20 Feb 04
2004 SHOT Show:
It now takes four, full days to see the entire SHOT Show. It is huge! Here are my comments on the industry, the show, and trends:
>I rail against rails! The trend these days is to cover the surface of guns with rails. Rails on the top, bottom, and the sides. Rails on top of rails! This is, of course, so people can attach all manner of gadgets to an otherwise perfectly good gun. I saw rifles so loaded up with rail-mounted accessories, any resemblance to a functioning gun was purely coincidental. Without all that attached junk, naked rails are sharp and awkward. Oh, for a plane-vanilla rifle with a conventional, slim, smooth, comfortable forend. The only "accessories" I need are good, iron sights!
>We complain bitterly about media Marxists and leftist politicians assailing our right to own, use, and carry guns, but I swear, sometimes we're our own worst enemy! Much promotional literature depicts models and even well-known shooters handling guns incorrectly. Cases in point:
>>Lapua was handing out a brochure showing a scantily clad blond bimbo holding an AR-15 by her crotch, obviously not pointing it at anything in particular, with her finger firmly wrapper around the trigger.
>>At their booth, Springfield Armory had a huge poster of none other than Rob Latham holding an XD at belt level, too low to have any kind of sight picture, with his finger also wrapped around the trigger. To add insult to injury, he was not wearing glasses. The bimbo I can understand, but Rob should know better!
>>H&K's glossy brochure on the P2000 plainly shows a magazine, right on the front cover, with rounds loaded in backwards! I wonder if anyone ever talks to anyone else over there.
On the range, we insist that everyone handle guns correctly and wear appropriate safety equipment, including glasses. Apparently, that doesn't carry over to the marketing end of the industry. We can't really complain about Hollywood actors handling guns carelessly and stupidly, when we do the exact same thing in our promotional literature, can we?
>I was happy to see CEOs at their companys' booths, greeting show goes personally, answering questions, and listening to complaints and criticisms. It's easy for CEOs to skip shows and let underlings take all the heat. The ones who are there personally are heroes. They include:
Rich Dyke, Bushmaster
Ernie Emerson, Emerson Knives
Jerry Ahern, Detonics
John Klein, Sage
Peter Pi, Cor-Bon
Lynn Thompson, Cold Steel
Frank Harris and Justin Moon, Kahr
Chris Orlando, Mossberg
Dave Skinner, STI
Bob Weir, Ace
Tim Wegner, Blade Tech
Mike Lowe, Tactical Design Labs (Professional Holster)
Lorie Walker, Wad Wizard
Dick Davis, Second Chance
I'm sure I neglected to mention someone, and I apologize, but these guys deserved special honor.
Other news:
Bank Miller, formally of SIG, now with the Action Target Academy. Tim Connell takes Bank's job at the SIG Academy. Bank is a tuff act to follow, but Tom is a wonderful instructor and will do well.
Charter Arms is back in business. Their small revolvers remind me of their old ones!
Rohrbraugh Arms, of NY makes the smallest 9mm pistol in the world, about the same size as Kel-Tec 380. Expensive, but quite a package.
At the Beretta booth, handguns were an obvious afterthought. They seem to be interested only in shotguns.
At SIG's entire display, they had only one DAK. The new Keller (DAK) trigger is the most significant development in SIG's recent history, and they have only one to show to potential customers!
Beam Hit now doing basic video simulation, including cowboy action. Lower cost than FATS, etc.
Detonics is back, run by Jerry Ahern. They will do well!
"Safe Direction," by Betterbilt is a Kevlar-lined gun rug that makes a safe direction in which to point your pistol during loading, unloading, and chamber checks instantly available, no matter where you are. Ingenious product!
Colt, after declaring the "old" Series 70 system obsolete years ago, is now making the "Gunsite Model" 1911 on the Series 70 pattern. Hypocrisy is the sincerest form of repentance!
Springfield Armory is now making the XD in 45GAP. They must think that caliber is going somewhere. The gun itself is a clunk.
The current G37 is a G21 slide on a G22 frame, but the slide may be getting smaller, I'm told.
Remington's 7615P is a slide-action 223 rifle (870) that takes M-16 magazines. They'll sell a lot of these.
