New Gun Releases

High Speed Gear has given its popular TACO line of pouches an upgrade with the Polymer HSGI TACO V2 line has a revamped design with fresh features and is available in rifle and pistol sizes.

The Polymer TACO V2 was made with guidance from military personnel and law enforcement officers, along with other end-users. Taking the company slogan of “Battle Proven Tactical Gear,” HSG overhauled and modernized the design. Part of the upgrade to the design is the updated shock-cord lacing system that allows for easier customization and even allows for stacking multiple magazines.

“The Polymer TACO V2 has been one of our most tested products to date,” said Allison Mitchum, Director of sales and marketing at High Speed Gear. “It has been tested by some of our local US Marines, as well as police officers who require the highest standard of product. High Speed Gear takes great pride as well as great care in everything we bring to market, and we are very proud of the newest Polymer TACO V2 line up.”

The Polymer TACO V2 pouch has a flared opening with a waterproof, non-absorbent polymer for durability and ease of use. Its modular attachment points on the front and the back, allow other Polymer TACO pouches to be added as needed. The pouches mount to MOLLE or belts up to two inches wide with the HSGI Universal clips. Their universal mounting hole configuration works with most mounting hardware pieces.

The rifle TACO V2 features opposite interior magazine catch channels that enable smooth insertion of either left- or right-facing AR-style magazines. The Pistol model fits a large range of pistol magazines including most single or double-stack in addition to other things like flashlights, OC spray, or multitools.

The new pouches are available in Black, Coyote Brown, or OD Green. The Rifle model pouch has an MSRP of $40, while the Pistol model has an MSRP of $33. Both are available now.

Burris Optics, a leader in the manufacturing hunting optics, has taken its considerable knowledge and developed the Veracity PH 4-20x50mm scope, the latest in the Veracity family of scopes. The Veracity PH is reportedly packed with cutting-edge features perfect for varmint hunters.

The Veracity PH has the PEK system (Programable Elevation Knob) and built-in Heads-Up Display (HUD). The scope also features Bluetooth connectivity for uploading data to Burris’ mobile app, and premium optical clarity. These features make the Veracity PH optic the most precise hunting optic from Burris, according to the company.

Burris used its many years of research and development to give the shooter easy, efficient, and precise shot placement The PEK system, with the HUD, is the center of the Veracity PH optic, showing exact dialed distance, wind hold, rifle cant, and battery level. It is user-configurable and works hand in hand with the recently released BurrisConnet App. The app allows the user to set up custom ballistic profiles to track all the details for the shooter. Burris notes that Wifi or cell service is not needed to use the app, with the system only relying on Bluetooth between the scope and the app.

The Veracity PH has a 5x zoom system and high-performance glass for exceptional brightness and clarity from close-up to far away. The scope also has a Wind MOA FFP reticle with a front focal plane design, adding to the unit’s accuracy. Additionally, the unit has a side focus/parallax adjustment. So, the target image matches the reticle focal magnification, from 50 yards to infinity, eliminating parallax error on extended-range shots.

The Veracity PH has Progressively Thick Crosshairs (PTC) that are fine in the center and get progressively thicker the further away from the center. This allows the shooter ultra-fast target engagement in low light at close ranges.  The scope has a double internal spring-tension system that keeps the scope zeroed through shock, recoil, and vibrations. Not only that, but the scope body is a solid, one-piece design that will hold up against the heaviest recoiling caliber rifles. Additionally, the body of the scope is Nitrogen-filled to prevent internal fogging in cold or rainy conditions.

The Burris Optics Veracity PH 4-20x50mm scope is said to maximize every hunter’s potential for success in the field. It is covered by Burris’ Forever Warranty. The Veracity PH scope has an MSRP of $1,200 and is available now.

Fletcher Rifle Works, a relative newcomer to the industry has a game changer for the rimfire world with the OpenTop 11/22 receiver and standalone rifle. Making its debut at SHOT Show 2023, the design is packed with innovations.

The Fletcher OpenTop 11/22 solves a problem that has long plagued Ruger 10/22 owners and shooters—how to easily and efficiently clean and maintain the receiver. The design features a top plate that easily removes to give the owner quick access to the receiver to do just that. In addition, the OpenTop 11/22 receiver is compatible with the same parts, barrels, and triggers as the original Ruger.

Stand-Alone Receiver

The OpenTop 11/22 receiver is CNC machined from solid billet aluminum for sturdy construction and features stainless steel pins, springs, and detents. With the OpenTop design, removing the top plate is as simple as removing the retaining pin and sliding the cover off. With the other 10/22 design, the user has to remove the stock, punch out the trigger pack, and contend with the charging handle spring and bolt. The 11/22 design is a much simpler approach.

The potential drawback with the open-top design is mounting optics. The company reportedly has a couple of options as a remedy. The first is a Picatinny rail constructed from the same billeted material as the receiver for a uniform look and zero shift. This option is great for red dots or iron sights. The second option is still under development—a cantilever Picatinny rail integrated into the top slide for longer optics.

