Heading out to the SHOT Show!

Once again I'll be heading out to the SHOT Show held January 17 - 20 in Las Vegas.

Also,  January 16 I'll be going to the Media Day at the Range where there will be over 1,000 registered media attendees, which is over 30% more than last year, being hosted by a giant list of vendors:

• 5.11 Tactical
• Action Target
• Aimpoint
• Air Venturi
• AKKAR Shotguns
• Alpen Optics
• American Tactical Imports
• ArmaLite Inc.
• Armscor Precision International
• Ashbury Precision Ordnance
• Bad Boy Buggies
• Battenfeld Technologies
• Benelli*
• Beretta USA
• Birchwood Casey
• Blackhawk!
• Blue Force Gear*
• Boy Scouts of America
• Browning*
• Browning Licensees*
• Burris Optics
• Butler Arms USA*
• Cabot Guns*
• Caldwell
• Caracal*
• Carl Zeiss Optronics*
• Carl Zeiss Sports Optics
• Champion Eyes & Ears
• Champion Traps & Targets
• Charter Arms
• Chiappa Firearms
• Civilian Marksmanship Program
• Colt
• Command Arms/RWC Group
• Core 15 Rifle Systems*
• Crimson Trace*
• Crosman
• Cutting Edge Bullets*
• Dallas Safari Club*
• Daniel Defense*
• DeSantis Gunhide*
• D.O.A. Tactical Shooting Benches
• Double Star Rifles
• Eddie Bauer*
• EHP Electronic Hearing Protection
• Energizer
• EOTech
• Federal Premium Ammunition
• Franchi*
• FreedomHunters.org
• FNH USA
• Galco Gunleather
• Girsan Pistols
• Glock
• GunBroker.com
• Hazard 4/Civilian Lab LLC*
• Heckler & Koch
• Hornady*
• Insight Technology
• Kahr Arms*
• Kalkomey*
• KRISS
• Lansky Sharpeners
• LaserMax
• Leupold
• Maddox Defense*
• Maglula
• Mossy Oak*
• Mule Deer Foundation
• MyTopo
• NRA Youth Programs
• National Shooting Sports
  Foundation
• Otis Technology
• Parabellum Armament*
• PCP Ammunition
• POMA
• Promatic
• RAAC Firearms
• RAM Trucks
• Remington*
• Rock Island Armory
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Safariland
• Sako
• SAR ARMS USA*
• Savage Arms
• SCI Foundation
• Setpoint Ammunition
• Sig Sauer*
• Sitka Gear*
• Slide Fire Solutions*
• Smith & Wesson*
• Springfield Armory
• Steiner
• Steyr Arms
• Strikemark Targets*
• Sturm Ruger
• SureFire
• Swarovski Optik
• SWORD International*
• Tactical-Life.com
• The Mako Group*
• Tikka
• Tread Lightly
• Trijicon
• Ultimate Shooting Adventures
• Umarex USA*
• Vanguard*
• Vectronix*
• Viridian Green Laser Sights
• Walker's Game Ear
• White Flyer
• Winchester Ammunition
• WR Case & Sons Cutlery
• Yamaha
• Zeiss Sports Optics
• Zippo & Case

I'll be able to try out new firearms and other cool stuff. The media day is really great and should be extended to two days. Everyone walking around having a blast!

I'll be posting videos and pictures and stuff from the show.

Pre SHOT Show 2011: Nevada Desert Night Shoot

Had some fun shooting suppressed .308 and .223 plus a nice Robinson Arms XCR SBR 11".

Shooting out to 250 yards at steel plates at night is fun! Did I mention it was fun?

Robinson Arms XCR SBR 11"

Suppressed Armalite .308

Suppressed Noveske 5.56

Some video of the fun stuff...

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: 10 Point CrossBow

It was very quiet and no recoil.

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: American Tactial Imports New "Fat Boy"

I was talking to Brandon Williams of American Tactical Imports.

He was showing me their latest 1911. A 4" Fatboy. He said there were only two in the country and that was one of them.

What is interesting about this little .45 1911 is that the handle are integral to the frame. It's all stainless steel. Those handles, well, they aren't going anywhere.

I was hitting steel with this little guy at 50 yards, I think... and it did a good job.

It has a double stacked magazine and holds 12 rounds of the .45 too!

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: ICE-15 (Young Manufacturing)

Impingement Carbine - Enhanced 15

I was trying out the first one and, Rick, the inventor was working on it while I was shooting it. Talk about fresh new design.

The charging handle doesn't reciprocate and can be switched to either side.

I was having a hard time figuring out how they are going to attach at front BUIS to the thing.

It was very easy to take apart in a weird sort of way, had a trap door, flappy thing that lock into place by the lower and upper coming together.

