Technically, the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference known as the SHOT Show is not a gun show at all. It is an annual trade show that is owned and operated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, or NSSF, which describes itself on its website as "the trade association for America's firearms industry." The first SHOT Show was held in St. Louis, Missouri in 1979; there were approximately 5,600 attendees, 5,200 square feet of floor space, and 290 exhibitors. This year, the event was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada; there were over 67,000 attendees, 630,000 square feet of floor space, and 1,600 exhibitors. According to the NSSF, firearms and ammunition are a $6 billion-a-year industry that supports nearly 250,000 jobs. The SHOT Show is only open to those who work in the shooting, hunting, and outdoor trades. It is not open to the public.
Reported by Forbes.com 4 hours ago.
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