Hank Williams doesn’t own the only old family tradition. On a sunny summer afternoon, a petite and very capable 12-year-old girl stared down the sights of her brand new birthday-gift Ruger AR-556, and with breathed-out precision, squeezed the trigger. After firing off a volley of successive rounds, with sparkling eyes she smiled big at her shooting mates and said simply, “This is really fun.” 

This was a Life Moment that Kara Windfall was destined to have. For some families, traditions are held in high esteem. For others, carrying on their family’s legacy is a forgotten pastime, much like Sockie and Kick the Can. However, in some traditional American families, honoring those who came before as well as continuing the fight and pursuance of freedom runs as deep as the blood in their veins. And for Kara, she hopes to continue that long-held tradition starting with those first shots with her new semiautomatic rifle. 

Kara’s family military history can be traced back generations. The first recorded account of one of her ancestors (a Polish knight of the highest order and a heroic warrior) in battle was during the 1410 Battle of Grunwald, where Poland and Lithuania came together to defeat the German-Prussian Knights of the Teutonic Order. 

“This was the first account of ‘one of us’ putting it to the bad guys,” said Sidney Windfall, Kara’s father, a native of Western Pennsylvania who works as a communications consultant. He and Kara currently reside in Europe. 

The Windfall family is found in the annals of the American Civil War under the Yankee government and also fighting for America in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and now in the Middle East. 

“Seems like there was a grandfather, dad, uncle, son or cousin in our family tree, with a grin or grimace, who was always ready to roll up their sleeves when the opportunity presented itself,” Sid adds proudly. His own grandfather served as a Navy LST fireman in the South Pacific during WWII. His father was with the 82nd Airborne, while his uncle served in Vietnam as an Air Force intelligence officer. Finally, his cousins were all Army infantrymen during Desert Storm. 

Birthday Tradition 

Another Windfall tradition goes hand-in-hand with their military history. Following after a beagle-breeding grandfather who loved the thrill of the hunt, if a family child shows interest and is responsible enough, he or she will receive a firearm on his or her 12th birthday. “That is when I got mine,” Sid Windfall recalled. “It was a Sears and Roebuck single-shot, hinge-action .410. Most all the others got simple bolt-action .22s.” 

But, back to our current birthday girl’s AR-556 baptismal. 

When it came time to honor his daughter Kara’s 12th birthday, Sid Windfall kept this old family tradition alive by introducing her to her first gun, the Ruger AR-556, on their recent trip back to the United States. “I presented her with her first real rifle, the semiauto Ruger, which we got from ACE Sporting Goods in Washington, Pennsylvania,” Windfall said. “Up until now, her exposure had been limited to Airsoft replicas and pellet guns. Regardless, she knows what a bull’s-eye is and surely knows gun safety.” 

Prior to having this, her first live fire with the AR-556, Kara has had extensive firsthand gun safety and personal instruction in gun handling and use at home in the U.S. and in Europe. Handing over the Ruger AR-556, which Kara promptly named “ARlene” (showing her puckish sense of humor, another family trait), Sid Windfall couldn’t help building off the life lessons his grandpap taught him by passing along some those bull’s-eyes of wisdom to his daughter. 

“Grandpap taught us that once you decide to squeeze that trigger that the bullet ain’t coming back,” said Windfall. “And, check how you feel when you see what game animal you have shot and killed. If you feel hungry, that is good,” he added with a chuckle. 

For her first crack at the shooting range, Windfall said he knew that he needed to find the right instructor to properly tutor Kara on those initial shots. And, that’s where I did my walk on. 

“Grandpap taught us that once you decide to squeeze that trigger that the bullet ain’t coming back. And, check how you feel when you see what game animal you have shot and killed. If you feel hungry, that is good.” 

– Sid Windfall 

Fort Truby 

Sid was my son’s college roommate back in the ‘80s, way back when I was a university professor, book author, magazine editor, writer and a military historian. Plus, many years earlier I had been an Army Combat Intelligence NCO and later a civilian military advisor and instructor. So, for a couple of days, I invited Kara and Sid out to the boonies of Western Pennsylvania (we call it “Pennsyltucky”) and what neighbors and friends call Ft. Truby. 

After a review of the basics by Kara and myself, the shooting began. Lying in the prone position on my very informal shooting range, Kara was the picture of comfort and poise. Outfitted with her shooting ear muffs, protective eyewear and trusty ARlene, the birthday girl was ready to take aim. Kara confidently fired her first round, then many, many more. Kara expertly handled her weapon, hitting the target with precision. She said that proper safety training and respect for firearms made her feel totally in control of her AR-556 rifle. 

“It seems to me a gun is only as dangerous as the person holding it,” she said. Looking at her father, she thanked him for putting his trust in her and instilling her with “some serious responsibility.” “It’s hard to say who had the most fun on that very loud morning,” Sid told us. “We did however expand our family tradition to include lead covered in lipstick.” 

With the Windfalls temporarily residing in gun-unfriendly Europe for now, who knows when Kara will be able to shoot ARlene again. But, if Kara has anything to say about it, it will be sooner, rather than later. An active member of her school’s Paramedic Team and Red 

Cross First Aid Group, she plans to be back in school in the United States. After graduation, she told me that she would attend college and also join the U.S. Army to pursue her dreams of helping the oppressed by her chosen career in medicine. 

And, their respect for and use of firearms will always be there, too. Sid is a long-time NRA member, and Kara signed on as a Junior NRA member. Both pledge to be very dedicated proactive members. 

Kara is a very impressive young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She is ambitious and has clear-cut goals in her life which is evident in everything that she does, including her shooting. She plans to be the next generation of Windfalls to exhibit her love for America through military service and the 2nd Amendment. And, judging by her first shots on target at Ft. Truby, she will succeed with all. 

This is just about the only place you’ll learn about the history, plus insights into the technology, testing protocols and where they came from, hearing loss, and the science of firearms sound.

The course is $495- call Phoenix Defence at 702-208-9735 or email at info@phoenixdefence.com

Silencer History, Technology & Testing Course

• Date: September 19-20, 2023
• Location: Boise, ID
• Instructor: Philip H. Dater, MD
• Cost: $495.00
• Course Number: PD-SUP-T

Syllabus:

DAY 1: Classroom

• Part 1: Introduction, Hearing Damage, & Usage (71 slides)
• Part 2: Suppressor Designs (124 slides)
• Part 3: Sound Measuring (78 slides)

On the second day, participants will be provided with a handout (as a DVD) of the slides used in the presentation, results of prior testing, considerable reference material (as PDF files), and a number of fun high-speed videos.

