The video opens by steering viewers toward the Rumble platform and the Outside the Warehouse channel, explaining that some SHOT Show 2023 content cannot live on YouTube due to firearms policies. The hosts frame this upload as a countdown of their top five accessories from the show, focusing on optics, lasers, mounts, and other non-firearm gear. They quickly cut to the B&T booth to spotlight the BWC9, a briefcase-style chassis system that is not serialized and therefore not legally a firearm. The BWC9 incorporates a Picatinny rail and an Aimpoint Acro P-2 optic and is designed around the SIG Sauer P320 ecosystem. Users drop in their own P320 fire control unit, slide, and barrel in 9mm, .40, or .357 SIG, then configure it as a short-barreled rifle and handle their own ATF paperwork. The chassis includes a folding grip, folding stock, and recessed charging handle, and B&T jokingly names it “Because We Can,” underscoring its unconventional briefcase-gun concept.
The discussion continues with clarification that the B&T BWC is strictly a chassis with an optic, not a pistol or complete firearm, which keeps it off the serialized list and lets buyers customize around their P320 components. Its folding grip and compact design earn it the number five slot in the accessories ranking. The hosts comment on B&T’s playful product naming, referencing the GHM (Grasshopper Mouse) pistol-caliber carbine and its implied rivalry with another well-known PCC, while also airing frustrations about long waits and lackluster treatment at B&T’s range day. The focus then shifts to Scalarworks, a brand frequently featured in Classic Firearms giveaways. They show a Nightforce optic on an MR556A1 and a Mark 18 using Scalarworks mounts, setting up a deeper dive into how Scalarworks’ EOTech mount replaces the standard QD base to raise the optic slightly, clear front-end accessories, and improve the shooter’s field of view.
This section digs into the practical issues of mounting optics and magnifiers. The hosts explain that pushing an EOTech too far forward to clear lights and lasers can cause eye relief problems with flip-to-side magnifiers, forcing shooters into an awkward “gooseneck” posture. Scalarworks addresses this with mounts that reposition optics without adding unnecessary weight. A standout is a new ACOG mount that integrates a 45-degree offset RMR platform into a single piece. Instead of stacking separate mounts, this one-piece solution reduces cost, weight, and potential failure points while keeping the backup red dot at a consistent angle. At the Scalarworks booth, Phil introduces their first dedicated EOTech mount for the EXPS2 and EXPS3. Unlike simple risers, it fully replaces the factory QD lever base, raising the optic to a 2.26-inch height and pushing it slightly forward. It uses the Scalarworks click drive QD system and can accept an optional rear Picatinny rail to position standard-height magnifiers like the G33 or Leap 6 correctly behind the optic, all while matching the OEM mount’s weight.
The conversation turns to why a 2.26-inch optic height matters. Raising an EOTech to this height improves passive aiming through night vision devices and makes it easier to shoot while wearing gas masks or other bulky face protection. The taller mount also helps clear crowded rail space when lasers, illuminators, and front sights are stacked near the muzzle. Scalarworks achieves this in a single, rigid riser piece that maintains similar weight and materials to the factory setup, avoiding the wobble or complexity of stacked risers. From there, attention shifts to EOTech’s OGL, initially framed as the “Original Gangster Laser,” and compared to a standard PEQ-15 on an M4A1. The hosts explain that night vision devices like the PVS-14 depend heavily on ambient light and often require IR illuminators to be effective in dark environments. Common units such as DBALs, PEQs, and MAWLs include built-in illuminators, but the OGL introduces a more intuitive control layout and a side lever that adjusts the IR illuminator beam from tight to wide without twisting a front lens.
This segment focuses on EOTech’s compact illuminator and laser package. The unit features a beam that can be adjusted from tight to wide using a side lever, allowing rapid transitions between long-range spot and close-range flood without fine motor manipulation at the front of the device. Both the visible and IR lasers are slaved together, meaning a single zero applies to both spectrums, simplifying setup and ensuring alignment between day and night use. At the EOTech booth, the hosts showcase the OGL, now described as the “On Gun Laser,” mounted on an M4A1. Roughly the size of a deck of cards, it is noticeably smaller than legacy units like the PEQ-15 or MAWL. The OGL combines slaved IR and visible lasers with a Vixel laser illuminator and uses a proprietary slide mechanism to move between flood and spot. This slider is aligned with the fire button so the support hand can intuitively adjust the beam while maintaining a firing grip, emphasizing ergonomics under stress.
The OGL’s practical details are laid out: it weighs about 7 ounces with a CR123 battery installed and accepts common pigtail switches, including an included Modlite Hot Button. EOTech ships it with protective covers and beam shapers, and offers finishes in anodized gray and flat dark earth/tan. The gray tone is highlighted for blending well with both FDE and black rifles. The host describes borrowing an OGL from the booth to mount on a Daniel Defense M4A1 fitted with an LMT M203 grenade launcher, using the setup for photos and content and praising how clean and integrated it looked. The throw-style beam adjustment is emphasized as a major advantage over twisting front lenses when under pressure. The video then transitions to Gemtech’s GVAC system, which adapts tank bore evacuator technology to the AR-15 platform. By cutting specific sections in the barrel to trap gas and then use it to create a vacuum effect, the system echoes the swollen section seen on an M1 Abrams tank barrel that protects crews from toxic propellant gases.
