SHOT Show 2008

Woman holding an FN SCAR rifle at the FN booth at SHOT Show 2008
Overhead view of the crowded exhibit hall at SHOT Show 2008
KRISS Super V booth display with a rifle at SHOT Show 2008
Arsenal SLR-107FR rifles under the Arsenal booth sign at SHOT Show 2008
White exhibit tents beside the convention center parking garage at SHOT Show 2008
LaRue Tactical poster of rifles and optic mounts at SHOT Show 2008

SHOT Show 2008 at a Glance

DatesSaturday to Tuesday, February 2 to 5, 2008
VenueLas Vegas Convention Center and outdoor tents
CityLas Vegas, Nevada
Show30th SHOT Show
Media Day at the RangeFriday, February 1, 2008
SizeNearly 2,000 exhibitors and more than 58,000 attendees
Gun Websites CrewFourth SHOT Show in a row for the Gun Websites crew, every show since 2005

SHOT Show 2008 marked 30 years of SHOT Show, with nearly 2,000 exhibitors filling the Las Vegas Convention Center and a tent city across the street. The Magpul Masada prototype, the FN SCAR and the KRISS Super V were the talk of the show, and Media Day at the Range was packed with AKs, piston ARs and long range rifles.

SHOT Show 2008 in History

SHOT Show 2008 was the 30th Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show. The show filled the Las Vegas Convention Center and spilled into large white exhibit tents in the Gold lot across the street, and record attendance seemed likely all week.

It was an important year to be in the industry. The Supreme Court was weeks away from hearing District of Columbia v. Heller, the case that would confirm the Second Amendment protects an individual right, and an election year was underway. Rifle makers were betting big on the modern sporting rifle, and the floor showed it.

Long aisle inside an exhibit tent before the show opens at SHOT Show 2008
Busy booth entrance with crowds at SHOT Show 2008
Busy booth with a crowd in the aisle at SHOT Show 2008

Our Take on SHOT Show 2008

The coolest thing at the show, at least among the crew, was the Magpul Masada prototype in 5.56 and 7.62×39. Next to it sat a 5.56 bullpup prototype about the size of an FN PS90. The Masada would later become the Bushmaster ACR, but in February 2008 it was the rifle everyone wanted to hold.

Piston AR-15s were the other big trend. LWRC brought gas piston rifles in 5.56 and 6.8 SPC and took them apart on the range to show the clean bolt carrier, and FN’s SCAR drew crowds every day.

White exhibit tents outside the convention center at SHOT Show 2008
Inside a large white exhibit tent with booths at SHOT Show 2008
Browning booth with crowds at SHOT Show 2008

Our SHOT Show 2008 Adventures

The crew drove a rental to Las Vegas and stayed in a very cheap hotel in North Las Vegas. Media Day at the Range came first, with more than 300 media guests, a detailed map of every bay, a 500 yard range for long range rifles and Yamaha test drives on the side.

The AK fans on the crew spent a long time at the Arsenal bay, where Wolf supplied the ammo, and got some of the first trigger time on the KRISS Super V, shooting semi-auto and two round burst. One crew member even volunteered to be shot with a less-lethal round. The range officers did not approve.

Day one alone produced more than 550 photos, edited down to about 250 worth posting.

Las Vegas monorail over the street outside the convention center at SHOT Show 2008
Crowd walking past the Gerber booth at SHOT Show 2008
Crane arm silhouetted against the evening sky outside the show at SHOT Show 2008
Emergency bandage display with trauma supplies at SHOT Show 2008
CCI booth with a large flame logo at SHOT Show 2008
Folding compact weapon on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008

New Guns and Gear at SHOT Show 2008

Brands, models and booths covered at SHOT Show 2008 and Media Day at the Range.