I would say this was the weirdest carbine at the event.

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: At the 900 yard range

Here is a bunch of people doing what they like to do best! Shoot!

I think there is one woman in the picture somewhere.

Try to find her win a prize! (not really, about the prize)

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: Somebody shooting something

This is somebody shooting something at bowling pins.

This was the Winchester ammo booth and we got to try out the new Sig .357 ammo against dangling bowling pins.

You get a good idea of what it was like.

Just load a magazine pick up a handgun and "test out" the ammo!

I had fun "testing" the ammo. Seemed accurate and very consistent. Very shiny too.

I recommend it fully!

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: Para TTR

I got to try out the Para TTR. I like this rifle, not because I have a Z-M Weapons LR300, but because I like it! The rifle has been around for over 20 years! A well kept secret, invented by Allan Zitta  and used by U.S. special forces and a favorite on the competition circuit now Para Ordinance licensed the right to manufacture it and re-branded it "TTR" and giving the unique gas operating system a fancy name "DIGS".

Felt nice. I have to get the folding stock! It's too spendy for me though.

All the springs and stuff are in the upper so no buffer tube required. It's a DI gun, not piston!

My Z-M LR300

I had to wear a glove to hold the forestock because it was super hot from being shot all morning long. Too bad I didn't bring a LaRue quick detach vertical for grip to do my shooting with.

If you look carefully, a round is just being ejected and the bolt is just closing and locking in the chamber.

Sure was fun!

That scope was a little too big for the range we were shooting. "Little too Big" yup.

Here's a video of it being taken down:

Shot Show Media Day: Steyr AUG

Had a little trigger time with the Steyr AUG.

Michael Nischalke was showing me the ropes regarding this weapon.

He demonstrated a very slick way to quickly remove an empty magazine to be replaced with a full one.

He was mentioning that the barrel was so hot they removed it and started to pour water down the bore to cool it off.

One button press and a twist of the wrist and the barrel is out!

Ambidextrous ejection port for the lefties. Didn't see to many of them there.

Fire control group nestled in the butt stock. Very compact.

Apparently, after 7,000 rounds it gets this dirty! The fire control group is all plastic, uh I mean"Polymer", make it very light.

I wonder how hard it would be to switch to a completely different set of manual of arms for this weapon. It was definitely cool but I would have trouble adjusting from more traditional rifle ergonomics.

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: Aimpoint PRO

Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic

Got to see this new Aimpoint only available to Law Enforcement.

Has a battery life of "3 years continuous at setting 7"
2 MOA
and weighs in a 11.6 oz with a ring diameter of 30mm.

They're selling to the cost conscious departments for just over $400.00 bucks.

Interesting that the battery is in the high position rather thatn low like the new CompM4s, which I prefer.

SHOT Show 2011: Steven Seagal

I didn't get to see Steven Seagal but a friend did and sent some pics to me.

He was siting in the P.O.F booth on the second day.

These are some phone pictures:

SHOT Show 2011: Kel Tec Shotgun

I got to fondle the Kel-Tec KSG and I liked it.

Too bad I couldn't shoot it!

SHOT Show 2011: Collin Wietfeldt at Kimber Booth

I went to the Kimber booth and none other than Collin Wietfeldt was there to help out and promote the shooting sports. Colin earned his spot on the U.S. men’s national shooting team after finishing third and earning a bronze medal at U.S. Nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo. He is now a member of an elite team that is reserved for the top three to six shooters in the country! Wow, he's only 19 too!

He's got the nuclear fire of desire burning in him and a great representative for the sport!

Good luck in any future endeavor!

He help us check out the new Kimber Solo!

SHOT Show 2011: Sig 556R

I'll take it please.

I can't offer any constructive criticism of this rifle really but I sure would like to shoot it!

SHOT Show 2011: SunDevil Manufacturing

I went buy the SunDevil Manufacturing booth to talk to David Beaty. I had a tour of his facility in Mesa, AZ a couple of years ago and he was very generous with his time explaining everything and showing me all sorts of cool stuff.

New for this year he is introducing an integral trigger guard and a .308 version of his rifle.




I'm trying to convince him to make a semi automatic shotgun! He has a design in his head so everyone write in, email him, phone him to get that gun a reality! It would be WAY cool!




Here is his colorful AR15 offerings. I bought my wife a purple SunDevil and she loves it!

He also had a bunch of extended safety doodads for the Remington 870 which I snapped up. Just what I needed! Thanks Dave!

David Beaty is one of the nicest guys you could meet. I mean I was in Mesa of business and just called him out of the blue and he agreed to show me around his facility. A total stranger and after a long day a work! Can't say enough nice things about him.

