I love SHOT Show, mostly to see friends, but seeing the latest and greatest in gear. This year we’ve seen quite a bit of cutting edge gear and guns.
By cutting edge, what I mean is the latest and greatest in gear and guns that are implementing modern technology, new materials, and new ways of getting things done. Let’s look at the cutting edge of SHOT 2025.
Infitac Thermal Fast Mini: Cutting Edge Optic
I remember the first thermal optic I ever used. It was an AN/PAS 13. The optic was heavy, massive, and sucked batteries like a Florida mosquito sucks blood.
It’s crazy to think that in less than 20 years, someone would make a thermal the size of a red dot. The Infitac Termal Fast Mini is an optic so small you can mount it to a Glock. Its purpose seems to be aimed at pistols.
I’m not entirely convinced that a thermal is the right spot for a handgun, and I could see it as the ultimate offset optic. Regardless, the fact that we have a thermal this small is impressive. It’s also super easy to use, another advancement of the era.
I’m not swiping through menus to change the heat signature display. I’m just flicking a screen. The definition of thermal signatures is quite accurate within the optic’s effective range. I scanned people and could see the difference between the temperature of the cup of coffee in their hands and the rest of their body.
It provides PID when there is no visibility. The small size adds some constraints, like a 256X resolution. It’s certainly not well used outside of pistol caliber ranges. Up close, it’s small, bright, and capable.
Shooters Global SG Sight Pro: Cutting Edge Training
Shooters Global makes the best shot timer. It’s certainly the most innovative and works well with phones and other modern tech. Now, they are taking that to the next level with the Shooters Global SG Sight Pro.
The Sight Pro is a pair of cutting edge shooting glasses that can integrate with your shot timer to provide you with the number of shots fired, the total time, and the time between shots. It is perfect for both training and shooting matches.
The Sight Pro provides a camera that allows you to record matches and observe your performance repeatedly. We learn from experience, and the SG Sight Pro can record your mistakes and allows you to observe, notate, and correct them.
It’s a slick setup, and I’m superbly excited to see them hit the market.
American Tactical Imports Lightweight Weapons
American Tactical Imports is known as a budget brand that imports and produces a ton of different guns. ATI is going under the knife and getting a facelift into a new and innovative company. Part of that advancement is the production of firearms using an ultralightweight material known as ZK which is cutting edge in terms of weight reduction.
The guys at ATI described ZK as an aerospace metal composite. The cutting edge material is incredibly light but strong and heat resistant. The material can be used to create frames, receivers, slides, and even barrels.
ATI showed off both an AR, which uses ZK-produced receivers and barrels to reduce weight without having to utilize polymer. They are also using it for 1911 frames to reduce weight and create a 1911 that’s lighter than a Glock 19, according to the guys at ATI. Sadly, I didn’t have a scale to fact-check.
Either way, the hand-based scale says they’re lightweight, very lightweight. That also meant they would be expensive, but prices weren’t available. They didn’t even have a name yet, but they wanted to get the guns to the show.
I’d love to see them use this material for a slide on a polymer frame pistol and see how light they can go.
Cloud Defensive EPL
The conversation around cutting edge weapon-mounted lights, and tactical lights in general, has been around the concept of lumens for decades. However, companies like Cloud Defensive have pushed that conversation in a new direction, a conversation that focuses on the balance between lumens and candela.
The Cloud Defensive EPL, or Enhanced Pistol Light, premiered at SHOT after a very long production and testing schedule. This new light is now in production and gives us 1,200 lumens backed by 52,000 candela. If you don’t speak light nerd, that’s fine; it means it’s very bright.
Like you might get a tan, bright. It also throws that light quite far, likely beyond a lot of people’s skill with a pistol. The EPL has a huge hot spot and great spill to fill your vision with useable light.
Oh, and the quencher, they fit Safariland holsters. Our guys at the Show went over and confirmed that large light holsters are good to go with the Cloud Defensive EPL.
SilencerCo S98
The SilencerCo S98 is cutting edge, but the idea goes back to 2007-2008 and the AAC Blackbox, which never came to market. SilencerCo, inspired by the Blackbox, has now designed and released the S98.
The S98 has the form factor of the Osprey but smaller. Way smaller. SilencerCo is claiming the S98 is the most cutting edge pistol silencer ever made, and I might agree.
The form factor screams compact and capable. The quick detach function screams convenience. Not to mention the lack of a need for suppressor height sights.
How quiet is a seven-ounce, 5.54-inch suppressor? Great question, and I’m quoting their catalog. It says the S89 is “REALLY QUIET” under the section where we’d normally see the decibel reduction. Maybe testing isn’t done, but I’ll anxiously await more information.
CM Techron Targets
The CM Techron targets were hidden on the first floor of SHOT Show and caught my attention due to the thermal camera pointing at the target. Bright colors drew me in like a nosy little moth. There, I met the crew behind the cutting edge CM Techron Targets.
These are thermal targets that can be custom-made in nearly any configuration. Not longer will you have to freeze water bottles or shoot hand warmers. They use a special copper tape that is battery-operated to hit specific temperatures.
The Techron Targets aren’t necessarily a commercial product. My impression was that the company was more interested in large custom orders rather than selling the targets in small numbers.
As you’d imagine, the targets will get damaged, but it takes a lot of shots on the tape to finally kill the heat-generation copper tape. I would love to give an in-depth review, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll make an exception for a small order.
Safariland Ballast
Of course, Safariland is on the cutting edge of SHOT Show. I can finally tell you all about the Ballast. I was sworn to secrecy in the Spring of 2024 and can finally breathe that sigh of relief.
The Ballast is Safariland’s most cutting edge Duty Rated Holster on the market. The Ballast uses a new crush-resistant design that adds another level of protection to your holster and firearm. The Ballast does more than be a bit tougher than every other duty holster on the market.
It’s designed to be as small and light as possible. It’s the smallest and lightest duty holster Safariland produces, but it’s still red dot and weapon light-ready.
The flexible insert that sits over the trigger guard allows for a proper grip without busting your knuckle. It still provides plenty of trigger protection, but its flexible. The Ballast represents the pinnacle of Safariland’s technology.
The Future Is Now
There might not be a ton of new guns and gear on the market this year, but there has been an embrace of new technology and new designs. It’s good to see forward progression and the implementation of new technology will help push the industry forward.
