Shot Show - is one of the biggest shows of weapon, ammunition, equipment and everything you need for hunting, army and the security service. It was not the first time when I visited it. This year I've noticed (probably the reason is in the economy growth) that number of members had increased, the most goods presented there were for the security service - new threats to society dictate new realities. I won’t bore the readers with information about new products for military or police and focus on the trends and products for mountain hunting.
There wasn't the presentation of the new hunting weapon. Probably they waited for IWA or there were enough samples that still used. I guess that the second variant is the right one. They've introduced so many new models in a couple of years, and none of them was the breakthrough that there is not any need to produce something else. Each company has the model of carbine with the sliding bolt, and has a model with the replacement barrels in different price segments. There are lots of guns made from carbon fiber. Not only Christensen arms but 3 or 4 companies produce such guns but they all are typical. I’ve had the opportunity to test Ar 10, that I want to buy for wolf hunting. It’s light even in 243 caliber.
The ammunition producers showed new products in comparison with the gunsmith. I say about Nosler и Hornady companies. The first one reinforced its new Nosler 28 mountain caliber with a new Accubond bullet. Our hunters don't know well the Nosler 28 but it's like the best version of “seven”. With the old bullet, the zero of this caliber is at 400 yards (360 m). The trajectory is incredibly flat! 7 RemMag is an incredible cartridge and the new one is totally unreal. There was the presentation of new Accubond bullets with the huge ballistic coefficient. This cartridge will work in a straight line, like a blaster with these parameters.
It’ll take time while the gunsmiths will produce rifles for that cartridge and bullets will be included in the production lines of the cartridge companies. Hornady was also very pleased with the new Pressiginhunters bullet (0.673 BQ for a three-hundredth caliber weighing 212 grains with hunting expansiveness – this is fantastic!) We can only hope that these bullets will fly from our barrels.
As for the mentioned BC... For those who have not yet mastered the basics of ballistics, I will formulate this: the higher the BC, the more stable the bullet flies, the less it is carried by the wind and has a more flat trajectory, which is very important for hunting in the mountains. Previously, there were custom bullets with such a high BC, but, first, they are usually match-based, that is, for shooting on paper. Secondly, large cartridge manufactories did not use them, so they were available only for hunters who had mastered the independent equipment of cartridges.
Manufacturers of optics did not fail. There were a couple of new and mountain-friendly sights on the show. Optics in the budget of mountain hunters has always been a very expensive item. Optical sights should have a variable multiplicity in a wide range – 4-16, adjustable parallax, tactical correction drums, and a good dimensional grid in the first focal plane. These are actually the parameters of tactical sights, and they are very expensive and not all companies can supply them to the territory of our countries. At the show, I saw at least four new models from different manufacturers: the first from Nikon-the model 308. Interesting, slightly redesigned BCD grid, compact, tight drums, good multiplicity.
The other three are from the American company Vortex, which is very powerful in capturing markets. The first is a continuation of their top-end ultra-sharp Razor series on the 34th tube, which is positioned as optics for the military and athletes (for hunters, too good, I suppose). Then there's the new Razor on an inch-long tube with an absolutely stunning Swarovski crystal picture and a tactical grid in front focus. It will be slightly more expensive than the Viper series, which I have already used for five years, but much cheaper than the Zeiss and Swarovski with the same parameters. Another sight is a Golden Eagle in the "night force" style, strong with large, tight correction drums. Its special feature is the correction step of 0.125 MOA. It is perfect for those who want to combine the opportunities for competition and hunting in one complex.
The Vortex also pleased me in the economy segment. It’s necessary now! The Diamondback HD series has all the necessary qualities of a mountain sight at a low price (almost twice as cheap as the Viper) and a lifetime warranty!
I have to mention about another sight. This is the first swallow made of carbon fiber. High technologies have already reached optics. So far, these are just prototypes, but already fired and quite working. The price bites, but the savings from 200 to 500 g only on optics is impressive.
Clothing manufacturers also broke through. "Sitka" and "Cryptek", that are known among all hunters, have expanded the production line. Several more companies have introduced new "mountain" lines at once. Let me tell you everything in more details.
