By Michael A. Black | Contributing Editor
After being cancelled in 2021, the Shot Show bounced back with a vengeance this year with more exhibits and more space, having the usual multi-level sections in the Venetian Expo Center (formerly the Sands Convention Center) and branched out into the adjacent Caesar’s Forum across Koval Lane.
As usual, all of the guns at the show were inspected and tagged to assure that none had a firing pin. Hosted by the National Sports Shooting Foundation, this show offered an array of more new products and the latest developments in the gun industry.
Backtracking a bit, I wanted to mention Industry Day at the Range, which is the annual pre-SHOT Show opportunity for industry professionals and the media to actually fire some of the newest weapons. It was held at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club near Boulder City. Despite the absence of a few of the major gun companies, there were a lot of opportunities to shoot a variety of guns. The outdoor range had numerous shooting booths set up along the expansive facility. Complimentary eye and ear protection was handed out at the gate to the range area.
There was a special demo area next to the firing ranges where various products could be examined apart from the actual gun range booths. Shoot Like A Girl had their beautiful trailer which was equipped with an interactive computerized target screen to diagnose the shooter’s trigger pull and aiming accuracy. The all-female crew of instructors offered personalized assistance with the laser-fitted weapons, featuring both handguns and rifles, and archery instruction.
The weather was an almost balmy 60-something degrees, which was much warmer than in years past. In the non-firing portion I happened upon a Canadian company called Para Ops (www.para-ops.com) which featured what they called the next generation of non-lethal systems without using gunpowder, compressed air, or CO2. (In deference to our Canadian friends, I have used their terminology in the preceding sentence, but I believe the proper terminology is “Less Lethal.”) They had two launchers available and an array of the projectiles these launchers could fire.
One launcher was a single-shot mini, with an LED flashlight and a laser aimer. The other was slightly larger, being a five-shot high lumen LED flashlight with a laser aimer and a quick reload magazine. There were three different types of projectiles, one containing pepper powder, another with an inert colored powder, and a third one designed for blunt impact. Their slogan is “Everyone goes home alive.” (Once again, this company is Canadian so no U.S. dollar prices were available.)
Although a couple of the larger companies weren’t there (Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer) we were able to engage in more shooting at a number of booths, including Glock, Walther, Heckler & Koch, and Silencer Central.
Silencer Central (SilencerCentral.com) out of Sioux Falls, S.D., had two new silencers available on the range, the new Banish 46 and Banish 338 silencers provided exceptional noise reduction for both big-bore rifles and handguns. The silencers reduced the noise and diminished the recoil. Made of titanium and Inconel, both variations of the silencer are light and durable.
Glock had their new G43X 9mm, which was a dream to fire, as well as the G44, a .22 caliber, which is recommended for introductory shooters. With the patent having expired on the Glock design, I was curious about the rising number of “Glock clones,” like the PSA Dagger 9, that have become available this year, but I didn’t see any of those companies now producing them at the range.
The Shot Show officially began the next day. There was a bridge between the Venetian and Caesar’s for easy access. At the Venetian there were the usual three levels with 2,400 companies exhibiting. The National Sports Shooting Foundation offered a special app for your cell phone to help locate the various booths by name or booth number.
The event was also tinged with sadness for me. My good friend, Joe Tartaro, who’d been the past presidents of the Second Amendment Foundation and one of the long-time editors of GunMag.Com and the man responsible for getting me interested in the SHOT Show, passed away in 2020. Joe had attended virtually all of the past shows and his wise counsel will forever be missed by all of us, and especially by me.
The numerous press conferences and training seminars offered a wide variety of information on the gun industry and law enforcement in an all-new Shot University. Among the sessions were “Does Business Speak Customers?” “Shipping Small Arms-Related HAZMAT, “Secrets Every Retail/Range Buyer Should Know,” and “The Truth About New Shooters & the Future of Shooting Sports.” The Law Enforcement Education Program offered such sessions as “The Changing Face of Public Communications During an Era of Unrest,” “Law Enforcement Handguns and Reflex Sights,” and “Roles of the Law Enforcement Sniper.” It’s apropos to mention that the NSSF not only sponsors the Shot Show, but promotes gun safety at their booth where they give out information on their Project Childsafe and suicide prevention programs.
