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Day 4: Sapp “Last day!” But there is so much to see. The Swarovski booth is magnificent. Raised wood floor; waterfall. I remark on the extravagance and a Mr. Hou, from China, shrugs, “But look at who it is. When you have so much money, what is a little bit more?” Mike Sequeira from customer service shows me the Traveler 8x32 and 10x32 sizes. So new they aren’t on the web site. Lightweight and absolutely clear from side to side, but the body color intrigues me. Pale green? Mike guesses brown. Gail Fisher weighs in with camel. Ladies handing out catalogs guess taupe. Why didn’t I think of taupe?
John Carlson shows the Pentax line noting that his company specializes in value. “Does anyone still buy porro prisms?” I ask. “Roof prisms are more compact, lighter.” Porro prisms sell, Carlson says: “Our 8x40 XCF porro prisms are fully-multi-coated and rubber armored. They have a 429 foot field of view at 1,000 yards with a 25.0 relative brightness and weigh 27.2 ounces. By comparison the 8x43 DCF SP roof prisms have a field of view of 330 feet at 1,000 yards with 29.0 relative brightness and weigh 24.5 ounces. “It just depends on what you like,” he says. Hawke has two new roof prism, nitrogen purged binocular lines with phase-corrected prisms; all are 8x and 10x. The stylish, high end Frontier ED line has 43mm objective lenses; the Frontier line uses 42mm lenses. Nick Jenkison says Hawke works to include user-friendly features into each unit. Jennifer Paladino at Steiner says their binoculars adjust left-eye first...to be different. Nevertheless their rubber-armored Wildlife Pro series features 8x, 10x and 12x powers, and both roof and porro prism styles. Steiners are center focusing, have fully phase corrected optics, fully multi-coated lenses and are gas purged. Paladino says the 8x30 is Steiner’s first foray into center focus porro-style binoculars in 20 years! Outdoor folks who lose their gear will appreciate the affordability of BSA binoculars. For $20 one can purchase a pair of fully multi-coated 8x or 10x roof prisms in the Tacmaster line: fog-proof, waterproof and shock-resistant. Remember that it is “Carl” Zeiss.... Nevertheless, Zeiss offers several new binoculars in the high end Victory line, says Sanja Lethco of Dusseldorf. For low light, long distance shooting, she says, the Victory 8x56 may be just right. A lower magnification than the heavier 10x56, it is easier to hold steady and the field of view is wider at 1,000 yards – 390 feet to the 10x 330 feet. Bushnell. One wing is Booth 2861; the other is 8077. Why I have left them for last is beyond me. Their Excursion EX roof prisms in 8x and 10x are new and both powers come with 36mm and 42mm objective lenses. These binoculars have all the “bells and whistles” our customers need: nitrogen purged, fully sealed, fully multi-coated optics, Realtree camo or black and tripod adaptable. Now, go home. Get haircut and apply moisturizer. Day 4: Hausman
Winchester offers one of the most comprehensive lines of lead free ammunition, which company reps say was developed in response customer demand and regional lead-free regulations.
In centerfire rifle products, Winchester produces four SKU’s in its Safari line, two SKU’s in its Varmint/Target lines, and eleven in the E-Tip line. There are two lead-free products in the XP3 Slug line, one each in the Super Target, Super-X Super Pheasant and Xtended Range Coyote lines, four products in the Xtended Range Turkey line, and nine in the Xpert Game & Target line. There are six products in the Super Clean NT centerfire handgun line as well as one lead-free product in the 22 Mag and two in the 22LR product lines.
Winchester displayed their line of Ranger Frangible SF heavy-metal-free primer and projectile ammunition. Intended for the training market, the line includes handgun, centerfire rifle and shotshells loaded with buckshot and slugs. Billed as “next-generation” reduced hazard ammunition, the projectiles are frangible when impacting hard targets.
