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If you could run a gun show, what would you do different?

TFLeader said:
1. Sell the tickets online, show up with a ticket and get in no waiting line.

2. Women get in free

3. Over 65 get in 1/2 price
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I run The Ancient Ones Outdoor Sports And Gun Show Augusta Armory(Feb 23-24) in Maine. 147 tables $6.00 entry and if you pay Saturday you get in free Sunday. Under 18 is free, Active duty, reserve, National Guard and their family get in free! People in Maine are waking up and are refusing to pay 9 and 10 dollars for admission. Come see why we are the best show in Maine!
Woodsman
 
drgrant said:
I guess I suck at trying to make my point... lol... Let's put it this way... say you buy 8 tables at the typical $75 rate, that's like $600 just to go to the show as a dealer.
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And that's the first $600 of the PROFIT that covers that table rate. So... even at $50/gun, that's the first dozen sales just to cover the table cost. Forget food for the dealer and his helpers and gas/mileage, lost sales in his store that's closed for the weekend...

drgrant said:
I'd be up for a VIP ticket thats like $20 and gets you in early on Friday night after setup, like 7-9 pm. capped number of tickets.
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NEACA (New East Coast Arms Collectors) does that for NEACA members - 5-8 on Friday (when dealers are setting up), NEACA members can come in free and browse. (NEACA does shows in New Yorkistan and they also do some shows in Rutland VT.)

Never actually SEEN any members do that in the VT shows yet, though, and I don't do shows in NY.

greencobra said:
a lot of you guys nailed it with the patrons that have body odor. phew...some folks are pretty gamey. lol... a give away is the greasy hair. you can see it from several feet away and it almost always guarantees ripeness. preppers perhaps? [laugh]
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Funny... don't seem to have that problem in VT. Maybe it's a MA thing?
 
dhuze said:
I would make it a rule that if you have to sell something else that isn't AR part or rifles. You can sell AR's, but not JUST AR's.

Price your shit like you really wanted to sell it.

No flea market tables. I'm not going to a gun show to buy a f***ing candle. I can't go to a candle show to buy a gun so stay the f*** away.
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At this rate they often can't sell all the tables based on an FFL only model, so it's either junk vendors or a half empty show. They could lure/win some dealers back if they lowered the fees a bit. IMO theyd make it up on the back end after a few shows with increased attendance....
 
Run it more like a flea market where individuals can get a table cheap and sell their private stuff. This would make the shows much better because you could browse knowing you might get some good deals.
 
drgrant said:
The fun thing about gun shows is the normal B&M dealers that don't go just stay open and don't bother going through all the trouble (and serious expense) of moving their shit to a gun show... because a lot of people go to the shows, get pissed, and end up coming to their store later on anyways. So they still "win" anyways. (anyone here want to bet that gun store traffic goes up on "gun show saturday" in MA?
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Four Seasons is packed on gun show days.....
 
zboys said:
If I ran a gun show I wouldnt advertise it on this site, A bunch of old farts.
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You wouldn't advertise on this site, because it's a bunch of old farts, yet you pay $ annually, for a membership to post here yourself. If you believe what you said, isn't that like pissing in the wind, on your part.
 
M60 said:
You wouldn't advertise on this site, because it's a bunch of old farts, yet you pay $ annually, for a membership to post here yourself. If you believe what you said, isn't that like pissing in the wind, on your part.
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Nope, its people like you that claim to be a gun hobbiest but do everything in your power to destroy the hobby, EXCEPT for who you want to do business with, Gun shows have failed because of holier than thou attitudes like yourself.
There is plenty of good on this site to enjoy.
 
zboys said:
Nope, its people like you that claim to be a gun hobbiest but do everything in your power to destroy the hobby, EXCEPT for who you want to do business with, Gun shows have failed because of holier than thou attitudes like yourself.
There is plenty of good on this site to enjoy.
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Your post makes no sense at all. Your accusation that I claim to be a hobbiest and I do everything in my power to destroy the hobby is irresponsible and lacks credibility on your part. Since I've made no claim to be anything, which in and of itself sheds lite on your ignorance, why not tell us about all of things you know of that I used my "power" on , to destroy the hobby. It appears that your need to participate here, is so powerful over you, that there's no level, you wont sink to, just to participate. Flame away, if you can, but with fact this time. You've already proven here in this thread, that you suck at slinging bullshit.
 
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Require people to shower before coming. Have frese sessions on firearm laws, manufacturing, repair etc. Cater a section to Newbies. Have 8 lines to get in so I don’t waste my time in line. Free Dunkins coffee.
 
Woodsy said:
Require people to shower before coming. Have frese sessions on firearm laws, manufacturing, repair etc. Cater a section to Newbies. Have 8 lines to get in so I don’t waste my time in line. Free Dunkins coffee.
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Those 'free legal' sessions, those would be a blast to sit and watch. All the arm chair experts would be yelling how the expert is wrong on such and such law. I'd pay just to see that.
 
Woodsy said:
Require people to shower before coming. Have frese sessions on firearm laws, manufacturing, repair etc. Cater a section to Newbies. Have 8 lines to get in so I don’t waste my time in line. Free Dunkins coffee.
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I rather have some old timer mixing up folgers instant and powdered milk. Dunks coffee has tanked over the years. Heck I dont even smell coffee anymore if/when I go in.

i would remove "gun show" all together and make it a firearms flea market with stuff priced to sell.

Charge a even $10 to get in ....

cash seems almost dead and there have been times i would have paid more if the seller took CCs.

maybe have "range masters" to move people along like on golf courses.
 
weekendracer said:
Those 'free legal' sessions, those would be a blast to sit and watch. All the arm chair experts would be yelling how the expert is wrong on such and such law. I'd pay just to see that.
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I have seen self-professed "experts" get things wrong when doing such presentations, and I am talking matters of "fact" that are welll established, not undefined or vague issues.
 
Rob Boudrie said:
The relevant question is not "what will make a gun show better" but rather "what optimized profit for the promoter". The first is only a goal when it supports the second.
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The current promoters are doing everything in their power to destroy gun shows, and have been for years. If I was going to hazard a guess it's likely because they are punching out soon and are just milking the cow until it dies, so there is no desire to invest in a better cow.

-Mike
 
I've been to gun shows in sportsman's clubs and even a few in public school gymnasiums and cafeterias. Those have been good shows generally. Shows in Florida and Pennsylvania put New England shows to shame. I've been to flea markets and yard sales in Florida where guns, reloading stuff, and ammunition were openly for sale. Try doing that in Massachusetts and you'll likely be visited by the SWAT team.
 
zboys said:
Nope, its people like you that claim to be a gun hobbiest but do everything in your power to destroy the hobby, EXCEPT for who you want to do business with, Gun shows have failed because of holier than thou attitudes like yourself.
There is plenty of good on this site to enjoy.
Click to expand...

Bullshit.
 

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