Gun Show Attendance

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Mike40-11

New member
Went to a gun show this past weekend in MI. I've been going to this show off and on for years. Attendance was the heaviest I've ever seen. Line to get in all day long. Not too long, but still. Inside it was pretty much scoot along sideways most of the time.

Saw an article saying attendance at a recent Charleston show was highest in 25 years.

Anybody else seeing this? Wondering what's driving it. Not really seeing anything on the horizon that's got people worried. Gun, ammo, and reloading component availability has pretty well recovered from the Great Shortage of 2009. Heck, prices are even down a bit.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
I was at the Nations Gun Show a few weeks ago in Chantilly, Va.

One dealer said it was almost impossible to move in the show all Friday.

Saturday friends and I got there early, when it opened at 9 a.m., and the lines were quite long.

I went out at 10:30 for a smoke, and the lines were even longer than they had been at the start of the show.

Dealers were thinking the fire marshall was going to shut down admissions for awhile. That's happened before.

At 11:45, when we left, the lines were as long as they had been at 10:30.

And, there was a HUGE amount of buying going on, guns and ammo both.
 
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griz

New member
The last one I went to was at the Convention Center in Hampton Virginia. Even on a rainy day it was packed. They were making announcements that they had opened up another parking lot, first time I've heard that. It was difficult to find a table where you could look at handguns because so many people were crowded around them. When I left at about 12:30 the line was longer than when I arrived.
 
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Technosavant

New member
I've been to one gun show in about 3 years, but even back when I went regularly I noticed attendance getting MUCH heavier.

This last one, I was there pretty much right at opening and was only there 45 minutes or so (if that). When I left there just wasn't much parking left and folks were still streaming in. The bigger shows have always had pretty heavy attendance, but they had become insane when I quit going. Even though there seems to be way more gun shows around than in the past (used to be 2-4/year, now there seems to be one every month), and I hear they're all really busy.
 
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sgms

New member
That is why I like to go on Sunday morning, it always seems to be less crowded and I'm finishing up when the crowd starts getting heavy.
 
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12GaugeShuggoth

New member
The last one I went to was at the Convention Center in Hampton Virginia. Even on a rainy day it was packed
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If you're talking about that last one they had there, that one was packed. I got there about 20 minutes after they first opened up the doors and actually didn't have to wait too long to get in. But when I left the line was almost as long outside of the building as it was inside...........in the rain. :D
 
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lefteye

New member
The most recent gun show I attended (about two weeks ago) may have set a gun show attendance record at that location. Long lines waiting to get in the entire time I was at the show.
 
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griz

New member
If you're talking about that last one they had there, that one was packed. I got there about 20 minutes after they first opened up the doors and actually didn't have to wait too long to get in. But when I left the line was almost as long outside of the building as it was inside...........in the rain.
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That's the one. I ended up parking out near the edge of the lot, and when I left there were people parked on the islands of the parking lot. They were threatening to tow them but I don't know if they did. I don't remember if I bought anything, but I did see a Ruger 357/77, which I now "need".
 
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dajowi

New member
The last local gun show I went to wasn't crowded. There were no lines. Plenty of guns and other stuff. Prices not very good. I bought a pound of Titegroup for $20 thinking I was saving a buck. Bi-mart has the same powder for $14 - figures. I often wonder if I've wasted my $6.00 admission.:confused:
 
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chiefr

New member
Seems they have one every other month in central Arkansas. I too have noticed huge lines waiting to get in, however the lines are caused by people bringing guns in to sell or trade where they must be checked by security guards, staff, or local PD.
Yes, I too agree gunshow attendance has increased subtantially here as well. However and collectively speaking, a majority of the guns are overpriced. Occasionally, you can find some good deals. I do not see many people walking out with guns which must be tagged with a color indicating it was sold at the show.
The biggest attraction and benefactor at most shows here are wholesalers who bring in tons of ammo at discounted prices. As a veteran of many shows, I never can resist the urge to drop $$ with these ammo guys.
 
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pturner67

New member
mike irwin, I was at that same Nations Gun Show a few weeks ago...got there at 3 on Friday and the line was around the building...went back Sat and it was even more crowded

I have never seen the Dulles gun show so packed...people were almost hoarding ammo and guns...fine, so was I ;)
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
Pturner,

You think the parking lot was packed at the show?

Just wait.

I understand they're opening a WalMart at the other end of the expo center where the Builder's Square store used to be years and years ago.

That's going to make things SO much better...
 
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KMAX

New member
Fears

I suspect part of what may be driving this increase is political and social apprehension or fear. I see many emails about how the current administration is going to disarm private citizens and the criminals and terrorists are going to take over our country. Take these with a grain of salt. There is however, I believe, a fast growing interest in our sport/ hobby, which is good IMO.
 
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Flaman

New member
Gunshow attendance is off the chain in 2012. Election year, with tons of uncertainty, is certainly driving traffic
 
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pturner67

New member
Mike Irwin,

No kidding. I saw that. That whole area is gonna be a nightmare. One stoplight and one left turn closer to Willard's BBQ getting into the convention center area. Gun show + Walmart = 1/2 mile walk to the gun show.
 
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Dwight55

New member
Went to Lima, Ohio gun show Saturday, . . . felt like a Sardine most of the time I was there. I don't have any evidence to back up my belief, . . . but I do believe that a lot of it has to do with the 2012 election year un-certainty. This pos we have for potus right now would love nothing better than to disarm the whole place, . . . and I think a lot of folks are saying, . . . "from my cold dead hands" and doing so by buying and stockpiling.

For anyone within 100 miles, . . . it is a really good show, . . . not much on the Beany Babies and such junk, . . . lots of private folks and/or small dealers.

I almost always get some kind of bargain there, . . . it's the first full weekend of each month, . . . September through May.

Food court isn't bad either.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
About twice a month, we have one in the civic center nearby. Due to its somewhat thin inventory and high prices, it actually drives traffic to my shop. We hear what goes on there.

Apparently, some guy's selling 30-round AR-15 magazines at a premium because the "ban" is coming, and there's a great deal of political fearmongering already.

Yeesh.
 
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