Howdy All!
Well, I suppose all good things must come to an end!
It has been a pleasantly exhausting five days at the 2009 Shot Show here in Orlando. The quantity and quality of offerings are simply too many for one person to see, even if you have the full four days to walk the convention floor. I was told by my good friend, Phillip Loughlin of the Hog Blog, (See banner link on right hand column.) that if you walked every aisle you would cover something like nine miles! I must have walked them three or four times each day. It is real easy to get distracted and disoriented in that cavernous space, it was every bit of 715,ooo square feet!
I have been told that the number of attendees was less than usual. If that's the case, it must be wild when it is packed!
Correction,
I just received this a few moments ago:
"Though many trade shows have seen a decline in attendance, SHOT Show attendance remained strong this year, rising 3 percent when compared to its last visit to Orlando in 2007. According to preliminary figures, this year's show attracted 25,384 attendees, 22,098 exhibiting personnel and a record 1,425 members of the media for a total attendance of 48,907."
National Shooting Sports Foundation Online News Service
There were plenty of vendors too. And they were all very supportive of each others, as well as attentive to the attendees. I asked many of them how they had done, if the economic slow down was affecting them. Each and every one said that they got some business, took some orders, and made some deals. Some said it was less than the past years, that the foreign buyers were less and not as willing to purchase, but OK none-the-less. Even the African safari vendors said they were booking hunts. With the DoD pumping money into anything related to Homeland Defense, most of the "tactical" types said their business was booming.
Firing the Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon ScoutSniper Weapon System in .308, at the 2009
Media Day at the Range.
Three shots, three hits at 500 yards!
Wait until you hear what the .338 Lapua version did...
Wait until you hear what the .338 Lapua version did...
Just to whet your appetite, here are a few things we will be covering in the coming weeks:
- I'll have information on some great new sporting firearms,
- Reviews on gun gear and equipment,
- Field tests with accessories from several makers,
- And a couple of interviews!
Unfortunately I was only able to fire some lightweight
medium rounds like the Ruger 416 and the Sako 370.
medium rounds like the Ruger 416 and the Sako 370.
Fondest Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Hunt Continues...
4 comments:
That recon scout looks fun!
Did you get any post from me yet?
SBW
It was big fun meeting and hanging out with you, Albert! Hope you can make it out to Vegas with us next year!
Total attendance was high based on 2007 numbers, but overall I think it's down from last year (which was a record year, after all). Doesn't really matter, of course, since it was still a LOT of people and a LOT of stuff.
Hope your appointments went well today.
SBW,
Posts... Ahhh, as in mail. No not yet, my English brother in arms. Mine should be a couple of weeks behind yours then. I was thinking about you at the Shot Show. Met folks from the British Deer Society. I'll have to tell you that story later... Relations between our countries will never be the same.
Regards,
Albert
Phillip,
Thanks for everything! I had a great time. There sure was a lot of people and stuff that's for sure.
And yes it went well, though not what I expected.
Albert
Post a Comment