Having just returned from my first Triggrcon, I thought I’d share a few notes and products from the event. For those who don’t know, Triggrcon is a firearms industry convention started by John Hwang (Rainier Arms owner) that is hosted annually in the Pacific Northwest.
First I’d like to mention how different Triggrcon is from SHOT show. No beef jerky vendors, nobody selling Chinese knives… Triggrcon is far more focused. It’s also much smaller, with only a fraction of attendees that SHOT show has. This is very much a blessing, as the crowd is much more streamlined. The first day of the convention itself (after range day) is media and industry only, with the show being opened up to the public a couple days later. Every vendor there feels like an integral part of the industry.
A few of the (notable) things:
Known for their ultralight AR parts, I finally put hands on their 3D printed titanium suppressor (the Duckpuppy) and Red Dot Rizer. These were both shockingly light, and that’s coming from a guy with a decent amount of experience building ultralight rifles; their titanium gas block is lighter than my stainless steel wedding ring.
This Wisconsin based manufacturer knocked it out of the park when presenting a new product in consideration for the Golden Trigger award (for innovative products). While folding stock adapters have been available on AR’s for a while, the folding barrel assembly market is still fresh. Dead Foot’s Fold-AR is a folding barrel assembly that locks into place in just seconds. The barrel folds one way, the stock (or brace) folds the other, and you’ve got an 8″ barreled pistol/SBR that fits into a tiny case. Two days ago, I didn’t need one. Now I need two.
Fresh off a crushing legal victory against the DOJ’s Goliath, the Ghost Gunner crew was there displaying their Davidian micro-milling machine. While most are somewhat familiar with the product, I was surprised to see just how small (and quiet) the Ghost Gunner mill is. It’s quieter than the box fan in my room and smaller than my home office printer, yet bangs out AR lowers and Glock frames (among many others) in short order. Personal use, unserialized, freedom-loving guns.
The most unexpectedly awesome product was a booth I walked by three or four times before realizing I was totally hooked. Combine a computer, projector and a gun to get what is essentially Duck Hunt for the modern age. Using realistic (or real, with laser adaptor and CO2 recoil kit) guns, the software scenarios available range from static competitive shooting ranges, to hunting, LEO and military setups. After watching competitive shooter Dakota Overland take a shot (pun intended) at the static range setup, I went through a round myself. Besides being very realistic and effective as a skills builder, I found the system to induce competitiveness in a hurry. I wasn’t alone, there was a line of people wanting to enter (and better) their own scores on to the leaderboard.
All told, my couple days at Triggrcon were very positive and productive. Expect to see a number of products that were presented there reviewed here in the coming weeks and months.
YouTube Rex Nanorum
*Featured photo courtesy of the Triggrcon Facebook page
