Browning

A few of us got passes to attend. So we have to admit, working the SHOT Show is not all work, there is some time for fun too. The event was held at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino here in Vegas (of course). Lots of awards were awarded and the entertainment was from The Zac Brown Band. Zac is a bit of a serious hunter himself and the music was amazing.

Outside the Hard Rock Casino waiting for a ride to the hotel.	Zac Brown and his band. Almost wrote Zac Browning.	Jim Shockey wins another Golden Moose.

The new SHOT Show Special “Real Deer” cap is truly one of the most popular of all the SHOT Show Specials for 2012. If you have even owned a green cap in your life, now you can own a green cap with the real deer on it — that is, the Browning Buckmark logo.

According to product manager Rafe Nielsen, “The Dirty Bird line meets the expectations of the hard-core hunter. You know, the guys that have seen a few dirty birds come to their decoys  in their lives. Our Dirty Bird line meets the expectations of these hunters.”

He goes on, “It lets you wear technical clothing in the field that works under real hunting conditions and then wear casual clothing that matches it with the same look and the great logo. If an item of Browning clothing says Dirty Bird, you can trust it is your kind of gear.”

To look at all the in-line, current Dirty Bird products just click here.

For the SHOT Show Dirty Bird specials you’ll need to go here. Scroll down a bit when you get there to locate all the models.

What is different about the Perfect Storm? It is the way it opens. It is not a flipper type knife. It is better. The exclusive Russ Kommer design features a “rocker arm” integrated into the knife to release and assist the blade in opening. Once the blade is open the rocker is flush with the back of the knife handle, essentially inside the handle, so it won’t snag or catch.

It is super smooth. We asked Kommer why and he explained that the blade rotates on ball bearings. The advantage of ball bearings over a bushing type bearing is that the blade can be extremely tight and wobble free when extended, yet it spins out to open effortlessly. Very cool.

Here is the link to the Black Label Knives Article.

Black Label Perfect Storm Assist Open Knife.

Here are a few of the specifications:

• Perfect Storm Spear Point with assist mechanism
• 154 CM Stainless Steel Blade
• G-10 Handle
• 4-Position Pocket Clip
• Made in the USA

Browning always expects some interest when a maple-stocked gun is offered, but these are generating more interest than usual. Probably because this is not your grandpas maple stock.  The thermally modified maple wood tremendously improves the stock’s’ stability, strength, and weight characteristics.

Here are some of the key differences of the blanks used for these stocks:

• Weighs less than the same untreated wood
• Has color uniformly throughout the piece
• Increases durability significantly
• Reduces water absorption by up to 80%
• Increases hardness by as much as 50%
• Significantly reduces tangential and radial swelling
• Remarkably improves machinability

Citori Maple Lightning

Cynergy Classic Sporting Maple

T-Bolt Sporter Maple

Cynergy Maple (Top) and Citori Maple Lightning (bottom).

According to Michael Sweeten, Product Manager, “the thing that first strikes you about it is the good looking two-tone finish that really makes for an impressive sight the first time you see it.”

The outdoorsman interior provides a very unique advantage to the outdoors family with the versatility TO accommodate long guns and/or bows as well as other valuable outdoor equipment.

Sweeten continues “It is big enough for your longest guns and your bows — and it is all accessible due to our adjustable interior configuration.”

You might call it the SUV of gun safes because the versatile design lets you cross over to store all you best gear safely.

Below are a few details.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 60″ high 37″ wide 27″ deep
• Cubic Feet: 35
• Weight: 835 pounds
• Body: 11 gauge steel
• Door: 1 5/16″ Duo-Formed
• Bolts: 16 – 1 1/4″ (10 active)
• Bolt Direction: 4-Way
• Door Frame: Integrated fully reinforced
• Hinges: Heavy duty, exterior
• Lock: S & G Electronic
• Locking System: Force Deflector
• Lock Protection: Re-locker and hardened steel pins
• Paint: Two-Tone Metallic Gloss
• Interior: 20/30 + 10 DPX Tall Outdoorsman Interior
• Handle: 3 spoke
• UL Tool Attack Listing: Yes
• Fire Resistance: 1200° F/75 minute fire protection
• Fire Resistant Material: Three 1/2″ layer gypsum
• Floor: Raised
• Country of Origin: USA

The specials are very, very hot of course, but it is still the front of the booth where the biggest action is and the crowds form. That is where there are two huge 3-D TVs playing full 3-D versions of the A5 and Citori 725 videos. This is true 3-D with the same type of polarized glasses you would use in a theater. In front of the twin screens is a table that covers a huge  floor speaker that blasts out the sound of the hunt. And on top of the table is a place for all the 3-D glasses. The glasses have A5 printed along one side and 725 printed along the other. People are stopped in the aisles, reaching for glasses and enjoying the show.

A sampling of some of the products on display by Browning are below. Details on all the SHOT Show Specials are listed on Browning.com. You can get there by clicking here on  ”SHOT Show Specials.”

SHOT Show Specials

• This morning at 7:30 AM all the Browning reps (the guys you see at the shows and store demos) were here in meetings to learn about new products and especially about the SHOT Show Specials.
• Unlike many other companies, the CEO of Browning has been here for a couple of days and until the meetings began, here was here, in the booth working along side all of us lifting, building displays, putting up guns and other gear and generally do what we all do. Very nice touch.
• The show is like building a small city and the Browning booth left for Vegas last Monday and was assembled over a period of  four days. This year it went pretty fast.
• This is the first time Browning has had 3D videos at the show and it is the first time we have used large touch screen TVs for interactive learning about products. This year’s star products are the A5 and the 725.
• SHOT Show specials are now live on Browning.com if you want to look at them and get some ideas about what you might like.

Here are a few photos from setting up the Browning booth.

Getting the guns set up.

The product manager sets up the gun area

Setting up the touch screens.

No hats yet3D TVs being set up

So over the next week we will be there to tell you about the things you won’t be able to see for yourself. Of course we will keep you up to speed on all the new Browning stuff, since that is who we are. But we will try to write about other exciting things going on like breakthough products, celebrity visits, Vegas stuff, and more.

The show starts next Tuesday, January 17th and that is when we will start writing and blogging, and shooting pictures and videos for you.

Our good friend Matt Hughes spent a lot of time in the booth last year talking to dealers and gun store guys.