Text & Photos by
Glen I. Voorhees Jr.
Western Field Editor

Orlando, FL, hosted the 25th Anniversary of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show, Feb. 13-16.

The Orange County Convention Center's show floor has 512,000 square-feet of space in which 1,500 exhibitors displayed their products. Orlando's attendance was down from the 18,549 attendees at last year's Las Vegas, NV, show, but while numbers may have been down, many exhibitors reported good sales activity from retailers.

Each year when the show is held in Las Vegas, new attendance records are set, and the 2004 show is already scheduled for Las Vegas Feb. 12-15, 2004.

The Orlando show was a buyers' market. Most businesses were pleased with the amount of orders they received. The last few shows have been somewhat frantic in their buying patterns, but it seems the firearms market has settled down with the inauguration of President George W. Bush. The market for semi-autos has also settled down somewhat, and hunting products are back to normal.

I usually start my reviews with new guns or related equipment, but this year my opening remarks are about a wildlife artist, more precisely an artist who specializes in pictures of game dogs. Over the years, I have watched many wildlife artists display their works, and I can honestly say that I have never seen one that didn't exhibit tremendous skill.

Dog Comes Home
Labs are a favorite bird dog to paint or draw, I suppose, because they are one of the most popular game dogs. A few years ago, I lost a Labrador called Jessie. I never saw Jessie miss a retrieve, even if it took her over the horizon and through the woods.

Each year I looked at the different art works on display in the hope of seeing her likeness. I have been close on several occasions, but something was always "not quite right." This year it all came together in one drawing. I saw her sitting in front of me with a dove, duck, or goose in her mouth, wagging her tail, even as she sat there.

Carl J. Melichar, owner of Countryside Art Gallery, was raised on a farm in Mayer, MN. He and his family still live on that farm where his interest in art flourished. At the age of 14 he enrolled in art school where he learned the fundamentals of art. He followed up that education by attending several other art and design schools. His art and photography have graced the cover of several magazines. He has a list of 65 limited edition prints. Thanks to Melichar's talent, Jessie is back home. You can get a catalog by writing to: Countryside Art Gallery, 8020 Hwy. 25, Dept. GWK, Mayer, MN 55360, or phone: 952-657-2323.

Black Hills Ammunition (PO Box 3090, Dept. GWK, Rapid City, SD 57709; phone: 605-348-5150; on-line: www.black-hills.com) was once regarded as a low-end, remanufacturing company that was a long way from the top of the line for those who wanted top flight accuracy. Well, look at Black Hills now.

Military Match Ammo
In 1996 the US Army Marksmanship Unit began contracting for match-grade Black Hills Ammunition. The next year the Marine Corps and Air Force followed suit. Then in 1999, the US Navy came on board. Now all four services are relying on Black Hills target ammunition.

In 2002, Black Hills added Black Hills Gold Ammunition in .243 Win., .308 Win., .30-06 Springfield, .270 Win. and .300 Win. Mag. This year they have added two new premium loads: the .25-06 with either a 115-grain Barnes-X bullet at 2,975 feet-per-second (fps) or a 100-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3,200 fps. Their other premium addition is 7mm Rem. Mag. offered with two other bullets, the 140-grain Barnes-X and the 140-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, both at 3,150 fps. In their regular line of hunting loads they have added the .338 Lapua. If you are not familiar with this load, it is a serious long-range caliber born in northern Europe.

The best news to me, as a western buff, is the addition of the .38-55. That makes them the number one Cowboy Action line in the market with seven different loadings. Now if we could talk Jeff and Kristi Hoffman into adding the .405 Winchester to their line, a lot of us would be really happy.

New Shotguns
Tristar Sporting Arms Ltd. (1814-16 Linn St., Dept. GWK, North Kansas City, MO 64116; phone: 816-421-1400, on-line: www.tristarsportingarms.com) entered the shotgun market by offering some of the finest over-under, and side-by-side affordable field guns I have ever handled. I have an Italian-made Field Grade 20-gauge that is by far the best looking and handling side-by-side I have ever had the pleasure to shoot. I also have a 12-gauge side-by-side Derby Classic made in Spain. This shotgun is a functioning side lock with double triggers. Like the 20-gauge, it has beautiful wood and fit-like a custom shotgun.

Owner Marty Fajen has acquired another new line to fill out her shotgun offerings. Fajen is well known in the firearms industry. When she picks a line for her company, you can be assured it is the best available product she can acquire. She has teamed up with two top European companies to build fine semi-automatic shotguns. The lines are called the Breda and the Diana Series. Breda Meccanica Bresciara in Brescia, Italy, manufactures the Breda models which are offered in 12- and 20-gauge. Mauro Marocchi of Italy produces the Diana Series. Fajen says, "They have produced the best semi-automatic available at an extremely affordable price."

Tristar has worked hard to see to it that they offer the best over/unders, side-by-sides, and now semi-automatics with Old World craftsmanship at affordable prices.

.22 Kit for Hi-Power
Jonathan Arthur Ciener Inc. (8700 Commerce St., Dept. GWK, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920; phone: 321-868-2200; on-line: www.221rconversions.com) is the king of the .22 conversion units. His engineering skills have brought to the market some truly remarkable units. The one that intrigues me the most is his Thompson .45 ACP kit. If you are lucky enough to own a full auto "Tommy Gun," you can now shoot inexpensive .22 ammo through it. Ciener started with the .45 ACP Colt. His design will work on all 1911A1-framed pistols. I use mine on Colts and Springfields.

In the pistol line he has created kits for .45 ACP in the standard model but also the Commander and Officer Models. He has you covered if you own a Beretta 92/96, Taurus PT92/99, Glock Models 17/22 and 19/23. On the rifle side he offers units for AR-15s and M-16s, as well as the Mini-14, AC556 and AK47s.

So what's new now? Ciener has brought out a conversion unit for the very popular Browning Hi-Power. All of the conversion kits sell for between $100-$200 dollars. The only one that is over $200 is the Platinum Cup for the Colt Gold Cup model. Because you are buying the slide and barrel, no FFL is needed. You can purchase direct from the factory.

The year 2003 marks the 50th anniversary for Ruger's ever-popular Single Six Single Action .22 rimfire revolver. To mark this event, Sturm, Ruger & Company Inc. (200 Ruger Rd., Dept. GWK, Prescott, AZ 86301-6181; phone: 520-541-8820: on-line: www.ruger-firearms.com) is making a special model. It will have an additional .22 Magnum cylinder, Cocobolo grips, and special 1953-2003 roll-stamp engraving.

Another new Single Six will be coming out in .17 HMR. Two other new guns caught my eye at the Ruger exhibit and those were the two new chamberings for the Ruger No.1 rifle in .458 Lott and .405 Winchester.

The next report will cover more major gun companies and some great field items.