The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show, held the week of January 23-26, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada, is the largest firearm industry trade show in the world.
Founded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) in 1978, this year’s event boasted over 1,800 exhibitors and 64,000 attendees for four days of glorious guns and gear evangelism.
During the four-day SHOT Show, where guns and gear displays fill an area the size of 11 football fields, not a single firearm sprung from its display rack to hurt someone. The 40th annual lovefest for all things firearm in Las Vegas, Nevada, proved once again, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”
Against that backdrop, the 5th annual Canadian firearm community social event, hosted by the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) and the Canadian Sporting Arms and Ammunition Association (CSAAA), broke attendance records for a 5th consecutive year.
The Stratosphere Air Bar hosted 301 representatives from Canadian firearm businesses, manufacturers and media. They marvelled at the incredible views from 108 floors above the city of Las Vegas. Photographs do not do justice to the 360-degree panoramic view of the city, where we looked down on helicopters flying toward Las Vegas airport.
We also welcomed representatives from both the National Firearms Association (NFA) and the Canadian Coalition for Firearms Rights (CCFR), who enjoyed themselves while mingling with leaders of the Canadian firearm industry.
“The CSSA and our industry partners, the CSAAA, are responsible for this renewed era of cooperation between most members of our Canadian firearms community,” said CSSA Executive Director Tony Bernardo. “It was just a short twenty years ago that many members of our community wouldn’t even speak to each other.”
Two bartenders worked their butts off to serve everyone and the drink line-up never reached double digits. Afterwards, one of the bartenders expressed pride in that accomplishment, saying, “We worked harder tonight than we did on New Year’s Eve, our busiest event of the year.”
A special shout-out to CSSA Director Micheal Duynhoven.
His Herculean efforts have made this evening blossom into one of the annual signature events for our community. Thanks Mike. Great job!
And, of course, without the generous financial donations from our event sponsors to offset the costs of the Stratosphere Air Bar, the food and drinks enjoyed by all attendees, this celebration of the Canadian firearm industry would not be possible.
We thank the following companies for making this amazing all-Canadian social event possible.
Event Sponsors – Bronze
- Tactical Ordinance Inc.
- Shooters Choice
- Wolverine Supplies
- Double Tap Sports Inc.
- Holosun Technologies Inc.
- Xmetal Targets
- Outdoor Canada
- Firearms Legal Defence
- WGT Consulting
- Vault Distribution
- Korth Group
- Bowmac Gunpar
- Browning Canada
- Hudson Supplies
Event Sponsors – Silver
- T.E.C. Trade Ex Canada
- Nordic Marksmen Inc.
- CamPro
Event Sponsors – Gold
- Calibre Magazine
- ThinkInsure!
- Benelli/Sako Canada
Event Sponsors – Platinum
- CSSA
- CSAAA
- North Sylva
- Trigger Wholesale
- Calgary Shooting Centre
- Federal Ammunition/Bushnell Optics
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