This is the first of two columns about the 2016 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

All at the firing line were watching the shooter. He moved the safety to the fire position, then pulled the trigger once and the shotgun fired. The trigger was pulled again and the shotgun fired again.

Next the slide handle, angling at 90 degrees from the forearm, was pulled to the rear and pushed to the front, causing the two spent shotshells to eject and two full shotshells to enter the two chambers.

The same procedure was enacted eight times, causing 16 shotshells to be fired. The double barrel pump shotgun was declared the most interesting firearm at the 2016 Media Day at the Range by the Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company, doing business as Standard Manufacturing LLC.

So why develop such a firearm? Self-defense is always the first answer and this would be a great equalizer for a home invasion.

Secondly it is fun to shoot and a competitive shooting sport could be developed with the DP-12. After all, we have trap, skeet, shooting clays and other shotgun sports, why not a competition using the DP-12?

Silencer

Another item demonstrated at the show was the silencer. There were several models demonstrated at the range. I didn’t actually shoot a firearm with a silencer attached, but was standing nearby when several were fired.

Silencers are not completely silent, for sure. However, I understand some of the European countries have enacted rules/laws requiring silencers be attached to rifles.

The reasoning is the silencer does reduce the noise when the firearm is fired and, therefore, helps reduce damage to the shooters’ ears.

Another SHOT Show

My wife, Garnet, and I have experienced another SHOT Show, organized by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. We discussed the prospect of how many we have attended and weren’t sure. Was it 24, 25 or 26? There was a time when the show was shifted to New Orleans or Orlando, but we skipped those shows.

Routine

Our routine is to head for Spokane on Saturday, two days before the SHOT Show, after my radio show. We visit with Spokane friends and enjoy an evening meal at our hotel.

The next morning we drive to the Spotted Road Parking Express where we leave the Ram for the week. The husband-and-wife team of Juan and Umpara have established and improved this lot for a few years, expanding to accommodate more vehicles last year. This is our chance for an annual visit with these two friends. The drive from the lot to the airport takes three minutes.

We have graduated to Southwest Airlines which offers several non-stop flights to Las Vegas. This year we left Spokane at 11:40 a.m. and arrived at 1:45. An airport shuttle bus is taken to our hotel, the Stratosphere, where we have been staying for our SHOT Show trips.

On Monday morning we get up around 5 a.m. and take a cab to the Treasure Island hotel. From this point we head for the Boulder City Shooting Range on a large bus, loaded with 50 other members of the media. Many of these busses converge on the range during the day.

This is titled the Industry Day at the Range, is split into two sessions, and is an invitation-only event.

As explained by the NSSF: “The morning session will be open to up to 1,200 invited media members who are welcome to stay the entire day. The afternoon session will open at noon for up to 700 invited buyers, dealers, distributors and retailers.

“With over 170 manufacturers exhibiting, and over 500,000 rounds of ammunition shot, Industry Day is the premier shooting event in the industry, giving outdoor media and buyers the opportunity to shoot and test new products for the upcoming year.

“Industry Day at the Rang is the largest, most influential one-day event in the hunting and shooting industry. For 10 years, Industry Day has been the epicenter where gun, archery and hunting manufacturers, dealers, buyers, retailers and the media join together for one day on the range where new products are unveiled, tested and analyzed. It provides a hands-on experience that one cannot get anywhere else.”

Imagine rifles lined up at shooting benches with cases of ammo nearby. All are invited to take a seat and shoot as many rounds as desired.

I zeroed in on the crossbow range and was invited to take a shot. Don’t remember the make of the crossbow, but the scope was a Swarovski. I aimed and fired and hit the bullseye at 30 yards. A second bolt was not released.

Next week: More info about the Industry Day at the Range and the SHOT Show.