Future of the Portland (or any) gunshows?

[spengo]

Yea, Last time I went I seen a lot of these.. UTG's

UTG Quad Rails


They are made in china but when you get them they said made in USA on them hahaha.

Yeah I don't think I saw any daniel defense rails in the whole show. I saw some superior weapons systems rails but they were not for sale... they were on the AAC guy's noveskes to demo his suppressors. Now THOSE were some sexy rifles.

 

[freeagent]

Yea, Last time I went I seen a lot of these.. UTG's

UTG Quad Rails


They are made in china but when you get them they said made in USA on them hahaha.

I went to my last show at the Expo Center last year, and by "last show", I mean the last one I'll ever attend at that venue.

I had delivered a motorcycle to a buddy in Portland and still had my 8' moto trailer behind my truck when I pulled in to the parking area. The woman in the booth insisted I pay for two spaces. When I protested (and not all that loudly, either), she called on of PDX's finest over to "explain" the policy and threaten me with a disorderly if I didn't see it their way. I finally gave in and paid double because I was meeting a vendor to pick up some parts he had special ordered for me.

Oh, the parking lot was about 10% full.
Never again. The Expo Center needs to be crossed off the show li st and be replaced by a more customer friendly location.

 

[spengo]

I went to my last show at the Expo Center last year, and by "last show", I mean the last one I'll ever attend at that venue.

I had delivered a motorcycle to a buddy in Portland and still had my 8' moto trailer behind my truck when I pulled in to the parking area. The woman in the booth insisted I pay for two spaces. When I protested (and not all that loudly, either), she called on of PDX's finest over to "explain" the policy and threaten me with a disorderly if I didn't see it their way. I finally gave in and paid double because I was meeting a vendor to pick up some parts he had special ordered for me.

Oh, the parking lot was about 10% full.

Never again. The Expo Center needs to be crossed off the show li st and be replaced by a more customer friendly location.

Sometimes what I like to do is park at the tri-met park & ride that is one stop away from the expo center. Parking there is free. It is a short walk or you can pay the couple bucks for a ride on the max.

 

[carbuncle]

I like to go to the Monroe WAC show about every other month, I usually pick up some cheap ammo and get a chuckle at overpriced guns people are trying to sell. I do plan to join the WAC, though, just in case I see something at one that I don't want to pass up.

 

[drew]

Sometimes what I like to do is park at the tri-met park & ride that is one stop away from the expo center. Parking there is free. It is a short walk or you can pay the couple bucks for a ride on the max.

I've done the same. If there was a group of us we'd carpool also. If you have 3 people the parking drops to $2.33 per person which isn't too bad.

 

[Contract_Pilot]

I've done the same. If there was a group of us we'd carpool also. If you have 3 people the parking drops to $2.33 per person which isn't too bad.

I bet all it would take to get it the rates reduced is to boycott the shows 1 maybe 2 times with no people parking and no dealers renting a space well they may have to either close or change the costs. But they would surely get the point customers are not happy having to pay insane amount for parking and admission.

And for vendors??? Wow...
8' tables $75 each, wall tables $80 each I am guessing per day?
Electrical power drop is $65.00 (must be arranged in advance) I am guessing per day also?

But they may be like the government or utilities company's and think "well we are loosing money from lack of sales lets raise the prices" hahahaha that dont go over really well in a shaky economy.

but maybe the anti gun nazi's have planned this to make it is so cost prohibitive to stop or slow down the gun shows?

Maybe someone needs to make a better or cheaper mousetrap? I am sure there must be a cheaper place to hold a gun show in the Portland area? I see a lot of empty building's for lease all over portland.

 

[littlegsxr]

I quit going because of the crap that was being sold... Tables of junk, non-gun related and not even cool. I don't yard sale, so I am not going to pay to go.
Not too mention the exaggerated prices, if I sold my stuff at their prices I would be rich. ie Why buy a mag for $25-30 when I can order two magpuls for that? I understand covering cost, and buying local, but the gun shows have been a joke. I will pay extra to see something in person vs internet sales but c'mon...

 

[jvbutter]

Lets add the fact that I take people to the gun show who are semi into guns, or those who will shoot with me once in a while... I flip the cost and so its $40 to get us in, park and admin.... add the $3 water on top of it... yea its getting to pricey... that Albany and Wa show is looking good to me... make it cheap, vendors will come and so will the public

 

[captqc]

I have to agree that the Expo Center is way over priced on parking and admission (even with the Bi-Mart discount). Also I hate paying that much to get parked and in the door to see all of the non-gun crap table after table. The last show I went to was on a Friday afternoon and a bunch of the vendors weren't even there. I was able to get a good price on a GSG .22lr 1911 and some PMags for $12. Seems to me that this show could be held at some of the hotels that have convention facilities like the aiport Holiday Inn for a lot less money.

 

[elsullo]

Yes, it is expensive for vendors. That $75 table fee is per weekend, BUT vendors have to pay for PARKING TOO!

