At least 60,000 people were present during the Shot Show, the world's largest gun industry trade fair, held at Sands Expo convention centre at the Venetian casino on Las Vegas's strip.
The show has become the fifth biggest convention held in Las Vegas, according to gun trade association the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).
Steve Sanetti, president of the NSSF, quoted Winston Churchill during his opening address. He said, "During some pretty dark days of his own: We may experience some setbacks when a frightened and misled public acts without thinking. We may find that our path forward has been temporarily blocked. We may even have to endure some period of darkness before the facts and the truth about lawful, responsible firearms ownership again conquer the powerful forces set against us. The road ahead will be arduous and costly. But the people are never fooled for long. They, and we, will prevail."
Whitney Condit, together with her fiance, Colin Gallagher, a former star of shooting reality TV show Top Shot. She talked about their passion for guns and ammo. She said, "We're sort of firearms connoisseurs. We like to go out on range, we like to shoot. It's a passion of ours."
The couple owns more or less 200 guns; however, they are still on the lookout for pieces that they can add to their collection. Among their collections are rifles, shotguns, handguns. "You name it, we pretty much have it," said Condit.
The convention was surrounded with uniformed military generals and boy scout leaders.
Jurgen Brauer, an economics professor who specializes in the gun industry, said: "People are buying guns as part of the American dream of freedom and liberty. And also, the hope and the dream of being able to use guns in self-defence."
Guns are a big business, landing great record sales and profits.
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