SOTS Favorites from the Crossroads of the West Gun Show
Remember the ol’ reliable Ruger 10/22 you passed your hunter’s safety class with so many years ago? Well, you’ll never recognize it after Russ and Sheba Bunting’s R&S Precision Sports get done with it. How about a Volquartsen match barrel with compensator and unique snake flutes? How about a custom red stock with a purple barrel? Easily the most visually enticing display at the show. This ain’t your father’s 10/22.
According to Sheba, the shows are going great this year. Says Sheba, “Do the right thing and walk the right path, God takes care of everybody.” The tactical solutions barrel seems to be the hot seller. Colored barrels are moving quickly–pink sells out at the shows. If you’re ordering from the website, Russ and Sheba try to get everything out the same or next day. That’s the kind of stimulus we need.
Grizzly Mike’s Outdoor Outfitters
Mike’s son, Ted, says working the shows these days is like running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Grizzly Mike’s is on the road at shows 40 out of 52 weekends a year. Sales are up 50-75% across the board. “Everything is hot, everything is going crazy,” says Ted. When asked about changes over past shows, Ted indicates that customers are getting better and better educated. Downside is that they can do a lot of price comparisons and you might have to compete with a really cheap web site promotion price. Upside is that because customers know more about what they want and are more informed, scams are down. Customers are making purchases this year they might not have made last year. For example, customers are buying sears reasoning that they should buy it now before prices get any higher, before it gets banned, or before they quit making them. Ted says some of the most difficult items to get are .308 mags by FN and DPMS. He’s seen prices from $120-300 for them on online auctions.
“And the award for the best name for a gun company in the history of the universe goes to…Fuzzy Bunny Movie Guns!” One of the busiest booths at the show, FBMG also had one of the most professional looking set-ups in the expo center. Their shop in Draper, Utah is the same. Not some guy selling ammo out of his “van down by the river.” These guys know what they are doing. In my search for a carry firearm, I stopped by FBMG where John happily obliged. He broke the guns down, showed me construction and handling differences.
According to Oly, concealable handguns are the hot sellers. Anything small sells. Ammunition for handguns is moving so fast, it’s hard to keep in stock, as is 223 and AK ammo.
Lichtenberg Research was a surprise find at the Crossroads show. Full disclosure: Eric Lichtenberg, the owner, worked for my agent for many years so I know him well. I had lost track of him and was surprised to be looking at a display of holsters and then to recognize him as the manufacturer. Lichtenberg manufactures a series of neoprene concealment holsters; 5 sizes of ankle holster, two sizes of inside the pants holster, and an interesting under arm holster perfect for those activities when you’re out in just a t-shirt (hiking, running, etc.). They also have some simple inexpensive pocket holsters. A “suede” treatment to the outside of the holster grips your pocket so that all it takes is your support hand applying a little pressure to the holster from outside your pocket and your gun presents quickly and easily.
Lichtenberg supplies holsters and accessories to multiple domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies. He also sells and transfers firearms in addition to teaching firearms safety, conceal carry, etc. Eric says he is teaching five or six times as many CCW classes since the election. Sales at the show cleaned him out. Most interesting, however, are the AK47 “build parties” that the shop organizes. This isn’t an “assemble” party…you bring raw materials—sheet steel, they supply the 20-ton shop press and the parkerizing tanks. You fold, press, and parkerize—you literally make your own AK. Eric tells the story of sitting next Jesse Jackson on a flight and showing him all the pictures from an AK build party. Eric even offered to build a custom “rainbow push coalition” AK for the Reverend. Oddly enough, Mr. Jackson declined the offer (go figure?). I made sure to get an invite to the next party. Looking for a unique, durable, carry holster or a DIY from scratch AK, contact Lichtenberg Research.
Other SOTS favs
Miwall Corporation Wholesale Ammo
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