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If you can only make one gun show...

R

Regular_Joe

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Culpeper, Virginia, USA
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I'd like to coordinate a group trip to a gun show in the next several months, and there seems to be a 'gunshow-a-month' club here in the Commonwealth. For those of us who have never been to a gun show, which show(s) are best? Which show would you recommend for either the Northern Virgina or Richmond areas?
 
Tess

Tess

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I try to go to as many as I can, just because I want to show support and make certain they continue here in Virginia. I can't speak to the Hampton Roads or Roanoke areas.

For size, Richmond or Chantilly. Chantilly for the number of dealers and the dealer-junk ratio. Once you realize the front third is for war curios and the back two thirds is dealers and gear, you're good to go and can apportion your time well.

Richmond is slightly smaller, but still has a varied selection.

The others are significantly smaller. I noted at Harrisonburg there seemed to be the largest percentage of private sellers, and also a larger percentage of long guns.

Dale City often has only two dealers, one of whom (Dark Sun) I won't patronize again, but the other (Trader Jerrys) is one I really enjoy working with. Lots of military gear, jewelry, and other "stuff".

That help?
 
R

Regular_Joe

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Tess wrote:
I try to go to as many as I can, just because I want to show support and make certain they continue here in Virginia. I can't speak to the Hampton Roads or Roanoke areas.

For size, Richmond or Chantilly. Chantilly for the number of dealers and the dealer-junk ratio. Once you realize the front third is for war curios and the back two thirds is dealers and gear, you're good to go and can apportion your time well.

Richmond is slightly smaller, but still has a varied selection.

The others are significantly smaller. I noted at Harrisonburg there seemed to be the largest percentage of private sellers, and also a larger percentage of long guns.

Dale City often has only two dealers, one of whom (Dark Sun) I won't patronize again, but the other (Trader Jerrys) is one I really enjoy working with. Lots of military gear, jewelry, and other "stuff".

That help?
Click to expand...
Are all the Chantilly shows organized by the same group, or is each independent from the others? Just wondering if the vendors vary by event when at the same venue...
 
Tess

Tess

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At Chantilly, you can almost count on all the same vendors in all the same locations. Same with Dale City. The others I haven't been to enough I can say for sure. I think there are only two groups that put on gun shows in Virginia; used to be three but then two merged.
 
H

hunter45

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Myrtle Beach, SC
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I've been to Harrisonburg, Fredericksburg, and Chantilly. The Fredericksburg one was my favorite because it was half gun show and half hunting/fishing show.
 
Tess

Tess

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Fredericksburg sometimes does that -- not all the time. Once they had half camping/hunting and half gun show, but would not let you in the camping half with a gun, even unloaded and tied. Needless to say, I didn't go in -- and I let them know I was in the market for a camper, but they made no money on me.
 
R

rlh2005

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Jun 16, 2006
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Spotsylvania County, Virginia, USA
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Regular_Joe wrote:
Are all the Chantilly shows organized by the same group, or is each independent from the others? Just wondering if the vendors vary by event when at the same venue...
Click to expand...
Generally speaking, all shows at a particular venue are by the same company.

The shows in Hampton, Virginia Beach, Fredericksburg, and Doswell/Richmond-North (new state fair complex) are by Southeastern Guns & Knives.

The show at the Richmond International Raceway is by Showmasters Gun Shows.

The show at the Richmond Showplace is by C&E Gun Shows.

The Chantilly show is co-produced by C&E and Showmasters. The business addresses for both are in Blacksburg, VA so I suspect they may be more closely related, partners, or different sides of the same house.
 
R

rlh2005

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hunter45 wrote:
I've been to Harrisonburg, Fredericksburg, and Chantilly. The Fredericksburg one was my favorite because it was half gun show and half hunting/fishing show.
Click to expand...
The combo gun and outdoor show was only held once so far in Fredericksburg. They won't be an outdoor show in Fredericksburg in 2010 but are supposed to bring the combo show back in 2011. The first combo show was a extremely well attended and very busy all weekend. I suspect the 2010 was dropped because of problems getting vendors/exhibitors for the outdoor show side given the economy.
 
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