The last day of SHOT Show has a different vibe as things come to a close. Some of the exhibitors are out of promotional items and samples by this point, but some are now more willing to hand out items so as to not have to ship anything home. Day four is definitely the day to ask exhibitors if they have any sample products that they are willing to give out.
However, being the last day of the show, I wanted to think about some of the best new handguns of interest this year. Though I appreciate all firearms, my focus has always been handguns and I am always on the lookout for anything new or interesting. SHOT Show 2024 did not disappoint, as I found many handguns that caught my interest this year, though all of my top picks are semi-automatics. That said, let’s dig in.
Daniel Defense H9 in 9mm
I was an early owner of the original Hudson H9 and loved the look and feel as well as the reduced recoil of this gun. I even adopted it as my everyday carry until Hudson suddenly went defunct and no-showed at SHOT Show 2019. With no availability of parts, no support, and declining interest in secondary market products (sights, grips, holsters), I retired my Hudson H9 to the handgun collection. Rumors that Daniel Defense had bought the IP and technical specifications of the H9 started circulating by 2020.
Flash forward to SHOT Show 2024 and Daniel Defense has indeed released the H9. I purposely did not use “re-release” as the Daniel Defense H9 only shares a single part (seer spring) with the original Hudson version. So, though these look similar to the Hudson H9 and feature some of the same innovations, the DD H9 is a new gun entirely.
The old Hudson magazines are compatible with the Daniel Defense H9, but the Daniel Defense magazines (slightly shorter) will not work in an old Hudson H9. In the words of a Daniel Defense rep at the SHOT Show booth, “We thought this would be an easy process once we had the design, but we ended up spending years to get this gun right.” These guns are now available and should retail at around $1,300. Needless to say, I am very excited to see this handgun (even if internally all new) come back onto the market.
Walther PDP Steel Frame in 9mm
Walther has been manufacturing a solid line of striker-fired polymer pistols for the last decade. The PDP Steel Frame pistols come in a compact package, sporting a 4-inch barrel, a standard 4.5-inch barrel, or a match 5-inch barrel. All three models come in at premium prices, but if you like the look and feel of a Walther but want a more substantial 9mm carry or competition gun, these are likely for you. Though I primarily carry polymer frame guns due to reduced weight, I still enjoy seeing steel frame versions being made available.
CZ Shadow 2 Compact in 9mm
CZ has taken what people love in their competition guns and produced a gun for carry. The CZ Shadow 2 Compact has the light crisp trigger that CZ Shadows are known for with an external safety chambered in 9mm. The CZ Shadow 2 Compact has a 4” barrel, is SA/DA hammer-fired, and is optic-ready. It will be interesting to see how this gun does in the higher-end carry gun market coming in at a price similar to other metal frame carry guns at approximately $1,300.
Kimber KDS9c in 9mm
Kimber has finally produced a double-stack 9mm based on their popular 1911s. With a 4-inch barrel, optic-ready slide, external safety, and match-grade barrel and trigger, this semi-automatic pistol is available in various finishes and options. It shoots as one would expect from a Kimber and the balance and feel are top notch.
The frame is aluminum, which cuts down slightly on the weight and initial magazines have a capacity of 15 rounds. The price ranges from about $1,500-$1,900 depending on the finish and upgrade options. Though I know there are many Kimber haters out there (potentially deserved as there was a slippage in quality a decade or so ago, since remedied), I have always been impressed with their firearms. Thus, I am excited to see them moving into the double-stack 9mm market.
Glock 29 Gen 5 in 10mm
Moving from Kimber to Glock, I had to include this one on the list. I personally carried a G29 Gen 4 for almost a decade and though the gun is not groundbreaking in any way, it is nice to see Glock continuing to support the 10mm with a Gen 5 release. For as snappy a round as the 10mm can be, the Glock 29 is surprisingly easy to shoot and conceal. The Glock 29 Gen 5 brings the 10mm into the next generation of Glock and I easily rang steel every time with this gun out on the range.
Would I like to see Glock release something that’s really “new” and innovative over various hybrids of frames and slides or bring old models into the next Generation? Yes. But at the same time, I am excited to see the 10mm join the Gen 5 lineup.
Franklin Armory Binary Trigger slide for the Glock Gen 3 (G-S173)
When Franklin Armory first announced that they would be producing a slide replacement for the Gen 3 Glock, allowing it to work with a binary trigger system, I was excited enough to immediately pick up a Gen 3 Glock 17 for the specific purpose of modifying it. Then the months started to pass. Well, the good news is that the G-S173 is now available including a slide replacement with a selector switch and a binary trigger system. Though the system is costly at approximately $900, anyone who has worked a binary system on a long gun should want to give the same a try on a Glock.
Rock Island STK Series in 9mm
Rock Island is well known for reliable and affordable handguns and has entered the striker-fired handgun market with the STK series. I focused on the STK100 full-sized but other models and sizes are available. The trigger is excellent with just over a 5-pound press and consistent clean break and reset. Also, at right around $500 Rock Island continues to produce very competitively priced quality guns.
SAR SAR9 Gen 3
Ending with another more affordable striker-fired gun is the SAR SAR9 series in Gen 3. These guns are optic-ready, polymer-framed (though steel supported built into the polymer frame), and vary from compacts to competition (Sport). The Gen 3s sport suppressor height front and rear sights, an extended rail (allowing more mounting options), and a flat-faced trigger. The SAR9 series has a trigger that when pressed slowly shows some variance and grit.
It should be noted that this is much less noticeable when just running the gun and I have been impressed with shooting the SAR9s both in the past and at Industry Day here at SHOT Show 2024. All things considered, the SAR 9 Gen 3 is a great gun for under $500.
Closing Thoughts
I’ve now departed from SHOT Show 2024. The attendance by both exhibitors and attendees seemed to have finally snapped back to pre-2020 levels (2021 was canceled, and 2022 and 2023 seemed less attended). As always I am exhausted, but have quite a laundry list of items and products that I am personally or professionally interested in. Check out my “How to Prepare for SHOT Show 2025” article, which will hit in a few days, and let me know if there are any handguns you think I should have covered in the comments.
