17 Jan 23
2023 Shot Show, Las Vegas, NV, First Day:
Why are American gun and ammunition manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, dealers, trainers, and gun-owners so enthusiastically celebrating this 2023 SHOT Show?
In what other nation could we, or anyone, openly celebrate like this?
Within Communist regimes in China, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, etc leftist dictators and their henchmen are simultaneously celebrating the “2023 Whom We Shot Show!”
“Whom We Shot Shows” (that were so enjoyed by Joe Stalin), where films of pitiable, forcibly-disarmed “dissenters” being lined-up and shot to death by impromptu firing squads are being shown to frightened, involuntarily audiences who nervously applaud out of morbid fear that they will be next, whenever their “devotion” doesn’t appear quite genuine enough!
That doesn’t happen here yet, because our domestic Communists (masquerading as “Democrats”) have so-far been unsuccessful in forcibly taking our guns away from us (while they keep theirs).
Isn’t our individual “Right to Keep and Bear Arms” (that is firmly embedded in our nation’s Constitution) a wonderful, fantastic freedom?
It is a personal freedom never enjoyed Communist slaves!
Yes, we boldly cheer our American SHOT Show, in the year of our Lord 2023!
Here is what I saw today:
The Fulcrum Target System is a compact, highly-portable, self-contained turning/pop-up system that is easy to set-up and extremely versatile. For running scenarios, it’s hard to beat!
GTM’s wonderful selection of purses/handbags continues to expand. Off-body carry continues to interest many whose carry options are limited.
BFG (Blue Force Gear) continues to lead the way in rifle slings and other tactical accessories.
Both S&W and Ruger are now making carry-pistols chambered for 5.7×28. It must garner some interest, but I still consider the 5.7 a silly caliber!
Friends at Black Hill ammunition tell me that their line of ammunition featuring non-expanding FTM bullets (“Honey-Badger”) continues to garner popularity, particularly in NJ. We’ve had a number of actual shootings involving FTM bullets now, and available data indicates that FTM bullets render a terminal effect at least on-par with the best of hollow-point rounds.
FTM bullets used to be manufactured on a automatic screw machine. They’re now made on a cold-header, which has greatly reduced the cost.
Supervel and Cor-Bon (now on its third set of owners) both continue to make high-quality, serious ammunition.
A company called Target Nation is making a three-dimensional cardboard target that can be shipped flat. We’ve been trying to get away from two-dimensional targets for some time, with little success. This system
may at least begin to address this issue!
Knife-maker, CRKT, showed me their “Provoke” rapid-deployment system. Amazingly clever! Handy way to carry a blade and be able to deploy it instantly!
John Ring, maker of his famous line of “Blue Guns,” had a bright yellow M4 on display. He sells a lot of them in Asia, because in Japan and China, yellow is the “safe” color, and things colored yellow are always considered “safe.”
I try to mention things I see at the Show that are new and/or uniquely useable in the training industry and in the advancement of the Art.
I love Glock, S&W, Kahr, Canik, FN, Mossberg, H&K, Walther, etc, and they all have elaborate booths (and I visit them all), helpful people, make wonderful products that I recommend, but this year little that is new.
More tomorrow!
/John
