I eagerly planned to attend a local gun show in Gettysburg, PA hosted by Eagle Arms with my sons this weekend. The small number of firearms dealers / sellers who were there was beyond disappointing. The event was advertised as "250 tables", but probably the majority of vendors were selling knives, jewelry, food products, etc.. more of this stuff, than firearms! Is the Internet just destroying the enjoyment of wandering the aisle and tables and making deals? We were out of there in about an hour. Somebody has to making money; I guess Eagle Arms! Maybe this show was too small scale to be bothered and I didn't know it. There were virtually no deals to be found. Lots of vendors selling ammo and not having to ship or deal with hazmat ($) was a plus.

The waiting periods inflicted by the state legislature and governor in Colorado and New Mexico have put a damper on show attendance. Then there’s the daily gun show on your laptop or phone that hasn’t helped.Table costs and venue restrictions by municipalities are additional hurdles that have all worked to shut down participation by both dealers and buyers. The good old days of gun shows are largely gone.

1) Table Charges went up again.

2) Promoter and staff were in competition, getting first chance to buy from dealers at set up times.

3) Promoter and staff were buying guns from attendees at their entrance table.

4) Promoter sent announcment post cards, only to those who had signed up for a drawing at last show.

5) Promoter stopped having bill boards - they had brought NEW customers in.

6) Fewer attendees after entrance price went up.

7) Lack of sales. Attendees seemed to want to pay $7 for $10 bill.

When I mentioned not appreciating the numerous non-gun tables I was told:
"I don't care if they want to sell watermelons, I want to sell tables."

The Eagle Arms Shows have been going downhill for a couple years now. I believe they were sold and the new owners jacked up the table prices. The Gettysburg, Lebanon, Bloomsburg, and even the big show at the Oaks are much smaller than before the change of ownership. I don't see many private sellers anymore as well.
This weekend the neighbor and I went down to the Lancaster County Gun Show in Quarryville, then went up to the Leesport show afterwards.
The trip to Quarrysville was well worth the time and admission was only $5. Lots of guns and gun stuff, much of it was black powder but there was something of everything. It was well attended. I'll go again.
The Leesport show was a dud. It is an Appalachian Productions event and turnout by both vendors and goers was thin. Same as with the Eagle arms shows. Admission was listed online as being $10 but we were charged only $8 at the door.
I much more enjoy the small, local shows staged by Fish and Game Clubs, Fire Halls an such. While smaller, they are more like the swap meets and shows of the past.
I quit going to the Gettysburg show. Its just not worth it. The only large show I look forward to seeing is the York Tri-County one held at the fairgrounds.

John

Locally, the "circuit" is owned by an individual who makes the rules. Yes, the "old days" are gone. The "new normal" is gun shows that are more flea market with a sprinkling of guns. You pay $15 for a couple hours of entertainment, better than anything Hollywood has to offer. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

The gun shows here in the Texas panhandle are nothing like they used to be even 5 or 6 years ago. We have Pioneer Gun Collector sponsored shows and Texas Gun and Knife sponsored gun shows and they alternate through the year with shows. Most of what you see for sale is trinkets, nuts, military paraphernalia, and such. The old time gun collectors and sellers are gone and don’t rent tables anymore.
We had a gun show sponsored by Old Crow Productions the weekend of Jan 11th, 2025 out at the Tri-State Fairgrounds and I was going to take a look around and we got 10” inches of snow, very cold, down to -4 degrees one night. It wasn’t worth the trouble to go, so I stayed in where it was warm.
I’ve not heard of Old Crow Productions before now.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

I stopped going to gunshows years ago.

I spend money to park.
I spend money to get in.

Then, when I walk around, there are no deals, just overpriced stuff I can find online cheaper. Any deals that were to be had, were made the day before the show started amongst the sellers themselves. It's just the same sellers selling the same stuff they've been bringing FOR YEARS.

I used to go just to hang out with friends, and look for military insignia, but it's simply not worth my time any more. Besides, all the collectors I used to see are either dead, or too old/sick to do anything.

Add the New Mexico's 7 day waiting period and all sales are supposed to go though an FFL - they don't - plus they moved the shows from the fair grounds to out of city limits, it REALLY isn't worth the time or money!

If/when gunshows go away, I wouldn't know or care, frankly.

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Thread Killer.

