cohiba, you asked about the Shot Show?

[Lone Wolf '49]

This better than nothing from friend who is there every year: 2014 SHOT Show, Media/Range Day
>
> The SHOT Show hosts a "Media Day" at a local range, so people from the gun
> press (for which I apparently qualify) can handle and shoot guns. There
> is a simultaneous and separate "Range Day|," at a different local range,
> where military rifles and accessories were on display and available to shoot.
>
> I attended both, Media Day in the morning and Range Day in the afternoon.
>
> Here is what I found, of note:
>
> Beretta, who at one time manufactured the excellent 1201 autoloading riot
> shotgun (long-since out of production), has reintroduced it, now called the
> "1301/Tactical." I shot it, and it is wonderful, similar to the Benelli
> M4. Glad Beretta brought it back. Nice sights this time, six-round tube,
> slim and slick.
>
> I also got a chance to shoot the Beretta AXR rifle. Compact 223 that
> takes AR magazines. Nice trigger, and I like it. But, at 2k/copy, it is
> priced up there with the Israeli Tavor. Both have to compete with ARs, which
> are available at half that price.
>
> Beretta's "Nano" compact 9mm pistol is small and slick, smaller than a
> S&W Shield, and runs fine.
>
> However, Beretta's "Pico" in 380 Auto is a very small and amazingly thin,
> thinner than just about any other 380 I know of. Owners will find it
> easier and more convenient/comfortable to carry concealed than most other small
> 380s.
>
> I shot the Kriss "Vector" carbine for the first time. 45 ACP rifle
> (carbine) that takes Glock magazines. Compact and light, and controllable. I
> shot the full-auto version, and, even in full-auto, it is smooth and
> controllable.
>
> One of the "under 1k" ARs I handled and shot was from a new company,
> called Devil Dog Arms. Excellent rifle! Another is Double Star's CCC Carbine
> (a copy of which I have), also excellent.
>
> On the Devil Dog AR was mounted a compact, rugged 4x optic from a company
> called Browe. For those wanting magnifying optics, this is a good one!
>
> Another interesting optic on display is the AQC by a company called MSE.
> Resembles an EOTech, but is available with multiple reticles, in the same
> optic. They have a circle and dot, similar to EOTech's, but one can
> instantly switch to just a dot. The third choice is a dot, flanked by red lines.
>
>
> Yet another EOTech-like optic, designed specifically for shotguns, is the "
> Red Ring" the reticle is a red ring, with no dot. It is designed to
> define a shotgun pattern. I shot a Kel Tec KSG shotgun equipped with a Red
> Ring, and it is very fast indeed!
>
> My good friends at MGI demonstrated their "Hydra" rifle. It is an AR
> that can be converted from 223 to 7.62x39 by changing barrels, bolt/bolt
> carrier, and magazine well. The whole process takes less than a minute. Pretty
> slick!
>
> Another AR on display that I had the opportunity to shoot is the ADCOR
> gas-piston system. It features an H&K-style forward charging handle. Very
> slick and smooth, but a little pricy at 2.5k
>
> As mentioned above, I finally get the chance to shoot Kel-Tec's bullpup KSG
> pump shotgun. Ran fine, but it is a bruiser, a consequence of its light
> weight! It has two, parallel, seven-shot magazine tubes, but switch-over
> is manual, not automatic.
>
> Glock was there with their new G42 and G43. I didn't shoot either, as the
> lines were too long! The G42 is a small, single-stack 380 auto. Like all
> Glocks, it runs fine, but it is a good deal bigger than Kahr's P380 and a
> lot bigger, and fatter, than Beretta's Pico.
>
> The G43 is a single-stack 45ACP, about the same dimensions as a 5-inch
> 1911. It is designed mainly to accommodate rules for certain pistol
> competitions. However, for concealed carry, the existing G36 is smaller and more
> suitable.
>
> The Israeli Tavor was on display, and it is a rifle I really like, one of
> the few bull-pups I do! Takes AR magazines and is very compact, so it
> makes a nice travel gun. I've had several in Courses, and all have run fine.
> Once again, pricy at 2k/copy.
>
> I got chance to shoot ROBAR's SR21 compact long-range, bolt-action rifle.
> ROBAR had copies there in 308 and in 300 Win Mag. The stock comes off for
> easy transport. I watched shooters hitting targets at 800m with it. Even
> I had no trouble hitting the 400m target. I couldn't even see the one at
> 800m! Target market is police and non-police, domestic consumers. There
> are a few people who can appreciate, and take advantage of, this kind of
> significant capability. Like everything from ROBAR, it is top-drawer.
>
> Tomorrow, the 2014 SHOT Show officially begins at the Sands Expo Center.
>

