One of the more exciting new products we got to see at SHOT Show 2022 was a new Dynamic Pistol Rest from Accurate Pistol Systems (APS). You may have seen the USA 1 Shot before, but this version, the USA 1Shot GS, is the first universal fit.

Background

Back in 2016, one of my local industry buddies told me that there was a new product out that would allow you to shoot a pistol with a stock without going through the NFA (National Firearms Act) process of paperwork, fingerprints, photographs and the $200 tax stamp. As always I’m a bit skeptical of such claims. Within a few months I was introduced to the designer and saw for myself what he had unveiled.

The original version was almost like a work of art in its construction. The price was on the high side to reflect the workings of a one-man operation running a start-up business and the original intent was the military and police markets.

The concept is simple, You have a grip which overlays that of your pistol, and attached to it is a stock or a brace. Because it does not attach to the pistol, itself, it is not considered to be a stock or any other regulated item for that matter.

USA 1Shot GS

I have been lucky enough to watch the product evolve over the years. Picatinny rails were on some versions to allow the mounting of a red dot sight. Some versions could hold a smartphone or tablet and paired up with a fiber optic cable to capture a shooting similar to a body cam. The original fixed version was quickly replaced by models with a telescopic tube. The design has become lighter, more streamlined, and more portable.

This latest version, the USA 1 Shot GS, uses a blade-type brace. The ATF has not issued a ruling on the legality of the dynamic pistol rest, instead saying that “the agency does not regulate accessories” and since it never attaches to the handgun outside of grip pressure, the accessory cannot be considered a firearm part. It does not hurt to be cautious.

The first significant change to this version is that it is a universal fit as opposed to being made for specific firearm models. I’ve tried it with Glocks, Sigs, Smith & Wesson M&Ps, and HKs and while some fit a little better than others, it does seem universal.

Secondly, there is an optional attachment that resembles a miniaturized trailer hitch in the blade body. This mounting stud can be locked in another product called the X-holster. Its inspiration comes from behind the scenes in Hollywood as a secure holster for carrying expensive lenses on set. Weighing a few ounces, it can clip to a garment, belt, MOLLE, etc. and the stud fits inside the slot. A quick-release button frees it when you need it in seconds but for carrying around the USA 1 Shot it’s effective and sturdy. Retail on this holster is about $100.

I definitely plan a more in-depth review to see the capabilities of the latest iteration in the coming weeks.

MSRP on the new USA ! Shot GS is $199.99.

For more information see https://usa1shot.com

Going to SHOT is a lot like getting lost, and sometimes getting lost reveals the hidden gems. It’s happened several times this show, and one of the bigger surprises to me is that Nightstick is throwing its hat into the realm of pump-action shotgun lights with the Nightstick SFL. SFL stands for Shotgun Forend Light.

Nightstick’s got stiff competition from Streamlight and Surefire but might have some real promise to it. Nightstick plans to manufacture four different models of the light for two different shotguns. Predictably they are tackling the Remington and Mossberg shotguns, the 870, 500, and 590 series specifically.

The SFL Lights and Lasers

The SFL will come with just a light or a light or laser. Nightstick’s chosen a green laser backed by 1,200 lumens of light. That 1,200 lumens are backed by 10,315 candela. It seems to be brighter than most dedicated shotgun lights with similar candela. The bright green laser sits in the middle of the beam and can be easily seen. The laser-equipped SFL models have the option to switch between light and laser simultaneously, laser only, and light only.

I really like the design and shape of the SLF. It doesn’t have a weird shelf that can punish your hand with recoil every time you pull the trigger. It’s a mix of hard polymer with a softer, more grippy material. You can dig into it for proper recoil mitigation without issue.

The control is ambidextrous and takes the form of a big ass button. It provides great feedback and is easy to activate. Holding both buttons for five seconds activates a lockout mode for transport purposes.

Getting Hands-On

Nightstick looks to start shipping the SFL in March. With the supply chain issues we’ve been having, they couldn’t launch any sooner. Nightstick has impressed me in the past, and I hope to get hands-on with an SFL as soon as possible.

Yeah, she’s thicc. By she, I mean the Desert Tech Quadmag-53 magazine and the Quattro-15 AR lower receiver. Desert Tech introduced this new lower receiver and magazine combination at SHOT Show 2022. They took a traditional AR mag and turned it into a quad stack magazine. Quad magazines have been done before, but not like this.

This magazine is a quad stack from the ground up.

Quattro-15 – Don’t Be Afraid of Thiccness

The Quadmag-53 doesn’t taper up into a single stack magazine. It’s a quad stack from the ground up, and that ensures it’s short, at least relatively short. It packs 53 rounds in a space that’s shorter than a normal P-MAG. To accommodate the Quadmag-53, Desert Tech opened up the magazine well of the Quattro-15.

