The Guns of Tomorrow: What Does the Firearms Industry Have in Store?

Has the firearms industry peaked? It’s tough to say yes, but also tough to say no. What’s changing? We are somewhat restrained by current ammo types, but there has been some work in that field. The majority of guns currently being sold are AR-type or short gas piston carbines, and handguns are polymer-frame, striker-fired guns. What’s new?

What’s pushing the current market forward? That’s what we are talking about today. We are looking for the latest and greatest in firearms technology and design. Who is trying something new? Something radical? Well, let’s look at the guns of tomorrow.

How We Chose the Guns of Tomorrow

The world of firearms is plain these days, but some companies are looking forward and trying something new and different. We looked at guns that are attempting to solve ancient problems with firearms. We looked at who took the best features of a particular firearm genre and made it better. These guns are better suited for the tasks they are intended for.

As someone who loves odd and interesting firearms, I pay a lot of attention to what might seem odd and interesting. Specifically, what companies are doing something different to make a better gun overall that can do something better than old designs. Being weird isn’t enough; you have to do something better than traditional designs.

The Guns of Tomorrow

#1 Mk1 SOLGW		A5 Enhanced Buffer Billet Receivers NP3 BCG	See Best Price
#2 Dragon Pistol		Lever Delayed Design Fixed Optic Mount Tool-Less Disassembly	See Best Price
#3 Laugo Alien		Fixed Barrel Non-Reciprocating Top Rail Gas Delayed Blowback	See Best Price
Soft Shooter Flux Raider 365		Rapid Deploy Brace  Integrated Spare Mag Pistol Sized	See Best Price
Best Budget Option IWI TS12		Bullpup Rotating Tubes Ambi and Reversible Controls	See Best Price
Best Pocket Pistol Henry SPD HUSH Series		Carbon Fiber Wrapped Barrel Suppressor Optimized  M-LOK handguard included	See Best Price
The Wildcard B&T USA BWC9		Covert Folding Gun Flick Deployment System Utilizes P320 FCU	See Best Price

Guns of Tomorrow Reviews 

Mk1 SOLGW Review

How can an AR-15 be a rifle of the future? Eugene Stoner invented the rifle in the late 1950s! Well, it seems like the AR always has been and always will be. It seems like almost every other year a new AR-15 killer comes out, and yet the AR-15 keeps on keeping on. It’s just the right balance of weight, accuracy, recoil, ease of use, and modularity to last forever. The AR-15 of the future appears to be the Mk1 from Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW).

The Mk1 represents a ton of micro-evolutions of the AR platform. It was recently selected by SOCOM and given a contract. SOLGW worked with the guys at SOCOM to create the most modern AR-15 on the market. It promises to emphasize all of the good things about the AR while pushing its performance forward.

The SOLGW uses a pair of billet receivers and comes in a variety of rifle, SBR, and pistol formats. The option selected by SOCOM is the 11.5-inch model. The SOLGW used feedback from SOCOM to design a rail system that has very little deflection, so laser aiming units have as little zero shift as possible while still using a free-floating M-LOK rail.

That handguard is designed to guide the wires attached to various lights and lasers to avoid exposing them to any potential damage. Even small nicks in wires can create issues, especially when moisture is involved. The rail comes with a ton of M-LOK slots to allow you to fully customize where you want those accessories.

The barrel has P3 polygonal rifling that helps enhance accuracy with less bullet deformation, a better gas seal, and less drag. The polygonal rifling extends barrel life and helps prevent build-up of copper and lead within the barrel.

The rifle uses an A5 buffer system that uses a heavier buffer and rifle-length spring combined with a properly gassed rifle to ensure reliability and to reduce recoil. This creates a smooth-shooting rifle regardless of barrel length. The little things, like a two-stage trigger, NP3-coated bolt carrier group, and modern muzzle device makes it one hell of a rifle.

Mk1 SOLGW Pros and Cons

Dragon Pistol Review

The Dragon Pistol from Rideout Arsenal is a brand new design that combines a number of new and old design features to create a novel design. The overall role of the Dragon Pistol seems to be competition-oriented, if not just a fascination piece. The Dragon pistol aims to provide shooters with a low-recoil, low muzzle rise pistol with a variety of modern features.

The Dragon Pistol uses a lever-delayed blowback design. Lever-delayed actions are somewhat rare these days, but they do have some benefits. Namely, they allow for a fixed barrel design, which can enhance accuracy. The lever-delayed design keeps recoil low compared to a normal blowback-oriented firearm.

The goal of the Dragon Pistol is to lower the bore axis as much as possible to create less muzzle rise and create a more linear recoil impulse. Lower bore axis can be often overblown as a benefit, and really becomes handy when you lower the barrel an extreme degree, a bit like the Chiappa Rhino. The Dragon Pistol appears to have that same degree of low bore axis.

