Shot Show a Gun Free Zone?

[HB of CJ]

Removed firing pins? Try THAT with an AR15. Now I can understand grinding off the tips. Not removing the entire pin. Silly.

A chamber flag is a good idea. Also perhaps a sealed and numbered "honor tie" locking the weapon either open or closed.

Added note: Do not ask some old coot what happens when a build gets assembled with no firing pin. Yikes! Embarrassing!

 

[Outrider]

Removed firing pins? Try THAT with an AR15. Now I can understand grinding off the tips. Not removing the entire pin.

Grinding off the tip / removing the tip is probably what the NSSF meant when it claimed the firing pins had been removed. However it is stated, the basic point is clear. The firearms on display have been altered so an attendee cannot simply add ammo and use a display gun on the crowd.

 

[ParkerBoy]

Personally, I would NEVER carry at a gun show, for the same reason I keep my wallet and car keys in a zippered pocket, the gun shows are almost always crowded and could be a pickpocket's bonanza. Just like the crowds on Bourbon St. during Mardi Gras.

As far as the gun show carry rules here in Minnesota, depending on the local laws where the show is located, all that is usually required is the gun must be UNLOADED. You will be asked at the door if you are carrying and to demonstrate that your firearm is unloaded. Some shows will give you a cable tie to use while at the show. I KNOW for a fact, that many of the dealers in the gun show are armed. There are almost always uniformed officers at the local shows that I attend and they are always armed. I certainly don't feel vulnerable at a show, when I'm not carrying!

Years ago, a former police Chief of St. Paul was a regular at the MWCA shows. St.Paul wasn't known as a "gun friendly" city, but the Chief was an avid gun guy.

 

[Koda]

I certainly don't feel vulnerable at a show, when I'm not carrying!

what are the odds anyone leaving the show has a new gun in their shopping bag while they walk to their car?

Oldest trick in the book.

 

[mignuc]

It's been that way since the first time I went there, about 12 years ago. But I took the attitude that if they didn't know I had one, there wasn't anything they could do about it. Of course, I carry mine deeply enough carried that no normal person would know it was there. I'm sure there are a lot of them, but no one knows about them.

 

[ParkerBoy]

Well, judging from previous gun show posts on this site, not too many of these guys think a gun show is a very good place to buy a gun. So the odds there is a gun in that shopping bag seem to be pretty small.

 

[Koda]

Well, judging from previous gun show posts on this site, not too many of these guys think a gun show is a very good place to buy a gun. So the odds there is a gun in that shopping bag seem to be pretty small.

what a few savvy smart people on any gun forum think about the deals at gun shows is not the point. Thousands of guns are sold each year at gun shows.

If you don't feel vulnerable at gun shows you haven't learned what "gun free" zones really mean...

 

[ParkerBoy]

Hardly a "gun free" zone, when the dealers are armed.

I DO NOT open carry, even though it is legal in Minnesota. I would never admit to CC, if I were to do so. No further explaination will be given.

 

[Koda]

well any place that prohibits 'me' (or 'you') from carrying is a gun free zone. I don't care who else is allowed they aren't there to protect me. I don't know if the dealers are allowed here in Oregon, it would make sense that they would be allowed... I hope. I doubt anyone inside the show would get very far if they wanted to harm anyone but that parking lot is wide open and the Portland show is a pretty large parking lot. Last time I bought something (I got a good deal btw...) at a show I felt pretty vulnerable as I walked to the car, changed my mind about the whole idea of it all.

 

[aikikenjitsu]

An oddity or hypocrisy?

A reliable acquaintance of mine recently returned from the Shot Show and told me that CHL holders we not allow to "carry" in the Shot Show...

I'm all for individual liberty, but find it remarkable that so-many hard-core, "to the death", "no surrogates needed", and "cold dead hands" 2A supporters (including a prominent-local radio talk show host) who many have also claimed to never willingly give up their God given right to self defense; find a way to do so to attend the Shot Show.....?

Obey or ignore the signs; it must be worth it to attend.

i ignore the "Killers are welcome; no guns here," signs and go in. If they check you at the door, I don't go in. It takes just one time in your life to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, without your gun, just because of a sign that makes it safe for killers. But, the choice is always yours.
Sifu

 

[RatherDashing]

At the gun shows I have been to, they have a no loaded policy. I had to present my carry, empty the chamber into a trap (not discharge), then they zip tied the action. I got to keep the gun and loaded magazines. Not really a "gun free zone" as I could pop the tie easily. I dont mind that.

 

[aikikenjitsu]

At the gun shows I have been to, they have a no loaded policy. I had to present my carry, empty the chamber into a trap (not discharge), then they zip tied the action. I got to keep the gun and loaded magazines. Not really a "gun free zone" as I could pop the tie easily. I dont mind that.

