SHOT Show 2018…
Another January has come and gone, and with it was once again the largest event of its kind in the world… The 2018 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center from January 23rd through the 26th. Covering nearly 6 hectares (14.8 acres) of flooring, an excess of 2100 exhibitors displayed their products and services for some 60,000 attendees of the 4 day event. 2018 signified the 40th anniversary of the SHOT Show which started way back in 1979 with 290 exhibitors covering a comparatively miniscule 0.48 hectares (1.1 acres).
Some companies have been at SHOT since its inception and never missed a single show
This year’s SHOT Show also marks the 20th time that SHOT has been hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada; and city that is larger than life seems to be a prefect fit for the SHOT Show. Last year saw nearly 3.2 million kg (3,500 tons) of exhibits moved onto the show floor. To put it mildly, the SHOT Show is unbelievably huge. However there is always a catch when it comes to the biggest and best; the SHOT Show is not open to the general public. That is correct, it is only open to members of the industry and trade. Manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, exporters, retailers, training, non-profit organization and media, all of which are involved in Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors are able to apply to attend SHOT Show.
The SHOT Show is preceded by Industry Day at the Range on the Monday before the show. This day allows only exhibitor-invited media and buyers to come out to Boulder City Rifle & Pistol Club and experience first hand the products offered by over 160 companies. Everything from crossbows to handguns, throwing axes to fully automatic rifles and everything in-between. With over 1400 media and 800 buyers potentially being on site during this day, Industry Day continues to be the premier hunting and shooting event in the industry providing hands-on experience for attendees. The one caveat is the same as during SHOT Show itself, members of the public are not allowed.
The lineup of Media personalities at 8:00am Monday morning at Industry Day at the Range
Early in the day, the parking is already pretty full and the buses kept coming all day long
The view to the SE of the long distance area. Ram truck testing at the top, to the upper right is the shotgun area
Looking to the NW from the top of the long range shooting area
View from behind the covered long-range shooting area
The closest steel is 50 yards from the shooting area, with 980+ yards for the ultimate reach. See the orange on the closer hills? Those are/were clays
This was the author’s 12th year of attending the SHOT Show and I was accompanied by some long time attendees who had an additional dozen or more shows under their belts. The SHOT Show is now less fun and exciting than it used to be, likely due to the more structured and business oriented planning now done by the author. However, attending the event has always left the author with a sense of awe at the sheer scale of firearms and accessories that are even out there. In perspective; Canada’s outdoor hunting, sporting market brings in roughly $6.5 billion in annual revenue. SHOT Show has that value of product and exhibits on display. Damned!
Now SHOT Show does bring in companies that have absolutely anything remotely to do with the firearms industry, and that includes law enforcement as well as other enterprises. However in a dozen years this had to be the first time the author noticed certain things that never had been at the show previously or escaped notice. With an excess of 1800 exhibitors, you will always miss something when attending, but some stuff is also new…
Professional equipment to dispose of firearms… See the scrolling “free demonstration”… TPF felt a bit nauseous here
While it is a purely marketing gimmick, as a Canadian, the author will take the FAL please
A quick series of images showing the scale of the show
The other direction. This is the narrow width of the main room. SHOT is big…
Sometimes you can get lucky and notice some celebrities. In the centre is the original Incredible Hulk. Mr. Lou Ferrigno
A sampling of exhibitors at SHOT Show
IF you thought that the Industry Day at the Range would be the favourite of the author’s annual pilgrimage to SHOT, you would be very close indeed. However, it is the now huge Canadian event that keeps the author coming back every year. The Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) once again stepped up and hosted the 5th Annual Canadian SHOT Show Reception, with the support of the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA). This event has literally blossomed from a dozen people gathered in a hotel room, to a huge event that draws in Canadians from every aspect of the firearms community. Hosted at the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower, the event was held towering above the city of Las Vegas 108 stories in the air. The view was incomparable, the food was great but extremely short-lived, and the casual atmosphere allowed for the Canadian contingent of SHOT Show attendees to unwind a bit and relax and talk to other Canadians about anything including shop talk. This past event hosted in excess of 300 individuals that otherwise rarely, if ever, communicate to each other except through emails and phone calls. However this reception in its current state is only possible through the sponsorship of multiple firearms related businesses and individuals. TPF would like to personally thank each of these for their support and will list each and every one here.