The Dragon comes with a non-reciprocating optic carrier, called the N-ROC. This means the optic isn’t moving when you’re shooting. This makes the dot super easy to track, and takes stress off the mounting system. As a guy who recently received a Steiner MPS to the forehead, I can see some serious benefit in reducing stress on the optic.

The gun uses a 5-inch bull barrel for enhanced accuracy. The gun uses Echelon magazines and features a slim grip that allows for a good, high grip on the gun for more control. The grip module is just that, a module, and it’s customizable for the end user. The gun uses a fire control group that’s considered the firearm. It’s a fascinating design from a custom house.

Dragon Pistol Pros and Cons

Laugo Alien Review

The Laugo Alien changed the game when it came to pistol designs. Odd designs rarely succeed, but that’s not the case here. The Laugo Alien has been a successful, odd, and innovative design that’s spawned a series of new and unique pistols. The Laugo Alien combines a ton of new features to create a futuristic pistol designed to perform.

Internally, the Laugo Alien uses a gas-delayed blowback system. That’s not new; guns like the HK P7 and Walther CCP use a similar system. The system delays the breech from opening by using a little bit of gas from the round fired to keep the breech closed. As the pressure drops, the gun cycles. This allows for a manageable blowback design that incorporates a fixed barrel and lower bore axis.

The fixed barrel allows for greater accuracy potential, and the lower bore axis keeps the gun more in line with the shooter’s wrist. This linear recoil impulse produces less muzzle rise, as long as you do your job.

The Alien also incorporates a non-reciprocating top rail that keeps the optic and sight rail stationary. This makes it easier to track your sights and red dot, and allows for less stress on the optic. Users can swap the top rail to mount optics with the removal of a single pin.

The Laugo Alien uses an internal hammer that swings downward. This unique design makes it easy to keep the gun low profile and offers that unmistakable single-action, hammer-fired trigger pull. The Alien features an integrated magazine well for quick reloads.

I can testify to the lack of recoil and muzzle rise. It’s a very smooth shooter, and while my own muscle memory of dealing with recoil had me going ‘wow’ when shooting the Alien.

The Alien comes in both a full-size and carry model. While the gun is more oriented to the competition market, a slightly smaller model does allow for some concealed carry usage. The bodyguards of Volodymyr Zelenskyy were seen carrying this ultra-unique pistol.

Laugo Alien Pros and Cons

Flux Raider 365 Review

The Flux Raider 365 comes as both a complete firearm and as what’s essentially the world’s fanciest grip module. The Raider 365 uses the SIG P365 as its core firearm, using the P365’s removable fire control unit. Drop the FCU and a P365 complete slide on, and you’ve turned your micro-compact pistol into an effective Personal Defense Weapon. As a PDW, the Raider 365 is incredibly compact, but capable.

The Raider 365 is small enough to be carried inside the waistband. The folded dimensions are 9.75-inches by 4-inches by 1.375-inches. If IWB isn’t your bag, then you can also use a bag to carry the micro-sized platform. The Raider 365 features a rapid-deploy brace or stock that folds along the side of the gun to create a large pistol that deploys into a PDW.

The Raider 365 gives you MP5-like performance in a micro-sized package. With a red dot and a brace, you can stretch your effective range out to 50 to 100 yards with a skilled shooter. The brace or stock is spring-loaded, so deploying takes no time at all. It becomes a part of your drawstroke and deployment operation. With a little practice, I was able to quickly deploy the brace and get the system into action.

The system holds a spare magazine up front to provide you with a quick-deploying design for easy reloads. You can carry enough ammo to defend yourself and then some. Users can employ a 6-inch barrel to increase velocity and control.

There are two ways to mount an optic. You can use the standard slide mount like any standard handgun. The other option is to mount the optic to the weapon forward of the trigger. This allows you to have a non-reciprocating optic that provides that nice continuous sight picture. It also keeps the force of recoil off of the optic.

The P365 in a Raider chassis is the ultimate, concealable, personal defense weapon.

Flux Raider 365 Pros and Cons

IWI TS12 Review

There are lots and lots of weird shotguns out there, but not many of them work all that well. The IWI TS12 doesn’t have those problems. With that said, my first experience with a TS12 wasn’t great, but my second experience was flawless. The IWI TS12 combines the best features of a bullpup with the best features of a traditional shotgun. The IWI TS12 is a semi-automatic, gas operated shotgun that holds fifteen rounds.

Box magazines in shotguns have problems, namely due to the modern shell design. The TS12 features tubular magazines, much like a standard shotgun. The difference is that the TS12 features three rotating tubes, each capable of holding five rounds of 2.75-inch shotgun shells. When one tube runs dry, the user simply rotates the next tube into place and keeps shooting.

