with other guns on the market.
DSA/Harrington & Richardson T48 7.62 NATO
H&R gets another spot on my list with the release of the T48 in 7.62 NATO. I had a chance to talk with Mike Wetteland, who heads up H&R at the show. As many of you know, the M14 was tested against the FAL back in the 1950’s. H&R made the T48 trial guns under license from FN for those trials.
The new T48 is actually a collaboration between H&R and DSA. That makes sense, since DSA has so much experience with the FAL platform. The new guns are modeled closely on an original T48. The wood stocks and stripper clip guide stand out the most, and there are a number of other differences between the T48 and an FN gun.
The T48s are expected to ship around mid-summer, and again there’s not a price set yet. If you’re an FAL fan or a fan of US military service rifles, then this is one to look out for.
Rossi SS Poly Survival Rifle .45/.410
Rossi came out with their single shot .45 Colt/.410 Survival Rifle last year at SHOT. I wanted one after seeing it, then. But things got away from me, and I never picked one up. I’m kind of glad I waited, though, because this year, they had a slick new version with a side folding stock.
The SS Poly Survival Rifle has a 16-inch barrel and only weighs a bit over 3 pounds. Especially now, with the side folding stock, it would make a great camp, truck, boat, or ATV gun. The new version isn’t showing on Rossi’s website yet, but the MSRP listed at the show was $356.99.
Taurus Expedition Rifle .308
Most of you are probably familiar with Taurus handguns, but they had a bolt-action rifle on display, too. The new Expedition Rifle is based on the proven Remington 700 action and is chambered in .308 Winchester. It has an 18-inch hammer-forged barrel that Taurus is guaranteeing will shoot sub-MOA groups. It has a synthetic stock and takes AICS pattern magazines.
The one they had at the show was tricked out with optics and a suppressor to give you an idea of how you can set it up. MSRP is $984.99, and they’re available now.
Fightlite Herring Lever Action 5.56mm
This is another gun that made its appearance a while ago but is finally getting ready to ship. The Fightlite Herring uses an AR upper but is coupled with Fightlite’s lever action lower receiver. It will be available in both 5.56mm and .300 Blackout and feeds from standard AR pattern magazines.
It’s a slick rifle and a nice option for folks in ban states. It also would be a great hunting platform, especially in places like my home state of Pennsylvania, where you can’t hunt with semi autos. The .300 Blackout version will make a great suppressor platform, too, I’m thinking. MSRP is $1,699.99 and the Fightlite folks assure me that they really will be shipping soon.
Bear Creek BC-15 Bolt Action AR .350 Legend
Bear Creek Arsenal (BCA) had its bolt action BC-15 uppers on display at SHOT. Just announced in December these were initially available in .350 Legend and .450 Bushmaster. I see they’ve since added .223 Wylde, 5.56mm, and 6.5 Grendel to that list. Barrel lengths are available, ranging from 16 to 22 inches.
The uppers feature black anodized uppers and MLOK handguards and either Black Nitride or Parkerized finished barrels. These will drop onto any standard AR-15 lower half for either a new build or to convert your semi into a bolt gun. Which again would be handy for a ban state, or a state with hunting limitations like Pennsylvania. MSRP goes from $339.99 to $439.99 depending on caliber and configuration.
Southern Cross Small Arms Taipan X Pump Action .223 Wylde
This last one might be my favorite weird find at the show. At first glance, it looks like an AR-style semi-auto rifle. In fact, the Taipan X is its own creature and a pump action to boot. Built by Southern Cross Small Arms, this is already a proven design in Australia. The Taipan X is being imported to the US by Legacy Sports International.
The first models will be chambered in .223 Wylde, with .300 Blackout models to follow. The Taipan X has a 16.5-inch threaded stainless barrel. The stock and receivers are available in Burnt Bronze, FDE, Black, and Dark Gray colors. The rifle uses an AR-style pistol grip and comes with a skeletonized stock. A folding stock adapter is also available. It has a full-length Picatinny rail and MLOK slots on the handguard.
The pump is spring-assisted and fast to operate. You can also operate the Taipan X as a straight-pull rifle with a left-side mounted cocking knob. The Taipan uses standard AR magazines. Like the Herring, this is a great option for folks in ban states, which makes sense coming out of Australia, which has had a semi-auto ban for some time now.
I’ve long liked the idea of a pump action rifle that takes AR mags, and the Taipan X is already a proven design in Australia. I think I’m going to hold out for a .300 Blackout model, but this one is on my list for 2025. MSRP starts at $979.00.
