The Firearm Blog

I started this post a while ago and have been adding to it since. These are my predictions for SHOT Show 2009. Bear in mind that most manufactures have already showcased their 2009 product line which is why there are no predictions for most of the major manufactures.

SayUncle, an unbiased fellow gun blogger, will score each of my personal predictions out of 10 after SHOT and I will publish my score.

My own predictions

1. Ruger will not launch an AR-15.
Despite what I predicted a long time ago, I think Ruger have well and truly missed the boat on this one.

2. A new cartridge will be unveiled.
Always a good way to sell new firearms.

3. A non-autoloader rifle will chamber the .30 Remington AR (.30 RAR) cartridge.
Remington will want to push this cartridge.

4. Magpul will demo some whizz-bang concept gun.
Magpul … what more needs to be said.

5. Ruger LCP available in 9mm.
Makes sense.

6. Ruger Mini-14 will get a minor upgrade but not what people where hoping for.
They will fight tooth-and-nail to prevent the Mini-14 being named in the AWB 2.0. They want make it any more tactical than it is.

7. A new bullpup bolt action rifle will be released.
I have a feeling this year someone is going to push the concept mainstream. Regardless what you think of the idea, it will sell!

8. A 4th Generation Glock, if launched, will not convince any 1911 fanboy that plastic is cool.
heh, not a hard prediction.

Non-Rumours (Basically confirmed)

1. Ruger will release a “wow” product (says Michael Bane)

2. An amazing new air gun will be unveiled (says B.B.)

4. Taurus 4.6mm revolver (hereby referred to as the-most-pointless-revolver-ever-made) (says Michael Bane).

If any other bloggers want to make predictions, I will be more than happy to “independently” score your predictions.

We shall soon see if the Glock ad is a fake or not. Ed Friedman, who blogs at Tell Me Why?, spoke to Glock and they confirmed a 4th generation would be unveiled at SHOT Show in January next year (2009), but would not reveal any of its features.

We will have to wait and see.

Thanks Ed!

The M1028 is a 120mm shotgun shell for the M1 tank. The shell holds 1100 10mm tungsten balls. They are apparently lethal up to 700m (765 yards). Here is a video of the shell being fired in slow motion. It shows the shot breaking the sound barrier and the shot pattern (H/T to Sebastian).

I tried to calculate the weight of each ball. It depends on how pure the balls are. My calculations, based on a company that makes tungsten balls that weigh 18 grams per cm3, indicate that each ball will weigh about 145 grains. That is a combined weight of 159,500 grains / 10 kilograms / 22.8 pounds!

(4/3) x pie x 0.5cm ^ 3 = 0.52 cm3
0.52 * 18 = 9.42 grams (145 grains)

Please correct me if I am wrong.

The requirements of the round were:

• Defeat >50% Advancing Squad w/ 1 Shot
• Defeat >50% Advancing Platoon w/ 2 Shots
• 200-500M (threshold)/100-700M (objective)
• Muzzle Action (i.e. No Fuze)
• No orientation of the projectile
• Vulnerability no worse than current fielded

The M1028 cross section.

Here is a before and after shot taking during the testing of the round. I am not sure of the range.

Before

Two dummies survived, the wall did not.

The concept of shot is not new. Grape shot or loose stones, metal and glass have been used for as long as cannons have.

American Revolution grapeshot

Sources of information:

M1028 – GARM Final (PDF)
Military.com
PSMVCC (PDF)
JinJu Powder Metallurgy

B.B. has written two posts about the air guns launched at SHOT. I was going to cover the SHOT air guns, but B.B. knows a lot more about the subject than I do.

Ruger Air Hawk

Read it here.

Auto-Ordnance has a new “Tactical Folding Stock Model” M1 Carbine out later this year.

Black polymer folding stock, metal handguard

The Auto-Ordnance M1 .30 Caliber carbine is produced in Kahr’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Worcester, MA. The Auto-Ordnance carbines are produced using newly manufactured parts on high precision computerized machinery.

Markings include the following: Auto-Ordnance, Worcester, MA behind the rear sight; U.S. Carbine, Cal. 30 ML on the receiver in front of the bolt and the serial number is engraved on the left side of the receiver.

Specs:

Barrel 18″
Length 36 1/2″ overall, 27 1/2″ (Folded)
Weight 5 lbs 13 ounces
Finish Parkerized
Sight Post front sight, flip style rear sight
Stock Polymer
Magazine One 15 Shot stick
Price $792.00

Hat Tip: Cryptic Subterranean

Billet uppers and lowers at SHOT Show.

(Photo by TalonArms)

This new ammo from Lapua is going to be the most expensive .22 LR ammo when it is released, and apparently the most accurate.

Lapua rolled out a whole new line-up of rimfire competition ammo in three grades, X-ACT, Midus Plus, and Center-X. The ultra-premium X-ACT ammunition, which may be the most expensive rimfire ammo ever produced, is designed to out-shoot the best Eley has to offer.

More info at 6mmbr.com

UPDATE

According to Mooseyard @ RFC

The rep from Lapua at the SHOT show expected pricing to be 20-25% higher than anything else out there. He also said that the people testing the ammo (real compitition shooters) have been seeing group reduction of 30-50%. That’s impressive if true.

Links to the GunPundit SHOT Show 2008 coverage.

Taurus 5mm Rem. Mag. Tracker Revolver

Arsenal Milled AK

TDI KRISS

SIG 556 SWAT

5mm Remington Rimfire Magnum

Wilson Combat CQB Elite 1911