New Products: The First Week

New Products: The First Week

We haven’t even reached January’s annual SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show), yet companies are already pumping out their new product releases. This proves that companies in the Social Media age are more willing to release products on their own timeline than wait for a semi-public reveal at a trade show where the general public is not in attendance. Regardless, I find this trend fascinating and proves my long-standing opinion that the industry is changing how it presents information to its audiences. Many companies have had and still rely on social media personalities to provide content for new products, but many companies are building out their own social media marketing teams to do it.

Here’s an update on new products released during the first week or so of 2025

New Guns

Bergara BMR-X Steel and Carbon

This rifle provides a precision rimfire configuration ideal for shooters seeking ergonomic features for accuracy without the cost of a full-size rifle. It also offers a budget-friendly option for rimfire series competitions. It is lightweight, making it suitable for small game hunters while maintaining the shape of a precision rifle for improved accuracy. In short, this is the rimfire rifle that I’ve been waiting for Bergara to build. Its best feature is the updated X-stock that borrows heavily from the B-14R. Like the standard BMR models, the X model can be had with carbon or steel barrels. Perfect for NRL-22, plinking, or destroying the community of squirrels that continually set off your Ring Doorbell (of course not for use in city limits…)

H&K VP9 A1

The A1 models retain essential features like a hammer-forged barrel and patented charging supports, and now they include an optics cut for compatible direct-mount optics as a standard feature. Enhancements involve updated grip texture, redesigned controls for better usability, a flared magazine well, and a new magazine baseplate design. Furthermore, the trigger bar features a nickel Teflon finish for an improved trigger pull. This upgrade was necessary for a highly regarded pistol (at least, I consider it highly regarded; others should also, but I digress). In a recent article discussing the state of the industry, I addressed this type of release. Companies often introduce upgraded versions of legacy models to keep pace with evolving trends. The VP9 A1 is a perfect example (along with the new Walther PDP models released last year).

Henry Supreme

The Henry Lever Action Supreme Rifle (LASR), available in .223 Rem/5.56 NATO and .300 Blackout, introduces advanced performance and versatility for lever-action firearms. Teased at least a year’s SHOT Show, the Supreme is finally available. The rifle features innovative enhancements, including a sub-MOA accurate barrel (astonishing for a lever gun), smooth action mechanics, an adjustable trigger, and premium materials. Notably, it utilizes a quad-bar linkage and slider crank for reliable cycling and feeds from a detachable AR-15 magazine. The rifle is designed for maximum usability in varied conditions, ensuring reliability and precision for shooters. This rifle still surprises me that it exists. I saw footage of this from last year’s show and thought, “That’s cool.” To me, this only makes sense if you are running suppressed. Lever guns are extremely quiet because of their closed-action and are pretty handy and fast to run compared to a bolt gun (your opinion may vary on this). This is more a “cool” gun rather than a replacement for an AR-15—unless you are in a restricted state where options are limited.

Mossberg 590R and 590RM

The Mossberg 590R and 590RM (Magazine Fed) 12-gauge shotguns expand on the traditional 590 pump-action design with new features like a rotary safety selector and AR-style ergonomics. Key updates include a user-serviceable fore-end, an integrated barrel/single heat shield, and a new ambidextrous safety. Two standard and two magazine-fed models are available, utilizing new double-stack magazines. The 590R retains many features from previous models, such as twin action bars, steel lock-up, anti-jam elevator, dual extractors, and a drilled and tapped aluminum receiver for optics. Like the 590R, the 590RM shotgun (the 590 M was introduced in 2018) features a detachable magazine with stabilizing ribs that ensure a secure fit, along with a lever-style magazine release for easy access, compatible with 5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-round magazines. For those who have run shotguns with pistol grips, the safety selector is nearly impossible to engage without breaking your grip. Furthermore, a shotgun’s ergonomics can be uncomfortable when adding an optic. The 590R series integrates AR-style features into a relatively dated platform needing a refresh (again, I discussed this in an article written before this product was released. It’s like I know what I’m doing, LOL). I like it (now, can we get an SBS breacher-esque version? You know, since ATF wait times are microscopic compared to the old days).

