2014 NASGW Expo – Trade Show Gun News

Welcome to the most comprehensive coverage of the NASGW Expo. Here you will learn about all of the new guns and other gear being introduced in the Fall of 2014 at the NASGW Expo & Annual Meeting.

After an absence from last year’s Expo, GunsHolstersAndGear.com will be back for this year’s firearms trade show in Little Rock, Arkansas.

What is the NASGW? The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers is a 60-year-old organization that brings manufacturers and distributors in the shooting sports industry together under a single roof. Several months before the 2015 SHOT Show, many new guns will be quietly shown to gauge interest for the coming year.

Once the show starts, keep checking back here for photos, videos and the details on new guns, ammo and accessories that we find.

Handguns

We will list any new pistols and revolvers here. In past years we have seen some pretty major introductions such as the Walther PPX 9mm.

American Tactical Imports FX-45 Pistols

American Tactical Imports stated the company will introduce a series of polymer-framed 1911 pistols in 2015. The polymer frames will have two steel inserts to reinforce potentially weak areas. Finger grooves are integral the the fron side of the grip.

The FX-45 pistols will have match-grade steel barrels and a uniquely designed steel slide. The slide is cut to accept Glock front and rear sights, which gives owners a wide range of aftermarket sights to pick from.

Three models are currently under development: the FXH-45, the FXH-45C and the FXH-45D. The -45 model has a 5″ barrel and 8 round magazine. The -45C model reduces the slide length to 4.25″ but retains the 8 round magazine capacity. The most compact of the series, the -45D, has a 3.25″ barrel and a 7 round magazine.

The MSRP of these new guns will be $549.95.

ArmaLite Pistols

ArmaLite eliminated the Turkish-made handguns in the company’s line and have replaced them with a series of AR-based pistols. The new guns feature SIG arm braces with a folding option. Versions in both .223 Rem/5.56 NATO and .308 Win/7.62×51 will be available. Update: I have information on the M-15 pistols and rifles here.

The .308 version is intriguing. It has a 13.5″ barrel, OSS brake and would make a great alternative to an SBR.

Long Guns

This category includes everything from the latest AR-15 to classic double barrel shotguns that were shown at the 2014 NASGW Expo. It was at the 2012 NASGW Show that we caught our first glimpse of the Diamondback DB15 rifles.

Winchester SXP Ultimate Defender Shotguns

Originally, these shotguns were available to dealers as a special order item at the SHOT Show only. However, Winchester is now selling the Ultimate Defender and Ultimate Marine Defender shotguns as a normal stocking item. The scatterguns are based on the company’s SXP shotgun with synthetic stocks and fore arms.

They are chambered in 12 gauge with a 3″ chamber. Both shotguns have an 18″ barrel topped with a breacher standoff and choke tube. Ghost ring sights and forward Picatinny rails are standard. The Ultimate Defender is finished in matte black, while the Marine version has hard chrome plating for corrosion resistance.

The Ultimate Defender has a MSRP of $499.99. The Ultimate Marine Defender carries a price tag of $539.99.

Winchester 1873 Sporter Octagon – Color Case Hardened

At the 2014 SHOT Show, Winchester announced this gun as a limited purchase. It seems that interest was so strong, however, that the Model 1873 Sporter Octagon with Color Case Hardening will be a part of the normal Winchester Arms 2015 catalog.

These rifles will be available in both 357 Magnum/38 Special and 44-40 Win. The guns will have a 24″ barrel, oil finished walnut stocks and the classic look of color case hardening. The full length tube magazine will hold 13 rounds (14 of 38 Special.) The MSRP is $1,739.99.

Winchester Model 1894 Short Rifle in 450 Marlin

New for 2015 will be the Winchester Model 94 short rifle chambered in 450 Marlin. Very popular in lever guns, the 450 Marlin joins the 30-30 Win and 38-55 Win in this model rifle. The barrel length is 20″. The gun weighs 6.75 pounds and will carry a MSRP of $1,229.99.

Fostech Origin 12

Semi-automatic shotguns have vastly improved over the years, but they all generally look the same. The Origin 12 gauge shotgun from Fostech, Inc. (formerly Fostech Arms) will not be mistaken for any traditional shotgun. The guns are gas operated and will run any typical 2 3/4″ shell.

The guns have a number of great features including an oversized paddle safety that is even very easy to operate for people with short fingers/small hands. Stick magazines are available in 5-, 8- and 10-round capacities. Drum mags of 20- and 30-rounds are also available.

