Best Home-Defense & Concealed Carry Guns of SHOT Show 2026

SHOT Show has something for everyone. Need a suppressed minigun? How about the latest military robot technology? It’s all here.

Of course, there’s practical stuff we can actually buy, too.

If you’re in the market for a new home-defense gun or concealed carry pistol, it might be worth looking into some of these new releases.

I walked miles of convention center aisles, pushed my way into the most crowded booths, and uncovered some easy-to-miss gems to bring you the best home-defense and CCW guns of SHOT Show 2026.

Best Home Defense & CCW Guns Of SHOT

1. Palmetto State Armory AXR

Specs

• Caliber: 5.56 NATO, .300 Blk
• Action: Semi-automatic, piston
• Capacity: 30+1
• Optic Footprint: Picatinny 
• Country of Origin: USA

The Palmetto State Armory AXR isn’t one specific firearm; it’s a whole family of rifles, pistols, shotguns, and PDWs built around modular architecture that lets you create whatever you want.

These aren’t AR-15s or Glock clones – they’re all new; all original.

The AXR SSP (short-stroke piston) fills the need for a carbine, pistol, or SBR. Want to shoot .300 Blk with a 6.5-inch barrel? You got it. Swap in a different barrel and handguard if you feel like something different.

Other key features include a monolithic Picatinny rail, ambidextrous controls, and a bufferless recoil system that lets you fold the stock or brace to the side.

The modular family also includes the AXR PDW, built on a new pistol platform with a serialized trigger group. This Modular Fire Control works with grips built to accept either Glock or Sig Sauer P320 magazines.

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Semi-automatic, striker
• Capacity: 17+1
• Optic Footprint: RMR
• Country of Origin: USA 
• MSRP: N/A

The chassis system has a collapsible brace and a spare magazine caddy with room for your support hand. Intuitive controls are all easy to reach without breaking your grip.

If you want to run the pistol with a slide-mounted optic, you can. If you’d rather build the chassis over the slide and use a non-reciprocating red dot, you can do that, too.

The AXR PDW looks and functions very similarly to the Sig Sauer P320-FLUX Legion we reviewed a while back – and that was a hoot.

There’s a lot to absorb, so learn all about the AXR line in this video!

2. Springfield Echelon 4.0FC

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Semi-automatic, striker
• Capacity: 17+1, 20+1
• Optic Footprint: Variable Interface System
• Barrel Length: 4”
• Overall Length: 7.25”
• Weight: 24 oz (flush magazine), 25 oz (extended magazine)
• Country of Origin: Croatia
• MSRP: $710

I love an all-new firearm, but I won’t pass up a new version of one I already think highly of. Springfield hit the SHOT Show floor with the Springfield Echelon 4.0FC, a crossover of the brand’s popular duty pistol.

This one combines a full-size grip and a compact slide. That means 17-round flush magazines or 20-round extended magazines, and more room for large hands than the compact version, but with a carry-friendly overall length.

Aside from that, it’s the usual Echelon goodness – great ergonomics, the Variable Interface System for mounting a red dot, and a low bore axis that keeps recoil relatively soft.

For people who want one pistol to do it all, this is a great option. 

3. Glock Gen6

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Semi-automatic, striker
• Capacity: 15+1 (Glock 19), 17+1 (Glock 17, Glock 45)
• Optic Footprint: Optic Ready System
• Barrel Length: 4” (Glock 19, Glock 45), 4.49″ (Glock 17)
• Overall Length: 7.28” (Glock 19, Glock 45), 7.95″ (Glock 17)
• Weight: 23 – 24 oz
• Country of Origin: Austria, USA
• MSRP: $745

Rumors and wishful thinking have been swirling around Glock Gen6 pistols for what seems like an eternity. Now, it’s finally, actually, really here!

Glock’s reputation for reliability and aftermarket support has maintained the Glock 19’s status as a CCW benchmark, but it’s definitely slipped in recent years. Other manufacturers hit the market with features and improvements that the old dog struggled to compete with.

The sixth generation aims to close that gap – and then some.

This pistol fits the hand more naturally, and features more aggressive texturing and a larger beavertail to eliminate that nasty Glock slide bite. The trigger guard is undercut to facilitate a higher grip, and there are textured indexing points on the forward portion of the frame.

The trigger uses the same mechanism from Gen5, but it’s placed further back to reduce length of pull. If you have smaller hands, this pistol will feel more comfortable and controllable than previous Glocks.

Ready to mount a red dot? Gone is the Modular Optic System and its thick adapter plates; in its place is the new Optics Ready System that mounts optics directly to the slide.

Right now, Glock is kicking off the update with the Glock 17, Glock 19, and Glock 45. See everything else we learned at the Glock Gen6 launch!

4. Staccato HD C4X

Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Action: Single action
• Capacity: 15+1
• Optic Footprint: HOST 
• Barrel Length: 4”
• Overall Length: 7.6”
• Weight: 25 oz
• Country of Origin: USA 
• MSRP: $3,499

Wouldn’t you just know that as soon as we drop a comparison of the Best Comped Pistols, Staccato hits us with a hot, new version of the brand’s latest duty pistol. Meet the Staccato HD C4X.

Like other HD pistols from Staccato, this one takes Glock mags, doesn’t have a grip safety, and does have an internal firing pin block. It uses the HOST optic-mounting system and has ambidextrous controls to make life easier.

