5 Must-See Handguns from SHOT Show 2020

It's hard to take in all of the new guns seen at SHOT Show 2020, and it seems like there's too much information flowing from firearm and accessory manufacturers to make sense of it all. After scouring the show floor, we got a quick look at quite a few handguns, and several stood out among the rest. Here are five great handguns you can look forward to getting your hands on in the coming year:

Kel-Tec P17

Kel-Tec Weapons always has something interesting to consider at SHOT Show, and in 2020, the company rolled out a unique .22 LR handgun. The P17 has a few elements going for it. It's incredibly small, so for those who feel comfortable counting on the rimfire .22 LR for personal-defense use, it's sized right for CCW.

The P17 also has a pretty large magazine capacity for a small .22 LR handgun. Most .22-caliber pistols on the market feature a 10-round magazine, but the P17 features a 16-round magazine (16+1 in the chamber makes 17, hence the name).

Probably the biggest plus about the P17, though, is the price. The MSRP is $199, and the company expects to see street prices of around $150. For that kind of money, why not have a few kicking around?

Mossberg MC2c

Mossberg made waves in 2019 with the launch of the company's MC1sc, a subcompact, single-stack handgun aimed squarely at satisfying consumer demands in the concealed-carry market. Handguns are hot sellers in the firearm market, so it's no surprise that the company expanded its new handgun lineup with another model in the form of the MC2c.

Though larger than the MC1sc, the MC2c is still a compact handgun that's perfect for concealed-carry. Chambered in 9 mm, the gun features flush-fit 13-round magazines and extended 15-round magazines.

Ruger-57

One of the biggest introduction of SHOT Show 2020 came in the form of a 5.7x28 mm handgun from Ruger. In recent years, there's been some resurgence of the 5.7x28 mm round in AR-style platforms, breathing some new life into a high-velocity cartridge originally designed for NATO adoption.

The release of the Ruger-57 brings an affordable handgun that's easily shootable, thanks to the low recoil and the flat trajectory of the 5.7 mm bullet. In conjunction with the Ruger-57, Speer Ammo also released the first-ever personal-defense load designed for the diminutive round, which means that today's armed citizens can consider the benefits of such a load for home defense or personal protection.

Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield EZ

In keeping with the easy-to-shoot and easy-to-control theme, Smith & Wesson made waves with its M&P380 Shield EZ last year, and the company expanded its Shield EZ lineup in 2020 to include a 9 mm model.

Felt recoil in the 9mm variant of the handgun is, understandably, a bit more than that experienced in the .380 ACP model, but it's still an easily handled personal-defense gun for the recoil-sensitive, and the added power of the 9 mm chambering makes it a more-potent defensive option for those looking to step up.

Springfield Armory XD(M) Elite

Since its inception, the Springfield Armory XD-M lineup has become one of the most-popular polymer-frame handguns on the market. Though the design has been around for years, the release of the XD-M Elite collection shows that Springfield isn't done with this design just yet! In fact, it only got better.

One of the highlights of the Springfield Armory XD-M Elite is the all-new META trigger, which is one of the best factory triggers found in a production polymer-frame gun. The company didn't stop with those enhancements, though! There are also improved slide serrations, as well as a U-notch sight arrangement that encourages the front-sight focus so critical to accurate, consistent shooting. The gun also features expanded-capacity magazines, as well as a generous magazine well that aids in rapid reloads.

Of course, there are far more than five handguns that rolled out during SHOT Show 2020, and American Rifleman staff will be covering more new introductions in the future. Stay tuned to our website and YouTube channel for more new-for-2020 releases.