Beretta continues to release innovative variants of its .380 ACP Cheetah series, with the newest model sporting a factory-mounted compensator, extended magazine capacity, and other goodies.
Boom:
The company had long marketed the 80-series Cheetah platform, going back to the 1970s, and debuted the modernized 80X in 2023 to bring the model into the 21st century with more contemporary features than were available during the Disco era.
The newest 80X Cheetah Tactical variant is a special-edition model that retains the pistol’s double-action/single-action trigger system, two-slot Picatinny accessory rail, svelte profile via a Vertec-style alloy frame, and fully ambidextrous controls –including a frame-mounted safety with decocker and a reversible magazine release.
Specific upgrades to this model include extended 15+1-round magazines (ships with three), a red dot mount hidden under a removable optic cover, a built-in compensator on an extended threaded (1/2×28 TPI) muzzle, aggressive G10 grip panels, and a bronze-anodized frame.
The new Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Special Edition sports a two-tone blacked-out slide and a compensator that would give the AL/GI/MEC-equipped Model 92s seen in “The Professional” a run for their money. (Photos: Beretta)
Note the extended beavertail, skeletonized hammer, and combat-style trigger guard as well as the black G10 grip panels and slim Vertec frame.
The slide includes a red fiber-optic front sight, a blacked-out rear sight, and an optics cover plate. It runs a lightweight recoil spring, making it easy to rack.
With unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, a hot topic both in consumer use and on the battlefield, it should come as no surprise that they were increasingly on hand at the recent SHOT Show.
Both Colt and SIG had (well) armed drones overhead while other companies offered kinetic counter-drone options.
Colt
The Colt-CZ Group is the current owner of the Mk47 Striker, a belt-fed 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher, or AGL, which had been developed by General Dynamics-Armament and Technical Products back in the early 2000s. They made sure to bring it to SHOT Show in a couple of formats.
The Mk47 itself is pretty cool, weighing just 40 pounds without its mount and shield, and has been in limited service with USSOCOM, the Australians, and the Israelis. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Colt not only had the Mk47 displayed on a ground mount but also held aloft, mounted to a Survice Engineering TR150e quad copter.
Now that’s something you don’t expect to see at Colt…
Of note, according to Naval Air Systems Command, the battery-powered TR 150 has been used by the Marines in a logistics role for the past couple of years, able to carry a cargo payload up to 120 pounds to a combat radius of 5.5 miles at a cruise speed of 50 knots autonomously.
As the 40x53mm High Velocity grenade used by the Mk47 weighs about a pound, that would allow a TR 150 to carry the launcher and probably about 40-50 rounds when you add the weight of the mount, belt, and ammo box to the equation. Now, when you think that you could run a whole squadron of these drones from a hut in the jungle with a generator and a satellite link, you get the idea.
SIG
New Hampshire-based SIG has been in the drone space for a bit, having acquired an experienced remote weapons company in 2023 and showing off a small Lumenier UAV carrying a P365 pistol in the past. SIG came to SHOT this year with a host of new guns, but also had an IAI Fire Storm 250 quadcopter suspended over their booth.
What makes the FS 250 so groovy is the fact that it is designed to carry a belly-mounted SIG M250 light machine gun with about 200 rounds or so of 6.8×51 or 7.62 NATO.
SIG tells us they have been testing the FS 250 concept, which takes an APUS-60 UAV and marries it to a remote-control SIG LMG for the past year or so, and it works. ce caption here
B&T Hard Kill
We always make sure to check out B&T at SHOT because they are awesome, and one of the more interesting things we came across at their booth was the Hard Kill system, developed in tandem with Blue Aether as a U.S. Air Force project.
The small-form Hard Kill is designed to use AI to actively track drones and shoot them down, akin to a sort of mini-Phalanx CIWS or Centurion C-RAM. When I say “mini,” think of the size of a suitcase roller bag.
Freedom Munitions (Anti) Drone Round
Drone Round, just as it sounds, is ammo for swatting down drones. Shotguns are typically most effective on drones, but that requires carrying a shotgun (Benelli even sells specific counter-UAS models) wherever you may encounter hostile drones. Shotguns tend to kick, have limited capacities, and don’t reach as far as an AR or other battle rifle, so Freedom Munitions came up with a solution.