There were a number of celebrities making appearances throughout the show. Famed UFC Champions Royce Grace and Randy Couture appeared at Packin’ Heat (www.packnheatproducts.com) and 51Fifty Rifles (www.51fiftyrifles.com) respectively. Both men were extremely gracious chatting with attendees, posing for pictures, and signing autographs. There were some other celebrities who made appearances as well. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to meet retired marine and Fox News contributor Joey Jones, whom I really wanted to meet, to wish him well.
The Nevada mask mandate was in full effect, and there were numerous baskets containing packages of masks and hand sanitizer. At one point during the show the convention center sent out groups of workers admonishing people to wear the masks due to a “warning by the health department.” For the most part, everyone in attendance seemed compliant.
I was looking forward with great anticipation to seeing the new Chiappa firearms (www.chiappafirearms.com) .357 revolver with the rainbow finish. Unfortunately, after a laborious search to find the booth, a sign stated that they had pulled out due to “an interference by COVID.”
One of our first stops was to visit my buddies at Manitis (www.mantisx.com). The company offers immediate computerized analysis of shooting techniques by attaching the Mantis X 3 monitoring device ($169.00) directly onto the rails of the pistol, rifle, or bow. The app sends an analysis to the shooter’s smart phone or tablet for immediate review. The X-7 ($199.00) is designed for shotguns and rifles. Their newest device, the Blackbeard X, is set to be released shortly. It has a special magazine that fits into an AR15 that allows trigger auto-reset. The latest variation of the Blackbeard sends detailed trigger pull analysis to the shooter’s smart phone or tablet. The price range is around $250.00.
After firing the Walther PDP at Industry Day at the Range, I stopped by to get the lowdown on the impressive weapon. The PDP comes Red Dot ready with a performance duty textured grip and uniquely designed serration on the slide to facilitate a hands-on engagement. The PDP is the most modular and versatile pistol ever designed by Walther (www.waltherpdp.com). It has two distinct frame sizes and the slide comes in three different lengths and is available with an extended, threaded barrel. It costs $829.00. There was also a “Vintage” QS Steel Frame on display that featured 24 caret gold inlay designs. These highly stylized guns look almost too pretty to shoot and are obviously for the rich and famous. The price ranges from$2699.00 and $4199.00. Fortunately for me, I was looking for just such a weapon in the new Trackdown novel, Devil’s Breed, that I’m currently writing.
Ironically, I went from those very expensive guns, to one that is purported to be “the lowest priced gun on the market.” Altor Corp (www.altorcorp.com) costs around $135.00 for its 9mm model and just $125.00 for its .38. It’s a one-shot, highly concealable pistol that is composed of six parts, although the cleaning routinely involves only two parts. It’s a simple, striker fired one-shot with two safeties. The bullet is placed in the chamber and the barrel is twisted one click, securing it. The weapon will not fire in this position in that another full twist is required. Additionally, it has a traditional button safety that must be pressed in order to fire. The ambidextrous trigger is then pulled back until it automatically releases the striker and the gun will then fire. It’s composed of firearms grade polymer and stainless steel. The gun is small and easily concealable.a
It’s often been said that America has solidly become a concealed-carry nation. Another highly concealable weapon is offered by Seecamp Firearms (www.seecamp.com) which advertises their products as “The Ultimate in Concealed Carry.” Their small semi-autos come in .380 and .32 calibers and weigh 13.25 ounces fully loaded. The weapon is purported to be the smallest of the concealed carry handguns, with a height of 3.25 inches and slide width of .725 inch, the little mighty mite has a magazine capacity of 6 +1. Prices range from $520.00 for the .32 model and $605.00 for the .380. Additionally, they have holsters that are a little bigger than a deck of cards and fit into a pants pocket with ease.
