I went to my first gun show of the year this weekend. I took Res Jr. He says he likes gun shows better than he actually likes gun shows. He is good for about 30 min now, which is an improvement over past years.
Some observations:
At the door the show organizers had several signs up requiring all guns brought into the show be declared and unloaded. They made it a point that this INCLUDED people with a concealed carry permit. The signs also gave an explanation that it was because of their insurance company's policy. This is fair as far as it goes. They don't want people wandering in with loaded unsecured firearms and other people handling them, it creates a risk. Two problems. 1. WYO is a constitutional carry state. 2. WYO law only restricts 11 places that you can't carry a concealed loaded gun. The county owned facility where the show was held, isn't on the list. Several people were flaunting the "rules".
There were plenty of firearms on sale. Ammunition was readily available, although more expensive than I remember. Components were available. One vendor had approximately 8 tables worth of brass, primers, bullets and powder. Since when are 8lbs kegs of powder going for $225?
One thing I noticed that seemed out of place for our local show, was a large number of premium firearms on display. There were lots of tables of high end Kimber, Sig, and Colt stuff. Also spotted were several Barrett rifles in the $6,000 to $12,000 range. Class III and silencers were readily available and in stock.
One "feature" that some gun show events companies have decided to add as a "bonus" is a arts and crafts section. I don't mean stuff that at least in WYO is somewhat theme related, like Indian jewelry. They bring in candle makers and quilters. Its all chick crap. Which is OK to a point, provided they keep it separate like they do most of the time. However this show they just had to put a couple of tables in with the gun stuff. This creates an unmanageable problem when a gaggle of hens take over the entire aisle and refuse to let anyone pass through or look at any of the neighboring tables, because "you just have to see this one Sally".
Women at gun shows should only be there as, buyers, companions for their man, or preferably doing scantly clad product demonstrations. Smelling soy candles, gawking at ear rings and fawning over foo-foo crap has its place. We call that place a mall. I don't go to your mall and clean my guns, don't come to my gun show and pick out silverware patterns. Yes Really!
You tell 'em. At our gun shows the craft tables are there to give people a place to stand while they text people.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have that crap at our gun show, but we only have one gun show per year.
ReplyDeleteI haven't found any good deals at a gun show for awhile. Maybe there never really were any.
I love women.
ReplyDeleteI love women at gun shows.
I hate women shopping for bolts of fabric and Flying Geese patterns at my gun show. There is a place for that. It's called a quilt show. I've gone to several of those over the years with my wife. The two events can be at the same fair ground, on the same day even, just not in the same event arena.
The whole point, for me anyway of the guns show is to check out stuff that your local dealer doesn't carry. If you were looking to buy a new pistol and wanted to check out several different models, you would have been at the right place. The last handgun I bought was a Sig. The prices they were asking for the same model I bought were $80 more than what I paid, 2 years ago. If I was seriously looking I would have done my homework and been armed with that info and seen if I could have got a better deal. It's like going to a swap meet. If you know what you want and what its worth deals can be had.
I bet its a good sales model. You have a somewhat captive audience in the women who attend the show with their man but are bored to death with the whole purpose of the event, and so are more than happy to peruse the wares of a vendor catering to them.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it would be a convenient place to drop off the wife for a while!
There is the opposite deal at our mall. The whole mall is women's crap. As one would expect. But, on one end of the mall there is a sporting goods store. This benefits all the womens stores because a couple can come to the mall and there actually is something for the man to do.
ReplyDeleteThat is how I think of it. I have no idea if it was planned that way or what. Too bad it is a really crappy sporting goods store so the kinda fail in the execution. I still end up their by default if I go to the mall, so once in awhile they sell something to me.
A smart gun show organizer would have something for the ladies to do.
A smart gun show organizer would have something for the ladies to do.
ReplyDeleteMake sandwiches?
Works for me.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking more Bikini and beer tent.
ReplyDeleteI would not surprise me to learn the only way some of those guys could get out of the house and go to the gun show is to tell their wives about the "chick stuff" that is also at the show. And then there are women who also buy guns, and like to quilt. I am impressed you know what flying geese are.
ReplyDeleteNot all wives are as nice as the ones whose hubbies comment here Res. Would you not rather be able to look at your leisure, or would you rather be heckled by an impatient and bored wife who wants to leave while you are still looking?
Some wives are as bad as a 5yo about doing that. Not saying yours mind you, just asking you rhetorically as "every man".
I hear you though about putting the arts and crafts at one end of the area. The women probably don't enjoy trying to see their stuff while wading through a group of men.
Could this phenomenon be related to gas prices too? Trying to consolidate two birds as it were?
I would not be surprised if the organizers of your gun show hears back from some cranky men about their lack of organizational skills in setting up the event.
ReplyDeleteHey Susan, sorry I didn't catch your comment sooner. I'm sure its done to attract the girls and give them something to do. Plus I bet they get a better rate for the space by using the entire arena.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't dream of being a drag on my wifes interests or her on mine. I can't fathom being with a women who would treat her man that poorly. We simply ask each other about doing something and then do it or not.