There’s nothing quite like the frenzy of new product announcements that take over social media every April 1st.
With so many innovative, exciting, and shocking new gadgets, it can be easy to miss one critical detail — none of them are real.
Manufacturers have been pulling our legs with the same tricks for years, but it never gets old. The only thing better than seeing marketers’ creativity and humor is reading through the comments to see how many people don’t get the joke.
There were plenty to choose from this year, but these are the ones that put me at the greatest risk of spitting out my morning coffee.
Fiocchi Caw Caw Cawtridge
I’ll level with you; when I rolled out of bed and saw this press release come across the Shooting Wire, it had me going for a second until I saw the name.
Bird hunters go nuts for application-specific loads, so the idea of making ammunition dedicated to crow hunting isn’t really that far-fetched.
Fiocchi actually made boxes for the Caw Caw Cawtridge for the launch, and they look just like the rest of the brand’s bird loads. They even justified the need for crow hunting with quotes from an ornithologist about how destructive crows are to game bird nesting sites.
The only thing better than Fiocchi’s commitment to the bit was the outrage in the announcement’s comments section. Skeptics scolded Fiocchi for reserving such powerful ammunition technology for crow hunters. A former employee expressed disappointment with the box’s design and offered to fix it. The controversy was everything we hoped for on April Fools.
SCFARR Labs CHAD
Not to be outdone, our own Eric Hung showed us what the future of the gun community could look like with CHAD, the artificial intelligence-generated Caliber Hobbyist and Arms Devotee.
Chad, who only exists in our collective imagination (for now), is an 8-foot-tall, flannel-clad bro with golden locks a-flowing. He serves curious shooters by answering all of their firearm questions free of judgment and full of spirituality.
If you asked CHAD to rate your AR build, he might say, “Your build is beautiful not for what it is, but for what it awakens in me.” Lovely!
CHAD appears on your screen free of charge in a flannel and plate carrier, but paid versions reveal a barefoot and shirtless CHAD. Hey, even AI influencers gotta make that money.
Vortex Multi-Action Gun Simulator
Dry-fire training is real. Dry-fire training with friends? Also real. But the Vortex Multi-Action Gun Simulator (MAGS) tragically exists only in our imaginations.
For anyone who remembers shooting it out with zombies or whoever the enemy was in “Time Crisis” at the arcade, this is a joyful blast from the past.
It’s also a genuine triumph of Photoshop skill. Take a second to appreciate the on-screen shot timer for the Bill Drill and the actual Vortex Edge instructors depicted on the front of the console.
Hell, the plastic pistols even have Vortex Defender red dots on them. It’s a symphony in shitposting.
I know it’s a gag, but if Vortex built one of these and put it in their lobby, I bet they’d have a mountain of quarters by week’s end. Office productivity might come to a screeching halt, though.
For now, we’ll have to make do with real training videos from the Vortex Edge crew.
Shocking Poll Results
If there’s one love story we can believe in, it’s boomers and .45 ACP. But startling (and fictional) poll results show that the overwhelming majority of gun owners born between 1946 and 1964 have moved on to the wimpy little 9mm, of all things. Who could imagine such a plot twist?
Our own Jacki Billings could and did. The idea was a perfect opportunity to suggest that older shooters were giving up their favorite pistol round because it’s too powerful for their aging hands and too expensive for their social security-fueled ammo budget.
It’s all in good fun, but don’t forget that there is only one correct answer in the .45 ACP vs. 9mm debate — buy both. Never cheat yourself into owning one pistol when you could have two!
Stone Glacier Rifle Hoodie
When Adam Weatherby popped up on my Instagram feed, I expected to hear about a Wyoming bighorn sheep hunt, a trip to Africa, or some record-setting speed demon of a rifle cartridge. I didn’t expect a piece of technical clothing for my rifle.
The rifle hoodie is a collaboration between Weatherby and Stone Glacier. While scope covers are a real thing, they’re shaped like scopes – not tiny people – and they certainly don’t have zippered compartments for hand warmers to keep your rifle warm.
The sight of Weatherby trekking across the prairie with baby-sized sleeves dingle-dangling off his rifle was too funny for me to handle first thing in the morning.
The whole launch video is deadpan comedy gold. Kudos to these guys for keeping a straight face long enough to film it. Who knows, maybe they’re on to something. Lots of companies make things to make your rifle more accurate or more durable, but nobody is trying to make it more cozy.
What was your favorite April Fools joke this year? Let us know below. For more awesome stuff that doesn’t exist, check out our guide to the Best Vaporware of SHOT Show.
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