Rifles and Carbines

  • Magpul Masada prototype in 5.56 and 7.62×39, later the Bushmaster ACR
  • Magpul 5.56 bullpup prototype
  • FN SCAR
  • KRISS Super V CRB/SO .45 ACP carbine and SBR
  • Arsenal AK rifles, SLR-107FR and the Bulgarian AK-74 Krink in 7.62×39
  • Norinco USA, US made Norinco AKs announced
  • LWRC gas piston rifles in 5.56 and 6.8 SPC
  • Russian American Armory Saiga rifles and Krebs modified AKs
  • Wilson Combat rifles
  • Long Mountain Outfitters rare AK variants
  • Steyr Mannlicher
AR-15 lower receiver on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008
Wall of rifles and stocks on a pegboard at SHOT Show 2008
Rifle with a bipod and price card on a table at SHOT Show 2008
SXG booth with a rifle display case at SHOT Show 2008
Rifle wall and laptop display at a booth at SHOT Show 2008
AK-pattern rifle with a folding stock on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008
Rifle magazines in red, gray, tan and black on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008
Tactical helmet and submachine gun on a blue table at SHOT Show 2008
Water-cooled machine gun on a tripod at SHOT Show 2008

Pistols and Shotguns

  • Beretta compact 9mm pistol
  • Beretta and Benelli shotguns
  • Glock 23 with XS sights
  • Ruger
  • Mesa Tactical shotgun accessories
Pump shotguns with pistol grips on a white table at SHOT Show 2008
Blue training pistols arranged in a circle at SHOT Show 2008
Booth screen showing pistols, rifles and law enforcement products at SHOT Show 2008
Kahr Arms booth with posters and pistols at SHOT Show 2008
Two-tone pistol on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008
Blue training pistols arranged in a circle at SHOT Show 2008

Optics and Sights

  • Aimpoint red dots, including an offset mini sight for magnified rifles
  • XS sights for AK rifles, pistols and shotguns
  • Magpul flip up backup sights, about $100

Ammo, Knives and Gear

  • Wolf Gold ammunition
  • Barnaul Russian ammunition
  • Federal and Hornady
  • Silver State Armory 6.8 SPC ammo
  • Emerson knives
  • Boker Kalashnikov knife
  • CAA accessories for AK and AR rifles
  • FAB Defense
  • Magnum boots
  • Law enforcement K-9 armor and gear
  • Blue training grenades and tools
Booth styled with pine trees and outdoor gear at SHOT Show 2008
Black bear target poster at a booth at SHOT Show 2008
Military-style booth with camouflage gear and a flag at SHOT Show 2008
Medical trauma kit pouch opened to show supplies at SHOT Show 2008
Dog mannequin wearing a tactical vest at SHOT Show 2008
S.W.A.T. Magazine booth with covers on the wall at SHOT Show 2008

What We Ate at SHOT Show 2008

Media Day lunch was catered smoked meat from huge smokers next to the dining tent, and the smell of ribs and sausage drifted over the shooting bays all morning. Booth parties during the show kept the pizza coming.

Pizzas on a counter at a booth party at SHOT Show 2008

SHOT Show 2008 Videos

SHOT Show 2008: AR-15 / M16 and AK-47 (3 of 7)

SHOT Show 2008: Featured Manufacturers (6 of 7)

Around SHOT Show 2008

Booth with a large photo backdrop at SHOT Show 2008
Booth staff at a display counter at SHOT Show 2008
Hand gripping a vertical foregrip at SHOT Show 2008
Black ball-shaped accessory on a white background at SHOT Show 2008
Two models at a booth with director chairs at SHOT Show 2008
Three women posing at a booth at SHOT Show 2008
Model in an orange outfit at the Remington booth at SHOT Show 2008
Booth representative talking with visitors at SHOT Show 2008
Hand gripping a folding stock weapon on camouflage cloth at SHOT Show 2008
Vertical foregrip on display at SHOT Show 2008
Victorinox booth with red display walls at SHOT Show 2008
Taurus booth with a large circular sign at SHOT Show 2008

More SHOT Show Years

SHOT Show 2007 · SHOT Show 2009

SHOT Show returns to Las Vegas every January. Upcoming dates are on the Gun Show Calendar, and every year of coverage is on the SHOT Show page.