Sage International's EBR (Enhanced Battle Rifle) is an M-14 w/extendable stock. Rails everywhere. John Klein tells me that is the way his military customers want them. The M-14 is coming back!
The Professional Holster, made by Tactical Design Labs, represents a real advance in duty holsters. Level III retention with only one release button. No thumb straps. Retention is reestablished immediately upon reholstering without having to snap anything. Retention is not compromised when an attached flashlight is removed from the pistol. Gould & Goodrich and Bianchi have something similar, but the Professional is superior to both. This is revolutionary!
Action Target's "Line of Fire" in twenty-foot sections contains everything one would want in targets, bobbers to movers. Slick set up. Blackwater's system is, as near as I could tell, identical. As noted above, Action Target now sponsors a training academy. Their commitment to training is commendable.
Cor-Bon now makes DPX for deep penetration, but I like PowerBall. PowerBall is now available in 9X23, 38Spl, and 30 Carbine. Cor-Bon also makes 32NAA and 25NAA. Cor-Bon is the best ammunition company out there. Their stuff performs, and quality control is the best in the business.
STI makes the LS40, the thinnest and smallest 40S&W available. Nice to carry around.
Paraordinance is hawking their LDA. The trigger is smooth, but it is too light for a serious pistol in my opinion.
Kahr Arms is now making an M1 Carbine, as well as their excellent line of small 9mm and 40S&W pistols
S&W had more guns on display than anyone. The M327 is an 8-shot 357mg revolver at 21oz. The 351PD is an extremely light 22mg revolver, but, with a barrel that short, 22LR velocity will be identical. The 325PD 45ACP is big, but light too. S&W's 1911SC is a scandium frame Commander 1911 with a steel slide. Now, if they just had something to compete with Glock!
Mossberg's 935 autoloading (gas) shotgun is a refinement of their old "Jungle Gun." It now works like an 11-87. Nice gun. I'll have one shortly. Their 590A1 is a grand serious pump gun. Wish they made both in a short, light 20ga for my female students.
Bushmaster now makes their version of the Carbon 15. One model, "The Lady," immediately garnered Vicki's attention, because it was so short and light. We'll have a copy shortly.
Kel-Tec's line of small autoloading pistols garnered lots of attention. I have one of their 380s, and I must say, it works just fine. Irv Stone at Bar-Sto is making me a 32NAA barrel for me. Makes a nice backup. Their folding SU-16 223 rifle is also interesting.
H&K's P2000 with the LEM trigger was on display, and a nice carry gun it is. However, they're still offering manually decocking models (Heaven knows why!), one of which "features" a decocking button on the rear of the slide. None of us could decock the gun without compromising the grip. I thought S&W's P99 decocking button was in the dumbest place imaginable. I was wrong!
H&K's version of the AR-15 uses a gas piston, similar to the old Rhino system. Their rifle magazines are nice! Their futuristic XM-8 rifle is also a gas piston gun.
H&K's Academy is now headed by none other than Rich Gee, formally of Gunsite.
Taurus is making the PT745 in 45ACP, the PT640 in 40S&W, and the PT111 in 9mm. All are basically a Glock with the addition of a two-position, manual safety. They fit the hand nicely. Triggers are smooth. Now, if we could just keep the running.
My friends at Rock River Arms indicated an "N" stamped into the top of the barrel of their AR-15s indicates a NATO Chamber. Most all heavy, stainless barrels have SAAMI chambers.
Olympic Arms is making AR-15s in all kinds of calibers, including pistol calibers.
DPMS had a nice display of AR-15s. The "Dissipater" model is popular, but reliable functioning is difficult with the gas tap that close to the muzzle.
DSA had their FAL on hand. What a grand rifle it is! DSA is now also making AR-15. I'll have one soon.
Tim Wegner of BladeTec indicated he is making lots of Taser holsters these days. Like Uncle Mikes, his kydex holsters are now injection molded.
Brian Esch of Tactical Advantage is making what look like kydex holsters, but they're make of carbon fiber instead. It is thinner and stiffer than kydex, and it can withstand many more flexations without cracking. It may superseded kydex!
/John