DAY 2: Classroom

• Part 4: Improvised Silencers (51 slides)
• Part 5: Design Process, Testing & Longevity (112 slides)
• Part 6: Mounting, Stability, Damage, and Goofs (71 slides)

BONUS (on Handout DVD, not covered in class): The Early Pioneers

•    Hiram P. Maxim
•    Mitchell WerBell
•    Charles A. (“Mickey”) Finn
•    C. Reed Knight, Jr.
•    Douglas Olson
•    Jonathan Arthur Ciener

When we finished the Vickers Machine Gun book last year (I was co-author with Dolf, Robert, and Richard Fisher from the Vickers MG Collection & Research Association in the UK), as part of the book’s promotion, I was asked to do some 3-day courses on the Vickers Machine Gun, geared towards collectors of all levels. The goal was to get them all to the same learning plane, teach gauging, construction, laying the guns, firing, etc. I ran the course six times, with full attendance in every class. There are still a couple of guys who were in line but couldn’t make it… so now, I’ve talked with them and scheduled it over a weekend.

We’ll start on Saturday morning in the classroom, and the live fire is just function checking the guns at the range, loading and a few bursts each. We’ll schedule the weekend around the weather. Even though these are water-cooled guns, the gunners aren’t so, we’ll choose the best morning for the range.

I have literally hundreds of rare accessories, mounts, parts, pieces, and all the lore, as well as gauges. If you have a registered Vickers and want to bring it so it gets the once-over in the classroom, that’s all good, too. 

This class is for novices, MG-curious people, up to expert collectors – I’ll strive to give everyone a great time, and a learning experience about the history and technology of these historic firearms.

Here’s the rough syllabus. There’s a lot more to it, but this is the basics:

Saturday

• History
• Technology
• Construction
• Gauging

Sunday

• Tripods
• Water Technology
• Sighting Systems
• Accessories

Monday

• Range Time
• Set up and fire
• Cleaning and Care

Join us for the class on the weekend of November 18-19-20 2023 at Phoenix Defence in Henderson, NV. The class tuition is $895. Please contact us at 702-208-9735 or info@phoenixdefence.com to register.

EnforceTac

This year saw the tenth iteration of this international exhibition of law enforcement, tactical solutions and homeland security at the Messe exhibition center in Nuremberg, Germany which was held during 28 Feb 23 – 1 Mar 23 with the second day running concurrently with IWA Hunting and Sporting exhibition at the same location. The show, which it should be noted is only open to professionals in the law-enforcement/security industry continues to expand and the footprint this year had increased to three halls to cater to the range of exhibitors which had risen to a record number, just short of 500.

In addition to the main exhibitor areas, the show organizers also offered a live demonstration area and what was termed a ‘Blackbox’ facility where vendors could demonstrate a variety of thermal imaging, residual light amplifiers, torches and other devices in a suitable environment. A specific area was also designated for new “start-up” companies to demonstrate their product lines.

The product ranges and services offered have dramatically increased since the early years of EnforceTac, when the focus was primarily on personal issue law-enforcement firearms and individual equipment. This year, exhibitors were permitted to display a much greater range of products, such as the Diederich Defense Systems ATR with the Diehl Defence/EOS M134 Minigun overhead weapon-station, to the more mundane uniforms and international police insignia, the variety of the latter is difficult to believe!

The regular Turkey-based exhibitors continue to expand their law-enforcement and military product line. The Turkish company Çanik displayed a range of products from their twin-mount .50 Browning HMG’s and well as a line of their handguns each configured for a specific purpose.

Readers with an interest in small arms might recall an earlier controversy over reported ‘inaccuracy’ issues when using the G36 assault rifle at “high volumes of fire.” Whether or not the claims are correct, the Austria based Steyr Arms GmbH have offered a fix with their G62 option, which allows current users of the 5.56 mm NATO caliber G36 to replace the H&K made polymer receiver with the Steyr option of an all-metal receiver. It’s claimed all other original (G36) components can be used, although Steyr also offer a replacement barrel with extended life and an alternative STANAG compatible magazine, well as a replacement for the propriety-design H&K magazines. Not a few countries armies and police forces have taken the G36 into service and the Steyr G62 package might well be a good option for a mid-life upgrade?

The long-established manufacturer of firearms Zastava of Serbia displayed an extended line of their military and law-enforcement products, which ranged from handguns to .50/12.7mm caliber anti-material rifles and machine guns.  Their current assault rifle, the M19 is offered in two calibers with quick change barrel facility, the universal standard 7.62 x 39mm and the unique 6.5 x 39mm round, which was developed by Prvi partizan Uzice using the 6.5 mm Grendel as a base for Serbian special forces use.

Swedish Ordnance, another EnforceTac regular attendee, offer a line automatic weapon feed systems and belt-filling devices as part of their product line.

Sabre Defense and Pepper Ball were two U.S. companies offering less-lethal personal protection devices that travelled long-distance to attend.

FAB Defense of Israel exhibited their range of tactical equipment and weapon accessories.

Drones have become part of everyday life. The law enforcement community has been drawn remorselessly into the tug and pull of drone use/misuse and drone suppression and increasing numbers of venders of aerial platforms, counter-drone measures ranging from hand-held devices to sophisticated command & control software solutions.  One such exhibitor was Aaronia AG of Stricksheid, Germany whose impressive booth presented a vast range of options to monitor, detect and defeat unwanted drones.

A much updated “paddy wagon” was displayed by Rheinmetall, the SurvivorR’ “Protected Multirole Vehicle” weighing in at about 17,000kg fully loaded and carrying a maximum of 11 personnel. A number of capability enhancement options are offered for the SurvivorR, including a CBRN suite, riot control grid/dozer blade/battering ram, and high performance loudspeaker, amongst others.

Future Planning included the MBDA shoulder-fired Enforcer lightweight missile system, developed by the company for use by military, and other specialist units when enhanced barrier defeat at distance is required. It also has an alternative enclosed space firing-mode.

A regular visitor to such shows is the Swiss firm B&T who specialize in law-enforcement firearms and less-lethal devices, in addition to their well-established line of suppressors which have seen widespread police and military adoption.

New to EnforceTac was the B&T KH9 ‘Covert’ 9x19mm submachine gun. The Covert has the ability to be rearranged into a smaller package for concealment purposes.

IWA – 2023

This year, to use its rarely used full title, the Internationale Waffen Ausstellung or International Trade Fair was billed as “IWA Outdoor Classics 2023”.  The final count on exhibitor numbers reached around 1,100, attracting some 34,000 trade visitors from 119 different countries according to official figures issued after the show; with the organizers claiming its position as the “leading trade fair for global trade in the fields of hunting, shooting sports, outdoor activities and security.”

