The pre-SHOT Show festivities have begun. We are headed out to climb on the buses to take us to Media Day at the Range. Media Day is held the day before SHOT officially begins, and is an opportunity for manufacturers to let writers like us get our hands on all of the new guns. As always, this is my favorite part of the week.
Sure, it is a job, but no one said I had to hate my job, right?
Ed. note: This SIG P224 review is from the Media Day at the Range at the 2012 SHOT Show. Two of our writers, Aaron and Randall, got to spend some time shooting and evaluating the new SIG SAUER pistol.
As Aaron and I wandered down the long dusty row of vendors at 2012 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, we spied the blue and white Sig Sauer banner. We ducked into a line of writers and fairly giggled to each other, “P224!”
I have wanted to shoot one of these since they were announced. Richard has written some previous articles on the compact SIG P224, so I won’t retrace his steps…
We waited quite some time to reach the front of the line, but it was worth it. I have carried a .40 cal. Sig Sauer P226 or P226R for well over a decade, so I am somewhat familiar with Sig’s work.
One of the most interesting ammunition vendors at Media Day 2012 was PCP Ammunition, out of Reston, Virginia. What immediately strikes the eye is the multi- colored casings. What those colors mean may very well revolutionize the way we shoot in the future.
PCP Ammunition is now offering Match Grade ammunition using polymer cases and top quality bullets from Sierra, Barnes, and Berger. In addition to reducing overall cartridge weight by 30%, PCP claims that the new polymer casings actually increase accuracy across the board in the different cartridges it manufactures. The revolutionary polymer case design has a patent pending.
In this very short video taken at SHOT Show 2012 Media Day, I.C.E. trainer Rob Pincus knocks a very heavy block of ballistics gelatin off its stand with a single round of Winchester PDX1 in 12 gauge. The gel block had a blue jeans material cover.
Pincus does not work for Winchester, but he told us he feels so strongly about the defensive potential of the PDX ammunition that he volunteered to come out and give us a demonstration at the Boulder City, NV range.
The 2 3/4″ PDX1-12 has three 00 buck pellets atop a one ounce slug. Winchester says the shotgun round provides short and long range stopping capabilities.
We’re riding the bus back from the range now. So give us a few hours to get some things processed and up on the internet.
A few things we saw…
The 2012 SHOT Show is here. Today we start off with abut eight hours on the range. The cell coverage may be spotty (thanks AT&T!), but we will upload photos and video as we can. Once we get back to the hotel tonight, expect to get a lot more.
Gotta go catch the shuttle!
Every year, the day before the SHOT Show has been Media Day at the Range. It is a chance for vendors and reporters from the firearms industry to meet at the range and get hands-on time with all of the new guns coming out in the new year. It is at Media Day that I have gotten my hands on the first Ruger LCR revolvers, Gen 4 Glock pistols and some pretty trick stuff from Wilson Combat.
The 2012 Media Day at the Range promises to be even better than in the years past. Previously, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (the organization that puts on the SHOT Show) has not been a participant at Media Day. This year, however, the NSSF is throwing their weight behind the event.
Perhaps because of the additional support of the NSSF, Media Day is welcoming a lot of new manufacturers to the event. These “new” exhibitors include, but are not limited to:
