AFP/Indianapolis

Tens of thousands are converging on this city in the US heartland this weekend to celebrate American gun culture at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting, part political event and eye-catching display of weaponry.
The 143rd NRA meetings and exhibits attract crowds of window-shopping amateur arms enthusiasts, such as Jacci See and her husband Ted, who are there to check out the newest gadgets and innovations in weaponry.
In their 60s, the couple eye the petit Pico handgun on display at the Beretta stand.
Just 18mm wide, the “light, small and concealable,” weapon is ideal for a woman, its maker says.
The $398 model is part of the rapidly growing segment of lightweight, easy-to-conceal handguns, but it doesn’t please Ted.
“I can’t understand why it has to be so heavy,” he says, clearly disappointed.
The couple drove six hours from Wisconsin to spend three days at the convention, held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“It’s just 400,000 sq ft of toys. We like to look at new products, you see them advertised all year, and you can actually see them, feel them. I really like that,” Ted said.
Jacci, a realtor, said her profession called for her to be on the defensive.
“In a situation like an open house, I like to be able to have something,” she said.
The annual show offers a heavy dose of conservative politics, as evidenced by a giant billboard that takes aim at former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is spending $50mn against the powerful US gun lobby.
“Bloomberg is one guy with millions. We’re millions with our 25 bucks,” it reads, boasting of the NRA’s formidable reach.
But expo attendees are more fired up about the firearms, considered objects of admiration, collector’s items and symbols of freedom for many.
Ted points to a stand displaying silencers, each costing between $600 and $1,200. In his home state of Wisconsin, they are now legal.
Nearby is a prototype of a CornerShot, a futuristic weapon that allows users to “conduct corner observation, sniping and assault operations.”
Its front half can be positioned towards the left or right allowing its user to shoot around corners without being exposed. A camera connected to a mini screen helps the user take aim. It will be available at the end of summer for security forces and later for individuals.
Also on display is the Intelligun, a “patented fingerprint locking system” that fits any gun and prevents it from being unlocked unless the fingerprint of the owner or other authorised person is detected.
But the stars of the show are military-style weapons adapted for the everyday gun enthusiast.
Automatic rifles are banned from sale, but semi-automatic rifles that retain their fiercer firearm brothers’ warlike features, such as large-capacity magazines, are all the rage.