This year’s NSSF SHOT Show was gargantuan. This is nothing new. We’re talking about some major real estate being taken up at the Sands Expo Center. Thousands of square feet filled to the brim with booths, climbing 4 levels, not to mention the side rooms full of more booths. Each booth consists of an array of delights spanning everything from our favorite past-time (reloading,) to the uber hip suppressor, to AR builds, coolers, jerky, pistols, rifles, safes, ammo, anything “tacticool”, optics, knives, and more goodies than a guy can see in 3 days.
Again, this is nothing new…
There were a ton of people in attendance (second most attended SHOT Show ever) with people from over 100 countries mingling in an environment of mutual respect, passion for the industry, and common interest. Everyone in attendance may or may not have walked as far as we did. According to our fancy watches what tell us to move (or else!) we walked an average of 11 miles per day just at the show. Not new.
Some of the booths at this thing are multiple stories high. Not the Show itself, but the actual booths within the show. Not anything new, yet still mind boggling!
The overall message at the show was one of guarded optimism. This, somehow, wasn’t new either. At the State of the Industry Dinner we were told now was the time to work hard, and continue our efforts to ensure our freedoms were never trampled upon, and to be innovators, and to reach new enthusiasts. New? Thankfully, no.
The outdoor/shooting industry is still a leading jobs creator, as well as an economic center of excellence. Want to see the research for yourself? Check out the research center of the NSSF website right here! The numbers are new, but the sentiment is not.
Now, I know what you’re about to say, and the answer is yes, there were a ton of new products at the show. Over 500 brand new innovations for the consumer to adopt as early as this month. Am I going to write about them? No way. I don’t know them well enough to be of any service to you. You’ll find the press releases in the next segment, where we’ll look at what’s new. This is strictly the “What’s NOT New at SHOT Show 2017”
Finally, the best thing which wasn’t new at 2017 SHOT Show was the continuous thread of a shared philosophy. Call us enthusiasts, call us ammosexuals, call us deplorables, call us red necks, call us whatever you want. Just remember, there were about 70,000 of us gathered in the desert for no other reason than to look at the new guns and gear in our industry.
So, if/when a friend undoubtedly asks you what was new at this years SHOT Show, you can unflinchingly say, “Nothing! Aren’t you glad?”
Want to see some other really cool stats on SHOT Show? Click Here for a great infographic from NSSF! The numbers are slightly dated, but you’ll get the idea.
