• NRA is estimating that 70,000 people will attend this year.  I’m pretty sure that’s a low estimate.  Friday is normally the slowest day, and the exhibit hall is packed.
• The Glock 43 feels slightly bigger than Irish Woman’s Kimber Solo, but weights a lot less.  I’d definitely have to shoot one before passing judgement.
• Looking at the slate of politicians scheduled to speak, and interestingly, I’m not seeing Rand Paul.  If he doesn’t speak this year, I’m hoping he does next year in Louisville.  I’m not exactly a single issue voter, but being nebulous about gun rights is not going to move me to vote for you.
• Is it a bad thing when a major gun company doesn’t have any guns to display in their booth and have prominent signs explaining that the reason is that the freight company lost them?

• Girlie Bear and I got up bright and bloody early this morning to get downtown before the crowds hit, and it’s a good thing we did.
  • We got in a little after 8, doors opened to the exhibits at 10, and it was quite crowded by 11.
  • However, I must say that my experience in Pittsburg and Saint Louis were true – Gun people are good people.  Even though the crowd was thick, I never heard a harsh word or saw an impolite act.  Everyone was patient in waiting to see the more popular exhibits or to meet celebrities.  I could spend days with these people and not be as frustrated or tired as I get going to a shopping mall.
• Kathy Jackson is a lady and a scholar.  She was very gracious to Girlie Bear when I introduced her, and took time out of her insanely busy schedule to talk about guns and life in general with both of us.  When I forgot the book I bought for her, she called and texted me until I picked up so that I could backtrack and get it.
• I got my hands on the Remington R51 this morning.  I can see why some aren’t happy with it, especially working the action, but it seems like it might be an OK pistol with a little break-in.  Not sure I’d want one, but it might work for others.
• Girlie Bear commented that the NRAAM is more like a family reunion than anything else, and I think she hit the nail right on the head there.

• Well, day one for Girlie Bear and me.  Friday was taken up with getting to Indianapolis and meeting friends.
• Ambulance Driver’s Shooter Self Care class was outstanding.
  • Girlie Bear seemed to learn a lot from it and even sat through the example pictures that AD showed.
  • Things have definitely changed since the last time I took Combat Lifesaver in 1995.  Back then a tourniquet was the last thing you ever wanted to do.   Now, it’s one of the first for an extremity wound.
  • Putting a tourniquet on your own arm without using said arm is definitely something that needs practice.
• There doesn’t seem to be a really hot thing to see this year, but there was still a lot of stuff to see.
• We got to the convention center too late for any of the workshops today, but that’s why we’re staying until tomorrow afternoon.
• The best part of the weekend so far is seeing everyone from the Tribe.  It’s been too long.

Bulldog Gatling Gun

MKA 1919

Ruger .308 AR-15

Black Forge Weapons Double Barreled AR-15. Because why the heck not?

Feeds from two magazines. Two actions. One ejects left, the other right.

Cornershot. Pistol rotates to both left and right. Trigger on black frame is connected via linkage to trigger on gun. Camera, light, and laser designator are in front. Aiming done via small screen (marked with red + in picture. According to manufacturer, Black Forge, there are models for several pistols and AR’s.

Girlie Bear with Browning Buckmark Carbine in .22LR.

And of course, it wouldn’t be an NRAAM without the MagPul machines:

MagPul RV of the Apocalypse

The Combat Minibus

There will be more posts on individual things that caught my attention over the next few weeks, but here are some thoughts on the last day or so of the Annual Meeting:

• If you go to an annual meeting and just want to walk the show floor and visit the souvenir store, I suggest you go on Sunday.  The crowds are much thinner, there are still ‘squee’ moments when you see people like Ted Nugent walking around, and some really good deals on the gear and souvenirs are to be had.
• After going to all of the non-custom manufacturers and looking at their  9mm handguns, I can report that the front runners as of now are the Kahr  PM9 and the Browning High Power.  Next step is to go to Knob Creek, rent an example of the ones still under consideration, and run some bullets through them.  Decision and purchase will probably be made in time for a “Merry Christmas to me” present.
• Hint to pistol makers:  What I want in a trigger is for little to no movement of the trigger without resistance, smooth resistance all the way to break, and a positive reset.  I want this out of the box, and am willing to pay reasonable prices to get it.  Telling me to get a trigger job or replace the whole darned trigger is unacceptable. 
• Note to all vendors and manufacturers:  I don’t need to see a very well put together member of the opposite sex in a skimpy outfit to notice your product.  
• I was tempted to get a small MP3 player with a loud speaker, put “All By Myself” on a continuous loop, and hide it in the HS Precision booth, but I just couldn’t find the time.
• I didn’t realize how much a difference a Timney trigger made on a Mosin-Nagant until I tried it at their booth.  They had me at ‘click’.  And the look on OldNFO’s face when I told him I was putting a $90 dollar Timney trigger in an $89 dollar Mosin was priceless.
• In related news, I got no traction from any of the major rifle manufacturers when I asked if they would consider making a modern bolt action rifle in 7.62x54r.  Sigh.
• The amount of artistry and craftsmanship that goes into a lot of the firearms that were on display was breathtaking.  Even a plain wooden stock on an AK clone can be beautiful if its well polished and oiled.  Some manufacturers have begun trying to make their polymer guns and rifle stocks more attractive to the eye, and I think that’s a good trend.  All firearms need to be functional and comfortable to use, but no-one said they had to be ugly for the sake of ugly.
• Just like last year in Pittsburg, I heard several locals and lots of people at the convention comment on how polite and well-mannered those attending the meeting were, both at the convention and out in the restaurants and hotels.  I have been to quite a few technology conferences, and I never see so many people saying “Excuse me”, “Please”, and “Thank you” when the target audience is technology geeks.
• I also noticed that there were a lot of families with children at this year’s meeting, as well as women either alone or in groups.  That bodes well for the continuation and expansion of the NRA in particular and gun culture in general.  It probably can’t and won’t stay the way it is now, but it should continue to evolve into something even better.
•  Only in the gunblogger community have I been among a group of people whom I have only met in person once or twice, yet they have known me for years. We had men and women from all backgrounds and corners of the country sitting in an Irish pub, talking about politics, family, guns, and whatever, and no-one looked like they felt out of place.  Heck, at one point we had a giant from Texas walking around in a kilt, and all we did was smile.