Anyone been to NRA Conventions?

[Hidalgo]

I'm going to Dallas in May for the Annual NRA Convention.  I read elsewhere that even though the Convention dates are Fri, Sat, & Sun, the exhibit hall is open on Wed & Thur also.  Is this correct?  I couldn't find any info on the NRA website that confirmed this.  If so, it would be wise to go on those days to avoid the weekend crowds.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Ron Padilla]

Not sure if it is true but heard that Dallas now doesn’t want the convention held there. But went to the one here and lots of info


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Defender]

Dunno the answer, but I\m envious!  I went to the one in Nashville a while back and i stayed most all day...wanted to go more than one day but couldn't with my schedule.  One day doesn't do it justice.  I attended no meetings or seminars, just visited the vendor areas and was absolutely overwhelmed.  I got there early not long after doors opened so I got to a few before the crowds but once it got crowded it was hard to move.  You've definitely got the right idea by trying to do it on other than peak days!  Let us know how that works out.  If they ever have another one fairly near me, I will go again.   Good luck with it.

[Hidalgo]

Ron, NRA says it is a go.  Dallas did ask them to reconsider but things were too far along to make the change.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.  Still wish I knew if it was open on Thursday.  I might call and inquire.

[Whisper]

I doubt it is open to anyone other than vendors on Thursday, since they won't have the admissions mechanism set up until Friday.  But calling and asking is a good idea.

I've been to NRA conventions in Nashville and Charlotte, and both were well worthwhile.  Both required two days to get through all the exhibits.  

Cheers,

Whisper

[gary_boom]

Been to Nashville , Charlotte, and Louisville. If I remember correctly Thursday is for registration. I try schedule a couple hours walking then a seminar to get off my feet for an hour or so. 

You will do a lot of walking.

[141FE]

All the info is on the NRA website.  You can register there also.

https://www.nraam.org/

The city of Dallas does not want our business.  I would stay elsewhere and ride the train to the convention. 

Edited March 1, 2018 by 141FE

[monkeylizard]

I attended the last three in Nashville, Louisville, and Atlanta. The exhibit hall opens on Friday. The exhibitors are still setting up on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is generally a slow day, especially in the morning. Saturday is a zoo. Sunday is in between and its when exhibitors start handing out more free swag so they don't have to pack it back up and ship it home.

[gr8smiles]

I attended the last three in Nashville, Louisville, and Atlanta. The exhibit hall opens on Friday. The exhibitors are still setting up on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is generally a slow day, especially in the morning. Saturday is a zoo. Sunday is in between and its when exhibitors start handing out more free swag so they don't have to pack it back up and ship it home.

Exactly, I too have been to the last three. I helped set up the Colt Collector booth in Nashville. That was all day Thursday. Forklifts and mania abound on Thursday.

Exhibits open Friday-Sunday. It will take two days to go through them pending how often you stop.

I’ll miss this year, but I’ll be back next year.

Take lots of cash as their are great deals to be had from the vendors. You can’t purchase guns, but you can order them.

 

[scooter]

I have been to the last three. The NRA Annual Meeting is open to attendees Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's it. www.nraam.org has all the information you need.

• Pre-register online and let them send you the registration package by mail. That way you do not need to wait in line at the registration desk in the convention center.
• Saturday is the busiest day for the exhibition and you almost can't make your way through the crowds.
• On Friday, the exhibition is quite empty as many people attend the Leadership Forum.
• On Sunday, many booth give-aways and deals are already gone.
• Most celebrities (Miculek, R. Lee Ermey, etc.) are typically there on Friday and Saturday.
• It will typically take you two days to explore the exhibition floor.
• Have good walking shoes, as you will walk several miles a day.
• Take a backpack with you for a small snack and soft drink, and for picking up catalogs, give-aways and anything you buy. 
• Carry your firearm!

The NRA Annual Meeting is still in Dallas, despite the statements made by Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway. There will be protests. I am not sure how many people will show up for them though. In the past, anti-gun protests were rather tiny. There may also be some protesting in the convention center by NRA members against the NRA Leadership (see the shirt below).

I still haven't decided yet if I am going or not and how. The NRA is pissing me off lately and I have seen the exhibition floor now for the last three years. It may be entertaining though if there is any significant protest.

Will President Trump speak this year? LOL

[DWARREN123]

Went the one in Louisville and Nashville. Had lots of fun at both. 

[n0rlf]

Went to the one in Nashville on year it was here. Had a heartache that evening. Show was great. I would not recommend the heart attack. 

[tnhawk]

The only problems I had in Nashville were the usual Nashville problems- parking, traffic, posted locations

[DWARREN123]

Traffic and parking always suck in the bigger cities.

[Ray Z]

On 3/1/2018 at 6:48 PM, scooter said:

I have been to the last three. The NRA Annual Meeting is open to attendees Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's it. www.nraam.org has all the information you need.

• Pre-register online and let them send you the registration package by mail. That way you do not need to wait in line at the registration desk in the convention center.
• Saturday is the busiest day for the exhibition and you almost can't make your way through the crowds.
• On Friday, the exhibition is quite empty as many people attend the Leadership Forum.
• On Sunday, many booth give-aways and deals are already gone.
• Most celebrities (Miculek, R. Lee Ermey, etc.) are typically there on Friday and Saturday.
• It will typically take you two days to explore the exhibition floor.
• Have good walking shoes, as you will walk several miles a day.
• Take a backpack with you for a small snack and soft drink, and for picking up catalogs, give-aways and anything you buy. 
• Carry your firearm!

The NRA Annual Meeting is still in Dallas, despite the statements made by Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway. There will be protests. I am not sure how many people will show up for them though. In the past, anti-gun protests were rather tiny. There may also be some protesting in the convention center by NRA members against the NRA Leadership (see the shirt below).

I still haven't decided yet if I am going or not and how. The NRA is pissing me off lately and I have seen the exhibition floor now for the last three years. It may be entertaining though if there is any significant protest.

Will President Trump speak this year? LOL

I agree with everything except going for two days. I have gone for the last 4 years and you just can't see everything in two days. Go for three days, see everything, make notes of the things you want to see again, and where they are, and take your time. You will never see as many manufacturers reps in one place. I wouldn't miss it. I save up all my stupid questions all year long and ask the people that actually design the products. Here's one I asked Siearra, " If you were hunting in Tennessee for deer what bullet would you use " Didn't take the engineer from Siearra three seconds to answer, " Pro hunter 150gr ". Oh, boy was he right!

[monkeylizard]

I can easily do the exhibit hall in a day, day and a half. Mostly because I've been 3 times in a row and there's very little new stuff each time.

If you get tickets for the NRA-ILA session, that will take a big chunk of the day and it will then definitely take two days to get through it all. That's skipping all the seminars.

If you want to do the NRA-ILA, exhibit hall, AND some seminars, you'll probably need 3 days.

[Hidalgo]

A huge THANK YOU to everyone.  We are going to go Friday & Saturday, and Sunday if we can't get our fill after 2 days.  I did visit the NRA website before I posted, but I had heard "rumors" that Thursday was doable.  Glad to know the facts about that not being the case.  Can't wait to get out there for a few days.

[JT59]

If you know an exhibitor you can volunteer to help them set up and work the booth. This gets you in the door before the visitors and is an excuse to stay for the entire event.