Useful for military, law enforcement and civilians desiring a realistic, reduced hazard option for close quarters training and special purpose applications, Winchester’s Frangible SF line is particularly useful for indoor shooting ranges, where lead vapors can pose a concern. By incorporating totally lead-free powdered copper/tin projectiles, Ranger Frangible SF ammo delivers superior frangibility against hard targets, such as steel plates, but is lethal against soft targets. Since there is no jacket, plating or surface treatment on the projectiles, nothing but fine, low-energy dust particles remain after impact with hard surface targets- reducing ricochet and target backsplash. The ammo’s primers contain no lead, antimony, barium or strontium to reduce exposure to airborne harmful chemicals at the firing point.
For those retailers with law enforcement customers, Ranger Frangible SF handgun ammunition are said to shoot to the same point of impact as duty ammunition at 25 yards, while more closely approximating the “felt recoil” of duty loads. Ranger Frangible buckshot and slugs provide a realistic and reduced hazard option for intensive shotgun familiarization, instruction and training as well as special purpose applications.
WinClean handgun ammunition uses Winchester’s patented lead- and heavy-metal-free primers and features an advanced bullet jacket called the Brass Enclosed Base that completely covers the base and sides of the bullet with a brass jacket to eliminate lead vaporization coming from the bullet base. The combination of the lead-free primer and enclosed bullet, work to eliminate airborne lead originating at the firing point.
Winchester’s SuperClean NT ammunition takes lead completely out of the equation to create a safer and cleaner shooting environment. The specially designed soft point/tin core bullet delivers superior accuracy and function in handguns and rifles- while eliminating the down range equipment and bullet trap contamination associated with standard leaded ammunition. Additionally, SuperClean NT products offer the same point-of-impact and average 85% felt recoil of conventional duty rounds.
Day 4: Kendy“We believe that the new Super Wader Widgeon Parka is the ultimate duck hunting coat on the market and it’s the top of the line,” says Joe Boyle, Columbia Sportwear General Merchandise Manager. “We’ve incorporated our waterproof, breathable three layer Omi-Tech® fabric with a 700 down fill removable liner to build a versatile jacket that will keep a duck hunter warm and comfortable even in waist deep water.”
Features of the Super Wader Widgeon Parka™ include a 3 layer neoprahn cuffs, radial sleeves for easier arm movement, a removable panoramic ball cap hood, diamond plate gun patch, underarm zippers, shell holding and handwarmer pockets and it is fully seam sealed. The Columbia Protector Mesh BSDU shirt is made of 100% polyester season opener mesh and comes with a button down collar, security pockets and is available in long or short sleeve. It’s a nice lightweight shirt, but what makes it unique is that even though it has more holes in it than the federal stimulus package it doesn’t leak. How can mesh not leak?
“The Omni-Shield technology delivers protection from the elements, blood and grime”, said Boyle as he poured a little bit of soda on the shirt. It just beaded up, rolled around and didn’t pass through the shirt. “If moisture passers through your outer layer you’re still protected.”
The “Evolving Hunter” Series (EvoH) from True Timber Camo is new for 2009. According to Devin Sweeney, Director of Product Development, the jacket and pant combination has a Hydro suede outer shell with an interior 100% waterproof, windproof and breathable membrane.
“Hydro suede is a durable quiet, soft low knap abrasion resistant fabric that sheds water and reflects human body heat inward without being bulky,” says Sweeney. “It’s highly abrasion proof. The camo pattern is our new XD3® which stands for Extreme Detail, Depth and Deception, “says Sweeney. “It’s an oak and hardwood pattern that uses lighter tones to produce detail and depth.”
The jacket features zippered underarm vents, a see-through GPS pocket, adjustable Neoprene cuffs, detachable hood with hard visor and a removable hand warmer pocket that a hunter can use as a waterproof cushion.
Day 4: Murdoc Show goers seem to be in a bit of a daze today, and a lot of the reps manning the booths don’t look a lot better. It’s almost like something out of Night of the Living Dead, except there’s no shortage of firearms. Like nearby Disneyland, you could spend a week at the SHOT Show and still not see everything. But I’m on a mission, and with a groan I get to work.
