Gunsite 250 Defensive Pistol

I knew I wasn’t a pistolero, but I thought I was a reasonably good handgun shooter. Heck, I even thought I was reasonably good at manipulating a handgun’s controls. I had carried a pistol nearly everyday for 10 years and felt comfortable with it. All those thoughts changed after spending a week at Gunsite in their 250 Defensive Pistol class. I realized I was pretty bad to begin with, but NOW I am reasonably good…

The class involved many lessons from classroom work and videos to live fire shoot/don’t shoot scenarios. At the end of the week, after expending nearly 1,000 rounds of .45ACP out of my Kimber, I gained a true appreciation of what it takes to carry, present, shoot, and manipulate a pistol. Using the material devised by Jeff Cooper as the Modern Technique of the Pistol, I learned all aspects of the draw, focusing on the front sight, the trigger press, the reset, reacquiring your front sight, and the all clear. Through repetition and proper teaching, I surprised myself by how fast and accurately I could draw and shoot. Bottom line, it was fun! But most importantly, it empowered me.



When the class ended on Friday, my wife and I headed to Las Vegas. During the 3.5-hour drive I tried to explain the way I felt. It was very hard for me to put into words then, and still hard today. Many words pop into my mind: empowered, confident, strong, aware, controlled. I just feel like I now have more control over my destiny. I am still no pistolero, but I have the basic training to help ensure that I stay alive for my family and that I can keep my family alive for me. The class is called Defensive Pistol for a reason; it teaches reasonable people how to respond in unreasonable situations.

Thankfully, I live in an area without too many unreasonable people, but in the last year or so, there have been periods of violence even in my small town. Since I will never know where or when a threat may come, I still carry a pistol every day; not because I’m afraid of a possible threat, but because I’m afraid of not being able to handle one if it comes. I guess that’s the main thing I learned from the Gunsite 250 class. I learned that I have the skills, training, and mindset to influence my own destiny. Instead of being a pawn in someone else’s twisted scheme, I can do something to effect the outcome if I choose. Hopefully I’ll never have to use the actual shooting skills, but I always use the mindset skills, and I’ll be ready to use the shooting skills if necessary.

All that is Real and Right in the World: SHOT Show 2011

I remember the first time I walked into the main hall of the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show vividly. It was as though I had been transported to a planet in a different solar system where only people who thought like me had been invited. I was enthralled by the huge booths and elaborate displays from all the major firearms, ammunition, optics, and hunting manufacturers in the world. Like a kid in a candy store, I just sat back, pinched myself, and took it all in. As a rookie, I collected a brochure or catalog from hundreds of booths… and then had to carry them around with me all day!

Now, as a “veteran” of a half-dozen shows, I don’t quite get the same feeling as I did that first day, but I still seem to feel a little more at peace while I’m there. I now know a ton of people in the industry thanks to attending each year with Chris Denham, my editor at Western Hunter, who has been to 23 straight SHOT Shows. Thankfully, now nearly all the companies post their information their websites, so gone are the days of packing around all those catalogs. However, I still seem to end up with a solid 25 or so from companies with new releases or something I’m really interested in.

I just opened an email from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) with some stats about this year’s show: overall attendance of 57,390 ranked it as the third largest SHOT Show ever, it set records for the most buyers (31,769) and the most media (2,074), and there were 1,600 companies taking up 630,000 square feet of booth space. Wow!!

Mainly Chris and I attend so we can meet with advertisers, explore new advertising opportunities, and check out all the new products. We met with all the premier optics companies and a few of the top clothing companies. Our days were spent running from one meeting to another, while trying to look over any new stuff anytime we could. Of course, we always make time to check out cool stuff, too. Chris always likes to look at the longrange tactical bolt guns; I always check out the new pistols. Overall, it was another successful show!


Here are just a few of the best things I found this year:

Badlands: In addition to their awesome pack line, Badlands is introducing a camouflage clothing line that should prove as technical and innovative as their packs.

Christensen Arms: Using their carbon-barrel technology, they now make a lightweight AR-10, and have just started building titanium-framed 1911s with carbon grips.

HiViz: Multiple new sights for shotguns, pistols, and rifles were on display. The MiniComp is their smallest shotgun sight, while the Two In One is a magnetic sight that allows you to quickly and easily change your sight to the current conditions – just rotate it 180 degrees!

Kel-Tec: The KSG (Kel-Tec Shotgun) is an ultra-compact personal defense shotgun. With two 7-round magazines that feed into an 18.5” cylinder bore barrel, this high-capacity pump shotgun should prove perfect for home defense.


