Back from TREXPO

Great show, long week. Will file an after action report on the show after I get over the obligatory "after show sick days". Seems like it happens at least two shows a year, I get home and have a case of the flu/cold. Too much hand shaking I guess. Better it happens here than at the show though. I have had that happen twice in the past 5 years, it is never fun.

What ever can go wrong, will

Well, we are about 3 days out from leaving for TREXPO and very little is going right.

The search for grid wall for the booth has been a minor disaster, driving all over both Austin TX and Greensboro NC and being shafted at every point. Hope some can be found on Monday!

Numerous orders for parts and inventory for the show have come in with the wrong items, or have not come at all.

All an all, I would say that's it's just par for the course. If it all went like clockwork, I would be very scared!

This ever happen to you?

Law Enforcement Convention Theft

April 9, 2009

By Musca Law on April 9, 2009 10:11 PM | Permalink

The Tampa Bay area hosted a law enforcement conference this week at the Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Law Enforcement Executive Development Conference drew police officials from throughout the country, as well as a variety of vendors selling wares targeted at the law enforcement community.

When one of the vendors reported that some of its merchandise had gone missing, Tampa police were surprised. After all, who would steal t-shirts and jackets emblazoned with the conference logo from a location crawling with police? Apparently, the answer is one of their own.

The Tampa police department reviewed surveillance films taken overnight at the conference after the vendor reported the stolen items. What they found surprised them: images of Jim Spencer, 60, taking items from the vendor.

Spencer is a civilian reserve officer, who is reportedly well-liked and respected within the agency. He did not have a disciplinary record with the agency, but was relieved of his duties and is facing criminal charges in connection with the theft. Spencer's colleagues said that he typically volunteers about 12 hours each month in addition to his regular duties.

"It's just an enormous embarrassment and disappointment to the department, and not representative of the other men and women working here," Tampa police spokesperson Laura McElroy told reporters. The police chief personally apologized to the vendor for the problem. Additionally, Spencer has been contrite and immediately returned the stolen goods when confronted. "He was very apologetic," Elroy said of Spencer's demeanor after his police interview about the stolen goods.

Tampa police are continuing to review all segments of the film, because they believe that additional items were stolen by another culprit. Spencer took several items while working at the conference overnight, but it was not clear when the other merchandise disappeared.


I have lost some items over the years, the most expense being a camera, and the most worrisome being a handgun! I always put it down to the cleaning crew taking it, you just never know.

Do you lock down all your items at night? Up until now i have just thrown a cover over the table and took off, it being the end of a long day and all. I might change that thinking though.

Then again, I have lost over 3000.00 worth of stock and personal items due to flying into the shows, TSA or baggage, who knows, They were there when I packed them, just didn't make it in my luggage to the show.

What makes a "good" show?

That's a question that I am asked all the time, "was it a good show", " how was the show?"

It"s a hard question to answer sometimes. Some of the crappiest shows I have attended have brought forth fruit 3 months later when I was not even expecting it. Some of the "best" shows have fallen flat with nothing to show out of them.

How do you rate a show? If you write orders at the show it very easy to do, except for SHOT, I have never really done that much. Is it the number of cards you get? My last job graded my performance that way.

Some of the shows I had the most enjoyable time at were also the worst for sales, it's hell not to go back to those, but money talks as they say.

The shows that stand out as both well run and fun follow
Number one is the Mock Riot in WV, I always seem to get hurt somehow when I am there but it's always a good time and profitable for whomever I am representing.
Runners up in no particular order would be Trexpo East, Ileeta, Texas Tactical, AJA and NAAWS.

Shows that stand out as being a waste of time and money for the products I have sold in the past, IACP, National Sheriffs show, ACA and a few others that I wont even speak of!

The local, regional shows have also been fantastic, NC, SC and so others have been well worth the money spent. You can also do alright at the shows in Louisville, even if the show sucks you should still have a great time as that is one of the friendliest places I have been to, second only to Moundsville WV.

I have not made it west of the Mississippi too much, 5 or 6 out that way (besides Vegas, that is a place that should be on another planet) would love to hear some feedback on the "Left Coast" shows!

