If you have never heard of the SHOT Show, it stands for Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Sports and is held every January in Las Vegas. Unlike the NRA Show, which is open to the public, the SHOT show is open only to members of the trade. As a result, I am not at the SHOT Show.
I am, however, watching plenty of videos on new guns and accessories introduced at the show. It never got above 15°F today, which made it a good day to stay inside and watch YouTube while feeding log after log into the wood stove.
So far, I’ve seen two guns I want and one accessory I’d like. Here’s a quick report.
The Keltec PR57
Keltec introduced an unusual yet strangely appealing pistol. It is unusual because it has no removable magazine and has to be loaded with a striper clip, much like the old Mauser pistol, which was introduced back at the turn of the last century. What they have done is the pistol equivalent of introducing an updated version of the SKS.
This little gun, however, weighs less than 1 pound and has low recoil. It shoots the 5.7×28 round and can hold 21. This begs the question, what are you planning to run into where you will need more than 21 rounds?
While I would not consider this as my primary weapon, it makes more sense as a backup than the 5-round .38 I often carry. And it would be a nice step up for my wife, who usually carries a.22LR. This would give her more capacity, a more powerful round, and a nice, light gun. Tempting.
Double Stack 1911s
So far, it looks like the double-stack 1911, sometimes known as a 2011, is the hot new pistol of the year, and I like it. It gives you the outstanding trigger pull and easy shootability of the 1911 with a 17 to 21 round magazine capacity in 9mm. And for those who don’t like 9mm in the 1911s, a few manufacturers still make them in .45. Kimber is one of them, and they debuted both calibers at SHOT.
Palmetto State Armory is also considering a double stack, but it hasn’t been released yet. They apparently showed a prototype. I do not know what the price range is, but knowing PSA, I expect it will be lower than a Kimber, Staccato or even the Prodigy.
Banish 9K Suppressor
My favorite seller of silencers, Silencer Central, is now making a small, lightweight (2.7 ounces) 9mm silencer that will work on 9mm pistols, carbines and can also be used with the .300 Blackout. It is so light that pistols will function normally when it is mounted on a barrel, so no Nielson Device is necessary.
Do I need a 9mm suppressor? No, not really, but it would be fun!
I think my .30 caliber suppressor is more justifiable from a prepper standpoint. During a SHTF scenario, there could be a scenario where I need to shoot game or an attacker with a rifle and have the bullet’s source of origin obscured by muffling the gun’s report. Likewise, using a .22LR with a suppressor for small game is unlikely to attract attention outside of 100 yards, especially when using subsonic ammo.
The theoretical value of a 9mm suppressor would be for sentry removal, and I don’t expect to be going on aggressive sneak-and-peak missions where I need to eliminate sentries. In the pre-SHTF world, I could put the suppressor on my AR-style 9mm pistol, but what can it do than an AR in another caliber can’t do as well or better?
That pistol is a vehicle weapon for when I cross state lines because I can legally conceal it in most nearby states. Adding a suppressor also adds challenges. Shooting someone when using an NFA-registered weapon or device complicates the legal defense and increases the potential penalty. I see little upside to driving around with a suppress 9mm pistol.
One Gun per Year
Truth is, I don’t need more guns. I have more than I can shoot. A suppressor is fun, and it allows you to shoot without hearing protection, but I don’t have an actual need case for another one.
Like many items, it all comes down to want versus need. It takes discipline to buy only what you need. Right now, I need a UTV or a tractor more than a gun or a suppressor. They would certainly be more useful.
I have been pretty successful at limiting myself to buying one gun per year. (More discipline!) This limit allows me to shop and to dream while minimizing my expenditures. That means more money for other prepping items or home improvements.
If you haven’t yet built your prepper armory, consider our post on the best survival gun, linked below. And if you are new to prepping, focus on food and building your prepper pantry before loading up on firearms. Yes, guns may be important after the SHTF, but food definitely will be.