A neat feature of the receiver is a cleaning hole in the back of the receiver for use with a traditional cleaning rod. All without needing to disassemble the receiver from the stock. The receiver is available in either a black anodize or a gun metal finish for $250.  A Cerakote option is also available for $350.

Rifle

OpenTop 11/22 Rifle is a complete package that includes the OpenTop 11/22 receiver, as discussed above. The rifle receiver is attached to a Magpul Hunter X-22 stock and features a polished steel target match bolt with an improved firing pin design. The barrel is a TacSol 16.5” fluted lightweight barrel that has an anodized aluminum sleeve. It is threaded 1/2×28 with a corresponding thread protector.

The rifle has a Ruger BX trigger, with a clean break of around 2.5-3 pounds. The OpenTop 11/22 rifle also has an improved shock-absorbing recoil buffer pin and a skeletonized charging handle. It ships with two 10-round magazines. The rifle weighs just 4.4 pounds and there supposedly is a takedown model in the works. The OpenTop 11/22 rifle has two options for stock colors and receiver colors. MSRP is $875.

Winchester Ammunition, the largest small caliber ammunition enterprise in the world, has expanded its line of environmentally friendly ammunition to include the E-Tech shotshell. The E-Tech shotshells use wads made from biopolymers that are said to be certified as home compostable.

Winchester, a leader in delivering innovative ammunition products for hunters and sport shooters alike, employs BioAmmo’s one-piece 4-petal shot wad in the E-Tech shotshells. The 4-petal bio-polymer wad produces uniform and consistent patterns, similar to the performance of plastic wads, giving uncompromising pattern performances. The E-Tech load is perfect for those shooters that want to limit the use of plastics in their shooting.

According to Winchester, The E-Tech loads have a consistent muzzle velocity with a high-integrity wad. The shells are engineered to withstand the extreme pressures and velocities when fired, and the expanding gases are tightly sealed by the bio-polymer over powder wads.

These plant-based bio-polymer wads will degrade, break down, and compost over time into the soil, reducing the shooter’s impact on the environment. The environmentally-friendly aspects of the round do not happen at the expense of performance. Additionally, the biopolymer wads have been engineered to match the plastic counterparts for reliable and effective performance on the target.

With Winchester’s dedication to its customers, these shotshells should meet the needs of competition, hunting, or sport shooting needs. The E-Tech is available in 12-gauge in two different sizes: a No. 7.5-lead shot and a No. 6-steel shot, with 25 rounds per box.

The Winchester E-Tech shotshells are a great addition for the shooter that wants to have a gentle impact on their surroundings. The E-Tech shotshells will be available soon but there is no official word on pricing just yet.

The Elite Tactical Systems Group, the manufacturer of popular magazine options, has expanded its line of magazines to include the Carbon Smoke Series magazines. ETS Group states it is committed to producing superior products at affordable prices, especially at a time when costs are rising all around.

These dark smoke-colored magazines are resistant to impacts and chemicals, as well as UV rays. Constructed from a proprietary blend of polymers, these magazines will stand the test of time and resist cracking or breaking, and will not become brittle over time even in harsh conditions, according to the ETS Group. The translucent body allows the shooter to easily see how many rounds are left and what type of ammo is loaded. Additionally, the magazines come with enhanced features like non-tilt followers and creep-resistant feed lips meaning the lips and body won’t’ spread when the magazines are stored long-term fully loaded.

ETS Group has a newly built manufacturing facility that gives the company better control over the quality and efficiency of the entire manufacturing process. This has paved the way for this new Carbon Smoke Series line of magazines, which the company says is built better than ever and priced to give users the most out of their money. 

The Carbon Smoke Series is available in different models and round options and are robust as they are reliable. ETS prides itself on being a leading manufacturer of some of the toughest polymer magazines. The company’s drive for no-compromise commitment to its customers is seen in the material selection, product selection, and customer service. The Carbon Smoke Series magazines, like other ETS products, are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty.

The ETS Carbon Smoke Series of magazines are available for Glock, AR15, HK, Smith & Wesson, MP5, CZ Evo, and Sig firearms and have a price tag starting at $14.49.

American Tactical Imports (ATI), a South Carolina-based manufacturer and importer of firearms, has partnered with German Schmeisser to import the latter .22LR conversion kits for Glock pistols. These kits will be available for the Glock 19 and Glock 17 pistols, Generation 1 through 5.

First shown at SHOT Show 2023, these Glock conversion kits include a drop-in barrel, feed ramps, and cartridge-shaped chambers which fit the .22LR ammunition inside a 9mm magazine. The cartridges are ejected out of the pistol when it is fired, with the .22LR casings inside them. Essentially, the .22LR ammunition slips into a carbon fiber-infused polymer over-molded metal that can be used multiple times.

