SHOT Show 2010: Best of Show

There was a lot more to see at this year's SHOT Show than backup weapons. Glock announced a major facelift of its duty pistols, Bushmaster launched a new combat rifle, and numerous companies pumped out cool police products. Here's a quick look at some of our favorites.

This year's SHOT Show was held in the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, and the floorplan was a nightmare for all attendees and exhibitors. Still, the show offered a rich variety of new and interesting law enforcement products.

Once again .380 ACP pistols seemed to be the hot item at this year's show. Speculation about the popularity of these weapons centered on the cost of ammo, the need for CCW firearms among the public and law enforcement, and the cool factor of carrying a high-quality pistol that fits in the palm of the shooter's hand.

But there was a lot more to see at this year's SHOT Show than backup weapons. Glock announced a major facelift of its duty pistols, Bushmaster launched a new combat rifle, and numerous companies pumped out cool police products.

Here's a quick look at some of our favorites.

 

5.11 Tactical Thumb-Drive Holster

Designed and developed by Blade-Tech, 5.11's Thumb-Drive holster is the company's first entry in the Level II duty holster market. The Thumb-Drive has a thumb-activated release that secures the weapon but allows a quick and smooth draw. Another security feature on the holster is the optional Chop-Block attachment. This piece of molded material makes it difficult for anyone other than the holster's wearer to get a secure grip on the holstered firearm.

Visit 5.11 Tactical Online

 

Avon Protection NHI5 Escape Hood

Approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protection, Avon's NHI5 escape hood is designed to get non-essential personnel safely out of the hot zone. Unlike traditional masks, the hoods do not have to be fitted. They can be donned in 20 seconds, offer 15 minutes of protection, and have a five-year shelf life. The compact NHI5 is so small that it can be worn on a belt, tucked into a shoulder bag, or stored in an office desk.

Visit Avon Protection Online

 

BlackHawk Mini Tool Kit

BlackHawk's Dynamic Entry brand has developed a breaching tool kit for an entry team that needs to move fast and have plenty of options. Its Mini Tool Kit includes a mini breacher, a mini sledge, and a mini bolt cutter. Each tool is light enough and small enough to attach to a raid vest using MOLLE connections. The handles are non-conductive up to 100,000 volts.

Visit BlackHawk Online

 

Bushmaster Adaptive Combat Rifle

Bushmaster will release the Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR) into both the law enforcement and civilian markets. The rifle, which was once known as the Magpul Masada, can be used for tactical or patrol applications, and it was developed by Magpul, Bushmaster, and Remington. "Adaptive" in the ACR's name is a bit of an understatement. Operators can change the weapon's caliber, barrel length, and stock configurations. It ships with a 10.5-inch, 14.5-inch, or 18-inch barrel and is expected to be available in May.

Visit Bushmaster Online

 

Energizer Hard Case Tactical Light

Energizer's tactical light is a 5.6-inch model made of shock-absorbing polymer, so it can survive a 15-foot drop. It has a 2.2-inch-wide rotating head that operates in six modes: bright white, red LED, blue LED, green LED, infrared, and infrared strobe. The light runs on two AA batteries.

Visit Energizer Online

 

Glock Gen 4 Pistols

Glock introduced a pair of "next gen" pistols at this year's SHOT Show. The new Gen 4 G17 (9mm) and G22 (.40 S&W) feature grip options, a dual spring for smoother recoil, a rough-textured grip, and a reversible magazine release. The law enforcement price is $398.20 and officers can trade in their earlier generation Glock pistols for credit toward the purchase price of a Gen 4.

Visit Glock Online

 

Hogue Extreme Pistol Grips

Hogue continues its tradition of making top-notch pistol grips with the Extreme Series in G10. The workmanship is excellent and the laminate designs look cool. We examined a pair of camo grips for a SIG 226 and some 1911 grips. The checkering of the 226 grips was clean and sharp, while the swirl pattern on the 1911 grips was innovative and the grips had an excellent hand feel.

Visit Hogue Online

 

Leupold Tactical Riflescope

Available in 6.5-20x50mm and 8.5-25x50mm, the new Leupold Extended-Range Tactical Riflescope features a 34mm maintube for increased windage and elevation adjustment. The front focal plane reticle option magnifies with the image, allowing the shooter to estimate range at any magnification setting. The new Tactical Riflescope also has a locking turret elevation adjustment knob with a proprietary revolution counter. This feature helps snipers and other precision shooters in low- and no-light conditions know they have turned the dial past one revolution so they can easily return to zero. In addition, the scope has a lockable fast-focus eyepiece.

