2015 Ladies Choice Awards Recipients Honored at SHOT Show
Taking a break from the noise and excitement of Range Day and the miles of aisles on the SHOT Show exhibit floor, the GunLink team had a chance to attend the presentation of the Shooting for Women Alliance’s (SWFA) 2015 Ladies Choice Awards. The well-attended event filled quickly and, while our Women’s Shooting editor got there early for a seat, I ended up in the standing-room-only portion – which worked out well for shooting photos and congratulating the award recipients as they exited.
Awards were presented by SFWA founder, Susan Carrichner Rexrode – who, in in 1992, was held hostage at knife-point in her own home for 5 ½ hours and then stalked for two years. Following her ordeal, Susan became a more active participant in her self defense and began training others to help prevent something similar from happening to them – out of that was born the SFWA.
In front of a standing room only crowd with a multitude of onlookers sneaking a peek through the entryway, fifteen awesome industry leaders accepted 2015 Ladies Choice Awards for Guns and Gear for the Modern Woman presented by Shooting for Women Alliance, a non-profit 501(c)3 nationally-renowned organization based in Knoxville, Tennessee. “10,000+ women weighed in with all products being used during actual personal defense related training classes, and the crème de’ la crème rose to the top,” explained Rexrode.
Criteria to be considered as a Ladies Choice Award recipient include: a women-friendly company that designs products that actually work well for women, are easy for them to use, perform as they expect, and understands that it is NOT about pink (although customization options are appreciated). All products are tested Continue reading
More Lighting Solutions from Elzetta Unveiled at SHOT Show
As in past years, Elzetta brought some new lighting solutions with them to SHOT Show this year. While stopped at one flashlight vendor’s booth as we roamed the halls of this year’s show, the booth staff asked me if I liked flashlights. Before I could answer, he immediately answered his own question: “of course you do, you’re a guy.” He was probably right, judging from the quantity of lights around here – tucked in drawers, stuck on metal surfaces, hanging from hooks, mounted on firearms, and in pockets or bags for EDC.
Last year Elzetta introduced their 1-cell Alpha model, a prototype belt clip that would facilitate carrying their indestructible torches, as well as new heads with changeable lenses and automatic voltage sensing heads.
This year they didn’t let down lighting enthusiasts. In collaboration with Impact Weapons Components, they have developed a new integrated weapon-mounted light: the Mini-CQB Modular Weaponlight. Based on an Alpha body, the new Mini-CQB weighs in under 5 ounces. Despite the 1-cell’s dimminutive size, it delivers 315 lumens in a pattern optimized for close quarter engagements.
And since it is based on existing Elzetta lights, the Mini-CQB is compatible with any of six tailcaps to give it rotary, click, high/low, high/strobe, or tape switch functionality. The Mini-CQB is available with multiple ambidextrous attachment mechanisms to suit most users’ needs, including the A1 model for M-1913 Picatinny rails or the A2 model that is compatible with keymod systems as well as Magpul’s M-LOK system.
Elzetta plans to begin shipping the Mini-CQB in April and is currently accepting pre-orders with prices starting at $210 for the A1 model with rotary tailcap.
SilencerCo Handed Best Booth Award at SHOT 2015
SilencerCo, the industry leader in silencers and accessories, was awarded Best Booth at SHOT Show 2015 by prominent firearms marketing agency Primer Strategy. SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade) Show is the firearms industry’s largest annual tradeshow, bringing nearly 70,000 people to Las Vegas each January.
The accolade was given to recognize SilencerCo’s enclosed art gallery-style installation, which used 10 striking gallery wrapped portraits and more than 20 silenced firearms to kick off a yearlong protest theme – #FightTheNoise. The attention to detail employed the use of pasted playbills and posters affixed to an exposed brick façade – all to illustrate the gritty, street-worn feel made iconic by many of the most successful social movements of the past century.