"Sitka" re-released the entire collection in new colors. It's very controversial for our nature – too much white, but not enough for a purely winter collection.
Among the novelties-a suit made of softshelflis. This is a composite material: the outer surface is camouflaged fleece, then a membrane and an inner softshell. "Cryptek” presented a similar suit, but with additional insulation from tinsulite. The outer fleece gives a unique noiselessness. It is important for an archer, But it is an unfortunate decision in the conditions of rifle mountain hunting. The fleece will accumulate water in the outer layer, which makes it very heavy and then dries for a long time despite the moisture resistance.
Both companies now have vests on tinsulite. It's time now because the down jacket won't do, as I've been saying for a long time.
"Cryptek" has also released two very correct series: Dalibor (lightweight softshel for summer and warm autumn) something like cotton or military "ripstop" - this suit is perfect for hunting pheasant or other game when you need to wade through thorns.
I noticed that Cryptek camouflage has won that fight. It's really good. Absolutely all manufacturers buy a franchise from them and cover everything with this camouflage – from eyeglass frames to rifle pads and barrels of all brands.
First Lite, produced the wool underwear, presented their vision of mountain clothes. It has released a full multi-layer line in a new color scheme where the middle layers are made of wool, and the hard layers are made of the usual membrane. On the one hand, there are advantages – the wool warms and breathes well. But on the other - it immediately gets wet and, most importantly, is very torn on thorns and stones. I had a jacket from "Cryptek" made of wool with inserts from tinsulite-immediately everything was in puffs. I wear it in the city or camp only, and Cryptek eventually discontinued it.
The company Badlands, a well-known manufacturer of hunting backpacks and clothing (in the last year), has developed a camouflage of its own colors. I disliked it - too light.
Under Armor is the largest sportswear manufacturer in the United States. Why this company had to develop clothing for hunters, I do not know. But why not! Hunting and sports clothing are sold in the same stores there. It seemed to me that the guys just took a few tracksuits and sewed the same thing from camouflage fabric according to their patterns.
There were not many shoes models there but it was expected. European manufacturers do not come here, from the American ones I was attracted to only one model – from the Irish Setter. The model was made of synthetic composite materials, and the sole is combined with rubber. It was light and the design was not bad – with insulation and a membrane.
Backpacks The American company Slumberjack was exhibited on the show for the first time.I had the opportunity to see their products at the tourist equipment show in Utah. It's a pleasure the we can buy their products in Almaty and I advise to do it. This company is part of a huge American holding company that includes about a dozen companies that produce outdoor products, including such monsters as Kelty and Sieradesign. They employed an expert in mountain hunting as a consultant and added our wishes to the regular tourist backpacks. So they produced the best backpacks by the volume/weight ratio. This season I hunted with their backpack – definitely the best in my life! By the way, they recognized me from my Instagram photo. I talked with their consultant and gave him several ideas. They're working on a carbon frame as many other companies. Everything else is too heavy.
Knives for mountain hunting should not meet a large number of requirements – to be light and cut well. Almost every knife manufacturing company has them. I liked a pair of knives from the American company Benchmade. This brand is well known among knife-lovers. The knives are not cheap, but they are made exclusively, each knife is assembled and sharpened by hand. There were a couple in the hunting series that I wanted to buy.
A knife with replaceable thin blades, sharp as a razor, deserves your attention. For the first time, I saw this type of model in the Internet. I was skeptical about it but last spring my Spanish friend gave me one when we skinned the ibexes and I appreciated it. And the knife worked for 5+. The concept is simple: the blade was blunted, removed it and put a new one (12 pieces are included). A skeptic will notice: but how to chop the pelvic bones? The answer: "No way, you need to cut with an axe or a guide's knife. Nobody hunts alone in the mountains”. Gerber presented such knives there.
In conclusion – about the Russian booth. Russia exploited the image of the Red Army beauties and presented the Kalash with a birch stock. I want to be objective. There were more beautiful samples of this model, produced in Israel.
That's all I noticed.
