Once more, Outdoor News America organized another fantastic gun industry writer conference at the Texas Gun Experience indoor range in Grapevine, Texas. This two-day event held in October 2024 offered an opportunity for gun industry writers and gun related industry representatives to rub elbows and put to the test great products that are both old and new.
Below is a very brief overview of gun industry companies and products represented at the 2024 Outdoor News America Gun Writers Conference:
American Tactical
American Tactical was on hand again this year and as always showcasing many new innovative products.
Just a few of the newest and current offerings from American Tactical are:
- Alpha Maxx, a 5.56 AR platform, 16” heavy barrel and carbon fiber lower, comes with a Schmeisser 60 round mag. Retail $529.95
- FXH-9, a double/single action 9mm with a polymer frame and a 17-round double stack mag. Retail $799.95
- Diamond insert pistol sights for a wide variety of Glock and the American Tactical FXH-45 pistols. Retail $129.95
- GSG-9/German Sports Gun, a MP5 style sub gun in 9mm. adapter allows for use of either Glock or Sig P320 mags. Retail $879.95
- GSG-16P/German Sports Gun, a 22LR also a MP5 style sub gun that is just plain fun to shoot. Retail $499.95
- Road Agent & Road Agent Prime, these popular double barrel shotguns will soon be available in 20 gauge. Retail $599.95
- Multi-Rukx gun case, that can hold up to a 50-caliber rifle, or be broken down into two separate bags and comes with heavy duty roller wheels, very innovative. Retail $249.95
The highlight of American Tactical newest product for the upcoming year is the Iron Lady gun safe. This safe will be available in a medium and large sizes and has a hidden full length door compartment that is ideal for securing jewelry, important documents and other valuables. Retail starting at only $649.95, this safe is sure to be a hot ticket item.
American Tactical also produces parts for a wide variety of other firearms, ammunition, magazines, gear bags and so much more!
Check out American Tactical guns & gear at americantactical.us.
Century Arms
Century Arms has been around now since the late 1990’s and offers a wide variety of firearms and related products. Perhaps best known for their AK style carbines they have garnered much attention because of the now ever popular Canik pistols.
With a newly opened manufacturing plant producing 48,000 pistols per month the Canik pistols have gained much appreciation for their rugged reliability and accuracy.
Most folks would be surprised to know Canik also produces 50 caliber machine guns, 20mm and 30mm cannons for the US Military.
Century Arms and Caniks newest CCW pistol the MC9L
New from Century Arms and Canik this year:
- AR Style AK47 in 7.62×39
- Draco Tactical AK in 7.62×39
- An AK chambered in 5.56
- MP5P that is actually licensed by HK in the true MP5 style sub gun platform.
- Canik TTI with an internal compensator (not threaded), 2024 handgun of the year at SHOT Show. The TTI is reported to be the best-selling handgun in the US today. MSRP $1000 with all accessories.
- Canik MC9L and MC9LS, both aimed at the concealed carry market. MSRP $499 with all accessories.
This barely touches the tip of the iceberg for available products from Century Arms and Canik. Check out their complete inventory including ammunition at centuryarms.com.
DeSantis Holsters
This family-owned company been in business since 1972 and provides holsters for everyday carry, concealment, hunters, and law enforcement. DeSantis does it all and is well known for top notch quality. Many new and quality holsters are on the list for 2024 including three new models.
- Pocket Partner, a Kydex holster designed for pocket carry.
- Cozy Partner, all leather designed for accommodating pistols with dot sights.
- Appendix Mean Streak.
The Slim Tuck concealed carry holster that debuted in 2023 continues to be their #1 best seller for 2024.
DeSantis has been in business for 52 years and is well worth a look for all your holster needs. Check them out at desantisholster.com.
Kimber
The Kimber name is well known and is the world’s largest producer of 1911 and KDS9c pistols. All of their pistols are built to the highest tolerances right here in the US. Their products include rifles, revolvers, and a wide array of accessories as well.
Aside from Kimber’s well known 1911 platform of pistols, two additional handguns now are in the spotlight in the Kimber lineup:
- Kimber R7 Carbon Compact, a brand-new striker fired pistol from Kimber that is 100% built in the USA and designed to stand at the top of its class. There are 4 models of the Carbon Compact including optics ready versions, all sporting a 15-round magazine.
- KDS9 (Covert Double Stack), this pistol is a 1911 style single action with fully. ambidextrous controls and a reversible magazine release. Available with 10, 13 or 15 round magazines and comes optics ready.
Check out all of Kimber’s new offerings at kimberamerica.com.
Riton Optics
Riton Optics is based in Tucson, Arizona and has been in business for over 10 years. They offer a wide range of quality optics from scopes to binoculars, red dots, spotting scopes, accessories and much more.
Riton 5 Primal Spotting Scope
Their scopes can be placed in one of three categories:
- Primal, a line of tough hunting scopes with a wide range of price points.
- Tactix, this line includes both red dots and low power variable scopes for quick target acquisition, also a wide range of price points available.
- Conquer, for competition or those wishing to shoot at extreme distances and offering zero stop turrets. Also, a wide range of price points for every consumer.
Having personally used Riton Primal scopes, binoculars, and spotting scopes on various hunts, I can attest to the fact that they hold up in tough field conditions.
Please take a look at all their products at ritonoptics.com.
Galco Holsters
Based in Phoenix, Arizona with over 55 years in business, rest assured Galco (Great American Leather Co.) Holsters are tough and top quality.
New Holsters for 2024 include:
Masterbilt Series is a line of holsters that are all hand molded by one individual at the Galco factory. Manuel has personally molded over 1 million holsters. Wow!
