It’s been a very “Squirrel” kind of SHOT Show for me so far.

I do have some things on my schedule that I want to make it to, people I want to meet, items I want to check out, etc. But I have been very distractible up to this point.

I was on my way to a press announcement for Syren shotguns, and got sidetracked by camo. I was on my way to another meeting, and got sidetracked by wall-mounted shotgun locking mechanisms. I was eating lunch with a friend and got texted about another event I missed. I am very much the “squirrel” dog from the movie.  And NO, I’m not going to self-prescribe ADHD meds – the DEA would frown – LOL. My stimulant of choice is caffeine 🙂

My concentration is not helped by the fact that my body has remained on Eastern Standard Time. I am falling asleep drooling over my keyboard at 9 pm here (midnight at home), and then my pineal gland says it’s time to be up at 3AM Vegas time. So, typing/blogging in my jammies, in the middle of the night, while eating peanut butter crackers and drinking  lukewarm instant coffee made with water from the tap, has been my M.O. for the past three days. Who says being a doctor at SHOT Show isn’t glamorous and party-filled? And I’m paying my OWN money to do this! 😀

So., bear with me through the typos and poor segues this week please. I’m not always firing on all cylinders as the saying goes.

My interesting tidbits so far from SHOT Days 1&2…

I completely LOVE the look of Syren Shotguns. http://syrenusa.com/shotguns-for-women/

This is a separate division of Caesar Guerini, which was started about 3 years ago to build female-proportioned shotguns from the ground up. From listening to the press presentation, these are not just cut-down men’s or youth stocks. They have been completely  re-proportioned, and re-balanced. Yes, the wood grain is gorgeous, and yes, there is beautiful engraving, but it sure seems like Syren built these for real women hunters and sport shooters. There is not just “one” model either – they have models for waterfowl, upland/field, and sport shooters and now have a trap-specific model as well. 

I did not have an opportunity to shoot one of these gorgeous guns, but the weight, balance, and mounting on the show floor was very pleasing. I am still very much on the shotgun “learning curve”, but nothing about these guns made me struggle. That is a very good indication that I want one! 🙂 Who needs to save for a rainy day? Italian shotguns are going to be my new retirement investment!

While I was in a shotgun mood, I revisited Benelli    http://www.benelliusa.com/    to handle the 28 ga ETHOS that I shot on Range Day, and also to handle the 828U that I drooled over last year. I admit that I’m still drooling. I love my 12 ga ETHOS, but the classic Over and Under is calling to me. It’s just a new format/style that I haven’t had any experience with yet. AND, it was an over and under 20 gauge that was the first (and last) gun I shot with my dad when I was twelve. I kind of want to readdress that experience.

While I was at Benelli, I realized that their Franchi brand has come out with a women’s specific model, the Catalyst, which also mounted nicely for me. http://www.franchiusa.com/

I realize that I can’t have one of everything, but it is great that manufacturers are starting to actually give us something to to have to make a decision about! Making choices between “slim” and “none” is no fun at all! LOL

I visited the Walther booth as well in my travels. I wanted to handle the PPS M2 again and talk to a rep.  http://www.waltherarms.com/handguns/pps/pps-m2/  The fellow assured me that they should be available immediately in 9mm, with .40 coming a bit later in the spring. I’m sure the price may be bumped due to demand temporarily, but MSRP is listed as $469.

One more new thing on the list for today that is NOT a firearm was… a crossbow!

You may remember that I was introduced to Ten Point crossbows at last year’s SHOT Show, and subsequently purchased one this past August when my state made them legal for archery deer season. I bought a Ten Point Shadow Ultralight. http://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/

Well, now they’ve got something that I like even better. It seems even lighter and more well-balanced than my ultralight, if that is possible. It is Ten Point’s first “reverse” design. (They released a reverse-draw design under the Horton name last year, and the rep tells me they fairly flew off the shelves.) This year’s model is under the Ten Point brand, and is called the Carbon Nitro RDX. Not only is it a reverse design, it also boasts that it is the “first carbon reverse-draw crossbow on the market” The reverse design lends an amazing speed (up to 385 FPS), but also changes the balance for the better. I could comfortably hold this crossbow for several minutes one-handed. That honestly changes my whole outlook for off-hand shooting. This crossbow would have come in handy for me this past fall, when I was waiting …and waiting …and waiting for that buck to come out of the brush.

         Note, my one-handed grip

Okay,  that’s it for this evening – my brain is fried – but stay tuned, because there is much more to come, including some great stuff about the Sig P320!