Posted on 10/11/2010 5:42:21 AM PDT by marktwain
The place was loaded.
The Tanner Gun Show, the oldest and largest of its kind in the state, opened Saturday at the Colorado State Fairgrounds.
The Agricultural Palace was wall-to-wall with every weapon imaginable — handguns, rifles, military surplus, knives, ammunition — all which will be on display again today.
The Tanner Gun Show in Denver features 700 tables of weapons and normally draws about 7,500 people. In Pueblo, with 500 tables of weapons on display, show co-owner Jeff Brown said they expect to see a crowd of about 5,000 this weekend.
"We have everything from Civil War rifles to the latest in laser technology. There hasn't been a good gun show down here in about a decade" Brown said, who bought the show a couple years ago with his brother, Russ.
Judging by Saturday afternoon's crowd, the show seems to be well received.
"Pueblo's needed this forever," said Brad Emerson, co-owner of Pueblo's Arctic Shooting Supply, 411 W. Sixth St.
Emerson had one of the larger displays — about 350 guns, from long rifles and handguns to automatic military weapons and small, pink-handled revolvers fit for a woman's purse.
"The gun shows here in the past have been lousy. They'd sell jewelry, toys, makeup, stuff like that. I think Tanner's saw the need for it in Pueblo." Emerson said. "
The show is paradise for hunting enthusiasts and those with a craving for gun powder and firepower. There are rules and regulations that must be followed at the show, though.
All weapons at the show are not loaded, including personal guns brought in for sale or trade. Background checks also are done on everyone who buys at the show or who personally sells or trades a weapon (convicted felons, by law, are not allowed to possess firearms).
"People don't realize this, but three or four people get arrested (at a show) because they didn't know they had a warrant from way back. If they have a warrant we call the police," Brown said.
"Anyone who walks out of here today with a gun goes through state and federal background checks," Emerson said.
The show offers plenty of variety and deals, but handguns seem to be the hot item.
"We'll probably sell more handguns. We're 60 to 70 percent handguns," Emerson said.
Courses on how to obtain a concealed weapons permit also are offered at the show. It's a two-hour course which also requires training at a local shooting range, Brown said.
The number of concealed weapons permits skyrocketed last year in Pueblo County, which reflects a statewide trend.
Brown and Emerson both agreed that the permit increase is because of the political climate and economy.
"Some people say it's (President Barack) Obama and that hysteria after the election. Some people, it's the bad economy. People tend to think there's more crime in a bad economy. I think it's a mixture," Brown said.
While gun permits are up, gun and ammunition sales are back to normal.
After Obama was elected two years ago, gun advocates looked at his track record on guns and saw him as an immediate threat to the Second Amendment.
As a result, gun and ammo sales jumped up.
"Sales have come back down to what I call the 'pre-Obama years,' " Emerson said.
"Two years ago people were walking out of here with crates of ammo," Brown said. "You're seeing (the market) come back down to Earth."
ammoman always treated me right, seems low on inventory though.
I have spent several thousand dollars on factory ammo and decided it is time to start reloading. I bought an individuals collection of stuff last week now the learning curve starts.
A lot of dealers on the internet, here is a starter...
http://www.midwayusa.com/
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
and a very good general info site:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/index.php
ammunitiontogo.com is your friend. A little low on .45, with a very wide section for 9 and especially 5.56.....
OMG! All those guns, just sitting out on tables? How scary! Isn’t there a law against that?
Sportsman’s Guide and Cheaper Than Dirt both had some pretty good sales going on.
With Iraq winding down, and Afghanistan soon to follow, I predict a flood of surplus 5.56 on the market in 5 years.
Even scarier to “progressives” is the political organizing and the reinforcing of peoples determination to defend the Constitution.
That is the real reason “progressives” want to outlaw gun shows.
There isnt many good “deals” anymore at gun shows, the dealers have gotten greedy and pushed prices up, and people are not buying like they used to. It is much easier to buy off the internet. Even with shipping it costs less.
Most show prices I have seen lately are above retail price. People go to shows to buy cash and carry with no papers. When we have to jump through the gubmint hoops, then we dont go to the shows because we wont buy there anyway.
“There isn’t many good “deals” anymore at gun shows, the dealers have gotten greedy and pushed prices up, and people are not buying like they used to. It is much easier to buy off the internet. Even with shipping it costs less.
Most show prices I have seen lately are above retail price. People go to shows to buy cash and carry with no papers. When we have to jump through the gubmint hoops, then we don’t go to the shows because we wont buy there anyway.”
I agree. I’ve attended the Tanner gun show several times, both as a vendor and a buyer. The really good deals occur before the show opens to the public when the dealers buy/sell stuff amongst each other that they want to unload in a hurry at exceptionally good prices. These guys all know each other and cash and guns get swapped at speeds so fast you’d get whiplash from trying to follow them.
Almost everything offered to the public by the professional dealers is higher than online prices and often not as good of quality. I really don’t understand why these dealers drag so much heavy inventory to these shows, and then don’t really seem to want to sell it.
Sometimes you can snag some really good deals from the tables of private individuals. I’ve got a buddy that sells guns at Tanner for a number of widows and others who have gun collections they just want to quickly get rid of for various reasons, and he sells at rock bottom prices because he doesn’t want to haul the stuff home and the people he sells for are happy with anything they get. But, you better be prepared to be in the door on the first minute on the first day and find him and the other few good deals lurking about.
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