The segment opens with a friendly challenge to other shooters to beat a score at 50 and 100 yards, then moves into an overview of the new Canik Rival at the Century Arms booth. The pistol’s frame evolved from the Mete series and features a full‑length backstrap, integrally flared magwell, and a bolt‑on magwell that matches the frame interior. Ambidextrous slide releases and a reversible magazine release accommodate right‑ and left‑handed shooters, with small, medium, and large inserts to fit different hand sizes. The grip uses more aggressive texturing for better control during fast strings of fire. The slide has functional front cocking serrations and a distinctive cut that exposes a fully fluted barrel. A new flat‑faced aluminum trigger offers minimal pre‑travel, a 90‑degree break, and a very short reset, emphasizing fast, controlled shooting performance at distance.
The discussion continues with the Canik Rival Dark Side edition. Mechanically it shares the same platform as the standard Rival but is finished in a blacked‑out scheme instead of the Canik gray seen on the base model. The Dark Side version includes an integrated optics cut designed to work with a specific optics plate. This setup allows co‑witnessing a micro red dot with the rear sight, maintaining a usable sight picture even if the optic fails. The segment emphasizes that shooters can choose between the standard gray Rival and the Dark Side variant based on preferred aesthetics while retaining the same frame design, trigger characteristics, and overall performance features demonstrated in the earlier long‑range drills.
Still at the Canik area, attention shifts to a Cerakote 3D laser imaging system. The representative explains that the process uses Cerakote pigments and laser technology to alter pigmentation within the coating without removing material or engraving the surface. A pistol coated in a single color of Cerakote Elite Earth is placed in the machine, and the laser run begins. As the camera zooms in, a pattern appears on the slide, created solely by changing the color of the existing single‑layer coating. The resulting design is smooth to the touch, with no raised or recessed areas. The system enables both core and custom patterns, with examples such as a Titanium model and a Splinter Blue model shown as potential production offerings for Canik firearms using this imaging technology.
Coverage then moves to Recover Tactical at SHOT Show 2022 Industry Day One to examine the new PIX product. The PIX is a shell that opens to accept a pistol, transforming it into a modular AR‑style platform. Configured with a stock and threaded buffer tube, it provides an AR‑like shoulderable setup. The chassis includes a full Picatinny rail on top, two Picatinny rails on the sides, and can be fitted with accessories such as MG9 side rails and flip‑up sights. Controls mimic an AR, including an AR‑style safety selector marked for fire and safe and an AR‑style magazine release located at the front magwell. The trigger uses the host pistol’s mechanism and retains a normal reset. The base kit, including the shell and charging handle, is priced at $199.95 and secures the pistol with multiple clips and supplied hardware for the charging handle installation.
The next stop is the HK booth, where the conversation begins with the relaunch of the SL8 rifle. HK notes that only a limited quantity, around 1,500 units, will be imported. The SL8 platform can be used for G36‑style conversions through Tommy Built Tactical, which offers components such as double‑stack configurations. The discussion briefly references the UMC and other HK platforms, emphasizing that the SL8 remains a popular base for enthusiasts interested in G36‑inspired builds. The limited import numbers underscore its niche status, and viewers are reminded that Tommy Built Tactical has previously supplied rifles for Classic Firearms giveaways, highlighting the connection between the SL8 and custom conversion projects.
Attention turns to the HK SP5, described as closely mirroring the MP5 with delayed blowback operation and a three‑lug barrel, but without a four‑position selector. It is produced on the same assembly line as MP5s, maintaining the familiar HK feel. The MR series rifles, including the MR762, are built in Columbus, Georgia, with HK noting a weight reduction of about two pounds compared to earlier configurations. An MR762 package with a Vortex optic is mentioned as a favored .308 rifle in prior coverage. The segment then introduces the MP5 .22 LR variant, designated MP5 22, produced by Umarex in Germany in close cooperation with HK. It uses a 25‑round magazine and replicates SP5 and MP5 specifications, including matching sights and a functional charging handle, providing a rimfire option that closely mimics the handling of the centerfire MP5 platform.