Taking trips with my son has always been one of my favorite things to do. We’ve camped more times than I can remember, gone to races or even just local car shows and we always have a blast. He’s heading off to college in the fall so I’m trying to cram in as much time together as possible. Life happens fast as a young adult and the world is a tough place. I’m trying to avoid the whole “Cats in the Cradle” situation so when the good folks at Palmetto State Armory sent me an invite to cover their huge range day event - "The Gathering" - during the boy’s spring break, I jumped on it.
Chase and I loaded up the pickup with cameras and equipment and shot down to the Clinton House Plantation in Clinton, SC. The drive was beautiful through the mountains in the spring with the blooms and hills starting to come out of hibernation. Once we arrived, we found a local seafood hotspot and got some food in our bellies to be ready for the next morning.
When the alarm went off on Friday morning, I was already up and at ‘em. After rousing Chase and a couple breakfast burritos, we headed just a few short miles down the road to get the day started. Parking for the event is well organized and efficient. We were in line for a few short moments but got parked in a big field with no issues. If you are coming, don’t bring your lowriders. While we had no problems in my pickup, a quick afternoon shower could make getting out tricky for those with no 4WD.
We made our way through registration and headed inside to see what all the fuss was about. We started in the vendor tent and were blown away by all the products displayed. Not only was Palmetto State displaying their incredibly well-made Kronos knives, but there were also other makers there like Stroup and this dude with some beautiful blades wearing a camo wizard hat. There were vendors with all sorts of rifle and pistol accessories, some new to the game, some old reliable. One booth that caught my eye was that of the 3D printed goodies from Gun Gear 3D. These printers have always fascinated me, and this guy was no different. He had everything from mag pouches and optic covers to a fully printed 10/22 chassis that was incredibly lightweight. Very cool tech crossing over to the 2A space.
After leaving the tents, we headed out to the range to get some trigger time. PSA pulls out all the stops and brings in some really great brands for this event. I was able to get behind some guns that I had only heard about as well as try new versions of guns I already loved. I’m a sucker for the DOE ARs in 9mm and H&R was there with their clone wearing an AAC suppressor. If you’ve never had the pleasure, I recommend you track them down to get one and give it a try. I can smell the 80’s!
Another stop I made was to Rock Island Armory. I’ve admittedly shied away from their products in the past but I wanted to give them a fair shake so I walked up and was greeted by the Plant Manager! She told me all about how they have an American manufacturing facility and are creating guns on US soil. They still have operations elsewhere, but after she handed me their 5.0E, I forgot all about them! This pistol had some unique features that I hadn’t seen before like a square barrel and proprietary recoil system. I hope to get a little more time with one soon for a review.
We continued to make our way through the range and saw some very happy people. It’s great to be in an environment of folks who are genuinely there to see and learn. Each booth provides their products and ammunition for you to shoot, so the price at the door is literally all you pay to get on the range. You know what the best kind of ammo is?? OPA. Other People’s Ammo!
Some booths had longer lines than others and took a little time, but you’ve stood in line way longer for less, right? The reason the lines are long is because their stuff is cool! All disciplines were covered and every spot had someone there to help guide you through the steps safely. I was impressed by the number of RSOs and how well everything ran. Thousands of people attended, and no incidents were reported. Imagine that; all those guns and no one was injured. Weird.
Overall, The Gathering is a great event. Two days of freedom all stuffed into the beautiful bays of Clinton House Plantation. There was a huge lineup of guns to shoot and fondle, the vendor tent was packed full of great people with super deals, and there was even an area for food trucks. It’s a great way to spend a couple days outside enjoying the spring weather in South Carolina before it becomes super humid. Put it on your calendar for next year and be sure to bring a kid if you have one in the other room on his or her phone. They’ll put it down for this!
-Nick Collier
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