I went to exactly two local gun shows after the Covid pause. Admission prices went drastically up, and nothing worthwhile was to be seen anywhere inside at either. Easy decision to not bother going in the future. I have not seen any gun shows advertised recently here, I guess they have become extinct in San Antonio. At one time back in the 90s, there was a gun show somewhere in town nearly every weekend. That is not an exaggeration.

Okay, so, I've never been to a gun show. Couple motorcycle & car swap meets, but anyhow...here in PA there's a local one at the Monroeville convention center fairly regularly. When one buys a handgun, neither is a FFL, is there an FFL available? Or how does that work? (This is PA but as far as I know, we gotta do forms.)

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Waiting For The Sun.

My last two purchases were from antique bottle shows. One is a 4" pre 34 and the other a 4" triple lock .44 special. I average at least two shows a month locally and go to Tulsa and Louisville at least once a year. I'm not interested in anything new. I've got all the fantastic plastic I need. If all you have is new stuff on your table I don't stop. I have a local dealer who will order anything I want, if he doesn't already have it, for 10% over cost. The tables are too high, meaning prices will be too to cover table costs. We went to a show in Biloxi last weekend. It cost $8.00 per person to get in + $10.70 to park. We had to eat and buy gas to get there. Total was around $80.00. We bought nothing.

I've been going to the shows since the early 60's. They are not what they used to be and they're not coming back. There are not as many people walking around trying to sell old guns. My interests are in old military and police stuff. The internet has hurt sales locally in three ways: 1-A lot of stuff is being sold on the internet. 2-Prices are inflated. 3-A lot of the gun show dealers will look at inflated asking prices on the net and put those same prices on their guns and then complain because they aren't selling anything. Deals are still out there but I seldom find one at a gun show.

My advice to the promoters is lower the table price. Keep the costs to get in under $10.00. Advertise everywhere, even if it's small road signs. You're going to get more dealers with the lower table prices (and hopefully lower prices on what they have to sell) and more folks paying to come in who have actually found out there is a show going on.

If I could only go back to the Columbus OGCA gun shows of the 1960s-70s.

I went to a small gun show in Lancaster yesterday, figured it was something to do on a cold morning and the admission was only $5. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of guns. Was able to get some bullets at an okay deal and a great lunch from the local Lions Club. I’ll go again next year.

I've been going to gun shows for at least 60 years going back to when I went with my late father. When I was finally grown up and working I would drive to any gun show within a four hour drive. I can't disagree with what has been said here, because I've seen it too.

But for the shows that don't charge for parking, keep the admission fees within reason for this day and age, and aren't too awful far away I'll probably keep going. Over the decades I have relationships with vendors who know what I'm interested in and/or reliably have stuff that I can pay cash for and carry away. And maybe there is a little bit of old memories mixed in. My hope is that the free market will remedy a lot of the issues that are discouraging us from going to the gun shows.

I enjoy gun shows and have for decades, especially when I rent table space.The "original" Ft. Worth gun show has had tables for $100.00 for the last year or two. Recently they have gone to $150.00 for non-FFL holders but remain at $100.00 for FFLs.

Two shows in Florida that are very worthwhile, I just got home from one of them. The Lakeland Fl. Rifle and Pistol Club show is held 3 times a year, I’ve been going to them since they started in 1968.
The show this weekend was the Ft. Myers Antique Gun and Militaria show. It was an excellent small show, no black guns, jewelry or jerky. The next one is in November, some Northern dealers/collectors come and some of the usual Florida suspects as well.
I have to hunt for good shows but there are still some worth seeing.
Regards,

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turnerriver

Like the for sale/classified ads in the local paper-how many of them left ?
I am a fan of the English 3-speed, first place I look is Craigslist, though I did just find one at a local thrift shop. Lucked out a few years ago, found a 1918 SMLE at an estate sale, a friend who is the pastor of a church had a Red Ryder BB gun at their big annual rummage sale, it's mine now.