Drone Round works with any rifle and suppressor without modification. Tests show no extra wear compared to standard rounds. The ammunition gives about a 30-inch spread at 100 meters and comes in K and L variants for different ranges.
You can bet that drones and how they fit into the firearms industry and the right to keep and bear arms are something that is only going to gain more traction. Think of it like how folks talked about suppressors in 2010.
Beretta has been quietly bringing one of the coolest .22LR semi-auto pistols to the market for the past couple of years, and we can finally talk about it.
But first, a little background.
The Jaguar name goes back to 1958 when Beretta introduced a series of gently larger rimfire semi-automatic pistols to complement its pocket .22s like the Model 418 Panther and tip-up barrel Minx. Like today’s Jaguar, the Beretta that carried the name last century was primarily intended for use as a plinker and target pistol, although it went on to be used by covert kinda folks in covert kinda operations.
The original Beretta Jaguar series 70 pistols were introduced in 1958 and remained in production into the 1980s. They are old school cool, for sure. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Meet the new Jaguar B22
We first saw the pre-production Jaguar B22 at a Beretta range event in 2025, but were sworn to secrecy on it. Like the original, it was cool and sleek. However, where the old 71 was art deco and classic, the new Jag was a rimfire muscle car, dripping with factory standard go-fast accessories from Tandemkross and built to go fast and perform while doing it.
The pre-production Jag, spotted in January 2025. Almost ready to be let out of its cage and shown to the public.
Fast forward to SHOT ’26 last month and the Jag was back at Beretta’s range event– but this time soft-launched and ready to purr.
The new platform, designed for plinking, target shooting, and training the next generation, will be offered in a Tac Metal (MSRP $749) and a Metal Competition (MSRP $969) model, with sub-variants in standard (15-round magazines) and state-compliant (10-round) versions of each, at the same price.
Both are built atop an innovative new modular chassis system and an M_LOK barrel shroud with a detachable accessory rail, making the B22 easy to disassemble, clean, and customize. Featuring dual-side ejection with a fixed barrel, it is designed to be reliable and accurate. They are internal hammer-fired (SAO) and blowback action.
The Jaguar B22 Tac Metal runs a 5.25-inch barrel and is 8.85 inches overall. Weight is 33.6 ounces. Equipped with adjustable fiber-optic sights, an extended barrel, and a 1913 Picatinny rail, it is suppressor and optics-ready, as you can tell.
The Jaguar B22 Metal Competition has a 5.5-inch barrel, giving it an overall length of 9.8 inches and a weight of 36.4 ounces. It comes standard with all the features of the Tac Metal but also adds A Tandemkross fiber front fiber optic, Tandemkross Steam Demon single port compensator, Tandemkross Accelorator thumb ledge gas pedal, and an adjustable Tandemkross semi-flat faced trigger with pre- and post-travel adjustments. It looks fast just sitting on the table.
Beretta says the Jaguar B22 Metal Competition is the first .22LR pistol explicitly developed in partnership with the largest educational shooting program in the world for youth, the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP), in a process that has taken four years.
More direct from Tandemkross and SASP on the background of the new generation of Jaguar:
We hope to have a review of these in the coming weeks.
With a backstory that sounds more avant-garde art show than iron and steel, the Eagle model of the Elysien pistol has flown across the Atlantic.
At the 2024 IWA Outdoor Classics show in Germany, the Guns.com crew sat down with inventor and gunmaker Jan Lysak, who spent almost a decade of blood, sweat, and tears crafting something a bit different. Lysak’s company, Brno-based Creapeiron, introduced its first product at IWA: the Elysien pistol.
While sitting down and drinking plum brandy with Lysak, he spoke about his gun in a way that seemed a cross between Werner Herzog and the Riddler (Gorshin, not Dano).