The hosts explain how a tank barrel bore evacuator works: as the round travels down the barrel, high-pressure gases are trapped in a bulged section. Once the projectile exits, the pressure differential creates a vacuum that pulls residual gases forward and out of the barrel, preventing them from rushing back into the crew compartment. Gemtech’s GVAC gas system applies this principle to AR-pattern rifles, particularly for suppressed use. Instead of letting excess gas vent back through the ejection port and dust cover into the shooter’s face, GVAC uses forward-facing barrel ports and a specialized gas block to capture and redirect high-pressure gas. Anthony from Gemtech details how the system stores this gas and then jets it forward after bullet exit, while still leaving enough pressure at the standard gas port to cycle the action reliably. Because GVAC taps gas after the operating gas port rather than before it, the rifle maintains normal cycling characteristics while significantly reducing gas blowback and shooter discomfort.
Building on the GVAC concept, the video describes a reimagined barrel profile that shifts more mass toward the rear. This increases rigidity where it matters for accuracy while keeping the front end lighter, which is especially beneficial once a suppressor is attached and overall muzzle weight climbs. Gemtech introduces the Abyss 5.56 reduced back pressure suppressor, designed to work hand-in-hand with systems like GVAC. Internally, the Abyss vortices gas around its baffles and then vents it through the end cap, converting what would normally be internal blowback into additional muzzle flash reduction. The result, according to Gemtech’s data, is virtually no visible muzzle flash from the first shot to the last. Using a BNK Pulse meter with C-weighting, they report around 135 dBC at the muzzle, positioning the Abyss as both quiet and low-flash. The hosts propose a rigorous 1,000-round comparison test using the same suppressor on a GVAC-equipped rifle versus a standard direct impingement setup with identical barrel lengths to quantify fouling and reliability differences.
The testing concept is expanded: two otherwise identical suppressed rifles, one with the GVAC barrel system and one with a conventional direct impingement barrel, would each fire 1,000 rounds. Afterward, a white glove inspection would compare internal fouling, gas residue, and reliability, demonstrating how venting gas after the port can mitigate blowback without compromising function. The hosts then pivot to an honorable mention accessory they regret missing on the show floor: the Leupold Mark 5HD 2-10 LPVO. They apologize for not visiting Leupold’s booth and praise the optic’s glass clarity, 35mm main tube, and Trimmer 3 reticle. The Mark 5HD 2-10 is framed as a versatile low-power variable optic that still offers meaningful reach for precision shooting, making it attractive for shooters who want a compact scope with long-range capability. This sets the stage for unveiling their number one pick, which moves away from traditional scopes toward cutting-edge hybrid digital optics.
The top accessory slot goes to Holosun’s new family of optics that integrate night vision and thermal capabilities into red dot-style housings. The night vision variant uses a sensor and IR illuminator mounted above a pass-through red dot. In daylight or normal lighting, it functions like a standard red dot. When needed, users can activate a night vision overlay or close the front cap to run full digital night vision through the same sighting system. This configuration offers limited-range but highly practical night capability in a compact footprint. Pricing for the night vision model is said to start around $1,000, positioning it as a budget-friendly entry into digital NV for rifles. The thermal version follows the same basic architecture, adding its own independent reticle, onboard video and photo recording, and multiple viewing modes such as white hot, black hot, fusion, outline, and highlight. A standard thermal model is expected around $1,600, while a Pro version with a 33% larger sensor is targeted around $2,300.
Further details cover size and power. Although larger than a typical micro red dot, the Holosun night vision and thermal units are considered compact relative to their feature set, consolidating what would normally require separate optics. The thermal models run on two rechargeable 18350 batteries, delivering about 20 hours of runtime on the standard version and roughly 10 hours on the Pro. Night vision variants, which use a single battery cell, offer around 10 hours on one configuration and about 5 hours on another, depending on settings and usage. The optics can be powered down between uses to conserve battery life, and the dual 18350 setup allows quick swaps in the field. The hosts discuss practical applications such as hog hunting, where thermal and NV overlays are especially valuable, and law enforcement roles that benefit from compact, multi-mode optics. Holosun is targeting a Q4 release window that may align with the Christmas season, though some features are still being refined before final launch.
In the closing portion, the hosts recount a range event hosted by JK Armament. There, they had the opportunity to shoot Taran Tactical’s Genesis full-auto suppressed 12-gauge shotgun, a platform reportedly featured in an upcoming John Wick movie. Agency Arms was also present, contributing to a high-profile lineup of custom firearms and suppressor demonstrations. The video wraps by inviting viewers to comment on any standout products from SHOT Show 2023 that may have been missed, emphasizing that even with extensive coverage it is impossible to see everything. They note that this year they visited 121 manufacturers, short of a personal goal of 200, while also juggling podcast production and other content. The long-term ambition is to eventually cover every vendor on the SHOT Show floor, using platforms like Rumble and YouTube in tandem to share more in-depth firearms and accessory content with their audience.
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