Law Enforcement 2025
SHOT Show continues to yield a cornucopia of new gear for LE professionals.
By Michael D. Faw
The 2025 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoors Trade (SHOT) Show was an eye opener as more and more companies cater to the on-the streets and in-the-field needs of law enforcement and military personnel around the globe. From firearms and ammunition to emerging technology, it can be hard to keep track of new developments. Here’s a guide to what’s new for 2025.
Firearms and Ammunition
Barrett is a firearms manufacturer well known for big-bore .50-caliber long-range options, but this year the company unveiled a range of AR rifles, including the return of the REC7 DI. This semi-auto, direct-impingement rifle weighs approximately 6.5 pounds, is chambered in 5.56NATO, comes with a 30-round magazine, and is 33 inches long. An 18-inch suppressor is available. The upper and lower receivers of this rifle are machined from 7075-T6 aluminum, and all aluminum components in the rifle are coated in Type 3 hard-coat anodizing. Other top features are a cold hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel, Magpul furniture, ALG QMS trigger, and an extended slimline Barrett handguard with M-LOK accessory mounting slots. A full-length rail on top can hold many accessories, and the rifle will accommodate a suppressor. barrett.net
Mossberg, a manufacturer well known in LE and military circles around the globe, has made upgrades to their MVP Professional Series firearms. The various rifles will accommodate many standard AR-rifle magazines and calibers, including 5.56 NATO, 300 AAC Blackout, and 7.62 NATO. Features include adjustable triggers, Picatinny rails, fiber-optic sights, and Cerakote tungsten finishes to enhance durability. The 590A1 12-gauge shotgun has been added to the Professional line. It features 20-, 18.5- or 14-inch thick-walled barrels, rear metal ghost ring sights, adapter plates for sight installation, optional finishes, and Magpul MOE forends. Available models will hold nine, seven, or six shotshells. mossberg.com.
Although Smith & Wesson offers more than two dozen M&P AR rifles to the civilian market, the company now offers a fully auto M&P rifle to the LE community—the select-fire M&P4. This rifle has a carry handle like that found on original military M-16 rifles, pushes 5.56 NATO ammo through a chrome-lined barrel, and arrives with a 30-round magazine and standard A2 (birdcage) removable flash suppressor. Unlike the M-16, the carry handle on the M&P4 can be removed if desired to provide access to a Picatinny rail for sights or optics mounting. The rifle also has an ejection-port dust cover and will accommodate a grenade launcher. Three military- and law-enforcement-only rifles are available. smith-wesson.com/defense
Watchtower, a Texas-based arms manufacturer, adds bolt-action rifles to their growing lines. The Bridger 7MMPRC rifle has a LRA Precision Ti-Strike barrel with an inner sleeve of webbing based on a complex mathematical formula that disperses heat and shock as a round passes through the barrel—improving accuracy down range. The web of metal is covered with a titanium outer shell. Other features are a Timney Elite Hunter trigger and carbon-fiber McMillan stock. watchtowerfirearms.com
One other company now offers drop-in-ready composite replacement stocks for the Springfield M-1A rifle that many agencies use as well as a wide range of Remington 700 bolt guns. That's AG Composites. All stocks have aluminum beds and are drilled and tapped. Several models of the innovative and hand-painted stocks offer adjustable cheek pieces to aid with control when shooting. agcomposites.com.
SIM-X ammunition offers handgun ammunition that combines higher velocities, reduced recoil, and penetration control while utilizing a completely lead-free projectile. Many loads provide twice the velocity of standard ammunition. Being lead-free also reduces the costs associated with range cleaning. Defense (9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP) and range loads are offered. The polymer core is lighter than conventional bullet lead cores, and a 9mm SIM-X DefenseCore round has a 2,250 fps of velocity. simsxammo.com
Optics Options
The optics options for firearms continues to grow. Compact riflescopes, improved reticles, red dots, and more lasers lead this expansion.
One new optics product, the GPO Centuri, is a compact 4-16X44i FFP riflescope with a unique horseshoe-shaped illuminated reticle. This riflescope is 9.9 inches long, weighs only 20 ounces, and utilizes Double HD high-transmission glass. Other features are milliradian turrets that lock plus a third turret for parallax adjustment. gpo-usa.com.
Leupold has unveiled the Mark 5 HD 2-10X30mm professional grade tactical riflescope with a 35mm main tube and multiple precision adjustment dials that are available as MIL or MOA adjustments. The riflescope has an illuminated FFP reticle and Motion Sensor Technology (MST). The riflescope delivers a 5:1 zoom ratio and has a Dark Earth exterior finish. leupold.com
Meprolight is now offering the MVO 3-18x44 FFP M3 MRAD riflescope with a 34mm tube and first-focal plane views. Other features are push-pull optical turrets and an extended lever that can be added to the adjustment ring and set in place with a screw. This riflescope uses German SCHOTT glass, can handle recoil up to .338 Lapua, and can be user-set for a red or green illuminated grid reticle pattern. meprolight.com.
