Wanted: People Who Aren't Afraid To Think BIG...

[Guest Tiny G]

Lots of different groups do stuff like this all the time. I go the the MixNashville show every year (audio gear . .etc)

1. Have speakers, presentations, panels, and seminars as the main focus with the "floor" being a side benefit.

2. Have pre-registration available online for those who don't want to wait in lines.

I would much rather go to a local version of "ShotShow" than a gun show any day.

[~Emily~]

Give individuals that are trying to sell/trade their personal firearms a standing area so they aren't blocking the entry area and milling around in the isles BSing with their buddies so you can't get by between the tables, support beams, and them all yakin about the price of ammo when they were growing up. I like to take a gun or two to sell or trade too, or to relax and bs with the guys I came with, but give us a place where we don't get in everyones way.

This is a fabulous idea!

And I agree with most of the previously mentioned dislikes, too. But I'd like to add besides wider aisles more ventilation would help.

And my biggest pet peev is the price of entry. 8$, 10$??? That is way too much in my opinion. I know the gate price helps with the expenses but you asked us to list what we didn't like.

[TGO David]

I've got an idea for something that might be a cool way for folks to sell their firearms that might be really innovative, give excellent exposure for that person's item for sale, and streamline the whole process.

I'm going to bump it off of the other folks involved in organizing this and see what they think before I make any sort of public announcement.

[Guest 70below]

I've got an idea for something that might be a cool way for folks to sell their firearms that might be really innovative, give excellent exposure for that person's item for sale, and streamline the whole process.

I'm going to bump it off of the other folks involved in organizing this and see what they think before I make any sort of public announcement.

Anyway you could do maybe a 1hr block of time to do a kind of "mini gunbroker" auction where you can view the guns available for the day at a location at the show, then at the end of the day a silent or blind auction. The guns owner can set a reserve or make it no reserve?

[DavidCBaker]

It would be nice if they were listed on a website in advance, too, so that people could bring money, do some research, etc.

[DaveTN]

What do you completely and utterly dislike about any of the current gun show circuits out there?.

Pricing.

As Joe pointed out the overhead is high. I buy a lot of guns but have never been able to buy any at the guns shows held around here. It appears to me that they just tack a premium onto the store price. I’m not saying that isn’t right… it's just that after they get charged a bunch for tables and have to transport firearms; it’s a real cost. I go there to check out guns I might want and then get in contact with my dealers.

Find a Pro-gunner that will donate a venue. Let member’s set-up tables for their guns and all their junk.

The problem is that buyers want good prices and the dealers need to make money. Figure a way to make that happen and you will be onto something.

I’m picturing something like a “Bud’s Guns†only instead of being on-line, we can walk in.

[Guest abailey362]

It would be nice if they were listed on a website in advance, too, so that people could bring money, do some research, etc.

this would also be my suggestion, kinda of like the car auctions list what should be in each lane as they get them registered in.

[andersmg]

Sounds like a great idea to me!

[Guest JHatmaker]

If I get farted on one more time at a gun show...

This sounds like it has a lot of potential to be something very cool and innovative.

[TGO David]

Pricing.

As Joe pointed out the overhead is high. I buy a lot of guns but have never been able to buy any at the guns shows held around here. It appears to me that they just tack a premium onto the store price. I’m not saying that isn’t right… it's just that after they get charged a bunch for tables and have to transport firearms; it’s a real cost. I go there to check out guns I might want and then get in contact with my dealers.

Ok... but why not just think about it from the angle of the gun show being a convenience to you, the consumer, rather than thinking about how the gun shops represented there aren't cutting you smoking deals across the entire spectrum of what they are selling?

Sure, you may find some tremendous bargains at a gun show, but you also may get to visit a representation of 100 different top notch gun shops and vendors sampled from a 300 mile radius under one roof. To me, that's worth the price of admission. It saves me from having to take a one-thousand mile, one week-long travel circuit and all of the expenses associated with that were I to drive my car and visit each of these shops or vendors at their home bases.

Find a Pro-gunner that will donate a venue. Let member’s set-up tables for their guns and all their junk.

If we could find a person who would donate a top-quality, comfortable, modern, air-conditioned venue centrally located to five major cities and metropolitan areas, and be content to lose money themselves while everyone else made money for a weekend... we'd be all over that.

Until that happens though, we have to operate within the realm of the realistic and accept that you can't put together an event like this without paying whomever owns the venue.

The problem is that buyers want good prices and the dealers need to make money. Figure a way to make that happen and you will be onto something.

The guy who comes up with an antidote for the "cheap consumer" is going to make a ton of money, provided people won't haggle him out of business once he starts selling it.

I’m picturing something like a “Bud’s Guns” only instead of being on-line, we can walk in.

Bud's has a retail location. You just have to spend your time to drive up to Kentucky and pay for the gas to get there and back. Maybe we can rent a TGO Tour Bus and make that trip some day.

[gregintenn]

An auction area would be a great idea.

[memphismason]

Maybe have scheduled seminars.

[BrandonTN]

Sounds like something great in the works! I agree about cramped spaces and large crowds...I eventually get pissed off from walking .0001 mph behind large groups of people and just leave.

It would be nice if people who were attending and had stuff to sell could pre-register online and list what they were going to have available. I think it would also be worth price of admission to see lots of items and options under 1 roof...service and selection sometimes are worth more than just the lowest price on a tag, IMO. Let me know if you need any help in Chattanooga...seems like a pretty centralized place being ~ 2 hours from Nashville, Atlanta, Knoxville, Huntsville and Birmingham.

[JeffsSig]

What do you completely and utterly dislike about any of the current gun show circuits out there?

Ok I am an older guy. BUT I do not like OLDER guns.

I am into anything NEW and the newer line of guns.

When I go to a show all I see is OLD stuff that has no interest to me.

Id love to see MORE of the newer guns that are on the current market.

Also AMMO. I am sure someone somehow can get ammo at a fair price and maybe make a limit so there is enough to go around?

I understand shows are to make money and to feed the instant gratification but some prices are just to high even if the supply is low and demand is high.