SHOT Show Attendance Soars to New Record
Attracting industry professionals from the United States and more than 100 other countries, the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) shattered attendance records this week, giving industry professionals good reason to believe that 2014 will be another strong year for sales of firearms, ammunition, outdoor gear and law enforcement equipment.
The 36th SHOT Show ran Jan. 14 to 17 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center. Attendance figures eclipsed last year’s total by the second day of the show and finished at more than 67,000, an increase of 5,000. “I think that really speaks to the quality of the event and the enthusiasm and passion of our industry to provide quality products for hunting, target shooting and personal and home defense,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, owns and manages the SHOT Show.
The $6 billion industry has enjoyed robust Continue reading
It’s a Wrap for SHOT Show 2014
Another SHOT Show is wrapped up from the Sands Expo Center in Fabulous Las Vegas and attendees were treated to the introduction of many new products. Some products will change the way you use your firearms, some are reinvented wheels and some are just plain “out there.” Since SHOT Show is industry-only, the GunLink crew and friends were on hand to cover the show and help scratch your itch for firearms industry news until you (hopefully) get a chance to attend one of the other upcoming shows.
During SHOT Show week, we got to fire some innovative (and fun!) weapons. We traveled thousands of miles across the United States only to run into the folks that run the range where I’m a member as well as a gun maker that grew up (and still has family) right in GunLink HQ’s neighborhood. We saw Greg Jordan beat out Taran Butler and take home $50,000 from the 3 Gun Nation Ruble on the Range championships.
During the State of the Industry Dinner, we saw NSSF and POMA give the Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Awarda to a man who called the AR-15 platform “terrorist rifles” and called for their ban. The unbelievability of that was topped only by the Penn & Teller act that immediately followed. There was good news at Continue reading
Meet the New Glock Pistols
At SHOT Show 2014 Glock showcased two new pistols, their smallest model made to date alongside one of the largest: the G42 .380 and the G41 Gen 4 .45ACP. We got to handle and shoot both new buzzworthy pistols at Media Day at the Range in nearby Boulder City the day before the official show opening.
The G41, which Glock is touting as “practical/tactical,” is essentially a G21 but, instead of a 4.6″ barrel and 6.77″ sight radius, it gets stretched out with a 5.31″ barrel and 7.56″ sight radius while still managing to shave off 2.3oz. While certainly not helping improve concealability, the longer sight radius should help improve accuracy – a welcome trait whether your life is on the line or you’re just trying to win a match. The extra barrel and slide length make the G41 feel more balanced than a G21 and also improve the already more-than-managable felt recoil and muzzle rise from the hefty .45, making it easier to get back on target for follow-on shots. Continue reading
(Almost) Zero Bulk Concealed Carry
Tucking your CCW pistol into your waistband is a fast, easy way to conceal your firearm without adding the bulk (or expense) of a holster. However, this style of so-called “Mexican carry” is not without its issues.
The first concern is safety, as it generally leaves the trigger exposed and could spell trouble if your finger or some other object inadvertently gets inside of the trigger guard and onto the bang switch. If you choose to tuck your pistol into your belt, to pocket carry or to use some other method that does not shield the trigger, be aware of this and exercise appropriate caution to prevent a dangerous situation.
The next issue with having a gun just stuffed into the waist of your pants is that it relies on the pressure between your belt or pants and your body to hold the pistol in place. This is all well and good if you’re not being particularly active, but throw some motion into the mix and your carry piece could shift around into an awkward position or even slip down your pant leg (Plaxico Burress, anyone?).
For some time KelTec owners have enjoyed a beautifully simple improvement over simply cramming a loaded firearm into their pants: a small clip that mounts to the frame of the gun to hold it in place. Unfortunately this hasn’t been an option for owners of many other firearms. Until recently. Continue reading
SHOT Show 2014 Day at the Range Recap
Another year’s SHOT Show range day at nearby Boulder City is in the can and it was as exciting as ever. We got to see, handle and shoot a number of great new weapons. The exhibitors had plenty to tell us, the range was well kept and, thanks to the RSOs (and everyone’s cooperation), safe. As an added bonus, it wasn’t freezing cold and windy this year. Winning!
Long Distance Plan
One of the most exciting things we got to see at range day was a couple siblings from the smart optics family: the Tracking Point system and the Remington model 700 with the Tracking Point’s little brother, the 20/20. I had a chance to try Continue reading
Welcome to Fabulous SHOT Show – Las Vegas, NV
This week marks the 36th annual SHOT Show. With attendees numbering over 60,000 in recent years and nearly 2,000 exhibitors, the industry trade show has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1979 St. Louis.
The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades – SHOT – Show exhibits the latest and greatest products and information for a wide variety attendees. From the latest hunting and camping gear to law enforcement equipment and techniques to the most up-to-date marketing and compliance information for firearms dealers. And, of course, guns. Lots and lots of wonderful new firearms of interest to the general shooting public.
As we have for the last several years, GunLink will have staff at the show to compile all of the photos, videos and articles you need to plan out how you’re going to blow all your money this year. New GLOCK and Remington pistols? The latest in long range shooting? AR parts and accessories? Night vision? You got it. Keep your eyes right here on the GunLink blog and on the SHOT Show discussion board on the GunLink forums to keep up with SHOT Show coverage from GunLink as well as our friends and partners.