Riton has unveiled the 3-18X50mm crossover riflescope with first focal plane HD glass in a 34mm tube. A top feature is a red illuminated long-range reticle that offers six ranges of illumination for user-adjusted preferences in low to bright light conditions. The riflescope also features Riton’s patent-pending Dual Throw Lever System that permits switching magnification levels rapidly and at multiple locations and heights. The riflescope package includes numerous accessories. ritonoptics.com.
Non Lethal Options Expand
Byrna offers pepper and CS gas rounds for crowd and compliance control, plus a wide range of training rounds and eco-kinetic rounds. An innovative 12-gauge Kinetic lead slug round can be manually run (no powder charge is inside) in a standard 12-gauge pump shotgun and will quietly range to approximately 100 feet. This manufacturer also offers TCR short rifles with a 19-round magazine, several pistols, defense sprays, and more. byrna.com
Pepperball brings to market several non-lethal compliance solutions, including a new dust round of pepper gas that can range out to 60 feet. The round exits a high-pressure specially designed rifle or can be utilized in several available pistols. Other projectiles in their lineup can range out to 150 feet. Users can lay down a cloud of gas when the subject targets are a considerable distance away. The compact VKS PRO PLUS rifle has an operating pressure canister stored in the stock, uses several magazine styles, arrives with a red dot sight, and ships with a soft case. pepperball.com
While pepper and clouds of gas are the smoking hot topic, take a look at J+N Tactical's DRACO gas-delivery system. This is a multi-use tool designed specifically for the safe delivery of command-initiated, indoor-safe baffled chemical grenades and CTS 7290M NFDDs (noise flash diversion devices) into a hostile environment, including hardened structures and/or vehicles. The spike-studded four-sided metal breaching device head can ram through walls with ease when attached to the front of an armored car or other LE vehicle. Upon reaching the desired location, the unit will deploy up to eight canisters of gas (operator engages via multiple switches) and a fan blows those elements into homes or buildings. Hardware and cables are available for installation on vehicles. A smaller breaching head can be attached to LE robots for use in many encounters. The company also produces a wide range of short and long bang sticks to deliver gas and help protect LE officers. jntactical.com
Suppressor Care
By now everyone knows suppressors are a fast-growing market. But with increased use comes labor-intensive cleaning chores.
As a result, care for suppressors is evolving rapidly, and Break Through offers a cleaning kit that includes a tool, tube, brushes, and base stand to clean a suppressor once it’s been removed from the firearm. The kit also includes a 16-ounce bottle of cleaning solution. A three-pack of cleaning tubes is also available. breakthroughclean.com.
On-the-Move Gear
While the average person thinks LE officers just patrol around in cars all day and night, fact is every officer must often get out and start moving on foot. For LE officers and military persons on the move, LOWA offers a wide range of footwear, including the new Zicon GTX that's offered in a Hi-, Mid-, and Low-cut boot.
“The ZICON was designed so the end user is protected and better able to perform his or her jobs,” says Peter Sachs, general manager at LOWA Boots LLC. “This footwear combines the comfort of an athletic shoe with the support of a work boot.” Top features include a slip-resistant covert sole, LOWA's DYNAPU midsole to increase wearer comfort, a waterproof GORE-TEX Professional liner to protect against moisture, and a leather exterior with Rayflect technology to reflect solar radiation and keep feet cooler. These boots are ESD compliant to prevent electrostatic discharges and have abrasion-resistant outsoles that also resist damage from oil and fuel. The ZICON can accommodate an optional orthopedic insole to ensure a proper fit. professional.lowa.com
For firearms on the move, Pelican has released the Reset case with an interior filled with a combination of movable foam pegs and sturdy legs that allow an officer to configure the case to fit nearly any firearm profile. LE and military travelers might also like the new ATX25 hard-side luggage that is dust- and waterproof and provides steel combination locks and hinges that are e-coated. pelican.com.
A growing product area that more and more LE officers and military personnel are utilizing is electric bikes. The technology in this market is growing rapidly, as are the features and options.
Quiet-Kat offers the Patrol 10, an e-bike that will reach a top speed of 28 mph. It weighs 65 pounds and offers optional siren, PA system, and blue/red light packages. Along with wide, fat tires, the bike has coil-suspension forks, up to nine shiftable gears, and a dropper-suspension seat post. The post is topped with a wider seat that provides more cushion and comfort to the rider. The Patrol 10 can be charged via a solar panel, vehicle cigarette-lighter plug-in, or a battery charger. Accessories are also available, including a cargo basket, pannier bags, and vehicle hitch rack. quietkat.com.
