by Phil W. Johnston
Handgun Editor

The New Year typically kicks off for many of us with the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. The huge trade show first got off the ground in 1979 in St. Louis, MO. According to the Shot Business Daily paper, 5,600 people attended the first show. Attendees ranged from sporting goods retailers to outdoor writers.

Last year the SHOT Show was held in New Orleans, LA, and 25,496 people attended the huge show. This number tends to reflect the numbers when the show is held away from Las Vegas, NV. Vegas SHOT Shows tend to draw 20-25% more attendees than the same shows held elsewhere. The 2002 SHOT Show was held in the Las Vegas Convention Center and we'd guess that again the numbers will be up in the 30,000 range or more. Vegas knows how to be a host and it's a fun city even if you don't gamble.

As most of our readers know, we tend to drift through the show looking for new things that look interesting. Rather than looking for a new version of a 1911 semi-auto, for instance, we look for things that might make us better shooters or hunters. In that light, we'll try to show you a few photos of new things that should make life better and we'll mention them as well.

As usual, the SHOT Show kicked off early for the gun and hunting press and, as usual, the hectic schedule made it necessary to be in two places at the same time. We haven't figured out a way to do this, so we decided to attend a great luncheon banquet put on by Winchester Ammunition, USRA, Browning, Kahles Optik, Swarovski Opitk, and White Flyer Target Company. The food was simply great and the company was the same. The only news that was off-color hinged on the report that our old friend Mike Jordan was retiring at Winchester Ammunition. Before we could get worried, however, we were assured that he will still keep his fingers in things there.

Handguns
The official show kicked off on Feb. 2, and we were anxious to see what was new. Typically we arrange things in alphabetical order but this time we'll hit 'em as they appear in the pile on our desk. What a pile it is!

Where handguns are concerned, several semi-autos caught our eye. Measuring less than 5 inches long, weighing less than a pound, this brand new 9mm semi-auto should be in stores by mid-summer. The new Rohrbaugh (Box 785, Dept GWK, Bayport, NY 11705) Model R-9 looks like a winner. Constructed from 7075 aluminum and 17-4 stainless steel, the little 9mm should be a natural for carrying concealed. We hope to have one off the production line by mid-year.

Not long after leaving Rohrbaugh, we bumped into Larry Grossman who has been a friend for years. Grossman hangs his hat with Excel Industries Inc. (4510 Carter Court, Dept. GWK, Chino, CA 91710) these days and he wanted to show us Excel's new XP .45 semi-auto. Featuring a polymer receiver and a stainless steel slide, the 25-ounce .45 looks and feels like it should be a dandy. Grossman assured us that we'd have one of the first off the production line. Retailing for $465, the little .45 should be a hit.

Excel also showed us a pair of their solid titanium, heavy-duty scope rings. Constructed from 5/8-inch thick titanium, the rings are designed to slip on a Weaver-style rail. Available in 1-inch, 26mm and 30mm diameter and .375-inch, .750-inch and .875-inch height, the new super duty rings need no lapping and are built right here in the USA. Carrying a suggested retail price that ranges from $135 to $205, we'll install our next scope with a pair of 'em to see how they work. Stay tuned.

We're also hoping to look at a Bersa .380 semi-auto here in coming weeks as well as Para-Ordnance and Kimber .45s designed for concealed carrying. In addition, we'll look at S&W's Schofield .45 and a tack driving Stealth .44 Magnum in coming months. Man, does the Stealth 629 shoot!

Trigger Gauge
When we're evaluating a firearm we routinely talk about the trigger. The new Lyman Products Corporation (475 Smith St., Dept. GWK, Middletown, CT 06457) digital trigger pull gauge will make this job much easier. Accurate beyond belief, it'll measure a trigger up to 20 pounds. We'll take a good look at this one, down the road.

If you routinely pack a handgun, concealed or otherwise, JBP Holsters (10100 Old Bon Air Place, Dept. GWK, Richmond, VA 23235) has a line of good looking leather that should wear for years while costing far less than much of the competition. Look 'em up at www.JBPholsters.com for more information.

