The SHOT show is back! 2022 marks the return of an in-person venue with throngs of professionals gawking at the latest gear and tactical optics.
Cruising the SHOT Show Aisles for Tactical Optics
Some of that gear has been caged up for as long as two years. This year’s event had has some negative connotations at the surface. However,a deeper look revealed that things weren’t as bad as they seemed. Yes, attendance was down. But a large amount of those no-shows were the swag collectors and cart draggers. They’re typically just in the way of the industry as we conduct business.
That being said, I made my way around the show in record time. I even had an hour each day to eat lunch (imagine that). The other overhead gloom was the “safety officers” that roamed the show. Nobody wants to read about mask Nazis walking the aisles. But for the most part they were pretty lax with enforcement. The ones that did feel the need to walk towards me were quickly repelled by the raising of a beverage which granted attendees an instant exemption. So yes, the show was different but none of the changes got in the way of finding new gear. In fact, here are five optics that will be finding their way onto my firearms this year.
Eotech EFLX Pistol Sight
EOTech is best known for its holographic sights and magnetified tactical optics that suit the long gunner just fine. However, pistoleros have always been left with their tongues hanging out, until now. The release of EOTech’s pistol sight has been the biggest news of the show. Being that I first laid hands on it at the October Athlon Rendezvous, it came as no surprise. The EFLX is built to the same rugged tolerances as all of its other products. It can handle the rigor of riding the slides of even the most intensely recoiling pistols. It features the companies signature square window, top-loading battery, and nine brightness settings. For more: https://www.eotechinc.com/eflx-mini-reflex-sight-mrs
Riton 7 Conquer 3-18x ELR Rifle Scope
The standard for “long-range” is continually extending these days. As rifles and ammunition grow ever capable, 1,000-yard shots are becoming a joke for even the most budget-minded rifles. The 7 Conquer 3-18x is built on this premise. It gives the shooter 46 MRAD of internal elevation adjustment, making it suitable for one-mile shooting and beyond. This is thanks to the 34mm main tube that is home to the companies finest internal components including HD/ED glass. The new scope is available with either an illuminated T3 or PSR reticle. These are the polar opposites of reticle “busyness”. For more: https://ritonoptics.com/product/7-conquer-3-18×50/
Sightmark Mini Shot M Spec M2 Solar
Through the miracle of modern technology, we are starting to see big features show up with little price tags. Sightmark embodies this statement through their affordable yet feature-rich products, now spilling over into the realm of solar-powered devices. This new Mini Shot features a fully enclosed lens that is powered by either an ultra-thin 1632 battery or an onboard solar panel. Sightmark claims a 20,000-hour battery life. Given that it switches to solar when light is available, you can expect it to last far longer. This new optic is small enough to fit any pistol with an RMR footprint. It can also be mounted to a Picatinny or Weaver rail with the included adapter. For more: https://sightmark.com/collections/red-dot-sight/products/mini-shot-m-spec-m2-solar
Crimson Trace HRO
Crimson Trace makes some durable gear, particularly if you consider that its lights and lasers get jostled in holsters across the world all day long. The company turned its engineering department loose on the quest for a near-indestructible optic and the HRO is what they returned with. The HRO, or Heavy Recoiling Optic, is built to take whatever you can throw at it and keep ticking. Features like a recessed lens and all-aluminum construction set the stage for CT’s award-winning electronics suite which includes motion activation and technology that pulls an amazing 50,000-hour battery life from a single CR2 battery. As the story goes, during testing the HRO was mounted to a 7.62 x 51 belt-fed machine gun and the gun failed before the optic.
Brownell’s MPO 1-6x “Donut”
I get hungry just writing about this thing! Those [redacted] at Brownells know exactly what they were doing when they named it! Based on the original Steyr AUG reticle, the MPO (short for Match Precision Optic) features two aiming circles for fast target acquisition as well as a touch of ranging ability. The 1-6x magnification range makes it ideal for the 3-gun competitor. AR hunters will love it too as it can be both fast and precise. Features like capped turrets ensure that things don’t go sideways on you when moving through a course of fire or thick brush. Just one look through the Japanese glass will make you a believer. Of all the tactical optics at SHOT, this was the one that got me the most excited. For more: https://www.brownells.com/optics-mounting/scopes/rifle-scopes/mpo-1-6x-rifle-scope-with-illuminated-donut-reticle-prod145123.aspx