Visit Leupold Tactical Online

 

Morovision Night Vision SkeetIR Thermal Monoculars

Not much bigger than a credit card, Morovision Night Vision's SkeetIR thermal monocular is one of the smallest infrared monosights on the market. The SkeetIR is both internally and externally designed to allow for bore sighting and features two reticle selections. The SkeetIR-VO is the same device without the weapons mounting capabilities. The monocular is powered by one DL123 battery, has a runtime of three hours, and offers 320 x 240 resolution.

Visit Morovision Online

 

Odyssey Automotive Specialty FirstLine Console/Harness

Odyssey Automotive Specialty's conversions now include the proprietary FirstLine Console/Harness system. The FirstLine system allows installation of a conversion console that enables maximum access to all features available on the vehicle's factory dashboard. The consoles are made of cabinet grade plywood and covered with high-quality laminate. Part of the FirstLine system is the vehicle-specific harness system. All wiring on the harness is GXL wire function coded every four inches and the system is protected with high temperature convoluted loom. There are no splices or connectors within any harness and anywhere it passes through a wall, a snap ring grommet is included. OEM factory plug-in connectors are used where possible, eliminating cutting and splicing into factory wiring.

Visit Odyssey Automotive Specialty Online

 

Original S.W.A.T. Win X2 Side-Zip Boots

Last spring Original S.W.A.T. introduced the WinX2 boot collection. The WinX2 is an 8-inch duty boot that's now available in a variety of configurations, including a basic model and a waterproof version. For 2010, Original S.W.A.T. has now introduced a side-zip model of the WinX2. All of the WinX2 models feature slip- and oil-resistant outsoles with arch ladder tread for extra grip on rope rappels, riveted steel shanks, rust-proof lacing hardware, padded ankle collars, rear heel kick-plates, and moisture-wicking linings. The waterproof model has a breathable waterproof membrane. The new side-zip model features a YKK zipper with a Velcro secure tab, for easy on and off. All WinX2 models are retail priced at less than $100.

Visit Original S.W.A.T. Online

 

Pelican Products Remote Area Lighting

Pelican Products showed its complete line of Remote Area Lighting Systems (RALS). The RALS come in rolling hard cases and offer a wide variety of lighting options for law enforcement and public safety applications. The systems are powered by 12-volt rechargeable sealed lead batteries and offer as much as 15 hours of runtime.

Visit Pelican Online

 

Point Blank Body Armor NIJ-06 Female Armor

Point Blank brought its new NIJ-06 standard concealable body armor to the show. The company is particularly proud of its new female body armor. Michael Foreman, Point Blank's senior vice president of domestic and international sales, says the new armor has an emphasis on defeating special threats while providing complete coverage for full-figured women. The company's new design reduces backface deformation (blunt trauma) by about 15 percent, according to Foreman.

Visit Point Blank Online

 

Propper I.C.E. Polo

Officers who work in warm climates may want to try Propper's new I.C.E. (integrated cooling effect) polo shirt. The shirt is made of an advanced wicking fabric that pulls moisture from the body and dries quickly. Propper says the material dries 125 percent faster than cotton and 30 percent faster than polyester. Available in black, gray, LAPD Navy, red, and white, the shirt features breathable mesh underarms, hidden buttons under the collar, mic clips on both shoulders, a sunglass clip in front, and a long tail to keep it tucked in.

Visit Propper Online

 

RAM Mounts Mirror-Mate

As a solution for the problem of where to put more gadgets in a patrol car, RAM Mounts has developed the Mirror-Mate. The Mirror-Mate allows an agency to attach a wide variety of electronic equipment to the bottom of the car's rearview mirror, including GPS systems, video cameras, and video displays. Installation is easy; all you have to do is remove the factory mirror and replace it with the RAM Mounts Mirror-Mate.

Visit RAM Mounts Online

 

Revision Eyewear Wolfspider Tactical Goggles

Revision showed its new Wolfspider tactical goggles. The new goggles are lighter and smaller than the company's previous models, and they are compatible with a wide variety of equipment. The goggles offer an excellent field of view, impressive ballistic protection, and dual material frame technology. The goggles retail for $179.99, feature OcuMax-coated interchangeable lenses for fog-free vision, and offer UV protection.