At I first I had some doubts. A proprietary lower receiver? Ugh, that’s a tough sell. However, Desert Tech includes a magazine adapter to allow the user to shoot normal AR magazines as well. The main benefit of the Quadmag-53 is more rounds with fewer magazines. You can carry a standard military loadout with four magazines instead of seven. According to Desert Tech, this results in an 8% lighter loadout.

Plus, I’m a big fan of more ammo on than less, though. The receiver looks nice, and it has big features and nice ambi controls. The big problem is that the receiver will cost $299 stripped, and the mags will cost $74.99 each. That’s a tough sell in a world where P-MAGs cost less than 20 bucks. Also, I asked about 300 Blackout and these magazines and got a resounding no on that answer. Stick to the .223 and 5.56 options.

Still, the Quattro-15 and Quadmag-53 are elegant solutions to a complicated problem. Quad stack magazines have historically had their problems, but maybe Desert Tech has figured it out?

Learn more in the…

Desert Tech Quattro-15 Video

Vertx makes some of the most comfortable, practical apparel in the “firearms apparel” market. Their garments are typically well designed and made with a variety of practical, armed, end uses in mind. They do a great job at making clothing much easier for those of us who carry concealed.

This year, Vertx is adding to their lineup with the Defiance Jean for men and the Burrell Stretch Jean for women. 

These are certainly not the first “tactical jeans” out there, nor are jeans the only low profile pant options available A plethora of tactical jean pant offerings is available, from a variety of manufacturers. Some do the job well, some fall short in accomplishing the goal. Based on what I’ve worn in the past and what I’ve seen with these, I’m optimistic that the Defiance and Burrell designs will fall into the do it well category. 

These Vertx jeans are packed with a lot of hidden features and manufactured with high-quality materials. The design combination of hidden features that don’t gall or chafe with superior fabrics helps to make what appears to be a comfortable set of pants — though obviously more long-term wear and some field use would be required to say that with complete confidence. 

Vertx Defiance Jean

The Defiance Jean has traditional front and back pockets that are mesh, making them less bulky and breathable. Then there are side pockets that are right behind the front pockets to store your accessories, that will fit a Tourniquet, flashlight, 30 round AR-15 magazine, or anything similar in size.

The back pockets have a hidden pocket that you can tuck your ID or passport in to prevent them from falling out and harder for anyone to take. Then there are 3 hidden pockets along the inside of the waistband and one hidden pocket on the outside for whatever small items you’d need to secure.

They have a gusseted crotch for added durability and articulated knees and the material is Dupont’s cool max, which will help keep things cooler in warmer temperatures.

Burrell Stretch Jean for Women

The Burrell Stretch Jean has all of the same features as the Defiant Jean with the exception of one hidden pocket.

They feel stretchy and light, appear to have solid, unobtrusive stitching and will be available in several color options.

I most definitely will be getting a pair (of the Defiance jeans mind you) to do a full review in the near future when they become available.

Premier Body Armor had a couple of particularly interesting new things to display this year at SHOT Show 2022, two versions of the Stratis Enhanced Plate and the Eclipsys Cooling Panel among them. 

Let’s go down the line:

Stratis Level III+ Enhanced plate

This plate weighs in at 2.8 pounds, making them some of the lightest rifle plates available. It is constructed of a proprietary UHMWPE. That’s the very convenient acronym for Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene if you’re not familiar with armor. 

These come with a long, 10-year warranty. This is significant because the industry standard is around five years.  As for the weight, the lighter the plates, the less strain on your body. This also helps with mobility, which is always a Good Thing. 

Stratis Level III+ Enhanced Plate Specs, according to their website:

Special Threat Tested against the following calibers at a distance of 15 meters:

• 7.62×39 123gr PS Ball (MSC)
• 7.62×51 147gr FMJ (M80) – up to 2850 ft/s
• 5.56×45 55gr (M193) up to 3150ft/s  *This plate is not rated to stop M855

Features

• NIJ 0101.06 Level III Certified
• 15-year warranty
• Lightweight
• Ultra-durable cover to protect the plates in the roughest environments
• Multi-Curve
• Mult-Hit Capable 

Tech Specs

• Size: 10″x12″
• Weight: 2.8lbs
• Thickness: 0.75″
• Construction: Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)
• Finished with a Polyurea outer covering for abrasion and moisture resistance
  • Polyurea finish can slightly vary in appearance. This has no impact on the ballistic capability.
• Shape: 
  • Shooters Cut for comfort when shooting//moving
• ESAPI Cut extended coverage with great mobility and comfort

The Stratis Level IV Enhanced Plate

This plate weighs in at an incredibly light 4.4 pounds.

If you have had to wear level IV plates in the past, you already know they’re usually in the 7-pound range or heavier. That means a pair of the Premier Body Armor Stratis Level IV plates is nearly the same weight as a single standard Level IV plate. 

