The word “Texas” is derived from the Caddo Indian word for “friends,” and the official motto of the Lone Star State is “Friendship” as a result. This slogan will likely never be more fitting than May 17-19, 2024, when friends and allies of freedom from all across the nation will congregate in Dallas with like-minded patriots to attend the National Rifle Association’s 153rd Annual Meetings & Exhibits (NRAAM). Few states enjoy a firearm heritage as rich and as deeply ingrained as does Texas, which may be part of the reason why NRAAM’s all-time attendance record was set at 87,000 people the last time the event came to Dallas in 2018. Of course, the chance to see all of the year’s new guns and gear under one roof might also have played a role—an opportunity that attendees will have again this year at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
Sure, the exhibit hall will be packed with more than 14 acres’ worth of the latest guns and gear from the industry’s largest shooting and hunting companies, but NRAAM is about far more than just a showcase of new products. Other events include: a powerhouse lineup of pro-Second Amendment political speakers; top-shelf entertainment; a packed slate of educational seminars and workshops; the women’s event of the year; exciting fundraising events; celebrity appearances; and the largest gathering of NRA members and supporters of the Second Amendment in the country.
As always, attendees will also have the chance to book the hunt of a lifetime in the outfitter section, view priceless collections of antique firearms and purchase a broad range of merchandise—including shooting accessories, hunting gear, ATVs and much more. Of course, you also can’t forget about the NRA Store, where all manner of shooting/hunting accessories, apparel, knives, wildlife art, books and more will be available for sale.
With so much to do and see, you’ll want to bring the whole family along as you all spend a few days together experiencing all that the American shooting industry has to offer—so schedule your trip to Dallas now. But to hold you over until then, the following report previews 25 of our top picks from among the new year’s most recent product introductions—with renewed interest in lever-action designs and the proliferation of advanced bolt-action rifles, red-dot-ready handguns and low-power variable optics being a few of the industry’s more obvious trends. Throughout the rest of the year, we’ll be covering these products, and many others, more thoroughly in upcoming issues of American Rifleman and here on our website. (Videos of Rifleman editors shooting some of the guns featured here have already been posted at americanrifleman.org/newfor2024.)
Remember, though, the 25 guns described by the five American Rifleman editors below is just a taste of the much larger selection of new guns and gear that will be on display in Dallas at this year’s NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. So, come join your friends in Texas and let’s see if we can’t set a new record again this year. See you there!
Mark A. Keefe, IV, Editorial Director
Beretta BRX1
BERETTA has moved into the straight-pull-rifle arena with its quick-cycling BRX1. The rifle uses an eight-lug rotary bolt, except for the magnums—those employ 16 lugs—with a bolt handle that is switchable to the left side. Ejection can also be swapped by the user. The bolt lugs lock directly into the barrel, so the receiver is of lightweight anodized aluminum. A three-position safety comes standard. Initial chamberings are 6.5 mm Creedmoor, .308 Win. and .300 Win. Mag., and the BRX1 is fed by a five-round detachable box magazine that is blaze orange for easy identification. The cold-hammer-forged barrels are either 20" or 22", depending on chambering, and all three models are threaded 5/8x24 TPI for suppressor use. The two-piece stock is made of polymer, and spacers allow the user to change out the length of pull. And speaking of pull, it also comes with a fully adjustable single-stage trigger. beretta.com
Browning A5 20 Gauge