The Fostech Origin comes standard with an 18″ barrel, but can also be had as an NFA item (as seen above.) The Mission First Tactical stock, Diamondhead Sights and Picatinny rails are all standard bits. The MSRP runs from $2,600 – $2,800 depending on the finishes desired. Guns begin shipping within the next three weeks according to the folks manning the booth at the 2014 NASGW Expo.

American Tactical Imports Double Trouble

Looking for a tactical over/under shotgun? American Tactical Imports might have your gun. Still in development, the Double Trouble shotgun is an over/under scattergun with a pistol grip and adjustable stock. The gun is chambered for the 12 gauge, but 20 gauge and .410 bore versions are possible at a later date.

The Double Trouble will have Picatinny rails on both the top and underside of the gun. The MSRP of the gun will be about $530.

American Tactical Imports .410 AR-15 Shotgun

American Tactical Imports was showing a functional .410 bore shotgun built on the Omni Hybrid AR-15 lower. The guns use Remington chokes and can handle the whole range of shotshells and slugs. The shotguns are a catalog item for 2015, not just a gag gun to attract attention. The MSRP is expected to be around $650 with a possible street price of about $450-500.

ArmaLite – All New Guns

ArmaLite is showing a completely revamped line of AR-10 and M-15 rifles. The guns have a fresh look and are being designed for both competitive shooters and tactical users. I will post the specs later, but both lines will have guns that are specially thought out to address the needs of each community.

Shipping on some guns start later this month, with the entire new line being available by the end of March. There are some neat features on these guns including tunable muzzle brakes and lighter stocks.

American Tactical Imports Alpha Shotguns

ATI announced a pair of new sporting semi-automatic shotguns. Called the “Alpha,” these guns use an inertia recoil system to keep the guns running. Both guns are chambered for the 12 gauge and have 3″ chambers. They also have vent ribs and fiber optic front sights.

The first gun uses a Turkish walnut stock and forearm. It has a 28″ barrel and will retail for $549.95. The second Alpha shotgun will use a black synthetic stock and have a 26″ barrel. It will be slightly cheaper with a MSRP of $499.95.

Inland M1 Carbines

MKS Supply, Inc. announced they would be marketing and selling brand new Inland M1 Carbines. The carbines will be available in three models: 1944 without bayonet lug, 1945 with lug and an M1A1 Paratrooper model. MSRP will run from $1,049 – 1,179 depending on the model.

The rifles are made in the USA, though it is not immediately clear who is manufacturing them. Currently, Citadel via Legacy Sports is selling .22 LR and 9mm versions of the M1 Carbine rifle.

These guns will be available in the original 30 Carbine caliber. As reproductions go, these sound to be extremely accurate and include the original cartouches. There will be discreet markings to indicate the rifles are not original to help protect collectors.

Remington Ends 770 Line

Remington is ending the 770 line of rifles. The 770 rifles were largely marketed as cheap hunting rifles available through big box stores like Walmart. While the rifles generally functioned fine as a basic hunting gun, many shooters found them wanting when compared to some of the alternatives like the Ruger American or the Savage Axis lines. At the 2013 SHOT Show, Remington introduced the model 783, a gun that many saw as a direct replacement for the 770. It looks like that was an accurate assessment.

SIG 716 Lightweight DMR Prototype

Osage County Guns is reporting on a new SIG SAUER 716 DMR prototype that is supposed to weigh less than 9 pounds and use a brand new QD suppressor.We’ll try to get information on the new gun at the NASGW show.

Gun Ammo, Optics and Other Gear

Hornady 17 WSM Ammo

Hornady announced a new load for the ultra-fast 17 WSM rimfire cartridge. With a muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps is fairly amazing out of a rimfire round. The loads use the popular V-MAX load and is still zipping along at 2,000 fps at 200 yards. Hornady lists the suggested retail price at $21.41 for a box of 50.

Troy Industries M7A1 PDW Stock Kit

Troy introduced the M7A1 PDW stock kit at the 2014 NASGW show. This is the same stock that is used on the company’s gun of the same name. According to the Troy staff I spoke with, the company received overwhelming demand for the kit. Like any good company, Troy responded to consumer demand and is now selling the kit.

Along with the stock itself, the kit comes with a modified bolt that works with the shortened buffer tube required to use the stock. The bolt is designed for full-auto duty, so no matter what kind of rifle you drop it into, it is ready for hard work. The MSRP of the kit is $499.

