Day 1 Highlights

There's more than one person can possibly see in a single day at the 2013 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston, Texas, but here are some of the cooler products I came across before my feet decided to tell me it was time to return to my room and start writing.

1) Beretta ARX 100
At long last, a semi-automatic version of the Italian Army's primary individual weapon—the ARX 160—is available to American consumers. This multi-caliber system ships in July in 5.56 NATO, with a .300 AAC Blackout barrel soon to follow. Swapping calibers is amazingly simple, which is one of the reasons its full-automatic cousin was selected by the Italian military.

2) Beretta Pico
Last year, the Beretta Nano concealed-carry handgun made waves as an ideal choice for a pocket 9 mm. In the NRA exhibit hall here in Houston, Beretta introduced the Pico, which is quite a bit smaller than the Nano and chambered in .380 ACP. The tiny Pico differs from most other microcompacts in that it has superior, tritium-illuminated sights from Trijicon. It is available in multiple frame colors.

3) POF-USA EFP AR trigger
This drop-in AR-15 trigger has what looks like a kink in its face, but that kink is actually a means of ensuring the shooter always presses the trigger in the ideal spot for travel, break and let-off weight. I tested this unit on one of the company's 100-percent American-made ARs, and I must say the concept is worthy of praise. It takes zero getting-used-to and provides as crisp, smooth pull, which is the whole point.

4) Bullseye Camera System
Combining an outdoor security camera with an antenna, a router, a tripod and a laptop with cutting-edge software, this system allows shooters to see and record their shots at distances up to 1,000 yards, without getting up from the bench. It will record single shots and/or groups, and eliminates the need to change targets after each group by ensuring your last shot or last group blinks on the screen of your laptop. This summer, The company will release Android and iOS apps, making it even easier to take the system to the range.