BROWNING may have the most interesting shotgun of the year with its A5 Hunter 20 Gauge. The A5 made a comeback in 12 gauge back in 2012, but this 5-lb., 9-oz., semi-automatic has a scaled-down receiver and is light, handy and well-balanced. It has a high-polish blue barrel and a glossy walnut stock and simply screams Browning. While the humpbacked receiver would be familiar to John Browning, under the hood, this is a completely different gun from the original, employing the Kinematic inertia-operated system. Other modern touches include the Inflex II recoil pad, Invector DS choke tubes and a chromed, back-bored barrel with a proprietary forcing cone. The bolt latch is just ahead of the trigger guard in the center of the aluminum receiver’s bottom, and there is a speedload feature that makes putting the first round in—and getting rounds out of the magazine tube—even easier. browning.com
Colt Blued Python
COLT has been working on a blue version of the iconic Python for years, and it is finally here—in either 41/4" or 6" vented-rib barrel lengths. The challenge for the company has been to get a decent polish under the blue finish, and while it might not quite be the same as the Colt Royal Blue of yesteryear, it’s nonetheless a very nice finish. Made of carbon steel, the six-shot .357 Mag. double-action revolver has the same updated lockwork and beefed-up frame design as the recently introduced stainless Pythons. Sights are a front ramp with an orange insert, which can be changed out easily, and a fully adjustable target–style rear. The hand-filling walnut target stocks are embellished with gold Colt medallions. colt.com
Leupold Mark 4HD 6-24X 52 mm
LEUPOLD has launched an entirely new family of American-made riflescopes—the Mark 4HD—to cover everything from hunting to long-range precision to patrol tasks. All have 4:1 zoom ratios, and the magnification ranges offered at launch are 1-4.5X 24 mm, 2.5-10X 42 mm, 4.5-18X 52 mm, 6-24X 52 mm and 8-32X 56 mm. The first two have 30 mm main tubes, the larger units are 34 mms. All 1-4.5X 24 mm versions have second-focal-plane reticles, while the 2.5-10X 42 mm can be either first- or second-focal-plane; the three larger scopes are first-focal-plane only. Equipped with the push-button ZeroLock dial system, the scopes come in either mil or m.o.a. adjustments, and some have illuminated reticles with Leupold’s Motion Sensor Technology (MST) that cuts out after five minutes without movement but re-activates when handled. leupold.com
Savage Model 110 Ultralite Elite
SAVAGE ARMS has upped its rifle game by cutting down the weight on its Model 110 Ultralite Elite. The riflemaker partnered with Proof Research on an 18" carbon-fiber-wrapped stainless barrel cut with a 5/8x24 TPI muzzle, and Savage then installs its Omniport muzzle brake. The barreled action is mated to an MDT HNT26 chassis-style stock with a magnesium center section that attaches to a foam-filled folding buttstock that is adjustable for comb height and length of pull. Initially offered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor, the gun is fed from an AICS-pattern detachable magazine. A 20-m.o.a. Picatinny rail is standard, as is the company’s adjustable AccuTrigger. Even the bolt is diamond-fluted to save weight. The result is a rifle that is 381/2" long (stock extended) but comes in at around only 6 lbs. before a scope is added. savagearms.com
Brian C. Sheetz, Editor In Chief
EAA MC9 Disruptor
EAA’s aptly named MC9 Disruptor is a polymer-frame, striker-fired handgun built by Girsan in Turkey and offering all the latest popular features in a refined, eye- and hand-pleasing package that retails for less than $400. Measuring 7.9" long and 5.5" high, the 9 mm Luger-chambered pistol weighs in at 22.4 ozs. and boasts: a 17+1-round capacity; reversible magazine and bilateral slide releases; three interchangeable backstraps; an optics-ready slide cut for Shield-pattern red-dot optics (or EAA’s Far-Dot with built-in fiber-optic rear sight); low-profile, combat-style, three-dot sights; an Enhanced Striker Trigger; a cocking indicator; an accessory rail molded into the dustcover; and a 4.6" barrel threaded for suppressor use. Two Mec-Gar magazines and a choice of two-tone black or olive drab camouflage Cerakote finishes round out the package. eaacorp.com
Burris Eliminator 6
BURRIS, with its new Eliminator 6, has shed the bulky, modernistic shell of its groundbreaking rangefinder-informed-reticle riflescopes, migrating the technology into a conventional round body tube design. At 14.6" in overall length and weighing 30 ozs., the 4-20X 52 mm scope, which features a 34 mm main tube, is still not svelte but offers a remarkable list of capabilities presented on its heads-up display and communicated to the user’s mobile device through the BurrisConnect app. Laser rangefinding is effective out to 2,000+ yards on reflective targets and 1,400 yards on deer, and built-in thermometer, barometer and inclinometer functions automatically help determine density altitude. An internal DOPE card combines ranging, environmental and ballistic data, allowing users to create profiles for loads fired from muzzleloaders, slug guns or precision bolt-actions. The illuminated X177 reticle displays precise holdover aiming points for the ranged distances, and even bullet velocity and energy figures at those points can be displayed. burrisoptics.com
