News Brief – 9/5

CZ USA debuted the new 9mm CZ P-10 M, with the “M” standing for micro-compact, via the most hipster-embracing video ever. What it has is a “melted” profile to cut down on snags, front and rear slide serrations, good ergos, a 4.3-inch height that makes it almost pocketable, and a slim 1-inch width.

However, it also only comes with a 7+1 shot capacity, which would have been great for 2016 but the current crop of double-stack micro 9s like the Sig P365 and Springfield Armory Hellcat broke that mold years ago. MSRP on the CZ P-10 M is $499.

FN America announced something different for them: a .22LR pistol. While the company makes a ton of machine guns and M4s for Uncle Sam and overseas sales, and smaller amounts of semi-auto rifles and carry/duty style handguns for the consumer and LE markets, rimfire stuff isn’t really a thing for the modern FN, until now at least.

The new FN 502 Tactical looks like the previous FNX and current FN 509 lines and delivers a 15+1 .22LR hammer-fired (you read that right) pistol to the market that had the company’s excellent red dot optics mounting system and a threaded barrel.

Offered in either FDE (this is FN we are talking about) and noir, MSRP on the FN 502 is $499.

HK USA debuted two models of .22LRs based on the external appearance of the famed MP5 line: the MP5 Rimfire carbine and MP5 Rimfire pistol. Made by Umarex of Germany, they are HK-branded and hit the sub-$500 sweet spot with an MSRP of $479.

The pistol is 18.2-inches long with an 8.5-inch barrel, weighs 5.9-pounds, and will allow you to wear a “Ho-Ho-Ho, now I have a machine gun” sweatshirt while plinking cans at the dirt pit.

The carbine version “looks” like an MP5SD but has a faux suppressor shroud over the 16.1-inch barrel and overall length of 26-to-32-inches due to the collapsible stock.

Both run 25-round mags and are better than airsoft.

Mossberg last year introduced the 940 JM Pro autoloading 12 gauge shotgun, with the JM being a nod to high-profile competition shooter Jerry Miculek.

Filled with nice features such as a new gas system that will run up to 1,500 rounds (of anything) without cleaning and oversized, competition-grade loading port and surface controls, it was a sweet gun.

Now, Mossberg has taken the same concept but applied it to a pair of duck guns in the 940 Pro Waterfowland the 13-shot 940 Pro Snow Goose, featuring Cerakote metal surfaces, 28-inch chrome-lined barrels, HIVIZ TriComp sights, and camo-finished stocks and foreends.

MSRP on the Pro Waterfowl is $1,050 while the Snow Goose is about $75 more.

Ever since FN introduced the SCAR series to a meet a SOCOM contract several years ago, some have got a case of heartburn over the rifle’s left-sided, reciprocating charging handle. Well, FN has finally responded to that with a new non-reciprocating charging handle (NRCH) upgrade for the SCAR 16S, 17S, and 20S.

As the name would imply, the handle doesn’t move any more, serves as a forward assist when locked in place, and has two swappable handles left and right. The handles include one with a low profile and another with a 30-degree can’t to support more optics choices.

Plus, FN says the reduced reciprocating mass of the new bolt carrier produces less felt recoil, making a soft-shooting rifle even easier to manage. The new NRCH models run anywhere from $175 to $350 more than the legacy models.

Get the News Brief sent to you weekly.

We’re not big on filler, so our News Briefs get right to the point. Subscribe to have the latest industry news & reviews sent directly to you.