The 2024 NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits officially wrapped up this past Sunday. After covering 15 miles in three days on the showroom floor, the sheer number of products worth sharing on the MagLife Blog would monopolize our content for weeks to come. Unfortunately, we have to be realistic and somehow condense our coverage to what’s practical. For our final coverage of the latest and greatest products from the 2024 NRA show, here’s a diverse spread of newly released optics and upgrades for your favorite firearms.
Holosun DRS-TH
At the 2023 SHOT Show, Holosun left the gun community intrigued by their prototype digital thermal optic, the Digital Reflex Sight (DRS) — Thermal (TH). Since then, there’s been a lot of discussion and anticipation over a final release date for the DRS-TH. For 2024, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel for those of us patiently waiting for a release date.
For the 2024 NRA Show, Holosun released their final iteration of the DRS-TH, which will hopefully be shipping before 2025. Holosun updated several features on the DRS-TH since the original prototype. The battery compartment includes an easy-access fold-down tab to swap out the internal power source. Initially, the DRS-TH included a USB-C charging port if you didn’t want to swap out the two internal 18350 batteries. Holosun recognized the potential for dust, dirt, and moisture to accumulate in a USB-C port and designed the final iteration with a handy magnetic charging interface.
The photographs I obtained at the NRA Show don’t do the digital image justice. You have to see this in person to appreciate the optic’s capability and clarity. The DRS-TH also includes magnification ranging from 1x to 5x. Holosun has tentatively given a price of $1,599.99 for the DRS-TH. In addition, Holosun is offering a digital night vision version, the DRS-NV, for $999.99.
Warne Skyline Lite Bipod
Warne Scope Mounts has long maintained a solid reputation for offering durable, reliable, and consistent optics mounting components and accessories. While their optic mounts tend to be the focus of attention, Warne bipods shouldn’t be overlooked. With several mounting interfaces and different lines tailored to individual applications, Warne produces a full line of bipods with virtually every shooting application in mind. For 2024, Warne released the Skyline Lite Bipod tailored towards an economical price point without sacrificing the features and reliability their customers expect from them.
The Warne Skyline Lite Bipod includes a full range of adjustments: 44-degree adjustable cant range, height adjustable legs from 6.5 inches to 11.5 inches with 13 adjustment increments, and three leg positions. Whether your first venture into precision shooting or a seasoned pro, the Warne Skyline Lite Bipod includes the must-haves and even a few nice-to-haves. With an MSRP of $224.99, this bipod will provide a lifetime of reliable and dedicated service.
Trijicon Credo 1-10x28mm
Low Powered Variable Optics (LPVOs) remain as popular as ever with a never-ending array of options available. While Trijicon’s Credo LPVO series is nothing new, they haven’t stopped expanding this lineup with new and improved configurations. For the 2024 NRA Show, Trijicon added a 1-10x28mm LPVO to the Credo lineup. As a longtime owner of Trijicon optics, I was excited to see this expanded magnification option added.
The new Credo 1-10x28mm features an illuminated user-selectable red or green reticle. The illumination dial includes “off” hash mark settings between each brightness and color setting for rapid on/off of the reticle. The 34mm tube accommodates a 28mm objective, allowing for superior light collection and optical clarity.
The 1-10x magnification range is a huge step for expanding the LPVO market into greater magnification ranges. The scope’s lowest magnification setting is true 1x magnification with an impressively forgiving eye relief. At 10x magnification, the image remains clear and bright. Trijicon didn’t settle with only expanding their optics lineup; they’ve also developed a new mounting system called the Q-LOC. The Q-LOC system features QD attachments and return-to-zero capability. The scope rings allow the mounting of a reflex sight to the scope for close-quarters engagements. Overall, Trijicon developed a complete package geared towards providing shooters with a range of options without sacrificing durability. The new Credo 1-10x28mm currently retails for $2,150, with Q-LOC cantilever mounts starting around $350. While not cheap, you will literally see your return on investment the first time you look through this scope.
Powder River Springfield Armory Echelon Trigger
My first encounter with Powder River Triggers was almost a decade ago. While the original Springfield Armory XDm handguns were reliable and ergonomic firearms, the trigger’s pre-travel and reset left a lot to be desired compared to competitors. Luckily, Powder River provided an upgraded trigger that leaves shooters with few excuses attributable to the trigger. Then and now, they sold me on the quality and performance of their triggers. Since that first encounter, Powder River has expanded its lineup to include a wide assortment of many popular firearms. For the 2024 NRA Show, Powder River introduced a new trigger system for the Springfield Echelon.
The Echelon Powder River trigger takes a great trigger from Springfield Armory and makes it even better. While the factory Echelon trigger impressed me, Powder River managed to shorten the reset, pre-travel, and take-up by a significant amount; they claim as much as 60% reduction of total trigger travel. As if that wasn’t enough incentive, the complete trigger and spring kit reduces the trigger pull weight to around 3.5 pounds without the trigger feeling overtly light. The Powder River Springfield Echelon trigger is available with a red, blue, or black safety shoe. Prices start at $24.95 for the spring kit, $98.95 for the trigger only, and $129.95 for the complete trigger and spring replacement kit.
Aimpoint ACRO S-2 Shotgun Sight
The Aimpoint ACRO P-2 optic is nothing new. With its closed emitter design, the P-2 will only become more popular as industry and professional opinion drift towards closed emitters as the way of the future. Historically, the ACRO P-2 featured a 3.5 MOA red dot suitable for handgun and rifle uses. However, while it could work, the setup wasn’t exactly tailored for the scattergun. For 2024, Aimpoint introduced the ACRO S-2, designed specifically for shotguns.
The Aimpoint ACRO S-2 features a 9 MOA dot reticle. This larger reticle works better with the somewhat forgiving nature of shotgun patterns. In addition, the ACRO S-2’s mounting system was engineered to work with most common shotgun ribs. With several baseplates and an ultra-low mounting profile, Aimpoint tailored the S-2 specifically for your favorite scattergun. They’ve also changed the optic’s settings for greater brightness under bright sky conditions. Pricing for the Aimpoint ACRO S-2 lists at $755.