Ket-Tec’s KSG loads great firepower in a compact package.

Kestrel: The top-end Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter now has integrated ballistic software from Horus. With just a few button clicks, it will estimate holdover and windage adjustments based on your current location and the environmental factors.

Kimber: My Ultra Elite 1911 feels like an extension of my hand and the new Solo 9mm feels the same only in a smaller package. It combines the feel of a 1911 with the mechanics and style of the striker-fired pistols.


Kimber entered the small carry pistol market with the Solo 9mm.

The small size and 1911-style ergonomics should make this a very popular carry pistol.

Kowa: This Japanese manufacturer has floated under the radar for over 40 years. This year, they introduced a 500mm camera lens that uses a series of adapters to mount it to any major camera body, as well as their standard spotting scope eyepieces. A hunter can now carry just one optic to cover longrange photography and trophy judging!


The new Kowa 500mm lens can be used for photography…

…or as a spotting scope.

Leica: The riflescopes they introduced last year are now available with custom BDC turrets.

Nikon: The new EDG binocular has a traditional look and design, but the high focus ring, innovative method for keeping objective lens covers attached, and superb optics should light up the western hunting market!

Realtree: The launch of realtree.tv should give Realtree the edge in online hunting video content. They also are in the process of developing widgets and mobile apps aimed at the hunting community.

Sitka: As the first clothing company to combine technical features found in mountaineering clothing with quiet fabrics and camouflage, they improve upon their previous designs every year. This year they updated their Core layers and added a Merino wool line. The coolest new product is a Traverse Hoody Zip-T that can be worn as a base layer or second layer, depending on temperatures.

Sitka’s line now includes a Merino wool base layer.


Sitka’s new Traverse Hoody Zip-T.

Steiner: A new binocular line with retail pricing under $500 and a high-end tactical riflescope line should make Steiner even more competitive with American, European, and Asian optics companies.

Swarovski: The industry-icon EL binocular is now available in 10x50 and 12x50 configurations, combining the excellent image quality with the lightweight dual-hinge design.

Vortex: I have always said that if you are unwilling or unable to spend the money for the “Big 3” optics, check out Vortex. Each year they seem to close the performance gap a little bit while keeping prices very competitive. This year, they are introducing the Razor HD binoculars, Viper spotting scopes, and Viper HS riflescopes.

Zeiss: The introduction into the American market of the Dialyt 18-45x65 spotting scope should prove a great option for hunters wanting a lightweight spotting scope with a price point around $1200.

The Zeiss Dialyt 18-45x65 is small, lightweight, and should retail for about $1200.

Turning Powder Into Noise: Media Day at the Range 2011

Each year on the day before the SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show), many of the manufacturers invite members of the media out to test-fire their products. With the Show in Vegas this year, the shoot was held at the Boulder City Gun Club. Everything from .17HRM bolt action rifles to .357 revolvers and from shotguns to full-auto submachine guns were available to shoot. It was a great opportunity to try new guns, shoot new calibers, look through new scopes, and generally have fun shooting someone else’s ammo. Chris Denham, my editor at Western Hunter, and I arrived just after one of the big tour busses, but preregistering made a big difference getting through the line!

After stopping by the Swarovski booth to visit with Rob Lancelotti and Tom Hogan, we ran into Craig Jamison and Ron Mason from SnowyRangeOutdoors.com. We were all a little antsy to turn powder into noise so Chris and I headed to the Steyr booth to shoot a .338 Lapua. We checked out the green lasers from Viridian, shot crossbows from TenPoint, hit a 24” gong at 961 yards with a Zeiss riflescope atop a Blaser rifle, blew multiple holes in the paper with Winchester’s new personal defense shotshell load for a Taurus Judge, broke triples with a Beretta shotgun, and shot a muzzleloading shotgun.

Steyr .338 Lapua

Chris Denham shooting nearly 1,000 yards with a Blaser and Zeiss riflescope.

All-in-all, it was another great day that made me want to pinch myself! I shot more guns and more calibers at more targets and more distances that a guy should be able to. I tried new products (some that impressed me and some that did not) and got to rub elbows with some of the best-known writers and television stars of the day. The one thing I left with, however, was the question: who are all these so-called media people? I feel pretty well connected in the outdoor industry and I didn’t recognize half of the attendees. Someone said there were over 600 members of the media, but I think 450 of them just have a little website somewhere… wink, wink!!

Turning powder into noise with a muzzleloading shotgun!