By the third day of SHOT Show, some of the rush slows some. Typically, by the third day, it is time to try and hit up the exhibitors who may have been too busy the first few days. For the day three review of the event, I’ve decided to focus on long guns that caught my eye.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
IWI Carmel 5.56 NATO
IWI Carmel is a semi-automatic, short-stroke, gas piston rifle with a 16-inch barrel, chambered in 5.56 NATO, and compatible with standard AR-style magazines. The IWI Carmel comes with a folding stock that closes at an angle that does not obstruct the ejection port, allowing the gun to fire when folded. Everything other than the ejection port is ambidextrous.
The forward charging handle can be switched from the left to the right side without tools or disassembly, and the gun features M-LOK rails, but it does not come with sights. The standard capacity is 30 rounds, and the unloaded weight is slightly over 8 pounds. It’s a bit heavy, but man, it’s cool.
IWI is known for producing tough reliable weapons and the Carmel is no exception. This is likely my top long gun and I already have one on order. The IWI Carmel easily tops my list of some of the coolest guns at SHOT this year.
Smith and Wesson Model 1854 Lever-Action Rifle in .44 Magnum
Smith and Wesson has joined the lever-action resurgence with the all-new Model 1854 model. I often joke that if there is a market Smith and Wesson does not have a product competing in, they will soon have one. It’s certainly true with the 1854.
Unloaded, the 1854 weighs in at 6 pounds 8 ounces with a 19.5-inch threaded barrel and a capacity of 9 rounds. It comes with a ghost ring rear and gold dot front sight, M-LOK rail, and is optics-ready. The rifle features a larger loop for easy manipulation with gloved or larger hands, and the flat-face trigger is consistent and crisp.
The 1854 carries a list price of about $1,280 with a limited-edition wood frame version coming in at $3,500.
Henry Lever-Action Supreme in 5.56 NATO
Henry Repeating Arms has released their Lever-Action Supreme chambered in 5.56 NATO. The hammer is internal and the action is crisp and far easier than many other lever-action rifles. I was particularly interested in this model as it is compatible with standard AR-15 magazines.
What’s more, the rifle is extremely comfortable with simple-to-use fire controls. The magazine release is just forward of the trigger guard (AK style). The thumb safety is ambidextrous and easy to operate, and the flat-faced trigger is fully adjustable. Plus, the closed system is optimized for use with a suppressor!
There is very little not to love in this new Henry rifle and my mind reels at running 30 rounds through a lever-action rifle. The only thing missing is the customary brass finish (but I was told this is coming).
Zastava AK M70UF
Zastava was featuring their newest AK sporting rifle with adjustable sights, bayonet lugs, and metal under folding stock at an astonishingly low price tag of $1,200. That’s right; it features a Yugo-pattern bayonet lug. How cool is that?
The unloaded weight is 7.9 pounds with a 16.3-inch barrel firing 7.62x39mm ammo from an included 30-round steel AK magazine. Zastava is not doing anything revolutionary with their line of AKs, but each year, the company continues to dominate the mid-range AK market.
Kel-Tec Sub 2000 Gen 3
The Gen 3 of the Kel-Tec Sub 2000 9mm Luger pistol caliber carbine addressed some design issues in the previous generations. Chambered in 9mm and using Glock-compatible magazines, the gun no longer comes with sights allowing each user to select the sights or optics they want to add to the top Picatinny rail.
The biggest change is that the front barrel (where most optics would mount) twists 90 degrees when folding allowing the Gen 3 to fully fold for transportation or storage without needing to remove any optics. The unloaded weight is 4.2 pounds with a folded length of 16.15.” All of this is for approximately $500. I have yet to pick one of these up, and I am doubtful I will now. However, it’s refreshing to see a company make legitimate improvements on an already popular gun.
Thunder Range Edition Mossberg 590 and 940 Pro
Mossberg has continued to produce incredible shotguns and was heavily promoting their Clint Smith Thunder Rach edition 12-gauge shotguns (590 pump-action and 940 semi-auto). In addition to the Cerakote finish, each of these shotguns are optic-ready and cut to accept low-profile red dot optics.
Both of these guns take proven rugged reliable systems and pair them with premium finish and nickel boron-coated internal parts. I was incredibly impressed with Clint Smith as an instructor and the extra price in these Thunder Ranch editions is easily worth it.
Summary
Day three has come to an end and I have seen and talked to just about everyone that I intended to visit. My day four review will focus on the handguns that most caught my attention (another list that was hard to narrow down).
Remember, this is just my list of long guns that appeal to my interests. What would be your top five long guns at SHOT Show 2024? Let me know which long guns you agree with and what guns you think I should have focused more on. I definitely will be picking a few of these up before the next SHOT Show in 2025!