Platinum:
Canadian Shooting Sports Association
Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association
North Sylva Co.
Trigger Wholesale Inc.
Calgary Shooting Centre
Federal Ammunition
Gold:
Calibre Magazine
ThinkInsure!
Stoeger Canada
Silver:
T.E.C. Trade Ex Canada
Nordic Marksmen Inc.
CamPro
Bronze:
Tactical Ordinance Inc.
Shooters Choice
Wolverine Supplies
Double Tap Sports
Holosun Technologies Inc.
XMetal Targets
Outdoor Canada
Firearms Legal Defence
WGT Consulting
Vault Distribution
Korth Group Ltd.
Bowmac Gunpar
Browning Canada
Hudson Supplies
Thanks to these sponsors for making the Canadian SHOT Show Reception possible and for being a part of the event. Here at TPF we will be sure to visit each of the sponsors and look at what they have to offer to our Canadian firearms community. We hope that you would do so as well.
As preparations have already begun for next year’s 41st SHOT Show, which will return to the Sands Expo on January 22-25, 2019; so to have the preparations for the 6th Annual Canadian SHOT Show Reception. Companies and potential attendees are asked to contact CSSA Director Mike Duynhoven.
As a FYI to readers who are not Canadian, or are not familiar with our listed organizations; the CSSA is similar to the USA’s National Rifle Association, only more polite eh? They are the organization that represents the firearms consumers across Canada with training, and political outreach; but only have two decades under their belt compared to the NRA’s 150. The CSAAA represents the Canadian firearms industry and looks after their interests, similar to the National Shooting Sports Foundation which organizes and runs the SHOT Show.
Here is a few images showing some of our Canadian companies that are exhibiting at SHOT Show! Make sure to visit ALL of them and help them all out.
A decade of producing high efficiency LED products, located in East Ontario
Kitchener, Ontario based manufacturer that has helped harvesting game for 35 years
Based in Quebec, this 30+ year old manufacturers tough protective cases
CamPro harkens from Quebec with over 2 decades of manufacturing some of the best plated projectiles available
Canadian distributor of some truly fine optics for the last 15 years. Guelph, Ontario
Over three decades of providing reliable speed chronographs to the Canadian market and worldwide. Mississauga, Ontario
Canadians created the loudest, most impressive binary explosive. Manufactured by Gryphon Energetics out of Winnipeg, Manitoba
Firearms distributor for nearly 20 years, based out of New Westminster, British Columbia
This Toronto, Ontario based firearms importer is one of the youngest with just under ten years in existence
There are currently over 30 Canadian companies that exhibit at SHOT Show with more and more doing so every following year. We at TPF will strive to get you a list and images of every single one of our Canadian exhibitors next year at SHOT Show 2019. Thank you for reading all the way through this small write-up of the 2018 SHOT Show. We will soon have more reviews and look forwards to future events for 2018.
Fun Fact: Canada, while only a tenth of the population of the USA, has a substantial number of legal firearms owners. For every 1000 firearms made in the USA, 95% of those remain in the USA for domestic sales, Canadian markets account for 80-90% of the those exported from the USA. That means out of every 500 firearms exported from US manufacturers, Canadian markets get 400-450 of those. This is the reason that most firearms manufactured have a slightly longer barrel to meet Canadian Restricted status instead of Prohibited, such as Ruger GP-100 is 108mm (4.2″) in length.
SHOT Show 2017
Warning: This is a LONG entry, with numerous images.
The week of January 16th once again saw the Sands Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada; host the the 39th annual Sporting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show; also known as the SHOT Show. For those who do not know what SHOT Show is or what it consists of, TPF will give you a quote direct from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) whom organizes the event.
The 39th Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show opened its doors this morning at the Sands Expo Center with industry expectations running high in response to the energized market in America for firearms, ammunition and accessories.
