SHOT Show 2017: Caracal USA

SHOT show 2017 was not exactly filled with as much enthusiasm as other years for many of the media sources out there. This one seemed to just be a bunch of the same old, same old with a little things here and there to keep people watching. My list of pistols that are getting me excited are not new from a general design standpoint, but they do answer some of the needs of the market as in variety and value. Caracal is at the top of the list in this case for several reasons.

The Caracal EF(Enhanced F) model pistol by Caracal USA, in my opinion, is going to be a terrific success as long as the word of its merits gets out. This is not a new pistol by any means, and it has been around for a while in the UAE(United Arab Emirates). But the history behind this pistol and what it is bringing to the market is what I am looking forward to seeing.

This is just the standard sight model. They offer two types of the F Model.

The Caracal pistol is the brain-child of the designer that gave us the Glock and the Steyr pistols. The Caracal was his latest work of art that is supposed to answer all the issues of the previous designs. Basically the whole pistol is constructed using a chassis based design. The firing controls in the frame and the breech block all come out for ease of maintenance and enhanced durability. I have said that the chassis system is a great way to make a stronger and more cost effective pistol, as well as adding the potential of complete size and caliber modularity. Apparently the Caracal designer thought this was the case as well.

Caracal USA was formed over the last couple of years after the imported pistols were recalled for "Potential safety issues" that did not actually end up really producing any issues. The company for years only acted as an import hub, until they decided that they wanted to produce this design in the USA in order to answer the demand that the market had on this pistol. This way they can control the production and upgrades to the design, instead of having to wait for foreign politics to catch up. I can only assume that they intend to expand the line to include the other models.

So what exactly does the Caracal offer to the market? First thing that this pistol offers is a full sized pistol with an 18 round capacity. The catch is that this pistol only has a height of 5.3 inches, where the rest of the market has enough of an issue with stacking 17 rounds into a pistol with a height of 5.5 inches. The way they are accomplishing this is by maximizing the usable space in the magazine by using the magazine spring to retain the baseplate. Very good idea that seems to have proven to be reliable for the soldiers and police in the UAE and other countries who have relied on this design for years of service.

The other thing about this pistol that is incredible is the fact that it is tested to extremes that few pistols have seen or passed. The pistol was designed to pass several endurance and stress tests like bore obstruction testing. In the bore obstruction test, they lodge a bullet at the front of the bore and fire a round through the bore. Then they do the same with a bullet lodged just enough in the rear in order for them to chamber a round and fire it. The pistol passed this test with flying colors and still maintained the ability to fire accurately without much damage to the barrel or bore. The only other pistol I know of that was designed to endure this treatment is the H&K USP pistol.

The Caracal EF will be offered in two flavors for shooters to enjoy. One uses conventional sighting that employs dovetailed front and rear sights. One thing to note is the fact that Caracal is saying they will have night sight options available for customers looking to upgrade. The other model is going to be the "quick sight" version, which is not a new thing, but merely an upgraded version. I found this sighting system to be a very quick system, which allows for a very quick sight picture.
Now this sighting system isn't really meant for long range bullseye shooting, but it is a very effective way to engage targets out to 25 meters, which I can vouch for from my time with it at range day. I was quite impressed with how natural it was when pointing it. I kinda called BS on the system and was skeptical of the idea, as is my normal way of thinking since I fancy myself as the guy who debunks marketing BS like "bore axis" "sight radius" and "accuracy" claims. But I must say that I liked this system, and unlike many other systems and methods that are touted as effective, this actually works. For this reason, I definitely intend to get one of these versions of the pistol. I also like that the only sight you need to replace is the front sight, since the rear sight is machined out of the slide, just in front of the ejection port.

There are several other features that this pistol has that are attractive and unique, but that is for another time, such as when I get my hands on one for review. But the coolest thing about this pistol and it coming to America is the fact that Caracal has partnered with Wilcox Industries out of New Hampshire. Wilcox Industries is one of the most highly regarded manufacturers for producing quality products and innovative concepts for the US military. Wilcox Industries has agreed to manufacture these pistols for Caracal in their New Hampshire plant, while the headquarters of Caracal USA is out of Idaho.

All in all, I am very excited to get my hands on this pistol and do some more in-depth evaluations on the design, and educate the market on it's merits. I personally hope that this pistol takes a good sized bite out of the current market, encouraging the rest of these manufacturers to step up their game and innovate. I appreciate the excitement that the employees and staff showed at SHOT show, and I am with them in my excitement. I look forward to seeing this pistol get out there and make a difference in the way people perceive quality in a pistol.