The footprint of the show also continues to expand with nine halls in use this year at the expanded Messe Exhibition Centre. The halls are generally organized by theme to a specific product groups or topic which assists with visitor navigation and access. The previously rigid demarcation line between what the show organizers considered “sporting” and of a more “official” use has been relaxed. Hall 3 this year was staged for security equipment for civil and official agency purposes. Hall 4 for clothing and outdoor equipment for hunting, sport, fishing and leisure time.  Hall 5 focused on knives and was again the focal point for U.S. vendors. The remaining halls offered shooting accessories, firearms, sporting ammunition and optics.

HS Produkt of Croatia offered their popular line of HS self-loading pistols.

Collocated with the HS booth was the U.S.-based Springfield Armory whose extensive ‘XD’ pistol line is manufactured by the latter in Croatia. The latter also now offer a revamped version of the select-fire military VHS-2 assault rifle as the ‘Hellion’ in caliber 5.56 mm (.223 Rem).

Black Powder shooting continues to be popular in Europe and a major supplier of quality reproductions arms is the Italian manufacturer Davide Pedersoli & Co. of Gardone Val Trompia who supply an extensive range of black powder muzzle-loading, flintlock, percussion and breech loading longarms with a complimentary handgun range.

With firearms ownership restricted or banned in many countries, ‘blank-firing’ weapons, particularly handguns, have become very popular with several Turkish manufacturers offering a wide range of types. While primarily offered as ‘blank-firers’ for recreational or warning purposes, where legislation allows gas-cartridges for personal defense are available. It has been noted that the die-cast metals used in earlier production have been replaced by models of more substantial materials and construction, it is sometimes now hard to tell blank-firer from the genuine article at a distance!

A U.S. manufacturer who made the journey to IWA was Sturm Ruger & Company, Inc., more commonly known as Ruger. The company displayed a full range of the product line of handguns and sporting rifles.

Vertex of Sofia, Bulgaria exhibited a range of their product line of specialist less-lethal ammunition in various calibers, together with their range of hand-held flare and distress signaling devices.

The Czech Republic based Alfa Proj offer a range of pistols and revolvers both in common calibers, and rarely seen these days in calibers 6mm and 9mm Flobert for use in indoor ranges using modified actions.

LCT Airsoft of Taiwan offer a wide range of airsoft replicas of military style weapons. 

Zastava Arms of Serbia crossed over from EnforceTac and offered their range of sporting and target shooting firearms including the Model SP M07M, bolt-action precision rifle in .338 Lapua Magnum calibre.

Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) of the Czech Republic had their usual large booth which attracted much visitor attention throughout the show. CZ are the current owners of the ‘Colt’ brand name and displayed range of the latter’s products in addition to their own.

.

The Turkish manufacturer Sarsilmaz is one of an increasing number of Turkish arms manufacturers who have exhibited at IWA over many years and who have constantly developed their product line from a small range of handguns in the early days to a complete range today of military, law-enforcement, sporting handguns, and long arms.

Reflecting the opportunity to display more military style weapons, FN Herstal of Belgium’s large booth offered the visitor their product line from .50 cal. Browning HMG down to handguns and their less-lethal range.

There seems no end in sight and yet another Turkish manufacturer, DAĞLIOĞLU is offering copies of the iconic AK47, in this case a copy of the AKMS, or if, from the same manufacturer you want your particular gun to stand out in a crowd, the 12ga option should fit the bill?

EnforceTac/IWA Show Info:

Contacts:

EnforceTac (For Media Enquiries)

Luisa Seibt, Ruth Cuyap, Phone: +49 9 11 86 06-88-75

Social Media:

https://instagram.com/enforce_tac

https://facebook.com/enforcetac

https://linkedin.com/company/enforcetac/

IWA (For Media Enquiries)

Georg Loichinger, Phone: +49 9 11 86 06-81 91; e-mail: press@iwa

IWA General Inquiries:

Stefanie Leege, Ellena Probst, Phone: +49 9 11 86 06-81 85/+49 9 1186 06-80 88

Next Show Dates:

EnforceTac:  26-28 February 2024 (Note:  The show has been extended by one day for the first time.)

IWA: 29 Feb-3 March 2024.

If machine guns interest you, consider attending the Big Sandy full-auto shoot! I had heard about this event in rural Arizona over the past few years but hadn’t been able to attend until this past March.

Held twice a year, in March and in October, it is now billed as the largest full-auto event in the USA. It takes place in northwestern Arizona, approximately 10 miles northeast of the small town of Wikieup.

The firing line is roughly a quarter mile long and overlooks a good-sized ravine or gully. The various targets are placed at the valley bottom and along the far side. This means that the bullet impacts are well-contained by a natural berm several hundred feet high. The targets consist of many 55-gallon steel drums painted white, a few old cars and LOTS of binary explosive targets! At times, a model aircraft enthusiast would fly a Styrofoam RC plane up and down the firing line to the great amusement of the spectators; and perhaps to the frustration of the shooters, as it is surprisingly difficult to hit, even with full-auto fire.

For those with their own machine guns, they rent a 10-foot-by-10-foot section of the firing line for the three-day event. For those without their own guns, a spectator pass is available. This allows access to the event and the chance to rent guns from several vendors that rent guns to the public.

The event starts at noon on Friday, runs all day on Saturday and has a short final shoot on Sunday morning. Of special interest are the night shoots on Friday and Saturday evenings. I cannot begin to estimate how many thousands of rounds of tracer ammo went across the valley, but it was a lot! The RC planes had glow sticks taped on for the night shoot. And still more binary exploding targets, plus colourful fireworks, had everyone grinning.

Among the belt-fed guns observed were several Browning 1919A4s and M2HBs, at least one water-cooled M1917 and M60s, including both pistol grip and spade grip versions. The classic WW I German MG-08 Maxim on a sled mount, as well as WW II-era MG-34 and MG-42 were also seen. And my favourite, the wonderful old British Vickers was there in both smooth and corrugated water-jacket versions.

Magazine-fed guns included M16/M4 types, AK-47s, Uzis, a Thompson M1928, at least one Bren gun and a Browning M1918 BAR.

Several artillery pieces also took part. We were treated to firing displays of a replica Civil War-style cannon mounted on wheeled wooden carriages and early WW II-era, anti-tank guns. The French Hotchkiss-designed Mle 1937 Puteaux 25mm anti-tank gun fired a few rounds, as did the Swedish M/36 Bofors 37mm guns. There were three Bofors guns there, with at least one being a Finnish license-made version known in Finland as 37 PstK/36. Two replica Gatling guns were seen, but I did not see either one fire. There was even a homemade bowling ball mortar, made from a high-pressure gas welding oxygen cylinder. As the name suggests, it lobs bowling balls across the valley. Great fun!