Over the next four days, the show will attract nearly 65,000 industry professionals from the firearms and outdoor industry, including 2,500 members of the outdoor press-the largest gathering of outdoor media in the world-and showcase new, innovative products used for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation and law enforcement purposes.
Owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, the SHOT Show is the largest trade show of its kind in the world. The show is open to trade members only and not to the public; consumers will see the products unveiled at the SHOT Show on retailers’ shelves during the course of the year.
You read that correctly, not open to members of the public. We at TPF can already hear our readers rolling their eyes and thinking to themselves, “But we are the consumers!” Which is true, except that the consumers that are mentioned the service companies and persons who are directly related to the industry. Not the end user, otherwise known as the public, but those whom supply the products to the end users such as retailers, trainers, ranges, organizations, etc… That being said, there are ways that the public can attend, and do attend as is evident to many who have attended SHOT know. TPF-Online will not go into details or methods for the public to get into SHOT Show. We apologize, and suggest that you utilize your favourite search engine or firearms forum (for Canadians, we recommend Gun Owners of Canada or Canadian Gun Nutz).
So let us delve into the timeline of SHOT Show.
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Designed by a Canuck! This knife is keenly sharp in function, looks and edge!
Mr. Tighe (circa 2013 image)
For those readers whom are not into knives at all, you can be excused for not knowing who Mr. Brian Tighe (pronounced “Tie”) is. If you are an “edge enthusiast”, you may be familiar with the name. With South Eastern Ontario being called home, Brian Tighe has been making custom knifes for a couple decades and his tool and die experience shows in the manufacturing of his wares. His additional design and photography background serve him well in determining physical aesthetics and what shapes and styles are visually appealing.
As with most knife makers who collaborate with “Mass Production” knife companies, it is a normal occurrence to have an custom knife design adopted and using cheaper materials and processes to create a commercially available knife for the masses. Tighe has created numerous designs over the years that have been adopted into large scale production by Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) and one of the latest ones is the Tighe Rade™ (pronounced “Tie-Raid”). Obviously with the original custom Rade design retailing at over $500 USD it is far away from the casual user and low end collector of knives.
The custom made Tighe-Ride is a truly beautiful custom knife
From the CRKT website:
In hand or in action, this is one to show off.
Brian Tighe doesn’t know how to do anything subtle. Case in point: his latest everyday carry folding knife with a button lock screams style. The aluminum handle features contoured, textured grooves. A compound ground blade deploys swiftly with a flipper and IKBS™ or ambidextrous dual thumb studs. About the only thing it doesn’t do well is sit idly; it’s apt to go on a tirade.
Designer Brian Tighe of Ridgeville, Ontario, Canada, upped the ante when he created the Tighe Rade™. From tip to tail this one-of-a-kind, high-tech folder boasts looks that seem more at home on a fighter jet than a knife. It’s a welcomed new addition to the impressive line of award-winning knives that Tighe has become so well known for designing.
The tip is ground and reinforced for stronger cutting applications, while closer to the handle it’s perfect for finer cutting tasks and wire stripping. And with its highly stylized aluminum handle and multiple usage blade, the Tighe Rade™ is packed with substance and style. The unique design maximizes overall performance and ease of sharpening, and the easy to operate and disengage button lock keeps everything secure while it’s open.
The sophisticated and modern Tighe Rade™ is one part smooth operator mixed with one part showpiece.
Some readers may wonder how, and why, the CRKT version is so much cheaper than the original. First off, the custom basic Tighe-Rade™ has solid titanium scales (left and right sides of the grip/handle), incorporates an exceptional sealed thrust bearing pivot, and the blades are manufactured from some of the highest quality steel available. CRKT takes the original contours and makes them more economical to produce. The scales are molded and machined from aluminum and mounted on steel liners, plus a simpler and cheaper pivot is used, and the blade steel itself is modified to give acceptable mechanical characteristics at a more cost effective price. Most individuals whom are known as “edge enthusiasts” to the author, do not carry a custom knife for EDC due to the costs, and while there are some who do, they would be the exception to the norm.
