A collection of SHOT Show thoughts

SHOT Show invariably produces a lot of thoughts that aren’t really worth a post in and of themselves, but are things that are worth sharing. I usually collect them into a single post like this, and what will happen is that most people will scroll through them until they find one that offends their delicate sensibilities, then jump to the comments and call me a bunch of names.

This will be no different than usual.

The Sands is starting to grow on me. I could be wrong, but I feel like they did a bit of a remodel between last year’s show and this year, making the floor plan and the transition from the main floor to the North African Arms Bazaar that is the bottom floor a bit easier.

The North African Arms Bazaar downstairs is a completely different world than the main show floor. It’s hot, crowded, and there is a mercenary feel that permeates the place. People down there are at the Show to SELL SELL SELL and they are not ashamed to get up in your grill about it.

There was a booth right next to Sig on the main floor hawking some kind of scope technology. I don’t remember what it was or what their name was, because their idea of sales pitch was to have some jerk get on a small box and shout at passerby until he annoyed 15 or 20 people into listening to his sales pitch. Every time I walked by when he was doing it my eyes rolled up in my skull so hard I was worried about severing my optic nerve.

Colt had a really good both layout this year. They had the new Colt CCG positioned right under a monitor that was playing the Gun Talk Bianchi Cup episodes that I appeared it. I thought this was a neat touch.

SHOT Show should have a dress code. Nothing too crazy, but how about “no shorts allowed, no holes in any of your clothes, men must wear a shirt with a collar.” Exceptions would made for booth babes, which would make them stand out even more, and thus be even easier to ignore.

The number of tourists at SHOT who aren’t there to do any sort of business is annoying. I had a sales meeting interrupted by some jerkoff who literally butted in front of me to ask the rep questions. I would LOVE to see NSSF bring about tighter controls on who can and can’t attend SHOT Show. Keep the riff-raff out so that those of us who are there to do business can do it without having to fight around mouthbreathers every two steps.

The FNH booth is like a peaceful island of tranquility. It’s so big and wide open that stepping into the booth just makes you feel a little more relaxed.

I love walking by the Taylor’s and Co., Pietta, and other Western Style gun booths. While I don’t really have a desire for a perfect replica of a Spencer Carbine that costs almost $2,000, I’m glad I live in a world where someone does.

Ditto for the Perazzi booth.

No, seriously SHOT should have a dress code. Business casual isn’t that hard, and the more I think about it would also help keep the aforementioned riff-raff out. If you can’t be bothered to wear a polos and clean jeans for three or four days, maybe you shouldn’t be at a trade show.

I didn’t even bother stopping at the Glock booth this year. Their big new gun was the Glock 30s.

I actually didn’t see much, I spent more time in back rooms having meetings than doing much else.

Taurus keeps impressing me. While other people keep dismissing them, they’re putting serious effort and money into improving their QC and customer service. Plus they have a real vision for the industry.

That said, watching Bobby Keigans from Freedom Gunworks ask the poor Taurus rep where he could buy “Jessie’s gun” was pretty hilarious.

Vegas is a stupid town.

The Venetian is a really nice hotel, but I get annoyed that I have to pay for things there that I get for free at other hotels. Water and wi-fi are the two biggest complaints. The service isn’t actually that great either. You get that sort of casually hostile vibe that comes from service industry employees who have to deal with nothing but assholes all the time.

Dear god, let the zombie thing end. Please.