Wow, time flies and we all find ourselves back in Vegas for the SHOT Show. 2019’s gathering got off to a good start, with plenty of folks on the floor and in the exhibitors’ booths — indeed, it seems that attendance is as high as the last couple of years, with no slowdown in sight. I set out for the floor in the afternoon to see what folks were after and what they were finding.
I first met Neil Coldwell, who hails from London, England, in search of some accessories for himself and his mates back home. Neil spends a considerable amount of time at the Bisley Shooting Range outside of London and was here meeting suppliers.
“In the U.K., we have very strict gun laws, and though we have our own version of the N.R.A., our rights have been severely restricted,” he said.
That didn’t bring Neil down though, as he truly has a passion for the shooting sports.
“I come here to score the best cleaning supplies, torches [flashlights] and other helpful maintenance tools for the firearms we do have back in the U.K.”
Todd Vance was here at the SHOT Show for the 25th consecutive year and indicated he was very happy with this year’s show.
“The traffic was busy on the floor, but it seemed that everyone was getting where they needed to go without an issue, possibly due to the SHOT Show app on the phones,” Vance said. “Everyone seems to be in a good mood, and I enjoy seeing old friends, while making new ones.”
When I asked Todd what, if anything, he would change about the show, he was quick to respond, “Ban the wheelie boxes!” I can’t disagree with the man.
Adam Lalopoulos was here looking for a good long-range chassis gun, a trend that seems to be gaining momentum.
“I really like the stuff from Accuracy International. The company makes a solid product that I can count on.”
Adam and I discussed the long-range shooting market for a bit, and he was excited to find out about Sierra’s new loaded cartridges.
“I’ve used its bullets in component form for years. It’ll be great to try the loaded ammo.” Once I told him about the positive experience I’d had with the ammo at Industry Day at the Range, he headed to the Sierra booth once we parted ways.
Officer Daniel Bora from the Chicago Police Department was here not for official duties, but for his personal passion for firearms.
“I carry a Glock on the job, so I really enjoy the new models and chatting with the guys at the Glock booth,” he told me. Officer Bora also enjoys the Colt AR-platform rifles and said he had plans of hitting many different makers during the show.
Personally, I took some time in the morning to examine the Suppliers Showcase, as Tuesday was the only day to do so for me, having been at Industry Day the day before. I found many neat and innovative products, first among them the Roberson Cartridge Company from Texas, makers of brass cartridge cases. Its proprietary method of CNC-cutting brass cases — instead of the drawn method — allows the company to create just about any case configuration imaginable. These guys are just one example of the up-and-coming ingenuity within the industry.
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