2010 SHOT Show in Vegas, Baby

Ever since those childhood days of cap guns, playing cowboys and Indians, and envying my grandfather’s collection of shotguns and hunting rifles, I, like many American boys, have been fascinated with guns and firearms. Unfortunately, I may have had the only mother in Oklahoma who thought her son should stay away from those dangerous things and my father, being a professional golfer, had little interest in his father’s love of hunting. Still, I was fascinated by rifles, pistols, and most things military history and I vowed, as I eventually did, to own a Garand, an M9111, a Beretta, and various other well-known guns when I became an adult (and had the means to afford them).

I never did get into hunting and college, law school, and graduate school kept me out of the military, but my interest in guns eventually led me to sports shooting, historical reenacting, and, of course, airsoft. Now, as an attorney, I am frequently asked to attend and speak at various industry conventions, seminars and functions, most notably the ASR Shows, but, in researching other speaking opportunities, I stumbled upon the largest “gun show” in the U.S., the SHOT Show.

As you probably know, the SHOT Show is an annual tradeshow for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry and it is the biggest event of this type in the world. “SHOT” is not actually an acronym, but it is generally accepted to be a general reference to shooting and stands for "Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade" (show). It is open only to those in the trade and the press, not to the public and, until I began to represent clients in the industry, assumed it would forever remain off limits to me.

Access was also a problem in that it has been held in Orlando, Florida several times, alternating inconsistently with Las Vegas, Nevada as a venue. Technically, the show, owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, rotates between Las Vegas, Nevada, Orlando, Florida, New Orleans, Louisiana, and several other U.S. cities, but Orlando and Las Vegas have been its de facto home over the last ten years. Now, finally, the stars have aligned and I’ll be attending the show next year. The next show will be held in Las Vegas on January 19-22, 2010.

If you’re there, look for me. I’ll be the wide-eyed attorney marveling at all the things gun-related.

For more information, take a look at their Web site at www.shotshow.org.

David Baker

The Airsoft Lawyer