The annual Shooting, Hunting and Outdoors Trade (SHOT) Show is typically where many manufacturers announce new products and show them off to the media and distributors.  However, there are 51 other weeks throughout the year during which gun makers can roll out new guns.

As we approach the halfway point in 2012, here are a few new guns that have been announced that I have not already discussed.  For that reason, guns like the Arsenal Firearms AF2011-A1 and the Smith & Wesson Shield will not be discussed in detail here.

Caracal CC10 9mm Carbine

Caracal introduced their take on the polymer handgun a few years ago, but at this year’s SHOT Show they made a big push to get their pistols into the hands of American buyers.  However, the company caught many off-guard when they introduced a 9mm carbine at the 2012 International Security and National Resilience exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

The CC10 will be offered in two versions: one with a short barrel and one with a long barrel. Exact barrel lengths in the production guns was not announced.

The carbines will accept standard 15- and 18-round Caracal pistol magazines, plus extended 30-round mags.  The guns will have Picatinny rails for adding lights, optics and fore grips.

I don’t know how well these carbines might sell in the US, but I have repeatedly heard Glock shooters lament the fact the Austrian company never introduced a carbine that will use existing Glock pistol magazines.  However, Glock has a massive existing customer base that Caracal has not yet developed.  So what might work for Glock, may not work for another company.

Pricing is not yet set, and the gun still has to be approved for import into the USA.

Smith & Wesson SD VE

The SD, or Self Defense, line of pistols was rolled out a couple of years back by Smith & Wesson as an “upgraded” Sigma.  The original SD handguns were slightly cheaper than the M&P line, yet still offered good features and bulletproof reliability.

At the beginning of June, S&W updated the SD line with the VE.  While the company did not explain what “VE” stood for, I believe it should stand for “very economical.”  Here’s a quick highlight of the changes seen in the VE series of pistols:

– two tone: silver-colored finished slide on a black, polymer frame

– replacement of the front tritium (night) sight with a plain white dot

– MSRP reduction of $80 to a mere $379.

I don’t know what the dealer price is on the VE, but I am guessing these guns will be sold for $350 or less in the stores.  Based on my prior experience with the original SD40, I daresay these guns represent an incredible value in a self defense handgun.

The new VE guns come in 9mm and 40 S&W versions.  Standard capacity is 16 rounds for the 9mm and 14 rounds for the 40.  Low capacity (10-round) versions of both guns exist for the less-free states in the Union.

New Saiga-12

The Saiga-12 shotgun has become popular with many US buyers.  For those not familiar with the guns, the Saiga-12 is a magazine fed shotgun chambered in 12 gauge and roughly based on the AK-47.  Versions also exist in 20 gauge and 410 bore.

Responding to feedback from three gun competitors, the Russian Izhmash factory is now making a new variant of the Saiga-12, which represents a significant step away from the traditional design.  Keeping in mind that my skills as a Russian translator are sub-par, this is the information I was able to uncover on the new shotguns.

– radical new muzzle brake

– push button magazine release

– redesigned gas system

– longer foreend

– long Picatinny rail on top of the receiver for optics

– significant flaring of the magazine well

– ability to attach AR15-type buttstocks

– deletion of the AK-style safety

According to Izhmash, there are already Russian competitors running the new guns and the shoguns will be released to the public very soon.  Like the Caracal above, no pricing or import information is available yet.  However, considering how popular the Saiga-12 has been in the US, I expect that getting it into America is a high priority in the company.

Wilson Combat Super Sentinel

When it comes to firearms, Wilson Combat is synonymous with quality.  When they roll out a new handgun, it is worth paying attention to.

Recently introduced, the Super Sentinel is a 1911-style pistol designed for concealed carry.  The diminutive gun has a 3.6” barrel, overall length of 7.2” and weighs in at a little over 25 ounces.

What may seem unusual to some about this pistol is the caliber:  .38 Super.  Roughly equal to a hot 9mm, the popularity of the .38 Super has waned over the past few decades, and it is not seen in many concealed carry guns.  However, for a high-quality niche company like Wilson Combat, the pistols are likely to be profitable.

Among the features of the Super Sentinel are:

– guaranteed accuracy of 1.5” at 25 yards

– aluminum frame that is ½” shorter than the company’s compact model

– slim grips made of G10

– fiber optic front sight

– full length guide rod with reverse plug

– 3.5 – 3.75 pound trigger pull

The Super Sentinel has a variety of sight options available from the factory.  Base price on this handgun is $3875.