[SHOT 2026] Spotlight On Jacob Grey Firearms – The Truth About Guns

Jacob Grey Firearms is a manufacturer I’ve had my eye on since getting my hands on their TWC Black last year, a double-stack 1911 that ran flawlessly for me, suppressed and unsuppressed, right out of the box in my June 2025 review. I found the quality and performance remarkable, but soon after discovered that the company’s origins ran deep in the close-tolerance aerospace component business, which is where such extreme attention to detail is no stranger.

My TWC Black is the second iteration of Jacob Grey’s double-stack 1911-style handguns, following its predecessor, the TWC9. Since then, the company has released the Hex, with upgrades including a completely redesigned grip texture, and more recently, the Nox 9, a ported and compensated all-steel competition model that features a newly contoured grip design for increased ergonomics. But SHOT Show is a time for announcements, and if there is ever a time to go big, it isn’t in Rome. It’s at the level 2 main hall of the Venetian, Las Vegas, in late January. Jacob Grey Firearms rose to the occasion.

With the Nox 9 being relatively new, it was great to get my hands on it at SHOT Show. From its precise machining and action that feels like a hot Hattori Hanzo blade through a feeble stick of butter, this competition gun isn’t playing around. This was also my first introduction to the newly contoured grip design, which fits like a glove thanks to its palmswell, deep-cut beaver tail, rounded edges, positive grip texture, and double undercut.

That must be why top USPSA shooter, Dale Ervin, signed on to team Jacob Grey Firearms at the show. 

*Dale Ervin (center) with the President of Jacob Grey Firearms, Todd Neice (left), and the man himself, Jacob Grey (right).

Not to make it a side note, because everyone knows that looking good is always important, but the Nox 9, like all Jacob Grey guns, is going to hit the mark like Sydney Sweeney in a pair of American Eagle jeans. I’m not sure which would win in a beauty contest, the Nox 9 with its rose gold accents and gorgeous lines, or the Limited Edition Battleworn Hex. 

Like I said, however, SHOT Show is a time for announcements, and Jacob Grey seized that opportunity by unveiling the Nox 9 Limited, a naturally aspirated competitor without porting or compensation, making it a perfect choice for the USPSA Limited Optics division. 

The excitement doesn’t end there. Also on display was the brand-spanking-new Hex Pro, an all-steel version of the Hex with the Nox 9 grip contour upgrades and a 4.6” chunk-ported barrel and slide. While I love the alloy-frame versions of the TWCs and original Hex for their lighter weight when carrying concealed, I’m going to bet these steel-frame guns pay off by reducing additional felt recoil from a series of handguns that already shoot like a finely tuned supercar. 

Lastly, SHOT Show is a great place to make a name for yourself. Cue the marketing department. Jacob Grey Firearms decided to do this in a big way. Big and generous, I might add. The company gave away a free firearm every day of the show. These are not inexpensive firearms, and giving away four amazing handguns is certainly not the norm at SHOT Show. As a gun reviewer, I should have excluded myself from the raffle, but yeah, right. Worry about yourself. I wanted one of those new guns. Don’t judge me!

Not to worry, however, as I wasn’t on the winning end of the tickets on any day. But you have to expect that with such a heavy crowd descending on the Jacob Grey booth every day at 4pm. This was an impressive sight! The winner of SHOT Show is undisputedly Jacob Grey Firearms.

In full disclosure, my love of Jacob Grey Firearms began with my first encounter with Vice President, Marketing, Jay Duncan, whose enthusiasm for the product and the company struck me as extremely genuine. Believe me when I tell you I can tell when someone loves their job in this industry. The same is true of Todd Neice, whom I met with at SHOT Show and was able to discuss everything with, from the company’s origins and trajectory to its Christian influence and highly defensible ethics. Lastly, meeting Jacob himself was a real pleasure. Here’s the guy who started it all, and what is his position? Jacob likes to lock himself in a room to design and innovate, littering the cutting room floor until his vision is exactly as he wants it. He does what he loves, and it shows in the finished product. 

For all these reasons, Jacob Grey Firearms is my personal spotlight to watch in 2026. If you’re in the market for a double-stack 1911-style handgun and like the idea of a close-tolerance aerospace manufacturer building one for you right here in America, then I highly recommend you check out Jacob Grey Firearms. Thank me later.