Visit Revision Eyewear Online

 

SIG Sauer Tactical Rifles

SIG introduced a pair of tactical rifles at the show. The SIG716 is a gas-piston-operated rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm. The select-fire rifle is available with a 12.5-inch, a 16-inch, or a 20-inch chrome-lined barrel. SIG's new SIG516 rifle is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and is available in four versions: CQB (10-inch barrel), Tactical Patrol (14.5-inch barrel), Patrol (16-inch barrel), and Precision Sniper (20-inch barrel). Both the SIG716 and SIG516 have upper receivers forged of aircraft-grade aluminum with integrated Picatinny rails.

Visit SIG Sauer Online

 

Smith & Wesson BodyGuard Pistols

A few years back Smith & Wesson made a major comeback into the law enforcement market with the M&P Series. This year the company hopes to continue its resurgence with the BodyGuard Series of pistols. The BodyGuard comes in two versions: a .38 Special revolver that tips the scales at less than 15 ounces and a .380 ACP pistol that weighs in at less than 12 ounces. Both of these handguns have built-in Insight Technology lasers, making them the first factory pistols sold with factory-installed lasers. The BodyGuards look like they will make fine backup or concealed carry weapons. S&W says the prices for these handguns should be under $600.

Visit Smith & Wesson Online

 

Streamlight ProTac Flashlights

Two of the lights that Streamlight debuted at this year's SHOT Show were from the ProTac line: the 2L and 2AA. The ProTac lights are compact but offer bright output. The 2AA gives you 120 lumens, while the 2L gives you 180 lumens. These lights also offer strobe features and a reduced light output setting so you can save on batteries. To power the 2L you will need a pair of CR123s while the 2AA requires two AA batteries. The 2L sells for $80, while the 2AA retails for $70. These ProTac models are excellent tools that offer a lot of light for the buck.

Visit Streamlight Online

 

TRU-SPEC BaseLayer

There are numerous baselayer (underwear) options available for law enforcement officers. Some of them melt and drip when exposed to fire. TRU-SPEC has developed Cordura brand baselayer garments that will not melt or drip. The moisture wicking baselayer garments are made of a cotton/nylon blend that is comfortable and tough. Cordura brand baselayer garments are manufactured with flat seams to reduce friction.

Visit Tru-Spec Online

 

Uncle Mike's Wheeled Duffle

It seems officers are carrying more and more stuff for a shift. You carry rain gear, cold weather gear, manuals, laptops, ticket books; the list seems to go on and on. Simply getting your gear to your cruiser is a workout, but Uncle Mike's Wheeled Duffle could make that a thing of the past. The Wheeled Duffle isn't much larger than the typical duty bag, but it is wheeled with a collapsible handle like luggage. This makes carrying all your stuff easier and less of a workout. And if you prefer lifting all of your stuff, you still have shoulder straps and a carry handle.

Visit Uncle Mike's Online

 

Voodoo Tactical Matrix Assault Pack

Voodoo Tactical's Matrix Assault Pack is built to adapt to your mission needs so it is modular, has numerous MOLLE attachment points, and can be expanded to meet various missions. The Matrix's main pocket is 20x11x7 inches, giving you plenty of room to carry gear. Built into the exterior are five pockets for carrying and organizing all of your small gear. The Matrix is versatile enough to be a duty bag or roll-out bag, or it can be part of your precision rifle shooter kit. With a retail of $129.95, the Matrix rivals packs with MSRPs of more than $200.

Visit Voodoo Tactical Online

 

Wiley X Black Ops Eyewear

Wiley X's new Black Ops eyewear was created for elite military, law enforcement personnel, and serious shooters. The eyewear has all black matte frames with MIL-SPEC neutral gray lenses and is available in eight different styles. Each style has shatterproof lenses and frames that exceed ANSI Z87 high-velocity impact and safety standards. All of the Black Ops models have prescription-ready frames.

Visit Wiley X Online

 

Woolrich Elite Outerwear

Woolrich has expanded its Elite Outerwear line to include a fleece vest and jacket, a short-sleeve CCW shirt, and a long-sleeve Oxford CCW shirt. The fleece vest and jacket are great for layering and make a great complement to Woolrich's Waterproof Breathable Parka. They are made of a 100-percent polyester fleece shell with ripstop nylon trim. Both feature large cargo pockets with zipper closures and accessory loops. A two-way side seam zipper provides ventilation. The short-sleeve CCW shirt is great for undercover or off-duty wear. It has a horizontal welt chest pocket with hook and loop closure, a false button with a discreet magnetic closure, and a straight cut bottom. The long-sleeve Oxford CCW has many of the same features as the short-sleeve version plus two-layer pockets for holding magazines.

Visit Woolrich Online

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