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SHOP NOWThis SHOT Show 2025 segment visits multiple manufacturers to examine new platforms, calibers, and accessory updates. The hosts focus on practical design changes, ambidextrous controls, and modular options for existing firearms.
Day three, part two opens with the hosts regrouping after a quick break and heading back onto the SHOT Show floor. One plans to work the downstairs area, jokingly called the dungeon, to find smaller exhibitors that opted for more modest booth space. The other mentions plans to visit WOOX and Safariland to look over new offerings. They remind viewers that, beyond daily coverage, there will be follow-up videos highlighting top five accessories, handguns, and rifles once the show concludes. The segment sets the tone for continued interviews and product walk-throughs across a range of manufacturers.
At the Aero Precision booth, the discussion centers on the new M5 Pro, described as the AR-10 counterpart to last year’s M4E1 Pro update. The M5 Pro is a .308 platform using DPMS pattern cuts and mirrors the ambidextrous controls of the M4E1 Pro, including mirrored bolt lock, bolt release, ambi safety, and a breech charging handle. Up front, Aero introduces the Mod 5 handguard, designed to be robust with minimal deflection for IR use, slimmer than the enhanced handguard, and featuring seven-sided M-LOK and a timing-free barrel nut. It will be sold both as a standalone parts line and as complete rifle assemblies. Planned updates include extended receiver extensions to allow AR-15 carbine buffers and new gas system lengths for 6.5 Creedmoor, such as intermediate and rifle-plus-two options. Pricing is not finalized, and the target launch is around Q3, with the prototypes on display serving as an early look.
The conversation shifts to how ambidextrous controls affect handling on the M5 Pro and similar rifles. The host notes that ambi safeties and charging handles are especially important for left-handed shooters, while right-handed shooters benefit from having bolt catch and release controls on the right side of the receiver. This layout allows more functions to be managed with the firing hand without breaking rear support or changing grip, which is useful on precision-oriented platforms. Aero Precision frames the Pro series as a gradual enhancement of its product line, moving into more competitive and professional markets while still serving regular shooters. The emphasis is on refining ergonomics and control placement rather than radically changing the core AR-10 pattern.
At the CAA booth, the focus is on updates to the long-running MCK (Micro Conversion Kit) rather than a new chassis. CAA is responding to owners who want upgrades without buying an entirely new unit. The key change is a 1913 rear housing that can be purchased separately and installed on existing MCKs, opening up a wide range of 1913-compatible stocks and accessories. Examples shown include a CA-branded stock and a slim in-house 1913 rail and adapter, as well as an MCX minimalist stock that folds compactly. CAA is also offering in-house Cerakote options for colored rails, with themes jokingly compared to Makita and Milwaukee tool colors. Additional updates include threaded barrels and suppressors through a partnership with Prairie Tactical suppressors and a barrel manufacturer in Tennessee, covering Glock and SIG P320 barrels. The goal is to modernize existing MCK setups, provide flexibility for users navigating brace and stock regulations, and support customers with incremental upgrades.
The CAA representative explains that many owners prefer to update their current MCK rather than replace it, especially given recent ATF actions on braces and stocks. The new 1913 rear housing allows users to remove or change stocks at home and choose configurations that fit their legal and practical needs. CAA’s leadership is described as focused on rebuilding the customer base and getting products back into users’ hands after the brace-related disruptions. For those attending the upcoming NRA show, CAA hints at a new product release scheduled for about two months after SHOT Show, with the possibility of an early preview at the Classic Firearms warehouse. The segment closes by revisiting the custom Cerakote examples and emphasizing the combination of functional upgrades and cosmetic personalization within the MCK chassis program.
The next stop is the FN booth, highlighted by its prominent blue branding and long association with SOCOM units and commercial rifles like the SCAR. The discussion turns to the SCAR pistol line. While the SCAR pistol in 5.56 has been on the market for a couple of years, FN recently introduced a 300 Blackout version in the fall. The host and FN representative describe 300 Blackout as well suited to a PDW-style rifle-caliber pistol, offering versatility for both close engagements and extended reach. The FN representative confirms that the 300 Blackout SCAR pistol is designed to be suppressible with an appropriate suppressor and that the gas system has been tuned for suppressed use, particularly in short barrels. The model is available in classic black and FN’s characteristic range of flat dark earth tones, humorously referred to as “51 shades of FDE.”
The segment closes with a brief visit to another manufacturer’s booth to look at a new handgun. The representative introduces the Reflex XL MRD, described as a new variant based on an existing and popular Reflex XL pistol. Details are limited in this excerpt, but the name indicates a slide configured for a micro red dot, aligning with current trends in optics-ready carry and duty pistols. The focus is on this model as an evolution of the established Reflex XL platform rather than a completely new design. The hosts position it as another example of incremental refinement seen throughout the day’s SHOT Show coverage, where manufacturers update proven firearms with improved ergonomics, optics compatibility, and user-focused features.
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