Lysak only had seven €10,000 ($10,850) chrome DLC Elysien Genesis “Ment for Gods” (not a misprint) models – all named after gods from Ancient Greek mythology – and 99 €5,000 plainer black DLC Elysien Soul models on the schedule, with only vague notions about sending guns to America– one day.
What made it across to the States, brought in by the Arizona-based CZ Custom Shop, is the new Eagle model of the Elysien, which looks more like the chrome DLC Ment for Gods model but with a serial number 1 to 50, as in one for each state.
Engineered for balance and control, the Elysien features a sleek, sculpted profile that reflects both elegance and authority. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
How about that bore axis? The Elysien uses a hammer-forged heavy barrel with a triangular profile inside a ported slide that allows a faster lockup.
Every contour is purpose-driven, delivering a natural grip, smooth handling, and confident ergonomics.
The Creapeiron Elysien Eagle Pistol is serial numbered 1 of 50.
Price? $11,999– and that is only until they sell out, which is likely as, first announced on Monday during SHOT Show, something like half were spoken for by Thursday.
Our SHOT Show 2026 visit with Zastava Arms includes the possible import of the legendary M84 PKM, surplus Yugoslav police pistols, and more.
Zastava M84 PKM
Introduced in 1984, the gun was heavily used in both the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s and globally. Zastava plans to import a semi-auto sporter version to the U.S. with ATF approval pending, while still maintaining its original aesthetics.
Known as “Ceca” after the famous (infamous?) Serbian singer, due to its distinctive sound, the M85 features a heavier, easily replaceable barrel than the Russian PKM. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Some 46 inches long, it weighs 19 pounds, and is chambered in 7.62x54R. Goofy GDC guy not included.
Some 400 of these, formerly issued to police units, have been imported and approved by ATF without the slide safety often seen in such guns, replaced instead with a trigger-mounted tabbed safety.
These have been factory refurbished with the original accessories and will be offered for around $400.
And retain the original Yugoslav crest.
M85 in .300 Blackout
We just love the ZPAP M85, a 5.56 NATO caliber Yugo pattern AK, in both its carbine and pistol variants, and have reviewed it in a few different flavors.
The big news from SHOT is that the M85 is coming in .300 BLK, including a gas system that has been tweaked to run better while suppressed.
Zastava is developing a 300 Blackout rifle on the ZPAP 85 platform that is billed as working well with the ZVUK suppressor.
More Surplus parts in more places
Zastava is importing AB2 and AB1 part kits and rifles, including trench art-marked M70s.
The guns that the company had on display were striking as battlefield relics and showed some of the interesting possibilities available to collectors.
The kits have seen a variety of hard use, sometimes including very authentic “battlefield pickup” finish and trench art.
Look at the ersatz optics rail on this one.
Other items on the schedule for 2026 are a 16-inch barreled ZPAP M90 variant, something customers have been asking for.
Alabama-based Kimber has made a big move to dominate the double-stack 1911 pistol space by offering the new DS Warrior series.
Debuting at SHOT Show in Las Vegas last week, the Kimber DS 1911 Warrior–borrowing from the company’s classic old Warrior line– is offered in not just 9mm but also .45 ACP, 10mm, and .38 Super chamberings.
Further, besides the standard 5-inch Government barrel format, they are also producing a 6-inch longslide hunter style Warrior in 10mm.
The standard format Warrior is optics-ready, uses an RMR optics footprint, and runs a 5-inch barrel. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com.)
The slides are tastefully blank, sans any huge rollmarks. (Thank you, Kimber)
The longslide is a beast, and will surely be a hit with backcountry folks and handgun hunters.
A conceptual design using custom Cerakote and a TLR-9, which looks small on the massive accessory rail of the 10mm longslide 1911 DS Warrior.
All models are optics-ready for RMR-pattern mounts under a TAG cover plate with a fixed rear sight. The pistols use Kimber’s internal 1911-style extractor, a bushing system barrel, mil-spec guide rod, and a match-grade trigger.
