By Michael A. Black | Contributing Writer
Editor’s Note: Continuing Mike Black’s annual review of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, we find our intrepid correspondent checking out the latest handguns and gear, both, domestic and imported.
Continuing my wanderings through the “miles of aisles” at the 2026 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, I visited the Chiappa Firearms booth (CHIAPPAFIREARMS.COM) and handled the uniquely crafted Rhino Nebula 60 DS.
This .44 Magnum weighs 2.92 pounds and has a 10-pound trigger pull. It’s 11 inches in overall length. The cylinder carries six rounds and the bullet is actually fired from the bottom-most chamber. Its aluminum frame is paired with a steel barrel and breech shield. The updated ergonomics reduce the amount of recoil and muzzle rise. The MSPR is $1,745.00.
We stopped by Colt (www.colt.com) to check out a couple of their latest guns and marveled at the smooth trigger pull of the Viper .357 revolver with a 3 -inch barrel. The MSRP is $1,119.00 for that one. Also on display was their latest incarnation of the classic 1911 Delta Elite, chambered for the .45 ACP. This stainless steel beauty is going for $1,179.00.
I also visited the Cimarron Firearms Company (www.cimarron-firearms.com) exhibit and spoke with antique firearms expert Greg Slaughter.
Dressed in appropriate western attire, Greg had two replica antique firearms holstered on his belt. One was Wild Bill Hickok’s gun, an 1852 Richards-Mason Conversion .38 Special. The other was the classic Colt Single Action Army, aka the “Peacemaker.” It was a favorite of lawmen and outlaws alike, and is informally known as “the gun that won the West.”
I use this gun in my western series about Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. Reeves policed the Indian Territory (what is now the state of Oklahoma) in the late 1870’s and beyond. Cimarron Firearms specializes in producing exact replicas of firearms from the 19th Century. I got to pose for a picture holding replicas of a Colt .45 Peacemaker, which I use in my latest novel, Resurrection Trail. Just handling those authentic replicas makes one appreciate the significant design improvements of the firearms of today.
Mr. Slaughter proved to be a wealth of information and agreed to assist me in my future writings. We had a great discussion about the two double-action revolvers of the late 1870’s, “the Lightening” and “the Thunderer.” Both of these revolvers are featured in my novels. Slaughter explained that the actual double-action guns of the time were notoriously unreliable due to ineffective internal mechanisms. Consequently, Cimarron only produces single action replicas.
All of Cimarron’s guns, which include rifles and shotguns, are well crafted and can be used for shooting and hunting. The 1851 Richards-Mason Conversion model, Big Hickok’s gun, lists at $596.82. It was busy at the Glock booth celebrating their 40 years in the United States and honoring their visionary founder, Gaston Glock. The company pledged to stay “future focused” with the introduction of the Gen6 product line.
Some of the improvements on the newest models include deeper slide serrations, an enlarged slide-stop lever border, a Gen6 optic ready system, a thumb rest on the frame for the shooter’s thumb, an undercut trigger guard, and an enlarged beavertail. The grip also features an enhanced texturing for a surer hold. Several of the GEN6 models are available for preorder at this time. The Glock 17 Gen6 has all of the features listed above including their New ORS System: Glock’s new optic ready system, which comes with three optic plates to support mounting of DPP & RMR footprint optics. The Glock 17 Gen 6 has a MSRP of $620.00.
It should be noted that last year, Glock partnered with Aimpoint (www.aimpoint.us) to provide a COA Red Dot Optic system on its models, spotlighting their new import COA package, which combined “Glock perfection with Aimpoint performance.” It was a combination of Glock pistols with an Aimpoint COA Red Dot sight optic. The COA was a new, unique, ultra compact closed emitter sight combined with a patent-pending optic mounting system. The Aimpoint A-Cut interface allowed the sight to be affixed to the slide. This exclusive agreement expired in March of this year and Aimpoint is now working with several other manufacturers, but they stated that they originally partnered with Glock due to the company’s sterling reputation with law enforcement.
Taurus International (www.taurususa.com) once known as the “Brazilian Berretta,” has come into its own over the years. We stopped by their booth to take a look at the striker fired TX9, a 9mm with the Taurus Modular System. It has a barrel length of 3.38 inches, with a Picatinny rail, an ergonomic grip for a comfortable feel, and a 13 round magazine that’s also available in 10 and 15 rounds. The modular chassis on this gun enables the person using it to quickly change from a full-sized gun to a compact or a sub-compact. There is an ambidextrous slide release to accommodate both left and right handed shooters. The optic ready gun has a 3.4 inch barrel and a 13 + 1 round capacity. Four different sized backstraps are available to fit the grip to your individually sized hand. The MSRP is $507.59.
