This SHOT Show doesn’t have any crazy or surprising releases, in fact, when it comes to long guns, you might argue the releases this year are a bit shallow. I can almost agree, but after 16,000 steps and miles of aisles walked I’ve seen a pile of awesome long guns. With that said, I’m bringing you a solid nine picks. We have shotguns to bring you in, rifles to keep you seated, and the Other section to really satisfy you.
Shotguns
Our shotgun picks are updates, mostly. Updates to existing platforms and updates to gun we’ve been waiting to be released.
Palmetto State Armory 570 (and 570 SA)
Last year, PSA showed off the 570, a pump action, modular shotgun aimed to give shooters a gun that could be assembled to their liking. This year, we saw it in its final form. The gun retains the mixture of Remington 870 and Mossberg 500 designs and parts. It mixes the best parts of America’s favorite shotguns.
On top of that, PSA showed off the 570 SA, a semi-auto gun that will use the same receiver as the pump gun but convert to a semi-auto. The 570 SA is a concept and is up for a vote to see if it gets built. This pair of shotguns represents the first time any company has made shotguns as accessible to builders as ARs.
Benelli M4 Gen 2
The Benelli M4 A.I. Drone Guardian premiered earlier this year, but this was the first time we’ve been able to see one up close. They seem to represent the new generation of Benelli M4, which no one is talking about. The Benelli M4 has needed a facelift for a decade now. The new M4 features a ton of ergonomic improvements, better modularity, and modern stuff M4 fans have wanted for years.
The attention grabbing handguard is M-LOK and compatible with red dots. On the Drone Guardian, we see a Steiner MPS. The Drone Guardian sat with several Gen 2 M4s, including an entry model. These new guns feature an adjustable stock with more positions, an enlarged bolt release, and an enlarged charging handle. For now, these appear to be LEO only, but a man can dream.
Mossberg 590R and 590RM
Mossberg’s long been known for tang safety and a don’t play well with pistol grip stock reputation. That changes today. The 590R and 590RM utilize almost AR-like safety measures on the gun. It’s ambidextrous and easily swiped by the thumb. It’s got a shelf to protect it from accidental movements as well. The safety isn’t the only change; the flat-faced trigger is new and fantastic.
Both the 590R and 590RM make use of AR-type stocks and pistol grips for those who prefer to keep it rifle-like. Both guns make use of some fancy stocks that feel great and function well. The 590R is a standard 590, but the 590RM features the Mossberg removable magazine system. Honestly, they give a steady Halo vibe, and I dig it and welcome it amongst SHOT’s best long guns.
Rifles
Alright, let’s get you satiated with the rifles of SHOT that made me stop and look at the 300-yard range longingly.
Brownells AR-180 Gen 3
Bronwells created the BRN-180 to give a modern take on the original AR-180. Since then, they pushed further and further from Armalite’s other rifle. However, the goal wasn’t to replicate but to modernize. The Gen 3 moves the charging handle to the left side for easier access, so we don’t have to feel like Soviets with AKs.
Additionally, the handguard has been redesigned, and the gas system is adjustable without the need for tools. The Gen 3 is coming in .223 Wylde and .300 Blackout, but there are plans for future calibers. As you’d expect, the guns come in a ton of sizes and configurations. I like the BRN-180 and the AR-180 layout as a whole, so this tickles me just right.
Syndicus Orion
I’m not a big AK guy, but I can recognize a cool AK when I see it. The Syndicus Orion is a 5.56 AK, which isn’t super new, but it does use AR magazines, which isn’t novel but unusual. The Orion and Orion X were the first long guns I saw on Tuesday. The Orion series uses a custom-made AR magazine adapter that integrates a trigger guard into the magazine well for greater overall durability. It’s also pushed to the modern market with modern modularity.
The Orion features a 1913 rail for stocks of varied kinds, and the Orion X uses a custom carbon fiber stock. The standard Orion uses an M-LOK handguard, which is as close to free-floating as an AK can get. The Orion X uses a carbon fiber handguard, which also has M-LOK slots. These guns are super light, modern, ergonomic, and has me interested in AK stuff.
CZ Bren 3
Here’s the good news: the Bren 3 is in the States. Here’s the bad news: they are L.E. and Military only. For now, since the guns at the show were select fire. I have no doubts CZ will bring the Bren 3 into the civilian market. The Bren 3 is the perfect Bren with the varied complaints addressed, and the Bren design improved.
The handguard can be removed and replaced to embrace the modularity of the Bren 3. The stock comes in both a PDW configuration and standard folding/collapsing stock. The stock mount is stronger than the Bren 2, and we get a cold hammer-forged barrel, ambidextrous controls, and all the modern stuff we all know and love.
The Others
The Others…it’s the dark spot of this list. It’s the weird stuff that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else. It’s the desert, if you will.
Magpul and Zev FDP
Magpul designed a crazy folding submachine gun in like 2008 and it disappeared with the PDR. Sixteen years later, we are finally able to get something close to the original Magpul folder. Magpul teamed up with Zev to produce the FDP, or Folding Defensive Platform. The gun folds in half into an indistinct rectangle.
Unlock the gun, unfold it, and boom, we now have a pistol-caliber carbine. The gun comes as a short-barreled rifle and as a stockless pistol. It uses Glock mags and a Zev design. The gun has an 8-inch barrel and can be suppressed, but it won’t fold while suppressed. The FDP is super weird, but I want one!
Strike Industries SMC Charlie
The Strike Modular Chassis now has an Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie configurations. The Charlie takes a P320 slide, FCU, and SMC and turns it into a space gun PDW. The Charlie design uses an SMC with a brace attachment option, a top rail, and this odd but cool trigger guard. The SMC Charlie makes your P320 into a PDW but takes it to the next level.
You can add optics, lights, and a nice brace to make your gun shine. It can be a pistol, or you could create an SBR, which makes it the shortest long gun on the list. The Charlie system promises to expand your control, accuracy, and effective range, as well as your ability to mount accessories. It looks like a Space Uzi, and that’s all I need to see.
M26 PDW-M1
Technically, these seem to be AOWs, so they aren’t long guns. It’s literally an Other. The M26 PDW-M1 is the smallest of the M26 shotguns. The standard M26 MASS was adopted as an under-barrel shotgun for M4 rifles, but it also functions on its own. The M26 PDW-M1 weighs a mere 2.77 pounds, which si crazy lightweight for a gun that fires 12 gauge.
The M26 PDW is micro-sized but packs five rounds of 12 gauge in its box magazine. The straight pull bolt also allows it to shrink significantly more than the competition. It’s bizarre and likely uncomfortable to fire. It’s only 14.5 inches long overall, with a 3.25-inch barrel.
More SHOT, More Long Guns, More Steps
I ended Tuesday with over 18,000 steps. It’s been a long day, but I’m super excited to see what’s next. There remains a ton of the show to see, and we’ll be bringing you the best from all facets of SHOT Show.
