NRA's Carry Guard Expo in Milwaukee is a self-defense extravaganza

This weekend, the NRA descends on Milwaukee. It won't be your typical weekend gun show, the firearm flea markets held regularly at county fairgrounds.   

The National Rifle Association's first-ever Carry Guard Expo is three days of seminars, workshops, exhibits and even a fashion show aimed at people interested in carrying concealed weapons and self-defense.

For sure, there will still be guns and related gear for sale or order from among 150 exhibitors at the Wisconsin Center downtown, but it will also feature Mobile Tactical Range Experience, a concert called Southern Uprising with Travis Tritt and Charlie Daniels, and an appearance by Dana Loesch, the NRA's aggressive, photogenic spokeswoman who recently warned The New York Times "We're coming for you."

Jason Brown, NRA media relations manager, said the event is the organization's first aimed at the specific, growing population of people interested in carrying a firearm for self-defense.

In Wisconsin alone, more than 360,000 people have licenses to carry a concealed gun, and Brown said about 16 million do nationwide.

The expo, Brown said, is not like the NRA's annual meeting for members that has become a political event with keynote speakers (Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. spoke in 2016) and national media coverage.

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Rather, he said, the expo will give people who carry a gun — or who are thinking of carrying a gun — the skills, acumen and mind-set to do so responsibly.

"We sincerely do hope people who are curious about do they need or want self-defense, can figure it out," Brown said. "They can talk to trainers, vendors and get questions answered by professionals without sales pressure or intimidation."

But expect at least a lot of advertising for the expo's namesake Carry Guard, an insurance and training product the NRA introduced in April. For about $360 a year, clients get up to $1 million in coverage, mostly legal defense, if they ever use their gun to defend themselves or others.

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It's a lucrative business, one a West Bend company has been doing for years while growing rapidly. Delta Defense supports the 250,000-member United States Concealed Carry Association, which offers insurance and training. Delta opened a new 60,000-square-foot headquarters this year. It employs 165 people.

It was recognized for five years in a row by Inc. Magazine as one of the country's fastest-growing companies. And for years, it partnered with the NRA — until this year, when it was disinvited from the NRA annual meeting in Atlanta with two weeks notice.

Delta and USSCA founder and President Tim Schmidt said the NRA probably sees his group as a competitor now and respects the NRA holding its event in Delta's backyard as "a strong competitive move."

"They're coming after us hot and heavy," Schmidt said. "Game on."

His own move was to offer tours of USCCA's headquarters over the weekend. He said the online sign-ups filled the schedule in 90 minutes.

Brown said the NRA chose Milwaukee for its first expo focused on personal protection because it could accommodate the event and had hosted the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in 2006.

"The venue provides the right size, accessibility and amenities for this inaugural event," he said.

Those accommodations included getting permission for the indoor firing range and to allow people to wear their guns inside the Wisconsin Center, which normally prohibits all weapons.

Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry Inc., a gun-rights advocacy group, said he thinks the NRA chose Milwaukee at least in part because of its proximity to the USCCA headquarters in West Bend.

"They started the mainstream industry. They've always been about training and educating and their product is definitely the industry leader," Clark said, adding that "competition is good for everyone."

Clark has one concern: That with a new product to sell, the NRA could lobby for laws that would require those with permits to carry weapons to carry special insurance.

"I think you'd be silly not to worry about mandated insurance," said Clark, who thinks each person with a concealed carry permit should decide whether or not they want it.