Not long ago we got a letter from a Canadian outfitter that pertained to the high number of poor shots in his camp late last fall. We won't mention names or numbers but suffice it to say that there were several "hunters" in his camp that didn't know how to shoot. Period! While we've all missed once or twice in the field, anyone worth his or her salt knows that to hit the target we must apply the basics of marksmanship to hit in the field and we always preach that we must take a rest while squeezing the trigger.

In that light, Stony Point Products Inc.(Box 234, Dept. GWK, New Ulm, MN 56073) has a new Swing Shot™ that attaches to any tree stand we've seen and it provides a swinging rifle (or handgun) rest that should make hitting a deer "duck soup," assuming that one knows how to shoot, of course. The Swing Shot attaches to any tree stand in minutes, without tools and it'll swing through 300 degrees, silently. I'm going to have one of these on my stands from now on.

Speaking of deer hunting, www.Tot-alHunter.com had Milo Hanson's new world record whitetail buck on display, too. (Wow!) It would be fun just to see a buck like this on the hoof. Oh well.

Deer Scents
Also revolving around hunting, we spent a pleasant time in the Scent*Lok® booth with Mike Andrews. He took the time to explain why every hunter should be using Scent*Lok (1731 Wierengo Drive, Dept. GWK, Muskegon, MI 49442) clothing. We're fanatical about controlling our smell during hunting season and we take pride in getting close to our game-making it easy to harvest mature bucks each fall, up close and personal. We're going to give Andrews' wares a try this fall and we'll see if they're worth their salt. Andrews almost has me convinced.

Controlling and using scent in the field makes good sense. We believe in dispensing scent in the field and J.P. Averette from Pee Willie Wick (10740 Gurney Road, Dept. GWK, Baker, LA 70714-8614) did a great job explaining how to use his Pee Willie Wick. You unseal the bottle and roll the amount of scent-saturated wick out of it for use. Simply roll it back in when you head back to the vehicle (or house). When I explained that we often hunt in sub-freezing temperatures, Averette showed me the electrically-heated version. We'll have a couple of these for the next season, too. We'll have to give Tinks® or Mrs. Doe Pee a call prior to hunting season.

Once in a while, Joe Tartaro let's us write about shotguns. I love a good over/under shotgun and we typically pattern ours with each choke to see what works and what doesn't. This job may be a great deal easier from now on. It's the Targomatic® Buddy from Targomatic@sis-qtel.net. Available in several models, these neat systems consist of 12-gauge steel frames that contain a roll of pre-printed targets that can be rolled into place, one at a time. The targets are printed with a 20-yard and 30-yard circle and feature a place to fill in the blanks with your name, date, gun, choke, load, etc. Great idea and one of 'em sells for less than $100, complete with a roll of targets!

Speaking of shotguns, if you like to shoot clay targets and you have, well, let's just say substantial income, how about a custom, single barrel American-made rig, built to your specifications? Res ipsa loquitur-"it speaks for itself." Bruce Bowen builds these 12-gauge gems by hand, one at a time. If you're so inclined, contact Bruce Bowen & Company (3541 Mayer Ave., Dept. GWK, Sturgis, SD 57785).

Unless you ride a horse or walk into the field each fall, like us you rely on a vehicle to get to and from the field. In addition to taking us to and from good hunting spots, we often take our 4X4 Chevrolet Tahoe off-road as well, on the farm as well as in the field, during hunting season. It's common, and legal in these parts, to retrieve a downed deer, for instance, by the shortest route, with one's hunting rig.

Once in a while this necessitates chaining up the front tires and getting into the rough stuff. Regardless of routine waxing sessions, the Tahoe features several long scratches in the clear coat finish that could have been prevented with a vinyl magnetic Truck Shield system. (Truck Shields Inc., 737 South 400 West, Dept. GWK, Salt Lake, UT 84101.) This ingenious system consists of a removable/reusable vinyl sheet that molds itself to any vehicle (best do this during warm weather) and it'll stay on as long as you want it to.

