Developing new, innovative products for consumers in 2018 is priority No. 1 for manufacturers in the firearm industry, and several companies have stepped up with exciting new launches that are set to bring more excellent options to shooters. Here are five rifles we saw at SHOT Show that should be on your list for the upcoming year.
IWI US Tavor 7
While the Tavor from IWI US is one of the world's most recognizable bullpup rifles, the company stuck with common AR-15-length calibers, such as 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK and even a pistol-caliber carbine chambered in 9 mm. IWI never ventured into anything in the battle-rifle caliber in its Tavor lineup until the new Tavor 7.
This new battle rifle, chambered in 7.62 NATO, shares a number of external characteristics with IWI's popular Tavor X95, but there are several changes to the overall gun. The Tavor 7 uses a short-stroke gas-piston system with a four-position selector that allows users to tune the system for certain ammunition. The rifle is also fully convertible to left-handed use, making it accessible to both left- and right-handed shooters.
Mossberg MVP Precision Rifle
Mossberg launched a number of exciting new firearms in 2018, and the innovations carried through to the company's precision-rifle lineup with the new Mossberg MVP Precision Rifle. Engineers at Mossberg determined that the platform needed a rework, so the company designed an entirely new aluminum chassis, complete with accessory-attachment slots.
One of the stand-out features of the Mossberg MVP Precision Rifle is the fact that the gun is compatible with the seemingly endless aftermarket of AR-15 components. The rifle ships with a Luth-AR adjustable stock, but any standard AR-15 rifle stock can fit onto the receiver extension on the aluminum chassis. In addition, pistol grips are also interchangeable with other options on the AR market. The rifle is also supporting the roll-out of the all-new .224 Valkyrie cartridge from Federal Premium, giving long-range shooters another rifle option for the precision round.
Ruger PC Carbine
For 2018, Ruger brought back its pistol-caliber carbine offerings with the new PC Carbine. This all-new design comes with a specially designed magazine well that allows it to use Glock or SR-series pistol magazines through the use of an interchangeable adapter.
The other neat feature on the Ruger PC Carbine is the use of a takedown mechanism similar to that found on the company's 10/22 Takedown rifle. For compact carry and storage, the barrel and fore-end rotate and detach from the receiver and stock, breaking the system down into two easily carried components.
Savage Arms MSR-15 Valkyrie
Savage extended its Modern Savage Rifle lineup with several new options chambered for the hot, new .224 Valkyrie cartridge. This round was specifically designed to provide enhanced long-range capabilities in a cartridge that easily fit into a standard AR-15 receiver. The Valkyrie is the result of collaboration between Savage Arms and its sister company, Federal Premium, which developed the .224 Valkyrie cartridge.
The rifle is built from the ground up to provide the most performance possible from the new round, including an 18-inch barrel with an optimized 1:7-inch twist rate ideal for the Valkyrie cartridge. The gun also features an adjustable mid-length gas system and a flat dark earth Cerakote finish.
Smith & Wesson M&P 10 Sport
While the Smith & Wesson M&P 10 lineup has been around for several years, the company worked to make the larger AR platform available to more consumers in its new-for-2018 M&P 10 Sport. This optics-ready AR is chambered in .308 Win. and sells at a suggested retail price of $1,049, meaning that consumer prices at local gun stores will appear below $1,000 mark.
For that, owners get a 16-inch barrel featuring accuracy-enhancing 5R rifling, as well as a railed gas block, standard mil-spec furniture and Smith & Wesson's durable Armornite finish.
