The taxi driver from the airport explained it best.

The NSSF and Project ChildSafe took advantage of the opportunity to get their message out early - and often- using signboards throughout the baggage claim areas of the Las Vegas airport. OWDN image

“Last year, everyone was still feeling bad about the shooting at the concert,” he said in broken english, “We didn’t treat you nice as normal. This year, back to business, so welcome to Las Vegas.”

It’s too-early to tell for certain, but it does look like Las Vegas isn’t shying away from the fact that the world’s largest firearms industry trade show is back in town. In fact, the first thing I saw when I arrived at baggage claim - gigantic signboards from the NSSF’s Project ChildSafe- were making quite the impression on other travelers. One man, in town for a bowling tournament, remarked to his travelmates that “that’s good advice if you got a gun.” One of his friends replied that he should lock up his bowling ball if he wanted to protect people, but you get the point...it wasn’t the disapproving looks of last year.

And as is now the case, coming on time for SHOT means you’re already trailing many in the industry. On Sunday, SHOT-related events were already underway. HAVA’s annual golf tournament (a total sellout) while media and industry types flocked to the Clark County Shooting Range to see the latest new products from SIG SAUER.

SIG SAUER took advantage of their pre-SHOT event to show their products in action. Using a helicopter dismount (above) the team of former military types were joined by SIG Academy instructors in assaulting a hostile base (below) manned by some amazingly smart targets using artificial intelligence to make it as close to "real" as possible. OWDN photos

SIG’s event was an opportunity to try everything in the SIG commercial arsenal -from their new airguns to their optics and precision rifles and handguns.

One benefit later arrivals get is the opportunity to pickup their SHOT credential at the airport. Signage was in place, but the gear wasn’t hooked up on Saturday, meaning early arrivals would have to make the trek to the Sands Convention Center sometime before formal SHOT events like Industry Day at the Range began on Monday.

I had the opportunity to spend some one-on-one talk time with SIG’s Ron Cohen, Tom Taylor and Kyle Lamb. You’ll be hearing those interviews in upcoming episodes of The Outdoor Wire Weekend Edition’s podcast over the next few weeks. If you’re a podcast fan, you should add this address to your tuners:

Our SHOT Show preview edition’s up there now, and 48+ hours into SHOT 2019, it looks like our editor’s predictions are all right on target.

As we predicted, shooters lined up to try Mossberg's new pocket pistol (above), and even our publisher took his turn trying out one of Crimson Trace's new red dot optics (below) mounted on another new .22 rifle. Mike Faw photo, with permission.

Yesterday, the previews got even larger as hundreds of media, buyers and others flocked to this year’s edition of Industry Day at the Range. High winds and low temperatures didn’t dampen the spirits or the lessen the gunfire as writers from around the country flocked to the ranges to get some hands-on experience at many of the products you’ve already seen previewed by The Outdoor Wire Digital Network and our editors.

This morning, the madness officially begins.

I can’t wait. And we’ll keep you posted.

--Jim Shepherd