- Thunder Clap Belt Holster
- Revenger Belt Holster
- Stow-N-Go IWB Holster
Other new holsters in the Galco lineup include the Hawkey IWB, the Walk About IWB, and the Corvus Speed Cut holster. They offer a wide variety of ammo carriers, belts, slings and so much more.
Be sure to check them out at galcogunleather.com.
SDS Imports (SDS Arms)
In operations since 2017, SDS Imports is now known as SDS Arms and is a provider of quality firearms and accessories. All of their products are American engineered and designed in Knoxville, Tennessee.
SDS Arms MAC 5K
SDS Arms has five impressive firearm brands under its umbrella:
- Tisas USA, 1911 double/single stack pistols and the PX 9 striker fired pistols
- Tokarev USA, Tactical style Shotguns
- Spandau, Sporting and Hunting Over and Under Shotguns
- Inglis, Browning Hi Power clone pistols
- Military Armament Corp., (MAC) Tactical style shotguns, JSOC 1911 pistol, MAC 1911 double stack pistol, MAC-5 9mm (MP-5 remake)
SDS Arms continues to provide new and innovative firearms, parts, magazines and all types of accessories. Take a look at all of their products at sdsarms.com.
Stern Defense
Stern Defense began business in 2017 and is based in Summersville, Missouri. The company is a manufacturer of premium firearm accessories, including magwell adapters, drop in triggers, and conversion kits. All of their products are made in America.
The flagship product is their magwell adapters (MAG-AD) designed to convert a standard mil-spec AR-15, M$ or M-16 lower assembly to use 9mm, 40 S&W, or 45 ACP magazines from some of the most popular pistol models on the market.
Stern Defense Mag AD
Another extremely innovative product is the RAB-AD or Rapid Attach Buttstock Adapter. The adapter allows for reduction in overall length of your firearm and for rapid attachment OR removal if the buttstock or pistol brace in mere seconds.
Both of these products, the MAG-AD and the RAB-AD are really awesome products and well worth a look. Check them out at getstern.com.
GForce Arms
This company was founded in 2020 and is now based in Reno, Nevada. They specialize in firearms, to include shotguns, pistols, and rifles, for hunting and self-defense. These firearms are manufactured in Turkey and imported into the US. Turkey is well-known for their quality manufacturing of quality firearms in today’s gun industry.
GForce Tactical Lever Action
Firearms on the company website are broken into the following 5 categories:
- Home Defense Shotguns
- Pump Action Shotguns
- Hunting Shotguns
- Semi Auto Handguns
- Rifles (lever and single action)
Trying out the model 92 tactical style lever action carbine on the range in 38 special/.357 magnum, we found that the little gun ran flawlessly and was just plain fun to shoot.
I also ran two of GForce Arms semi auto pistols through their paces, the Exodus and the Rapture, both in 9mm. Both ran with no issues and with price points at around $300 these pistols are worth a look.
Check out GForce Arms at gforcearms.com.
Rost Martin
Rost Martin is located in Dallas, Texas and has been in operations since 2020. They currently produce the RM1C striker fired/polymer frame 9mm pistol that focuses on the midpoint price range in the handgun industry.
Make no mistake the RM1C has been catching eyes in the industry and has been featured recently in Shooting Illustrated, Guns and Ammo, and Shooting Times.
The RMIC pistol currently retails at $495, comes optics ready, and is available in multiple choices of color for the frame.
A statement on the Rost Martin website perhaps sums up it best; “Providing high-quality, innovative, and reliable firearms, Rost Martin aims to expand the Second Amendment personal freedoms and rights to the next generation of gun owners.”
Check them out at rostmartin.com.
TAG Precision
Another Dallas, Texas based company TAG Precision has been producing sights for other companies for 19 years. In 2022 they are now creating their own brand and launched production with the most durable fiber optic sights in the industry.
TAG Precision is currently offering sights for the following brand of pistols: Beretta, Canik, CZ, Glock, Kimber, Novak 1911 / 2011, Sig Sauer, Smith and Wesson, Springfield Armory.
Their Fiberlok sight system makes changing colors on their fiber optic style sights super easy and quick. These are definitely worth a try out, at $69.95
For more information go to tagprecision.com.
Bond Arms
Bond Arms has been in business now since 1995. This upcoming year they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary. The Bond name is well known when it comes to a quality derringer style handgun. Based in Granbury, Texas they are famous for building the “Smallest, most powerful personal protection you can carry”.
Aside from quality, when you add in the ability to quickly change barrels (thereby adding more calibers), coupled with aesthetic appeal and affordability that all Bond Arms handguns offer means you have a winning combination.
A couple of Bond Arms products to keep an eye on:
- The Limited Number XLV (45 ACP) to honor our 45th President. “THE LIVING LEGEND” will be available in limited numbers and it will only be available until right before the November 2024 presidential election. The XLV (45) uses Bonds unique flat-sided barrel with detailed lasering on the right side of the barrel and is left blank on the left side of the barrel for you to get creative. Retails for $545.47. This gun will no doubt be a collector’s item for years to come!
- Also, the Bond Lever B, a lever action, .223/5.56 caliber, magazine fed (AR magazines) carbine will finally be available in early 2025 as part of Bond Arms 30th Anniversary celebration.
Go to bondarms.com for more information.
That’s all for this year, an overview of all products offered at 2024 Outdoor News America Writers Conference. Please support them and other gun industry products across the nation. They and you are keeping the 2nd Amendment alive and strong!
About the Author:
TERRY NELSON – is a 30-year veteran of law enforcement with police and sheriff agencies, including SWAT and sniper roles, and has served as a state game warden. Nelson also served seven years with New Mexico State Guard. A lifelong hunter, guide, tracker and firearms enthusiast, Terry is sought for training in multiple disciplines by both civilian and police-serving agencies and companies. Nelson also holds a Basic Tac Med instructor certification from Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
