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First gun show coming up

Peglegjoe

Peglegjoe

Professional
Founding Member
So, I plan to attend my first "gun show" this weekend (NoVa, Chantilly VA) and curious what to expect. I'm already prepared to spend money while I'm there..."just in case" I find something I need...any other etiquette rules or things to look out for?

I noticed they have a "no loaded firearms" rule - I can abide by that I suppose, but does anyone know if that applies to licensed CCW holders? Part of what I'm going to look for is accessories for my new Hellcat, so it'll definitely be on my hip...just curious if the mag should be in another pocket.
 
In my area you cannot bring in any firearms licensed or not. The gun shows these past few years consist mostly of overpriced sellers peddling old crappy firearms and extremely marked up ammo. There will be a few stands selling knives and accessories that you may find a decent deal.

I haven't seen a good deal on a firearm or magazines yet at a gun show that I cannot get at the LGS.

There will most likely be 1-2 tables selling Glock80% and AR 80% lower kits and accessories and you will probably see a stand selling leather goods.

Its worth going for the first time experience.

I'm not a big fan of gun shows at least in my area but maybe it's just the organization holding the show that makes it suck.
 
Gun shows have been hit or miss for me on prices. If you see something you want walk away and look up prices and availability on your phone. Brownells, palmetto state armory, target sports USA, those type of sites.

if you plan on getting your Hellcat out to check for compatibility DO NOT carry it on your hip, unloaded or otherwise, you will cause some serious 🤬. Bring it unloaded in a case of some sort and check it in at the gate. They’ll flag it with a zip tie.

Concealed carry in a gun show is based on the laws of your state. I strongly suggest you look up the statutes. Do “no firearms” signs have legal authority in your state? If so, don’t do it. If not, it’s up to you if you want to carry something other than the Hellcat. In Florida there is no carry law in regards to gun shows and firearms signs have no authority, so I carry.
But, again, pulling a firearm out of a concealed holster in public, unloaded or not, is brandishing at a minimum. Doesn’t matter why you do it. In some states it’s a felony. In Florida it’s a 1st degree misdemeanor (the highest) and up to 1 year in prison.
 
Good tips, all. Thank you.

In MY home state, signs do not have force of law (MD). However, the show is in VA so I'll check their laws (yes, I have reciprocity). The Hellcat will be in the soft case it came with, good tip there as well. Thanks.
 
Peglegjoe said:
So, I plan to attend my first "gun show" this weekend (NoVa, Chantilly VA) and curious what to expect. I'm already prepared to spend money while I'm there..."just in case" I find something I need...any other etiquette rules or things to look out for?

I noticed they have a "no loaded firearms" rule - I can abide by that I suppose, but does anyone know if that applies to licensed CCW holders? Part of what I'm going to look for is accessories for my new Hellcat, so it'll definitely be on my hip...just curious if the mag should be in another pocket.
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It's always good to ask when entering. Here in Pa. (at least for the Gun shows I attend in my area), they usually say I can carry it without a magazine loaded in pistol, but carry the magazine in an empty pocket. Mostly, I just leave it in my truck's Console vault, locked up, until I get back to my truck. Let us know what you find out there Peglegjoe, I'm thinking of attending the next show that comes close to me.
 
Well...according to the USCCA website:

"NO WEAPONS ALLOWED" SIGNS ENFORCED?
Are "No Weapons Allowed" signs enforced in Virginia? If yes, violating the sign would be considered to be a crime. If no, violating the sign would not be considered a criminal offense.
No. "No Weapons Allowed" signs have no force of law unless they are posted in areas that are mentioned by the law as being off limits.
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10mmLife said:
In my area you cannot bring in any firearms licensed or not. The gun shows these past few years consist mostly of overpriced sellers peddling old crappy firearms and extremely marked up ammo. There will be a few stands selling knives and accessories that you may find a decent deal.

I haven't seen a good deal on a firearm or magazines yet at a gun show that I cannot get at the LGS.

There will most likely be 1-2 tables selling Glock80% and AR 80% lower kits and accessories and you will probably see a stand selling leather goods.

Its worth going for the first time experience.

I'm not a big fan of gun shows at least in my area but maybe it's just the organization holding the show that makes it suck.
Click to expand...

I guess this shows how people are different. I love gun shows and go to as many as possible. I also like meeting all the people. I also think gun shows are different - depending on who is running them and where they are being held. At some shows S&W revolvers draw big prices, at others Colt brings great prices. At others still, Marlin lever actions are what draws all the attention. Some of the more "commercial" shows are rows and rows of Glocks, S&Ws, Springfield Armory striker fired, and ARs. I confess these shows bore me and I can get through them quickly.

As far as prices, mostly in my experience they are somewhat negotiable if you are serious about buying something. That said, anyone thinking they are going to run in and find 9mm ammo for ten cents a round, or .22LR for four cents a round is going to be disappointed. The sellers know, or think they do, what something is going to sell for and they are not there to not make money. If someone really needs or wants Federal HST 9mm ammo and they cannot find it at their LGS or at the big box store at any price, then maybe to them $1.00 a round is a price they are willing to pay, even if you aren't. I have paid some outrageous prices for .25ACP at gun shows because I wanted it and could not find it anywhere else.

Then there is the once in a lifetime find like the Gyro Jet pistol and ammo I found at a Peoria gun show years ago, or the exploding ammo that is no longer manufactured but still legal in many states (not Illinois). How about many older and no longer made guns that someone just "has to have" that are rarely at a LGS? Or, what about brands the LGS doesn't carry? Few LGS carry Tippmann Arms in stock (especially now) so I'm looking at gun shows. Same for several other guns,

Like I said, we are all different.
 
My main thing is "what's available" that I can't get at the LGS. I also know about how much I'll spend on a C5L online...but if I can get close, get instant gratification, and hopefully/maybe get a holster custom made in person? Score.
 
The internet has really taken the steam out of gun shows these past few years, now that you can do a quick Google search and find exactly what you are looking for. Most of the sellers at a gun show now sell their merchandise online on sites like gunbroker but the gun show gives them a chance at getting more exposure for their products especially if they are selling a new product design.
 
I have always thought about going to gun shows, but have just never gotten around to it. I'm lucky enough to live in an area with dozens of firearms dealers within an hour's drive (if you count big box stores), and have never needed anything that I couldn't find in store or online. On top of that, our local FFL in town only charges $10 per transfer. I have heard that most gun show dealers sell items on Gunbroker, and I have never been impressed by that site. Every time I have searched for anything on Gunboker it has been listed used at higher prices than the LGS or online sellers were asking for new. Most of my friends that do go to gun shows go because they just like gun shows, not because they necessarily think they will get any fantastic deals. Unless I get into rare or expensive guns that I wouldn't feel comfortable purchasing without personally inspecting, I don't see a lot of gun shows in my future.
 
I’ve been to a few gun shows and I’ll go again when the current situation changes.
I never go with any intention of spending money only to enjoy looking at the new and old guns. You also never know who you’ll meet up with that you didn’t know was interested in firearms and end up with another range partner. The last time
“Two years ago” here in Louisville I met up with a neighbor, neither of us knew the other was a gun enthusiasts. Although he’s moved away we went shooting many times together and he had an extensive collection.
 
Here in PA, we have the Great American Outdoor Show annually. It takes up the entire space in the huge PA Farm Show Complex for one week and the crowds are large as well. I've always wondered why Springfield Armory never participates as this is an NRA sponsored show and all the other major manufacturers are there. Anybody know why?
 
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