The Outdoor Wire staff hit the floor yesterday at SHOT Show sifting through the never ending sea of humanity in search of news and tips on what's hot among dealers. Here's just some of what we've found. . .
300 BLK: Going, Going, Gone. . . At the close of day one at SHOT, Advanced Armament sources told TOW that the first 6 months production (by Remington) of their new 300 BLK round has already been sold. No word yet on sales/order projections from the other ammo manufacturers which are sure to jump on the 300BLK bandwagon.
Apex Tactical Expanding Into Training. . . The crew from Apex Tactical is on the floor, though not exhibiting and opting instead to search out their next new aftermarket parts opportunity amidst the sea of new stuff. They did however flag down TOW to talk about their their latest endeavor: training. Seems the custom gunsmithing operation is working on new force-or-force gear for airsoft training with a projected announcement date around the NRA Show.
Spartan Imports Ships Folding Pocket Gun. . . The officially licensed airsoft version of the FPG from Magpul PTS is now available and shipping. Introduced last year at SHOT, it is a full-auto gas blowback submachine gun with an MSRP of $295. The FPG is part of the full line of Magpul PTS products Spartan has in stock.
Speaking Of Airsoft. . . According to officials from Cybergun, the U.S. Airsoft market has grown steadily at a 10-15% growth rate over the last few years to approximately $300 million in 2010. It is estimated that the airsoft market will surpass paintball in 2011. In Europe the market has grown 40% each year for the last three years with France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. representing the center of that growth.
Brownells Picks Up ASYM Ammo. . . Stan Chen of AYSM Ammunition informed TOW that online and catalog mega retailer Brownells has picked up his line of ammunition and will carry loads in 45, 223 and 308.
Bane Communicates, Duh. . . From the 'about time' department comes news that at Tuesday night's State of the Industry dinner Michael Bane was given the POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award. Bane, who is best known for hosting and producing four hit shooting shows on the Outdoor Channel and his popular DownRange.tv website, is a professional writer with more than 20 titles to his name. He's also considered one of the leading authorities on the shooting sports.
Better Late Than Never. . . Tactical Solution's Glock 22LR Conversion (for the 17/22) is finally shipping. Introduced last year at SHOT, the 22LR accessory maker is swamped with dealer orders and filling them as fast as possible. Stocking a conversion for one of the most popular pistols made is clearly a no-brainer for dealers, and considering the cost of centerfire ammo, buying a conversion is a no-brainer for consumers.
Interest High In SureFire Hi-Cap Mags. . . For those that know the difference between a clip and a mag, the new SureFire 60 round and 100 round magazines for the AR are the hot item in the busy SureFire booth. The first production models were debuted at the SHOT Show media event on Monday and shipments to dealers are expected to start March 1. For those looking for bright instead of bang, SureFire has 5 models of ultra-high output lumen handhelds powered by a rechargeable battery but capable of running on 123 lithium batteries. These duel-fuel lights range in lumen output from 300 to a staggering "oh my eyes" 2,000 lumens that's sure to be a hit with the search and rescue community.
Tango Down's See Thru ARC. . . AR accessory maker Tango Down introduced their ARC translucent 30 round polymer magazine on Tuesday. Drop tested from 6 feet in temperatures ranging from -20 to 140 degrees, the magazine features a one-piece design and a $19 MSRP. Tango Down will begin shipping the ARC mags next week so contact your local dealer for availability and your out-the-door price.
