Free Republic

The SSAA (Sporting Shooters Association of Australia) has a Shot Show in Brisbane, Queensland on 26-27 August, 2017. Australia is a day ahead of the United States, because of the international date line. Media are required to wear the florescent vest pictured.  In the United States, Media are vetted before either the NSSF Shot Show or the NRA Annual Meeting. At the Australia Show, there is vetting, but the vest is also required.The Australian Shot show differs in a number of ways from its American cousins. As you might expect, it is smaller.  Australia only has 7 percent of the...

In past years, the SHOT Show—the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show, organized annually by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, held this year in Las Vegas—has been marked by delight at the booming firearms market, clouded by concerns about impending executive actions by now-former President Barack Obama. This year, SHOT was the exact opposite: hopes for regulatory relief from President Donald Trump, tempered with regret at the end of—or at least a pause in—the remarkable sales run of the past eight years. For say what you will about Obama—and SHOT Show attendees often do—he drove firearms sales better than anyone...

There is no a conspiracy to put Brady urinal filters in the urinals at gun culture events.  Just because they were at the Gun Rights Policy Conference held at the Sheraton Crescent Center in Glendale, Arizona in September, 2015, and at the Shot Show in Las Vegas in January, 2016, does not mean it is a conspiracy.  This year, in January, 2017, the Brady urinal screens were still in the bathrooms for the Shot Show.  The screens probably last for more than a year. It seems a bit ironic that the Brady brand is what the many thousands of...

Making a reliable .22 magnum semi-auto has always been a challenge in the industry.  Doing so with a pistol is even more difficult.  Kel-Tec has had the most successful design with their PMR 30.  The PMR 30 has been a success for several years now.  Kel-Tec is running at top production capacity of a thousand a month out the door.  A lot of people like the idea of a 30 shot, lightweight, .22 magnum pistol.  Quite a few like the significant muzzle flash and blast. Reports from industry insiders at the show are that most reliability problems with the...

Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)- The Industry Day at the Range is only open to media by invitation. I have been fortunate to be able to attend the last three or four.  It seemed that attendance was down a bit this year from last.The weather was nicer last year, warmer, but both years had a bit of a breeze. It is always interesting to see the latest tech that is being offered.  I have found that taking the shuttle bus from the Palazzo is worth while.  Parking is limited at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club, which generously allows use of its...

Mike Rowe. What else is there to say about the guy? He loves his country and he loves to shoot guns. He is all about hard-working Americans, and once an anti-gun advocate messaged him on Facebook to discourage his decision to speak at the SHOT show he put her in her place. Off The Wall Marla W writes... I just read that you’re speaking at the SHOT show in Las Vegas this week. VERY disappointing. There are already too many guns in this country, and too much faux patriotism surrounding the second amendment. I can’t believe you’d risk your good...

Bras, garters, corsets, lingerie, handbags last week’s SHOT show was not just the site of new gun announcements. Companies took the opportunity to showcase a number of concealed carry options designed specifically for women. Personal and home protection is a foremost reason women own firearms, according to research conducted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The NSSF survey of women who owned at least one firearm found that more than 42 percent have a concealed carry permit. Many women need a way to carry firearms that is designed for the female body – not one designed for men and simply...

The left loves to use false comparisons of unrelated numbers to make bad arguments.  In a recent article about the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT)  Show in the Guardian, a far-left British newspaper, the reporters start with an off the cuff remark from an economics professor.  From the guardian.com: “People are buying guns as part of the American dream of freedom and liberty,” said Brauer, who is based at the Hull College of Business at Augusta University. “And also, the hope and the dream of being able to use guns in self-defence.” The Guardian then adds this: People...

There is no a conspiracy to put Brady urinal filters in the urinals at gun culture events.  Just because they were at the Gun Rights Policy Conference held at the Sheraton Crescent Center in Glendale, Arizona in September, 2015, and at the Shot Show in Las Vegas in January, 2016, does not mean it is a conspiracy. The urinal screens at both events were all Bradys!  No, not the disarmist Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, but the legitimate Brady company that produces urinal bathroom products! I am certain that some waggish member of the hotel staff did not...

One of my contacts in Las Vegas is Garrett Cameron of Montactical.com. They are doing a good business of custom stencils and Duracoat finishes of just about any pattern that you can imagine on a firearm.  Garrett was with a few friends and associates from the Shot Show.  They decided to give the Hustler Cub a try.  I do not think they knew it is owned by a noted disarmist and Hillary Clinton Supporter, Larry Flynt.When they got to the door, they were met by a security guy with a metal detecting wand.  He was very polite, but asked...

