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Nearly at the end of our 2018 SHOT Show TFB Coverage is the catchall category for anything without a serial number. Like the baubles in a Christmas stocking, sometimes the coolest gifts are small and inexpensive (some are just small). Check out some of the most popular ammo and accessories from this year’s show. And thank you to all our readers who submitted ideas and suggestions for our on-the-ground teams.
[SHOT 2018] Ammo and Accessories
Federal’s .224 Valkyrie Hits the Ground Running – 4 Years in the Making
What did we see at Range Day? Valkyries, Valkyries everywhere. Federal’s pint-sized long distance runner has already outstripped the market purchase of its direct competitors in the high performance AR-15 market, testified to by the sheer number of .224 Valkyrie rifles peppered across the booths and stalls of Range Day ’18.
Nikon P-TACTICAL Spur Reflex Sight
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/01/26/shot-2018-nikon-p-tactical-spur-reflex-sight/
Nikon showed off their brand new Spur Reflex Sight under their P-TACTICAL line of products at the 2018 SHOT SHOW. Their Spur Reflex Sight features multi-coated optics with an anti-reflective proprietary coating that Nikon calls “TRUCOLOR”, it helps minimize that blue look you get with some of the other reflex sights on the market. It also has unlimited eye relief, a wide 27x16mm field of view and 1x magnification. The Spur Reflex Sight has a 3 MOA dot and 10 brightness level settings with the first two being night vision compatible. Nikon claims 15,000 hours of continuous use from one battery.
Ryker FISTGrip, an Offset, Picatinny mounted “Horizontal Grip”
The Ryker FIST Grip is a new take on Picatinny mounted forward grips. Instead of being mounted at the 6 o’clock position like virtually every other forward grip on the market, the RYKER is designed to be mounted at the 3 or 9 o’clock of any firearm that has Picatinny rails on the handguards. Interestingly this includes pump-action shotguns with Picatinny equipped shotgun forends. The grip can be altered for a left or right-handed configuration by simply disassembling it and reversing the direction of the grip placement on the Picatinny rail adaptor.
Gear Head Works Tailhook Mod 2 Introduced
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/02/07/shot-2018-gear-head-works-tailhook-mod-2-introduced/
Gear Head Works has continued the innovation on the Tailhook that first hit the market within the past several years. With this Mod 2 addition, the company is adding a proprietary buffer tube that features five positions for adjusting the Mod 2. To adjust the Mod 2, one simply depresses a button on the right side of the brace, allowing the brace to unlock and move position. This adjustable brace feature isn’t available on the earlier Mod 1 which can clamp to any buffer tube with a diameter between 1.17″ and 1.2″. So far the Mod 2 is being offered in a Tan, OD Green, and Black finish, but I’m sure we’ll see a hot Pink one before the year is up, knowing the popularity of these things.
Dark Storm Industries 50 State Compliant Rifle and Bear Flag Defense Loader:
Dark Storm is continuing down the path of making AR15s available for those in the less fortunate states such as California and New York. To fuel this endeavor the company is working with the California company Bear Flag Defense in introducing the companies polymer ejection port magazine loader that is used to load 10 rounds of 5.56x45mm into a state compliant rifle with a pinned magazine. Understand that the loader is only meant and designed to push rounds into the magazine and is then removed from the rifle for shooting. It is not at all meant to be fired from, which would actually be impossible in the first place. Dark Storm is also bringing in a number of pistol caliber carbines but many of these have been around for a while.