This all boils down to commercial gun shows and their owners. Their #1 concern isn't providing a quality show, it's the almighty dollar and their profits. Anybody with the money to rent tables gets one, with no rules on what they sell. That ruins the show, and customers give up on high entry fees, high table rental, and low quality of items for sale.
I attend only club shows that are run by gun collectors and are not for profit. Those shows have strict regulations about what sellers can have on their tables and they enforce those rules. Locally here in NW Oregon that's Oregon Arms Collectors gun shows that requires 90% of what's on your table to be gun or knife related. And we have no FFL sellers of new guns. We do have an FFL dealer or two who will do transfers when the type of guns require it. Our shows are 4th Sunday every month and parking is free, and entry is free for a $20 a year membership, or $5 a month for non members. Tables rent for $10 a month for members, and our venue is packed with people wanting tables, and buyers attending every month. This morning we were scrambling to try and setup extra tables for sellers!
I also attend the Colorado Gun Collectors show every May and it's a fantastic show that also got strict rules. Only antique or C&R firearms allowed to be sold, and the quality of their shows are fantastic. We'll have tables there again this May for their 3 day show, and drive 20 hrs. each way and feel it's well worth it!

Gun shows aren’t what they used to be, but I still go to a few. The Quarryville, Pa show is a nice small show. I didn’t get there this weekend because I bought a 64-3 at a local auction and spent all the gun money I had.

The Oaks, Pa show is the biggest show I go to. The best thing about Oaks is that it opens at 1pm on Friday. The other highlight is that Highland Arms is one of the vendors. Jeff always has a nice selection of S&W revolvers for sale. Oaks is also good for looking for less common ammunition, like .455 Webley.

The show I miss the most is the old Valley Forge gun show. It took up two floors of the convention center. I bought a lot of guns there in the 90’s and early 2000’s.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

Anyone go to the big Reno gun show. The prices seem high but occasionally I find something worthwhile

I haven't been to a gun show since Alton Brown showed me how to make my own box fan furnace filter jerky.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

The big Louisville and Indy gun shows in the 80s thru mid 90s were great. You could go to one of those with $200 and come out with an SKS and a thousand rounds of steel core ammo. They had all that WW2 stuff (you know what I mean). Powder and primers were cheap. I haven’t been for years.

Gunbroker ruined gun shows for me. Yeah, you’re going to pay too much, usually. And the fees stink. But I can always find what I want.

The little local shows are for amateurs and scalpers.

Ironically this question was discussed recently with our shooting group.
I’ve been attending shows for 45-50 years and setting up tables for 10+.
These are the main reasons most of my friends think shows are worse at least here in SC.
The market has changed. Most of the collectors like us here are dying out and the younger crowd is looking at plastic pistols & AR’s. I used to set up a table with nothing but 30-40 beautiful Smiths and Colts and people would be 2 & 3 deep trying to get a look. Now younger guys walk by glancing at my stuff and keep walking.
A lot of collectors and dealers don’t keep up with the market trends and don’t accept the fact that the market is soft right now and are pricing guns like the Covid era. I’ve seen guns priced double of what they are selling for on GB. With the internet, customers are more educated in current pricing trends. When prices are that high, it doesn’t take long for the word to get out and people stay home.
No one is spending big money these days. The market is for $400-600 guns. Hardly ever see a $1000+ gun sell.
While rules are certainly necessary for safety reasons, some have become ridiculous. At some shows if a customer wants to inspect a gun close or try the action, the dealer is not allowed to cut a strap, a security guard must do so and people don’t want to wait 15-20 minutes or longer to find a guard. At the last show I attended I watched a guard who obviously had no clue about collectible guns, take the cutters and put a nice scratch on a pristine Python.
Another thing that hurts is the big mail order companies that are putting the small dealers out of business are also hurting gun show sales. For some reason which I don’t understand, customer service and knowledge a dealer can provide mean nothing when customers can save a few dollars.
I will keep attending if for no other reason than to see friends I only see at shows.

The thing I don't like about gunshows is that dealers will make low ball offers to private sellers before the show. Then, they'll put it on their table with a huge mark up or sell it at another show. That left a bad taste with me. I understand, capitalism in action. If the buyer and seller are happy with the transaction then, great!

That being said, if I'm selling my stuff, I'm not selling to dealer with a low ball offer just for them to make a profit off of me. If there's a profit to be made, it's going to be me, not them.

If a dealer is going to low ball me, especially if they won't work with me on something they have that I desire, I tell them I want retail for my stuff. Now, if a collector or noob is willing to haggle, I'll give them a screaming deal. Or I'll go home with my stuff.

But since I don't/won't go to gunshows, and I don't want to part with any more of my milsurps, it doesn't matter.

