The Small Players of SHOT Show Who Deserve a Big Shout-Out

As we wrap up our SHOT Show coverage this year, we want to give a shout-out to all the smaller players who are on the floor. You’ll see nearly every media outlet report on the new Smith & Wesson products, and don’t get us wrong, we love Smith & Wesson. But even Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson had to get their start somewhere, right? At some point, they too were the small guys.

That’s why this year, we’re looking at some of the small-time hustlers out there. The guys who are just one or two people at the company, or just someone walking the floor. Here are the companies who could be the next big names.

Roswell Rifle Works, Minman Firearms, Gearhead Gunsmith at Vanguard Arms

The SR-3 Vikhr had some of the biggest buzz at the show. (All photos: Seth Rodgers/Guns.com)

The Vanguard Arms booth housed some of the most innovative designs we saw at SHOT Show. The best part about the booth is that it seems more like a collection of mad hatter gunsmiths with ideas that are pushing firearms innovation than a single company. The booth displayed drool-worthy clones, including a SR-3 Vikhr clone that had some people pulling out their wallets.

There's something about this gun, but Calleja and the story behind it might be more impressive.

For me, it was the Type 100 Nambu clone from the “Tensei Sensei” Charles Calleja at Gearhead Gunsmith that impressed most. Not only was it amazing to see him bring this old design back to life single-handedly, but his story was compelling. The whole company, along with so many successful companies, was born of tough times and the owner’s dream of creating a product that didn’t exist. The fact that Calleja is making each firearm himself, at his shop on the same land as his house, is as intriguing as the gun itself.

Does a name "Spud Gun" get any better for a 37mm flare gun?

Minman Firearms had a similar start, but 3D-printed additive and competition are more central to Justin Minman’s story. Again, his journey has been one of making things that no one else will. The STEN lower was cool, but it was the names, like Apple Fritter and Spud Gun for their flare launcher, that made me giggle. Firearms can and should be fun, and the small guys like Minman seem to embrace that.

Murdoch & Co. EM-85

Like the stories above, the Murdoch & Co. EM-85 was born out of necessity because it didn’t exist in the States. Evan Murdoch is a Brit by blood but an American gun lover by choice, and when he wanted to shoot a SA80 here in the States, he couldn’t find one.

Alex was impressed and with good reason.

Not only is he trying to replicate the iconic gun stateside, but he is working with the Royal Armory to make sure it’s as close to the authentic SA80 as possible, no expense spared. Cheers to Evan Murdoch for undertaking the daunting task!

Heavy Metal Hand Cleaner

We ran into Founder and CEO John Power strolling the show floor, and he handed us a sample of soap from the startup he launched last year. I was happy to see that someone is taking a stab at a “de-lead” solution with all-natural products. We’ve used it a couple of times already, and this stuff is great!

This will become a regular addition to the range day gear.

Not only is it cleaning your hands, but it moisturizes much better than some of the other solutions out there. It might become the standard household soap, I like it so much. I always love when happy coincidences happen at SHOT. Remember, no matter what soap you use, wash your hands after shooting.

EchoCore Suppressors

The happiest guy at SHOT Show might have been Chris Mudgett, Founder of EchoCore Suppressors. That could be because his brand-new suppressor company is already winning awards – or maybe it’s because he got to hang out at the Silencer Shop booth all week, which was constantly stacked with caffeine and friendly faces.

There is some very cool design factors going on with these new cans from EchoCore

EchoCore cans are incredibly light and 3D-printed, which allows Mudgett to include some cool topographic designs, adding to the appeal. The innovative baffle and flowthrough design on these cans has us ready to get them on the end of some barrels soon.

Irregular Defense

We noticed Irregular Defense because of a Russian Orthodox patch displayed on the company’s brand-new Berry-compliant camo pattern, but it turns out the owner has even bigger plans on the horizon. Many know Slade Cutrer from GBRS, but he has since co-founded Irregular Defense and the Irregular Design Group.

He explained to us how Irregular intends to change the suppressor game with its innovative QD muzzle device and HUB mount system. The innovative design and manufacturing sets these guys far apart from a lot of other silencer manufacturers. Everyone who shoots suppressed will want to check out these products. This year, you can move in silence as you blend in with Irregular Defense.

Rozvelt

Out of all the people on this list, Nicholas Monette, CEO of Rozvelt, may have been hustling the hardest at SHOT Show. He was busking in the hallway of Caesar’s when he handed me a solid metal faux-gold business card. A card with this much weight, you can’t just throw away. His 30-second elevator pitch was rather interesting as well. He told me he developed a mask that allows the user to breathe in, but hides the exhaled breath.

Hide your breath from all suspicious animals. Or get some dreads and become "Predator".

When I got home from SHOT Show, I looked into it, and the product is interesting. The mask is aimed at the most serious backcountry hunters who always worry about scent control. If you’re chasing Boone & Crokett books, then you don’t want bad breath to be the thing that alerts an animal of your presence.

It's tough to thorw away a business card like this, even now.

Honorable Mentions

We mentioned how cool Pro 2 Customs is at the IWI booth, but they deserve a second shoutout for making some of the coolest guns around.

If you’re looking for an awesome grip to go on that freshly painted gun, be sure to check out LOK grips. These guys have been big in the competition space for years but make beautiful grips and deserve more attention.

We got into a conversation with Brian Shaw, Co-Owner of Mojoh Gear, who has a Kickstarter out right now for an intriguing device that turns your range backpack into a little table. Stop hurting your back by bending over all the time – save it by making your bag a table!