The segment opens on day three, part two of SHOT Show 2022 coverage after a quick lunch break. The crew plans to walk more booths and encourages viewers to follow the ongoing coverage and comment on which brands they would like Classic Firearms to carry. The first stop is the Swampfox Optics booth, where Mike from Swampfox returns to the channel. They reference a previous manufacturer review where Swampfox optics were run hard on the range and then transition into discussing two new Swampfox products being introduced at the show.
Swampfox presents the Saber, a 5x prism scope scaled up from the company’s Trihawk 3x optic. The Trihawk 3x offers a 10-degree field of view, showing about 52 feet at 100 yards, while the Saber delivers approximately 30.9 feet at 100 yards at a true 5x magnification. Mike notes that many prism scopes in the market only provide around 20 to 23 feet at 100 yards, so the Saber’s field of view is comparatively wide. He describes it as excelling from roughly 100 to 500 yards and mentions running one on a 7.62x39 AK at home, making 300-yard shots feel unusually easy for that platform. The Saber is priced around $389, is simple and robust, weighs over 20 ounces, and remains slightly lighter than a low-power variable optic with mount.
Because 5x magnification is not ideal for close-range work, Swampfox demonstrates pairing the Saber with a Sentinel pistol red dot mounted offset on the scope body. A mounting plate is available on either side, allowing right- or left-handed shooters to position the dot accordingly, and users could even mount dots on both sides if desired. On a deactivated rifle, Mike shows how the shooter can use the 5x sight picture for distance, then roll the rifle slightly to pick up the offset dot for quick, close shots. This setup preserves a wide field of view at 5x while still offering a practical option for snap shooting at short distances. The host comments positively on the user experience and sight picture through the Saber.
Attention shifts to the Swampfox Kraken, a closed-emitter pistol red dot. The host notes that the optic’s large window and crisp reticle make the dot easy to acquire quickly. Mike explains that optics companies are moving toward closed emitters because they are easier to keep clean and are very durable. The Kraken uses a 7075 aluminum housing with hardcoat finish and a side-mounted CR2032 battery, providing an expected real-world battery life of a couple of years. It features a 3 MOA dot and will be offered in separate red and green versions rather than a selectable color. The elevation and windage adjustments now have distinct, half-MOA clicks that can be both felt and heard, a design improvement Swampfox had not previously achieved on earlier models. The anticipated price is around $300.
The Kraken is designed to mount directly to RMR and Glock MOS footprints, allowing users with RMR-milled slides or factory MOS Glock pistols to install a closed-emitter optic without switching to an Acro-style slide. This reduces additional slide costs while still providing the advantages of a closed-emitter design. The optic is shown mounted on a Swampfox Wolverine slide for Glock pistols, available for Glock 19 and Glock 17 Gen 3, as well as compatible frames like Polymer80 and Nomad. Buyers can choose different iron sights, including tritium or fiber optic options, and the setup shown provides a co-witness with the Kraken. The components are designed to work together so users can assemble a complete Glock slide package with a closed-emitter dot and matching sights without worrying about compatibility.
The coverage then moves to the Smith & Wesson booth, where Cory introduces several new products. He starts with the CSX, described as a metal-frame micro 9mm pistol. The CSX offers 10+1 capacity with a flush-fit magazine and 12+1 with an extended magazine that provides a pinky rest. Its styling is reminiscent of a 1911, but it is not a 1911 design. The pistol is intended as a carry gun with an approximate 5-pound trigger and fully ambidextrous controls. The magazine release can be swapped for left-handed shooters, and the safety can be engaged with the slide locked back, similar to a 1911. Cory highlights the low bore axis and soft recoil characteristics for a micro 9mm. The host notes that the gun feels light yet solid in the hand and that the market for a metal, double-stack micro 9mm has not been crowded, giving the CSX a distinct niche.
Cory next discusses the M&P Shield Plus chambered in 30 Super Carry, developed in collaboration with Federal. He explains that 30 Super Carry is designed to offer recoil characteristics similar to .380 ACP while delivering terminal performance comparable to 9mm. Using this cartridge, the Shield Plus capacity increases from 13+1 in 9mm to 15+1 in 30 Super Carry without changing the frame size. While updating the model, Smith & Wesson also revised the slide cut so that a popular micro red dot, the Holosun 507K, can mount directly to the Shield Plus in 30 Super Carry. The host comments on the trend of very small pistols being equipped with red dots, lasers, and lights, and Cory notes that cartridge design was the next logical step after maximizing 9mm capacity in micro-compact frames.
The Shield EZ line is also shown in 30 Super Carry. Cory states that this single-stack version increases capacity from eight to ten rounds with the new cartridge. He describes the perceived recoil as comparable to the .380 Shield EZ, making it a soft-shooting option well suited for new concealed carriers or those sensitive to recoil. The pistol retains the Shield EZ safety features, including a manual safety, grip safety, and internal safety systems. The host recalls selling Shield EZ pistols in a gun store to customers with arthritis or limited hand strength, demonstrating the easy-racking slide using a pinky. Cory then briefly introduces the refreshed MSR line, the Volunteer series, which updates the popular M&P Sport II with new furniture and features. The Volunteer XB model includes upgraded furniture such as B5 Systems stock and grip, a Bravo Company M-LOK forend, a flat-face trigger, and a low-profile front end that works well with optics like an ACOG while allowing the addition of backup sights.
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