Benchmade Shootout Review
Published: April 8th, 2025
The Benchmade Shootout series has built a strong reputation for delivering dependable, lightweight out-the-front automatic knives that don’t compromise on performance. Designed for duty use but beloved by everyday carry enthusiasts, the Shootout lineup offers rugged construction, slick deployment, and practical features that suit a variety of tasks. One particular model in this series, the Benchmade 5371FE Shootout, takes all of that and adds a drop point blade and Flat Earth PVD finish, making it a standout variant worth a closer look.
CruWear Toughness Meets Drop Point Versatility
At the heart of the Shootout is its 3.494-inch drop point blade, made from CPM-CruWear steel. If you’re the kind of person who likes their gear to stay sharp and shrug off abuse, you’ll appreciate what CruWear brings to the table. It holds an edge through extended use, resists chips and damage, and has the kind of toughness you usually only see in harder-use tools. The drop point shape is a crowd-pleaser; it’s versatile, practical, and strong where it counts, especially at the tip. It’s not as specialized as some other blade shapes, sure, but that’s also what makes it a reliable all-rounder. Just remember that CruWear isn’t stainless, so a little maintenance goes a long way if you want to keep rust at bay.
The blade’s Flat Earth PVD finish adds a layer of rugged charm and function. It helps protect the steel from wear and corrosion, and it tones down reflections, something you’ll appreciate if you’re using the knife in bright light or don’t want to draw attention. While the coating does its job well, any hard-use blade finish will eventually show signs of wear. Still, those scuffs and scratches often tell a story, and for many users, that’s part of the appeal.
Flat Earth PVD Finish
Cru-Wear Blade
Benchmade Shootout: Lightweight Build, Snappy Action
What really sets the 5371FE apart, though, is how incredibly lightweight it is. Benchmade built the handle from CF-Elite, a carbon fiber-reinforced nylon that keeps the whole knife feather-light at just 2.75 ounces. It’s the kind of knife you can clip in your pocket and forget is even there, until you need it. The material feels tough in the hand, and the grip texture hits a sweet spot: secure without being abrasive. Lefties and righties alike will appreciate the ambidextrous design, and the deep-carry pocket clip keeps it low profile. A carbide glass breaker at the base of the handle is a nice touch, giving the knife a little extra utility when you need it most.
Shootout CF-Elite Handle
The action on the Shootout is clean, snappy, and satisfying. The spine-mounted, double-action thumb slide makes deploying and retracting the blade quick and easy with one hand. It’s built to be intuitive, and it works like a charm. Like any OTF, there’s some internal movement; it comes with the territory, but Benchmade has done a great job of minimizing it. The lock-up feels solid, and the mechanism inspires confidence whether the blade is open or closed.
In the end, the Benchmade 5371FE Shootout isn’t trying to be the flashiest knife on the market. It’s trying to be the one you reach for every time you need something that works—and in that, it more than succeeds. If you want something light, durable, fast, and reliable, the Shootout might just be the OTF you’ve been waiting for.
Featured Knives
Benchmade Shootout
The Benchmade 5371FE Shootout is a lightweight, out-the-front automatic knife built for fast, reliable performance. It features a 3.494-inch drop point blade made from CPM-CruWear tool steel with a rugged Flat Earth PVD finish. The graphite black CF-Elite handle keeps the weight down to just 2.75 ounces without sacrificing strength. A reversible deep-carry pocket clip and ambidextrous slide mechanism make it easy to carry and deploy one-handed. With its rock-solid lock-up, precision action, and durable construction, the 5371FE is made in the USA and ready for duty, EDC, or anywhere a dependable blade is needed.