For those new to this series, the “Editor’s Picks” from SHOT Show 2025 are intended as entry points to items that, for one reason or another, caught our attention as we roamed the show floor. Each entry is a quick snippet of the new item, with explanation as to why we thought it was worth calling out. It is not intended as a review, but to draw attention to unique, novel items in a show dedicated to thousands of new offerings. With that said, here’s the next installment in the list of cool items we saw on the show floor.
Watchtower Firearms Apache Commander. We‘ve covered the Apache double-stack 1911 from Watchtower Firearms previously in the pages of Shooting Illustrated as well as in our “I Carry” video series. 2025 sees the addition of a Commander version with a full dustcover with accessory rail, optics mount, fiber-optic front sight and flat dark earth finish. The shorter slide and barrel, combined with a less-pronounced magazine-well flare, make this version of the Apache more suited for daily carry.
U.S. Armament Mfg. De Lisle Commando Carbine. Apparently, U.S. Armament Mfg. out of Ephrata, PA, reads our Classics column, because for SHOT Show it has released its faithful take on the De Lisle carbine. Built on an actual Enfield bolt-action receiver, it has an integrally suppressed barrel with an overall length of 19 inches so as to only incur one tax stamp. And, true to the original, it takes modified 1911 magazines—but this version can accept 8-round variants.
Thus concludes Day Three of SHOT Show 2025. Here are but five of the really cool things we’ve seen on the show floor—but keep checking shootingillustrated.com for other roundups and First Looks from our contributors wandering the show floor. One day left to check out the new offerings!
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