Tag Archives: NRA Annual Meetings

Lightweight and Wastelander Tommy guns

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While covering the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta recently, I made sure to stop by the Auto-Ordnance booth, as they always have something interesting.

One of these was a neat limited edition Wastelander Thompson, which carries a custom Cerakote finish that looks fresh from some post-apocalyptic badlands.

limited edition Wastelander Thompson
The Wastelander Thompson carries a custom finish that goes far deeper than just some exotic Cerakote and ships complete with a sling crafted from a salvaged motorcycle chain. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
limited edition Wastelander Thompson
“Forged for over 80 hours with grit and ingenuity by the survivors at Koted Arms, every detail of the Wastelander Thompson, from the graphic designs to the rusted-out Cerakote finish, reflects the harsh realities of a post-apocalyptic world,” notes Auto-Ordnance. 
limited edition Wastelander Thompson
Note the intricate, deep laser-engraved markings that feel like it has seen the abuse of some far-off end-of-times battlefield. 
limited edition Wastelander Thompson
The walnut furniture has been given a plasma-cut treatment that gives it a distinctive lightning bolt pattern. 
limited edition Wastelander Thompson
The Wastelander Thompson is chambered in .45 ACP and features a 16.5-inch finned barrel that extends to 18.5 inches with its compensator.
limited edition Wastelander Thompson
It has an overall length of 41 inches and a solid weight of 13 pounds due to its steel construction.

They also have the new T5P, a polymer-stocked Thompson. Black on black, it is a standard 1927A1 but with wood grain polymer furniture, which drops almost five pounds from the hefty .45 ACP carbine. Seems like they could have shaved a few more ounces dropping it down to a 16.1-inch barrel rather than the 18 it ships with, but hey. MSRP is expected to be $1,558.

Spec sheet below:

The new models come as the old-school “Chicago Typewriter” has been getting a lot of time on the silver screen in recent weeks. The iconic drum-magged Tommy gun is seen in both the trailers and extensively, in the end scene of the smash new horror movie “Sinners.”

Auto-Ordnance Shows off 250th Anniversary Army, Navy and Marine 1911s

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With 1775 some 250 years in the rearview, Auto-Ordnance came to the recent NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with a trio of special new USGI .45s.

This year, besides the semiquincentennial of the start of the Revolutionary War, the Army will celebrate its official 250th birthday on June 14, followed by the Navy on October 13 and the Marines on November 10. To honor the services, Auto-Ordnance has three 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s on tap.

Based on the company’s standard 80-series Government format M1911A1, complete with a GI profile slide, fixed sights, and curved mainspring housing, each variant will sport a dedicated Cerakote livery applied by Texas-based Altered Arsenal.

In each variant, the left slide will carry a “250 years of Service, 1775 – 2025” crest surrounded by laurel leaf etching. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Each pistol will have custom styling on the top of the slides that emulates the “gig line” of the respective services’ dress uniform, complete with buttons and belt buckle.

The Army variant (1911BKOC15) carries an OD Green Cerakote finish with Silver, Black, and Gold accents. The phrase “May God have mercy on my enemies because I won’t” is a well-known quote attributed to General George S. Patton.

The Navy variant (1911BKOC16) has a White, Blue, Black, and Gold Cerakote finish. The quote, “I have not yet begun to fight!” is famously attributed to Captain John Paul Jones during the Battle of Flamborough Head in 1779.

The Marine variant (1911BKOC17) has a Blue, Black, Silver, Red, and Gold Cerakote finish. The phrase “Retreat, hell – we just got here” is a famous quote attributed to Captain Lloyd W. Williams of the 5th Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.

These 250th Armed Forces Anniversary 1911s will ship soon with one standard 7-round magazine included and have an MSRP of $1,399.

Keep in mind that you can get an actual USGI surplus M1911A1 from the CMP for less than that. Of course, it won’t be pretty, but every old vet, even those in .45 ACP, deserves a home.

Mare’s Leg, Updated

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Rossi has trimmed down its R95 Triple Black lever-action rifle into a much more packable pistol variant for 2025.

The company debuted its new R95 Triple Black Pistol, or TBP, to the recent NRA Annual Meeting at Atlanta, and we were able to lay hands on it for a closer look. Much like its rifle-length older brother, the TBP is clad in a black Cerakote-coated finish with matching black furniture. A paracord-wrapped medium loop lever and a top-mounted Picatinny optics rail are also features that are carried over from the original.

