Shot Show Report

January 16, 2009

The annual Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show began this week. This trade show is usually seen as the unveiling of all the latest and greatest innovations for the coming year. These products run the gamut from tennis rackets to firearms.

The last several years has seen the Shot Show turn from being primarily hunting and fishing stuff to being taken over by the  firearms industry.  It has become the event for that industry and accessory manufactures to kick off the new year by introducing their new products.  As such the Shot Show has grown and it has generated a much more  interest in the shooting, law enforcement and military community.  Since I am interested in firearms I will stick with what’s new.

Here is my exclusive review…
Lots of new variations of the AR15 were introduced. This includes a lot of cool tan and “dark earth” colored ones.  Some had piston gas systems and some didn’t.  Nearly all had really cool stocks that folded, collapsed, expanded, or rose up or down.

Lots of new AR15 type accessories were introduced.  Lots of rail systems .  Just about anything that you could hang on a rail, on or in a rifle was touted as the latest and greatest stuff.

Every other company that didn’t introduce a copy or variation of the AR15, introduced a copy or variation of the 1911. Nearly all had really cool rails on them and were tan or green or “”dark earth” colors or some weren’t.

Some companies introduced firearms with innovative plastic frames because no one has yet thought of using plastic in firearms before.

Everybody who didn’t introduce an AR15 or 1911, and some that did also introduced updated versions of their plastic framed pistols. All are really cool and innovative because they moved the pattern of their plastic serrations on the grip around to make them look even cooler than last year.

Nearly every company introduced “Tactical” versions of their firearms with lots of folding things on them and lots of rails to add lots of other folding things on them. These were offered in tactical green, tan or “dark earth” colors. Other tactical innovations was the use of  “digital camo” on nearly everything.

Colt Industries in another attempt to stay in business  introduced tactical   baby wipes in tan, digital camo and “dark earth” colors. This turned out to be controversial because people who tried them couldn’t tell if they had already been used or not.

Come back for next year’s review of the SHOT Show. Or simply cut and paste this review.

Ok, I am being cynical. There really is not much happening in the firearms industry which seems to have been wallowing in tactical crap for the last 5 or 6 years.  The US being at war generates lots of interest in tan, green, “dark earth” stuff with accessory rails on them.

Posted in The Spice of Life