 

[Lone Wolf '49]

The Shot Show is again this year at the Sands Convention Center in Las
> Vegas, NV, with its never-ending ballrooms, as well as main convention halls,
> at two levels. The SHOT Show is now the fifth biggest trade show in the
> nation, eclipsed only by the Consumer Electronics Show, the Auto Show, and
> several others.
>
> Even at that, this year's SHOT Show is sold-out of vendor spaces, with a
> waiting list of vendors trying to get in.
>
> Last year's event-coordinator was fired, and a new one is in charge this
> year. One consequence is that hundreds of attendees (including several
> friends), who have attended SHOT Shows for years, arrived only to find there was
> no record of their past attendance. Who were accustomed to just showing
> up, paying their $20.00, and getting their show-badge on the spot,
> discovered they now had to stand in endless lines for the entire morning of the
> first day for the privilege of paying over ten times that amount!
>
> We were lucky we took care of all this in advance!
>
> As is typical for the first day, we rushed around visiting old friends and
> seeing as much of the new items on display as we could. Tomorrow, we'll be
> more methodical!
>
> Items of note:
>
> Yesterday, I reported that the new G41 was a single-column 45 ACP pistol,
> similar in size to a 1911. I handled a copy today at the Glock booth. It
> is actually a double-column 45ACP, which makes it even less interesting!
> Very little difference from a G21.
>
> ELSA (Emergency Life-Saving Armor) fits in what looks like a computer
> case. One dons it instantly for front and back coverage, with all accessories,
> including spare magazines, in place. Clever way of carrying a rifle-armor
> ensemble in low profile! Whole thing weighs less than four pounds!
>
> The armor used is DKX. Very light! The same DKX armor is used for the
> CBCS, a hand-held ballistic shield with integral flashlight. Excellent for
> going down stairs!
>
> There are lots of people making and marketing flashlights, but I
> particularly liked Four Sevens' MMR Tactical light. Puts out 800 lumens and is USB
> rechargeable.
>
> I carry a Terralux 600 lumen TT5, because I like its ruggedness and
> controls. I bought Vicki a 250 lumen TT1 at the show. She liked the small size
> and, once more, convenient controls.
>
> Strategic Systems, makers of training systems, had on display a clever,
> self-resetting steel pistol target, called the "Auto-Popper." At 20 lbs and
> $300.00/copy, it makes a handy, transportable steel target that can be
> set-up quickly.
>
> DSM (Don't Shoot Me) has an improved, quick-deployment "police" banner
> that can be quickly donned. I carry one constantly, and I plan on putting
> mine on as soon as I can when involved in any tense situation where I might be
> confronting police who have guns drawn!
>
> Friends at Kahr showed me their 1911U, a sub-commander sized 1911. New
> for 2014. Nice concealment gun and far more reasonable than similar 1911s
> from other manufacturers.
>
> A company called Adaptive Tactical has a kit for converting a Mossberg 590
> (12ga pump shotgun) into a ten-shot shotgun, fed from a compact, drum
> magazine. For those who live places where high-capacity, military rifles are
> hard to legally own, this might provide an adequate alterative.
>
> This year, I took a close look at the Double-Tap Pistol. It is a
> break-open, over/under "derringer" that fires one or two rounds. It stores an
> additional two rounds in the grip. It is available in 9mm and 45ACP. It is
> extremely flat and very small. Fits in a pocket easily. For some people in
> some situations, this little pistol may represent a good option. In any
> event, I'm interested enough to get a copy for testing!
>
> We probably walked ten miles today, and still haven't seen 75% of the Show!