As the website says, “If you’re up to it, please come visit this uniquely American event.”

The next three shoots are scheduled for:

Fall: 19–21 October 2018

Spring: 22–24 March 2019

Fall: 18–20 October 2019

Prices are:

Line Shooters, 3 days $275 (advance) or $300 at the gate, per person, discounts for groups (see mgshooters.com/index.php). General Admission Spectator, 3 days $30

This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V22N9 (November 2018)

From 21 to 25 September, DX Korea 2022 was held at KINTEX in South Korea. South Korea has two major defense exhibitions; one is ADEX (Aerospace-Defense Exhibition), and the other is DX (Defense Exhibition). Both are biannual, with ADEX held on odd years and DX on even years. 

Both ADEX and DX handle similar items and companies, but there are some differences. ADEX is more aerospace-oriented, since it was originally started as the Seoul Airshow in 1996, and the airshow element is still very important. DX is more of ground-oriented event, without an airshow, and far from any air bases (to the contrary, ADEX is held at Seoul Airport, a Korean Air Force base near Seoul.)

Even at the height of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020, DX opened to both local and foreign visitors, and in 2022 it saw even greater attendance.

But this year, we saw considerably more foreign visitors than expected: that was some kind of ‘butterfly effect’ of the war in Ukraine. Unlike European countries, Korea still maintains large “old school” defense industries to make tanks, artillery, and ammunition. Poland bought large quantities of Korean tanks and self-propelled howitzers, and other European countries are also in negotiations to buy munitions ranging from 155mm shells to anti-tank missiles. The U.S. and Canada already bought 100,000 155mm shells from Korea to replenish their stock.

While not as glamorous as heavy weapons, the Korean small arms industry also received some attention from potential foreign customers. Korea only has two small arms manufacturers, but one of them, SNT Motiv (yes, they changed their name again, from S&T to SNT), has one of the largest rifle factories in the world. Even with its current facility and manpower, they can beef up their capacity to 300,000 rifles per year (though only 1/10th of that is currently manufactured). The small arms industry was affected by the recent war, and many U.S. and NATO small arms companies are also very busy supplying weapons and ammo to Ukraine. In that vacuum, Korean small arms manufacturers can potentially fill in for those companies.

SNT Motiv displayed their newest development; the STP9. This is striker-fire pistol is a potential replacement for the K5 pistol. K5 has been in service more than 30 years, so the Korean army is considering a replacement program. While no official program has begun, SNT Motiv released the STP9 in an effort to gain momentum over its competitor, Dasan. Dasan is in a better position since it has manufactured Glock compatible parts and clones for the export market. SNT has very limited experience in this area. 

While there’s no official requirement for the future pistol, the army is very likely to call for a striker fired, polymer framed pistol. SNT’s new STP9 covers this and adds an interesting feature; it uses a S&W M59-compatible magazine. The reason for using the same magazine as the currently issued K5 is simple. It saves the ROK army money if it can use existing pistol magazine stocks in its new service pistol.

Another development from SNT Motiv is the STC-16 carbine. It’s not new, but in 2021 it became the most probable candidate to become the Korean special forces’ new main weapon to replace the K1A. Originally DSAR-15PC, a 5.56mm carbine from Dasan, was selected to become new special force weapon, but because of some legal troubles, that rifke was dropped from consideration. Now the STC-16 is the only candidate, but the Army demanded many changes and the result is the STC-16’s fourth iteration prototypes displayed this year.

Now it has more conventional control layout, very similar to the AR-15 series of rifles, and a lightened receiver with M-Lok hand guards. The gas system is improved a bit. It is now in final testing, and we should be hearing about the ROK Army’s decision to adopt the system soon.

Dasan is also making progress; they showed new versions of their AR-15 clone rifles, namely DSAR-762 (7.62 NATO) and DSAR-15PQ (5.56mm). Both are developed from their previous DSAR-15 series design, with advanced short stroke piston and gas regulator. The handguard is now fully M-Lok configured, and can be removed and installed with an Allen wrench.

One somewhat unusual Korean company on display was CNO Tech. This company makes practice grenade and artillery shells, but they also make a variety of crowd control ammunition; they make tear gas grenades, 37-40mm tear gas cartridges, flash bangs, 12-gauge rubber slugs, 37-40mm rubber ball, etc… They even produce launchers; single shot, double barrel, and 6-round revolver launchers, as well as vehicle-mounted or tripod-mounted multiple launcher. 

While not widely known to the public, Korea has been one of the major exporters of crowd control devices. Because of many civil unrest incidents during the 1980s and 90s, Korea developed considerable crowd control know-how and the companies involved export their products to many unnamed countries.

A final interesting prototype is Su-Optic’s SORA-1 RWS. It’s a remotely controlled weapon platform that’s light enough to be carried by two persons when disassembled (the total system weight is 15kg). Aim and observation is done by LPVO (camera attached) mounted on the rifle, which the view can be seen on the operator’s console. The left-right legs of the mount also work as a shock absorber, so even though it is lightweight, it can fire a relatively quick secondary shot. Connection can be made thru wire or wireless technology (LTE).

Overall, this year’s DX was also focused on heavy weaponry like drones, artillery and tanks. But in the small arms field, Korean companies made progress, albeit slowly. We hope to see new designs on the next exhibition, ADEX 2023.

DX Korea Visitor Guide

• Location Almost exclusively held at KINTEX, a convention center near Seoul.
• Transportation Close to subway station (Daewha), a 3rd line (Orange line). From the Inchon airport the ride is usually less than an hour.
• Accommodation Many of the official hotels joined with KINTEX are in Seoul. Most official hotels provide free shuttle to the attendees/exhibitors. But there are two hotels within walking distance, one is Kintex by Ktree (a quarter-mile away), and the other is Sono Calm hotel (a half-mile away). They have decent rooms with relatively low rates.
• Electricity 220v 50 cycle with EU type two-prong plug
• Safety South Korea is one of the safest countries, with a very low violent crime rate. 
• Tourism You can visit many interesting places in Seoul; there’s very large war memorial museum in Seoul, which is worth visiting. Also, if you’re car enthusiast, there’s a Hyundai motor gallery nearby.
• Other Tips Avoid visiting on the weekends and Friday: most of the visitors are concentrating during those 3 days, especially on Saturday and Sunday (public days).

