Last week, I took my first trip to SHOT Show—and for someone in this industry, it felt like checking a long-standing box off the list.
Day one kicked off with range day at Staccato Ranch, formerly known as Prairie Fire, and before that, Front Sight. I’d trained at Front Sight twice back when it was still operational, and interestingly enough, some of that same staff is now working out of Patriot Academy in Fredericksburg, Texas—a facility I’ve also attended. So while the location felt familiar, the scale of what we were about to experience definitely did not.
I’ve been to Las Vegas a handful of times, and honestly, general Vegas doesn’t do much for me. But SHOT Show? That’s different. Years ago, before firearms became my primary professional focus, I was a musician and attended the NAMM Show in Anaheim. If you’ve ever been, you know the vibe—manufacturers packed into the convention center, each with a small booth to showcase their latest and greatest, network, and talk shop. SHOT Show is that… just with firearms.
At Staccato Ranch, we visited and shot offerings from several manufacturers including Barrett, Staccato, Radian, Noveske, Atrius Development, and many others. We got hands-on time with new products, asked questions directly to the people who build them, and generally kicked tires. In a lot of ways, it felt similar to the demo days held at many Texas ranges—just scaled way up.
That said, I’ll be honest: overall, range day didn’t blow me away. There were some interesting projects, and I’m glad I experienced it, but attendance felt lighter than expected. I’ve been to local range demo days in DFW that were more heavily represented. The standout highlight for me was Atrius Development’s mini truck with a mounted AR running an FRT—absolutely ridiculous in the best way.
After range day, we settled into our Airbnb and sampled Vegas nightlife. Still not my thing, but the food absolutely delivered.
The following day was the show floor—and that’s where SHOT Show really earns its reputation. The moment you walk in, it’s wall-to-wall booths, banners, and gear spread across two massive convention centers. My goals were simple: grab some good swag, see brands I already respect, and find new products that genuinely impressed me.
Even with only one day on the floor, a few standouts really stuck with me. Matador Arms and their roller-delayed, hydraulic-buffer 9mm PCC was impressive. Uintah Precision’s AR-compatible bolt-action reminded me of a Q Fix—minus the drama. And the Zermatt Arms Waltz 9, a striker-fired, 2011-esque pistol, was another highlight. All solid designs, all memorable, and all things that landed squarely on my future purchase list.
Overall, if you’ve never been to SHOT Show, I’d absolutely say it’s worth making a goal to attend at least once. It’s overwhelming, energizing, and full of ideas—exactly the kind of place that reminds you why you got into this industry in the first place.
– Joshua Barnhart