Specific to the TBP is its abbreviation, shipping with suppressor-ready 13.25-inch barrels and a pistol grip, allowing the lever-action mare’s leg an overall length of just under two feet. Weight is 5.5 pounds, unloaded. While Rossi had the .357 Magnum variant on hand in Atlanta, the TBP will also be offered in .454 Casull, .45-70 Govt, and .44 Mag for those looking for something a little spicier.

I got to handle one at the recent NRAAM in Atlanta.

The side-loading Rossi TBP has a paracord-wrapped medium lever, which splits the difference between big loops and standard rectangular slot-style levers. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The pistols have threaded muzzles with the .357 at NRAAM fitted with a JK Armament can. All four caliber options run a four-round underbarrel magazine tube. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Note the top-mounted Picatinny optics rail. Other features include a cross-bolt manual safety and two sling swivel studs. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

With an overall length of just 23.5 inches, the Rossi TBP line is more easily stowed than a full-length carbine or rifle. (Photos: Rossi)

More after the jump to my column at Guns.com.

Modern Pirate Pistol!

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Rossi has expanded its Brawler series of modern break-action single-shot pistols for the better with new models to include variants in .300 Blackout and 5.56 NATO.

The company in 2023 debuted the $300 Brawler line with a dual-caliber .410 bore/.45 Colt offering outfitted with a single-action trigger and a cross-bolt thumb safety. It’s simple. Just load the chamber, close it, cock the hammer, fire, and reload. Takes about five seconds to figure out.

Now, Rossi has upped the ante and was on hand at the recent NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with the new Brawlers, each carrying a more serious punch.

The Brawler in 300 BLK runs a 6-groove, 1:8 RH twist, 9-inch barrel and has an overall length of 14 inches. The 5.56 has a 1:7 twist with everything else being the same. Note the threaded barrel. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

While the .45/.410 Brawler has a high blade front sight; the rifle caliber variants only run the integrated top Picatinny rail for optics. (Photo: Rossi)

The possibilities for such a pistol as a trail gun are obvious. Paired with a suppressor, it seems ideally suited as a Form 1 candidate to transform into an SBR running Rossi’s $59 LWC/Tuffy folding pistol grip stock.

Meet the Auto-Loading Israeli Master Key

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One of the interesting new releases on the floor at the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta last week was an entry into the 12-gauge “not a shotgun” category by IWI.

Dubbed the Mafteah – Hebrew for “key” – it is a 12-gauge semi-auto with a 3-inch chamber. However, born sans stock and with an abbreviated 14-inch barrel, it doesn’t meet the federal guidelines to be considered a shotgun, and thus can’t be a short-barreled shotgun, putting it above NFA red tape.

In short (pun intended), it is in the same category of firearm as the Mossberg 590 Shockwave and 990 Aftershock, and the Remington V3 TAC-13 and 870 TAC-14.

“It is said the Key of Solomon could do almost anything, contain anything or anyone, and open any passageway one might need,” notes IWI on the new platform. “This one isn’t quite so magical, but it will do a number on opening doors.”

The IWI Mafteah has an unloaded weight of 5.7 pounds and has a cross-bolt manual safety. The charging handle is reversible. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The cylinder-bore 14-inch barrel is made of 4140 steel. The fixed tubular magazine has a 5+1 capacity in 2.75-inch shells, and 4+1 in 3-inch if you enjoy numbness in your hands.

More in my column at Guns.com.

The return of the PT-58!

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Taurus came to the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with a curious new (to the U.S. market) double-action/single-action .380 pistol.

The original Model 58 was introduced in 1988 as the 12-shot Model PT-58.

Thus:

Its more modern variant has been popular in Brazil for years and is now available on this side of the equator.

With a layout similar to the iconic Beretta Model 92 (PT 92/99 for Taurus), the handgun sports a 4-inch barrel inside an open slide that has a familiar feel in the hand despite its stubby 7.2-inch overall length. The full-sized grip contains a flush-fit 15-shot double-stack magazine.

The combination gives you a great feel and a decent magazine capacity.

With the sudden resurgence in double-stack .380s such as the Beretta 80X and assorted Turkish-made M84 clones like the MC-14, the time may be right for some more competition in the field.

More in my column at Guns.com.