...and WOW is there a lot of AR stuff out there. Without exaggeration, the Shot Show was 50% AR stuff. Considering all the shooting accessories and different types of guns, we are hugely focused on the AR.
Also, most of it was just variations on a theme. Very few innovative additions to the AR line. I guess that shouldn't surprise me because it's a good platform and well thought out right from the beginning.
There was one accessory that caught my eye:
This is a carbon fiber forearm. Carbon fiber is not new to the world of ARs, but this is a use I haven't seen before. By winding the fiber into threads they've made this lighter than you can imagine. The 15" version is about 4oz. Picking it up feels like it's made of air.
While standing at the booth another guy picked one up and said to the manufacturer, "I'll bet you'd be upset if I crushed this." Without missing a beat the manufacturer told him to try; he couldn't, I couldn't. I'm sure this isn't as tough as a solid aluminum forearm, but it is very tough. The biggest drawback is the $280 price.