It’s early in the morning of 17 January, 2011 and while SHOT doesn’t officially kick off until the 18th, events will already be starting later today. Many of you are enroute to Las Vegas while others are already here involved in last minute preparations for booths. Or, you are getting ready to head out to one of several range days sponsored by various entities wishing to show how their wares fare in the outdoors.
For those of you who will be attending SHOT Show 2011 we look forward to meeting you on the floor. For those of you who can’t make it, we are going to give you a glimpse of what you missed, so check back each day for reports. Don’t forget, our reporting doesn’t end here. We are heading straight to the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City on Friday. We’ve got our walking shoes on and Epsom salts in the room. It looks to be a jam packed week.
-SSD Staff
Posted in SHOT Show | Comments Off on The Calm Before The Storm
It’s a dummy you use to practice kicking a man in the crotch. At least, that’s all the commercial seems to imply. And while that is a fine defensive move (sarcasm), it’s not the end-all-be-all technique that will save your life in every engagement. Hell, after hearing about this, I might just have to start wearing a crotch protector of some kind so I don’t accidentally get kneed in the sack by a former Royal Marine Commando’s daughter due to simple miscommunication. In fact, until I went to the actual website, I almost though it was a joke.
Long story short: This product is completely retarded. I don’t really care how un-PC that is, it’s the truth. If you really care that much about self-defense in the first place, put yourself, or your loved ones, through a self-defense or martial arts class and leave this steaming pile of rip-off in the infomercial where it crawled from. “As used by the world’s meanest fighters”, my ass.
Visit LMT in booth #20255 in the Law Enforcement section in order to introduce you to the 2011 product line and their SHOT Show specials. You can also enter to win a Lewis Machine & Tool CQB16 while you’re there – it will be quick and painless. All they have to do is scan your badge and you’ll be entered. The winner will be notified once everyone is back from the show. LMT says that they think they’re pretty up-town with their scanner and that they want you to be part of the up-town atmosphere.
FailZero/UCT Coatings (Booth #7110) has further expanded use of its EXO Technology across the firearms Industry. Look for their EXO Technology on the TALO Exclusive “Glock® EXO†being offered on 6 models. LWRC has adopted EXO across their AR platforms. Several other OEMs offer EXO and FailZero editions of their products including:
-Diamondback Firearms (.380 pistol)
-Cylinder and Slide (1911 Trident)
-Christensen Arms (AR platforms)
-Spikes Tactical (ARs)
-Osprey Defense (Piston systems)
-Leitner Wise (ARs)
-SI Defense
-PWS (ARs and Piston Systems)
Check the directory for their booth numbers. Additionally, FailZero has completed testing with several more OEMs, so expect more EXO coated firearms on the market throughout 2011. UCT is also partnered with Brownells to offer two new EXO coated products: a Remington/FailZero 700 BDL action, and an Artisan Arms/FailZero .22LR Conversion kit with . Additionally, FailZero will be taking advance orders on new caliber AR upgrade kits in 5.45x39mm, 6.8, 7.62x39mm and 6.5 Grendel.
We received the coolest Pre-SHOT Show announcement we have seen this season from Eberlestock.
“In keeping with Eberlestock’s tradition of unveiling surprising new products at the Shot Show, this year we’ll display more unique and new intellectual property per square inch than any other company under the roof. Stop by booth #1108 and see:”
A new sniper / precision long range chassis system that is the core of the shortest-folding stock in the world. Designed as a bolt-on commercial product, this chassis brings the look of modern weaponry to conventional bolt-action rifles. See the above photo for a hint of what this system looks like. On the 25th anniversary of the “Eberle Stock” that revolutionized the Olympic sport of biathlon, they felt it was appropriate to remind people where our company name is derived from, and to reaffirm that they are more than a pack company.
The first in a line of new generation ALICE-frame-based pack systems developed by request of their military sniper customers.
New big-mountain packs targeted at both sheep hunters and the European military market.
A set of exciting new camouflage patterns developed in partnership with the Hide-Open camouflage company, and first introduced to the world on Eberlestock products.
The new Gunrunner pack, which is simplicity and elegance in backpack form… it’s just going to be a fun way to run around with a rifle on your back.
Badass LEGO Guns: Building Instructions for Five Working Guns by Martin Hudepohl is a pretty cool book. Using parts you’ll most likely have to custom order along with rubberbands and super glue, you can build any of five guns, from the semi-auto “Parabella” pistol to the fully automatic bullpup “Warbeast”, as seen on the cover. There’s also a neat butterfly knife called the “Magic Moth” available as well. If you have a bit of spare time, patience, and a love of LEGOs, then this might just be the next set of projects you could be looking for.
Propper will be giving away one set per day (ACU coat/trouser, TAC.U Combat Shirt and Boonie). You can enter up to twice a day by 1) entry from their A-TACS ad in the Show directory and 2) getting your badge scanned at their booth.
They will also be giving out a limited number of Propper A-TACS t-shirts to any one who comes to their booth inquiring about A-TACS.
Wild Things, LLC, the maker of sophisticated technical outerwear for the US Military, Law Enforcement and Consumer markets, today announced that the company has been selected by Smith & Wesson, the legendary 159-year old firearm maker, as licensee for men’s and women’s technical apparel. The apparel line issued under the professionally recognized Military & Police, or M&P brand, will be designed for the law enforcement market. A separate apparel line issued under the Smith & Wesson brand will also be designed for the consumer market.
James Debney, President of Firearms for Smith & Wesson, said, “Wild Things has a 30-year tradition of innovative product design and the use of leading-edge materials. With their continued focus on quality in each and every garment or pack, they have built a solid reputation as a world class technical apparel and extreme alpine sport equipment company, Their innovation, product design skills, attention to detail, and unparalleled quality, not to mention their continued presence as a United States home-based manufacturing company, make Wild Things a natural licensee for our M&P and Smith & Wesson brand names.â€
The new M&P apparel line will be available to the law enforcement community through qualified distributors and available directly through Wild Things, LLC, and on the Smith & Wesson website in early 2011. It will feature a range of apparel products based on the company’s WT Tactical™ line, outerwear specifically designed for and used by US Military Special Forces. Later in 2011, Wild Things will launch the consumer line of Smith & Wesson apparel that will be available through select retailers and directly on the Wild Things (www.wildthingsgear.com) and Smith & Wesson (www.smith-wesson.com) websites. The Wild Things product development team is working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement personnel, as well as Smith & Wesson personnel, to design the new apparel lines in keeping with the exacting standards of the professional and the dedicated outdoor enthusiast.
“We have been serving the military operator market for years now and wanted to find a way to quickly become the premier provider of technical wear to the law enforcement community. Our product expertise coupled with the M&P and Smith & Wesson iconic brand names are going to let us do just that.†said Ed Schmults, CEO of Wild Things, LLC.