The Capel Military Show is promoted as a family-oriented event, and from this attendee’s observation, it certainly was. There were many families there, having a weekend outing, and the children were very excited. I was impressed with the atmosphere, and especially the freedom of people to engage and observe the historic reenactors and the weapons.

The management is unapologetic about what is at the show- this is military history in a country that has had a thousand years of on-their-territory military events and wars, had fought several desperate, long-term wars for survival in recent memory, and the martial nature of survival is entrenched in the culture. From their website:

PLEASE NOTE:
The Capel Military Show is an event that has exhibits of all nationalities and eras of military history, including uniforms, equipment and symbols from wartime periods on display.
We believe that it is important to learn from past conflicts and not sanitize history by excluding unsavoury elements, but to portray them as accurately as possible whilst acknowledging their harmful impact and sparking conversation so that we learn from it and create a better future together.
We recommend that any persons likely to be upset or offended by such historical accuracy do not enter this wartime themed event.
The Capel Military Show is strictly non-political, it does no support, condone or encourage politics, violence, extremism, racism, historical revisionism or the glorification of war in any form.

I was struck with admiration of the common sense exhibited here, and certainly wish that this example could be followed in my own country.

That said, this was an amazing event. A lot of fun was had, and if they didn’t have it over the Fourth of July weekend it would be a lot easier to get Americans to attend. Although, we’re not the prime target audience, the locals are, and they turned out in huge numbers so, we’re not really needed.

The show was broken up into areas, and a map provided. There were static exhibits of reenactors on display, moving vehicle displays in a large arena, battle reenactments, some museum weapon displays, and a lot of scheduled events that included families in things like tug-of-war and, well, car-crushing. Sounded pretty red-neck to me, so I was right at home with some tank demolition and cheering, awestruck children. Lots of good British-type fair food, very tasty and probably bad for you but, it’s a county fair type atmosphere so fried foods must be tried.

For me, the most important part was the dealer tents. There were quite a few companies displaying, several of them were really nicely done vintage clothing sales that seemed to concentrate on the 1920s through 1950s, and much of that was for the ladies. There was a lot of interest in those tents and quite a few women were walking around in 1920s/1940s type outfits. I think I found 12 tents full of older firearms parts and accessories, quite a bit of army surplus-type displays and the obligatory new items as sort of car boot sale (“flea market” for us Americans) that didn’t draw me in, but were popular with family attendees.

Cliff Wilton of Surrey Militaria got more of my money than any of the other vendors, he had some very interesting pieces including Vickers knick-knacks that, like any obsessive collector, I just had to have.

The Capel Military Show was a well-attended, well-run event. On every level, I believe the managers and volunteers knocked it out of the park. The weather was great, the people seemed to be having a great time, there were many events and lots of interesting displays. If you’re in the UK on the first of July, 2023, I highly recommend taking a trip down to this show. It’s South of London, near Gatwick Airport. 

Check out the rest of our photographs of the show below.

The 2023 show is scheduled for 1-2 July, 2023.

The Capel Military Show
Aldhurst Farm
Temple Lane
Capel
Surrey
RH5 5HJ

Some other UK Militaria Shows:

The next show in the UK was Military Odyssey on 27-28-29 August 2022 at the Kent Showground, but I missed that. We’ll cover them next year:
www.military-odyssey.com

Bromley Military Collector’s Fairs, Bromley Civic Centre, Kent
www.bromleymilitariafairs.co.uk

Chelmsford Militaria Fair Shenfield High School, Shenfield, Essex
www.chelmsfordmilitaria.com

Chatham Militaria Fairs at the Historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent
www.chathammilitariafairs.co.uk

Trade Stalls

With hundreds of trade stalls to browse, you are sure to find what you are looking for! There are stalls selling badges, uniforms, militaria, vehicles, clothing, books, tents, de-activated weapons and vehicles, if it’s military related, it will be available at the War and Peace Show. Everything from a tiny shirt button, to a tank!

Military Vehicles

See some of history’s most iconic military vehicles. The War and Peace Show is an opportunity for both vehicle owners and enthusiasts alike. Visitors are presented the rare opportunity to see some of the most iconic military vehicles up close and personal, plus seeing them in action around the Arena – Vehicle owners are given the fantastic chance to actually get behind the wheel of their beloved vehicle and show it off to the visiting public!

Living History

Many dedicated enthusiasts brush off their uniforms, dig out the camo netting and recreate some classic scenes from the last 100 years of worldwide warfare. Living History scenes will provide a unique picture of life in conflict with depictions from WW1 to the present. See the British living in trenches, GIs in Vietnam, or Germans plotting their next moves! 

Home Front

Welcome to the Home Front at the War and Peace Show. Our various Living History Groups and re-enactors come together to bring you our very own ‘pop up’ village of Trentham, ‘somewhere in the South-East of England’. Our Home Front Area is the biggest display of its kind in the country with a reputation for high standards of authenticity and education in a friendly and fun way. Next to us, you will find our brave boys (and girls!) in blue, stationed at RAF Upper Trentham, part of 11 Group Fighter Command.

Victory Marquee

The Victory Marquee is the go-to place for an authentic experience of the ‘good old days’ of music. With live music played throughout the day and special performances scheduled for the evenings – the Victory Marquee is the best place to go to listen to some of the best known songs from around the 1930’s through to the songs of the 70’s and everything in between!

The Arena

The arena is a popular and action packed part of the show with things happening in the arena all-day from 10:30am-16:00pm. See all those great military vehicles you’ve come to see in action. The arena gives the chance for Military vehicle owners to get the toys out and play and use their vehicles in the arena for everyone to see. You will see a variety of vehicles from all over the world being represented including British, German, American, Soviet and many other European vehicles.

Veterans Service

For much of the 20th century and now into the 21st century Britain, supported by her allies, has seen her young men and women serve in countless places around the globe and often make the supreme sacrifice. They have waded ashore at Normandy, toiled under the desert sun in Libya, searched out terrorists in the Malayan jungles, been cold and wet in the South Atlantic, patrolled the streets of Belfast and Afghanistan.

The War and Peace Show is paying its own tribute to these heroes by telling their stories so that present and future generations will learn of their courage and understand the sacrifices they made.

Join us at the ‘Veterans Rendezvous’ inside the Victory Marquee, close to the heart of the show where you will be made welcome and will be able to: Meet up with old comrades, enjoy a drink and exchange reminiscences. Take a trip down Memory Lane with the vehicles and equipment you once used. Meet re-enactors and living history groups who keep the memories of what you did alive. Enjoy music, fashion and entertainment from the 1930’s, 1940’s 1950’s and 1960’s.