 

[Lone Wolf '49]

As I did last year, I stopped counting at fifty, or so, the number of
> companies purporting to manufacture ARs. Most actually just assemble them,
> but, in all fairness, most of them we see in Classes run well.
>
> CORE is a manufacturer who actually makes their own barrels, and most other
> parts. Excellent ARs, at just over 1k/copy.
>
> I'm told by friends in the Special Forces Community that the 300 Blk
> (Blackout), now designated the "7.62x35." is rapidly displacing the 5.56x45,
> both officially and unofficially. It appears to be doing what the 6.8mm SPC
> (6.8x43) was supposed to do, but never did!
>
> The small Boberg Pistol, at 1k, is a little pricy, but has nice features.
> Very small, single-stack 9mm (7+1), rated for +p ammunition, with soft
> recoil. We've had several in Courses, and they run just fine. The XRQS is
> the smallest 9mm version. 45ACP version, only slightly bigger, will be out
> later this year.
>
> Coonan Arms continues to manufacture and sell their 1911-style pistols,
> chambered for 357Mg (revolver cartridge). They had a nice display!
>
> I talked with Mike Gibson of MGM (Mike Gibson Manufacturing). Their basic
> steel rifle target, plus stand, is $500.00. Steel in the stand is armor
> plate, so the stand itself doesn't get chewed-up. Hard to beat!
>
> Firstlight's Tomahawk right-angle flashlight has been upgraded to the 400
> lumen "T-Max." I now have a copy, and it has features found nowhere else,
> including red/green combination for detecting blood, plus flashing red,
> white, and blue for police ID. I carry my copy constantly! Pricy at
> $270.00, but a stepped-down version is under $100.00.
>
> Blue Force Gear has a new version of their famous Vicker's Sling, called
> the 221. Same quick-adjust feature of the original, but the 221 quickly
> converts from two-point to single-point. I'll have a copy for testing shortly.
>
> Yet another flashlight company, whom I've never heard of until today,
> Eagtac, displayed a small, tactical flashlight with an output of 1116 lumens.
> Amazingly bright!
>
> My old friend, Brian Hoffner, showed me his new folding knife, designed for
> carrying. One-hand opening, designed for damaging impact, whether the
> blade is deployed or not. I now carry a copy. Too good to pass-up!
>
> Yet another AR manufacturer, Anderson Arms, produces rifles with their
> exclusive "RF85" calcium coating process on all parts. They claim their
> rifles never need lubrication! I don't know enough about coatings and other
> surface treatments to even comment. I may get a copy just to test their
> theory!
>
> I saw and handled the much-heralded R51 Pistol from Remington. A small,
> single-stack 9mm, designed for concealed carry, about the size of the S&W
> Shield. Quite a disappointment! Slide movement was extremely gritty.
> Significant scratch-marks on the barrel, just from attendees handling it
> manually. They may have brought this pistol out a little too soon!
>
> Taurus has been far from perfect, but the reach to the trigger on their
> polymer-framed Millennium Pistol is short enough to accommodate even the
> smallest of hands. Many women who have difficulty reaching the trigger on
> other autoloaders with enough finger to press it smoothly, will find this Taurus
> user-friendly indeed!
>
> SIG's contribution to the small, 9mm, concealed-carry gun market is the
> single-column P290 (7+1). Self-decoking, and, like all SIGs, it runs fine.
> It, the S&W Shield, Kahr PM9, the Beretta Nano, the Kimber Solo, the
> Boberg, the Rohrbaugh, and several others offer the concealed-carry consumer many
> acceptable choices.
>
> More tomorrow!

 

[mouthpiece]

The four sevens sounds interesting.

 

[Cohiba]

Thank you Lone Wolf '49...your description was excellent!! If you get to play craps, place a small bet for me on the "pass line" and press the winnings!!! Just kidding!!

Have a great time ...I'm jealous that I can't be there..but...a few months ago we were looking at some homes around good ol' Vegas!!! One of these days, one of these day....adiós Oklahoma, Viva Las Vegas!!!

 

[mouthpiece]

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/01/16/shot-hk-interview-president-wayne-weber-lots-pics/

 

[Lone Wolf '49]

Thank you Lone Wolf '49...your description was excellent!! If you get to play craps, place a small bet for me on the "pass line" and press the winnings!!! Just kidding!!

Have a great time ...I'm jealous that I can't be there..but...a few months ago we were looking at some homes around good ol' Vegas!!! One of these days, one of these day....adiós Oklahoma, Viva Las Vegas!!!

Cohiba! No, I am not there, these are the emails I get daily from friend who goes every year and his main points of interests are in self defense arms, accessories training, etc. I will post his email about Friday at the show as early as I can Saturday. And I thought you had the LV thing out of your system now?

 

[Lone Wolf '49]

Mood was apprehensive, but upbeat. General consensus is that no federal
gun legislation is likely during the balance of the BHO Administration.

Interesting to see that there were a number of manufacturers of gun-making
machinery represented, complete, in several cases, with massive
punch-presses and CNC machines, all set-up and running on the display floor! Strong,
continuous consumer demand us obviously anticipated.

