18 Jan 22
 
2022 SHOT Show, First Day
 
Attendance is down this year, no doubt. I heard lots of complaints from vendors about the modest crowds.
 
And, there were more than a few empty spaces, where vendors apparently decided to drop-out at the last minute.
 
With all that, there were still a good number of vendors there, and for one I’m glad the Show was not canceled for a second year in a row.
 
Inflation is alive and well!
 
Hotel and restaurant prices in Las Vegas, NV are WAY UP from 2020! Restaurants, particularly those within the Venetian Expo Center Complex, are all “pricy!”
 
Here is what I saw today that caught my interest:
 
When you want “a knife,” get a copy of Brian Hoffner’s “Beast.”
 
Blue Force Gear is producing a series of excellent Field Trauma Kits. I may adopt one of them for my TTGSW Courses! Everything BFG makes is first class! I really like their Vicker’s rifle slings and their “Wire Loops” which are handy for making a sling-attachment point magically appear almost anywhere!
 
DSM (Don’t Shoot Me) is now making a quick-donning banner designed for legally-armed citizens. These will be excellent for those of us involved in church security. I’m going to suggest to my church that we issue them! I carry my copy continuously.
 
John Ring (Ring’s) is still making his extensive line of prop-guns (mostly blue, but other colors are available). We use these in training regularly!
 
The Mantis M10X graphic display training system has been improved and sophisticated. This is still the best way I know to help students understand the relationship between movement and alignment of sights, control of the trigger, and bullet impact. You can explain all this to a student, but when he can actually see it, in a colorful graphic display, in real time, the lightbulb finally goes on!
 
PTR continues to make their excellent roller-delayed blowback rifle (PTR91) in 7.62×51 (308). They have no current plans to make it in any other caliber. PTR also makes a semi-auto-only MP5, called the 9CT.
 
Another rifle company, Marcolmar, is currently manufacturing, in the USA, a roller-delayed blowback rifle in 5.56×45 (223). Marcolmar’s rifles were manufactured (at least partially) from parts-kits imported from Europe. But now, they are producing complete rifles domestically. The one you want for serious use and travel is the CETME/LC w/collapsing stock.
 
M+M’s M10X rifle (7.62×39) also interests me as a travel gun, but I didn’t get a chance to actually shoot it during Range Day.
 
S&W is now in the concealment handbag business! Their line of handbags and purses is extensive and high-quality. They join GTM and several others, all of whom make serious, quality products. “Off-body carry” is a controversial subject, but for many (both women and men) it not only represents a legitimate option. It represents the only option!
 
Friends at Supervel tell me ammunition components are still in short supply, particularly primers, but Supervel’s NV facility is currently shipping lots of ammunition. 9mm 115gr +p SCHP (solid copper hollow-point) is exceptionally popular!
 
I talked with friends at Federal Ammunition about their new “30SC” (Super-Carry) pistol round. It projects out of a pistol a 100gr bullet (30 caliber) at 1250f/s. Federal and Remington are both making it now. It was only introduced two weeks ago. You won’t see a “+P” version, because this round is at the pressure limit now!
 
S&W Shield is currently available in this new caliber. It’s not quite as powerful as the 327Mg revolver round, which it resembles, but recoil is a good deal less. One can fit two more rounds of 30SC in a Shield magazine than is possible with 9mm.
 
This new caliber may garner a significant following, and it may not!
 
More tomorrow!
 
/John