Spitfire Stage

The Spitfire Marquee is the place to be for foot tapping, head bopping live music all day and late into the evening. If you’re into more recent hits, why not pay the Spitfire Marquee a visit? With a huge bar in the marquee and a cove of food outlets, there’s everything you need to have a great time. From a chilled atmosphere in the daytime with a focus on solo and acoustic acts, to a bustling hive of activity with modern hits played live by some amazing bands until late into the night. The Spitfire Marquee just gets better and better every year.

Flyovers

The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is proud to be once again displaying at the War and Peace Show. The two aircraft displaying in the skies above are Spitfire Mk 9 TA805 known as ‘The Kent Spitfire’ and in a tribute to the county is named ‘Spirit of Kent’. Currently in No. 234 Squadron colours, this aircraft was rolled out of Castle Bromwich in April 1944 and served with the fore-mentioned squadron at Bentwaters and also with No. 183 Squadron based at Chilbolton.

Sold to the South African Air Force, it served for many years before being made redundant and placed for scrap value. The remains were bought back to the UK and restored to the splendid Spitfire you see today.

Steam at War & Peace

2017 saw the first War and Peace Show 5” gauge miniature railway, which took over 500 passengers during the event. Due to the success of the railway and how popular it became, we have decided to expand both the railway and the locomotive fleet for this years event!

Passengers will embark on a trip from Trentham Station and experience a full lap, passing vintage vehicles which would have been used during the world wars. Due to the size of the new track layout, two steam locomotives will be used every day of the event out of a pool of our locomotives. The fleet consists of a variety of engines, from the powerful ‘Schools’ class to the perky ‘Speedy’ class. These small yet powerful engines will help recreate scenes during the war effort in the Home Front area of the War and Peace Show.

More information and tickets are available at warandpeaceshow.com.

A Reeanactor’s Paradise

The War and Peace Revival in Kent, England, has had a long history. It was originally just called “The War and Peace Show,” but the name was changed to “The War and Peace Revival,” after the owners retired and sold it to a new show manager. The show stayed at the Hop Farm Country Park in Tunbridge-Wells, until 2013, when it moved to the Folkestone Racecourse. The move was not well-received though, so in 2017, it returned to the Hop Farm. It was a success, and many old-timers returned. The Hop Farm is a good area for a large group of people to gather. The parking is better, and there is a nostalgic feeling for those who have been going to the Hop Farm for years. This is sometimes referred to as “The Beltring Show” and located in Paddock Wood. It’s about 30 miles southeast of London in Western Kent.

The first thing that greets visitors when they enter the show is the Home Front. This section is dedicated to how England looked during World War II. There are games from the Forties, shops that sell local treats and military vehicles, both old and modern. In 2019, there was a downed World War II British fighter plane on which reenactors would demonstrate how to put out a fire on the plane, though they didn’t actually light it on fire.

To the right of Home Front are the trade stalls. Here, hundreds of vendors from all over Europe come to sell various antiques and militaria. There are helmets and uniforms from World War I to modern day. Swords, both real and replicas, can also be found. There are also books on almost every military subject, including Osprey books, a well-illustrated and greatly researched series on weapons, battles, wars, equipment and other subjects. Other equipment includes bayonets, old medals, old postcards, coins, flags and countless other products. There are also local toys and candy like any fair-type event. One thing you will find throughout the show is vintage products. There is a large group of attendees who like this and enjoy dressing up in clothes from the Forties and Fifties.

While walking through the stalls, you will see some deactivated firearms. Great Britain and most of Europe have strict gun control laws, having most firearms deactivated by welding the insides. There are various levels of deactivated firearms from different legal eras, and in England, these are restricted and have ownership documents stating the method of deactivation. The most common deactivated firearms are World War II guns, like Thompson submachine guns and the Sturmgewehr 44. However, there are also more modern firearms like AK-47s and the SKS rifle. Americans cannot buy these firearms and return to the U.S. with them without first getting an approved Form 6 to import, because the receivers are still intact, even in cutaway Brens or other guns.

Behind the trade stalls is the Arena. Here, assorted historical tanks and other military vehicles drive in front of crowds while an announcer explains the history and inter esting facts about them. The Arena is also used to play reenactments by local history groups, with the ammo being blanks of course. Some of these reenactments include World War I, World War II and Vietnam. Two large mounds separate the Arena and the Reenactor’s field and can be used as a “bleacher” to watch the events.

Next to the Arena is the Reenactor’s field. Here living history groups like Eaglestorm and Three Sixty History gather for the show, coming from all over England, the rest of Europe and even Japan. Some have trenches based on World War I and World War II, with deactivated firearms and other equipment of the time period. There are also more modern reenacting groups, which have settings like Mogadishu and Northern Ireland during the Troubles. There is a large following of Vietnam War reenactors, with one group even dressed up as Vietnam War protesters, with a flowered Volkswagen van and protest signs.

Throughout the show are food stalls for vendors and show comers alike. The food varies, from sausages and fish and chips, to Asian cuisine, including Thai and Chinese. In front of the trade stalls are a couple of small restaurants where people can sit and eat. The food is good depending on where you eat. Also throughout the show are ice cream vans that sell not just ice cream but water and soda.

High in the sky above the show, a couple of WWII fighter planes can be seen on certain days. They do a number of aerial acrobatics for the crowds below. Military vehicles drive throughout the show, including tanks, trucks, Ferrets and Mules. Because of this, you should be aware of your surroundings if you go to the show.

The War and Peace Revival and the Hop Farm are located in the county of Kent. Located on the Southeast coast of England, Kent has a long and amazing history. It is the home of the White Cliffs of Dover, Dover Castle, Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and countless other castles and towns. The famous Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, Writer H. G. Wells and Major General James Wolfe are just a few of the famous people who were born here. Famous residents who lived here include Charles Dickens and General Charles Cornwallis.

This year marked the 75th anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy, one of the greatest military operations of all time. World War II plays a large part of the area’s history, as the skies were filled in the Battle of Britain aerial war. Kent played an important role in the War. The evacuation of Dunkirk was planned from underground tunnels in the White Cliffs of Dover. Atop the cliffs there were special sonar stations that were used to watch for German aircraft. 

This was a bit of a rough year for the show, though it was in no way the owner’s fault. The 25th of July was one of the hottest days in English history, and it rained for the majority of the show. Still, many people battled the heat and rain to come and do business with old friends and other vendors. War and Peace is still a great show, where you can find almost anything you want. It is worth a trip to England in the heat of July.

(The author has been traveling to The War and Peace Show/Revival almost every year since 1995.) 