The Stratis Level IV has a hybrid construction with a Polyethylene core and a tiled composite strike face. These act like individual cells, part of an interconnected system. This helps with making them capable of multiple hits because when struck, only the impacted tiles are shattered. This will also the damage of an accidental drop on a hard surface to just the immediately affected tiles and not the entire plate. 

Stratis Level IV Enhanced Plate Specs, from the website

Special Threat Tested against the following calibers at a distance of 15 meters:

• 7.62×39 123gr PS Ball (MSC)
• 7.62×51 147gr FMJ (M80) – up to 2850 ft/s
• 5.56×45 55gr (M193) up to 3150ft/s 
• 5.56x45mm 62 grain steel core (M855)
• 5.56x45mm M855 A1
• 7.62x63mm M2 AP (.30-06)

Features

• Tested to meet the NIJ 0101.06 Level IV ballistic standard
• 10-year warranty
• Shooter Cut
• Armor-Piercing Protection
• Ultra-Lightweight
• Ultra-durable cover to protect the plates in the roughest environments
• Multi-Curve
• Multi-Hit Capable 

Tech Specs

• Size: 10″x12″
• Thickness: .8″
• Weight: 4.4lbs
• Construction: Composite/Polyethylene
• Finished with a Polyurea outer covering for abrasion and moisture resistance
  • Polyurea finish can slightly vary in appearance. This has no impact on the ballistic capability.
• Shape: Standard military-style cut for comfort when shooting/moving

The Eclipsys panel — Something Very New

This is an adhesive panel that you put on the inside of your level IIIA soft armor to help regulate body temperature.

PBA advises that:

• It provides adaptive cooling so the hotter it gets, the more it cools.
• It increases heat transport away from the wearer by 200% more than standard body armor
• It can be placed onto any manufacturer’s body armor design.

The guys at the booth told me it’s not like a cooling panel on your body. They say it will, however, regulate your body temperature so that you don’t suffer the overheating and undershirt-soaking sweat that you normally get from wearing a soft vest.

As someone who wears such a vest at work every day, this is something I can appreciate — just as anyone who has to wear body armor for an extended period of time would. 

Key Features of Eclipsys (from their website)

• Passive cooling means no batteries or wires. There is nothing to break.
• Perpetual cooling. It works when you need it, for as long as you need it.
• Ultrathin at just 0.42 mm thick.
• Over a 12-hour shift, the Eclipsys panel provides as much cooling as an 11.8-pound block of ice.
• Complements other cooling technologies for maximum cooling performance.
• Non-flammable, non-toxic, environmentally friendly.
• Patent pending.

Scroll down for their video about Eclipsys Cooling. 

They’re online at premierbodyarmor.com; find ’em on IG @premierbodyarmor or connect on Facebook, /premierbodyarmor/.

The HRT Tactical RAC PC has been my go-to since I first got one. Now they have a new PC: the LBAC Plate Carrier.

Chris at HRT Tactical introduced me to their upcoming Load Bearing Adaptable Carrier. As Chris puts it, it’s the RAC on steroids and after he went over all the features, I have to agree.

Going from the top to the bottom, the shoulder straps are redesigned. They’re thinner, wider, have an aerated system to help keep it cool, and are now Quick Attach/Detach with rock buckles. The shoulder straps continue all the way down to the back and create a natural airflow channel in the middle.

Onto the backside, there is the multi zipper panel just like on the RAC, so it will accept half and full back panels that are already available. The plate bag can be removed from the shoulder straps for cleaning if needed.

The Cummerbunds have rigid inserts that connect via molle towards the rear and upfront they go into a sleeve to add stability. They too have rock buckles for quick release. So that’s four points of quick detach/attach, which is nice.

The front of the LBAC works with all current Placard systems that HRT Tactical offers. They’re telling me a conditional second-quarter release.

Want to learn more? Watch this video with Chris doing a quick rundown of the new HRT Tactical LBAC plate carrier:

Going to SHOT is a lot like getting lost, and sometimes getting lost reveals the hidden gems. It’s happened several times this show, and one of the bigger surprises to me is that Nightstick is throwing its hat into the realm of pump-action shotgun lights with the Nightstick SFL. SFL stands for Shotgun Forend Light.

Nightstick’s got stiff competition from Streamlight and Surefire but might have some real promise to it. Nightstick plans to manufacture four different models of the light for two different shotguns. Predictably they are tackling the Remington and Mossberg shotguns, the 870, 500, and 590 series specifically.

The SFL Lights and Lasers

The SFL will come with just a light or a light or laser. Nightstick’s chosen a green laser backed by 1,200 lumens of light. That 1,200 lumens are backed by 10,315 candela. It seems to be brighter than most dedicated shotgun lights with similar candela. The bright green laser sits in the middle of the beam and can be easily seen. The laser-equipped SFL models have the option to switch between light and laser simultaneously, laser only, and light only.

