ALLADEGA, Ala. – The 2024 Talladega Premier Expo, the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) own annual tradeshow, was held Saturday, Nov. 2, with over 200 individuals attending throughout the day. The CMP provided an enhanced experience from last year’s inaugural event by delivering even more world-class vendors and products all in one location.
“It was great overall,” said Antonio Davis, CMP’s marketing specialist. “Vendors were excited about being able to see and talk with all the consumers that showed up, and it’s always great to have people from all over the United States come to the Talladega Marksmanship Park and see the beautiful 500 acres that we have here.”
The public event at CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park featured an expansive assortment of outdoor sports exhibitors, all showcasing a variety of products available on the market today. Visitors were also able to tour the Talladega grounds, which accommodates a variety of disciplines and is highlighted by a full line of outdoor electronic targets and a fully stocked Pro Shop and Club House.
“This is a nice, nice place,” said Jackie Caudle, an archery pro who attended the Expo. “I’ve been to a lot of places all over the country . . . this is as nice of a facility that you’d ever want to set foot on to shoot shotguns, bows, guns, rifles, pistols – anything you want to do, they’ve got it here.”
“There’s a bunch of good folks here,” he added. “They treat you like you want to be treated and help you any way they can.”
More than 20 vendors were in attendance for the 2024 Premier Expo, including ELEY, Kimber, GLOCK, GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF), Faxon Firearms, SDS Imports, Steyr Arms and Hornady. Consumers who made the trip to Talladega were able to browse each display and ask questions, gaining personal communication with national representatives.
“We’ve always had a really good turnout at CMP,” said Matt Fuller, vice president of sales for SDS Imports who was on hand at the Expo. “It’s always nice to get to interact with consumers – shoot some rounds and have some fun – and, really, introduce them to SDS Arms and what we do differently . . . show them the value of what we can give them.”
SDS Imports is the exclusive importer of Tisas pistols in the United States. The company has partnered with CMP to not only sell Tisas products within the Talladega Pro Shop but also in producing a civilian 1911A1 pistol.
Collectors who are torn between keeping their authentic vintage 1911s safe at home and firing its timeless design on the range will be able to purchase the Tisas 1911 and feel the same quality without the worry of wear and tear.
“Take it out on the range, shoot with it, compete with it and enjoy it while keeping the collector version in your safe,” Fuller added.
Visitors to the 2024 Premier Expo were allowed the rare opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the Tisas 1911s on the range, with the help of CMP’s trained range officers. Likewise, guests were able to test out CMP’s new Faxon Firearm-barreled CMP Custom Shop M1 Garands, using Hornady ammo.
“It was an honor for us at Faxon Firearms to be part of the CMP Premier Shooting Expo at Talladega Marksmanship Park this year, marking the public launch of our partnership with the CMP as the new barrel provider for the CMP M1 Garand program,” said Dustin Wallace, Faxon’s director of sales & marketing.
Some of Faxon’s other items like the ARAK-21® and FX7 Bolt action rifles were also presented at the Expo, bringing high-class inventory to CMP supporters on an obtainable level.
“At Faxon, we don’t just look at ourselves as a supplier but as a committed partner, sharing a vision with the CMP that goes beyond just the products,” Wallace went on. “Our trademarked phrase, The Fellowship of Firearms®, encapsulates our mission to support the shooting community, and we feel CMP embodies this ethos, wholeheartedly.”
“We look forward to a long and impactful partnership with CMP and to supporting more of their exceptional events in the future.”
Following the 2024 Expo, CMP’s Chief Commercial Officer, Greg Raines, showed his gratitude to all participating vendors, guests and CMP staff members by saying, “This was a fantastic event that our staff spent months preparing for, and the success of their efforts really showed through the caliber of companies we were able to host as well as through the growing crowd we were happy to welcome to the Park this year.”
“We hope everyone enjoyed their time at the 2024 Expo, and we’re excited to bring even more fantastic products right to the hands of our consumers at the next Expo event.”
The CMP Premier Expo will return in Spring 2026 to allow staff members to plan for an even larger turnout!
About Talladega Marksmanship Park:
Talladega Marksmanship Park, “The Home of Marksmanship,” is a worthy destination for firearm supporters and guests looking for practice, competition and mindful learning opportunities. Featuring CMP electronic targets and scoring monitors that can only be found at the 500-acre facility, the park regularly hosts rifle, pistol and shotgun events all year long. The CMP’s Unknown Distance Range at Talladega also allows guests to practice their skills in the field of over 100 steel targets, while the 20-lane life-size 3D target Archery Range provides even more marksmanship fun at the Park.
The public is welcome daily, all year long, to test out their firearms or to simply explore the grounds. Off the firing line, the Club House holds a fully stocked Pro Shop that includes an exclusive collection of rifles, ammunition, marksmanship accessories and CMP memorabilia that is always open during park hours. Learn more about Talladega Marksmanship Park at https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
– – Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.
Civilian Marksmanship Program
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www.thecmp.org
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