Liberty Gun Show This Weekend--Anyone Wasting Their Time Going To It?

[majormadmax]

I was on my way home from training downtown this morning when I saw a billboard for the Liberty Gun Show this weekend over at the Live Oak Civic Center.

I've not gone to one nor do I really have a desire to do so, and I know those that have haven't painted a good picture about it; but I was wondering if anyone is going or went and could give an update.

Cheers! M2

 

[Patrón]

I went last month and it was absolutely horrible. It was about 1/2 of the space and 1/2 the tables had one or two pistols and pocket knives.

 

[majormadmax]

I doubt it was any better this month, and judging by the fact that it appears no one from this forum went, that pretty much confirms it.

The Premier show is in two weeks, I will start a thread about it shortly (I had to confirm something with the promoters) and hopefully we'll get a good crowd out for that one. It is well worth it!

Cheers! M2

 

[10mm and 45]

Checked out their last show and it wasn't that impressive. There were some decent deals on a few tables and there seems to be more "Gun" related vendors compared to your aromatherapy, wire stripping, and R/C helicopter BS. I hope the show improves. The more gun shows the better.

 

[majormadmax]

You're right, Mike, we do need to do everything to promote local firearms-related businesses; but for some reason I feel these folks are in this for the money and not the love of the sport.

That is one of the reasons I prefer the Premier shows so much, the promoters are great people who are working hard to make their shows beneficial for all involved. As many on here know, they have extended great hospitality towards people on this forum and that has always been gratefully appreciated!

A few of us were approached by one of the promoters from the Liberty show before a SAXET show a few months back. While friendly, since I know that venue from the TGS shows there I wasn't too motivated to check it out. With two large shows going on in the area on a regular basis (SAXET and Premier), Liberty needs to work hard to break into the market if they're going to survive in it. TGS has (hopefully) learned that firearms enthusiasts don't put up with being taking advantage of for long, which is why their shows have declined so dramatically. Even SAXET made a few changes after Premier entered the market and had improvements that made their shows better. Shortly after, SAXET added an ATM; but they still haven't learned that tight aisles distract people from looking at many tables when there is a crowd.

Honestly, if the SAXET show wasn't so close to us I doubt I'd go every month as I usually do. It is the same stuff every time, but every once and a while I do find something interesting although many times I go home empty-handed and that's not for a lack of trying.

Now that the mad rush that occurred after Sandy Hook seems to be subsiding, maybe prices will get back to being more reasonable. At least we didn't have that dearth of selection that happened after the 2008 election! Shows had little firearms and even less ammo, and prices were even more ridiculous than they were recently. I doubt we'll ever get back to the levels we saw last summer, but hopefully it will be more "normal" than it's been.

Cheers! M2