THE ECHOES OF THE S.H.O.T. DIE AWAY
The SHOT show is over, and like most of the 48,907 people who attended, I’m pretty well shot.
Playing catch-up: that Springfield 1903A4 clone from Navy Arms uses original receiver and bolt, new Pedersoli barrel and stock, and Chinese copy of the WWII-vintage Weaver 330 telescopic sight. A blast from the past.
One reader asked for more details on the re-issued Model 58 .41 Magnum revolver, so I went back to the Smith & Wesson booth for another look. It’s not pinned and recessed. Nice gun, though. If you want pretty, get the adjustable sight Model 57 version in nickel. Just gorgeous.
A US rep for one of the Italian makers got with me today regarding a prototype revolver with the barrel set up to fire from the bottom chamber, not the topmost. This was last seen on another Italian revolver, the Mateba, and in years past the Russians have done something similar. Still a ways down the pike, but should be interesting. The lower barrel axis reduces muzzle jump. The Mateba was a good-size sporting handgun; I’m told the new concept will be smaller and more portable.
If you’re interested in the “tacti-cool” side of things, check out the thread on the SHOT Show at www.eotacforum.com.
The SHOT Show isn’t just about guns. You’ll see clothing, for all gun-related purposes. You’ll see accessories. You’ll see the latest in hunting blinds.
I spent the entire show wearing EOTAC garments. (I shoot with their company pistol team, and I wear this stuff on my own time, not just at matches.) Owned by Fernando Coelho, the guy who designed the Woolrich Elite line of tactical garb, this is the latest evolution of “shooterwear” designed with heavy input from beta testers from the sharp end of the war on terror to domestic shooting champions. I was comfortable throughout, and thanks to all the pockets, never lacked for anything I wanted readily at hand.
Today, brother writer Charlie Cutshaw turned me on to SHADOWSHIELD (www.theSHADOWSHIELD.com). Available in hunting blind, sniper hide, or assault team shield formats, all but the hunting version are also available with bullet-resistant reinforcement. The key is a mirror-like outer surface that reflects the surroundings, turning the user into a human chameleon. Not exactly cheap, but pretty neat. Y’all decide if y’all need it. As a toy, it’s expensive, but if you fit a certain pattern of need, it’s downright cheap.
Like the National Rifle Association Annual Convention or the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference sponsored by Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens’ Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the SHOT Show brings together thousands of people who’ve looked at life the way we have and have seen the same rights and responsibilities. It’s an affirmative thing.
Most of us left tired…but most of us left feeling uplifted.
The old Chinese saying has come true, and we “live in interesting times.” It is good to know that none of us are alone in this.
January 18th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Thanks for the reports Mas. I was hanging on it all week.
Good on Backwoods home as well. Judging by what I saw online, this was one of the clearing houses for SHOT related info (at least among the informal media).
January 19th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
It’s a great pleasure to be able to read your articles and blog posts, sir. And indeed it is good to know people like you guard our rights and remind us of our responsibilities.
January 19th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Mas, Great reading your posts on the SHOT show ! Just wondering though…I hear that when the Hollyweed crowd goes to the Oscars or other big award shows they get “goody bags” to take home. Can I hope that the SHOT organizers maybe put together the same? I can just see it now…ammo, rifles sticking out, pistols, and maybe a couple of scopes…Now THAT would get me to attend regularly !!!
January 20th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I saw you didn’t mention the new Charter Arms rimless revolver. That has got to be one of the best new guns of the show. It’s about time someone made a revolver chambered in 9mm/.40/.45 that doesn’t require moon clips. I imagine this thing will be a very popular backup gun for people who don’t want to mess around with more than one type of pistol ammo.
January 21st, 2009 at 12:12 am
Thanks for keeping us up on what was going on there. Sounds like a lot of cool and interesting things were available to check out.
Didn’t happen to see a new 1911 from Charles Daly called the G4 did you, I’m sure you’ll be doing a review on this one soon, I hope at least. Manufactured by Bul instead of Armscor. Can’t wait to see one.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Tom, I’m afraid I didn’t get to see that particular pistol.
Sorry.
asuteke, Charter Arms didn’t actually have the revolvers for the rimless cartridges there, just a big ol’ poster depicting them. Their patent attorneys pulled the prototypes at the last minute for some sort of fine-print legal detail that this Luddite did not fully grasp, but probably has to do with not letting the competition see it until the patent for the extraction mechanism is signed, sealed, and delivered.
Apologetically,
Mas
February 6th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Now I’m all dressed up and no place to go. You wrote about the 1903A4 and I’ve been looking for it on the Navy Arms web site ever since. Ouch!
February 6th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Ah, Rusty, it is a cruel and unfair world…
Gourmets tell me the anticipation is the best part of the meal…
…but we gourmands just want to feast. NOW!
Bro, I’m taking off early tomorrow AM for a weekend of shooting pistol matches, but if you haven’t found it online by Monday, post here and I’ll see if I can’t make a phone call or two and see what’s goin’ on there.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Thanks Mas,
For anyone else that’s interested I e-mailed Navy Arms over the weekend. I got my answer this morning.
Yes about 90 days, the product will be at the distributors
of Glen Zanders Sporting Goods, Centerfire Systems, and
AIM. You local dealer will need to place an order with
one of these distributors.
So here we go T minus 90 days and counting.
Thanks again.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
This is the way things should be, get off what we are on now