Gun shows, are they done for this year?

Muddyboot

Muddyboot

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The shutdown of the last OGCA show has me worried that we won't be seeing many gun shows for the rest of this year. For the smaller venders, I wonder if this could be a real economic problem, leading to the permanent closing of some of the smaller shows.

Are gun shows in trouble?..... weigh in with your thoughts.
 
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They were in trouble before the virus shut down. I've had a table at Louisville's National Gun Day for over 20 years. Went from 4 Louisville shows and 2 Lexington shows down to 2 Louisville shows half the size of the old ones. Internet gets much of the blame. I doubt the vendors will virus panic but the small promoters will have trouble surviving the dry spell.

Yes, I'd say they are in trouble. I do think they will open in free states like Indiana. Kentucky, maybe, if common sense can override the commie governor.
 
Gun Show or Rummage Show

I think Gun Shows are in Trouble, and it's happening slowly.

I also think it depends where the Gun Show is at. Here in the
upper Mid-West they seem very popular yet.

Here, Admission fee is reasonable, Parking has always been
free, and their put on by Clubs (not some big Promoter).

Me, myself, lost interest in them due to various reasons.

The one Show I really enjoy, is in Cheyenne Wyoming. One in
the Spring and one in the Fall. Guns Only and it is!
 

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I pretty much think gun shows are done for this year. It takes time to book and plan for these things. If restrictions are lifted soon, maybe there might be a few very late in the year, but I have my doubts.
Gun shows have been slipping for years. Nothing like what they once were. However, they do still draw a decent crowd. Mostly younger people looking for black plastic and tupperware which abounds. :rolleyes:
There just doesn't seem to be much for us older guys anymore. Lots of brand new stuff, but little in the way of good used, older guns. Reloading supply and accessory vendors seem to be mostly replaced by pure junk. :mad:
The local Memphis show that was held several times a year for as long as I can remember, lost its long time venue this year. It took the promoter quite a while to find a new place and only got in one rather poor show in a new place before the virus struck. :(
I fear the days of gun shows are coming to an end.
 
I know a lot of people really want the shows to get going again around here. Continued harping on this virus is keeping the fear factor high and some promoters may be fearful of trying to restart the shows and then getting accused of being a contagion hot-spot. Some vendors are on the edge financially and some of the older ones are also fearful of the possible disease risks.... I really suspect it will be hard to get them going again.

Personally I really hope we can get them started, even if on a smaller scale than usual (due to peoples fears and the way this virus has been played up). We really need to get everything back on the road to normal life....
 
I was present in a gun shop with one of the directors for OGCA on the same day that they announced the cancellation of the last show. The OGCA boards decision was a difficult one but due to the age of the membership and the close confines of the Roberts Centre it really wasn't a close call. I would anticipate that the May show could be in doubt also, due to the same concerns. The crowds and close confines of the OGCA shows is hazardous under normal circumstances, with COVID-19 it could be deadly to the exposed membership. The balance of the OGCA shows will probably depend on what the infection numbers look like in Ohio and surrounding states.
 
Gun shows are almost a weekly event here, particularly in the fall with more than one good show on some weekends - although some folks do not like the Pasadena TX gun shows, . I expect gun shows here to get back on track as soon as they are allowed.
 
A Complex Issue

Everyone is touching on factors leading to the weakening of gun shows. I'm no expert here but in the few shows I've attended since moving to North Carolina, my observation is that the market is saturated with firearms and related equipment perhaps from over-production. There are thousands of used hunting guns available, more AR-15s then would be needed to re-start the Vietnam war.
New gun models appearing nearly daily with fewer places to use them.

Then, all businesses are subject to general economic, business and financial conditions. Gun shows would be no exception. The Coronavirus shutdown certainly didn't help. I'm willing to pay up to ten or 12 bucks, with free parking to walk into a gun show. At fifteen dollars or higher, the show is no longer worth it and I would walk. At my age, its time to part with toys, not add more.
 
federali said:
Everyone is touching on factors leading to the weakening of gun shows. I'm no expert here but in the few shows I've attended since moving to North Carolina, my observation is that the market is saturated with firearms and related equipment perhaps from over-production. There are thousands of used hunting guns available, more AR-15s then would be needed to re-start the Vietnam war.
New gun models appearing nearly daily with fewer places to use them.

Then, all businesses are subject to general economic, business and financial conditions. Gun shows would be no exception. The Coronavirus shutdown certainly didn't help. I'm willing to pay up to ten or 12 bucks, with free parking to walk into a gun show. At fifteen dollars or higher, the show is no longer worth it and I would walk. At my age, its time to part with toys, not add more.
Click to expand...

This pretty much says it all.
 
Our next little show is scheduled fore June and the next in December. I hope they happen. A good place to get extras and ammo. Also good to see some familiar faces and talk with folks with like minds.
 
As said above, they were already in trouble. I used to go to many per year. These days the stuff for sale except on rare occasions has little interest to me. And with a little common sense, or internet search one can easily see that the prices on a lot of gun show items is way over priced, or stupid over priced. I’ll go to an occaisonal gun show, but the vendors are killing them.
 
Just one persons observation the 2 big shows here medina/berea have had fewer vendors /tables for awhile now again my observation
 
The February 16 Berea Ohio show I went to had most of its' normal vendors. The very small overflow room was not used and everything seemed normal in the 3 buildings. Being that it was one of their 'cold weather' shows, I was surprised at the good crowd when I was there on Sunday.
The promoter of the Berea, Akron, Canton, and Warren shows is cancelling shows as we go along, but expecting to keep the shows going when allowed. Don't know the status of the upcoming Medina shows.
 
I have the greatest respect for Khaled and the empire he has built which includes most of the large, regular gun shows coast to coast from Orlando to Miami. That said, if'n he dumped the circuit perhaps the next promoter will allow strictly market driven forces to "set" the shows. That and maybe a return to $40 tables/$10 admit. Joe
 
OGCA has already canceled the NEXT show, this is two cancellations now and these are every-other-month shows, so that is significant. May 30/31 Ohio Gun Collectors Association show is canceled.
 
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