Marlboro Today?

Kids show is probably at the hotel itself up the street. Trade Center is the small G "gun" show.....
 
Just got back from Marlboro show. Hardly anyone there - atttendees or vendors. There were large sections of the hall that were empty. I spoke to some vendors I knew and they said no ammo sales unless you had a Mass permit (I guess they let that go in the past but after Wilmington, they are cracking down). The only bulk ammo sales were to the right by the glass when you walk in. The ammo area was cordonned off and you had to show FID or LTC to get into the ammo area. I was told that the large ammo dealer that was involved in the Wilmington fiasco is banned from future shows. On the plus side, I met Houdini at the GOAL table...
 
"Attention! Will the last gun show leaving the state, please shut off the lights... Thank You"
Sadly she's the only one running gun shows in Mass. Only others are very small gun club shows.

I very seriously doubt that Steve (and family) from NY who used to cover 2 aisles with ammo ever had a MA Ammo Dealer's License or a MA LTC, both required to legally sell ammo in Mass. Yes, at one time one town I know of was willing to issue the ammo dealer's license to non-Mass companies. However, I'll bet that they would no longer do that after the AG started to squawk about selling ammo to Mass residents.
 
Yeah, that's why my post was snarky. Like most people here, I know the shows aren't what they used to be (neither are our gun laws...)
but when the last vendor says "It ain't worth it." and the great "Gun Show" has gone the way of Barnum & Bailey,
I will sigh a very deep, lamenting gasp. If there are shows here after 2020, I'll be surprised...

The younger generation won't miss it, they've got their internet. I'll miss it though. "Gun Shows" are as American as they get...

~Matt
 
Marlboro today was a big disappointment, no question about it. Worst Marlboro show ever in my experience going back many years. Only good thing one can say is that the aisles are wider than ever... wide open spaces everywhere... but only because there are fewer firearm vendor tables than ever before. They really should call it a "Flea Market" from now on since the knife, trinket & miscellaneous junk dealers outnumber the guns & ammo dealers by more than 10:1. Pitiful. [thinking]
 
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Yep, definitely more junk tables then anything else. Typical vendors were there with Stoney Acres, Tombstone, Hunters, etc' having tables. B&K also showed up this time. As usual the best part of the show was the beef jerky. Ammo sales were much scarcer as many vendors probably didn't want to deal with it. That's too bad as checking out the old vintage ammo can be fun.
 
I didn’t even know the show was this weekend. Maybe some advertising would help
 
"Attention! Will the last gun show leaving the state, please shut off the lights... Thank You"

I heard that the real gun show was at Shooters Supply in Westport, Ma. He's the dealer, that Carole, the show promoter, no longer allows to attend her shows, because his prices are to low and higher priced dealers complained to her.
 
Had a family emergency, never even made it up that way. Guess I didn't miss much? This is a sad state of affairs and what the Libs wanted in the end game. Looks like Shooters Supply is the place to be next time. LOL
 
Bar none the absolute worst gun show I ever attended...even when factoring in some of the small club sponsored ones...

I knew it was going to be disappointing and this is the first one I attended since the Fall roll through of shows. But Dayaam...Even going into it expecting nothing I was still shocked.

Guess my disappointment expectation meter does not go that low...Thank God.

Last one for me.
 
I didn't realize it was this weekend, so when I saw the thread, I decided to head to the show, then I read the posts and decided why bother. I think I'll just enjoy the blue skies and sunshine for a few hours instead.
 
Wow,the beginning of the end ?

Usually Marlborough could be counted on as having a bunch of tables,hell,it's the only show I still go to...Not last year though,now not this year..I just look for knives anyway..all the good deals are snapped up by the other dealers before the doors even open.
 
I heard that the real gun show was at Shooters Supply in Westport, Ma. He's the dealer, that Carole, the show promoter, no longer allows to attend her shows, because his prices are to low and higher priced dealers complained to her.

Is this true? Glad I read this before making the drive to the show today.
 
It's true. Shooters Supply posted, here on NES, a copy of the promoters letter to him regarding the Plymouth show, as well as a copy of the refund check, that she sent him.
That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.
 
That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.
Which is funny as anyone who went can attest the place was half empty with many empty tables throughout the venue.
True, they smartly didn't admit any "wrongdoing" that could result in legal action.

However, the Marlboro location can handle 500 tables (I used to attend computer shows there years before the gun shows) and that hall hasn't been totally full in many years wrt gun shows.
 
I haven’t been to a gun show in MA in at least 10 years. I don’t understand why folks bother to go to MA gun show these days. Complete waste of time and money.
 
That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.

I can shed some light on the available space issue. I went to the Plymouth show. The space available was plentiful. Picture a box, with a smaller box inside. That's how the space looked, when you entered the room, due the unused space. That having been said, within the smaller space that the show actually tried to use, there was so much unused space on the show floor, that not only were there gaping holes of unused space in the show isles, the back end of the show area was empty. In short, there was enough empty space in the room, to have another gun show. Shooting Supply only wanted space for 6 tables. The fact seems to be, that several higher priced dealers, went to the show promoter, in advance of the Plymouth show and explained to her, that if she allowed Shooters Supply to attend the show, they would not attend.
 
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That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.
Actually it said no Gun Dealer tables available, plenty of tables for parts and accessories.
This whining about pricing being the reason is just a lot of he said /she said bitching to promote one business
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That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.

Good point. Maybe we should collectively try to figure out exactly what happened before passing judgement. Then once we get to the bottom of this mystery maybe we can figure out who set up Jussie whats-his-face or OJ Simpson.
 
Was there today for 1.5 hours with some friends.
I like the carpet and wider isles, but definitely fewer gun vendors.
I bought a $40 lite for the end of my Ruger .45 and a vintage Buck 102 with the fold-over sheath....Happy with that.
 
I think everyone understands exactly why Shooting Supply was tossed from the shows and it has absolutely nothing to do with available space. Shooting Supply attends a show, already has a deposit down for the Plymouth show, their deposit is returned to them and they are told that there is absolutely no space available in the foreseeable future. Gee, how did that opening suddenly appear for them in their first show?? Gee, does the promoter have the venue filled and there are large numbers of last minute no-shows?? LOL. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the "available space" issue is a red herring, especially when show attendees are reporting large, unfilled open spaces.

My wife and I really enjoy some gun shows. It's as much a social event for us. A way to get out and enjoy something we like to do together. We are even trying to get enough time to fly down to the big gun show in Tulsa next weekend, but I don't think my business will cooperate. However, if my choice is between going to a show where the promoter is deliberately limiting the number of dealers and going to a classy firearms dealership, I will definitely vote with my feet and my wallet.

Is this show promoter really this stupid???
 
Is this show promoter really this stupid???
I think the promoter is stuck between a rock and a hard place. If 4 of its long-time, multi-table gun vendors decide to boycott the shows because of the presence of Shooting Supply, what are they supposed to do? Close down the show? What I'm saying is don't blame the promoter on this one. Blame the 4 dealers who threatened to boycott. Can you imagine how bad it would be if 4 of the last few remaining gun dealers bowed out of these shows? Who the Hell would be left? Nobody selling guns, that's for sure. Just trinkets, knives, trinkets, a few accessories, a little ammo... and more f'ing crappy trinkets. [thinking]
 
That posting confirms he was denied tables because "no dealer tables were available", but makes no admission as to the reason.
Maybe the dealer tables were lost in Tragic Boating Accidents.
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