Take a break – watch the gun show

Don’t you just wish the headlines would stop screaming about bad guys badmouthing the other bad guys? Where do we go when there seems to be no respite from ugly politics?

Don’t you just wish there were more pleasant shows on television? News watching has never been more dreary, and even talk shows and features have not deviated from the same spiel – politicking. If not that, the current fiscal crisis and the dismal state of our economy. No respite here even?

I was glad to head to SM Mega Mall for the latest Gun Show. For a few hours, at least, I could shake the cobwebs off my muddled mind (saddled with strategies and counter-strategies by master tacticians that could put David Baldacci and company into the poorhouse).

The ARMS & DEFENSE SHOW opened last Thursday July 14 at the Megatrade Hall located at the 5th floor of the SM Megamall B in EDSA, Mandaluyong City to a full-packed house. I came in at around 11 a.m., late as usual for the opening of the show. By that time, the sales people of the different firearms dealers were already in the thick of the action, huddled over their wares with serious inquiries from interested buyers. I was welcomed by no less that Ms. Roselle Rebano of Johnny Litton’s events management group, which was handling the show. But where’s my friend Johnny? He’s probably not as gun crazy as many of us are.

Looking around, I was again pleasantly surprised at the jostling crowd. Apparently, the crowd now is even bigger than it was at the last gun show, and that was only a few months ago, at this very same venue

The big guys were hugely represented, their counters counting several bays. I didn’t have time to check out the wares of these other well-respected dealers like Hahn Manila, Armscor, etc. I was literally just here for lunch break as I was en route to an important meeting in Makati by 2 p.m., and I still had to squeeze in a quick lunch in between. So I made a mental note to be back in the gun show which will run till Monday, July 18. Hopefully, the second visit will be more leisurely. Hopefully, I will have the luxury of handling the merchandise, getting technical information from the competent staff, cocking and fitting the merchandise in my palms. A certified gun lover will know what I mean.

So I headed straight to NASHE ENTERPRISES where my new friend Jane Roxas holds court over a full technical and sales staff. For the short time that I was going to stay in the gun show, I was sure I could make the most of my one-hour visit.

True enough. Jane showed me her latest acquisitions. She had custom-finished pistols, which displayed an aura of distinction — polished and blued, satin nickel or polished chrome, matte chrome or bright nickel, or the standard black oxide. I heard there are even guns with 24k gold appointments, though I did not have the time or the privilege to see this. The discriminating collector would certainly love to have these in his collection. Me — I can’t even claim to be a collector, much less discriminating. Still, I know my basics in gun handling, and for now understanding more than what I know right now gives me satisfaction and makes my day.

What I did get to handle was one of their latest PARA models. I understand that the PARA LDA is the choice of Todd Jarrett, the only USPSA Grand Master to have won all four National Championships: the Open, Limited, Limited 10 and Production. When he won his third championship in 2002, his production pistol was a PARA 16.40 LDA. Apparently, the LDA trigger is smoother, and with this smoothness comes the consistency of accuracy in hitting your targets. Quite a few people were interested in the PARA models of NASHE and I had to wait in line to handle the merchandise. Another mental note to check this out further in my next visit.

I ran into my brother Rey. He too had another appointment waiting, but he couldn’t resist dropping by the gun show for a holster he badly needs for his range visits. We’ll probably see each other again before the show runs out.

The holsters on display were also a gun lover’s dream. I already have a small collection of these, and I know I don’t need another one, but come Sunday or Monday, I know I’ll end up with another two or three of these beauties. Oh well, that’s why we work our butt off — to indulge in our passions once in a rare while.

I had some time to look around and gauge the crowd. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of them were either in the Police or the military. Some were in uniform, but you could see that the majority was still the regular citizenry with a regular interest in firearms. There were even a few ladies in the crowd. From my conversation with the learned staff of NASHE, there is an increasing awareness for the need for responsible gun ownership. With this responsibility comes the basic need to understand your weapon thoroughly, to appreciate the technical aspects of your preferred model. You need to handle the merchandise, see if it fits perfectly in the palm of your hand. You need to feel its weight and be comfortable with it. A gun that is too heavy or too light will have an effect on one’s accuracy, and for gun sports, this is of prime consideration. You need to check the sights and be comfortable with it.

The basics of gun handling should be taught by a pro, or at least another dependable and responsible gun handler. Loading and re-loading should be a breeze, and constant handling with all the safety measures paramount in our minds should make us feel at ease with our firearms. These basic safety measures like never pointing a gun at a person if there is no imminent need to shoot, or keeping the gun on safe mode when not in use, should be second nature to gun handlers. Having thus mastered these, proper maintenance of the gun will come in handy if you want to prolong the life of your guns. There are quite a number of competent gunsmiths in the shooting ranges who will clean your gun for you after a few rounds at the range. Later on, you will discover that cleaning and maintaining your own gun, oiling them and wiping them down like a true hobbyist can make your rest day a truly satisfying one.

I cannot over-emphasize the need to observe all the basic safety measures at all times while handling a gun. There have been horror stories of accidents that have happened to even veteran gun handlers who were over-confident and thus slid back to being careless and sloppy when handling their gun. And being careless with guns lying around the house is also an accident waiting to happen. Being a responsible gun owner entails a lot – not everyone is mentally and psychologically qualified to handle or own a gun.

For that utterly short stay at the Gun Show, I was happy for a quick distraction. The sportsmen and hobbyists in the crowd had a heyday – I’m sure they stayed for a full day, maybe even came back the following day. Congratulations again to Nashe Enterprises and the rest of the dealers in the show. Another outstanding show mounted.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino

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