OK, I just ran out of space on the title. Suffice it to say it was just awful. And the 100 mile drive started so nice. Wasn't supposed to clear out until afternoon. The idiot weather guesser was wrong again, as always. Was clearing a little after 7:00 and pretty nice by 8:00. Then things went to hell in a hand basket. At the arena they had all the gates open, collecting money for parking. Of course there were no spaces open by 9:00. The entire fair grounds was packed. Not the gun show promoter's fault, the also booked in a farm equipment show (the least of it), and the huge flea market, and then the cheerleaders whatever. They brought along entire families.

These days I bring along my "mobility scooter", more because I'm lazy than any perceived handicap. Still, its nearly a mile from the fair rides to the buildings. Didn't help much that we got bad directions from the money taker at the window. She sent us to the military show. None of that was the promoters fault. Its not like me to make excuses for the prick, but it wasn't his fault. Didn't help much that this is the first big show in a couple of flu infected years.

When the attendance exceeds a certain level, you can't see anything. Folks were 3 deep at a lot of tables. Also there were groups looking. That slows down any movement. If one in the group wants to look, they all stop until he gets his fill. All summed up, I wish I hadn't gone, and that's a lot coming from me. 'Course I'm a new comer to all this, I've only been going for maybe 52 or so years.

Come up to Ohio. I will take you to an Ohio gun collectors show. Best I have even been to period!

Reminds me of a Three Stooges skit. Five fellows have a disastrous experience in the restaurant run by the Stooges. Larry hears the complaints says thank you and come again.

quote:

Originally posted by 1flynDO:
Come up to Ohio. I will take you to an Ohio gun collectors show. Best I have even been to period!

OGCA show is excellent.

Show of Shows??

quote:

Originally posted by nshumway:

quote:

Originally posted by 1flynDO:
Come up to Ohio. I will take you to an Ohio gun collectors show. Best I have even been to period!

OGCA show is excellent.

This right here.

National Gun Day and yes there was a crowd. Not sure how Dickson pulled it off but none of the NGD shows were cancelled due to wuflu. For nearly 2 years NGD was the only event at the fairgrounds and it was great having more parking than you could use and the social distancing made for extra wide aisles and easy navigation.

Today's crowd was considerably larger than the last 3 shows and they were spending money. My table was swamped most of the day, died down about 3 but steady until 5pm closing.

Good to see ya rburg. Charlie Sherrill asked about you and you saw Frakes and Blake. That's about it from the old days gang.

Once you pay their $10 parking fee, the KY Fair & Expo folks don’t care what hassles you then have with parking availability. I refuse to have anything to do with that hellhole of a location.

That place has been going steadily downhill for over 35 years. It’s only gotten worse, once UofL Cardinal Basketball got the Yum Center, and Louisville Redbirds/Bats Baseball got Slugger Stadium.

And don’t even get me started about Kentucky Kingdom amusement ride theme park and the “urban yutes” that have gang fights there every weekend in the summer.

I used to go to the Hara Arena gun shows in Dayton OH 25 -30 years ago.
They were great back then. I haven't been to a show in ten to fifteen years.
Handguns galore,sure. Want a bolt action rifle in 22-250, or basicly any
caliber, forget it. Lots of beef jerky.

I like beef jerky, say what you want.

I cant remember the last time I went to a gun show here in the Northwest.

I went to a gun show once, back in 2006ish. That experience was enough to turn me off to gun shows ever since. One and done.

In the age of internet gun/ammo dealers and online classifieds, I just don't see the point, unless maybe you're just dying to fondle a specific gun in person that isn't available at any local gun store and you're hoping to run across one there. (Even then, it's likely not worth the expense or the hassle.)

Last show I went to was in Ft. Worth about 2001. Wanted to see what prices were. Prior to that was about 1981 in Detroit.

Bunch of pawn shop jack-offs around here, with a few exceptions with some memorable "minor handling a gun" moments when I tagged along in my childhood years.

Never felt the urge to do it again voluntarily in adulthood.

quote:

Originally posted by rburg:
These days I bring along my "mobility scooter", more because I'm lazy than any perceived handicap.

Does it make that fucking "OOOOOP! OOOOOOP!" noise when it backs up?

I hate that shit.

I too am a veteran of Hara Arena. It no longer exists.
Last one out of Trotwood, jiggle the handle!

As a vendor at Oaks, there are good shows an there are disappointing ones, Some times there are lots of lookers and other times lots of buyers. You pay your ticket and take your chances, kinda like fishing vs catching.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I too am a veteran of Hara Arena. It no longer exists.
Last one out of Trotwood, jiggle the handle!

That was my go to gun show in High School and College.
Had very little firearms knowledge and even less money back then.
I bought a safe and Eagle smoke plastic extended magazine for a Remington 7600.

I go to 2 or 3 gun shows a year. They're pretty good around here and if you look at things you don't need right now but will use in the near future, you'll nearly always find some real deals.

If you go looking for just one specific item at a lower price than the internet, you're probably doomed to failure.

Dick:
Worst show you ever attended but the guy who was selling stuff with people 3 deep posted that it was the best he had ever had. Perspective. One of my most productive shows to attend was in a one stoplight town that was put on by the JayCees. Kosse, Texas. I was driving back from picking up a 2 bottom plow and they were in the intersection giving directions to the show. (1 block over).
The 17 tables included the FFA kids hawking baked goods.
But brother I walked in on the best pile of reloading stuff I have seen. Old sealed boxes of 6mm projectiles. And .277. And .308. And .257.
Sierra, Hornady, Nosler. You name it. Plus dies for every caliber I shot. $10 each.
Handmade knives by some guy clearing out his grandfather's closet. I chuckle when I read a comment about not ever going to a gun show again. A couple years ago a K22 Outdoorsman with Ropers walked up to my table. It lettered to Victor. With those stocks. To quote Rosanna Rosannadanna, "You just never know."
And the kids' brownies were outstanding.