WAR AND PEACE 2020: Show Master Info

Location
The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent, UK. (This is in the South, located southeast of London and about evenly in between Maidstone and Tunbridge-Wells.)
Show Website
warandpeacerevival.com
Promoter Contact Info
Phone: +44 (0) 1258 857700
Sandpits Farm, Poole Road
Lytchett Matravers, Poole
Dorset, BH16 6AG
Next Show
The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent, UK
July 28 to August 1, 2020 (check website for up-to-date info)
Show Focus
Reenactors of military units from all modern times; emphasis is on the military vehicles and having correct uniforms and kit. Located on 400 acres of displays and live reenactment of many different units from WWII to Vietnam. There is a huge militaria sale area, with thousands of vendors selling everything from deactivated firearms to vehicle kits and period dress.
Dress
This show is outdoors, with a lot of walking and potential rain and mud. Be prepared to supply your own seating arrangements anywhere you go, including to watch the military vehicle demonstrations. 
Hotel Hints
Holiday Inn Express is everywhere; most hotels in the Paddock Wood area are booked way in advance, so you will probably have to book outside the area if you haven’t done so already.
Power & Plug Types
220 volt 50 cycle, UK three-prong type plugs. It’s unlikely to find U.S. or Euro plugs in most hotels.
Country Warnings
Like any country, there are areas that are not safe to travel in. A good rule of thumb is to stay out of city areas at night. Ask the locals for advice on dangerous areas.
Cultural Hints
The British love pubs, pub quiz nights and Karaoke, as well as football (soccer to American speakers), cricket, rugby and jokes told in a wry manner. They utilize 300% more of the English language than Americans and are generally very precise speakers. The Brits have a long military tradition, which is evident in their culture and museums. Ordering food in pubs is generally done at the bar with payment in full; then it is brought to you. 
Tipping
Ten percent is generally fine in restaurants; give less to a taxi. In many pubs, tipping is not considered correct but offer to buy the barkeep a drink for later.
Currency
England uses the GBP (Great Britain Pound). For up-to-date conversion, use xe.com. Slang expressions for currency include “Quid,” which is one GBP.
Getting Around
Rental cars will have UK-style, right-handed steering, and driving is on the left side of the road. Unless you know how to drive with a left-hand shift—the pattern is the same—order an automatic. We advise finding the first parking lot in sight after getting your rental car and learning the reverse geometry if you are a European or U.S. driver. The trains are quite reliable, as are buses. For directions to the Hop Farm, please go to thehopfarm.co.uk.
Military Museums
In London, Tower of London’s weapons display and the Imperial War Museum are of note, and there are many others including, Portsmouth-Fort Nelson cannon museum and Royal Armouries in Leeds in the North. The UK has a well-developed museum community, check the Royal Armouries website at armouries.org and search “English Heritage” for other sites. For tank aficionados, visit tankmuseum.org.
Tourism
Two excellent resources online are visitbritain.com and visitlondon.com. If you are in the area for The War and Peace Revival, look for a visit to Leeds Castle (not in the city of Leeds up North, it’s just north of the show site) built in 1119; it is an amazing family visit. For events in Kent, try kentmessenger.co.uk. 
NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to warandpeacerevival.com for up-to-date information

SHOT Show 2020 has come, has excited and now is over. This year was similar to previous years and, if anything, might have seen an increase in participating vendors, necessitating a mid-week Pop-Up booth section on the 5th floor of the Sands Expo and Convention Center for the second year in a row. Despite the enormous diversity within the firearms industry, there were some trends that became clearly relevant to those who wandered the booths throughout the week. Possibly the biggest in terms of the defensive handgun market was the mass adoption of handguns with red dot optics mounts, or at least having an optics-capable plate on handgun slides. Last year, some of the larger companies were trickling in with limited optics capability, but this year it certainly took the industry by storm with a significant percentage of every handgun manufacturer, importer or distributor offering a wide breadth of optics, optics plates or optics-ready slides in everything from their standard offerings to their custom shop product lines, standard duty packages and subcompact defensive setups. Also of note, in terms of product trends, was the continued march of the pistol brace, starting with SB Tactical, Gear Head Works and now Magpul; industry partners across the board were sprouting up with improved designs of their own or supplying products with some of the aforementioned companies. 

This has also been a significant year of military acceptance trials, with SIG SAUER taking home the SOCOM .338 Norma Magnum acceptance and Barrett Firearms being awarded the Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) contract also by SOCOM. Development continues on polymer-cased ammunition in the form of True Velocity’s selection to supply significantly lighter and reportedly more reliable rounds to the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program, which is still ongoing. Meanwhile, Dillon Aero has upped the game with both .50 BMG and .338 Norma Magnum redesigns of its M134D Minigun.

Otis Technology Purchases DRD Tactical

DRD Tactical recently fell under the Otis wing in October last year and demonstrated its APTUS® rifle at the show this year. This rifle recently won a contract with a close U.S. ally in Asia in August 2019.

Magpul Pistol Brace

The polymer magazine company is diving deep into the accessories field this year with several new products. Of particular note is the new Magpul AR-15 pistol brace, of which there are two variants, the BTR and the BSL. Also added to the product line are a number of drum magazines for the CZ EVO, dedicated GLOCK interface drums for pistol caliber carbines and polymer stocks for the Savage 110 and Ruger PC-9. 

Trijicon Ventus Rangefinder

Alongside new optics and magnifiers was the Trijicon Ventus™ Rangefinder. The device is touted to be able to read six different wind values up to ranges of 500 yards and then able to lase as a rangefinder out to 5,000 yards. The ability to mechanically make wind calls is a very rare capability in the industry despite a pressing need for accurate wind call measurements in the precision rifle community. 

CZ-USA Bren 2 MS Carbine

CZ is bringing a 16.5-inch barrel rifle variant of their Bren pistol line which has been on the U.S. civilian market for over a year now. The rifle is a semiautomatic civilian variant of the select fire Bren rifle which has seen limited adoption by the Czech Armed Forces. Handguards are M-LOK-compatible with built-in rail sections along the sides and bottom while a full-length optics rail runs the length of the rifle. CZ officials have hinted at a possible .308 Win release for the U.S. market as well.

Patriot Ordnance Factories Handguns and AR-15 Pistols

POF-USA made some news earlier last year when the company introduced a .22 LR AR-15 pistol with brace that was compatible with Ruger 10/22 magazines called the Rebel .22LR. This was certainly an attraction at the show, but what also got attendees’ attention was the P19 handgun which is a 9x19mm semiautomatic patterned after a GLOCK 19 Gen4 frame while using some of the aftermarket parts that POF already makes for the GLOCK market.

