Portland Gun Show - R.I.P

[Hemlock]

Gun shows aren't like the old days. Low ceiling buildings all smoky. Old guys selling all types of hunting and target shooting firearms, ammo, reloading supplies and paraphernalia. The smell of gun cleaner and oil. No jerky, teddy bears or blinding flashlights. Even when I wasn't shopping for something I usually went. To support the shooting way of life. I figured the few buck I spent and another tally on the attendance total would help keep gun shows alive. It was like the wife shopping for shoes. Enjoy a lot of looking. You never know, you might find something you can't life without.
Hard to go now. Hard to justify the expense of parking just to look at new items I can get at Sportsman's or Keith's, or on line. Last month at Vancouver, I counted 5 different venders. Five! One big vender selling all new firearms, no trades ins. Talked with one single table vender and when I commented on attendance, his reply was he hadn't sold at Vancouver for a few years. He said, "What happed to all the people?" It was my last visit for Vancouver and probably Portland too.

 

[CamoDeafie]

I see many comments that indicate, with the possible exception of the Albany show, that most gun shows in the Northwest are not that great. This actually may present an opportunity for a group to bring back the gun shows of the past. Maybe the members of this site could form a 501c3 non-profit, call it the Northwest Firearms Collectors Association for the purpose of organizing a couple of big gun shows/meet-ups in the PNW every year. Take the profit motive out of the show and charge just enough to cover the venue and admin costs, make it free for members. The Oregon Knife Collectors does it every year, and people from all over the West attend that show in Eugene. Just a thought.....

Interesting idea...
I have often debated the idea of having a display set of my antique muzzleloaders and even giving a talk of the history behind them or the fur trade , etc...at a "modern gun show"...
What is a stopping point for me in this is the cost of the table rent....some places its $40 or more per table...
And if I ain't selling anything....I can't afford to give a display / talk...
Andy

Great idea!
How about if the stipulation was NO dealers ?

'Hobby' type dealers only, collectors, weekenders and small show types only.

Hey y'all. Here is the fly in the ointment for "small hobby club shows";

Somewhere in the ORS laws is the definition that a gun show is any event in which there are more than 25 firearms for sale, that is not a retail store

This is for Oregon. Because of that, if theres more than 25 guns for sale; then its a gun show and then the background checks and 4473 forms must be provided and used.

My opinion however is that for the shows, there ought to be a table or a bunch of them with phones ready to go for the OSP bg check and someone to record the 4473s or the bg check paperwork onsite.. thats the primary reason that the majority of vendors selling guns are FFLs.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

I used to go to the gun shows in Centralia/Chehalis at the fairgrounds quite often.
After a while it became obvious that the same people were always selling the same overpriced
merchandise and not willing to negotiate.
Our last purchase at the gun show was an unused set of Gerber carving knives at a fairly good price
complete with box. Hey, he said it was unused.......would he lie?
My LGS beat the gun show prices quite regularly.

 

[wired]

I used to go to the gun shows in Centralia/Chehalis at the fairgrounds quite often.
After a while it became obvious that the same people were always selling the same overpriced
merchandise and not willing to negotiate.
Our last purchase at the gun show was an unused set of Gerber carving knives at a fairly good price
complete with box. Hey, he said it was unused.......would he lie?
My LGS beat the gun show prices quite regularly.

Does your LGS have alligator jerky?

 

[littleliver]

I to used to go to the Chehalis gun show. There hasn't been a reason to go in a long time because of high prices and sameO sameO. Tried selling a pistol on here and was enticed to travel to Chehalis for the sale and I agreed. But when I came he wanted me to go to the gun show for the sale. Didn't want to go to the show but would do it at a local Gun shop, seems not good enough for him and I never heard back. Just another gun show vendor looking for a sap.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The only way to beat the non gun show loophole is to give every member a background check before they become a member.
Sorry to see the WAC charging $15 a head for non members now. The 3 bucks 10 years ago was worth it.

 

[Pete F]

Are the gun shows in Puyallup still going on. My Dad would take me to them when I used to live in Kitsap County. You could get everything you needed to put together an AR pre-1986. Ammo was cheap, old guns were plentiful. My Dad stopped going, in the late 1990's but I am not sure why. It took several hours just looking around. I think that he took me to haul his finds back to the truck parked 1/4 mile away in the parking lot.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I know Portland gun show is kinda dead nowadays, does anyone recommend gun shows that are worth checking out around Northwest?

