My Journey to Las Vegas part 4.

Wednesday Morning


I would wake up feeling worse than I can remember feeling in a long time, I can take a lot of things and generally have a high tolerance of pain, but I hate sinus infections with a passion. I did however manage enough strength to raise my phone and open my Facebook application and within it was all the inspiration I needed to get up and start my day. I'm not sure if I'm starting to notice it more now because I feel closer to God than I have ever been or if more people are just posting Scripture and Bible quotes via my favorite social networking site. Either way I got the message, and said to myself "what does not kill me will make me stronger" I got up took a shower and got dressed for the day. We again decided to opt for a simple and cheap breakfast form the main building.

Why should we mess with perfection right ?

This time I opted for 3 glasses of water with breakfast and a 4th on my walk to the SHOW.

Today I would go looking for some new products that have been released lately

I had to look no further than one of the Nations oldest firearms manufactures Springfield Armory

 
M1A's of all flavors some new some old but all shooters!

 The recently released XDM Competition model designed for 3-gun and other shooting competitions but like the Glock M34/35 it is also favored by SWAT Operators as the longer barrel facilitates a full powder burn enhancing the terminal ballistics of the round being used, in addition the longer sight radius makes it a more accurate handgun. This was the first one I had been able to get my hands on and it was a very nice firearm.

A single stack version of the XD called the XDS for "slim" again this will be a favorite for undercover Officers or concealed handgun carriers as the slimmer profile is easier to conceal and still packs plenty of punch being chambered in .45acp (9MM will be available at a later date)

 Next on the List was Trijicon optics, we purchase all kinds of optical sights and word has it they had 3 new arrivals, a new long range precision scope, a new bettery operated ACOG and Reflex sights. I failed to get pictures of the new equipment but did snap a picture of their booth

 After talking for awhile about the new products I left and went to one of their competitors Steiner Optic and looked over their new line of tactical scopes.

 Later in the day after wondering around we picked up a new line of knives for our store manufactured by Boker a German knife manufacture of high quality blades. While inside their booth I noticed this piece of history.

A little story about this Knife and the Patch beside it

The knife pictured is a faithful reproduction of the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger designed well before WWII as the ultimate fighting knife, a design that has withstood the test of time and is still issued to modern Special Forces units around the World. This brings me to the patch notice first the shape of a Comanche arrow head, the Comanche tribe was infamous for sending small units of raiders to terrorize their enemy during the night hours. Also scribed across the front is the names of the two Countries who's elite soldiers comprised this unit called the First Special Services division known by the enemy as the "Devils Brigade". This unit of brave men pulled from the best and the brightest was created in early 1942 to take upon some of the most daring and clandestine missions during WWII until the time they where disbanded in December of 1944. This unit and their incredible success rate of missions using very little resources and support coupled with the detrimental effects they had on enemy morale paved the road for what we now know as "Special Forces Units". During the two years the unit stayed active they wrote the book on small unit tactics many of which are still in use to this day. 

My next stop of the day was Crimson Trace, makers of laser weapon sights. These sights help Officers/shooters alike acquire targets faster and with more precision especially from awkward positions. In addition it's one of the best forms of less than lethal force as instead of having to shoot somebody the metal effect of a red laser on their chest has recently ended many deadly conflicts with a person surrendering instead of fighting. Crimson Trace laser grips also are very durable and the manor of which they are attached allows use of most normal holsters.

They have even started making grip lasers for AR style patrol rifles and even Military grade rocket launchers but we don't carry the latter...

On my way to my absolute top favorite firearm manufacture in the industry I stopped by Glock's booth to check out some of the new generation 4 offerings in their line of handguns that many Officers use today. Here is the new Gen4 Glock 19 9MM

Now the booth I have been waiting for the top of the line handgun and rifle manufacture SIG SAUER. As I mentioned Sig Sauer makes some of the best handguns and rifles today carried by more Elite units around the World than any other manufacture, some of which are U.S Navy Seals and NCIS, Airforce OSI, Army CID, Secret Service, DHS, British SAS,  the prestigious Texas Rangers, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Scotland Yard and over 1/3rd of our Nations Law Enforcement.

Now enough of a sales pitch on to some of the new products for the year,


The new Sub-Compact P224

Now I mentioned the Elite U.S. Navy Seals carry Sig Sauer, there is actually a story behind it.


During the Early 80's Pistol trials where being conducted and 2 contenders where chosen the Italian designed Beretta 92 and the German designed Sig P226, the Beretta was chosen as the cheaper option as per usual SOP on Government contract. Shortly after rigorous testing conducted by Naval Surface Warfare units the Beretta was dropped due to multiple catastrophic slide failures coining the comical phrase "you are not a Seal to you have eaten Italian Steel" shortly there after the Sig was accepted as the primary sidearm even at nearly double the cost. Which says a lot about the quality of manufacture.


I tell that story to lead up to the release of this, The U.S. DOD allowed Sig Sauer to release the exact spec P226 the U.S. Navy Seals are issued the infamous MK25 

  The new Sig 716 .308 patrol rifle

The new 553

New variants of the recently released M-400 5.56 patrol rifle

cool variant of GSR series 1911's

Long range rifles

Wall of different patrol rifles

Lastly a custom made P226 SAO for Texas DPS commemorating their recent anniversary

The last items of the day. 

As I mentioned you can find anything at SHOT SHOW including rifles and knives in-case of a upcoming zombie apocalypse 

LOL...

That night after the show I would opt out of dinner as I just felt horrible, and needed to just lay down and relax. On the bright side I did get to watch some TV and read up on some of the new things I had seen that day.
Stay tuned for my next update...