The hosts return from the NRA Annual Meeting and shift from pistols to long guns, focusing on their top five rifles from the show. They note how difficult it is to narrow choices because the event covers a huge area and features a large number of firearms and accessories. The discussion is framed as a follow-up to their earlier top five pistols segment, with an acknowledgment that some interesting products will inevitably be missed. They also mention that a few honorable mentions may slip into the list. The goal is to highlight rifles that stood out for design, features, or uniqueness rather than simply repeating common black or flat dark earth configurations seen throughout the show.
The number five spot goes to a custom rifle from Shark Coast Tactical, highlighted for its distinctive aesthetics rather than conventional configuration. The rifle, referred to as the Viking rifle, features extensive laser engraving across components such as the magwell and the area above the trigger guard. Each section reportedly requires about nine hours of laser work, resulting in a high level of detail and a visually striking finish. The hosts emphasize how this rifle stood out among the many standard black and brown guns on the show floor. Shark Coast Tactical also displayed themed tribute builds, including World War II-inspired guns and 1980s-style Glocks with Miami-inspired motifs, reinforcing their focus on detailed, artistic firearm finishes.
The number four rifle is the Stag Arms Pursuit, a bolt-action platform that the hosts did not initially expect to impress them. Previously introduced at SHOT Show, it receives closer examination at NRA. The Pursuit is offered in three chamberings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, and 7.62/.308. It features a twist-fluted barrel and a TriggerTech trigger, which is noted as a high-quality, highly tunable option. The rifle includes a Picatinny spigot mount and M-LOK on the front handguard. A distinctive element is its takedown system: instead of separating the barrel from the action, it uses an AR-style captured pin at the rear to remove the stock, reflecting Stag’s AR-10 background. This design is intended to let users configure the rifle for different applications such as hunting or precision shooting. Left-handed models are mentioned, and there is interest in testing durability and performance in a future bolt-gun series.
In the number three position, Henry’s updated brass-framed lever-action rifles are featured, specifically the Sidegate models. Henry has added a side loading gate to its traditional brass guns such as the Golden Boy and Big Boy lines. The example on hand is a .30-30 model, described as visually striking and well-finished. The hosts discuss the .30-30 Winchester cartridge, often called “America’s cartridge,” and note the common belief that everyone owns a .30-30 lever gun, even though that was not their personal experience growing up. After shooting this Henry .30-30 together, they describe it as a very enjoyable rifle with smooth operation. Lever actions are compared to driving a manual transmission, offering a mechanical, engaging feel. They also mention Henry’s .45-70 models and reference prior footage where fast lever-gun manipulation was demonstrated, hinting at more lever-action content to come.
The number two slot goes to the CZ Scorpion Evo Gen 3 rifle, shown at the CZ/Colt booth. The Scorpion Evo platform is already well known in pistol form, and the new Gen 3 version brings more AR-style ergonomics. The notable change discussed is that this iteration is now available as a rifle chambered in 9mm, rather than only as a pistol. The hosts emphasize how enjoyable 9mm carbines are to shoot due to low recoil and high controllability, especially on steel targets. One host mentions running a Franklin Armory binary trigger in a personal CZ Scorpion and shooting it suppressed with the direct blowback system, describing it as very entertaining for rapid fire. They suggest that installing a similar trigger in the rifle-length Scorpion, with its additional points of contact and larger platform, could make fast, accurate shooting even more controllable and satisfying, especially when paired with a properly zeroed red dot optic.
Before revealing the top rifle, the hosts add an honorable mention for Battle Arms Development. At the Battle Arms booth, they discuss the OIP rifle, described as extremely lightweight. The OIP is mentioned in both pistol and full-size rifle or SBR-style formats, with both versions feeling very close in weight, around four pounds. The emphasis is on how remarkably light the platforms are while still being functional AR-style rifles. They also note seeing an in-development trigger for AK-pattern rifles, suggesting Battle Arms is expanding beyond AR components. Details on the AK trigger remain limited, but it is presented as a preview of upcoming products. This segment positions Battle Arms Development as a company focused on lightweight builds and new trigger options, warranting recognition even though the OIP does not occupy a numbered slot in the top five list.
The number one pick centers on LWRCI. The hosts mention a new, more cost-conscious direct-impingement model that uses the same upper as LWRCI’s higher-end rifles but omits ambidextrous controls to reduce price. This DI option is presented as a way for shooters to access LWRCI quality at a lower entry point, though one host clearly prefers saving for the fully ambidextrous configuration. The actual top choice is identified as the LWRCI .300 Blackout pistol, referred to as the A5 300 Blackout pistol. While detailed specifications are not fully explored in the available discussion, the selection underscores interest in the .300 Blackout chambering in a compact AR-style pistol format from a manufacturer known for premium builds. The segment closes the list by highlighting LWRCI’s combination of established upper designs, new DI offerings, and a dedicated .300 Blackout pistol as the standout rifle-platform entry from the show.
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