That's somewhat reasonable. Least you could still use your gun in an emergency.

 

[TeacherSmurf]

At the gun shows I have been to, they have a no loaded policy. I had to present my carry, empty the chamber into a trap (not discharge), then they zip tied the action. I got to keep the gun and loaded magazines. Not really a "gun free zone" as I could pop the tie easily. I dont mind that.

That was what I remember from when I went to a gun show years ago, although I don't remember using a zip tie. I needed to take my CCW in, as I was trying to find one that was smaller/thinner.

 

[Who The F R U]

the only potential issue I see is if its a police officer asking the question, as far as I know its illegal to lie to a cop. Other than that, no one would know unless they are physically wanding or patting down...

______________________________________________________________________
******** Only illegal / prosecutable to lie to the FBI during an interview *******

Not the local po0-po0.

 

[Dstressr]

As someone who attended the SHOT SHOW this year for the first time I have to admit it was very unsettling to see so many people handling guns is so crowded a space that it was impossible not to flag or muzzle someone. The only thing that made it tolerable to a degree is the fact that all guns had been inspected, rendered safe AND firing pins removed. This is first and foremost an industry trade show for promoting products to the industry (not public consumers) and not a "typical" gun show for sales however. As a firearms industry member this is a place that can make or break a business or company and to jeopardize this in anyway by bringing in a concealed carry gun or breaking any of the number of agreed upon rules industry leaders have established for the show would be shortsighted and self-destructive. Take for example the guy who was caught on video trying to steal an expensive rifle scope, he was caught and will be banned for life from this and possibly other future firearms industry related events. He will also be prosecuted and likely be made an example of and there's no telling what all the long-term consequence for him will be. Do I agree it should be a "gun-free zone?" No but it's not my rule and though any big event like that draws together many like-minded people, I'm glad that some chuckle heads like the idiot mentioned above were prevented from bringing in live and loaded weapons into the mix. Bad enough to be getting flagged by inspected, empty and safe guns dozens of times each day that to also think there may potentially be loaded weapons pointed at me too is not a welcome thought.
Incidentally I asked one representative at the S&W booth how it felt since he was in the center of a circle of firearms all arranged so they were pointing at him. This was to let people come up and handle them and there were several tables setup that way at this booth and many others. He just kind of shrugged and said it was weird at first but he got used to it!
If that's the norm then who am I to say anything about it?
Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

 

[I594 Sucks]

An oddity or hypocrisy?

A reliable acquaintance of mine recently returned from the Shot Show and told me that CHL holders we not allow to "carry" in the Shot Show...

I'm all for individual liberty, but find it remarkable that so-many hard-core, "to the death", "no surrogates needed", and "cold dead hands" 2A supporters (including a prominent-local radio talk show host) who many have also claimed to never willingly give up their God given right to self defense; find a way to do so to attend the Shot Show.....?

Obey or ignore the signs; it must be worth it to attend.

The NRA does not allow loaded firearms in their RSO and gun safety courses. Just believe, however, that someone in the room will have easy access to one, in an emergency. I would bet gun shows are a similar situation.

 

[Who The F R U]

Been to shot many times and 7 out of 10 guy's are packing live.
Just sayin. LRSD's out......

 

[Koda]

At the gun shows I have been to, they have a no loaded policy. I had to present my carry, empty the chamber into a trap (not discharge), then they zip tied the action. I got to keep the gun and loaded magazines. Not really a "gun free zone" as I could pop the tie easily. I dont mind that.

the zip tie is how I remember they do it at the Portland show. Now if they would only have a trap so everyone could safely unload Id be ok with that I dont remember that being an option.

 

[308Tom]

Is it a Gun Free zone, or no loaded guns? Big difference.

In regular NRA classrooms, and all others of which I've been a part - it is handle guns (with no ammo) or handle ammo (with no guns). That makes sense to me when nearly all there will be handling guns - whether a gun show or a classroom.

If the two components (gun and ammo) of a binary are kept apart, there can be no accidents.

Do I like disarming, absolutely not. But permits or no, I'm OK with everyone else being unarmed by not having a loaded gun. Being around strangers handling loaded guns (think public range) always concerns me - so I suck it up.

 

[ejmpnu92]

Says its at the Sands Expo Center. looks like an extension of the casino. Are guns allowed in casino's?

About 15 years ago I went to a gun show in Reno, the venue was a casino.
Which I thought was odd, but I still went.
As it turned out, there was a specific corridor, specific entry, specific path that had to be followed, going to and from the show. The path went by the front entrance of the gaming area, but not inside the gaming area. And that was the defining distinction. Guns in the casino, ok, but no guns on the gaming floor. But that was only while the gun show was happening, as in a special event. Other than that, nope.