What’s fantastic is that when you fire the last round of a tube, the bolt locks to the rear. When you rotate the next tube, the bolt closes and automatically loads the next round. This means quick and easy use of the multiple tubes. The TS12 allows you to reload the tubes that aren’t in use. This keeps that “load and shoot” mentality.

The IWI TS12 features a two-position adjustable gas system to allow for reliability over a variety of shells, and can help reduce recoil of 3-inch magnum type rounds. Most of the controls are ambidextrous with a reversible charging handle. The ejection can be swapped to the left, but that can only be done by a certified armorer or IWI.

The gas-operated design keeps recoil low, so you can blast through fifteen rounds with control, and without sacrificing your shoulder to do so. The gun is optics ready, and a red dot is a must-have. The TS12 does all this while being only 28.34 inches long. Shotguns are close-range weapons, and the TS12 provides a short and powerful weapon for close-quarters use.

IWI TS12 Pros and Cons

Henry SPD HUSH Series Review

How can a lever action rifle be a rifle of tomorrow? It’s not 1864 anymore, admittedly, but lever action rifles haven’t been devoid of technological improvements. The Henry Hush SPD is the future of lever action rifles, and the future is lightweight and quiet. The SPD Hush series aims to provide you with the ultimate silent rifle. Everything is focused on modernity and suppressed action.

A lever action works well with suppressors due to the manual action. There is no loud action clacking back and forth since it’s not a semi-auto rifle. The Hush series emphasizes that suppressed design by integrating a threaded barrel that makes it easy to attach the suppressor to the rifle. This makes it the optimal host for suppressor usage.

The Hush integrates a carbon fiber barrel. Kind of. The barrel is 416R stainless steel with a carbon fiber wrap. This does two things. When it comes to suppressed use, the carbon fiber makes it a lightweight barrel that balances well when used with a suppressor. It’s well-balanced and easy to keep on target. The tensioned carbon fiber barrel and stainless steel design leads to increased precision.

Waving these things around feels natural. The well-balanced barrel and suppressor design is critical to accurate shooting. When using larger calibers, the suppressor gets a lot heavier, so this balance becomes even more crucial when suppressing something like .45-70. The downside is the recoil due to the lightweight design.

The Hush series comes with an M-LOK forearm for accessory mounting. You can put all your lights, lasers, and bipods in place. Up top, there is a Picatinny rail for mounting optics and other accessories. The gun uses polymer furniture to keep things lightweight and weather-resistant.

Caliber-wise, you can pick from traditional lever-action cartridges like .30-30, and .45-70, as well as pistol calibers like .357 Mag, .44 Mag, and .45 Colt. Each of these cartridges can be easy to suppress and work well within their functional duties.

Henry SPD HUSH Series Pros and Cons

B&T USA BWC9 Review

B&T is a refined Swiss company that makes some of the best modern submachine guns on the planet. Their APC9K was selected by the U.S Army for a reason. They also do some oddball stuff like the BWC9. BWC stands for Because We Can, and that’s the best name for it. It’s literally inspired by a firearm used in RoboCop. That was a real folding SMG, but the BWC is a folding SBR design.

The gun takes some influence from early discreet folding SMGs and of course, the Magpul FMG-9. The idea is simple: create a gun that folds in half and while folded doesn’t really look like a gun. It’s extremely small and compact with a carry handle that makes it resemble some odd attaché case. It’s a discreet and compact platform that can be a very effective tool.

Deploying the system takes no time at all. A little practice is all it takes. It involves a little pressure, a little flick of the wrist, and the gun’s deployed and ready to rock and roll. The BWC is a bit different, but it’s incredibly functional.

The BWC9 folds into a rifle-like design that’s extremely small and compact. When folded it’s 11.7 inches, and when deployed it’s 22-inches long. The gun comes with an optics cut and rail for easy lights and optics mounting.

Internally it uses a P320 Fire control unit. This allows the BWC9 to be nothing more than an accessory for the FCU. The FCU is the actual firearm. The guns predictably uses SIG P320 magazines, which offer you a variety of capacities from 17 to 32 rounds. The design is unique, and while it’s not practical for everyone, there is something neat about a disguised SBR.

B&T USA BWC9 Pros and Cons

The Guns of Tomorrow

The firearms world is still an exciting field to be in. Sure, there are lots of Glock clones and Glock wannabes, and piles of Mil-Spec ARs, but that doesn’t mean things aren’t changing. The firearms world is always changing, but change comes slow. It takes a creative force to take the risk to develop something new, and sometimes new is good, and sometimes it’s not. It still takes that risk to evolve, and some companies are trying harder and harder to move things forward.

What do you think about the guns of tomorrow? Any I missed? Let me know below!