Century Arms AK-74 Rifles

The military surplus and budget rifle manufacturer Century Arms is introducing 5.45x39mm AK-74-patterned rifles to the U.S. civilian market amid a large marketing campaign aiming at getting more 5.45mm rifles into the hands of U.S. shooters.

Christensen Arms .22 LR Precision Rifle, 5.56mm and 9mm AR Rifles

New this year is the Ranger 22, a 5.1-pound precision bolt-action rifle that is compatible with Ruger 10/22 magazines. Also new this year are lightweight competition AR-15-patterned 5.56x45mm and 9x19mm rifles and carbines.

Heckler & Koch VP9-Optics Capable

While not coming with a particular optic, HK is bringing their VP9 handgun to market with five mounting plate options that customers can specify on their orders. These plates are drilled and threaded to accommodate miniature reflex sights from Trijicon, Leupold, C-More Systems, Holosun, Burris and Vortex, among others.

FN America 6.5mm Creedmoor SOCOM Request

New at the FN America booth was FN America’s answer to a request from SOCOM for a 6.5mm Creedmoor variant of the MK 48 light machine gun. Essentially identical to the MK 48 except for caliber and internal components, the version on display was equipped with a suppressor as well.

GEMTECH Lunar 9

Gemini Technologies was present at the show with a new modular suppressor called the Lunar 9. Benefits of the Lunar 9 are that it can be converted from a 7-inch model to a 4.7-inch model in order to shorten the length when desired but still remains hearing safe. Decibel metering ranges from 129 Db in the 7-inch configuration while rising to a 135 Db in the 4-inch version.

Smith & Wesson 9x19mm “EZ”

The Military & Police line of handguns is getting an upgrade in the form of a 9x19mm Shield EZ M2.0 carry handgun. Previously, the grip-safety-equipped handgun was only available in .380 ACP. 

SureFire Suppressors

As SureFire digs deeper into the suppressor market every year, the company is expanding the product lineup. Of particular importance here is SureFire’s SPS 50, designed for use on .50 BMG precision rifles. The suppressor uses a proprietary mount that has to be installed before use and has an added blast mitigation bracket at the muzzle, reportedly helping significantly with felt recoil.

Remington 700 Upgrades

Pistol braces are coming to Remington in the form of the Model 700-CP Armbrace equipped with a short barrel and SB Tactical arm brace along with a sub-16-inch barrel. The pistol configuration Remington 700 is intended for backcountry hiking as a short package that can still make precision shots out to several hundred meters.

Aimpoint CompM5b

The CompM5b is the latest in the optic line at Aimpoint, decreasing the previous M68/CCO-sized optic to something much more manageable on a shorter carbine. One of the important design features are the adjustment turrets which use an external tab to lock in place, not requiring a special tool or cap to make those fine adjustments.

Maxim Defense SBRs

Maxim had two new offerings for SHOT 2020. Both are pistol-brace- or SBR-configurable AR-15s that are coming in 7.62x39mm, 5.56x45mm and .300 BLK. The MDX 508 has an 8.5-inch barrel, while the MDX 510 has a 10.3-inch barrel. Designations are as follows: SCW Pistol, SCW SBR, CQB Pistol and the CQB SBR.

Condor Recon Chest Rig

Condor brought the latest version of a chest rig that the company is experimenting with, a minimalist design that allows for central magazine pouches with an admin pouch on top that has internal pockets, PALS laser cut webbing on the outside and a waist-level utility pouch as well. 

SHOT SHOW 2021: Show Master Info

Location
The Sands Expo Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. is situated on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip just off the I-15 interstate and easily accessible from McCarran International Airport. The convention center is within walking distance of hotels such as Caesars Palace and The Mirage.
Contact
Registration
Customer Service
regmgr@shotshow.org
(855) 355-7468
Exhibitor 
regmgr@shotshow.org
(855) 355-7468
Exhibit Space
Chris Tatulli
ctatulli@nssf.org
(203) 426-1320, ext. 214
Next Show
SHOT Show 2021, January 19-22, 2021, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Focus of Show
This show has an astoundingly broad spectrum of exhibitors, from firearms to accessories (e.g., scopes, flashlights), from soft-gear equipment to ammunition. Aside from the floor where exhibitors can display their products and interact with buyers, NSSF also hosts a number of educational programs. The Law Enforcement Educational Program (LEEP) addresses current police topics such as active shooter. Retailers can attend sessions from SHOT Show University discussing human resources topics, ATF compliance and many more. 
An industry day at the range is held on the Monday prior to the show so vendors can provide a live-fire demonstration, with the morning being dedicated to media and the afternoon being reserved for buyers. 
Statistics
Thousands of exhibitors and attendees from across the globe attended the show. Along with IWA, SHOT ranks as one of the largest firearm trade shows on the globe. 
Dress
While there is no dress code per say, business attire is a sensible choice.
Hotel Hints
The show is located near hotels on the Las Vegas Strip and has partnered with a number of hotels to offer discounted rates. Details are published on the show website (shotshow.org). Henderson, Boulder City and Sloan offer lodging alternatives within reasonable driving distance.
Power & Plug Types
120V, 60Hz, grounded wall outlet. It is always advisable to protect sensitive electronics with an uninterruptable power supply. 
Country Warnings
Consult Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for any local advisories and the U.S. Department of State—Bureau of Consular Affairs for U.S. travel warnings (Travel.State.Gov). 
Cultural Hints
Americans and Las Vegans are used to receiving overseas visitors. English is the spoken language. 
Tipping
It is common practice to tip 10% to 15% for lunch and 15% to 20% for dinner. Tip 10% to 15% for taxi drivers who offer courteous service and about 15% for limo drivers.
Getting Around
Rental cars are available at McCarran International Airport, with left-hand drive and automatic gearboxes. Parking structures are readily available along the Las Vegas Strip; although some charge a fee. The airport is very close to the Strip and hotels. It is conceivable to attend SHOT Show without hiring a cab at all; however, there are many cab companies, Uber and Lyft.
Firearms-Related Points of Interest
Battlefield Las Vegas offers machine gun rentals where one can shoot a number of automatic firearms. There are 12 MG rental groups in the area as well as several shooting ranges. Concurrent with the SHOT industry day, ATAC Global holds a law enforcement / military demonstration event. Pre-registration is required.
Tourism
Immediately near Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Valley of Fire State Park offer beautiful vistas and hiking experiences. Mt. Charleston to the Northwest has skiing and hiking. To the east, there is Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead forms one end of the Grand Canyon while the National Park is about 300 miles away by car. Of course, the Las Vegas Strip itself offers entertainment in the form of casinos and numerous shows. 
NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to www.shotshow.org for up-to-date information.