Gun Shows, I’m Always Tempted

Since you’re reading this blog I’m assuming that you have attended at least one gun show in your lifetime. Me, I get weekly emails of shows scheduled throughout the state I live in. Every weekend there are at least two shows within an hour’s drive time.

I know many folks my age (recently retired) that have given up on the gun shows due to varying reasons from too costly for admission (& parking), nothing but crap on display or too controversial these days to be in attendance.

Me, I can’t wait to attend. I mean who could resist looking at such a variety of long guns and handguns? I’m very, very much into lever guns and am always on the hunt for “that one”, you know – everybody has “that one” that they have been looking for over many years. For me that would be an affordable Marlin 45 Colt Cowboy (pre Remington).

That one rifle aside, I just love looking at what’s available on the market any given weekend. I do agree that there are more distracting items for sale these days than one may have experienced a decade ago like eye glass cleaning booths, cheese & cracker vendors, etc. There are also more knife vendors than gun sellers at some of the shows with many of these selling cheap, flea market knock offs.

But I digress. I like Knick knacks, anything to do with the loading/shooting sports. I’ve also found that I have a real affinity for leather items like ammo pouches, old cigar boxes, arrow heads, Silver Dollars, Brass, Powder, Lead, Copper Jacketed, Steel Shot, Primers, Plastic wads – and on & on.

To tell the truth I no longer really go to gun shows for guns. That may sound sacrilegious however I did say I was retired. I could explain another way by saying that there aren’t too many Marlins that I don’t own already. Yes one could always “need” another gun however I’m pretty satisfied with my collection other than that one elusive model I mentioned earlier.

Regarding the price of shows, it isn’t unusual to pay anywhere between $8 and $15 to gain admission here in Georgia, depending on location and size. It doesn’t matter the cost so much as the distance. There are at least four shows every weekend across the state but most are too far for me to travel to.

But enough of me, I’d like to know more from you on what you like to look for beyond the obvious guns at the shows. I can dig through bins of “stuff” on one table for half an hour. What drives you, what are you searching for when you attend a show?

Don’t hesitate to leave a comment – I’d really like to know just what you’re looking for!