NRA Convention: worth the trouble?

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Elkins45

Elkins45

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The NRA Convention is in Indy this weekend. It’s about a three hour drive for me, plus the cost and hassle of parking. My major interest in going would be to walk through to exhibit hall and see what the exhibitors and vendors are pitching. Based on past experience is it worth the cost and effort to attend?
 
That's kind of hard to answer, for me no. A 1 hour drive yes. If you've never been and have the time to spare the 6 hours of driving and a full day at the convention do it.
That said go prepared or you'll waste your time, it's huge. You need to be very organized about checking off you lists of interests, reviewing the exhibitor lists and studying the hall map and prioritize. It's just entirely too big not to go without a plan of attack, especially for the time you're dedicating to the drive. Even if you attended for 2 days you may not cover everything if your interests are wide ranging. I have been to 2 in Houston and spent a good part of a day there visiting a fairly limited number of booths. If you decide to do it I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
 
For a 3 hour drive, sure.

I'll be there with Knife Rights trying to get people to support our efforts to fight restrictive knife laws.
 
I'd say it is.

When it was in Dallas, I stubbed my little toe against a bookcase the morning of the convention. Sprained it badly (maybe broke it, I don't know) and peeled a good bit of skin off it. I went ahead and put my sock and shoe on and left the house. After I got to the convention, I was on my feet for maybe 8 hours or so going through the exhibit area--I never got a chance to sit down.

Talked to Jerry Miculek, Kim Rhode, Dr. Ken Oehler, Craig Boddington, Lynn Thompson, Randi Rogers and others. Saw Max Michel Jr., Lena Miculek, Steve Hornady, Buck Taylor, Hickok45 & son, a number of NRA staff and others. I was allowed to hold and dryfire a Korth revolver. I had the opportunity to try out the MantisX training system. Saw a LOT of neat stuff and talked to a lot of regular folks who were working the exhibits or who were there to see the show like I was. Got some free samples & SWAG and even bought a few things.

When I got home, I had to soak my sock to take it off because the blood had soaked it, dried and stuck it to my toe and foot. It was well worth it!
 
I went to one the first time last year in Dallas. Well worth it. I really wish I had gone for two days as there were things I missed.

Take a cart of some kind to hold all the swag and catalogs you can get.

My buddy and I really debated about going to Indy this year. We decided to wait till it's a bit closer.
 
The last convention I went to was the 2012 convention in St Louis, we'd gone to one previous IIRC.
My sister, my only living blood relative, lives in St Louis and we made it a combined visit.
We also went with friends and had a blast eating out & sightseeing (the arch, the Anheuser Busch brewery etc...)
It was also very helpful as I was shopping for a rifle for an Africa hunting trip and I wanted to see the Blaser products.
I was able to see the entire Blaser line (good luck finding them at your local gun shop) and talk to the factory reps.
That trip was absolutely worth it for us and we had lots of fun looking at all the hunting and shooting stuff you never get the chance to see otherwise.
I wound up buying a Blaser based on what we saw at the show and had a successful hunting trip.
It helps if your wife is a shooter; she had fun too.

I'd go to the conventions if they're convenient to get to and/or if I'm on some kind of mission like I was in 2012.
 
Texas10mm said:
Take a cart of some kind to hold all the swag and catalogs you can get.
Click to expand...

Don't be that guy hauling a cart around in a crowded hall and getting in everyone's way. Also, they're very picky about carts on escalators and you'll get run off to the over crowded elevators. If it won't fit in a pack you pretty much certainly don't need it. You'll just throw all the paper away anyway once you get home and realize it is all on their website.

I've done multiple SHOT, NRA, Blade, etc. and it's the same story.
 
I don't remember the year but it was the show in Nashville, TN. There were so many people that you were shoulder to shoulder and right on the heels of the person in front of you. You had to move with the flow, if you tried to stop the person behind you ran into you. Some displays people were crowded around so much that you couldn't even get close. It was only about a 45 minute drive for me and parking was convenient but the crowd inside was ridiculous. I saw some interesting products but I won't go to another NRA convention because of the crowd. I like people but not when we are packed in like sardines.
 
I went one day just to see the exhibits when the show was in Atlanta. It was only about a 1 hour drive for me. But after going once I'd do it again even if it were 3 hours. If I had to travel and stay the night, maybe not. But if I could make a day of it I'd do it.
 
