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Category Archives: SHOT Show
Tactical Tailor Urban Operator Backpack Review
I like gadgets and things in which to carry them. Last year, I fairly assaulted SHOT Show 2012 wearing a Maxpedition Sitka in Khaki. It was just too small for my burden then, and for 2013 I had since added a Canon DSLR. Although a sling bag is easy to access, when filled with notebooks, pens, cameras, spare batteries, an iPad 2 and accessories, business cards, morale patches, product CD’s, press kits, Clif bars, water, Mil-Spec Monkey hoodie, and a daily burgeoning collection of swag (pirate booty), the distribution of weight in the oft-rotated bag could vex a loadmaster. I needed a backpack. Okay, another backpack. Damn, … Continue reading
DDupleks Kaviar 26L Frangible Shotgun Ammunition
The Latvian gentlemen from DDupleks Ammunition were demonstrating their Kaviar 26L frangible shotgun “slug” at SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range. The 12 gauge round is designed to dump its energy into the immediate target without over-penetration. The DDuplexs rep shot a water jug at 15 yards with the Kaviar. A Kel-Tec KSG was used for the test. This is from the DDupleks website: Combined material shotgun slug for training and LE purposes. Slug expands and fragments only after hitting the target and provides energy transfer immediately without
Posted in Firearms, SHOT Show, Technology
Tagged Frangible Ammunition, Police Shotgun, SHOT Show
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New Kahr CW380 Review
At SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range, I was able to shoot five small handguns that are new to the market for 2013. My first was the latest “budget” offering from Kahr Arms, the CW380, designated the CW3833. I may have said “budget,” but the Kahr CW380 still has all the important functional features that have made their pistols popular with shooters and ’carryers. The 10.2 ounce micro-sized CW380 has a polymer frame with 4140 steel inserts, matte finished 416R stainless slide with bar-dot sights, “Safe Cam” DAO firing system, and quality fit and finish. The C-series of Kahr handguns finds its lower price point by using conventional … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show
Tagged CW380 Review, Kahr Arms, Kahr CW380, off-duty gun, Police Back-Up Gun
6 Comments
SHOT Show 2013 Small Gun Round-Up
At the SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range, I was able to shoot a number of new small handguns meant for concealed carry self defense. The latest offerings from Kahr, Sig Sauer, Springfield Armory, and Ruger were loaded, locked, and let loose. In the photos, you will notice the dusty guns. It was very windy and fine sand mixed with the usual post-firing gunk. As I have said before, these guns are shot by literally hundreds of media members during this single day of firearms torture. All the guns I used functioned perfectly as designed.
SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range
Today was the SHOT Show 2013 Media Day at the Range. It was about 28 degrees when we arrived in Boulder City with a steady 20 mph wind, gusting to 35. Why the weather report? It definitely affected both the guns and gunners. I saw at least one handgun negatively impacted by the freezing temps–think polymer changing its resilience. No, not a Glock. The temperature variable and gusty wind also led to challenging conditions under which to evaluate the firearms. I know that my shivering and numbed hands definitely did not lead to steady sight pictures or clean trigger breaks. All in all, there was substantial bitching about the wind … Continue reading
Thanks For Nothing
To the baggage handler or TSA worker who stole My full flat ground Spyderco Delica from My luggage, Use it in good health. Sarcasm. Randall
Posted in SHOT Show
2 Comments
TrackingPoint to Introduce Precision Guided Rifle Scopes
The Consumer Electronics Show, one of Las Vegas’ biggest conventions, is happening this week. At 140,000 attendees, CES is twice the size of the SHOT Show. For all the myriad gadgets and electronic toys being shown at CES, I thought this was one interesting bit of technology with future law enforcement potential. TrackingPoint, Inc. builds precision rifles in Austin, TX. Their latest advance is the patent-pending Intelligent Digital Tracking Scope, a kind of Heads-Up Display for a rifle. This advanced scope calculates a firing solution for the shooter, as it takes into account wind speed and direction, humidity, ballistic drop, parallax, incline and cant of the weapon, and other factors. … Continue reading
SHOT Show 2013 Begins Next Week
The annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas runs from January 15 through 18. Last year over 61,000 attendees descended upon the Sands Convention Center to view the wares of 1,600+ exhibitors. I was one of 2,500 media members. It is time for me to pack up the iPad, notebooks, and cameras to take my yearly sabbatical as journalist and not cop. As usual, I am honored to join the great guys from BlueSheepdog.com and GunsHolstersandGear.com at the Big Show. GHG is already running a truckload of 2013 pre-Show info here. SHOT Show is an industry trade show hosted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. As … Continue reading
NASGW Expo Coverage at GHG
Richard from GunsHolstersandGear.com is over at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers Expo and Meeting in Orlando. The NASGW Expo is an exposition of hunting, sporting goods, and shooting sports equipment and accessories by wholesalers, manufacturers, and independent sales representatives. Follow the coverage here: GHG NASGW Randall
Posted in Media, Misc., SHOT Show
Tagged National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers
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M.R.A.P.S. Level III Ballistic Shield for SWAT
I was having lunch with some SWAT officers from an adjacent agency during a break in training a few weeks ago. We regularly cross-train with other local tactical teams to share info and problem solve. While we were talking equipment, they said they had just purchased several rifle-rated ballistic shields. When I asked which make, they said, “M.R.A.P.S.” I had seen the M.R.A.P.S. Level III shield at SHOT Show 2011. Baker Ballistics, LLC manufactures the shield. Baker Ballistics’ Director and CEO, Rick Armellino, gave the BlueSheepdog crew and me a demonstration of the capabilities of their Mobile Rifle Armor Protective Shield on the show floor. I was pretty jazzed about … Continue reading
Safariland/Kona Introduces New Patrol Bike 29er
This press release went out after the IPMBA Conference in May. I recently received another email notification about the bike. I have some time with Cannondale and Smith & Wesson police mountain bikes under me. This one has some nice features. Video attached below from SHOT Show 2012. JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Safariland®, a BAE Systems line of business, announced today at the International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) Conference that it is introducing a brand new Patrol Bike product line for the law enforcement market. Safariland has teamed with Kona USA, one of the world’s leading all-terrain bicycle manufacturers, to develop the flagship product in the line, the Safariland®/Kona® Patrol … Continue reading
Posted in Misc., SHOT Show, Street, Technology
Tagged Police Mountain Bike, Safariland/Kona Patrol Bike 28er
2 Comments
SOG Knives FastHawk Review
Some missions require specialized tools. We are not always loaded down with them. There is a balance between power and portability that is weighed toward portable in mobile operations, unless your team has a MOLLE-covered Tactical Donkey. Hmmm… SOG Specialty Knives & Tool‘s FastHawk is a scaled down version of their popular Tactical Tomahawk. Light and easy to carry, I found the FastHawk to be a good compromise of size and functionality. At 12 ½” in length and only 19 ounces, it is a compact package. The FastHawk can be used to cut, chop, dig, pry, and hammer. I did these things during some late night T&E sessions. I started … Continue reading
Posted in Knives, SHOT Show
Tagged FastHawk Review, Police Tomahawk, SOG Knives, SWAT Tomahawk, Tomahawk Review
7 Comments
Video Games Can Aid Police Training
Do you wander around your house, punching out your finger-gun from the low ready, practicing room clearing? Sure you don’t; neither do I. And I’ve only been embarrassed about it a couple of times. I think many of us seek out opportunities to practice our skills whenever we can. First-Person Shooter video games take us on exciting missions in exotic locales. The danger is not real, but the format is much like a simulator for teaching search techniques. While not a scenario trainer like, say, a FATS machine, an FPS game can give you reps in considering tactical angles and problem solving. In the confines of a video game, you … Continue reading
Posted in SHOT Show, Street, SWAT, Tactics
Tagged Building Clearing, Building Search, First-person shooters, FPS, Police Tactics, police training, Video Games
1 Comment
Diamondback DB9 Long Term Test and Review
In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at SHOT Show’s Media Day at the Range and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol. No. It was something new. Diamondback Firearms makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) shotguns AR -15’s in Cocoa, Florida. After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version. This was the gun I saw on the table. I handled the unloaded gun in the booth. It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when … Continue reading