They use stainless Checkmate 2011-pattern mags with the 9mm and .38 Super variant shipping with a 17+1 flush and 20+1 extended, while the 10mm goes 11+1/13+1 and the .45 ACP 15+1/18+1
Best yet, they are made in Alabama– not imported– and have an MSRP that starts at $1,099 and tops out at $1,350 for the 6-inch 10mm model. That’s a good bit less than even the Springfield Prodigy and on par with Turkish-made guns without the baggage and QC issues.
Kimber also had the new compensated Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation DS 1911 Warrior on display, with a tasteful alpine motif. “Coming soon.”
As we have covered before, the current firearms works known and loved by collectors, hipsters, and savvy users alike dates to 1936 when its new factory was established to produce machine guns for the Czech Air Force. However, it became iconic in the West for its CZ 75 double-stack 9mm pistol.
We were fortunate enough to hold CZ 75 Serial Number 00001 when we visited the CZ factory in 2024, the gun that made the company a household name on this side of the pond.
Now, the new Legend repeats the same slab-sided Iron Curtain aesthetic while keeping the pistol’s internals and features modern, including a 16+1 round magazine, making it essentially a “post-B” gun in a “pre-B” body.
The new CZ Legend. Note the slab-sided frame and slide as well as the pebble-style grips. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The new Legend compared to SN 00001, which we saw in 2024 in the Czech Republic.
MSRP on the new CZ 75 Legend will be $1,399.
Bundeswehr Pistole 13
One of the big stories from late last year was that the German military (Bundeswehr) had selected the CZ P-10 pistol after it beat out a number of contenders to become the country’s new P13 sidearm.
Among the finalists bested were the Arex Delta and Glock G17 Gen5 for what could be an order of as many as 180,000 units. It will replace the HK-made P8A1, a version of the USP
CZ had the new P13 on hand at their booth last week.
In another shift from previous German service handguns, the new striker-fired P13 will arrive wearing an FDE finish instead of the traditional black.
CZ will work directly with its authorized German partner, POL-TEC GmbH & Co., to fulfill the order and provide the Bundeswehr with support for the new platform.
CZ 457 Target
CZ 457 rifles are known for their superb accuracy, but the new 457 Target, a fully adjustable, ISSF 3-Position competition-ready aluminum chassis co-developed with four-time American Olympic shooter Matt Emmons, raises that bar.
It includes a three-axis-adjustable pistol grip available in three different sizes, a side-tiltable buttstock with a five-axis-adjustable buttpad, along with a three-axis-adjustable, two-sided cheekpiece; and a forehand riser can be adjusted in three different axes. A 26-inch 12-groove .22 cold hammer-forged match barrel equipped with a diffuser is standard as is an adjustable 2-stage Flyweight trigger.
The MSRP for the CZ 457 Target rifle is expected to be around $3,600, which is still less than many European-made alternatives in the same class from folks like Anschutz and Walther.
We recently attended the SIG Sauer Next Event in New Hampshire and got the scoop on the company’s new hardware for 2025.
The new guns included SIG’s first entry into the double-stack 1911 pistol category, a soft recoiling .380, a “Fluxed” P365, modernized P226s, the return of the vaunted 516 rifle, a Cross Sawtooth in 6.5 PRC, an AR-10 platform in the spicy .277 Fury, at least three new suppressors, and a ton of new optics.
Below is a quick rundown, and you can expect much more on all these platforms in the coming days and weeks.
P211-GTO Series
Don’t let the name fool you into thinking this is SIG’s evolution of the P210. The new P211-GTO instead builds on the company’s 20 years of experience with the 1911 platform (exemplified by the new X-Carry series) but in a double-stack format.
Built with lots of buy-in from Team SIG’s pro shooters, the P211 runs P320 mags, has a Delta Point Pro footprint, a usable ambi slide catch, and sports a 3D printed muzzle compensator/brake at the end of the 4.4-inch bull barrel.
Plus, it’s an 80-series, which means it’s drop safe (rare in double-stack 1911s), but somehow still has a good 3.5-pound trigger.
Ready for USPSA Open competition divisions (or Limited Optics with the comp removed from the non-threaded barrel), it ships with one 23-rounder and two 21-rounders.
