Top 10 things we're most excited about coming out of 2018 SHOT Show (PHOTOS)

The hallowed walls of the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas were packed last week with vendors showcasing the latest, greatest and sometimes eyebrow raising products the firearms industry has to offer.

From guns, gear, ammo and just about everything in between, attendees were presented with an array of new products. Guns.com roamed the halls, tackled the booths and took some notes all to bring our readers a collection of the top 10 most interesting things we found on the tables of SHOT Show 2018.

Ladyhawk 2.0

Featuring obsidian, abalone, and zinc grips the Ladyhawk comes chambered in 9mm or .45 ACP (Photo: Jacki Billings)

Featuring obsidian, abalone, and zinc grips the Ladyhawk comes chambered in 9mm or .45 ACP (Photo: Wesley Bray)

The Ladyhawk 2.0 by Nighthawk Custom introduces a sleek, understated pink design that’s just cute enough to turn heads without being too over the top. Featuring obsidian, abalone and zinc grips, paired with a rose gold finish, the 9mm or .45 ACP chambered Ladyhawk comes standard with some nice upgrades like Heine Slant Pro night sights and a match grade barrel. This high end beauty costs a pretty penny, though, running just south of $5,000.

Sig Sauer P365

The P365 has a 10 round double stack magazine, weighing in at 17 oz. (Photo: Jacki Billings)

The P365 has a 10 round double stack magazine and weighs in at only 17 ounces. (Photo: Wesley Bray)

Sig Sauer slips in with its P365 pistol designed specifically for concealed carry. Undoubtedly the darling of the show, the P365 impressed even the most jaded gun owners with its competent design and reliable performance on the range. The compact, striker fired 9mm pistol measures just 5-inches long and weighs in at 17-ounces. The P365 packs 10 rounds in a double stack design, 12 with the optional extended mag, all for $599.

Federal Premium Ammunition

.224 Valkyrie has a flat trajectory and range out to 1,300 yards (Photo: Jacki Billings)

.224 Valkyrie has a flat trajectory and range out to 1,300 yards (Photo: Wesley Bray)

Federal Premium dropped 25 new products on unassuming SHOT Show attendees, two of these we think take the cake. First up, is the .224 Valkyrie. Introduced late last year, this entirely new cartridge is poised to take the precision long range shooting world by storm with its flat trajectory and range out to 1,300 yards. Will it displace the industry’s darling — the 6.5 Creedmoor? Time will tell, but the round is certainly generating buzz.

Following the Valkyrie, Federal Premium’s Hyrda-Shok Deep is another round we’re excited to check out. Federal says the Hydra Shok offers 50-percent more penetration than the original Hydra Shok delivering 15-inches of penetration in bare ballistics gel. The 135-grain 9mm Luger looks to be the perfect addition to concealed carriers or home defense enthusiasts ammo arsenal.

ZORE

ZORE's device allows you to set a combination to unlock the gun. (Photo: Jacki Billings)

ZORE’s device allows you to set a combination to unlock the gun. (Photo: Wesley Bray)

Tucked away in the new product center was ZORE — a handheld device prevents a gun from being fired when installed. Shaped like a bullet on one side and with a larger dial connected on the other, the ZORE slips into a pistol’s barrel (9mm for now) and locks into place when the slide is let down. To unlock, user’s twist the exposed dial to the user set combination and rack the slide. While there’s some sacrifices to be made with this style of design, it was one of the more interesting gun locks we’ve seen.

Maxpedition

The lineup from Maxpedition looks more street-wise than tactical (Photo: Jacki Billings)

The lineup from Maxpedition looks more street-wise than tactical (Photo: Wesley Bray)

Maxpedition launched a new concealed carry bag lineup called the Entity series designed around the idea of discreet carry. The Entity lineup looks more street-wise than it does tactical; however, with four backpacks and an array of pouches and panels, the backpacks can safely and covertly store your favorite pistol. Consumers will have to wait until March for the official launch, but these packs look promising.

Avidity Arms PD10

AvidityArms2

The Rob Pincus design is a single stack 9mm (Photo: Wesley Bray)

The Avidity Arms PD10 comes from the brain of instructor Rob Pincus, who wants to offer concealed carriers a more effective carry gun. The 9mm, single stack looks to finally be released this year after spending last year undergoing tweaks to improve handling. With a 10+1 round capacity, double action trigger and aggressive slide stop, among other features, the PD10 is expected to enter the crowded concealed carry market at $499.

Surefire XH-35

The new XH-35 puts out 1,000 lumens (Photo: Jacki Billings)

The new XH-35 puts out 1,000 lumens (Photo: Wesley Bray)

Surefire delivers the lumens with its new XH-35, producing a whopping 1,000 lumens in the weapon-mounted light. The lightweight light is compact, an impressive feat considering the output. Weighing just over four-ounces, the XH-35 can mounting to universal or Picatinny rails and comes with an ambidextrous rear-mounted switch and a few modes to toy with. MSRP is $299.

UnderTech UnderCover

UnderTech UnderCover offers a variety of concealed carry clothing (Photo: Jacki Billings)

UnderTech UnderCover offers a variety of concealed carry clothing (Photo: Wesley Bray)

UnderTech UnderCover has worked hard to bring more concealed carry clothing options to women. The firs to launch concealed carry style leggings, the company has continued its clothing expansion, now offering more leggings in a variety of styles as well as vests and jackets. While concealed carry clothing is certainly a niche market, UTUC is one of only a handful currently fulfilling those desires.

Alien Gear

This IWB holster from Alien Gear has an integrated fan (Photo: Jacki Billings)

This IWB holster from Alien Gear has an integrated fan (Photo: Wesley Bray)

In what I’d term outside the box thinking, Alien Gear certainly raised eyebrows with the debut of its Dry Tuck IWB holster with integrated fan unit. Built on the ShapeShift model, the rig sports a compact fan inlaid in the holster itself to keep concealed carriers in warmer climates cool during summer months. USB rechargeable, the holster is in the prototype phase right now with the real deal hitting consumers later this year.

StealthGearUSA

This AIWB holster pushes the grip closer to the abdomen (Photo: Jacki Billings)

This AIWB holster pushes the grip closer to the abdomen (Photo: Wesley Bray)

StealthGear USA takes the classic AIWB holster design and kicks it up a notch with the Scorpion AIWB. The holster is outfitted with an integrated claw that improves concealment by pushing the grip of the gun closer to the abdomen. Housed on the company’s Ventcore backing, the kydex holster looks breathable and concealable — which is a win for concealed carriers. The company has several fits and colors available with more joining the lineup soon.

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