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Travis Pike’s Top 5 SHOT Show Picks for 2018

Maybe because its only my second trip to SHOT Show but I am still excited. I even dreamed about Range Day last night. Its that time of year where we start seeing leaks, tiny little sneak peaks and previews of things to come. I’ve gathered my hit list of awesomeness into my Top 5 SHOT Show picks.

How I Came Up With my Top 5 SHOT Show List

Bias. Pure fan boy bias. I don’t need to lie, because bias is going to shine through. These are guns that interest me, fascinate me, and are guns I personally want to own. Will they be the best guns ever? Maybe not, but they made my Top 5 SHOT Show picks because I like them.

1. The CZ Micro

So called ‘K’ models of sub machine guns have always fascinated me. Growing up my favorite SMG was the MP5K. Its not necessarily about usefulness, but about coolness. Small SMGs are cool. The CZ Scorpion has been a massively successful and popular PCC on the civilian market. People have been modding them extensively and one of the models is the ‘K’ model.

CZ has always been great at having their finger on the pulse of their fans and were clearly inspired by the fan made K models when they introduced the CZ Micro Scorpion. They claim it was for a drug interdiction unit, but well all know CZ, its okay.

The CZ Micro Scorpion is coming equipped with a 4 inch barrel, a HB Industries short handguard, and a telescoping SB Tactical arm brace. It’s best described with words like awesome, and stop I can only get so….EXCITED.

2. Tavor TS 12

So I’ve been saving a little money here and there for a Benelli M3. Local shop has one for 1300 and I’m apparently willing to spend that much money on a shotgun. Well I crossed off Benelli M3 and wrote Tavor TS12 underneath it. The TS 12 was announced a few days ago, and I am already in love. Most of you don’t care enough to know me, but I tend to write about shotguns and 12 gauge firearms a looooottt. I like them, love them, and have a dozen of them.

The TS 12 will join the collection as soon as possible. The TS 12 is what happens when a Tavor meets a Pancor Jackhammer and a SRM shotgun. The TS 12 is a bullpup shotgun that holds 15 rounds in 3 rotating shotgun tubes. The shotgun is semi automatic and once a tube goes dry you switch tubes and keep on rocking and rolling.

Keep watching, because as soon as I can I’ll have a review posted here. This is the only 1 of my Top 5 SHOT Show picks I am going to aggressively pursue and obtain as soon as possible.

3. Franklin Armory Reformation

We all hate the NFA, and we hate it so much we support an entire industry that works to walk a thin line between the NFA and normie guns. Franklin Armory is one of the primary NFA defying manufacturers. They are mostly famous for their binary trigger that fires a round when you pull the trigger and fires another when you release it.

Well they made waves recently with the Franklin Armory Reformation. A press release popped out proclaiming that they had a AR style gun that’s not a shotgun, not a rifle, and apparently its a ‘firearm’. Firearm is the basically the “Other” checkbox when it comes to guns. The Reformation is an AR with an 11.5 inch barrel and a stock. Normally that would be an SBR, but somehow they are claiming they found a way around it.

The ATF apparently hasn’t necessarily approved this, but its causing waves in the industry. Regardless of what the gun is, and how its legal, it is going to drive a ton of gawkers like me to their booth at SHOT Show 2018.

4. SIG P365

SIG Sauer made waves by coming out of nowhere with a brand new pistol right before SHOT Show. We reported on the press release of the SIG P365 and even then I knew it would be on my Top 5 SHOT Show picks. The P365 stands to blow guns like the Glock 43 and XD-S out of the water.

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Like those guns it’s slim, sleek, small, easy to carry, and all those concealed carry buzzwords. The difference is that the SIG P365 utilizes a double stack magazine. It keeps the dimensions of a single stack gun, but gives users a near flush fitting 10 round magazine.

I prefer my carry guns to be big, but the SIG P365 is an interesting development in the CCW world.

5. The Taurus 692

Yes, Taurus made the list. Last year they were raving and bragging about the Taurus Spectrum. This little 380 ACP pistol had a massive booth and yet here we are a year later and there is nothing on it… This year they seem to be taking things a little quieter than usual. I think that’s a mistake because my fifth Top 5 SHOT Show pick is a unique revolver.

Taurus 692

The Taurus 692’s main appeal is the fact its a multi caliber revolver. The Taurus 692 is a full sized revolver that will be chambered in 357/398 and come with a swappable cylinder for 9mm. That’s cool by itself, but the Taurus 692 is a 7 shot revolver, and it comes in 3 inch and 6.5 inch barrel lengths. The barrels are ported and to top it all off the cylinder is unfluted.

Taurus is really making me want a 692. Taurus, please do this revolver right and have it out ASAP.

Boom

SHOT Show this year seems to be ramping up to be a major event. I had issues deciding on just 5. I mean there is gonna be a 45-70 AR 10 and it barely stayed off the list. What about you guys? What’s your top 5? Best top 5 in the comments will get it posted as an article here if the commenter doesn’t mind explaining why.

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About the Author

Travis Pike Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines and the Afghan National Army. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and teaches concealed carry classes.

See All Travis Pike Articles

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