When you are ready to take it off, simply peel it off, roll it up and put it away until next season. The only upkeep hinges on keeping a clean contact between the cover and the paint. You still will have to clean and wax the finish once in a while. With today's rigs selling for what a house cost 30 years ago, protecting that paint job makes sense. I wouldn't mind slipping one of these systems on the Tahoe. I particularly like Bill Jordan's Realtree Advantage Timber™ pattern.

Every time we join our daughter and son-in-law for a weekend of pheasant hunting, Jason starts the conversation out with "our next rig is going to be a Suburban!" Winchester Western and General Motors joined hands to build a special prototype Suburban for the SHOT Show, as well. Based on a °-ton, 4X4 chassis, the lowered, bright Winchester AA Red (PMS#485 color) Suburban was a head turner. Equipped with a beautiful Truck Vault™ in the rear end and four captain's chairs featuring Lucchese leather up front, the rig would make one nice ride to and from the field. This one wouldn't make it far off road, however.

Ground Clearance
We spent quite some time with Patrick Henyon in the GM/Winchester booth, taking the time to explain that what we need out here in the real world of 4X4s, is more ground clearance not less. I told him that this would be a great rig if it had been lifted 3 inches rather than lowered 1-1/8 inches. GM has the parts in the bin so to speak, to make the greatest hunting rigs in the business.

Take a 4X4 pickup, Tahoe, or Suburban and then raise the vehicle 3-4 inches so the undercarriage doesn't drag on typical western two-track roads, while also clearing a substantial amount of snow and mud as well. How about an independent Corvette rear end with 3:73-1 Zytel/Torsen locker as well? That would be the ultimate set up. Featuring at least 12 inches of ground clearance, it would be perfect for those of us who really need a true 4X4-not a highway cruiser.

If you've got a full-sized 4X4, have you ever wondered how to reach the middle of the windshield when you're cleaning the bugs off? Selling for $60 or so-depending on the material-the Sotol Tire Step™ from Sotol Tire Step Company (3920 FM 1960 West, Suite 318, Dept. GWK, Houston, TX 77068) is a must-have. Kenneth D. Cohen took the time to repeatedly step onto and off of the Tire Step illustrating that it would remain solid and secure regardless of the placement of one's feet. It simply drapes over the tire (either end, either side) allowing one to easily reach the middle of the windshield or the top of the rig for boat loading, etc. The Tire Step gets my vote for great new idea of the show.

Tarp Control
Many of us find it necessary to cover things with a tarp from time to time. The new EZ Grabbit™ system from CBC Products Inc. (1452 NW 10th Ave., Dept. GWK, Camas, WA 98607) makes it a snap to attach any tarp to anything-pronto. Consisting of a two-piece plastic tube, one simply rolls a portion of the tarp onto the inner tube before slipping the outer tube over the tarp and the interior piece. In seconds the tarp is captured with this two-piece system that won't let go while the tarp won't be damaged, either.

The system can be installed anywhere on the tarp, regardless of the type and weight of the tarp, and it can be moved or removed in seconds. Another great new item that should catch on like wildfire. If your local hardware store isn't yet aware of the EZ Grabbit system, have 'em contact Michael Buck at CBC Products. His phone number is: 360-833-2916, by the way. I wish this was my idea!

We also couldn't make it past the booth of Emerald Precision Casting Company (609 West 1900 North, Dept. GWK, Spanish Fork, UT 84660), either. The full-sized, 400-pound, stainless steel cast of a monstrous Allosaurus skull is an attention getter. Capable of casting about anything in any metal, Emerald casts everything from dinosaurs to military rocket and aircraft parts. If you need something cast perfectly, give 'em a holler at: 801-798-0904.

That about does it from our view. We typically enjoy a Las Vegas SHOT Show and think much less of the Show in other locations. The 2003 SHOT Show is scheduled for the new Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and runs from Feb. 13-16 next year. We'd rather be in Las Vegas, but it doesn't appear that anyone is listening. On the other hand, maybe more eastern dealers will attend the Orlando show.