I attended the NRA convention in Atlanta in the 1970s.
Fun to see Elmer Keith talking to all comers, Charles Askins strutting around with his Handgunner of the Year trophy in the crook of his arm and a glass of amber fluid in the other hand. Most of the other gunzine writers were caucusing among themselves.

Again in Nashville, not as crowded as George recalls. The H&K rep was not receptive to my comment that his gun worked backwards.
 
George Dickel said:
I don't remember the year but it was the show in Nashville, TN. There were so many people that you were shoulder to shoulder and right on the heels of the person in front of you. You had to move with the flow, if you tried to stop the person behind you ran into you. Some displays people were crowded around so much that you couldn't even get close. It was only about a 45 minute drive for me and parking was convenient but the crowd inside was ridiculous. I saw some interesting products but I won't go to another NRA convention because of the crowd. I like people but not when we are packed in like sardines.
Click to expand...
Maybe if I go on Friday it won’t be as bad as the weekend days?
 
I went to the one in Nashville and really enjoyed it. As mentioned get a map layout and go to the exhibits that interest you, a lot of the booths had no interest to me. I got to talk to Les Baer and Jim Scoutten as they where leaving on their way to go to lunch. Les was very nice and thanked me several times for owning a couple of his pistols.
I also came away with a bag of swag, catalogs, stickers, a couple of hats, candy, and a couple hundred Extreme plated bullets. At the Extreme booth the first thing in the morning they had a couple of young girls giving out free sample of bullets. If you ask for a sample of a bullet they would throw 75-100 in a bag and give them to you. After a few trips by the booth there was some guys working there and they they cut it down to 10-15 per sample.
They had samples of all kinds of firearms that you could handle and dry fire.
 
I went to the Houston convention and tried but was not able to attend the Dallas convention.

The Houston show was great! I went with some buddies and we cleaned up on the freebies. This was the year that Magpul was doing the banned in colorado campaign. Saw the pre-production boberg, the three-barrelled chiapa shotgun, and tons of other stuff. It was well worth the time and trouble.

If you can go, you absolutely should. You’ll regret it if you miss.
 
I went to the convention years ago in Charlotte that was about the same distance for me at the time. I enjoyed it, and would do it again, especially if I didn't have anything better to do.
 
2003 convention in Orlando FL was a great time. I really enjoyed the displays but did not attend any of the programs. Oh, and there were about a dozen Million Mom protesters there too.
 
Like BigSteve 57, I went to the 2012 convention in St. Louis as I could ride public transportation and not worry about parking. I also went to the one there in 2007 via the same route. I heartily recommend going if you are a member and can afford a hotel stay for a couple of days.
 
Shimitup said:
That's kind of hard to answer, for me no. A 1 hour drive yes. If you've never been and have the time to spare the 6 hours of driving and a full day at the convention do it.
That said go prepared or you'll waste your time, it's huge. You need to be very organized about checking off you lists of interests, reviewing the exhibitor lists and studying the hall map and prioritize. It's just entirely too big not to go without a plan of attack, especially for the time you're dedicating to the drive. Even if you attended for 2 days you may not cover everything if your interests are wide ranging. I have been to 2 in Houston and spent a good part of a day there visiting a fairly limited number of booths. If you decide to do it I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Click to expand...

they have a free app that will help with organization.
 
Elkins45 said:
The NRA Convention is in Indy this weekend. It’s about a three hour drive for me, plus the cost and hassle of parking. My major interest in going would be to walk through to exhibit hall and see what the exhibitors and vendors are pitching. Based on past experience is it worth the cost and effort to attend?
Click to expand...

Yes. We are having to travel farther and we are also paying for room and parking. We are also paying to attend several sessions and events. President Trump and Vice President Pence will both be speaking and there is a laundry list of others including two Medal of Honor winners and some of the most famous You Tubers and competition winners. There are many free education seminars as well.

For me however, the Annual Meeting is the most important reason to be there. That is where we get the chance to interact and ask questions of the Board and the paid leadership. Remember it was at an annual meeting where the NRA turned from a Fudd organization into a pro gun organization.
 
If I could get there with a sane drive (under 8hrs) I think I would go.

Its like bad karma for me, every time I moved it was at my last location for years on end. Now, I'm stuck in md and I don't think its been close since I got here.
 
SWMBO and I went to the Houston convention a few years ago. The 1 hour drive and parking was not pleasant, but the exhibition was pretty cool. Didn't meet any personalities nor obtained any SWAG. o_O Maybe I didn't know where to look for it.
I wouldn't undergo a 6 hour drive to go to another one unless I stayed the night. It's just too YUGE!
 
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