NRA's 2023 Annual Meeting & Exhibits began with a slew of new product launches, as several companies took advantage of crowds comprised of tens of thousands of NRA members eager to see the industry's latest and greatest. Fittingly, many of the new introductions centered upon the huge concealed-carry market, but there were several other new introductions that will spark the interests of enthusiasts in other areas. Regardless, the firearm industry was in full force at the Indianapolis convention center, showcasing the many rifles, handguns and shotguns available to today's freedom-loving American:
Colt CBX TacHunter
Colt introduced its first bolt-action rifle in more than a decade at the beginning of 2023, and now, the company has added to its lineup with the TacHunter. Unlike the original CBX, the TacHunter is a hybrid design that makes it just as capable in the field as it is on the range, and better yet, the MSRP is $999, making it more accessible than the match model initially introduced in January.
A flat-bottom receiver is designed to reduce flexing, which helps to aid precision shooting. The gun's action features a short, 60-degree bolt throw for fast follow-up shots while also providing clearance for mounted optics. Users will also find an ambidextrous magazine-release latch, three sling-swivel studs, angled pistol-grip stock and textured gripping surfaces. The TacHunter is available in .308 Win.
EAA Corp Girsan MC 14T
Many of today's manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce the force required to rack a handgun slide, making them more accessible to those with weaker hand strength. European American Armory Corp. decided to eliminate racking from the equation entirely, with the MC 14T. Inspired by the tip-up barrel design of the Beretta 86, the MC 14T incorporates a lever on the right side of the frame, just above the trigger guard. Simply push the lever, and the barrel pivots open. Drop in a round, push the barrel down until it snaps shut, and the gun is loaded.
Chambered in .380 ACP, the MC 14T has a magazine capacity of 13 rounds. The gun is equipped with a 4.5" barrel and weighs just 22.4 ozs., unloaded, despite being an all-metal design. There's a three-slot Picatinny accessory rail on the bottom of the dustcover for accessories, and the suggested retail price of the new design is $498.
FN America Reflex
So-called "micro-compact" handguns have been some of the hottest sellers of the last five years in the concealed-carry handgun space, and FN America is joining the action with its Reflex optic. Styled similarly to the FN 509 series of handguns, the Reflex is available in black or FDE and features an 11-round flush-fit magazine capacity and a 15-round extended magazine with each gun.
Unlike FN's other polymer-framed guns, though, the Reflex is outfitted with an internal-hammer-fired operating system that's designed to produce a more crisp, clean trigger pull than the striker-fired triggers traditionally found on guns in this space. Additionally, FN moved away from its adapter-plate system for optics-mounting and supplies the Reflex with an RMSc cut, allowing owners to mount a wide range of optics available in that footprint. The suggested retail price on the Reflex is $599.
Henry Repeating Arms Big Boy Revolvers
Henry's been known for its lever-action rifles for a long time, but the company had never ventured beyond long guns until the 2023 NRA Annual Meeting. At this show, the company debuted its Big Boy revolver, an all-new design that complements Henry's classically styled lever-action rifles. Two models of the Big Boy are available at launch, one with a square-butt grip and another with a birdshead-style grip.
Both guns are chambered in .357 Mag. and feature 4" barrels. The revolvers use a double-action/single-action operating system and employ a swing-out cylinder for loading and unloading. A serrated release latch on the left side of the frame must be pushed forward to unlock the cylinder, and the unshrouded ejector rod can then be pushed to eject spent cases from the cylinder. Each cylinder holds six round of .357 Mag. The suggested retail price on the guns is $928.
Kimber KDS9 Double-Stack
In the last year, several major companies have released double-stack variants on the M1911 theme, and Kimber America is now one of them. The KDS9 is an M1911-style handgun equipped with a double-stack magazine that holds 15 rounds of 9 mm Luger, making it a potent personal-defense option. Aiding in the carry-ready nature of the design is the frame, which is made from lightweight aluminum, meaning the gun only weighs 28 ozs., unloaded, despite having a full-size grip frame and a 4" barrel.
The Kimber KDS9 is available in silver and black, and each gun comes ready to mount an optic, featuring a milled cutout at the rear of the slide that accommodates RMSc/Holosun-K red-dot footprints. Additionally, each pistol comes with a windage-adjustable rear sight with a glare-reducing serrated face, as well as a Hi-Viz green dot front sight. The suggested retail pricing on the KDS9 is $1,499.
Even though these were some of the stand-outs, there were many new products to see at the 2023 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. SDS Imports, known for its affordable lineup of Tisas handguns, is also importing an accessible lineup of competition shotguns under the Spandau brand name. Ruger is selling a version of its MAX-9 with its own red-dot optic design mounted atop the slide, and Winchester just debuted the hard-hitting 400 Legend cartridge, giving hunters a great straight-wall option in between the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster. There will be plenty more to see before the year's out, too, so stay tuned to American Rifleman for the latest and greatest.