Unlike some guns in the same space, it has a steel frame with an aluminum rather than a polymer grip.
MSRP is $2,300, which is on par with a base model OA 2311. Just saying.
P365-Luxe Series
Probably the easiest-handling P365 on the market, the new P365 Luxe is a 12-shot .380 ACP with an X-length grip frame and an integral expansion chamber style comp. The result is a double-stack micro compact that runs smoothly and just hangs on target.
This one feels more like a .22 when it comes to recoil than a .380, a round that is notoriously snappy in small pistols.
P365-FLUX
SIG released a Legion-series P320 Flux Raider last year, just as the P365 Flux hit the market, so it’s a no-brainer for the company to debut a Legion-series P365 Flux this year. Billed by Ben with Flux as a “rifle in your pants,” it will be available in both braced pistol and stocked SBR formats, with the ability to carry 50 rounds on the gun when stored.
We were quickly and easily able to hit reduced plates at 50 yards from behind cover with one.
It sports a 6-inch slide (a first for the P365), but when the Flux is folded, it is still just roughly the length of a WML-clad Glock 17.
P226X Legion
Everyone who loves modern combat pistols has a soft spot for the P226, but the platform is a bit dated, pushing 50 years in service. However, the updated new P226X Legion (4.4-inch barrel) and P226X Legion Carry (3.8-inch barrel) include X5 compatibility, optics-ready slides, XRAY3 day/night sights, and bull barrels with 35/35-degree reverse target crowns. You also have the Legion treatment complete with Gray Cerakote and enhanced ergos.
Plus, SIG plans a dozen different SKUs of these guns with options for user-adjustable AX1 single-action-only or AX2 DA/SA trigger systems.
The new SIG P226X Legion models will come in both 3.8-inch and 4.4-inch lengths as well as DA/SA and SAO triggers.
516 Mohawk
The original SIG 516 was an AR-15-style rifle that utilized a short-stroke gas piston system that sprang from the minds of the same guys who invented the HK 416. Renowned for its reliability, the 516 nonetheless was put out to pasture in 2019 while its 7.62 NATO-chambered big brother, the 716, endured and won huge (like India big) military contracts around the globe.
Now, the 516 is back in the Mohawk variant, which now includes a non-reciprocating side charging handle– ideal for use in prone or compressed positions– along with fully-ambi surface controls.
Still a piston gun with an adjustable gas system, it carries a 16-inch cold hammer forged barrel with a 1:7-inch twist rate, a free-floating M-LOK handguard, a 6-position Magpul DT stock, and a Matchlite Duo trigger.
6.8 Hyp rifle
SIG made headlines a couple of years ago with the MCX Spear and its GI brother, the M7 NGSW rifle. Giving the market a direct impingement AR-10 platform that is purpose-built for .277 SIG Fury– the commercial 6.8x51mm cartridge as used in the Spear/NGSW– the Hyp (Hy Pressure) is beefed up to be able to handle the massive 80,000 psi SAAMI spec maximum average chamber pressure of the round.
The cost is about $2K, which sounds high but is still a good bit cheaper than the MCX Spear.
Cross Sawtooth in 6.5 PRC
SIG debuted the sub-7-pound Cross Sawtooth last year, complete with a Proof Research carbon fiber barrel, 2-stage match trigger, AICS magwell, and a fully adjustable stock. New for 2025 is the gun in 6.5 PRC, a popular hard-hitting round that takes the performance of the 6.5 Creedmoor and turns it up to 11.
The new SIG Cross Sawtooth in 6.5 PRC ships with a 22-inch 1:8 twist barrel and weighs 6.9 pounds.
Endure, Hexium, and TiN Can suppressors
SIG debuted three new suppressors last week, including the low back-pressure Hexium as well as the .30 caliber 6-inch Endure, and 9-inch TiN Can titanium bolt gun suppressors. All are made with additive manufacturing techniques (3d printed) and have modular endcaps.
Available in both Inconel and titanium in 5.56. 300BLK, and 7.62 NATO, the new SIG Hexium series has a 3D printed core and a Hub taper direct thread mount. Note the external hexagonal pattern with black Cerakote.