Hornady 22 ARC
HORNADY has once again challenged the ballistic status quo with an all-new cartridge, the 22 ARC, a .22-250 Rem. rival based on its previously released 6 mm ARC that uses the same 0.441"-diameter case head as the PPC family. With a maximum cartridge overall length of 2.260"—the same as the .223 Rem.—the new cartridge is designed for use in AR-15 platforms but is likely to appear in bolt-actions as well. Its 1.525"-long case exhibits minimal body taper and a steep 30-degree shoulder angle, which allows for the use of long, heavy-for-caliber Hornady bullets with high ballistic coefficients. The maker recommends 1:7"-twist barrels for proper stabilization and offers three 22 ARC loads at launch: a 62-grain ELD-VT at 3,300 f.p.s., a 75-grain ELD Match at 3,000 f.p.s. and an 88-grain ELD Match at 2,825 f.p.s. hornady.com
Primary Weapons Systems UXR
PRIMARY WEAPONS SYSTEMS’ UXR, or User Xchange Rifle, is a modular, multi-caliber, long-stroke-gas-piston design that allows owners to “quickly convert between alternate calibers on the same serialized platform by effortlessly exchanging just three parts—the magazine well, barrel and bolt head.” The UXR’s 7075-series aluminum upper, the serialized component, houses its bolt and a titanium trunnion to which various barrel assemblies and appropriate standard or short M-Lok-equipped handguards can be mated. The charging handle is non-reciprocating, reversible and foldable, and a multi-position buttstock features an adjustable comb and hinges right or left alongside the upper when folded. The lower is compatible with AR-style grips and most AR triggers, and the magazine release and safety selector also facilitate ambidextrous use. A three-position gas regulator works with various chamberings and loads, and separate magazine well assemblies and barrels will initially include .308 Win./7.62 NATO, .223 Wylde/5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout. primaryweapons.com
Smith & Wesson Model 1854
SMITH & WESSON, the company best known for heirloom-quality double-action revolvers and polymer-frame pistols and ARs under the M&P label, returns to its Volcanic roots with the all-new Model 1854 lever-action rifle. Two versions are available: a stainless-steel model fitted with synthetic stocks and M-Lok slots seamlessly incorporated into the fore-end and a Limited Edition model that combines an attractive polished black PVD metal finish with high-grade walnut. Each boasts a forged steel receiver, a 19.25" threaded barrel and a tubular magazine that offers nine-plus-one capacity in the venerable .44 Mag. chambering. Included XS aperture rear and gold-bead front sights and a Picatinny rail come standard, as do a flat trigger and large-loop lever. The receiver and round-body bolt’s dimensions are designed to handle such anticipated future chamberings as .45 Colt, .357 Mag. and .30-30 Win. and, in a larger version, .45-70 Gov’t. The line may even eventually include rimfire chamberings. smith-wesson.com
Kelly Young, Senior Executive Editor
Remington Premier CuT
REMINGTON AMMUNITION has combined the monolithic copper construction of its Core-Lokt Copper line with the spitzer-shaped polymer tips from its Core-Lokt Tipped projectiles to create the potent new Premier CuT series of hunting ammo. As a result, the nine inaugural Premier CuT loads benefit from both the near perfect post-impact weight retention of the former and the optimized ballistic coefficients of the latter, while also being an option in those jurisdictions that have enacted “lead-free” hunting restrictions. At launch, Premier CuT will be offered in: 6.5 mm Creedmoor (120 grain); 6.5 mm PRC (130 grain); .270 Win. (140 grain); 7 mm-08 Rem. (140 grain); 7 mm Rem. Mag. (150 grain); 7 mm PRC (160 grain); .308 Win. (150 grain); .30-’06 Sprg. (150 grain); and .300 Win. Mag. (180 grain). remington.com
Barrett MRADELR
