Brownells Adds BRN-180S: Short-Barreled Version of BRN-180
Hot on the heels of one its most-exciting SHOT Show launches ever, Brownells has unveiled the BRN-180S – the new, short-barreled version of the BRN-180 complete upper assembly debuted at the 2019 SHOT Show.
Designed in conjunction with Primary Weapons Systems and FM Products, the BRN-180S retains all the desirable features of its big brother, but has a 10.5″ barrel for those wishing to build an AR-180-style pistol, or –with the required ATF paperwork and tax stamp – a short-barreled rifle (SBR).
Another new feature on the BRN-180S is a clearly-marked adjustable gas system, allowing the user to quickly tune the upper for either unsuppressed or suppressed shooting.
“The reaction to our 2019 SHOT Show announcement of the original BRN-180 was one of the largest, most-positive we’ve seen,” said Brownells Director of Product Management Paul Levy. “The most-common request from customers was for us to come out with a short-barreled version of the BRN-180. Thanks to PWS and FM Products, we were able to do that.”
Available for pre-orders now, the BRN-180S will make its first public appearance at the 2019 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits April 26-28, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Built around a short-stroke piston system, the BRN-180S drops onto any mil-spec AR-15 lower and makes it easy to attach either a folding pistol brace or folding stock.
Just like the BRN-180, the BRN-180S can be fired while folded.
Features of the BRN-180S Upper include:
- 10.5″ barrel
- .223 Wylde chamber
- 1-8″ twist rifling
- Twin internal guide rods
- Polymer ejection port cover
- Easy-to-remove M-LOK® handguard
- Original-style 3-prong flash hider
- Reciprocating side charging handle
- Adjustable gas system
Listed on the Brownells website as #078-000-537, the BRN-180S upper assembly retails for $799 and does not require an FFL to purchase.
To learn more about the BRN-180S, visit the Brownells BRN-180 page.
Browning Goes the Distance with the New X-Bolt Max Long Range
Shooters looking for an accurate rifle that is tailored for long range accuracy need look no farther than Browning and the new X-Bolt Max Long Range.
Most notable on this rifle is the new, composite Max stock that includes a number of features designed to help maximize long-range shooting accuracy. The adjustable comb allows the shooter to dial-in optimal eye-to-scope alignment — crucial when using large diameter optics and Picatinny rail scope bases with built-in elevation. Spacers are included to adjust the length of pull and a comfortable, upright pistol grip optimizes finger-to-trigger reach. Three swivel studs allow the easy installation of both a sling and a bipod. The horizontal surface on the bottom of the buttstock sends the rifle straight back when shooting from bags, helping to keep the target in the scope so the shooter can watch for bullet impact.
Bedded into the Max stock is the accurate, award-winning X-Bolt action with matte blued finish that is drilled and tapped for scope mounts. An extended bolt handle makes it faster and easier to operate the bolt. The hand chambered, fluted, 26″ stainless steel barrel includes a removable muzzle brake that is threaded 5/8″-24 TPI to accommodate a suppressor. A thread protector is included when the muzzle brake is not in use.
Available in a variety of popular short- and long-action calibers, the X-Bolt Max Long Range is available for an MSRP of $1,269.99-$1,329.99 depending on caliber.
Features:
- Composite Max Stock with Adjustable Comb, Spacers for Length of Pull Adjustment, Vertical Pistol Grip and Swivel Studs for both a Bipod and Sling
- Extended Bolt Handle for Easier Manipulation
- Adjustable Feather Trigger
- X-Lock Scope Mounting System
- Free-Floated, Fluted, Stainless Steel Barrel with Muzzle Break on 5/8″-24 TPI Suppressor Threads (Thread Protector Included)
- 60° Bolt Lift
- Bolt Unlock Button
- Rotary Magazine
- Top-Tang Safety
- Personalized Bolt Engraving Available
- Inflex Technology Recoil Pad
For more information on Browning products, please visit www.browning.com.
South Carolina Department of Public Safety Selects FN15 Patrol Carbine
FN America, LLC is pleased to announce that South Carolina Department of Public Safety has selected the FN 15 Patrol Carbine to meet the requirements of their Highway Patrol, State Transport and Protective Services officers. FN law enforcement distributor, Amchar Wholesale, has delivered an initial quantity of 300 carbines to the agency with planned orders for an additional 300 units through 2020.
“The FN 15 Patrol Carbine, designed and produced in FN’s South Carolina production facility, was a natural fit for its home state’s public safety officers,” said Bucky Mills, Senior Director of Law Enforcement Sales for FN America, LLC. “FN’s proven track record of producing government-issue M4-style carbines and our ability to offer the agency a carbine that they could custom-build to meet their exact requirements provided them the opportunity to have a quality rifle unique to their agency with a cost-efficient price structure.”
The FN 15 Patrol Carbine can easily be configured based on the needs of the individual agency directly from the FN production facility, based in Columbia, South Carolina. When selecting the FN 15 Patrol Carbine, agencies start with an affordably-priced base rifle equipped with a Magpul MOE hand guard with M-LOK, 16-inch button-broached barrel with fixed front sights, 12-o’clock picatinny rail for optics or sights, and lower receiver with ambidextrous selector. From there, agencies can configure with options for various types of slings, sights, magazines, rear stocks and accessory rails.
M&P® M2.0 Compact Pistol Selected as 2019 American Rifleman Handgun of the Year
M&P M2.0 Compact wins 2019 NRA Publications Golden Bullseye Award
Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced that it’s M&P M2.0 Compact pistol has won the NRA Publications’ 2019 American Rifleman Handgun of the Year. The M&P M2.0 Compact pistol incorporates the popular M&P M2.0 feature set, including an aggressively-textured grip; four interchangeable palmswell grip inserts; a light, crisp M2.0 trigger; and a 15 round magazine capacity. Designed for personal protection, the M&P M2.0 Compact pistol series, available in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 AUTO, has expanded to include both a 4″ and 3.6″ barrel version in a variety of configurations.