SilencerCo Integrally Suppressed Prototype 9mm One of the first items that was attracting a significant amount of attention at the Shot Show Industry Day at the Range was this SilencerCo integrally suppressed 9mm.  They had brought out a similar prototype in September of 2015, but this was a new, improved, version.  It is not ready for sale, but I was told that they hope to have them on the market some time in 2016.  Of course, you will need a tax stamp from the ATF if you are not issued one in the military or as a peace officer...

I drove up from Yuma to Las Vegas today, to go to the Industry day at the Range tomorrow.  It is nice to be one of the media invited to this event, which most of the industry from around the world uses to highlight and show off the latest in technological improvements and new products.  If I want to take my laptop, they will have media tents to do stories from, complete with wi-fi to blog directly to the net.  Pretty cool stuff. Always nice to run into professional colleagues as well.  I am looking forward to seeing Alan...

Richard Davis, in short sleeves, at the Shot Show, Las Vegas, 2015 At the Shot Show this year, I was working away in the media room.  Media are given a room and special access at the Shot Show, as they are most places.   A guard at the door insures that only the privileged are allowed inside.  (The management also provides free food.)  I was chatting with Destinee of FateofDestinee fame when I got the call.   Richard Davis was at the shot Show and willing to talk!  Richard Davis is legendary to gun culture people born before 1960.   He has...

The new Glock 40 10mm with factory optical site mount.  A long slide version with a 6 inch barrel is available.  This could be important in some states, such as Wisconsin, which requires a minimum 5 inch barrel for hunting big game with a handgun.  I saw the pistol at the industry day at the range for the Shot Show in Las Vegas on Monday. I asked if Glock had entered this pistol in the Army competition for a new, more powerful handgun.  The representative did not know. The line to try out the new Glock was fairly long;...

Former late night host Jay Leno was scheduled to do an appearance at an annual event hosted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in Connecticut this January. The Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) focuses on pretty much what it sounds like… hunters and the gear they use to engage in the sport. Really dangerous sounding, eh? Well, to some it must have been, and the fact that the group is based in Newtown certainly bolstered their courage to complain. A petition posted by the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence accuses Leno of “helping to legitimize a crass commercialism which...

The Shot Show staying in Las Vegas through 2018 works well for me.  If anyone who has an interest in guns can wrangle a ticket to the show, I recommend that they do.   The show is for industry only, but vendors and retailers often need help setting up displays or canvassing the show.  It is simply too big for a person to cover with any amount of rigor in four days.  From an NSSF email: SHOT Show® to Stay at Sands Expo through 2018 LAS VEGAS -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®) followed up its recently concluded, record-setting...

Last week, I attended the largest gun and outdoors show in the world; the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show. The annual Las Vegas event is so huge that only those who work in the industry are allowed to attend. The show doesn't receive much mainstream news coverage because the left-wing media doesn't want the public to know how many patriotic Americans are in the gun industry. Attendance increases every year, with 67,000 attending this year. There were 1,600 exhibitors, and over 400 companies were waitlisted. Conservatives have been losing ground in virtually every area in politics except the Second...

Last week at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I had the honor of sitting down with world shooting champion, hunter, Army veteran, mother, author and Smith & Wesson team captain Julie Golob. Julie has won over 120 championship titles and wrote her first book, SHOOT: Your Guide to Shooting and Competition, in 2012. If you’re new to shooting or want to learn more about the sport, I highly recommend picking up her book. She also offers tips and tricks on everything from cooking wild game to shooting on her website. KP: How many classes or what kinds of classes...

Reed Exhibitions has 32 events scheduled in the United States for 2013, including the world famous Shot Show. The NSSF is the sponsor of the Shot Show and has strongly condemned the actions taken by Reed Exhibitions. "The National Shooting Sports Foundation strongly disagrees with the decision of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show’s management to disallow the display and sale of Modern Sporting Rifles at its 2013 exhibition." It is unknown if, given the strong reaction taken to Reed Exhibitions foray into American politics, if the NSSF will retain Reed Exhibitions to run the Shot Show next year. Here...

CLARK COUNTY, Nev. — Official Washington has the collective attention span of a fruit fly. This condition is exacerbated by the Obama administration's proclivity for declaring selective events and issues to be crises that require immediate action. The problem is aggravated because the loyal opposition is in nearly total disarray, and few in the so-called mainstream media have any idea what they are talking about. That's the summary assessment of many attending the annual Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show here in Harry Reid's Nevada. Note to editors and broadcast producers: The SHOT Show isn't a gun show. Nobody here can...