BARRETT’s lineup of Multi-Role Adaptive Design (MRAD) precision rifles has always been well-suited to reaching out and touching targets at great distance, but the new “Extreme Long Range” model is even more so given its imposing .416 Barrett chambering and 36"-long, heavy-contour barrel. However, the MRADELR still retains all the modularity that has made the platform so capable and mission-adaptable that both the United States Army Precision Sniper Rifle Program and the U.S. Special Forces Command have adopted versions as service rifles. Some of these features include the ability to quickly swap out barrels, bolt heads and firing pins (and thus cartridges), copious numbers of M-Lok slots along the fore-end, and a buttstock that is adjustable for both length of pull and comb height. Despite its powerhouse cartridge, the MRADELR is rendered controllable thanks to its 23-lb. naked weight and sizeable three-port tank brake. barrett.net
Daniel Defense Daniel H9
DANIEL DEFENSE took many by surprise at SHOT Show 2024 by resurrecting the erstwhile Hudson H9—one of the most talked-about pistol introductions back at SHOT Show 2017—under its own banner as the Daniel H9. Daniel Defense purchased Hudson’s patents following the company’s 2019 bankruptcy, and the Daniel H9 is DD’s revamped version of this distinctive-looking design. Touted as the marriage between an M1911 and a striker-fired gun, the H9 provides a sliding M1911-style trigger pull while feeding from a double-stack, 15-round 9 mm Luger magazine, and, thanks to a low bore axis and a recoil-spring assembly placed particularly low in the dustcover, the pistol is especially soft-shooting. Unlike Hudson’s pistol, the Daniel H9’s frame is made from 7075 aluminum, which lowers its weight by more than 5 ozs. compared to the all-steel original, and the slide is now cut for the installation of a micro red-dot. danieldefense.com
Taurus Expedition
TAURUS USA is no stranger to producing handguns designed primarily for hunting, but for 2024 it’s entering the bolt-action hunting rifle market with the Expedition. Built around the Remington Model 700 footprint—but utilizing a three-lug bolt for a shorter, 60-degree bolt—the Expedition feeds from AICS-pattern magazines and is compatible with aftermarket M700 stocks and trigger assembles. Initially, only one model is being offered, chambered in .308 Win. with a hammer-forged, 18"-long, 5/8x24 TPI-threaded barrel, but additional cartridges and barrel lengths are already in the pike. Taurus has incorporated a number of features into the Expedition’s injection-molded polymer stock, including a relief for a rear bag, dual sling swivel studs, two M-Lok slots for accessories and an interface for a Spartan bipod. taurususa.com
Holosun DPS-TH
HOLOSUN, in a development that would have seemed like fanciful science fiction not too long ago, is bringing thermal and night-vision functionality to an optic-ready pistol near you with the launch of the new TH and NV models of its Digital Pistol Sight. In both cases, an optic mounted in typical fashion atop the slide wirelessly communicates with a sensor unit that is installed forward on the dustcover’s Picatinny rail. The optics are each capable of working like standard red-dots for daytime use, but activating their respective digital sensors allow thermal and night-vision overlays to be displayed for low-light and no-light use, and multiple overlay modes and reticles are included. The thermal version provides a 50-f.p.s. refresh rate with a 256x192 pixel sensor resolution, while the night-vision model offers eight brightness settings, a 60-Hz refresh rate and a 640x480 pixel resolution. holosun.com
Evan Brune, Executive Editor
Ruger LC Carbine .45 ACP
RUGER has expanded its LC Carbine line in 2024 with a new .45 ACP chambering, a much more accessible ammunition option for most shooters and one that finds a nice home in this compact, blowback-operated design. The LCC uses a 16" barrel, which is threaded at the muzzle for suppressor use, and the subsonic nature of standard 230-grain .45 ACP loads makes this an ideal suppressor host. A 13-round, Glock-style magazine comes standard, and all double-stack .45 ACP Glock magazines will work with the carbine. A side-folding, AR-style buttstock allows the design to collapse into a compact form for easy transport, and it can be swapped out for other standard AR-pattern buttstocks. A full-length Picatinny accessory rail atop its aluminum receiver provides room for optics, and a set of flip-up open sights ships with each LCC. M-Lok attachment points on the handguard also provide room for additional accessories. ruger.com
Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical Thunder Ranch
MOSSBERG teamed up with legendary trainer Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch to take its semi-automatic 940 shotgun to the next level. Finished with a Patriot Brown Cerakote treatment, the 940 Pro Tactical Thunder Ranch includes a milled receiver cut to accept Shield-pattern red-dot optics. Quick-detach sling-mounting points are located on each side of the buttstock and fore-end, making it easy to mount a sling. A barrel clamp that supports the extended seven-round magazine also provides two M-Lok mounting points for accessories. Other standard features of the 940 Pro Tactical include drop and cast adjustments, as well as an adjustable length of pull, ensuring a perfect fit. A fiber-optic front sight makes it easy to aim even when an optic is not installed. The cylinder-bore barrel measures 18.5" and will accept 3" 12-ga. shotshells. mossberg.com
Trijicon Credo 1-10X 28 mm
TRIJICON brought a welcome new option to the growing field of low-power variable optics (LPVOs) in 2024 with its 1-10X Credo. The new design provides an impressive magnification range, giving shooters an optic that allows them to put rounds on target at a distance while still providing true 1X magnification. Using its illuminated Segmented Circle Enhanced Reticle, Trijicon has preserved the time-proven Bindon Aiming Concept allowing for “both-eyes-open” shooting in close quarters. A 28 mm objective lens provides for a larger-size exit pupil than smaller LPVOs and improves low-light performance. Trijicon also improved the heft of the 1-10X Credo design over its previous 1-8X introduction, shaving nearly 4.5 ozs. off and bringing the weight down to 21.2 ozs. A large, tactical-style elevation turret with clear markings makes it easy to get on target at longer ranges. trijicon.com
Walther PDP Compact Steel Frame 4"
WALTHER ARMS handguns are known primarily for their ergonomic features and rugged, duty-ready design, and the company has enhanced both elements in its PDP line for 2024. Full-Size and Compact models of the PDP are now available with steel frames, which retain the signature ergonomic swells and contours that made past PDP pistols popular with shooters. The 9 mm Luger-chambered PDP Compact Steel Frame, with a 4" barrel and a magazine capacity of 15 rounds, weighs in at 40.4 ozs., nearly twice the weight of the similar-size, polymer-frame PDP Compact. This added weight absorbs recoil energy and tames muzzle rise, giving handgunners the opportunity to take fast follow-up shots. The steel grip frame includes texturing on every facet, including the frontstrap and backstrap. An included Performance Duty Trigger promotes rapid, accurate shooting, and the milled slide accepts popular red-dot optics. waltherarms.com
Winchester Ranger
WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS entered 2024 with a classically styled lever-action rifle chambered for the affordable and popular .22 Long Rifle cartridge. The Ranger is built with a billet-aluminum receiver mated to a button-rifled, chrome-moly steel barrel measuring 20.5" long. An under-barrel tubular magazine contains a brass magazine tube that must be withdrawn to load the rifle. A cartridge-shaped slot on the underside of the magazine tube allows shooters to load up to 15 rounds. Winchester designed the gun with “light operating forces” to reduce the effort needed to cycle the action. A single screw locks the rifle’s component parts together at the forward portion of the receiver. Removing the screw allows the gun to separate into two halves for easy cleaning and transport. With a 13" length of pull and a weight of just more than 5 lbs., this Ranger is ideally suited for new shooters. winchesterguns.com
B. Gil Horman, Field Editor
KelTec SUB2000 GEN3
KELTEC has launched the GEN3 version of its folding SUB2000 pistol-caliber carbine chambered in 9 mm with an ingenious update—the fore-end can now be rotated to either the right or the left when released from the receiver. This allows optics, lights and other accessories mounted to the fore-end’s integral upper and lower Picatinny rails to remain in place when the 16.15" threaded barrel is folded. This model features a variety of upgrades, including a curved, flat-faced aluminum trigger tuned for a 5-lb. pull. The polymer receiver is also 20 percent stronger with a new witness-hole loaded-chamber indicator and a deflector extension added to the ejection port. The shoulder-stock-mounted charging handle is now easier to cycle and can be locked open to either the right or left side. This model accepts Glock G19 or longer magazines and has a suggested retail price of only $499. keltecweapons.com