Like I always say; Gun guys are socialists when we want to buy and capitalists when we want to sell.

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Thread Killer.

I sympathize with the OP. We had a few great shows here in the casinos, but the management found that the gun buyers did not spend money in the cafes or at the machines. That doesn't fit the local business model.

We used to have a big show at the Cashman Center, but it was one of the more expensive shows to get in AND they charged for parking. I went twice, the first and last time. Last show I went to had stupid prices on most stuff except ammo. Still, it got me out of the house.

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Release the Kraken

Shows definitely aren’t what they used to be, but I still usually come home with something I can’t live without. However, it’s getting to the point where the juice ain’t worth the squeeze.

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213th FBINA

Since you are a PA resident, I'll give you a tip - Feb 1st & 2nd is the dates for the Benton FD show. Relatively small, it is one of those local shows that attract a lot of private sellers, unlike the Eagle shows that are primarily big dealers who seem to specialize in plastic pistols and AR-15's. A buddy and I who always go have scored some nice shooting iron there over the years. Good food, too.

Another really good one is the spring gun show at the Centre County Fairgrounds. Again, mostly private and smaller FFL's.

IF you are looking for classic, blued steel and walnut type stuff, these smaller FD, Grange, etc. shows are the ones to hit.

Also wanted to add that I have had good luck hitting yard / garage sales. Often times, they may not have a gun showing, but if you spot some gun related paraphernalia, it's worth asking....

Auctions can be hit or miss. If there are a couple FFL's looking to increase inventory, it can be tough, but then again, the last one I went to I picked up a really clean 1934 Winchester model 52 target rifle for just under $500.00 out the door.

Larry

...if they aren't selling 'miscellaneous' items, they are LGS people with the same stuff on the table that they have in their shop. All plastic semi autos. Tables and tables of them. Doesn't matter, though. All I really want are reloading supplies, but I'm impecunious, so I'm not going to any gun shows.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Been there.
Turned down his low ball offer.
Got my price from an attendee.

Bekeart

Partly. But gun dealers have mostly created their own declining audience. They are unrealistic in their business model and pricing and are running themselves out of business.

I'm seeing this same phenomenon played out at our 4,000 table gun show here in Tulsa. Dealers bought inventory back in the Days of Scarcity and Panic and are determined to make money off their inflated inventory.

Every so often, I go to the Nation's Gun Show at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia. This is about 25 miles west of Washington, D.C., and a stone's throw from Dulles International Airport. It's an enormous show, too big to cover in one day if you like to browse and take your time. (They do sell multi-day tickets.)

I was there a couple of weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised at the variety and selection available, everything from the usual modern polymer-framed pistols to antique rifles and shotguns.

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Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins

Years ago, I bought some good guns at that show, including a 1st shipment 1926 .44 Special Wolf & Klar.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I've loved going to gun shows since I was 10 years old and looked forward to the Tulsa shows more than I did any other time of the year. I have not been to a gun show in at least 5 or 6 years and now have about all the guns I want and need to get rid of a few. Gun shows seem kind of depressing to me, seeing mostly some variation of AR-15s and black plastic pistols. I guess I haven't changed with the times.

I agree. I live only 3 miles from the old VF show and it was well worth attending, particularly as it did charge for parking. One of my best "pickups" there was the last show before it moved. A seller from about 40 miles away was trying to sell cut Webley 0.455s. He then had a ratty looking Webley at the back of his table that caught my eye. He was quite happy to sell it to me using my C&R. He was not happy when I pointed out that it was one of the last 0.455s made as a commercial revolver and was still in 0.455 (uncut), not for the UK army. It turned out to be one of a small batch sold to South Africa in the middle 1930s. When cleaned up quite a nice piece of history. Dave_n

I go to the Oaks show when I can and even help a guy at his table on occasion.Many dealers do not do there homework and good finds can be had. Seems the winter shows are much better than summer.
The Allentown show,forks of the Delaware can be a great show but most everyone knows what they own.A better chance of seeing some real old stuff.
I go to the VFW show sometimes and get great BBQ while up that way at Jesse's BBQ Best bbq in Pa I know of.

Maybe we need a Oaks show get together

That would be neat. I've never been to the Oaks show. It would be pretty cool to put faces with the screen names.