Caracal (www.caracalusa.com), which originally started out doing business with only eight western states, is now represented nation-wide. All of their handguns are 9mm and their latest is the Enhanced F series. Caracal has a patented “Quick Sight” feature is very unique. Instead of the rear sight being mounted on the chamber end of the slide, the sight was moved forward to the front edge of the ejection port. This allows for immediate and “quick” target acquisition.
The ergonomically designed grip makes it easy to hold, and reduces felt recoil with a removable barrel thread protector to allow a silencer to be attached to the threaded end. The slide length is 7 inches, with a barrel length of 4 inches. This polymer, striker-fired pistol weighs only 1 pound, 12 ounces, and has a short double action trigger. The magazine capacity is 18 on the larger frame model. As stated previously, the Enhanced F suppression-ready model comes with a threaded barrel and suppressor-high sights. It goes for $599.00 or $699.00 with tritium night sights. The company offers an impressive array of rifles as well.
As usual, I had to stop by Cimarron Arms (www.Cimarron–Firearms.com) to examine their high-quality replicas of the guns of the Old West. I write my western fiction under the name A.W. Hart and being able to hold and dry fire a replica of an 1875 Colt .45 “Peacemaker” is an extremely valuable experience to help me add a bit more realism in my writing. The Cimarron selection of guns is very affordably priced and can actually fire standard ammunition at the range.
Taurus Arms (www.taurususa.com) had their new 9mm pistols, the GX4 and the GX4 T.O.R.O. on display. These striker-fired semiautomatics have an 11+1 magazine capacity, or a 13+1 with the extended mag. The guns are small, with a 3 inch barrel and an overall length of 6 inches. The guns are light, too, weighing in at 19 ounces fully loaded. The gas nitrate finish gives these bad boys a gray colored appearance. The GX4 T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optic Ready Option) comes optics ready. The prices are $392.00 for the GX4 and $468.00 for the GX4 T.O.R.O.
They also had their customary array of large frame revolvers on display, as their “Big bore is all the rage” slogan continues to reign. The Raging Hunter 454 model sports an angular barrel design that cuts down on overall weight, while its factory tuned porting and gas expansion chamber reduce the muzzle lift for quicker reacquisition of the target. It’s in the $910 to $965 price range. The Taurus Tracker 44 is another versatile magnum wheelgun. It has a 4 inch barrel and is stainless steel. Size-wise, this .45 is about the size of the standard Glock pistol so it’s easy to pack. The gun comes with a non-glare matte-black finish or, if you prefer, in complete stainless steel. The heavy recoil is reduced to a tolerable level by the porting on each side of the muzzle. It can be loaded with Federal Premium 280 grain A-Frame bullets as well in case you go hunting in Jurassic Park.
Smith & Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) also had a large bore revolver that rivaled the Taurus big boys. Their Model 460 VF has a 7.5 inch barrel, holds five .460-caliber rounds, and costs around $1779.00. Their M& P Shield EZ-9 model is one of several that offers unique feature of adjustable hand grips. The gun has a special section that on the back of the handle that can be taken off and replaced to either slim down or thicken the weapon to allow the shooter to have a better grip. Smith & Wesson has had this adjustable feature on their M&P models for some time. The EZ-9 has a raised ridge layer on the rear of the slide to make it easy to rack.
As I mentioned, Smith & Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) was absent from Industry Day at the Range, having hosted an alternate shooting event at a different location. When I stopped by their booth I took a look at their Smith & Wesson Shield EZ. It’s a compact polymer striker-fired gun offering a 10+1 magazine capacity with an “easy to rack” slide and no manual safety. The 3,675 inch barrel makes it is easy to conceal. It’s priced at $521.00.
When it comes to a blend of quality and affordability, SCCY arms (www.sccy.com) has been dominating the scene with their CPX series of 9mm and .380 pistols. All their firearms are made in the USA and are designed to offer comfort and accuracy at an affordable price. Their newest model, the DVG-1 is a striker-fired 9mm Lugar subcompact polymer pistol with a light-weight trigger pull. The round capacity is 10 +1, and it weighs 15 ounces. SCCY weapons are a favorite with the concealed-carry crowd due to their low cost and being easy to conceal. On Friday, the last day of the Shot Show, SCCY and Alien Gear (www.aliengeraholsters.com) teamed up for a last day giveaway, giving away 39 weapons and holsters.