 

[Funkmaster Phat]

I know Portland gun show is kinda dead nowadays, does anyone recommend gun shows that are worth checking out around Northwest?

the Albany pistol and rifle club puts on a show twice a year in Albany. Free parking and only $5 entry fee. The first one of 2020 isMarch 7-8.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

do you happen to know if they have other stuff such as collector or vintage items as well? googled for picture of the show, I assume size is about same as Portland?

 

[CamoDeafie]

do you happen to know if they have other stuff such as collector or vintage items as well? googled for picture of the show, I assume size is about same as Portland?

Its quite a bit larger than the Expo Collectors West show that I went to. More guns, less crap there are indeed some collector guns and gear, a few vendors have surplus store gear, some have books, cartridges, vintage hunting/camping/trapping/fishing equipment... but for the most part, its guns guns guns

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

cool, will talk to co-worker tomorrow to plan the trip

thanks!

 

[CLT65]

Depending on what you like, the club shows are the best. Albany, Rickreall, Roseburg, and the WVAC show in Eugene are all more like the old time gun shows from way back. Lots of old-timers with all their cool old stuff, collectible firearms, the occasional good deal to be had.

 

[Xrperry]

Spokane gun shows are a waste of time, to me at least.if I am looking to buy, I go to the pawn one pawn shops in Spokane, post falls and Coeur d alene.it don't cost 8 bucks to get in, can go 7 days a week, and the guns are cheaper.

 

[Funkmaster Phat]

do you happen to know if they have other stuff such as collector or vintage items as well? googled for picture of the show, I assume size is about same as Portland?

Yes. There is stuff there for everyone. It is my favorite show of the year. Now, I only go to the APRC shows down there and not the collectors west show.

 

[ar addict]

I attended the Portland show from 1987 to 1994 as a vendor. I had FFL 01 dealer 02 pawnbroker 06 manufacture.
Became friends with the old timers, who talked about the good ol days. They were grumpy, opinionated, and very
knowledgeable. They taught me a lot, I miss them a lot.
The Portland show was for three days every three months. It was a event, the place to be. There was a waiting list
to get a table. The show sometimes flowed over into the small building its held in now.
We would get there early on Friday, get set up and go look for under priced items and items customers at home
wanted. We would help the old guys set up, catch up with what had happened the last three months. This included
who had passed and who got their collection. A lot of the guns, parts and related came from the old guys estate.
If it was a large collection and the family didn't want it, two or three of us would go together and buy it. Those items
are now sold online, ending the gun show supply.
WW2 vets were now in their 60's and 70's and started selling some stuff off. It would take a few hours of war stories
to buy some of the items. was much different than the history class. The ones I knew are all gone now taking their
stories with them.
Now the Korean war vets are almost all gone, along with a lot of the Vietnam Vets, the old farmers, the gunsmiths,
and the old time gun shop owners and collectors.
Yes The Portland gun show is dying, for a lot of reasons. The ones mentioned above I will miss.

 

[Flymph]

do you happen to know if they have other stuff such as collector or vintage items as well? googled for picture of the show, I assume size is about same as Portland?

You'd enjoy the Oregon Arms Collector Show, should be in August per usual. Although I will admit, most of these guys are just showing off and the prices there speak for that, could also be the SO wants to see some effort towards selling as well.

 

[Xrperry]

The Spokane shows used to be packed, it would take a half day to go thru it, between looking at guns and talking to people. More than a few times i sold my guns standing in line waiting to get in yea i miss those days

 

[fmann]

The internet and the vast resources at hand (including this forum!) have supplanted the gun show. Similar to how brick and mortar stores needed to reinvent themselves, gun shows need to do the same to stay relevant.

Financially, there is no reason to visit a gun show when ammo, firearms, accessories, etc. are cheaper online. Excellent YouTube reviews help me initially screen what guns are duds or which ones to consider. Even the sense of community has migrated online.

 

[deadeye]

cool, will talk to co-worker tomorrow to plan the trip

thanks!

The East Albany Lions show (usually in Jan.) as well as the Rifle Pistol Club, both are better than the average. Have not been to a Rickreall show in a while but sounds like it is still OK. Just check the Albany Expo calendar or watch for them here.

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