Thousands of representatives of the firearms industry are expected to gather in Las Vegas from Jan. 23–26 for the 46th Annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors Trade (SHOT) Show, hosted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
In addition to networking and getting a look at the latest firearms and accessories, attendees will interact with state and federal officials in various forums over the three-day event and be introduced to the NSSF’s new suicide-prevention website.
The 2024 SHOT Show will feature the inaugural “Badges and Boots Attorneys General Forum” and the 3rd Annual Governors Forum.
According to Mark Oliva, the NSSF’s managing director for public affairs, the seeds of many of the most profitable and stable agreements between states and NSSF member businesses were planted at the SHOT Show.
“These governors are coming to attract these businesses to their states, and many of the recent migrations of companies to other states started with discussions at SHOT Show,” Mr. Oliva wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.
While the event is a trade show and not open to the public, Mr. Oliva said public interest in the shooting and outdoor sports industry goes beyond hunting and the right to keep and bear arms.
“The firearm and ammunition industry in America is an $81 billion industry that supports 393,000 jobs,” Mr. Oliva’s email reads.
The “Badges and Boots Attorneys General Forum” will be held on Jan. 24, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“It wasn’t lost on NSSF that President Joe Biden called firearm manufacturers ‘the enemy’ when he began his White House bid.
“Since taking office, he has used every government lever to attempt to hobble our industry and diminish Second Amendment rights,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and general counsel.
“These attorneys general have been the leading edge of the fight to protect our industry and citizens’ rights from executive overreach.”
According to the SHOT Show website, attorneys general Todd Rokita of Indiana, Brenna Bird of Iowa, Kris Kobach of Kansas, Austin Knudsen of Montana, Dave Yost of Ohio, and Sean Reyes of Utah are scheduled to participate.
“NSSF’s Governors’ Forum provides a unique opportunity for SHOT Show attendees and industry media to hear directly from those governors, especially as we head into an election year when the Biden administration has squarely taken aim at our industry in an effort to decimate it,” Mr. Keane wrote in a statement on the website.
More governors may join the forum as schedules allow, according to the NSSF website.
Gov. Brad Little of Idaho, Gov. Greg Gianforte of Montana, Gov. Jim Pillen of Nebraska, Gov. Joe Lombardo of Nevada, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, and Gov. Mark Gordon of Wyoming are scheduled to appear.
And the NSSF will also introduce the next element in its suicide prevention program, “BraveConversation.org.”
Since 1999, the NSSF has hosted “Project ChildSafe,” which provided training, information, and free gun locks to promote gun safety and protect children.
BraveConverstation.org is meant to help people identify and address the causes of suicide by providing education and resources for families, law enforcement, the medical community, and individuals.
According to the NSSF, the BraveConversation.org webpage features suicide prevention toolkits, information on safe firearms storage, and links to suicide prevention organizations.
“The site features resources from NSSF and its partners, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs,” an email from the NSSF reads.
The 2024 SHOT Show will be the largest to date in terms of booth space, with more than 2,500 exhibitors covering more than 815,000 net square feet.
It will take place at The Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. A crowd of more than 50,000 exhibitors, buyers, and media from all 50 states and 115 countries is expected to attend.