I really like the design and shape of the SLF. It doesn’t have a weird shelf that can punish your hand with recoil every time you pull the trigger. It’s a mix of hard polymer with a softer, more grippy material. You can dig into it for proper recoil mitigation without issue.

The control is ambidextrous and takes the form of a big ass button. It provides great feedback and is easy to activate. Holding both buttons for five seconds activates a lockout mode for transport purposes.

Getting Hands-On

Nightstick looks to start shipping the SFL in March. With the supply chain issues we’ve been having, they couldn’t launch any sooner. Nightstick has impressed me in the past, and I hope to get hands-on with an SFL as soon as possible.

Eotech, the class-leading manufacturer of holographic optics, has dived into the world of pistol red dot sights with the EFLX. The Eotech EFLX comes in with not only a killer set of features but also a killer price point. With an MSRP of $389.00, the EFLX mini red dot might be a real game-changer.

Inside the Eotech EFLX

The Eotech EFLX, pronounced E-Flex, packs either a 3 or 6 MOA red dot. It’s super crisp, clear, and very easy to see. I like the 6 MOA red dot variant for a handgun. At SHOT, that dot was super crisp and clear, and I could find it rapidly. The view from the lens is clear without much noticeable tint. The window is large, maybe close to the Leupold DPP size.

The footprint is a Leupold footprint, so it’s plenty compatible with a wide variety of stock pistols and the optic’s cut that has been proven to work. A top-load battery eliminates the need to remove the optic to swap batteries. The CR2032 battery provides 20,000 hours of battery life.

The optic packs seven daytime brightness settings with one ultra-bright setting and one-night vision setting for a total of nine settings. The optic weighs a mere 1.4 ounces, and guess what? Take the EFLX swimming if you want. It will survive up to 33 feet underwater. It’s tough, made from aluminum, and downright affordable.

Eotech seemingly has a winner on its hands, and I can’t wait to get one to figure out the ins and outs of it. The Eotech EFLX is supposed to be hitting our shores in the second quarter of 2022.

The HRT Tactical RAC Plate Carrier, which I reviewed has been my go-to ever since I got it. The guys at HRT Tactical invited me over to their booth 70842 (which is inside Battle Arms) in the new Ceasars Forum at SHOT Show 2022. If you’re here, head over to the new building and check out all the companies that showed up to SHOT Show this year.

Chris at HRT Tactical introduced me to their upcoming LBAC Plate Carrier, which stands for Load Bearing Adaptable Carrier. As Chris puts it, it’s the RAC on steroids and after he went over all the features, I have to agree.

Going from the top to the bottom, the shoulder straps are redesigned. They’re thinner, wider, have an aerated system to help keep it cool, and are now Quick Attach/Detach with rock buckles. The shoulder straps continue all the way down to the back and create a natural airflow channel in the middle.

Onto the backside, there is the multi zipper panel just like on the RAC, so it will accept half and full back panels that are already available. The plate bag can be removed from the shoulder straps for cleaning if needed.

The Cummerbunds have rigid inserts that connect via molle towards the rear and upfront they go into a sleeve to add stability. They too have rock buckles for quick release. So that’s four points of quick detach/attach, which is nice.

The front of the LBAC works with all current Placard systems that HRT Tactical offers. They’re telling me a conditional second-quarter release.

Want to learn more? Watch this video with Chris doing a quick rundown of the new HRT Tactical LBAC plate carrier:

Magpul recently announced their latest, and one of the most surprising, new products in a while. They teamed up with Maztech Industries for what is sure to be a game-changer for the Army.

For a long while, the Army has not been shy about their need for a Round Counter capability to inform both the shooter and give others an idea of how many rounds they have in their weapon. Not only that, but they also wanted data on how many rounds the weapon has fired for maintenance purposes.

The new X4-FCS series does just that. The pairing of Magpul and Maztech Industries developed the X4-FCS, just one in a series of items in their joint X4 line, and is an applique for your existing LPVO, thus creating it into a smart optic.

The X4-FCS (FCS is short for Fire Control System) pairs with an existing LPVO, or for those that don’t know Low Power Variable Optic, for a visual display with loads more information for the shooter. With multiple data inputs shared with onboard input systems, the shooter will see range, ballistic data, round counts. rounds remaining, and other useful information for better situational awareness.

One such input for the S4-FCS is the round counter on the rifle. The round counter is integrated into the PMag and the rifle grip. It brings accurate rounds remaining counts to on rifle and off-rifle displays, both in powered and unpowered options. It will help give instant and accurate round count information that is wireless and securely accessible through technology links.

The systems are said to be in development now and the price tag for the components are expected to be reasonable compared to what would be expected with advanced technology components.