The 46th annual SHOT Show, the 8th largest trade show in the U.S., has come and gone. Reports of its rapid demise because Covid forced companies to alter how they did business, seem premature as this year was the most attended to date. Over 55,000 attendees descended on Vegas to take in everything related to the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades.
For media members it starts out with the Industry Day at the Range event the Monday before the show opens. At that event I was able to try out the new Umarex Air Javelin FishR. Taking bow fishing to the next level, Umarex altered their popular Air Javelin so it shoots a special, thick-shafted solid arrow and allows for attachment of your favorite reel. Also, to differentiate the FishR, its polymer body is molded in a bright blue. Umarex went above and beyond to show off their new FishR by bringing a 4,000-gallon swimming pool to the high desert shooting range used for Industry Day so it could be fired at a fake gar by participants. It will definitely appeal to those who cannot pull a regular bow set up for bow fishing and those who want to help eradicate invasive species in our waterways. Arrow-firing airguns also continue to be a growing segment as new ones were introduced by Hatsan and Airforce Airguns.
Other trending items found at the show were low price-point entry level PCPs being introduced by Crosman and Umarex. Crosman has taken their venerable Model 362 and recreated it in a PCP version to entice a whole new generation into the world of pre-charged pneumatics. Weighing less than four pounds with a reservoir that is easily filled via hand pump, along with the familiar lines of the 362 plus a $150 price point should help accomplish just that. Umarex brought out the Iconix, their entry-level PCP. Lightweight and easy to fill with a hand pump as well, this side-lever cocking repeater will retail under $200.
Some other items of note were a couple of high-power semi-auto PCP pistols from Korean manufacturer Evanix and Turkish manufacturer Hatsan. Interestingly, both pistols have names beginning with the letter “V” – the Evanix Viper and Hatsan Velox. Additionally, several companies released air rifles that incorporate the HPA reservoir into the barrel shroud. Eliminating an air reservoir under the airgun barrel or as part of the buttstock allows for a lighter and more “traditional firearm” look. This is anticipated to draw more firearms users into the PCP world who may otherwise be turned off by the look of modern air rifles. The Barra 250z and JTS StealthHawk are in this category.
Another trend at the show this year that can be directly attributed to our friends at Airguns of Arizona is the expansion/proliferation of chassis systems and guns/accessories designed around long-range and benchrest shooting. AofA has been conducting the Extreme Benchrest competition for over ten years and my, how it has grown! It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery so Robert and his team must be feeling very flattered as to how the sport has expanded the number of venues/competitions since the humble beginnings of the EBR.
Of course, many other new items related to our sport/obsession were on display at the show. Expanded lines of pellets and new slugs with high ballistic coefficients. More optics choices, including new thermal and night vision offerings, as well as a variety of red dots and even the first blue dot sight – said to be easier for the human eye to pick up and less fatiguing.
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