SHOT Show is the great annual gathering. A conclave of revered brands. A collection of entrepreneurs. A congregation of Second Amendment true believers.
It’s a trade show, for business purposes, but not everything you see and experience at SHOT Show is business. At least not business as usual. There’s a lighter side, and here are a few examples that offer a glimpse for those who didn’t make it to Las Vegas.
You know you’ve arrived in Vegas during SHOT Show when the person waiting in line at the airport for their Uber has a backpack sporting a “Neighborhood Warlord” patch. According to this Eastern Shore, Maryland dealer, they’re available on Amazon.
But can you really call yourself a warlord if you’re not sporting your very own steel gladiator helmet, à la Maximus Decimus Meridius? No. No, you cannot.
Fortunately for you, one can be purchased for just $99.99 (MSRP). For those of you at SHOT Show, you can find Master Cutlery on the first (lower) level in booth #41132 and place your order.
Are you not entertained?
Up in the press room, the answer to that age old question was finally discovered. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? No, not that question. Is there dairy in eggs? Well, now we know that hard-boiled eggs are dairy free.
Who knew?
One thing not in doubt, though, is that SHOT Show merch is a thing. Several attendees could be seen across the show floor making their personal fashion statements with slogans like “In Guns We Trust” and “Got Guns.”
Personally, I’d opt for the Amish Technical t-shirt from Black On Ammo Apparel (booth #43650 on the first level). Owner Shawn Menzie’s illustrations never disappoint.
Just ask Detroit Gun Works (Booth #71148 in the Caesars Forum), which had Menzie design a new t-shirt for them.
If you’re wondering, Menzie is open to collaborating with other companies. And based on the success of the Detroit Gun Works design (not shown), you might want to reach out to Black On Ammo before his dance card fills.
This next one required an official ruling.
The muzzle up presentation of the pistol display in the Black Rain Ordnance booth (#13027) is not quite a full High Sabrina—yet it’s also not not a High Sabrina. Hence the need for the ruling.
The term High Sabrina, if not coined by then, was certainly championed by Michael Bane. It references the gun-handling technique made famous by Sabrina Duncan—played by Kate Jackson—on the TV show Charlie’s Angels.
Upon further review, Bane ruled the call on the field stands: It’s a High Sabrina.
For those of you missing the reference altogether, congratulations—you’re young. And you have our deepest sympathy for never having known the joy of a Farrah Fawcett poster on the wall of your room.
Don’t feel bad for those younger attendees. Black Rifle Coffee had exactly what they needed in their promotional area just off the show floor—a tattoo artist.
Of all the things one expects to find at SHOT Show, very few had a tattoo artist on their bingo card. And yet…
And if that wasn’t enough, the Black Rifle Coffee service dog had people’s phones out as it walked around the booth. It’s the perfect dog, with the exception of the occasional accident and coming home to find a puddle of hydraulic fluid on the carpet.
Bad dog. Bad dog.
There are a lot of things Gunsite is recognized for in the training world. For the past 50 years, they’ve set the standard when it comes to teaching the way of the fighting gun.
Now, they’re just showing off.
At their 50th Anniversary press conference, they not only introduced the limited-edition 50th Anniversary guns that will be available this year, but they also managed to elevate the simple chamber flag into something much cooler.
Finally, much of the talk on the show floor centered on the business challenges of 2025 and whether they will continue into 2026. Maybe the clearest sign of companies falling on hard(er) times and slashing their marketing budgets? The total lack of advertising in and around the urinals in the men’s bathrooms of the Venetian Expo.
Yes, ladies, it’s actually a thing. Or has been in the past. And as you can see, the ads this year are conspicuously absent. There’s always next year.