Shot Show Debuts Latest Innovations

LibraInnovatiions in ammunition and firearm barrels highlighted the recent Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, the industry’s annual unveiling of new products in Las Vegas.

Two barrel developments were met with raves. The three small companies involved found themselves courted by major firearm makers who were interested in the patented designs for factory rifles.

American Safe Arms of Garland, Utah, has designed a barrel that reduces both recoil and noise by redirecting gas from behind the bullet into a sleeve around the barrel through a series of ports. The barrel also improves accuracy by reducing barrel vibration.

Other ported barrels direct gases to the side or above the barrel, usually increasing noise while reducing recoil.

The ASA barrel directs the gas backward, toward the shooter, keeping it inside of the enclosed barrel sleeve and reducing recoil and noise. Because there is less pressure behind the bullet when it exits, barrel vibrations are reduced, which increases accuracy.

The barrels are likely to debut on factory rifles and handguns as early as next year. Custom makers already are ordering the barrels.

AccuLite of Woodland, Wash., and Christensen Arms of St. George, Utah, announced barrels with carbon-graphite fibers wrapped over a thin, steel barrel liner to enhance stiffness, dampen vibrations and increase accuracy while dramatically reducing weight.

New firearm offerings were few, with makers adding line extensions rather than new products.

Remington was the leader in new rifle offerings, making two wildcat rifle cartridges factory loadings - the .260 Remington (or 6.5mm Panther) and the 7mm Shooting Times Westerner (STW) - and chambering the new rounds in its line of rifles.

Federal Cartridge Corp. announced a line of shotshells loaded with a tungsten-iron shot that is nearly identical to lead in mass. Waterfowlers have complained about the requirement to use less-effective steel shot on ducks and geese since it was mandated in 1991 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Winchester teamed up with the Bismuth Cartridge Co., to load and distribute shotshells with bismuth shot, another good substitute for lead.

A line of lead-free pistol and .22 rimfire ammunition from Federal, called BallistiClean removes all lead from the priming compound and bullet (which is zinc and copper). This eliminates concerns in indoor ranges about airborne lead poisoning.