What Is Happening To Local Gun Shows?

[jmiles1960]

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.

 

[cololab]

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.

 

[Bekeart]

Why I Quit Setting Up

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."

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

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

 

[pharmer]

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

 

[sophie]

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.

 

[Ματθιας]

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.

 

[DWalt]

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.

 

[jeffrefrig]

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.)

 

[charlie sherrill]

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.

 

[DWalt]

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

 

[slickracer]

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.

 

[Golddollar]

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.

 

[rockquarry]

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.

 

[turnerriver]

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,

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

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.

 

[mm93]

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!

 

[31FordA]

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.

 

[collectordude]

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

 

[Rustyt1953]

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