Taurus GX2

Taurus introduced the GX2 in 2025, updating the popular G2c handgun, whose first iteration was launched in 1997 as part of the Millennium series. The GX2, designed for affordability and compactness, features a 6.19" overall length and 3.25” barrel, chambered in 9mm and weighing 20.08 oz. Improvements over the G2c include a three-slot accessory rail, a flat-faced striker-fired trigger system, and user-friendly disassembly. It maintains Glock-compatible sights and comes with two 13-round magazines, with options for a 10-round and an extended 15-round magazine. The GX2 is available with either a carbon steel or stainless-steel slide. Like the VP9 A1, this refreshes a legacy gun to modern standards. It will sell well at its price point. I will say that since Bret Vorhees took over as CEO of Taurus Holdings INC, they’ve made quite the comeback with a focus on better customer service, quality control, and attention to the American market.

New Cartridges

7mm Backcountry

The Federal 7mm Backcountry is a groundbreaking high-performance cartridge designed for superior ballistics and terminal performance in compact, shorter-barreled suppressed rifles. Featuring a patented Peak Alloy case, this one-piece design allows for higher velocities than traditional brass cases while being dimensionally smaller. This enables extra rounds in magazines and delivers magnum velocity from shorter barrels without added recoil.

Unfortunately for Federal, they haven’t built trust with the market. The 327 Federal Magnum, 224 Valkyrie, and 30 Super Carry bear the brunt of this scrutiny. Could this signify the next evolution in ammunition? Yes. Could it also end up being a complete failure? Also, yes. The claims of higher velocities with reduced recoil do not add up physically. Federal asserts 3,000 fps at the muzzle from a 20” barrel using 175-grain ammo. How is it possible that recoil is not increased to support these impressive results? I’m curious to see how much market share the cartridge captures, especially with Hornady’s newer 7mm PRC, a fan favorite. As with all new products, time will reveal its success or failure.

 338 ARC

The Hornady 338 ARC (Advanced Rifle Cartridge) is engineered for AR-15 and bolt-action platforms. It offers exceptional terminal performance in both supersonic and subsonic variants. It is designed primarily for subsonic use, featuring a small case capacity for consistent ammo and a specialized SUB-X bullet. The 338 ARC enhances versatility for various activities, including target shooting and hunting, while maintaining impressive energy retention and accuracy. Its compact design makes it suitable for compact AR-15 platforms, ensuring reliable cycling and powerful performance regardless of application.

The 338 ARC is based on the uber-efficient 6.5 Grendel case (an offshoot of the PPC line cartridge, whose parent case is the .220 Russian, which also bore the infamous 7.62x39). With NFA lead times down, an increasing number of people are buying suppressors and guns optimized for suppression. That’s where the 338 ARC comes in. Unlike Federal’s 7mm Backcountry, Hornady has a proven and respected track record of new releases.

Zoom Out

This first week of the new year has given us some new and intriguing options. While most are extensions, I find the Henry Supreme and the Mossberg 590R the most alluring. (Although, personally, the new Bergara might find a home in my safe). Interestingly, manufacturers are circumnavigating the spectacle of SHOT Show to introduce items on their own time, allowing the products to soak in longer than the onslaught released or announced at SHOT. I think the most likely to fail or be rejected (to be clear, I’m not hoping for that; it’s just sometimes you scratch your head on new releases) is the 7mm Back Country. Is it cool and innovative? Yes. But is it something that everyone is going after? I don’t think so (again, I hope I’m wrong). Federal doesn’t have the same leniency as others, and it’s rightfully deserved (look at their track record. 327 Federal Magnum, 224 Valkyrie, and the 30 Super Carry vs Hornady. 17 HMR, 204 Ruger, 480 Ruger, 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor, the PRC family, the ARC family, etc. Even their misses, like the 375 Ruger and 300 RCM, proved to be important in the creation of future cartridges). It'll be a hard sell until the 7mm Back Country has time to mature and build trust.

With this being the first week of the year, I’ll continue to upload new product releases and my thoughts on them. I’m sure I’ve already missed some. Until Next time.