SHOT Show 2014 was a total system overload! There was far too much gear and new products for me to cover in one week. I saw some amazing new items I cant wait to get my hands on, and met some very cool people. The show was a madhouse – Ted Nugent had a line for autographs the length of the strip! Throughout all the insanity I was able to take a breath and test some very promising products.

I was able to hold some of the biggest and most sought after guns in the world. I played with scopes that have more tech in them than the average car, and in the end a few new items really stuck out to me. The PSE XBOW with the new EOTECH 512 red dot was absolutely jaw dropping. This is a true holographic sight from EOTECH, and is made specifically for crossbows. EOTECH was able to bring a sight and a rangefinder together into one piece of equipment. Now bowhunters have the same access to these amazing sights as firearm shooters. The holo/rangefinder is operated by simply placing the lower part of the reticle on the deer’s underbelly, then, based on the intersection on the ranging pattern, you instantly know how far away that deer is. With the new EOTECH 512, aiming for the spine or aiming very low to compensate arrow rise/drop is no longer a guess. It’s science! Living in Illinois and being an avid bow hunter I have been investigating crossbows since the legal parameters are being lifted in my home state, and I know many others are following suit. I have sailed arrows, buried them in the dirt – even the heard the smack of my arrow digging into a tree, and anyone who says this doesn’t happen is lying! For years now, I have scoped everything to ensure that when I set that pin/sight and release that arrow, I’ll be pumping my fists, not holding my head in disbelief.

I also got a kick out of the scope protectors. Has anyone seen these things yet? If you haven’t, allow me to provide a brief description: manufacturers and distributors are now making and pushing “scope protectors”. In short, these are roll cages for your scope! They mount around the outside of your scope, preventing anything from dinging the optics and guaranteeing a perfect zero. Now, this is just my personal opinion, but having been through the woods, range, water, numerous falls, and all the hits and the bumps, I have yet to see a scope of mine ever lose its zero from something external touching or scratching my tube. Scopes are built made and housed in quality constructed tubes for this reason, some companies even prove this by driving vehicles over them to show their brute strength. These scope protectors essentially are good for protecting the body of your scope and keeping that finish as pretty as the day it came out of the box. Is this cage around my optics really going to prevent me from losing my zero if I drop my gun or the guy at the airport throws my case like a pillow? I don’t think so. I would never rely on a cage surrounding my scope to guarantee my perfect shot every time. I might be a little tough on my gear but, that’s what its built for, and if it can’t keep up with me, I have zero time or space for it. If you’re frequently bumping your scope or losing your zero, you need to re-examine your mounting/lapping process, and always be sure to fire a few rounds and check your zero before any hunt!

 

Throughout the gun market craze over the past year or so, I have been looking  for a new cartridge for a bolt action gun, a cartridge that was extremely flat and fast for coyotes and powerful enough to slam home a big old buck. I found myself wavering between distance and speed, trying to decide on the perfect round. Close shots and long range shots all provide me with the same thrills, as I am very comfortable getting up close, or reaching out there. Apparantly, Nosler went ahead did the work for me and ended my search.

The Nolser 26 is an amazingly new awesome cartridge and one that I’m itching to touch off. Check out the numbers and the reports for yourself, and trust me you be looking for this bad boy as well. Coming out of the barrel at 3400 fps and slamming a major punch with zeroed ranges between 350-450 yards depending on bullet and grain I plan to own and have a full write up on this cartridge as soon as I can get my hands on one and am able to pull my cheek off the stock! Here’s what the president of Nosler had to say regarding the Nosler 26. “With minimal recoil, tremendous velocity, energy and the ability to point and shoot at the intended target up to a quarter mile away, this is the quintessential deer, antelope and long-range target cartridge available on the market today.” –Bob Nosler, CEO/President Nosler, Inc. 

SHOT Show 2014 was impressive and entertaining. I have tons more to tell you guys about so be sure to check back in soon for more updates and product reviews!

 

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