2013 SHOT Show - Media Day at the Range
As it happens every year, the day before the grand opening of the actual SHOT Show includes a special even for the media, to get acquainted with the new products the exhibitors have to show.
Like every other year, yours truly was at that event.
Unfortunately for everyone, while the media and of course the exhibitors were all there to enjoy the Media Day at the Range (taking place at Boulder Rifle and Pistol Range, Boulder NV), the weather was not cooperative to our efforts. For the last few days, Las Vegas has temperatures below what is considered to be normal for the season. Today, it was no exception. While a bright sun was shining above us, the temperature was so low, that everyone was really freezing. I therefore need to apologize, both for the quantity but also for the quality of the pictures shown below. I was aware of the low temperatures, but I could never believe that it would be so cold, at the desert. My ears were the first victim, but thank God, the good folks at the Rock Island booth, were kind enough to offer me a hat to cover them. Below, you can see me with Martin Tuason, President and CEO of Armscor/RIA freezing in the middle of the desert.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_026.jpg
With my ears relatively warm, the next victim were my fingers. After a little while, I wasn't really sure if I was holding a 1911 in my hands or my camera. And while there were several companies showing their "tactical" gear, no one has thought of bringing some tactical or not so tactical gloves.
As a result of the weather conditions, I was forced to pack early and return to my hotel. I enjoy as much as the next guy here to shoot 1911s, but doing so at such temperatures is -to say the least- masochistic. And I am no masochist for sure.
With that out of the way, and please take it as an apology and acceptance of my weakness, here are the new 1911s I saw today.
1. Rock Island
As I've already reported previously, RIA had two new TCM pistols at the range and their new 10mm 1911. Hoping that the recoil of the 10mm would make my adrenaline flow a little bit, I decided to start my shooting with that pistol, shown below:
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_008.jpg
The full power loads that I shot, were not enough to warm me up though.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_003.jpg
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_005.jpg
Below is a video of me shooting the 10mm.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...g_the_10mm.jpg
Here are some more pictures of the new TCM pistol, the 4.0" barrel length one.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_009.jpg
Here is another RIA.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_010.jpg
It is the 6" Longslide RIA in .45 ACP.
2. Ruger
Ruger took the logical step this year, and presented a Commander-size pistol.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_013.jpg
Lori Petoske (Ruger's marketing person) was lucky enough to have gloves on. She didn't accepted to trade them for a free lunch though, so my hands continued to freeze.
3. Colt
Colt had three "new" 1911s to show us.
The first one was the well-known Gold Cup.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_017.jpg
The second was the also well-known US Marines pistol.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_018.jpg
And the third (which I think was the most beautiful of the three) was the standard Series 80 Government pistol, with a few enhancements.
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_020.jpg
A typical no-frills, down to earth 1911, with all the right improvements a shooter is most likely asking today, for his pistol. Good work Colt! Can we have this in Commander length too?
4. Cabot Guns
The nice folks from PA, had several great looking 1911s. I managed to snap some pictures of some of them, so here they are:
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_022.jpg
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_023.jpg
https://ezine.m1911.org/images/pictu...-01-14_025.jpg
After two full hours at that extreme weather, I returned to the bus and went back to my hotel.
Again, I apologize for not bringing you any more news from the 1911 world, but I really didn't feel well spending more time freezing.
Until tomorrow then.
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