I have bought more than a few items from Jeff as he’s the only one in my area with vintage S&W firearms. Since I retired 2 months ago I have been helping him at a few of the western Pa. gun shows.

Most gun show "vendors" are on crack with their pricing, on everything. I belong to the OGCA and there are "vendors" there that think $35.00 for box of 38 Special range rounds is a bargain. Despite the fact that range rounds are currently $19-$21 per box. The only reason I go is to see what other people walking around have for sale. Currently, it's the only place to buy a S&W revolver that doesn't need to be sent back to the factory because it came in 2 piece cardboard box.

Locally that being the Greensboro and Winston-Salem North Carolina area there's a gun show about every 3 months with the same old vendors the same old displays and not a lot of deals unreasonable prices and unreasonable selections

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Hipcocked & Locked

Haven't been to a gun show in at least 25 years, after reading this thread I went to one last weekend. Same guys -- Same stuff LMAO.

The Oaks show is the old Valley Forge Convention Center show (only with a better parking lot).

Gun shows every weekend in Texas...way too many.
Some of these promoters seem to draw the line for
vendors at washers and dryers.

At a small 300 table show near half will be non-gun/knife junk.

the Indy 1500 was the bees knees pre covid.
My Nephew wanted me to go with him to the November 1500 so meet him there it is less than half what it used to be. Probably won't be making the 2-hour trip to do it again.
and my opinion of what happen to gun shows is what we are talking to each other on Internet

I haven't been to a show in years. There are several per year here run by a couple of different outfits. Earlier this month I decided to go take a look at a local show until I read the admission price. $15. Last one I went to was $6 - same outfit. They did offer a $1 discount if you showed an NRA card.

Even years back the local shows were half full of jewelry, jerky, jelly, hot sauce, and misc. trinkets.

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Or something like that . . .

That Valley Forge parking lot built character. Every time I left having avoided an accident I felt like I accomplished something. Hiking up that slope to my car was great cardio too.

Oaks is a better facility, but I hate having to drive on 422. I left the show one Friday in a snow storm and spent over three hours crawling down 422 to 202.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

I didn’t read all the posts here, so someone else may have already brought this up. The thing that I find nuts about some of the shows around me are the folks that pay to set up multiple tables, and nothing is really for sale. I mean there may be sales prices listed or not, but they are purposely high so their guns won’t sell. It’s basically a “show and tell” thing.

I must admit though that about 20 years ago, a fellow did this and had about 50 guns including first generation Colt SAAs, S&W Registered Magnums, and other extremely rare guns. Just being able to see some of these was exciting.
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

The next time I find myself needing:

Axe handles
Purses
Candied Almonds
Jerky
Coins
Hot Sauce
Old books on how to overthrow the govt
Grampas old over-priced pump 12ga

I will head to the gunshow.

If I sell a gun to an individual or a dealer and get a price I’m happy with, I don’t care one bit if he takes it and makes a profit. I figure if I got my price and he makes something then he is probably going to come back and buy more.

Only been to two and was not impressed.
Same stuff I can get at the local flea market .
Of course our laws dont make it worthwhile because you can not buy a gun and leave with it.
I did find a case for one of my ham radio HT at a holster table though.

I can remember about ten years ago when I went to the last decent gun show locally, they took up all three buildings at the county fairgrounds. I knew something was wrong when they had one building set aside for crafters and junk dealers, clothes, etc. That was the beginning of the end.

I have been going to local Western NY shows for probably 25 years. We see a certain amount of food stuffs and purses and lady stuff, but that's good since the wife has no problem going with me.

I go for the fun of it. Last week's show I pointed out to my wife a rifle on sale for $695, and explained that I have one just like it (although in better condition) that I bought at Woolworth's for 12 bucks.

I bought a new rifle each of the last 2 years. The price was a couplabucks more than I could have bought online, but adding shipping and FFL charges it was cheaper at the show. Plus, the seller reduced the price by the sales tax amount.

One thing that has made local shows more enjoyable is that the Pistol Permit Departments at the 3 local Counties have set up booths at the show. So if you do buy a handgun it can be on your permit in minutes and you can take the gun home with no hassle.

As long as I can still drive, I'll keep going. Even if I don't buy anything it's a fun Sunday afternoon and the buffet brunch at the Greek Restaurant down the street is worth the trip anyway.