What product is missing from gun shows?

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swingset

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I was walking around the last show I attended, and wondering what would be a good thing to market and sell to gun owners. Couldn't come up with anything really so I'm laying it out there for the peanut gallery. What would you like to see sold at a gun show that you haven't seen before, or haven't seen enough of?

Plz don't say cheaper guns or jerky...I've done thought of that. :neener:
 
It occurs to me that everybody at the gun show DROVE there but nothing on the tables is car or truck related. I'm not talking about turning it into a car show, just some gun stuff that is vehicle related. Maybe a gold plated rifle rack or something like that?

But if you want to really clean up you need to market. I went to a show where a young lady was selling nylon holsters and other "tactical" stuff. It would be less than fair to merely call her attractive. ;) You should have seen the guys lines up to buy stuff. She could have sold ice to Eskimos.
 
Wouldn't mind seeing more local classes and shooting event info.


Heck, a small THR booth might be a neat idea......you wouldn't even need anybody to man it; just a banner and some fliers to promote the website. :)
 
Decent prices on food and drink. Clean restrooms. More gun stuff, less grills, bowling balls, vacum cleaners, beenie babies, beef jerky, laser pointers, baseball cards, ect. You know, make it look like a gunshow instead of a flea market.

But if you want to really clean up you need to market. I went to a show where a young lady was selling nylon holsters and other "tactical" stuff. It would be less than fair to merely call her attractive. You should have seen the guys lines up to buy stuff. She could have sold ice to Eskimos.
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You know, I think I got a holster from her here in Asheville... Its just an elchepo (Ace?) that I mounted to the bottom of my bed though.
 
Here's a novel idea...

At gun shows, just for a wild, crazy change, I'd like to see real, actual GUNS sold for real, actual GUN PRICES.....

Nah....never happen........

That's why I quit going to gun shows about a year ago.

hillbilly
 
In Virginia, we have a decent selection of guns at decent prices (slightly better than gunshop prices in most cases). What I'd like to see more of is parts, accessories (quality accessories, not junk), and gun related books. I'd also like more reloading gear and supplies.

Chris
 
Targets.

I used to buy targets at a good price per hundred at gun shows around here in VA from a dealer who specialized only in targets. But that one dealer doesn't show up any longer.

A good selection on good target paper might go over. On the other hand, it might not be cost effective which is why the dealer stopped selling them.

Sure I can print any number of targets from websites on printer paper, but they aren't the same because the paper tears instead of making nice neat holes. The paper's the thing that makes for good target quality. And if you could come up with indicator targets similar to the Shoot-N-See targets at a price that isn't exhorbitant like those are, you would have a winner.
 
It's funny how I always read people complaining about too many non-gun items at shows. It's exactly the opposite around here - there's very little besides guns and accessories, ammo, knives and militaria. But there are a few items I don't see.

How about those little quick-open handgun safes? Lots of people know they exist, but never get around to buying one, and lots of newbies probably don't know they exist.

I'd like to see more military surplus stuff.

Tracers might sell if you could sell them cheap enough.

37mm stuff - again, lots of people don't even know these exist.

Maybe spudgun kits for those too lazy to pick out the pieces at Home Depot?

High quality flashlights would be another thing. I see plenty of little keychain lights, but very few bigger ones.

Leathermen type tools. There's lots of other knives, but few tools.

Camping and hunting stuff would make sense - but then you can get that stuff cheap enough in stores that it might not sell.
 
Targets

Mal,

Why not try a different paper when you print targets? A heavier, card stock style paper might work better.

Chris
 
Winchester Super-X and Remington green box handgun ammunition.

All I ever see for sale is imported trash, milsurp, practice/range ammo, and premium go-fast big-buck hollowpoint carry ammo.

Want a box of good .380 ACP FMJ? Forget it.

Want a box of good .38 Special +P 158 gr SWCHP? Forget it. :cuss:
 
A large part of the problem with my gun shows is that they are in Arkansas.

