Gun show etiquette, ethics and manners...

[crazyponie]

Its been a while since I attended one but, I still cant get the sound of all of them damn tasers and stun guns echoing off the walls as if we had been in some kind of haunted house setting. Oh yeah, I almost forgot the fact I had to make sure I was on point in order to dodge the out of control rc helicopter.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I find that people watching at gunshows is positively fascinating.
Looking at the creature with a sleeveless shirt hairy armpits, big belly and boobs and trying to determine if it is a man or a woman Sometimes you have to wait until it talks or turns towards you so you can look for the 5 o'clock shadow Gangsta's and their babymomma's; SOF types and their women; the 600 pounder with one arm in the scooter; cleavage from behind the tables; watching deals going down; watching deals going south; looking at a battered Smith thinking I've got one like that only in much better shape-I wonder if I can sell it for what that guy is asking for his, the satisfaction upon leaving, that even if you didn't find anything you buy that your collection is pretty darn good and worth a good bit of money.
I like gunshows

 

[Bekeart]

Promoters WANT TO SELL TABLES!

Not sure that the jerky or the shine everything guy or the cheap 10 million candle power flashlights from China are there for the viewing public. As someone stated earlier, the promoters just want to sell as many tables as possible. Around here, a table is $80 per day so the more tables that you sell, the more $$$ that you make. Add that to thousands of folks at $10 a head and its not a bad gig.

Exactly Promoters WANT TO SELL TABLES!

At a recent Paducah show I mentioned candles and no-gun stuff to KG. (Promoter) His commnet was

I would rather have sonbody selling watermelons than an empty table.

.

*****

Last Paducah show a couple FILLED their car with packaged Fried Pork Rinds. They sold out by 3PM. Too far to drive and reload for Sunday. All of us who bought HOPE they come back with a TRUCK LOAD next time. I am talking about the REAL PORK RINDS - not any of the grain based look-a-like imatiations.

Some of the non-gun table at area shows are setup by wives/girlfriends who travel with the men with gun tables.

I want a volume control on the guys demonstrating duck and turkey calls. Want less noise from the sellers of the electric shockers.

 

[wbraswell]

#3 and #4 can easily be cleaned up. Charge admission for the little varmits. I don't have a problem with jerky, just put it along the wall, like a concession, and not in the aisle. At the Ft. Worth show, on the 15th, I noticed they only had one room open. I've gone there since the 70s and I always remember 2 rooms open. Seems like they just narrowed the aisles and crammed the same number of tables in there. At the Bossier City show, it seemed like lot of people liked to stop in front of a table and BS with a couple of buddies, showing cell pics of the latest deer he's killed, and completely blocking some guy's table and most of the aisle. I still enjoy them. I understand knives, but I couldn't care less about something that looks like it was used by Conan.

 

[05CarbonDRZ]

This is the best post I have EVER read!

 

[black1970]

I had 2 tables at a show week before last,this old guy comes in carrying an 870 Wingmaster in the box and lays it on my table and shows it to a guy and he buys it on the spot. I kept my cool and did not say anything. After many years I have learned not to say anything or do anything that I would be sorry for later. Don't worry this comes with age. I figure he is through and that would be the last of him. I was wrong. In about 10 minutes he comes back from his truck with another shotgun,this time it is an 1100 in the box and does the same thing. As I said before age mellows you out but I don't know about the next time. I have also had people pull out a jewelers loop and examine my guns for sale-my wife had to hold me back that time. But I have observed as time goes on that people are getting dumber and more nasty looking or is it just me.

 

[ohiobuckeye]

Many of the gun shows are struggling to survive for a variety of reasons..insurance internet, local laws, etc., etc. I don't like the intrusion of the flea market stuff, but others are buying enough to keep them coming back, so somebody likes it. If that's what it takes to keep the shows open, I can live with it better than not having a gun show to attend on the weekends. Guns shows are kind of like sex....All good but some are much better....Don't be so grumpy!...