Bond Arms LVRB
BOND ARMS of Granbury, Texas, best known for its stainless-steel double-barrel pistols, is stepping into the tactical lever-action ring with the release of the AR-15-compatible LVRB rifle. At the heart of this new platform is a proprietary lower receiver that accepts mil-spec AR upper-receiver assemblies. Bond uppers will omit the gas-impingement system since it is not required for functioning. Patents are pending for a variety of innovations developed for the LVRB, including a cam system that allows the rifle to cycle reliably using 30-round magazines. A linkage provides a placement and feel for the magazine-release button that will be familiar to AR fans. The lever throw is short and clean with a loop sized and angled to fit the non-adjustable Magpul Remington 870 shotgun-type shoulder stock. Initially launching in .223 Wylde, additional chamberings will be made available in the future. bondarms.com
Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle
HENRY’s new Lever Action Supreme Rifle (LASR) series blends classic lever-gun handling with the features, cartridge options and AR-15-magazine compatibility that many modern shooting sports enthusiasts prefer. The threaded, round-profile, blued-steel barrel is free-floated and capable of sub-m.o.a. accuracy. The hardcoat anodized-aluminum receiver sports an adjustable sight system while being drilled and tapped for optics. The hammer is fully enclosed to keep out dust and debris, while a rotating bolt face contributes to positive lockup. A patent-pending quad-bar linkage and slider crank mechanism contribute to the smooth operation of the short-throw lever. The match-grade trigger can be adjusted for a break between 3 and 6 lbs. These rifles ship with diamond-checkered American walnut stocks, and the first chambering options will include .223 Rem./5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout. henryusa.com
Magpul TMAG 30 AR/M4 GEN M3
MAGPUL now offers translucent 30-round TMAG 30 AR/M4 GEN M3 AR-15 magazines in addition to its opaque PMAG models. Molded from a durable see-through polymer with an olive drab hue, these STANAG-compatible 5.56 NATO magazines allow users to visibly verify their ammunition type and round count. Although the sides of the magazine are smooth for improved visibility, the front- and backstraps are textured for enhanced purchase during magazine changes. The lower half of the magazine features numbered round-count markers along with a paint-pen dot matrix for custom markings to be applied. The four-way, anti-tilt follower is supported by a stainless-steel, USGI-spec spring with a painted coil. The low-profile floorplate is compatible with PMAG AR/M4 GEN M3 floorplate accessories. TMAGs can also be used with additional rifle models, including the Heckler & Koch 416/MR556A1/M27 IAR and Fabrique Nationale SCAR MK 16/16S. magpul.com
SDS Imports Inglis GP-35
SDS IMPORTS recently acquired the Inglis brand. John Inglis and Co. was a Canadian manufacturer of firearms for the United Kingdom during World War II, including licensed Browning Hi Power 9 mm pistols. The Inglis brand will be used by SDS Imports to import a series of affordably priced Hi Power Mark II-type pistols inspired by models produced during the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. Features will include forged-steel components, a hard-chromed 4.7" barrel forged and machined from 4140 steel and a 15+1 double-stack ammunition capacity. Reminiscent of the classic lines and features of the L9A1 British-issued pistols, the basic modern Inglis model will sport a black finish and matching black stocks. Additional options will include black with checkered walnut stocks, satin nickel with black G10 stocks and a color casehardened finish with smooth hardwood stocks (shown). Prices range from $490 to $650 depending on the finish selected. sdsimports.com
The NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits is free to all NRA members and their families (spouses and children under 18 years old) uniformed military and law enforcement, and organized youth groups. And, if you are not currently a member, you can join at the door. Visit nraam.org for registration details and hotel information.