Revision Eyewear’s new Deluxe Shooter’s Kit includes their popular Sawfly tactical ballistic eyewear and three interchangeable lenses: clear, smoke, and the new vermillion. The Sawfly was originally developed for the US Military but has caught on with sport shooters and hunters as well, and the rep says that the new orange-ish vermillion lenses make a sporting clay “look like a garbage can lid.” I’m not sure if I want to try it out, because how will I explain it if I can’t even hit a garbage can lid with my 12-gauge?Next is the new Safir .410 AR available through American Tactical Imports. This AR will soon be avail--Wait…What?!? An AR15 in .410 shotgun? Yes, that’s right. When will the black rifle caliber madness end? Not soon, apparently. Unsurprisingly, they recommend using slugs with the gun. Where will this gun fit into the AR world? Home defense? Rabbit gun? Not really sure. This black rifle (shotgun?) is on the ship headed for the US as I write this and will have an MSRP of $979. This gun is popular in countries that only allow citizens to own shotguns, but we’ll have to see how it does in America. It’s certainly an interesting concept, and is probably just the ticket for something.Daniel Defense unveiled its DD M4 Carbine at the show, and it certainly looks like a winner. Designed and engineered for the tactical professional and the serious shooting enthusiast, this rifle features the new free float Omega X 12.0 Front Sight Post rail which extends forward beyond the front sight assembly for extra real estate. Also included are the new A 1.5 back up iron sight and the new Daniel Defense Vertical Foregrip with watertight storage. The enhanced magazine well makes quick mag changes smooth and reliable. The gun is light and solid. Some internal parts will be vendored to start with, but when a new plant opens the entire weapon will be manufactured by Daniel Defense.As usual, the SHOT Show was fun, exciting, and exhausting. So many new products, so little time. It should be clear, though, that the tactical market has not shown any signs of slowing down. Unless strict legislation from Washington, DC, changes the environment significantly, I don’t think we’ve yet reached the peak of the tactical market. Day 4: Hollis Even after pacing myself, I found it increasingly more difficult to make my way through the multitude of display booths. Slowing down a little, I spent my last day of the show in the Law Enforcement/Military/Tactical section.
When I hit the Eye Safety Systems booth, I knew it was “pay dirt” time. Their “High Adrenaline” sunglasses have thick shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses and tough frame materials that take hard use in stride. Available in both medium and large fit sizes these glasses are battlefield rugged and totally comfortable. All of that proved that protective glasses can be both tough and good-looking all at the same time.
My endurance was starting to fade when I made it to the Revison Mission Critical Eyewear booth. These folks are one of the leading suppliers of ballistic eyewear to the U.S. Military and other defense groups. While they market a number of different eye wear lines, there new Sawfly® TX Tactical eyewear system caught my interest. This line of protective glasses is extremely lightweight, providing extended wearer comfort in any environment. Impressively, the lenses in these glasses withstood a shotgun blast, without any penetration, from just 16 feet away. That’s my kind of protection.
The final stop on my show journey was at the Edge Eyewear booth. All of these glasses have polycarbonate lenses that comply with tough ballistic MIL standards. To prevent slipping, the TPR material used in the temple and nose pieces continues to “grip” even when warm of moist. Combining advanced lens and frame technology with style and comfort, Edge eyewear is the right choice for anyone, anytime, anywhere. Thankfully, I walked out of the SHOT show with my facilities intact. While the task of finding just the right eye and hearing protection was formidable, nevertheless, there were some real winners in the mix. Best of all, your future customers have a lot to select from when the time comes.
Day 4: Shapiro The Home Stretch.
Well, it’s right there next to our booth, and the folks at Dixie Gun Works are about as friendly as you like. Plenty of new stuff for the black powder customers to whom you cater, including some Uberti replicas (1866 Winchester, 1866 Winchester Carbine, and 1873 Winchester Carbine), Pedersoli models (Lightning Rifle and Gibbs Single Barrel Shotgun), and some dandy handguns in revolver and double-barrel configurations… and tons of other neat stuff (yes, that Buffalo Coat does indeed look warm).
Tool Logic calls its products “built for life,” and certainly my fellow SSR buddy Chris and I weren’t about to argue. Very intelligent and elegant designs of these knives (with a multitude of other functions, like LED flashlight in a variety of configurations, Glock tool, fire starter, and plenty more) will attract pretty much anybody who… well, breathes.
Well, lotsa companies closing up, and I have a plane to catch. Great stuff as always, and can’t wait for the 2010 show in Vegas!