Trade show footwear

Has anyone found the ultimate footwear for the trade show vendor?
I started out back in the day when everyone wore "business wear" (suits) at the shows.
At that time, a nice pair of Florsheim's were you best choice.
As the years went on I started wearing a more relaxed style of "business tactical" wear.
A friend from the FBI academy showed me a pair of Royal Robbins rock climbing pants and after I bought my first pair I was sold forever. I paired it up with a set of the then popular GSG-9 boots and a embroidered polo and was good to go. Of course those wore out about every 6 months and were not inexpensive boots, but hey, I was cool!
For the past few years I have been ( like many of us) a walking 5.11 ad, so when I had to replace my last pair of my Rainer responders, a super boot by the way, I bought a mid 5.11 zipper boot.
Off to the Chiefs show in New Orleans I went, and proceed to walk more miles than I ever had, even at the last 10 SHOT shows. I was crippled from those boots for almost 3 weeks when I got back to NC. They had a very long break in time, but I have worn then up till a month ago and have only discarded then now because the scuff guards started cracking.
I now have 3 new sets to take up to VA, the Converse, a pair of knock off Converse's and a pair of Oakleys.
Only a two day show, but I have some follow up work to do in Jersey (AHHHHH) I will let you know.
Anyone have any others I should try?
When I find the best, I will buy 6 pairs, that should hold me till I die, or I get out of the gun bizz.

TREXPO EAST

Well, at about two weeks out, things are still looking good.
Gone are the days of just showing up, as it used to be when I was with S&W. I now envy the exhibitors who can just walk in and everything is set up and ready to go.

Nowadays its get in a day early, sweat to death because they wont turn on the air on set up day, schlep the stuff in from the parking lot because the docks are all full and then realize you forgot that one piece that holds everything in the booth together!

But hey, I am thrilled just for the chance to be out of Greensboro for a week, so this is not bitching, it just sounds like it.

The Internet is forever

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Wow, the internet is forever

I had forgotten I even started this blog, and just re found it by Goggle searching my own name.
2005 seems so long ago, but as I am still doing trade shows I might as well update this one.
Getting all my ducks in a row for the TREXPO show in a few weeks. This will be the third time I have attended and the last two were more than worth the trip. We will see how this one pans out and I will update when I get back

SWAT Roundup 2005

Thursday, November 03, 2005

On the way to SWAT roundup in Orlando

Well, getting ready for the SWAT roundup in Orlando FL. Should be a good show, this will be the 10th roundup I have been at. Hope the weather holds out for it. Will post when I get back from it. Here is a question, how do you travel with guns, display guns I mean. The law looks like that they would have to be shipped to a FFL holder in the area ( I do not have a FFL ). Can I just ship them in with the rest of my show display? ( Long guns that is ) Any Ideas? Help!!!

Why I carry a gun

Ok, everyone always asks, " so, why do you feel the need to carry a gun with you?"
After they get up off the ground, after falling there from the head smack I gave them, I tell them it is because I read the newspaper every day. But............ That is not the whole truth
Now, here is the the real truth, you ready


Flying Monkeys
that's right, I saw the Wizard of OZ when I was very young and saw what those Godd#$@! things can do, they are hideous, and real damn scary.

So that's it, I carry a gun because of those Flying Fuc%&!# Monkeys. ( FFM's for short)
I also carry a backup gun, just in case I get some monkey juice on my primary one.

I guess the next question is, What is the best caliber handgun for repelling FFM's

My daily carry is a Glock 19 ( I know, I worked for S&W and all, but it is hard to beat the Black & Decker of handguns( Sold) Backup is a S&W model 12 nickel 38 2"(sold) and then I always have a Kel tec 32 in a pocket somewhere(sold all 3 I had). Two 17 rd mags for the 19 with a 15rd mag in it, all loaded up with Magsafe, 1 speedloader for the S&W and an extra 7 rd mag for the kel tec.( So old, I have moved up to a Springfield XD45 Tactical, a S&W 332 loaded with magsafe ammo for pocket carry, and a X26 Taser. only one extra mag for the XD, but I do have the add on battery carrier for the X26 so i have two shots there.)

Do you think this is enough, I also have a M1A-SOCOM in the truck ( replaced with a Remington 3 gun competition model 1100 12 gauge) , if I can fight my way back to it!

I now wonder how the Taser will do on FFM

Have a great Thursday