CRKT ‘s clone has the same shapes and functions, albeit at a more wallet friendly price
The Rade™ features many inclusions not found on most folding knives, and these features give a level of aesthetic grace and functionality that is desired by many knife users. The blade is of a very slight drop point profile with a slightly recurved belly and features a dual ground edge. The dual ground edge is not a combination/hybrid single edge, but two portions of the blade’s edge with differing grinds. For the first 52.5mm (2.06″) of the blade’s 85.3mm (3.36″) overall length, a standard flat ground edge is apparent. From that point and continuing an additional 29.1mm (1.14″) towards the pivot is a hollow ground edge area. The visual effect is obvious and striking aesthetically; however despite the 3.2mm (0.12″) spine thickness, the hollow ground portion will likely effect the overall blade strength so the author cannot recommend utilizing the Rade™ for prying.
The dual ground edge gives a distinctive look and is sharp!
The blade itself is manufactured from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel and pivots around caged ball bearings which are tensioned between a pair of sculpted torx socket pivot heads. The handle of the knife measures 115.1mm (4.53″) in length, and is comprised of the 2Cr13MoV stainless steel liners and the 6061-T6 aluminum scales. The resulting opened length of this knife is approximately 200.0mm (7.88″) and barely tips the scales with a mass of 125gr (4.4 oz). Opening the knife is through use of the flipper tab or the ambidextrous thumb studs and the blade is secured in the open position via a button lock system.
A visually similar, mass production version of the custom Tighe-Tade
While very robust; right side, tip-up is the only available carry option
The aluminum scales on this knife have an aggressive contour and machining which results in a coarse grip pattern, but the handle itself is scalloped for an individual’s fingers and hand. The author’s hand is rather tight inside the 87.6mm (3.45″) opening, but not unexpected having fingers the size of sausages. However grip is secure and the chances of slipping forwards is next to zero. The pocket clip, unfortunately, has a only the single mounting position opposite of the button lock. This results in a tip up carry position for common right side pocket placement. The button’s spring loaded nature actually help to retain the blade in the closed position due to pressure exerted on the blade. This resistance and the mechanical design of the flipper, make inadvertent opening of the knife a low possibility.
The Tighe Rade™ from CRKT, model number 5290; has an MSRP of $69.99 USD. This knife can be found among Canadian retailers such as at Supply Seargent, located at West Edmonton Mall. One question still remains however, is CRKT’s Tighe Rade™ a Practical knife, a Tactical knife, or a Fantastical knife? That answer is only something you, the reader, can decide.
While not manufactured with the care and quality of the originals, these clones are still decent knives
SHOT Show 2012
Back in January, an event occurred, which the author has been privileged in attending now for the sixth year in a row. The event consists of a single day of practical hands on experiences for media and then four days of talking to an ungodly number of individuals whom are representative of the entire world for Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Of course this equates to the 2012 SHOT Show which is the largest venue of its kind anywhere in the world.
This is Colt's masterful foray into reproduction firearms, the 1877 Colt Gatling Gun which was the star of Media in TPF's opinion.
The Monday, January 16th, the temperature outdoors was quite decent and the sky was cloud-free which made Media Day, once again a fine day to go and play with some of the newest firearms and related products which are currently or soon to be available for the commercial markets. Optics, ammunition, handguns, rifles, shotguns, stocks, and a host of other items were available to over 1200 media individuals to experience first hand the products available. Some items truly stood out for the author and the number one item memorable experience was cranking the handle of Colt’s reproduction 1877 Gatling Gun. 20 rounds of 45/70 Government, flew by and seemed effortless as you turned the handle of this beautiful reproduction of history. High quality prototype 308 Winchester chambered bull-pup rifles, custom machined .50 BMG projectiles, the Slide Fire stock, are just a couple of the items that were experienced by the huge crowd of media types.
For the next four days the actual trade show ensued once again at the Sands Convention center. Over 1600 companies were there with in excess of 36,000 people coming to interact with them brought the total attendees to more than 61,000 people over four days. Stunning, especially when you consider that representatives from all 50 states were there as well as representation from more than 100 countries.