Day 4: Kalpan Finally, some “warmer” weather; figures since today is the last day of the show and I’m going home in a few hours. I think it may actually hit the mid-60s. Wow!
Feeling cheerful, I mosey over to Uncle Mike’s large exhibit to check out its new Gun Runner fanny pack holster (No. 88751). The all-new design offers improved functionality for quick and easy access to your favorite sidearm, according to Casey Nordyke at the booth. The Gun Runner, he said, accommodates all basic firearm sizes and allows a quick, smooth draw, and one-handed return.
All that talk of a quick, smooth draw compelled me back to the gun area where I stopped at the Kahr Arms booth. There, I learned of the company’s new KP3833, which is a “pint-size concealed carry” .380. While I especially love big guns, I also dream of one day owning a teeny, tiny gun. They’re so cute! Just have to check with the California DOJ to make sure which ones are legal in my home state.
The KP3833 has a 6+1 capacity, weighs just 9.97 ounces with an overall length of 4.9 inches. Quite a bit higher priced than some of the other comparable .380s I saw at the show ($649), but I’m sure it’s worth it.
At the risk of sounding biased, my favorite mini guns were at the North American Arms booth. I don’t know what it is about them, but they are so adorable and look like toy guns (I know that’s no way to describe lethal weapons but they are adorable.) Jennifer Plante, the company’s customer service manager, agreed with me when I commented on the pink-handled .22 Long Rifle.
“The best part is, it does look like a toy, but just try to rob me and I will shoot,” Plante said of the pistol that retails for just $199 and weighs only 4.5 ounces. “And, I can take it anywhere.”
She also showed me other mini guns like the .22 Magnum Mini-Revolver, a 5.09-oz. 5 capacity pistol with a 1 1/8-inch barrel and the Mini-Master, available in both .22 Magnum and .22 LR. What’s especially nifty is that NAA offers a Magnum Holster Grip that you can attach to the Mini-Master. Made of high impact plastic with a belt clip on the back side, the Holster Grip locks open like a lock blade knife, and can be closed by pressing a button. Love it!
As much as I hate to leave, I must now get to the airport to catch my flight and maybe catch up on some sleep. It’ll be interesting to see what next year’s event will be like at its new venue.
Day 4: Fletcher It was the end of a long Day 4 at SHOT when I returned to the SSR booth just prior to the show’s closing with an announcement.
“I’ve seen the future,” I remarked confidently.
“And it is…” questioned publisher Glenn Karaban?
“Plastic!”
The buzz at SHOT had been fairly spread evenly among tactical rifles, small handguns, and lead-free ammunition. But Benelli may have touched off the loudest hornet’s nest hum with its clandestine campaign – complete with two CIA lookalike actors wearing shades and coiled wire earpieces guarding an alien looking gun case in an enclosed glass container – for Vinci, a new and, according to Benelli’s PR folks, “revolutionary” semi-auto shotgun.
In typical PR packaging, the plan is to create interest by delaying any announcement until March 31 (though they will leak some info to the gun press around March 15), but showcasing the event at SHOT to hype interest in whatever it is they have in mind.
Translation: Vinci – the name chosen from Leonardo da Vinci who, they explained, was both ultra creative and innovative – is a non-metal shotgun with its main components constructed of lightweight but steel-hard material unlike anything seen in any gun, anywhere.
Gaston Glock, of course, is credited with the first use of polymer in handguns which, in simplicity, is not only lighter than steel, probably as hard as steel, but uses far fewer parts to decrease weight. Other manufacturers have followed suit, including Smith & Wesson, Walther, and Springfield Armory.
Plastic and its many derivatives have been used for so many products over the years that recent plastic technology has evolved into products that run the gamut from shopping bags to car parts to protective armor. Some plastics, when coupled with aluminum, merge to create a combination of near weightlessness and strength that is used in NASA space programs. So, why not guns. Kind of da Vinci-like, wouldn’t you say?
According to the Museum of Science, Leonardo was described as:
"A keen eye and quick mind that led him to make important scientific discoveries, worked as a military engineer to invent advanced and deadly weapons, and was one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance."
Works for me. |
