It is January and in the firearms biz that means one thing: SHOT Show!
The show was cancelled last year because of the ‘vid and this year they are making people wear masks despite masks being demonstrably useless. It caused a lot of ruckus, as you might imagine most people in the firearms business, especially the local gun store types, are of a particular political persuasion that tends to not like being told what to do by government busy-bodies.
SHOT Show is an industry-only event and it is where you typically see the gun and accessory companies introducing their newest stuff. Most of it is a rehash of existing firearms but some of it is new. Back in 2020 at the last SHOT Show Palmetto State Armory owned the show with a huge list of new stuff but some of it like the JAKL and the MP5 clone has still not hit the market. This year they are promising a new 5.7mm pistol “in around 60 days”. We will wait and see but it would be cool since most of the offerings in that caliber are stupid expensive.
Lots of guntuber types are doing videos from SHOT Show in-between trying to avoid alcohol poisoning so there should be some good recaps of the niftiest stuff coming out. I’ll share some videos as I deem appropriate of the coolest new tacticool gear. Wish we could justify going but our little business just isn’t enough for me to spend that kind of money to go to Vegas.
For our part business seems to be picking up and stuff is moving a little more. Availability is still great but prices seem to be creeping up on some categories. Just here and there but as an example bolt action rifles seem to be getting more expensive across the board.
Ammo pricing still sucks. No signs of that changing any time soon.
Still lots of opportunities to stash stuff away in your safe and upgrade what ya got already. With 2021 coming and going with zero significant gun control legislation, we are in a good place but that is one false flag shooting away from changing overnight.
I never heard of a 5.7 mm pistol. What would that equate to in terms of caliber? Other than presumably smaller size for concealed carry, what would be the advantage of such a gun?
5.7 is a center fire cartridge. And most handguns to handle it are rather large.
Roughly .224 caliber. Like the 5.56x45mm, a small, high-velocity round in a necked-down case, with a bunch of propellant pushing it.
–Tennessee Budd
Okay, I just found my way to PewPew Tactical and read a history of that particular round and the guns it is made for. Now I get it.
Still, it does not seem like a very practical gun for most people. Originally, it was an attempt to create a much more accurate and ballistically potent weapon at a longer range than the typical 9mm used by most LEO's in Europe. In that I guess they succeeded, but at the cost of an expensive gun that uses expensive ammunition.
I have several 5.7×28 firearms. It is a great round for handgun or carbine. It is fast, accurate and has almost no felt recoil. The magazines for the most common handguns the FN Fiveseven and the Ruger 5.7 both have 20 round capacity. They are also very light with a the FN with its 20 round capacity weighing less than a 9mm Glock with fewer rounds. Both ofthe above pistols are full sized but there are numerous options for concealed carry. FN also makes the PS 90 personal defense weapon which complements the Fiveseven nicely. That actually is my favorite gun!It's true that the ammo is expensive but more manufacturers making guns in that caliber should exert downward pressure on price eventually.
I can't recommend that rounds in those firearms enough. Give one a try and you'll see what I mean.
Cont'd. If PSA starts making an offering in that round it would likely be less expensive than the FN, Ruger and Keltec currently on the market. More downward price pressure
Btw, in terms of accuracy and ease of shooting its a piece of cake to hit 6 inch steel at 50 yards with iron sights and out to 100 yards on 12 inch steel.
Don: Thanks for the benefit of your insights gleaned from experience. My horizons have officially been expanded. I will watch with interest for the release of the PSA gun.
Just waiting for ammo to drop in price . . .
5.7 is a center fire cartridge. And most handguns to handle it are rather large.