In every adversity, there is always opportunity. That was the motivation behind SureFire Shoot Show 2021.
With the cancellation of the 2021 NSSF SHOT Show, SureFire rallied to provide its customers with an immersive, interactive experience that shows what the brand is all about — pride and passion in creating the world’s finest and most innovative tactical illumination tools, suppressors, and equipment. Shoot Show was streamed live on SureFire’s YouTube channel to be all-inclusive, giving every viewer a chance to win some awesome SureFire gear while also having their questions answered by SureFire and other subject matter experts in the industry. The three-day event included live chats with special guests, in-depth tours into the inner workings of SureFire, and detailed product demonstrations.
But just in case you missed Shoot Show 2021, we’ve posted all three one-hour episodes on our YouTube channel. You can view them there or click the links in this story. Either way, here’s a brief rundown of what you can expect to see.
Day 1
The first day of Shoot Show 2021 features a live chat with Bill Blowers of Tap-Rack Tactical LLC. Blowers stresses the importance of having a weapon-mounted light on your firearm and the benefit of professional training and practice for shooters of all skill levels. Other discussion topics include night vision use by law enforcement — a surprisingly controversial tactic, handgun WeaponLight activation techniques, and the importance of white light/infrared WeaponLight switching techniques where applicable. Unfortunately, audio difficulties made it difficult to hear some of Blowers’s commentary, but our production team has worked hard to restore it for presentation on the YouTube channel, and it’s worth listening to.
Day 1 also gives viewers a comprehensive never-before-seen view of the inner workings of SureFire’s tactical illumination tool manufacturing. More than just a factory tour, the video provides an opportunity to hear from the folks who make it all happen, from the engineers who dream, design, and develop SureFire tactical illumination products to the heads of SureFire’s Manufacturing and Assembly divisions. They detail the tremendous R&D effort and meticulous craftsmanship that goes into every single product and make SureFire the premier brand in tactical illumination.
The conclusion of Day 1 includes a live in-studio chat with Jeremy Rosenberg, SureFire Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and George Syrengelas SureFire Director of Product Management, who discuss SureFire’s ongoing effort to address the extremely high demand for SureFire products in the wake of the pandemic. We also get a fresh perspective on some of SureFire’s latest products, including the ultra-compact XSC WeaponLight, the new MasterFire® Pro Rapid Deploy Holster and the groundbreaking Scout Light Pro long gun WeaponLight series.
Day 2
What can you do to maintain or improve your shooting skills in the wake of the current ammunition shortage? That’s the lead topic tackled by special guest Jared Reston of Reston Group during Day 2 of Shoot Show. In addition to typical dry fire drills, Reston provides insight on other practices you can implement to “fix the problem,” and they go beyond simply firing your weapon. Reston also explains why he prefers a red dot sight (RDS) over a low power variable optic (LPVO) on rifles. The value of dry fire training is also discussed, as well as his personal preferences for home defense weapons, why RDS is “the now” on handguns, SureFire suppressors and WeaponLights for long guns, and more.
And if you’ve ever wondered how SureFire manufactures the suppressors trusted by more elite military and law enforcement professionals than any other brand, Day 2 of Shoot Show should satisfy your curiosity. Barry Dueck, SureFire Vice President of Suppressors and Weapons, takes viewers on an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tour of the Suppressor Division, explaining the manufacturing processes and techniques that ensure SureFire SOCOM and SF RYDER suppressors achieve the highest possible quality standards. This genuinely exclusive tour offers an inside glimpse that only a select few have ever seen.
Day 2 of Shoot Show wraps up with Barry Dueck, joining host Andrew Wright in studio to introduce SureFire’s newest suppressor, the SOCOM300-CQB, a mission-specific suppressor that provides greater concealability and portability for carbines and SBRs than the SOCOM300-SPS with only a minimal sacrifice in sound attenuation. He answers various viewer questions and offers product recommendations based on his tremendous expertise in suppressor design, and also discusses the substantial investments being made to meet the unprecedented demand for SureFire suppressors, muzzle devices, and related products.
Day 3
Matt Pranka of Xray Alpha joined us for Day 3 of Shoot Show. Technical difficulties brought a premature end to his visit, but he was able to offer his expert opinions on a variety of subjects. With the current ammo crisis again on the table, Pranka talks about how he continues to practice and stay sharp without expending a lot of ammunition. He also shares views on RDS while emphasizing that adding one to your weapon is not a magic cure for poor foundational shooting skills. Lights and lasers are must-have equipment on Pranka’s long guns, and he discusses how he sets up these devices and the techniques he uses to operate them proficiently.
SureFire’s annual night suppressor demo is a highlight of every SHOT Show, but it has always been an exclusive event for select Surefire customers. Shoot Show 2021 changed that when SureFire invited viewers to check it out during Day 3. You can watch as SureFire Vice President of Military Sales Jamie Wiedeman joins Barry Dueck to showcase SureFire SOCOM suppressors at SureFire’s private test range in Southern California. The video footage is indisputable evidence of the tremendous sound and flash reducing capabilities in every SureFire SOCOM suppressor and flash hider as they are put to the test on a variety of semi-automatic and fully automatic weapons, including Mk. 46, M240, and M2 .50-cal machine guns.
The final segment of Day 3 features a discussion with Barry Dueck and SureFire Precision Weapons Specialist Cody Carroll to discuss SureFire suppressors and SureFire accessories. The SureFire Blank Safety Device (BSD) dramatically increases the safety factor during military training. SureFire Blank Firing Adapters (BFA) are also discussed, with Dueck offering concrete advice on the best options for running frangible ammunition or training ammo such as UTM or Simunition. He also explains the challenge in determining a suppressed shot’s point of origin because of the projectile’s sound signature, and how muzzle flash can create an audible as well as a visual signature that can be detected by an enemy. This is why SureFire SOCOM suppressors are designed to reduce muzzle flash by an astounding 99%.
A few technical issues aside, SureFire Shoot Show 2021 was a success. In addition to providing a unique look at the brand, it also offered an excellent chance for SureFire to connect with its customer base in real-time, provide a wealth of information and give viewers a chance to win some highly sought-after SureFire products. If you want to check it out, you can click on the video links above or visit SureFire’s YouTube channel. For more information on SureFire products, visit SureFire.com.