Las Vegas is the perfect town for a trade show like SHOT, as it has more
than adequate hotel and restaurant capacity for a group this size (upwards of
70k this year). However, Las Vegas is no longer an inexpensive, nor even
moderately expensive, destination! Hotels and restaurants, particularly
those associated with the Sands Convention Center, are all nice, but really
pricey! Casino/hotel restaurants are also pleasant, but ridiculously
expensive. And, all that before anyone even starts gambling!

As in past years, it is still disappointing to see large, promotional
graphic displays at the Show, depicting people casually shooting, without
necessary protective equipment, like glasses! Bimbos in provocative postures,
displaying various guns pointed in various unsafe directions, with manicured
fingers wrapped around triggers. Once again, with painful safety gaffes
like these, we don't need enemies!

I talked with friends at Blackhawk this morning. They just secured a
federal contract to supply the Army with thousands of "SERPA Tactical Holster
Systems." They've already secured a similar contract to supply the
Marines. The System consists of a SERPA Holster for the M9 (Beretta 92F) Pistol,
with three separate mounting systems, one for the vest, a drop-holster for
the leg, and a belt attachment. The holster itself can be moved around and
mounted at any angle, via an ingenious, rotary mounting arrangement. It
is a solid piece of gear!

The SERPA has its detractors, to be sure, but for those for whom open-top
holsters won't work, it is a good way to go. For one, I like the SERPA!

Navy Arms, long known for replica percussion revolvers and other
period-weapons, all fully functional, showed-off a 1903 Springfield rifle in its
original, issue form. It is beautiful, and at 1k/copy, not a bad deal. Many
instructors discussed among ourselves, over dinner, the necessity of all of
us being in a position to be able to competently and authoritatively
instruct students in the serious operation lever-guns and bolt-guns, as some day
these may become the only variety of rifle to which some will have access.

The 1903 Springfield is a wonderful, military weapon! In the hands of a
competent Operator, it can be used to settle most fights right-readily!
Once you learn how to run a bolt and use a stripper-clip, the fact that your
rifle is not autoloading becomes almost irrelevant!

I saw the new SIG 320 this morning. It is a striker-fired, duty pistol.
No decocking lever, and no manual safety. SIG's version of a Glock!

I discussed this morning with friends at EOTech the subject of all the
EOTech look-alikes currently on display. Among all of them, the EOTech is
still the only "holographic" sight! Their copyright on the technology will
expire soon, and, when it does, many others will predictably start making
similar systems. But, not right now! One advantage of a true, holographic
sight is the fact that the aiming dot does not grow with range. It stays
the same size.

Tapco had on display 30-round plastic magazines for the Ruger Mini-14!
Many of my Urban Rifle students who bring Mini-14s to Courses lament that
they can't find high-quality, high (normal)-capacity magazines. The ones I
saw from Tapco were very nice, at $18.00/copy!

We noticed at the Show this year a significant increase in the number of
companies making concealed-carry accouterments specifically designed to
appeal to women.

"Concealed Carrie" had a nice, albeit pricey, line of handbags. We met "
Carrie" herself, and she was enthusiastic about the prospect of making
routine, concealed-carry appealing to women. Unfortunately, her otherwise
attractive graphic showed a woman casually pointing a pistol in the air, with
her finger wrapped about the trigger, all while looking in another
direction. Carrie needs to come to one of our Courses!

Not the only promotional gaffe, as noted above!

Looper Leather, makers of the famous "Flash-Bang" holster, had a nice
display. The "Flash-Bang" is, in fact, so popular it has been seamlessly,
shamelessly copied by at least one other manufacturer! Looper also had
belts, in various colors, designed to appear for female consumers.

The most well-known of the lot is GTM (Gun-Tote'n Mamas). Their line of
purses and handbags is now extremely extensive. While I make no claim to
style expertise, there has to be something there that will appeal to nearly
anyone! Off-body carry has risks and benefits, but for many women, it
represents one of the few viable options for continuously going armed.

Two clever variations are an iPad case with an integral holster, and a
small, cross-body purse, with enough room for a cell phone, glass-case, and
small 9mm pistol!

Next year's SHOT Show will be in the same place. It is a wonderful way
for us to renew old friendships, see old comrades, and get updated on all the
latest developments. For vendors, it represents an expensive and
time-consuming diversion from the business of making product, and all of them
deserve much credit for being there. Like all trade shows, it is far from
perfect, but I try not to miss it!

/John