“While walking the SHOW Show floor we noticed a sea of repetition and lack of evolution from year to year – the same booths, same looks and same ideas,” said Katie Perrine, president of Primer Strategy. “Then we saw SilencerCo’s design and had to stop for a closer look. It really embodied what Primer sees as the new direction of the firearms industry – strong, creative, unconventional designs without fear of breaking traditions.” Continue reading
Taurus’ Continued Innovation in CCW Weapons on Display at SHOT
Taurus firearms have had an up-and-down relationship with gun owners over the years. We have seen changes at the company’s helm over the past half-decade or so and, with it, changes in their direction and product lines. They have expanded with the acquisition of companies like Heritage Mfg., Diamondback, and Rossi. They thought outside the box with the introduction of new revolvers like the massive Judge and the window-sided View. We have seen customer service and quality control issues and we have seen those issues owned and addressed as they retooled their Brazilian manufacturing facilities and grew US manufacturing facilities – which is where two of Taurus’ latest CCW offerings are produced.
Ahead of the Curve
Taurus’ latest offering for the concealed carry market is the new Curve – a double-action only .380 ACP designed to conform to the body for greater concealment. When carrying a firearm on one’s waist, the most difficult part to conceal is often the grip, which sticks out at odd angles from the body. Taurus has addressed that with the Curve. Not only is the Curve about the size of the new iPhone 6 Plus at 5.18″ long by 3.7″ tall with a short, stubby grip, its curved design allows it to hug up against the wearer’s hip. This helps limit the pistol’s maximum projection from the body to the thickness of the 1.18″ frame and 0.88″ grip while allowing for 7 rounds to be at the ready. Continue reading
Remington Unleashes 300 Yard Muzzle Loader at SHOT Show
This Model 700-based Black Powder Rifle Ain’t Your Daddy’s Smoke Pole
Oh, great. Another Remington 700 variant. Yawn; keep moving. Wait a second… that’s a front-loader?
That’s pretty much what happened that got the GunLink crew to double back for an unscheduled visit as we strolled past the huge product art adorning the exterior walls of the Remington booth at SHOT Show 2015. Of course, we had planned to stop in to the Freedom Group booth anyway to visit various members of the family, but this new rifle caught our attention.
The .50 caliber Remington UML appears to have a good start on living up to its name: the Ultimate Muzzle Loader. As much as the term may be overused, by all accounts the UML is a game changer in the black powder world. And it is sure to further ruffle the feathers of traditionalists who already don’t like the current crop of fast, powerful modern inline muzzle loaders that blur the line between muzzle loaders and centerfire rifles. In fact, unlike some other muzzle loaders, the UML is considered a firearm and is subject to the same regulation.
Based on the Remington 700 bolt-action, the inline UML is a true magnum – capable of handling 200 grains of powder, making it an accurate 300-yard rifle. 250 grain projectiles scream from the UML at 2,400 fps with nearly 3,200 ft lbs of energy. At 300 yards, it is still supersonic at over 1,300 fps, delivering 966 ft lbs of energy. Continue reading
Brownells Pushes EDGE Program at SHOT
Brownells introduced their new loyalty and shipping program to the shooting industry at SHOT Show 2015. Dubbed Brownells EDGE, members join by paying an annual $49.95 fee and, in return, get numerous benefits – think of it like Amazon Prime for gun stuff.
Brownells EDGE members get free standard domestic shipping on orders, discounts on expedited shipping and free return shipping. The benefits to Brownells customers who order a lot of items are obvious. Company CEO Pete Brownell (who is also a current NRA Board member and 2nd Vice President) even suggested that members who are debating between two products could order both, get them shipped for free, and return the one that they didn’t like. It would seem like cheating if The Man himself hadn’t suggested it.
The EDGE benefits don’t stop at free or discounted shipping either. Program members will also receive exclusive offers and discounts only available to those on The EDGE. Mr. Brownell, in a radio interview during the SHOT Show, even mentioned that members may receive advanced notice of .22 rimfire ammunition coming into stock – a market in which he postulated that we may see shortages for another 18 months.
To help get the ball rolling and build membership, Brownells is entering everyone who purchases a Brownells EDGE membership into a drawing for a chance to win an STI Edge .45 ACP 2011 pistol – valued at $2,180.
“We owe our longstanding success to being in tune with our customers,” said Brownells President/COO, Matt Buckingham. “We’ve heard customers asking for lower-cost shipping options, so we created Brownells EDGE. With just a few orders the membership fee easily pays for itself.”
More information can be found by visiting the Brownells EDGE webpage.
