It’s that time of the year, the glorious days of SHOT Show. SHOT Show 2024 has officially kicked off and we’ll be crawling the floor as soon as the gates open. SHOT is the single biggest firearm tradeshow in the world. It’s the biggest event held at the Venetian Expo. Heck, it’s the third biggest tradeshow in Vegas.
SHOT beats both the Consumer Technology Association and Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week. SHOT is a massive meeting of gun manufacturers, retailers, police and military contracts, and media who scour the floor trying to bring their readers and viewers the latest and greatest from the show. On average, over 2,000 media members cover the floor from a ton of different countries.
SHOT Show 2024 is the 46th SHOT Show and 25th held in Las Vegas. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is behind the show. The NSSF is the firearm industry lobbying group and has been alive and kicking since 1961.
The Scale of SHOT Show
I went to my first SHOT Show in 2016 and it was awe-inspiring. I couldn’t believe how big the show actually was. You hear it’s big but, until you see it, you really can’t take it all in. In the last eight years, the show has grown significantly. It used to be two floors stacked wall to wall, but the NSSF expanded the show into the Caesars Forum.
The show covers 13.9 miles of aisles — more than a half marathon. Last year, I averaged 25,000 steps per day if my Garmin is to be trusted. My feet are sore and beaten up before the end of day 1. Over 2,500 exhibitors make it to the show, coming from all 50 states and 115 countries. You’ll see a melting pot of people (and firearms and gear).
The show takes up 816,000 square feet. Imagine that power bill. The NSSF likes to find interesting ways to describe how much room there is. This year, they’ve gone with jets. If parked side-by-side on the show floor, they would fit 547 F-18 jets. Over 50,000 people attended last year, but the show isn’t open to the public.
What SHOT Show Promises
SHOT Show is an opportunity for firearm professionals of various capacities to get together and see the latest and greatest from firearm companies. Companies, both big and small, have an opportunity to reach new audiences, show off their wares, and even ink deals.
Many people who follow the media side might not realize it’s where gun shops, major retailers, and even police and military forces ink deals to purchase firearms and equipment. Nothing at SHOT Show is for sale in the traditional way. You can’t purchase a Glock 19 and take it home. However, agencies, distributors, and other industry giants can place large, bulk orders.
For the media side, we get to see, handle, and sometimes even shoot the latest guns from a number of manufacturers. Occasionally, we see recently released guns. Other times, we see brand new guns premiering at SHOT Show. This is how we aggressively — downright doggedly — pursue leads, rumors, and press releases to bring our readers at GunMagWarehouse access to the latest firearms, optics, and more. SHOT Show 2024 will be no different.
We locate, close with, and reveal what’s new while we also bring you first-hand opinions of it. You’d be surprised by how many times a press release makes something look great, but then you get it in your hands and are immediately disappointed. Sometimes the opposite is true. I wasn’t excited about the new Taurus 856 Defender TORO, but it was one of my favorite guns last year.
Why SHOT Show is Not a Public Event
This question is often asked by enthusiastic and well-intentioned gun owners. The main reason SHOT isn’t open to the public is because it’s supposed to be a professional event. Professional as in firearm professionals. I’m surprised they let as many media members come as they do.
SHOT Show is oriented towards connecting major brands with buyers. Sure, the media side is present; but keep in mind that out of 50,000 attendees, only 2,000 or so are media members. I think a lot of people would grow bored of SHOT Show if not there for a specific purpose.
There is nothing to purchase and, outside of range day and smaller media events around Vegas, there isn’t much to shoot. The place is already a madhouse and allowing the general public to attend would likely drive the professional side away. Shows like the NRA Annual Meeting, SIG Freedom Days, CanCon, and the Gathering are better suited for the general public.
Strapping Up
SHOT is yet another cold January adventure in the glory of Vegas. We’ve climbed into planes, trains, and automobiles for our annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas. We’re surrounded by guns, plate carriers, optics, and more free patches and stickers than we could possibly bring back. Tune in to The Mag Life for real-time updates of the best guns and gear we can find scouring the floor. If you have anything specific you’d like to know about, comment below and I’ll try my hardest to seek it out.