To install the conversion kit, the barrel is swapped out for the kit barrel with no other modifications needed to the host weapon. A word of note about the conversion kit, the .22-caliber bore of the barrel is nonconcentric, rather it’s shifted towards the bottom edge of the barrel. The reasoning behind this is so the Glock centerfire striker can engage the rim of the .22LR rimfired ammunition.

In addition to the off-centered bore of the barrel, when the barrel is installed the host weapon becomes a direct blowback with the fixed barrel installed. The conversion kit is reported to come with 50 chamber adapters, with more adapters available for purchase later in 2023. It is also reported that the conversion kit allows for more cost-effective training and supposedly mimics real 9mm ammunition loading and ejection.

The Schmeisser .22LR conversion kit for Glock pistol is said to have an MSRP of $99.95 and should ship late summer 2023. Some see the conversion kit as a great training tool, but between the collecting of the cartridge-shaped chambers and the pistol feeling like a .22LR when shooting, the ultimate outcome is yet to be seen.

SureFire, an industry leader in weapon lights, has expanded its product line to include the Turbo family of lights. According to the company, the SureFire Turbo series pushes the limits of both handheld and weapon-mounted light for an upper hand both near and far. The Turbo series of lights deliver high-candela illumination for extreme distances and are ideal for LE or military use. The Turbo series includes options for handheld lights, pistol lights as well as long gun lights.

Handheld Lights

The handheld lights, the EDC1-DFT and the EDC2-DFT, are the Turbo series versions of the EDC and EDC2 flashlights. The Turbo versions of the flashlights have a significant jump in candela from the other versions, delivering over 70,000 candelas from the SF18350 rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The EDC1-DFT and the EDC2-DFT have the Dual Fuel feature meaning the lights can be powered by the lithium-ion battery or from 123A primary batteries.

The EDC2-DFT is slightly larger than the EDC1-DFT light, but both deliver intense candela when needed. According to SureFire, these EDC flashlights give the farthest-reaching beams of any SureFire EDC handhelds. The handheld lights also have a low-output setting for administrative tasks that don’t require high output.  The EDC1-DFT and the EDC2-DFT come in black, grey, or tan with pricing starting at around $300.

Pistol Lights

SureFire has a couple of pistol lights in the Turbo series as well, the X300T-A and the X400T-A. These two pistol lights have a powerful 66,000 candela in a compact and handgun-practical package. The X400T-A has a highly visible laser, in green or red, for faster target acquisition without having to rely on the gun sights.

The X300T-A and the X400T-A have an ambidextrous push switch for easy usage. Both models of the Turbo pistol lights mount via Picatinny or Universal accessory rails for better compatibility across platforms and are powered by two 123A batteries. Available in both black and tan, pricing for the pistol lights starts around $369 (black) and $379 (tan).

Long Rifle Lights

The Turbo series would not be complete without options for long rifles. The M340DFT Pro and the M640DFT Pro, like the smaller Turbo models, have serious candela upgrades. The M340DFT Pro reportedly has a candela rating of 71,000, just as an example. Both long rifle models are mountable via Picatinny or M-LOK rails, and both feature SureFire’s Dual Fuel power option. The M340DFT Pro and the M640DFT Pro lights start around $400 for the black color and slightly more for other color options.

If you spend time running lever-action rifles, you’ve probably gone through the process of mounting a red dot sight to your gun (or guns). This has varying degrees of difficulty on a lever-action but is rarely simple. Thanks to Hoptics USA, there’s now a direct mounting system available that’s compatible with Henry and Marlin levers. It’s called the Direct Optics Mounting system, and it promises to make levers and red dot sights easy to pair together for your ideal shooting platform.

Hoptic USA is launching its DOM system mounts with two versions, one for red dots with a Holosun K footprint, and one for Trijicon RMR footprint dots. The DOM-K is the Holosun K compatible model and is described by the company as the DOM-K Cowitness Holosun K Mount with Ghost Ring Sight.

This mount is made to be sleek and compact, so it doesn’t add unnecessary bulk or protrusions, and is available for all rifle caliber Henry and Marlin levers. It’s made from 6061 T6 aluminum and Type III hard anodized for durability and resistance to wear. All mounting hardware is included and the mount is made in the USA.

The DOM is a compact mounting system compatible with the Trijicon RMR. Its footprint makes it compatible with all  RMR footprint red dots such as the Holosun 507c, 407c, 508T, and Swampfox Liberty. The mount ships with a fully adjustable Williams rear ghost ring sight and everything needed to mount it, including Badger Ordnance Torx head screws. It has an overall weight of 1.3 ounces including the ghost ring. The DOM is machined from 6061 T6 aluminum, Type III hard anodized, and made in the USA.

What do you think, will you be adding a Hoptic USA red dot mount to your lever action? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

MSRP for the Hoptic USA DOM-K and DOM is set at $99.00.