 

[nagant]

Thankfully we still have them! There just isn't that many small gun shops that used to bring variety around here. The mega dealers don't have time or the need to haggle with all the table access. You have to circle back and haggle between sales.

 

[sjmjax]

Don't drag a fairly good sized cannon around a gun show!

Actually, I'd like to see more cannons and cannon ammo for sale at gun shows!

 

[pharmer]

#20, keep that muzzle off me. I have been at 2 gun shows in the last few years where guns have gone off. Last time was 4th of July 2011 or '12 at the regular (every 6 week) Orlando Fairgrounds show, a "non-dealer' with 50 guns for sale was handling a 1911 about 100 ft away. Dropped the hammer and BOOM, hardball hit the concrete floor, clipped 2 folks down low, and I darn near chipped my teeth hitting the concrete deck. They banned the guy but some other tool has his table. Joe

 

[ProgressiveTruth]

Now that I have read all the way thru this I will add my 2 cents in. Being new to the gun arena and never had the pleasure of attending a gun show this forum has painted a pretty interesting picture. you'll made it sound like a back woods Walmart. Now when it comes back to Pgh, I don't know if it would be worth my while to go. Wow, interesting and sad.

 

[arjay]

There are really several different types of shows,but "the backwoods Walmart"(ha!) has become too common.

 

[rburg]

I don't know if it would be worth my while to go.

You never know until you've tried. We have a bunch of posters who go expecting it to be awful and they find it. If you go looking for one specific thing and don't find it, you may get a sour attitude. But the other side is if you just go to learn, it can be fun. Really great, in fact. Spend a little time and watch the transactions. Watch the people. Even talk to some. What you find is people from every walk of life and probably every intelligence level. If you can't tolerate stupid people, it may be a problem. If you can laugh about it, you'll be fine.

We get a table and we do it so my table partner can talk to others. He loves it. We make all kinds of friends. Some stop at every show and talk with us. Others even come behind the table to sit and rest. We also watch the girls, good and bad. And the attire they choose to wear out in public. We have fun and like it.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Now that I have read all the way thru this I will add my 2 cents in. Being new to the gun arena and never had the pleasure of attending a gun show this forum has painted a pretty interesting picture. you'll made it sound like a back woods Walmart. Now when it comes back to Pgh, I don't know if it would be worth my while to go. Wow, interesting and sad.

I wrote the original post with my tongue partially lodged in my cheek. Although I am most certainly a grouchy old man, I try not to let my intolerance for dumb things slow me down or show much!

In reality, I find gun shows to be a prime source of both amusement and "finds" for my collection and for things to write about. Gun shows beat browsing through gun shops and the internet, both pricewise and by having a hands-on opportunity to examine what I am considering acquiring. Most of the gun show "regulars" I deal with are decent people, many of them knowledgeable, and I quickly learned to avoid the shysters, cheats and money-grubbers when I discovered their true approaches to the whole idea. Most are honest folk who are willing to deal fairly.

In short, I like gun shows and enjoy them in spite of many of the irritating items I listed. I look at them as entertainment, well worth the price of admission - just like going to a movie, except you can interact. Press on!

John

 

[ProgressiveTruth]

You never know until you've tried. We have a bunch of posters who go expecting it to be awful and they find it. If you go looking for one specific thing and don't find it, you may get a sour attitude. But the other side is if you just go to learn, it can be fun. Really great, in fact. Spend a little time and watch the transactions. Watch the people. Even talk to some. What you find is people from every walk of life and probably every intelligence level. If you can't tolerate stupid people, it may be a problem. If you can laugh about it, you'll be fine.

We get a table and we do it so my table partner can talk to others. He loves it. We make all kinds of friends. Some stop at every show and talk with us. Others even come behind the table to sit and rest. We also watch the girls, good and bad. And the attire they choose to wear out in public. We have fun and like it.

Thank you, I will try. Being new I need to be exposed to as much of the gun culture as I can and form my own opinion about it. Forums cant tell me everything. lol
Thanks,
Kimberly