The NRA Convention Drives Liberals Crazy
Jim Shepherd
from The Fishing Wire
It’s another of those busy weeks for the outdoor industry. Before the week’s out, an estimated 70,000 or so pro Second Amendment supporters will converge on Nashville, Tennessee for the 2015 edition of the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings and Exhibits.
Other than proving that downtown Nashville isn’t equipped to handle that many people -and only a fraction of that many cars comfortably- it will prove, once again, that when it comes to the right to keep and bear arms, more people are for it than against it.
Drives the anti-gun groups crazy, but that’s the long-and-short of the lesson that will be taken away by non-shooters next Sunday when the membership heads home. Those of us who do choose to exercise that right – whenever possible- will feast in three days of being pushed, jostled and otherwise crowded cheek-to-jowl with like-minded individuals.
Over the next few days, you’ll see lots of announcements of celebrity appearances, new product rollouts- the kind of pre-event information that gets attendees excited at the prospects of what they’ll be seeing.
It’s a big week for those of us in the industry and the outdoor media because the NRA Show is not only another confab that brings all the industry leaders under a single (big) roof, it’s also the last “major” event of a string of events that begin right after Christmas. When the NRA Show closes, many of us will be heading for home and some semblance of life, uninterrupted by hotel stays and road trips.
I say many because my travel schedule doesn’t end in Nashville. That’s the first scheduled stop in more than three weeks of road work. But this year, I have a wild card in my planning: the arrival of a first grandchild. I’ve shaken off bumps, bruises, bugs, fender benders, snowstorms and various personal maladies to make scheduled events, but this first grandchild is a double-barreled threat. Mom also happens to be my good right-hand helper- meaning I’ll be back to the day-to-day work of putting the wires together while she’s out of commission. So….if I’m scheduled to appear at your event over the next three weeks, there’s a chance I might be AWOL – but it won’t be because I decided to skip out and go fishing. As I tell everyone associated with our wires, family comes first. It’s a life value I’ve learned from this industry-so allow me now to say “thanks” – it wasn’t always the most important part of my career, but I learned in time.
Last week, I was traveling to take a look at new technology related to shooting. Actually, it’s new technology related to ammunition- and I was more than impressed with what I saw. While I’m still working on more in-depth research and supplemental testing, it’s safe to say that ammunition may be changing in the not-too-distant future.
No, I’m not saying we’re getting some sort of science fiction alternative ammunition, but we’re probably going to see some of the basic components of ammunition change-significantly. Those changes won’t obsolesce our existing firearms or even modifications of what you’re currently shooting.
If you’re intrigued, that’s good. Because the innovations I saw won’t mean a horrible upheaval in the ammunition industry- just an acceptance of the fact that technology sometimes moves far faster than our industry is always willing to accept. But facts are tough to refute- especially since we pride ourselves on using facts, not emotion, when making decisions.
And this being NRA week means it’s also time for our companion service, The Tactical Wire’s annual Concealed Carry Special Edition. Editor Rich Grassi has a special edition set to come out later this week that features a lot of new products, very thoughtful features and instruction related to responsible concealed carry – and that will be hitting the mailboxes of Outdoor and Shooting Wire subscribers as well later this week.
If you’re not a subscriber to The Tactical Wire, don’t be surprised- or angry- when you see it in your mailbox- it’s just another special edition from the services dedicated to keeping our simple promise:
We’ll keep you posted.