Winchester Deer Season XP

Winchester Ammunition announced a new line of ammo for deer hunting called the Deer Season XP. The ammo uses a polymer tip in a much wider-than-typical hollowpoint to expand “immediately on impact” to deliver “sledge-hammer energy.” Winchester expects to ship these in April 2015.

The ammo will be available in the following loads:

• 243 Win
• 270 Win
• 270 WSM
• 7mm Rem Mag
• 308 Win
• 30-06 Sprg
• 300 Win Mag
• 300 WSM

Winchester Train & Defend in 45 ACP

Winchester is expanding the existing Winchester Train & Defend ammo line of ammo to include the 45 ACP cartridge. The training loads will be sold in 50 round boxes, while the ballistically similar self-defense loads will come in 20 round boxes. These should be hitting the shelves in January 2015.

Liberty Ammunition

I had a chance to spend some time with the folks at Liberty Ammunition. They had a few new cartridges on hand: one in 10mm and the other in 45 Colt. The 10mm load is said to have the same amount of felt recoil as a 180 grain 40 S&W load, but moves a 60 grain bullet at 2,400 fps! The 45 Colt is moving at a respectable 1,800 fps. Check out my prior review on Liberty Ammunition here.

For big bore hunters, Liberty has a few additional things under development. I can’t talk about them now, but I hope to see something at the SHOT Show in January.

Hornady Full Boar Ammo

Hornady introduced a new line of ammunition called Full Boar. These centerfire rifle rounds use a monolithic copper GMX bullet for deep penetration and weight retention. The ammo is designed for taking wild hog.

Hornady Gets Into the Accessory Market

Hornady is deeping the company toe into the accessory market with the addition of several bags and other branded products. Nearly every company offers branded products, but I believe these bags are the first for Hornady.

The Hornady Tuff Backpack is a day-type pack with side pouches and PALS webbing. It will sell for $86.89. Additionally, the company is offering a tan binocular case with an MSRP of $31.68.

New Nosler Ballistic Tip Ammo

Nosler announced a new line of Ballistic Tip ammunition designed for hunting. The Ballistic Tip (BT) ammo uses the company’s proprietary bullet design of the same name. We have not gotten velocity or energy information yet, but here are the calibers it will be available in:

• 243 Win
• 270 Win
• 7mm-08 Win
• 30-30 Win
• 308 Win
• 30-06 Sprg

Hornady Teaser

Hornady always introduces a bunch of new loads and other gear at the NASGW show. This year is no different. Ahead of the show, they released this teaser video:

Troy Industries 45? Offset Folding BattleSights

Troy Industries will be announcing a new set of folding Battle Sights for AR-style rifles. The sights are designed to be offset at a 45? angle. They will work on either side of the gun and are made in the USA. We’ll try to grab some photos for you.

Update: Here are a couple of photos of the sights. We had a chance to work with these on a gun at the show. They work great – just like I would expect out of anything from Troy.

Anything that does not fit into the handgun or long gun category will wind up here. Traditionally, Hornady makes their annual announcements at this show. Also, there have been significant announcements from Crimson Trace, Blackhawk and others at the NASGW Expo.

NASGW Expo Information

The Expo & Annual Meeting is a yearly event hosted at various locations around the United States. It is not the largest firearms trade show, but it is much more exclusive than even the SHOT Show. Where many individual dealers will attend the SHOT Show, the NASGW is largely limited to manufacturers and distributors.

Very few in the media cover the NASGW show, so there are few sources of information on the new guns being introduced outside of GunsHolstersAndGear.com.

2014 NASGW Expo Dates

The Expo is only part of the NASGW event. The organization also holds meetings for members in the industry. The entire event kicks off on Tuesday, October 14. The Expo, however, opens on Wednesday, October 15 and runs through Friday, October 17.

Location

This year’s event is being held at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is right downtown on the river. It is a beautiful facility with WiFi throughout. Little Rock even runs a trolly in the downtown area, so getting around is both easy and fun.

The facility address:

Statehouse Convention Center
426 W Markham St.
Little Rock, AR 72201

Hotel Information

The Little Rock Marriott is attached to the Statehouse Convention Center, and it is the hotel of choice for the NASGW Expo. As of October 8, there are no longer any rooms available for the event. However, close to the convention center are hotel options from Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Residence Inn, Doubletree Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott and The Capital Hotel.