Walther Arms wasn’t really showcasing anything new this year, and had their customary variety of their flagship Performance Duty Pistols on display. We checked out their neat little P22. It’s a .22 LR caliber model with varying magazine capacities of 10, 15, and 20. This particular model is called “The Baby Blue” which matches the color.
The little pistol literally fits into the palm of your hand.
The compact PD380, which has minimum recoil and an easy to rack slide, has no standard mag-release button on the grip. The mag release had been moved to an inconspicuous position on the bottom portion of the trigger guard. The MSRP is $479.00.
The classic PPK .380 ACP that thrilled audiences in the early James Bond movies was nowhere to be seen. I asked the Walther representative and he informed me that the company has stopped producing he PPK/S for the near future. He did assure me that it will return with some new variations at some point in the future. I certainly hope so. Who can forget M’s castigation of 007 in the first Bond movie, Dr. No as Bond tries to sneak his favored Beretta out of his boss’s office after being ordered to carry the Walther PPK? (“Double O Seven,” M says, “leave the Beretta.”)
And speaking of Beretta, the company has been around since 1526 and is one of the cornerstones of gun manufacturing and is known for producing quality weapons. They celebrated their 500 year anniversary on Jan. 22. We stopped by to check out the PX Storm, a compact carry 9 mm Luger caliber. It has a rotating, ported barrel to help disperse the gases of fired rounds.
We also examined the 92X1 SAO Sabbia, a 9mm beauty with a single-action (3.4 lb) trigger pull. The Sabbia, which is Italian for “sand,” after the original bronze-colored finish, appropriate to the name, now comes in standard blue or stainless steel The Vertec aluminum frame is equipped with Picatinny rails, makes adding accessories easy. It has a flared magazine well, and with magazines with various capacities (10, 15, or 18). The stainless steel version is called the INTOX, which is Italian for, you guessed it, stainless steel. The MSRP is $1,699.00. Beretta also has a line of fine looking revolvers. The MR73 Sport has an 8 inch barrel and an MSRP of $4,799.00.
I went by the Sig Sauer booth (www.sigsauer.com) to view their latest models and to ask a question about the recent controversies that have popped up regarding the P320. Basically, there were allegations claiming the P320 was prone to accidentally discharging if dropped at a certain angle. While these allegations have been dealt with, some police departments have banned officers from carrying the weapon. The representative I spoke with at their booth declined to comment, claiming ignorance of the situation. Since it involves pending civil litigation, I expected as much. We checked out the P320 and it appeared to be a fine looking weapon. The company’s long affiliation with the military and law enforcement offers a discounted price. It’s 8 inches in length and is available in numerous calibers (9mm, .357, .40, 10mm, and .45) with varying magazine capacities. (17, 21, 30 rounds). The MSRP is $559.00. Additionally, I’ve personally known police officers who have carried Sig Sauer models for years and found them exceptionally good guns.
Rounding things out, we made a few more stops at various booths that piqued our interest. Safariland Group (www.safariland.com) offered a variety of holsters and equipment. They’re also expanding into the area of hearing protection. The Impulse Hearing Protection line provides both in-ear and Bluetooth over-the-ear options. These devices are designed to provide protection but also allow the user to remain aware of his surroundings. These include the pro Impulse Bluetooth device (MSRP $74.98), the Pro Impulse Plus (MSRP $19.98), and the Pro Impulse Range Kit (MSRP $44.98).
And finally, at the Mantis (www.MANTISX.COM) booth the Laser Academy was going strong. The “academy” is a series of virtual screens with targets and scenarios that allow shooters to safely practice dry firing indoors. It’s the perfect way to practice shooting without using ammo. Several course scenarios available, including one that’s designed to practice dealing with an active shooter in a school or office building setting. The new Mantis Titan replica handgun can be used, as well as the other Mantis “guns,” the Mantis X, and the Blackbeard (a replica of an AR-15 rifle). The “guns” have built in lasers and a Mantis computerized analysis function as well as an automatic resetting trigger. It also has a removable magazine to allow for reloading drills to be incorporated into the training. Analyzed input on the shooter’s accuracy and shooting technique is sent to the shooter’s smart phone. The MSRP for the Titan X is $200.00, for the Mantis X $250.00, and for the Blackbeard X $349.00.
Things eventually rolled to a close on Friday leaving many exhibits unvisited, but this year my mobility and health issues made stopping by more booths problematic.
So, once again, the phrase rings true: Let’s do it again next year.
Michael A. Black is a freelance writer and regular contributor to GunMag.Com. His latest novel, a western, is Retribution Trail, A Bass Reeves Western, available in paperback from Genius Publishing and in hardcover large print from Thorndike Press.