Recon Power Bikes offer the all-wheel drive Interceptor e-bike that tips the scale at 95 pounds and can be fitted with a wide range of front and rear cargo/utility racks. Features include a nine-speed Shimano drive train, 750- to 1,000-watt power, and an app that lets the user monitor power, lock/secure the bike, and monitor critical functions. Numerous models are available and are being used by LE units and on military bases. reconpowerbikes.com
Add-Ons That Make a Difference
Sometimes it's the add-ons and other gear that can make a huge difference in day-to-day LE operations. Yes, the little things do really matter.
Kestrel, well known for hand-held wind meters, offers the new 5700X WEZ, a wind/weather meter that also has built-in statistical analysis to maximize the probability of a hit (P HIT) down range. Numerous firearm profiles can be added to the system. Provided information on the screen includes battery life, air temperature, a digital compass, date and time, and much more. The program supports Mil, MOA, and Click adjustments to work with a wide range of riflescopes. kestrelballistics.com
Nightstick, well known for light options, has a new TWM-30 GL 1,200-lumen light and green laser combo for handguns. The laser is housed into the light face, thus reducing the standard bulk of most laser and light units. The unit can be programmed to strobe and has battery safe modes. Nightstick also has a handheld rechargeable USB Barrage Tactical Flashlight that can be charged via a USB port and puts out 1,100 lumens to help see through tinted vehicle windows. The light can be adjusted down to a pinpoint beam and provides high/med/low power plus strobe. nightstick.com.
Another patrol-light option is NEXTORCH's new P91 dual-switch flashlight with an output of 5,000 lumens. The P91 light has a nano-ceramic strike bezel and concealed USB-C charging port. This light delivers five distinct output levels and has a dedicated strobe option. The exterior housing is aerospace-grade aluminum and the construction provides an IPX7 waterproof rating, which makes the P91 submersible to depths of up to three feet. When fully charged, the light casts a beam of light up to 328 yards. nextorch.com.
Firearms and magazine maintenance is always a top-priority job. To aid with this task, Breakthrough’s Clean Technologies 3-in-1 Glock Firearms Tool simplifies disassembly and maintenance tasks on the Glock platform. It will work on magnetized front sights, can be used to remove the magazine base, and also includes a take-down punch tool. breakthroughclean.com
Another pistol-assist tool is Birchwood-Casey's new Glock pistol multi-tool. It consists of four tools: a magnetic 3/16ths hex drive, a 3mm armorer punch pin, a .05-inch Allen wrench, and a flat blade screwdriver. All tools swivel out from a handy base handle. This company offers other firearms tools such as a universal gun maintenance multi-tool with a dozen-plus components, an AR-15 rifle tool, and a pistol multi-tool. birchwoodcasey.com
Holsters play a key role in firearms control while on patrol. Safariland has released the Ballast Holster, a smaller and trimmer V-holster with a textured ALS locking lug and integrated optics cover. A redesigned cantable UBL belt mount supports 15 degrees of forward or rearward angles or a vertical alignment for maximum comfort and an efficient draw stroke. A new flexible thin strip over the trigger guard area also blocks debris from falling into the holster yet does not impede drawing. The more-open bottom design of the Ballast also reduces debris buildup inside the holster. The Ballast has a larger holster pad against the body to prevent hotspots to the wearer. This holster is compatible with all Safariland three-hole holster mounts and will secure several full-size Glock and Sig pistols. safariland.com.
Odds and Ends
Buck Knives has added the new Range series of folding EDC knives to the more than 60 knives the company offers in that category. These USA-made knives feature a sturdy crossbar lock. The 791 Range Elite and 790 Mini Range Elite have MagnaCut steel blades and anodized aluminum handles. The 791 Range Pro and 790 Mini Range Pro feature 154CM steel blades. All of the Range knives use drop-point blades with thumb studs. buckknives.com
For officers who must wade into the weeds and brush in Lyme disease zones—a common practice for game wardens—Tick Mitt is a valuable asset. The soft over-the-hand mitt works like Velcro to remove and secure ticks when wiped across clothing and the body. It's reusable and can be re-charged by placing the mitt into a dryer. tick-mitt.com
To make buildings safer, Safe Haven Defense offers numerous layers of applied bullet-resistant and smash/riot control glass laminates. Some laminates can stop .45 Auto rounds. Trained technicians will install the products in schools, LE headquarters, and other locations. safehavendefense.com
To help LE officers and military members stay more organized for court and better able to gather evidence in the field, Tactical Notebook Covers offers a wide range of notebook/tactical binder/ mil-spec covers and accessories, as well as detachable cellphone and pen pouches and other items. There are also several detachable uniform military items, including a friend or foe patch, pacing beads, and more. tacticalnotebookcovers.com
