GREAT TIME! 🙂

Seriously, the dogs are now howling, but it was worth the effort and the time…


Estimates of attendance are around 70,000 (official figures will be released later this week)


Sebastian over at Snowflakes in Hell has been doing the grunt work attending the law seminars and other important meetings, and his reports are up HERE. Thanks Seb!!!

Thanks go to the NRA PR office, they let us in, and even gave us credentials! Other thanks-
The Pittsburgh Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department. Everyone of their folks I talked to were polite, helpful and pretty much ‘ignored’ all of those that were open carrying. Of course it might have been that they figured at least half of us were carrying…


And I did get a comment as I was leaving from one of the PD Sgts that not a single person had shot them the bird or called them pigs all weekend 🙂 Amazing how that courtesy thing works…

The event staff did an excellent job, they were unobtrusive, polite, helpful and the food was actually pretty good! But about those little bitty coffee cups…

I believe the ‘signature’ event was Wayne LaPierre’s call for Holder’s resignation. One can only hope they were listening in Washington!!!

We had a BUNCH of bloggers there, and it was a pleasure to meet folks I’ve been reading and those who comment (sometimes) on my poor little blog… One of the highlights was getting to meet Breda’s Mom- She’s in the dictionary- Under FEISTY! I can now see where Breda gets here attitude!


This morning I got in a ‘bit’ early, so I wandered around and ended up talking to John Bianchi for a few minutes, and got a chance to ask him how he came up with the design for the ambidextrous holster for the M-92. It was a truly interesting story involving three years of research and ALMOST didn’t get accepted because he added the cleaning rod to the front of the holster. John said he finally told the General that Bianchi would pay for the rods themselves!!!


I also got in early enough to speak to Ronnie Barrett for a minute or so, he was on his way to the big meeting, so was formally dressed, but he was willing to stop and talk. He indicated the MRAD should be officially released next month!!! Interestingly enough, EVERY person that came up to him while I was standing there (probably 15-20 folks) ALL thanked him for his stand on California!


So THIS is now on my wish list (probably about the 12th of never, but what the hey)…

I also stopped back by the FN booth after my last conversation with Frank James about hogs and the amount of ‘power’ needed to bring them down. I got a chance to talk to Eric Lund, one of FN’s shooters, and asked him for an honest appraisal of the SCAR 17. As we were talking I found out he used to be with an agency in Fairfax, and we know a number of people in common, including my gunsmith and folks that routinely whip my ass on the range…


His comments (or words to that effect)- It’s a slower cycle time than an AR platform, since it’s not direct impingement, it’s easier to clean and breaks down quickly (he did it in about 30 secs). He said it’s a smoother ‘felt’ recoil even as light as it is, and due to the lower alignment of the barrel to the stock, he felt the rise was very manageable for repeated shots. He also said the rifle should hold 1 MOA fairly easily. Trijicon is also making an ACOG optic that will fit it with the BDC built in like the TA31RCO. He also said it can be set up as either right or left handed depending on the shooter, with the exception of the ejection (always to the right).


I think this one goes on the serious want list…

And I would be remiss if I didn’t thank Breda for setting up the blogger get together! It was great, and we had the added benefits of Alan Gura and Alan Gottlieb attending. Mr. Gura is one smart individual, and I believe there are other things coming from him. I also believe he has a critical capability that most of his opponents don’t have, and that is the ability AND willingness to think out of the box! I’m just glad he’s on OUR side!!!


And for those who are curious about the BBQ leather I wore last night, it was done by Kenny and Cody Rowe out of Hope Arkansas. Their web site is HERE!


I will defer to others who had MUCH better cameras than I for the pretty pictures, and thanks to all for the pleasure of your company! Looking forward to seeing you again next year, if not before!