LAS VEGAS — Shot Show, the nation’s largest firearms and accessories trade show, opened its doors Monday to the industry’s vendors and manufacturers at the Sands Expo Center.
The show is expected to attract 60,000 industry professionals from across the outdoor firearms and outdoor industry, as well as showcase the latest products for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation and law enforcement purposes.
Attendees include big names like Glock, Sig Sauer, Smith and Wesson, Beretta, Ruger and the National Rifle Association.
The 38th annual event, owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, allows industry leaders, professionals, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers and media to review the latest product lines, as well as exchange information via educational seminars.
Each vendor floor is massive and designed as careful mazes intricately dotted with all sorts industry products.
“SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries,” the NSSF says. The show hosts “more than 1,600 exhibiting companies, the show floor exceeds 630,000 net square feet-equivalent to more than 13 acres or the area covered by the Great Pyramid at Giza.”
“Some 12.5 miles of aisles lead to displays of a wide range of products, including firearms, ammunition, gun safes, locks and cases, optics, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, hunting accessories, law enforcement equipment, hearing and eye protection, tree stands, scents and lures, cutlery, GPS systems, holsters, apparel, leather goods, game calls and decoys.”
The show kicked off amid surging firearms sales within the $6.6 billion industry and President Barack Obama’s executive actions on firearms sales and transfers.
“The NSSF-adjusted total of more than 2.2 million background checks represented an increase of 37.6 percent over the same month a year ago. For all of 2015, background checks, which are used as an indicator of sales activity, were up 8.8 percent over 2014,” the NSSF said in a statement.
Educational seminars will include information for dealers and retailers in relation to the latest state and federal laws, as well as law enforcement seminars for police attendees.
“Despite the political challenges being mounted against our industry, it is gratifying to see the American people supportive of firearms ownership and to see new and diverse customers taking their first shots and enjoying our sports,” said NSSF president and CEO Steve Sanetti of the organization’s “first shots program” that introduced over 400 first time individuals in Las Vegas to shooting last week.