Jan Mladek, General Manager of Smith & Wesson and M&P brands, said, “We are honored that the M&P M2.0 Compact pistol has been selected as the 2019 American Rifleman Handgun of the Year. This is the first time we’ve offered a compact M&P pistol in 9mm with a 15 round magazine in this size, and it has been very well received by our consumers. The M&P M2.0 Compact pistol delivers a compact carry advantage, building upon the popularity of the M&P M2.0 platform and feature set.”
To qualify for a NRA Golden Bullseye Award, products must be reliable, innovative in design and function, and perceived as a value to the purchaser. Winners of a Golden Bullseye Award are selected by a seven-member committee of NRA Publications staff members with more than a century of collective experience in the shooting and hunting industry. The 2019 Golden Bullseye Awards will be presented during the 2019 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Read the American Rifleman review here.
Hudson Manufacturing Files for Bankruptcy
Maker of Hudson H9 Pistol Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
According to several sources, including bankruptcy information site InfoRuptcy, Hudson Manufacturing has submitted filings for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
The New Wonder Pistol
When we met with Cy and Lauren Hudson in the past about their ambitious venture into producing the new H9 pistol, they were genuinely passionate about the project and, personally, seemed like nice people.
To be sure, the demo Hudson pistols that we shot did shoot well but, for the life of us, we could not really figure out the buzz around it. At the SHOT Show product announcement and shooting bays, the crowd of firearms industry New Media folks around the Hudson booth was a hundred people deep, all clamoring to catch a glimpse of the new pistol or get their hands on it.
Truthfully, we had questions about how well an expensive new, unproven, funny looking, and heavy (2.5+ lbs loaded) steel framed pistol would fare breaking into a market trending toward smaller, lighter carry pistols. Yet they continued to innovate, making design changes and, a year after the H9’s introduction, releasing a half-pound lighter aluminum H9A variant. With all of that work involved, they would certainly need to find a lot of buyers for the $1100 pistol to remain viable.
Troubles Begin
According to Josh Supnick’s H9 Owners site, it looks like major issues started in Summer of 2018 when Hudson announced that they would be fabricating their own slides for new models instead of having the third party H9 slide manufacturer make them. The other company put the kibosh on their relationship and stopped making the original H9 slides for Hudson, leaving the company unable to meet production demand.
During all of this, Hudson was also having tolerance issues with the H9 grip modules, causing functionality problems with pistols that had already made it out to customers. The company stopped shipping new pistols and started dealing with more and more warranty claims on those that had shipped.
In August 2018, contract manufacturer Cambridge Valley Machining filed suit over Hudson’s failure to pay for a portion of the nearly $1.7M order for H9 grips, barrels, and other parts. Hudson counter-filed stating that the breach was on CVM’s end as they had failed to provide adequate product, causing them to not be able to sell the pistols to generate revenue to pay for the order.
By fall, Hudson did not even have enough parts on hand to complete those warranty repairs, could not fulfill existing orders (to the tune of more than a million dollars), and could not secure investors or companies to license the design.
Production staff, and then front office staff, were laid off. After launching the original H9 at the 2017 SHOT Show and the lighter H9A at the 2018 SHOT Show, they company had planned to exhibit at the 2019 SHOT Show but visitors were greeted by an empty Hudson booth.
Hudson had disappeared from Twitter by August 2018 and abandoned their Facebook page by December.
RIP Hudson Mfg
The latest nail in Hudson’s coffin came last week when they filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy – a process through which remaining assets are sold to pay back creditors.
The repayment of those creditors looks like it might be about as likely as all of the H9 owners with pistols in for warranty work receiving back their repaired pistols (or receiving them at all).
The bankruptcy filing claims that Hudson is anywhere from $10 million to $50 million in debt while having only $50,000 in assets. The list of creditors to Hudson Manufacturing runs 18 pages in the filings.
Nighthawk Custom Launches New Compensated 1911: The Firehawk
Nighthawk Custom, manufacturer of the world’s finest custom made 1911’s, is proud to introduce the newest model in their lineup, the Firehawk.
The new pistol offers several advancements in the company’s long line of purpose-built innovation. Nighthawk Custom has utilized a recoil-taming single port compensator, a Bull Barrel and a full-length guide rod that adds weight to the front of the pistol to reduce muzzle rise. In addition, the Firehawk has a modified government length slide that has been shortened from 5” to 3.9”. A newly designed commander length spring and reverse plug system maintains the standard recoil impulse of a 5-inch 1911 for reliability.
“We set out to create a compensated pistol model, starting with the idea that we could use innovative engineering to build a 1911 that fit the profile of a standard government model but would benefit from the effects of a compensator,” stated Mark Stone, Owner and CEO. “We decided the traditional methods weren’t enough and built the entire compensator system from scratch.”
As part of its functional design, the Firehawk features a full Nighthawk Custom prep that incorporates a French Border to showcase the craftsmanship involved in blending the compensator and slide together. The closed front end of the compensator has been bull nosed for an easy draw and a custom touch. Nighthawk Custom has built a stunning custom pistol that has the functional benefits of a compensator, allowing for minimal movement of the front sight while shooting and allows for much faster follow up shots, while maintaining a classic appearance that will impress classic 1911 aficionados.
The Firehawk has an MSRP of $4199.00 and is available with a nitride or stainless-steel finish in 9mm and .45 ACP.