I have many times been amazed at the traffic jam on I-5 Northbound at the Expo Center exit, with cars backed up a quarter mile on I-5 waiting to exit. Making that left turn from the non-signaled exit ramp takes forever and is quite dangerous as is. Then, when you get to the Expo Center, you see three or four Portland Police cruisers parked at the back of the lot, the officers just chatting and soaking up the overtime pay instead of directing traffic as they should have. I once called Police Dispatch to protest this and was told that it was none of my business how the coppers spent their time.

My biggest annoyance is how the Expo Center staff police parking even OFF the county property. I once parked my motorcycle across Marine Drive on a gravel hillock at the concrete mixing property. No road or walk was blocked and I was well off Marine Drive, but the fact that I evaded Expo parking fees annoyed them so much that they had my cycle TOWED! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. I eagerly await anyone's success at moving the gunshows away from the Expo Center............................elsullo

 

[keystir]

Yes, it is expensive for vendors. That $75 table fee is per weekend, BUT vendors have to pay for PARKING TOO!

My biggest annoyance is how the Expo Center staff police parking even OFF the county property. I once parked my motorcycle across Marine Drive on a gravel hillock at the concrete mixing property. No road or walk was blocked and I was well off Marine Drive, but the fact that I evaded Expo parking fees annoyed them so much that they had my cycle TOWED! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. I eagerly await anyone's success at moving the gunshows away from the Expo Center............................elsullo

I've never paid for parking, I just get to take a 15 minute stroll to get there but to me it's well worth it.

 

[keystir]

My how times have changed. Just a couple of years ago people were standing in line to get into the Portland Gun Show.

It's amazing what the power of a little misinformation and paranoia can accomplish.

 

[jvbutter]

Yes, it is expensive for vendors. That $75 table fee is per weekend, BUT vendors have to pay for PARKING TOO!:

yup i saw that the other weekend when we left out the back way... I figured they would get aleast one car / truck pass...

 

[sheepman]

"If I were to guess I would say that gunshows will get smaller, but never go away all together. Making it a law to run all gunshow transactions through an FFL has put a damper on things. Too bad, makes it a pain..."

Is it Oregon State law or just Portland? Washington has not done this yet, but we keep hearing about closing the gunshow lope hole.

 

[jvbutter]

Is it Oregon State law or just Portland? Washington has not done this yet, but we keep hearing about closing the gunshow lope hole.

How about FEDERAL... have you heard of Brady Bill???

 

[sheepman]

Maybe I misread something, I though that (from the posts above) that all gun sales were being required to go though an FFL in the Portland gunshow including sales between privet parties, is that the case? If so is it Oregon State law or just local ? Federal law still allows sales between Privet parties with out an FFl if both are residents of the same state. So far in the gunshows (in Washington) we can buy from privet parties with tables with out going though an FFL. The gunshows in Vegas required all gun sales to be handled by an FFL, even between privet parties. Please excuse my ignorance, I am old and slow and have forgotten most of what I never learned in the first place.

 

[elsullo]

Oregon law is quirky. Private sales between Oregon residents without any background check or receipt are perfectly legal, except when 25 or more guns are present---a gunshow or gun shop. However, the use of a FFL is not required at a gunshow, unless it is an inter-state sale; still optional for a fee. Private parties from Oregon CAN sell to each other at a gunshow as long as an Oregon State telephone background check is done successfully to certify that the buyer, seller, and gun are all legal. This background check is most easily done using the "Blue Form" which is available free from the State or from the gunshow office. It costs ten dollars on a credit card; the buyer's ID is recorded and confirmed (no fingerprints are required for private sales), and a confirmation number is given by the State; the seller must keep the form for a decade or so, I forget. It is not required that the buyer gets any receipt; that's optional too. There are always plenty of non-FFL vendors selling guns a an Oregon gunshow, doing their own background checks...............................elsullo

 

[sheepman]

Thank you elsullo, that was very enlightening, I am sure that Washing will not be far behind.

 

[Skybill]

"...BUT vendors have to pay for PARKING TOO!..."

Yep. And there is no discount for vendors.

One of my other hobbies is pen making and I have a booth at the Expo Christmas Bazaar. It costs me $42 for parking for the show.

 

[vico512]

I like to go to the Monroe WAC show about every other month, I usually pick up some cheap ammo and get a chuckle at overpriced guns people are trying to sell. I do plan to join the WAC, though, just in case I see something at one that I don't want to pass up.

It sounds like our friends down south are having more difficulties than up here. I also attend the WAC shows, both in Monroe & Puyallup. Free parking, and low admission (free, if you're a WAC member). While some tables are priced too high, many are not, and there are great deals on ammo & components. The fact that you're required to go through the full FBI check prior to becoming a member also cuts down on the loonies -- one cannot buy a firearm at the show unless they are a member.

The only LEOs you typically see are those shopping in the show.