A Stroll Down Vendors’ Lane

One of the things I found most interesting at the Winter Range Cowboy Action Shooting National Championships is the size, and scope of their vendors’ row. In talking to one of the match officials they had an estimated 70 vendors – which is a lot for a match this size, though I am sure SASS has seen larger numbers in past years. We already introduced you to Outlaw Grips but here are some pics from a couple more vendors we stopped to see on Saturday.

Hunkered down over his bench vise, Glenn Stolle of Saber River Gunsmithing, out of Prescott , Ariz., works on an L.C. Smith shotgun, smoothing it out for a  competitor.

James and Larissa Reed of Reed’s Blacksmith Shop, another local vendor from Safford, Ariz., specialize in ornamental, yet highly functional, pieces for the home, or wherever you’re looking for some western flair. James told us his most popular item is the custom brand.

Sam Lyman’s tent was packed with hides, furs and frontiersman style apparel. You can find out more about their products on the D&B Leather website.

This is the vendor – Colorado Mountain Hat Co. – that Michael mentioned ordering from on his blog. Robert Smith, “Smitty” to everybody, is a custom hatter. He can make you just about any hat. “As long as we can see, we can build it. From dress to old west,” he proclaimed. That contraption he’s holding in what they use for custom fitting a hat to a customer’s head. The one he’s holding is a prototype but back at the shop he’s got original units from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

This is our man Chad Burdette from Action Target. In an earlier post we told you at Action Target accounts for about 80% of the static steel used in the match. One of the reasons is that Chad and Action Target were the only target vendor at Winter Range. Of course, the fact that Chad goes out of his way to help shooters and clubs get into a steel target package that fits both their needs and their wallets helps too. We of course took great advantage of his luxurious folding chairs and cold bottled water. Thanks for the hospitality, Chad. See you down the road.