GunLink 2015 SHOT Show Photo Gallery
SHOT Show 2015 has come and gone. The GunLink team was there for the whole week to soak up all of the gun, gear, and everything else that the show had to offer. From Industry/Media Day at the Range the day before SHOT Show officially opened to the four day long expo that filled the Sands Expo Center – we saw it all. While we will be covering much of what we saw in greater detail in the coming days and weeks, we want to let you see what we saw.
SHOT Show Range Day 2015 – What You Missed
The end (of January) is nigh, and that means that we are wrapping up another SHOT Show – the National Shooting Sport Foundation’s annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show which showcases the best new innovations that the industry has to offer. As in past years, the GunLink crew spent an action packed week-long stint in Las Vegas to cover the show – from the live fire demos of SHOT Show Range Day right through all four days of walking the 640,000 square feet of show floor to visit the more than 1,600 exhibitors. If you didn’t make it to the Range Day, here is what you missed. Continue reading
2015 SHOT Show Posts Second Highest Attendance Total Ever
The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) rang up its second highest attendance ever at the Sands Expo Center Jan. 20-23, giving the industry a very good indicator that a strong sales year lies ahead.
Long a bellwether for the industry’s prospects, the SHOT Show brings together buyers and sellers from the United States and more than 100 countries. Total attendance for the 2015 SHOT Show was nearly 64,000, second only to last year’s record-setting event, where nearly 67,000 came through the turnstiles. Lower attendance reflected strengthened pre-screening of attendees to enhance the overall experience of both exhibitors and buyers.
“We know from long experience that attendance at the SHOT Show is a reflection of the state of our industry,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “This second highest attendance is in keeping with what we saw in the past year — that our industry is in good health and that manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers have a positive outlook for this year.”
NSSF®, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, owns and sponsors the SHOT Show.
From the opening bell, the show floor hummed with traffic. Cindy Daniel, Executive Vice President of Daniel Defense, a major sponsor of the SHOT Show, said, “It’s been a very busy show. We’re optimistic that with the good vibe we’re seeing on the floor sales will pick up again and we’ll have a solid year.”
Said Kort Nielson with Silencer Co., “We’ve been pretty busy, and there hasn’t been Continue reading
TALON Grips Launches New Glock Grips at SHOT Show
TALON Grips Inc. launched a redesign of its Made in the USA Glock grips this week at SHOT Show in Las Vegas.
According to the release, technological advances are partially responsible for TALON‘s ability to create more complex and thorough grip designs, making them “the most innovative and functional adhesive grips on the market.” Earlier die cutting techniques have given way to more advanced capabilities which allows the design team to increase coverage of the factory Glock grip.
This redesign results in a new TALON grip that entirely encompasses the frame from the magazine well to the top of the thumb rest, increasing the textured, higher friction surface area available to the user. The company says that the grips will still be universal among full size Glock pistols – fitting all generations and backstrap configurations. The grips will be available in black rubber as well as both black and pink granulate textures.
GunLink staff had the opportunity to try out TALON’s new Glock grips at SHOT Show with favorable results. While previous models allowed improved ability to grip the firearm versus the stock frame, especially on earlier generations, the redesigned product improves that ability further with more precisely shaped grips and increased coverage area.
“TALON Grips were born on the Glock,” says lead designer and TALON president Michael Morris. “That’s where we started, and while our Glock grips have always performed well, this redesign brings them to a higher standard as expected by TALON Grips and our customers.”
TALON personnel at SHOT told us that the previous version of the grips were being phased out completely. Existing stock will be sold, but all new production is focused on the improved version.
New NSSF Report: More Women Owning Guns, Going Target Shooting and Hunting
‘Women Gun Owners’ report and new infographic highlight fastest growing segment in shooting sports
More than half of women (55.6 percent) participating in a new study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation said they intend to purchase at least one firearm in the next 12 months. That finding and many others reflect the growing popularity of firearms ownership by women, who represent the fastest growing segment of the shooting sports.
Today during the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show), NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti discussed the findings in the new report, “Women Gun Owners: Purchasing, Perceptions and Participation.” NSSF, which owns the SHOT Show, is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry.
“In the past decade, the number of women owning firearms and participating in target shooting and hunting has soared. This study helps us understand why women are choosing to purchase firearms and accessories and what shooting activities appeal to them most,” said Sanetti.
The study, conducted in 2014, focused on women ages 18 to 65 who owned at least one firearm. Over a third of women in the study were new gun owners, having purchased their first firearm within the last three years. This group of new gun owners, who are primarily between the ages of 18 and 34, reflects the changing demographics among women choosing to own firearms—a change captured visually in NSSF’s new infographic, “Girl Power,” which complements the new report.
“The women’s market is a force in our industry, and manufacturers, retailers and shooting ranges are making changes to their products and services to satisfy women’s tastes and needs. This report will assist anyone interested in knowing more about women’s enthusiasm for and attitudes toward firearms,” said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF Director of Industry Research and Analysis.
Among the report’s findings Continue reading
New GLOCK Models Officially Unveiled at SHOT
Although ads for the new GLOCK MOS models were leaked several weeks ago, they haven’t been officially announced by the Austrian firearms maker until now.
GLOCK, Inc. announced yesterday the release of the new Modular Optic System (MOS). The MOS platform was designed by GLOCK engineers to enable users to mount their preferred reflex sights to their pistol in order to improve their target acquisition. The Gen4 models G34, G35, and G41 will now be available in the new MOS platform. The GLOCK 40 Gen4 in MOS Configuration – a long slide 10mm pistol intended for 10mm enthusiasts as well as handgun hunters – will be available soon.
“Our research has prompted us to release the MOS configurations for the G34 Gen4, G35 Gen4 and G41 Gen4 and the new G40 Gen4 in the MOS Configuration.” stated Josh Dorsey, VP at GLOCK, Inc. “The new GLOCK MOS platform offers a convenient way to mount reflex sights without costly alterations to a warrantied slide.”
The MOS models include an Adapter Plate Kit containing 4 adapter plates as well as the tools for the removal and installation for a variety of optics. Optics are not included with the MOS pistols, leaving users the flexibility to add the sight of their choice. Otherwise, the specifications for the Gen4 MOS configured G34, G35, and G41 are the same as their respective non-MOS versions. Continue reading