There seemed to be less exhibits designed for women this year. There were a few showing concealed carry bellybands and zipper-compartment purses. The Shooting for Women’s Alliance (www.mysfwa.com), which is based in Sevierville, Tennessee, offers on-line courses specifically designed for females in weapon’s usage and shooting certification.
Another organization, the National African American Gun Association (www.naaga.co), is a nation-wide group dedicated to supporting the 2nd Amendment. Mr. Robin Austin, one of the spokesman and firearms instructors, explained the NAAGA’s quest to promote responsible gun ownership and practices in the African American community. He has a 26 year background as a deputy sheriff in the Charlotte, North Carolina.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Condor Outdoor Products (www. condoroutdoor.com) who specialize in tactical vests, plate carriers, modular pouches, packs, etc. They also are the most generous of companies and always gives away scores of fine tactical cargo bags at every Shot Show.
Rounding things out, I stopped at Streetwise Security Products (www.cuttingedgeprodcuts.net) to take a look at their line of highly affordable stun guns. One item caught our interest. It appeared to be a small cell phone, but can purportedly stop a hulking predator with its drive-stun. While it’s probably not going to give Taser (www.buy.taser.com) and their new Bolt 2 civilian powerhouse a lot of competition, the Streetwise Cell Phone Stun Gun is priced at only $13.95.
I then went by Fenix (www.fenixlight.com) to see their new products. Coincidentally, I’d already been sent one of their new E05R mini Keychain Flashlight to product test. This mighty mite is only 2.68 inches long and weighs a scant 0.85 ounces, including the battery, but it boasts a 400 lumen beam that projects 64 meters and lasts for up to 30 hours. It’s rechargeable and all metal.
The little flashlight is ideal for a keychain attachment, and has a “burst” feature which can give a sudden blinding flash with the press of the button. It has three settings, high, medium, and low. It’s a perfect little flashlight to keep on your keychain and it’s reasonably priced at $29.95at the Fenix Store (fenix-store.com/fenix-e05r-mini-keychain-flashlight-400-lumens). Fenix offers a variety of tactical based lighting devices that vary from the E05R mini to the larger TK26R law Enforcement model ($119.95) which has 1500 lumens and is designed to operate in extreme temperatures. They also have a line of impressive knives (both fixed blade and folding) made of titanium steel that range in price from $80.00 to $150.00.
And speaking of blades, I stopped by Case Knives (www.caseknives.com) to check out their latest products. Case Knives expert Fred Feightner said that the longtime established company had once again brought one of the small, classic Center Jack designs out of the Case Vault for reissue. The knives were refined a bit to improve performance, but adhere to the 1940’s design and patent. Each has a bone handle and the standard Case brass inlay. Prices of these knives range from $40.00 to $200.00. The Kinzua locking flip-blade knife ($150.00) has a spear point and ball bearing pivot to facilitate a smooth opening. Their Marilla knife won the prestigious Blade Knife of the Year Award in 2021 in Atlanta. This locking flip-blade model has an S35VN stainless steel blade and hard anodized aluminum handles and was informally dubbed “the 400 pound Marilla.” It retails at $165.00. Bear & Son Cutlery (www.bearandsoncutlery.com) also offered some fine knives in both locking flip blades, butterfly style, and fixed blades. Their Bear Song VIII butterfly knife has a satin finished blade, ball bearing washers in the joint, and a tension-loaded clasp. It retails at $174.99.
As things wrapped up on Friday afternoon, I reflected on the immensity of the Shot Show and how glad I was that the NSSF had the fortitude to sponsor the show this year in this era of COVID. Despite the mask mandate and the absence of some of the big manufacturers, I think everyone in attendance seemed to feel the same way. In an elevator at the hotel I spied another attendee and asked his opinion on this year’s show.
“I thought it was great,” he said. “I’m really glad the Shot Show came back this year.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself, and I’m looking forward to next year.