And the typical game at Arkansas gun shows is stick suckers with obscene prices for guns.

hillbilly
 
1. More MilSurp ammo
2. Accessories, such as folding stocks, flash suppressors, etc.
3. QUALITY scopes at at less that gun shop prices. Hensoldt, Schmidt & Bender, kahles, etc
4. Decent food, even if the price is too high
5. Reloading compoments by the case, i.e. primers in 5,000 lots, powder in cases, bullets by the thousand or more at reasonable prices.
6 Bullet casting equipment, especially moulds and sizing dies
7. Toning metal, for bringing soft lead and wheelweights up to linotype specs.

And last, but certtainly not least: MORE COLLECTORS, SHOOTERS, AND EVERYDAY FOLK BEHIND THE TABLES, AND LESS STOCKING FFL DEALERS!!!!
 
I'd like to see the "Dollar Store" concept taken to the shows (i.e., someone offering a bunch of milsurp rifles and pistols, all for $100 or less, out the door). And they could throw in a box of ammo as well. That way I could nearly always afford a gun AND a $6.00 brat.
 
Chris - My suggestion was actually more for swingset who's looking for suggestions on a business to get into as opposed to my own target problems.

As for printing my own targets, I probably could find similar papers to those used by NRA, Hoppe's, etc. But, I'm not convinced that I could print them cheaper than someone who prints them in massive quantities on an offset, or similar, press. With the cost of paper in small quantities and the outrageous cost of printer ink or toner. It would take a lot of ink to print a quantity of large targets. Another drawback is size, I couldn't print anything larger than 8 1/2 x 11; nothing in 11 x 14 or larger sizes.
 
make it look like a gunshow instead of a flea market
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I second this!

Although, we do have two other promoters running shows around here. One is usually a collectors type show. Not really anything to buy, but it's neat to see all the Lugers, Walthers, WWI machine guns, whatever.
The other show is usually pretty good, mostly guns and reloading gear. Prices aren't any better than the stores, and often times higher. I generally only go so I can save shipping costs on bulk bullets. Then again, with a cover charge of 7-10 bucks now...even that isn't a viable reason anymore. :)

Then our other show is the full on flea market type. There was one show that was just horrible. There were like....maybe 5 tables with gun stuff. The rest was sunglasses and beef jerky and old books and fishing gear, etc.

I used to always keep an eye on the show schedule, and loved making a day out of it. Now, if I happen to stumble across one, I generally pass it by....
 
I 2nd that JoeHatley-What they really need at gun shows is less crap

Up here in VA I think it's the S&K company that puts on the gun shows. I went to one last fall and I was sorely dissappointed. I went looking for new or at least pre-owned later model pistols, all i found were old Hi-Points and a bunch of other crappy pistols. Very little stuff i was actually looking for. I did see a Sig P229ST that i was somewhat interested in but of course the guy wanted something rediculous for this "new"pistol that was covered in fouling. Other than that it was just garage sale and flea market junk. They should have called it a "Military Memorabilia/Overpriced Crap Sale" as to not mislead anyone, but i guess that wouldn't have created much interest. As a matter of fact, they are getting geared up for a gun-show this weekend, as far as im concerned, they can take their $7 tickets and eat them ;)
 
Cloth shoulder carry bags--selling in the under 5 buck range, to carry the goodies around that you buy in a comfortable manner.
 
What's missing from gun shows???!!! Imported rifles...foreign made HKs, FALs, Galils, Uzis, you name it, name your gun.

Thanks to our "betters" in DC :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf:
 
Guns are missing. We need the BATF to lighten up on rules for dealers so that people can sell guns part time.

I'm sick of junk shows. I went to the show in San Francisco this past Saturday. Junk. Beef jerky. P-nuts. T-shirts. Coins. Toys. Junk Conan swords. Bumper stickers. Wood working tools.

There were guns, of course. But prolly less than half the tables had firearms or firearms related merch. Sickening. And a waste of time.
 
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