We walked the show floor at SHOT 2023 and found a handful of products that grabbed our attention based on the unique or new designs they’re utilizing. From foldable ballistic protection to an independent two-stage trigger to an ammo-storing buttstock to a seriously powerful toy crossbow, the companies behind these four products are thinking outside the box. 

Swift Shield 

First up, the Swift Shield (pictured above) is designed to be portable personal protection for law enforcement, defense and security professionals. The folding origami-inspired design allows the shield to fold down to the size of a notebook — it’ll fit in a vehicle much more easily and will even fit in saddlebags for motorcycle-based officers. It weighs only 8 pounds but offers about 6 square feet of ballistic protection, thanks to Level IIIA certified panels. The skin material actually “catches” rounds to reduce ricochets. “We want a shield in every car,” the team at the booth told us. The Swift Shield is shipping now with just a four- to seven-day fulfillment time. MSRP is $3,495; direct-to-law-enforcement pricing is $2,995.

Iconic by Rise

This new drop-in trigger for the AR platform, the Iconic, is an independent two-stage trigger — meaning the two stages are truly mechanically separate from each other internally. This allows for a super-responsive trigger that no longer has to suffer the compromise between a light pull and a crisp break that traditional two-stage triggers must make. The first stage is 1 pound and second is 2 pounds. The trigger will not fire if both stages aren’t fully engaged — a nice built-in safety function. It’s got a fast, tactile reset and three housing color options: graphite gray, green and FDE. The Iconic is shipping now and carries an MSRP of $299.

TactaLoad Flash 5

The Flash 5 stock keeps shotgun shells at hand and easily accessible for fast reloads. The unique ambidextrous design accommodates five 2 ¾- to 3 ½-inch shells and stores them right in the buttstock. Available in black or orange with optional length-of-pull spacers, the stock is easy to install and offers rugged construction, intuitive and fast access, and an optional sling swivel stud attachment. The Flash 5 is available for the Remington 870 and the Mossberg 500, 535, 590, 600, 835 and Maverick 88 12-gauge models. It’s made in the USA and carries an MSRP of $129.95.

Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical

And now for something completely different: The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II Tactical is a miniature repeating crossbow that’s sold as a big-kid toy (not for children!), but it has serious power behind it. It features interchangeable limbs (comes with 55-pound limbs), a fiber-optic front sight and a repeating design. Load six arrows into the Stinger at once and then it’s a simple matter of cock/shoot/repeat, and an optional speedloader makes reloading super fast. The cocking mechanism works by folding the stock, which allows for a higher draw weight, and with the optional 90-pound limbs (sold separately), you can achieve speeds up to 200 fps depending on the projectile you choose, with good accuracy out to 80 to 100 feet.

Again, this is essentially a high-end toy — the kind of thing you’d find in the office of a C-suite executive next to his putting green and chess set, although Steambow does offer an orange hunting model that’s suitable for small game. Try putting one on display before Father’s Day or the holidays and pitch it as a great gift for the man who has everything. MSRP is $350.