TPF will not go into the thousands of products that were displayed and showcased as there are multitudes of other websites and writers whom dwell on the little nuances. There were however an extreme multitude of famous and mentionable people in attendance or in some cases, on display at SHOT Show 2012. As usual the legends and successful masters of shooting disciplines were present, as well as TV sensations both past and present. Lou Ferrigno, was seen repeatedly examining various products as a guest of Barrett Firearms; as well, several participants of the TV Show Top Shot Season 4 were discovering the huge industry on display at SHOT Show 2012. Further highlights of celebrity fanfare was the feature appearances by the crew of Red Jacket Firearms from the TV show, Sons of Guns, and many others.
Famous Canadian survivalist, Les Stroud (Survivorman) was in attendance and yes there was a lineup to met him.
A short, incomplete listing of well known people who attended Shot Show:
- R. Lee Ermey
- Les Stroud
- Bear Grylls
- Ted Nugent
- Troy & Jacob Landry
- Larry Vickers
- The SeAL team/cast from the movie “Acts of Valor”
- An nearly every known professional shooter, Outdoor TV series hosts, etc…
TPF isn’t going to go into the huge details about what was present and what new products were available for the US market. Suffice to say that the author would be able to write a short novella of several tens of thousands of words showing the various new non-firearm products, let alone new guns. We will however keep you, the reader, abreast of any products which these manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, graciously provide to TPF-Online for review.
Firearm designs like the Chiappa Rhino are being featured in future reviews by TPF-Online. So Stay tuned!
Much of the excitement and great moments at the SHOT Show is when the author met so many other Canadians on happenstance, Mrs. Page from Packing Pink, Mr. Krete from The Gun Centre, Mr. Hansen from Freedom Ventures, Mr. Muir from Lever Arms, Mr. Ruston from Tactical Products Canada, and a host of others representing Canadian businesses. Many thanks are to be given to these individuals and companies for attending and creating the contracts and arrangements which continue to supply our Canada market with firearms and related products.
If you are ever able to go, TPF-Online recommends that you do so and experience the multi-billion dollar industry which is partially displayed at SHOT Show. And recall that this is just a PARTIAL display as there are many many other businesses and manufacturers who are not in attendance. A great example is FWB, or Feinwerkbau, one of the oldest and most renowned Olympic class firearms makers, wasn’t present yet again in this year’s SHOT Show.
Top Shot, Season 4 competitor, Mr. Frank Miller was experiencing the scope of the firearms industry for the first time. This moment Mr. Mellor was admiring Ten-X's .50BMG progressive press.
One of the most respected and well known action shooters, Mr. Rob Leatham, aka The Great One, is one of the best ambassadors that the shooting community has ever had.
This years SHOT Show was executed even better than last year and once again, anyone coming should bring a couple pairs of walking shoes to explore and experience the whole event and all booths. However, be forewarned that should you attend, plan your visits to the booths they would have roughly a minute for visiting each booth, and when you consider the sheer scale of the show, much of that time can be walking from booth to booth. There are many displays and extra events which can eat up several minutes of time, such as watching professional shooters show their skills, lining up to get autographs and pictures with celebrities, as well as hands on experience with the multitudes of firearms accessories and outdoor gear.
Veteran shooter Todd Jarrett shows off his skills in a display at the Blackhawk booth. Such displays are common and very well attended by to those wanting to learn and see the skill levels of the masters.
The 2012 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show is the largest event of it’s type in the world and TPF can guarantee that should you ever attend this event, every single product displayed at the show will be Practical, Tactical, or Fantasical.
Extra:
A small example of how you can spend your time talking to one of the many representatives of companies in attendance. Presenting Angus Hobdell, who has been shooting CZ products since 1986 and a member of Team CZ-USA since 2003. In 2012, he is still a great competitor and 100% behind promoting CZ-USA.
On behalf of TPF-Online and the CSSA, many thanks Mr. Hobdell for your time and efforts.
As an added bonus, over the next few days and weeks, TPF will be releasing small video clips from many of the top action shooters in regards to the shooting sports and tips for improving your abilities. So stay tuned!
Tactical, Practical & Fantastical 