The Endure features a compact length of 6 inches and a weight of just 11 ounces for enhanced portability in the field. Note the distinctive external topographic pattern with a black Cerakote finish.
The SIG TiN Can suppressor features an overall length of 9 inches while still hitting the scales at just 18 ounces. Like the Endure and Hexium, it runs a Hub taper direct thread mount.
Optics
SIG had a whole table full of advanced optics to debut at the event, including the Bravo6T BDX riflescope, Kilo Warp weapon-mounted rangefinder/ballistic calculator, Oscar6 HDX Pro spotting scope, and the paired Romeo8T-AMR red dot and Juliet3T-AMR magnifier.
The new SIG Bravo6T is a first focal plane riflescope with eTRAK elevation dial and onboard environmental sensors for pressure, temperature, and humidity. The company will be offering it in both a 3-18x44mm and 5-30x56mm format with easy-to-adjust turrets and a 35mm tube. Reticles include MRAD DEV-L 2.0 and Milling 2.0. Note the ALPHA5 mount with an LRF diving board. The ask is $2,399-$2,499, depending on the variant.
The Kilo Warp is SIG’s first on-gun rangefinder, able to sister to traditional glass via a diving board on the tube. After about 30 seconds of instruction, we were able to easily measure unknown distances and get an automatic dope that matched the glass to ballistics and atmospherics via Bluetooth to parent Bravo6Ts, then make no-problem hits at 100 and 650 yards from a Sawtooth. The ask is $1,999, which makes a Bravo6T/Kilo Warp combo a $4,500 piece of glass.
The Oscar 6 uses optical image stabilization to allow use offhand, which means in a pinch, you can leave the tripod at home. We were easily glassing to 1,000 yards with it and calling shots at 650. The cost is $1,999.
The Romeo8T-/Juliet3T-AMR combo runs right at $1K ($100 more if bought separately) and gives the user a red dot and magnifier system using SIG’s new Automatic Modified Reticle, which incorporates magnets to automatically transition the reticle when the magnifier is flipped into and out of view. It has a big 40mm lens while being billed as 30 percent smaller than similar sights. Sealed, they are IPX8 waterproof and fog proof and have a 50,000-hour battery life on a common CR123.
Glock Ges.m.b.H. (not Glock US) has released a series of new olive green Hunter Edition pistols in Europe featuring steel sights, threaded barrels, and an option for an installed Aimpoint COA red dot.
The five models in the Hunter Edition are in 9mm (G45) and 10mm (G20) variants and appear timed to coincide with upcoming large overseas firearms trade shows such as Enforce Tac, IWA OutdoorClassics, and WBK International.
The three advertised G45 Hunters all bear extended metric pattern threaded barrels and options for Glock’s new 600-lumen Tactical Light II. There is also an A-Cut G45 Hunter with the new Aimpoint COA, or Glock’s more traditional MOS plate system.
We’ve got no information as to when or if these will ever make it to this side of the pond. However, similar models to these could likely filter out to the States – think about a possible rabbit in the hat for the NRA Annual Meeting in April.
Taurus has been breaking ground in the tiny double-stack 9mm neighborhood since 2013 when the 12+1 shot capacity G2C hit the market– a pistol that is still one of the best firearms deals for consumers. Then came the updated 13+1 shot G3C in 2020 and the gently smaller 11+1 shot GX4 in 2021.
I liked the GX4 so much that I carried it as my EDC for more than 18 months in extended evaluation. About the only thing I didn’t like about the GX4 was the fact the takedown lever required a tool, such as a flat-head screwdriver or a spent case, to turn and release the slide to field strip.
Well, Taurus has fixed that with the GX2 by adding a takedown lever while upping it to a flush-fit 13+1 capacity and only growing the size incrementally. The end goal seems to be to replace the decade-old G2 series with the new and improved GX2.
And you can expect the price to likely be in the $250 range.
That could be a big win for folks looking to get into a nice entry-level handgun with decent features and reliability. After all, not everyone needs a customized $4K 2011.