The all-metal design was delightful to shoot to begin with, and this compensated version shoots even flatter.

If you have money to burn ($3,499, to be specific), this looks like one incredible carry gun. Expect to see it up for grabs in mid-February.

5. FN SCAR 16S

Specs

• Caliber: 5.56 NATO
• Action: Semi-automatic, piston
• Capacity: 30+1
• Optic Footprint: Picatinny
• Barrel Length: 16.25” 
• Overall Length: 34.75” – 37.25”
• Weight: 8.7 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA
• MSRP: $3,799

It turns out that FN was being a little bit coy when the company suggested that the SCAR was going away. Technically, it did, but a replacement was hot on its heels, and we got to shoot it at Industry Range Day.

You can read up on all the specs in my new product highlight on the FN SCAR, but here are some key takeaways from our experience at SHOT Show 2026.

All three variants – the 5.56 NATO SCAR 16S carbine, 7.62 NATO or 6.5 Creedmoor SCAR 17S carbine, and 7.62 NATO or 6.5 Creedmoor SCAR 20S rifle – are pleasantly softer to shoot than before. This translates to quicker split times and more fun.

Modern updates include M-LOK handguards, a redesigned buttstock (don’t worry, the combat Ugg boot lives), and a pistol grip that’s directly compatible with the AR platform, so you have more options if you don’t like the stock one.

One thing that remains unchanged is the fact that these are very expensive rifles. Are they worth it? Tell me in the comments!

6. AAC MPW

Specs

• Caliber: 5.56 NATO, .300 Blk
• Action: Semi-automatic, direct impingement
• Capacity: 30+1
• Optic Footprint: Picatinny 
• Barrel Length: 10.5” – 16” (5.56 NATO), 9” – 12.5” (.300 Blk)
• Overall Length: N/A
• Weight: 5.6 lbs – 6.3 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA
• MSRP: $999.99

AAC is back, this time with Palmetto State Armory horsepower under the hood.

We took a peek at this year’s lineup, which includes fun throwbacks and innovative new releases.

First up is the reborn MPW.

Notable features include options in 5.56 NATO and .300 Blk, multiple barrel lengths, a suppressor-ready flash hider with left-hand threads, an old-school handguard, and a nifty gas mitigation system.

If you’ve ever taken hot gas and gun oil to the eyes, you’re undoubtedly as excited to learn that as I was.

There are rubber gaskets at the charging handle and forward assist that keep gas from blowing into your face, and there’s a carefully placed hole below the forward assist to give that pressure somewhere to go.

Later this year, AAC plans to release several new ARs, including a very sweet .338 ARC and 6mm ARC.

It looks like a very strong start. What do you think, should we get one in for hands-on testing?

7. Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol 20ga

Specs

• Gauge: 20ga
• Chamber: 3”
• Action: Semi-automatic, gas
• Capacity: 7+1
• Sights: Ghost ring
• Optic Footprint: Picatinny
• Barrel Length: 19.1”
• Overall Length: 38”
• Weight: 6 lbs
• Country of Origin: USA
• MSRP: $1,299

For as long as we’ve been recommending the Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol, readers have been asking one question: When are we getting it in 20 gauge? That time is now, I’m glad to say.

The 20-gauge A300 Ultima Patrol retains the features we love about its 12-gauge predecessor, but with less weight and less recoil – a powerful combination!

Beretta shows black and gray versions on the company’s website, and we got to shoot a very cool tiger-stripe version that I hope will hit shelves soon.

What do you think, are reduced weight and quicker follow-up shots worth stepping down in bore diameter?

8. KelTec PR-3AT

Specs

• Caliber: .380 ACP
• Action: Semi-automatic
• Capacity: 10, 13
• Optic Footprint: Viridian RFX1
• Barrel Length: 2.85”
• Overall Length: 5.58”
• Weight: 10 oz
• Country of Origin: USA
• MSRP: $399.99

One of the most affordable new guns I saw was the KelTec PR-3AT. There’s more to it than a friendly price tag, though.

This is another one of KelTec’s creations that doesn’t take detachable magazines. Instead, rounds get pressed into the grip’s internal magazine from a stripper clip.

A rep at the KelTec booth explained to me that this pistol isn’t about speed reloads and high-round-count range days. It’s about carrying the pistol and 10 rounds (13 with the grip extension) – that’s it – for self-defense.

The PR-3AT weighs just 10 ounces and has a slim profile that looks incredibly easy to carry. While holster selection isn’t going to be ideal, soft universal holsters and off-body-carry bags will do the trick nicely.

A little bit of polymer doesn’t soak up much recoil, but then again, .380 ACP isn’t a spicy round. The PR-3AT also uses a rotary barrel design that helps tame the rearward impulse.

It’s a similar story with the PR-3AT’s basic open sights. This is a close-quarters defensive pistol, not a match gun. The slide will also accept a Viridian RFX1 red dot, and KelTec indicated that more options might be on the way. 

Final Thoughts

This year, a contracting firearm market caused many manufacturers to slap a new color on their existing guns and call it day. Some trotted out last year’s lineup without a single change.

These picks give me hope that there’s still innovation coming in 2026. It might not be a glut of totally new designs, but there are still interesting, useful, fun guns on the horizon.

And, yes, lots of FDE releases.

Which of these home defense and concealed carry guns would you add to your collection? Let us know in the comments. Want to see more big reveals from SHOT Show 2026? Check out the Best Guns of SHOT Show 2026!