Dave, get that shotgun done already!

SHOT Show 2011: S&W M&P 22

Here it is the M&P 22. Feels great. Metal magazines. Solid just like a M&P should be. If I could think of a reason to get this pistol I would but we already have a S&W Model 41 which is a dream to shoot.

I must confess though my next handgun is going to be the M&P.45!

SHOT Show 2011: CzechPoint

I dropped by the CzechPoint Booth and met with Dan Brown, National Sales Manager.
He explained how they get the vz. 58 rifles from the Czech Republic and then coverts them to the sporting configurations which includes a bunch of American made parts to satisfy all the legal requirements necessary for importation.

Great company great service. I'm going to visit his place in Tennessee because he said he can just shoot off his porch into his back yard and since he's using a suppressor he doesn't disturb the neighbors!

Looking at Dan's personal vz.58 with suppressor.

I wish I had lots of cash and a big safe because I'd get one of these rifles just to have. It has a very interesting design in that there there is not dust cover over the breach. It's just open. Any dirt or debris can be easily cleaned out.

SHOT Shot Media Day: Thanks to Cathy Williams

Cathy Williams and her daughter

I'd like to thank Cathy Williams of CMG Marketing & Events for putting on a great event and taking care of us media types really well.

Everything went really smooth, from the buses that got us out there to the food, water, tents and everything else it takes to organize such a big event of over 600 participants and over 60 vendors!

SHOT Show 2011: Russian American Armory Corp

The first place I went was the Russian American Armory Corp because I want a Saiga 12!


I met Larry Woods, Vice President of the RAC and he helped me out a lot explaining the in's and out's of how to get started in the Saiga 12 world.

I got to meet Robert Wright the maker of the most extreme of the Saiga 12 type shotguns out there! He is the president and owner R & R Targets. Super nice guy and his product is of extreme quality. I can see he loves what he does! I wish I could buy one of his shotguns!

Robert Wright and me with his competition shotgun. He also uses it for home defense!

This is the R & R prototype of a FBI door breaching shotgun.

These were all the R & R shotguns on display. Pretty colors.

I also met the Mach 1 Arsenal team and they are working with SGM Tactical to produce some outstanding Saiga 12 conversion shotguns.

That's Philip Cupelli, President of Mach 1 Arsenal on the left and Les Dreher, production manager of Mach 1 Arsenal who make the Saiga 12 conversions.

I like this rifle!

Mach 1 Arsenal new Beta Mag

Les Dreher, production manager of Mach 1 Arsenal holding one of his Saiga 12 creations. Larry Woods is beside Les and Philip is on the left. Great bunch of guys.

It's also good to know that Mach 1 Arsenal is California Friendly!


Krebs Customs Rifles were in the booth too and they had a nice Saiga 12 conversion of high quality. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet the man himself.

SHOT Show 2011 Media Day: Command Arms Accessories RONI

I got to try out a new product from Command Arms Accessories or CAA called the RONI Pistol-Carbine Conversion.

I must admit I was a little skeptical at first. How could this plastic, I mean polymer, shell really add anything to a pistol and why not just get a dedicated rifle instead.

Mike Grandy explained that not only is it cheaper just to piggy back off of your existing handgun that you are already familiar with, the cost to get into a "carbine" is now a lot cheaper. If the officer, in this case, needs a little more accuracy and or the situation requires a light, laser, red dot or whatever this polymer shell can now facilitate all the extra equipment and increase lethality when necessary.

When I tried the RONI, I was a convert. Just slap a Glock in the RONI and a 30 round mag with a red dot and my accuracy and confidence went way up. The folding forward grip added a lot to the stability. I was hitting alternate steel targets quite quickly with no training in this weapons system. Not only that, the RONI felt good too and light only adding 3.5 lbs. to the handgun.

It has a collapsible butt stock, folding front grip, extra safety trigger guard blocker, and a bunch of rails to add accessories.

The pistol can easily be installed into one of these in minutes and there are designs for quite a variety of handguns like Glock, Sig, Beretta, and coming is a RONI for the S&W M&P line.

If you don't want to pay the $200 tax stamp for an NFA item there is also a carbine version with a 16" barrel shroud available. I didn't get to try that out though.

I'm giving the RONI a go here with Mike Grandy of CAA is watching.

Here is jut the polymer shell

Beretta, Sig, and Glock are all represented.

To take out the handgun, to pins are pulled and slide the rear and front catches

There is the handgun. It has a piece that fits on the slide that allows you to rack it in the casing.

Here's a good view of the RONI

Here is Chris Murray of CAA demonstrating the RONI

The guys at CAA were very helpful and enthusiastic about the RONI and I would be too. It's definitely a great product and very innovative.