Heckler & Koch brought some new toys to Media Day 2012. The rifle that caught my attention the most was the new H&K MR762A1. This rifle is the 7.62 mm version modeled after the company’s MR556A1, which is chambered in 5.56 mm. This is the civilian model of the H&K 416 that was developed for military and law enforcement use.
The rifle sports the H&K gas piston system, ambidextrous features, and 10-round standard polymer magazines with the ability to accept the 20-round versions designed for the 416. The MR762A1 also offers a whole lot more.
At the SHOT Show 2012 Zero Tolerance Knives booth, we caught up with Jim McNair, who gave us a run down of the ZT 560/561 line. This is a new knife for 2012 with a 3.75″ stonewashed blade of Swedish ELMAX steel, which is a high chromium-vanadium steel with exceptional wear and corrosion resistance. The locking mechanism is a thick frame lock.
The left side scale is black (560) or brown (561) G-10 over a titanium liner, while the right side is titanium. Both the G-10 and Ti have what ZT calls 3-D machining for added grip. The titanium is relief cut on the blade sides to decrease weight. The overall knife comes in at 5.8 ounces.
The Sphinx SDP Compact pistol was on display at the KRISS/Sphinx booth at the 2012 SHOT Show. The SDP is a 9mm pistol that is made in Switzerland.
The SDP Compact uses a traditional double-action/single-action system. The DA trigger pull is rated at 8.16 pounds, while the SA pull is around 3.3 pounds.
The frame is a little more non-traditional, as it has two halves: an upper aluminum and a lower polymer. The upper portion of the frame is hard-anodized aluminum, with full-length guides rails machined into the metal. The rails use Teflon inserts to help reduce wear.
Introduced at the 2012 SHOT Show, the Mosberg 464 SPX is a tactical, lever action rifle chambered in .30-30. Â This lever gun is black (of course) and comes standard with a tri-rail and AR-style, adjustable buttstock. Â Yes, it can be had with a flash hider.
Mossberg is also introducing a .22 LR version of the 464 tactical lever gun. Â This model can be purchased with a muzzle break to help tame the wild recoiling rimfire.
Michael Bane mentioned the tactical .30-30 on his podcast a week or two ago. Â I thought it could be very cool or a train wreck. Â I’ll let you decide for yourself. Â MSRP starts at $497 and goes up from there.
I’m a big fan of the lever action rifle as a home defense gun. Â The .30-30 cartridge is more than adequate to stop a determined home invader. Â Plus, in the aftermath, it is much harder for an attorney representing the “poor victim” to show you were a bloodthirsty killer by pointing to a walnut stocked lever action your daddy gave you. Â I just don’t know if the 464 SPX is quite what I am thinking for self defense, but what the heck. Â Different strokes for different folks. Â If you like it, buy one and don’t worry about what anyone else might think.
The muzzle brake on the .22 LR version of the Mossberg 464 SPX.
2014 Update
Mossberg continues to sell the 464 SPX rifles. It would seem that they are a better seller than some people gave it credit for.
The MSRP has increased to $552 from the original $497. I suppose that is to be expected.
One thing Mossberg did do was the company added a zombie version of the rifle. The 464 ZMB is much the same gun, but with a splash of green for good measure. I do not have a photo of it to post. However, when I get one, I will add it to this page. The zombie version of the rifle has a suggested list price of $581.
The SIG P938 pistol has generated a lot of interest from shooters ever since word of it leaked in late 2011. Â The P938 is a single-action-only handgun chambered in 9mm.
I can understand why this pistol would generate a lot of interest. Â Essentially, the P938 is a 9mm version of the very popular SIG p238 handgun. Â Talking with one of the SIG reps, he said that the pistol has the same look and feel of the P238, and it doesn’t feel much larger than the .380 ACP gun. Â It is possible that many of the same holsters that fit the P238 will also work for the P938.
The SIG P938 will come in a variety of packages that have become standard across the classic SIG line including Equinox, Rosewood and Extreme. Â Night sights are standard, with one option utilizing a TRUGLO tritium-fiber optic front sight.
