Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

The Nation's Gun Show - Chantilly - Nov 19-21, 2010.

C&E Gun Shows and Showmasters combine 29 years of Excellence in Gun Show

Promotion and is pleased to PRESENT The LARGEST Gun Show in the Metro D. C. Area!

Held at the Dulles Expo in Chantilly, VA. 1000 tables of vendors and displays....

The Size of 2 football fields!

Over 1 1/2 miles of Guns, Knives and Accessories!

Details and directions --> http://thenationsgunshow.com/

Hopefully I can get in on Friday. I missed this last one until Sunday and I think I lost out on some good deals.

Note: The show is only open until 8 on Friday. I got there late Friday evening and thought it was going to run until 9, I was 3 rows into my browsing and heard the 45 minute warning.. I don't like to be rushed

Actually, having had a month to think about it, I shall pass.
It is a big show but most of the tables are bought by regular gun store owners, so you're going to see the same things they have in the store only they charge 50 bucks more to cover their fees.
Most of the rest is just the same guys trying to offload the same junk over and over, year after year. And I hate haggling for old crap.
There might be a couple treasures in the whole mess, but I am not knowledgeable enough to find them AND get a good price in the bargain. If I had 3 grand laying around I'd get a Luger, but I dont so I cant so I wont. And I'll always be able to pick one up somewhere. Last show they must have had several hundred of the things floating around.

If anybody picks up anything special, let us know. I would love to have my theories shattered.

Dude! A year ago I picked up two Stag Arms AR-15s for WAY below MSRP!! Georgia Arms is always there with their canned heat bulk ammo at the same price as on their web site. Hopefully (HOPEFULLY) the dude will be back with his crate of $120 Moisin Nagat rifles - those things were pristine!!!

I'm a sucker for these shows so I'm going... there are some good deals to be had. Will I save enough to justify the $12, the gas, and the emotionally-taxing experience of driving through the traffic hell of Dulles/Ashburn/Chantilly/WhateverTheHellThatPartOfFairfaxIsCalled? Dunno.

ShortMan: C'mon, you don't want a bulk beef snacks that people bought from Big Lots and mark up 200%? Where else can you get good deals on blankets and tapestries with Indian princesses and howling wolves? Then there's that old guy who yells at you if you don't sample his sauces and rubs! Why would you pass on that? He'll cut you a deal if he doesn't try to throttle you first.

You forgot rubber band guns whittled while you wait.

Don't forget:

ONE LAST WORD OF CAUTION AND EXPLANATION.

DUE TO PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, THERE WILL BE NO LOADED GUNS, OR MAGAZINES, ALLOWED ON THE SHOW FLOOR. THIS APPLIES TO VENDORS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SORRY, BUT WITHOUT MEETING THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS THE SHOW CANNOT GO ON, AND AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT AGREE ( or disagree ) WITH YOUR OBJECTIONS, WE MUCH PREFER TO CONTINUE THE SHOW IN SPITE OF THIS SMALL INCONVENIENCE. THIS MATTER IS NOT OUR POLICY OR DECISION, BUT WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT CHANGE IT OR MAKE EXCEPTIONS.

From TNGS Web Site.

The last gun show didnt allow loaded weapons either, though before it was just the customers, not dealers.
And I doubt the insurance REQUIRED no loaded weapons because they've allowed it before. I am pretty sure it was their decision and it was made to save costs over a more expensive policy. Which makes sense because they put those costs on the dealers who have to charge more to us.

Darn, we should have set up a VGF meetup!

KaosDad wrote:You forgot rubber band guns whittled while you wait.

I don't think I've seen that guy. What aisle? Seriously, I will get some for the kids. And one for my office. 9 a.m. sharp tomorrow!

KaosDad wrote:Dude! A year ago I picked up two Stag Arms AR-15s for WAY below MSRP!! Georgia Arms is always there with their canned heat bulk ammo at the same price as on their web site. Hopefully (HOPEFULLY) the dude will be back with his crate of $120 Moisin Nagat rifles - those things were pristine!!!

Went today. There are at least two vendors selling Mosin-Nagants, and one of them is selling what looks like Finnish M-N's. Picked up some reloadable 7.62x54R JSP for a decent price.

Also, there's a guy selling primers for $19 to $20, depending on the type. It's the Wolf/Tula primers, which have worked very well in my .38 Spl loads.

My report:

Good prices at the OBX Ammo booth & the savings more than made up for the admission price. Ammo prices at some dealers was surprisingly high.

I never found the whittled rubber band gun guy.

I walked by the rubs and sauces guy several times and only heard him yelling once!

Dude selling used magazines tried to sell me a nasty-looking off-brand magazine for $50. They're $29 new in the package from Browning 25 yards away.

Anybody looking for the new Remington 1911? The prices are all over the map - the best price was at the dealer on the far wall.

My favorite incident: hearing one of the "antiquey" gun dealers complaining to a customer about how the prices on certain collectibles had fallen through the floor. "See these toy cannons? These are going for $50 nowadays!" And the guy is still charging > $150 for them. When I later came by and asked about the price, he said the price is firm. LOL.

Rubber band gun guy is absent.
Thompson arms (along the wall to the left of teh doors) have 1911/22 cals for $233. They have .45s for around $375.
Dark Sun has the lowest price I've seen on a Ruger GP1000. I might have to go back tomorrow.

The number of gawkers who have no situational awareness was stunning.

I made the mistake of going. Got a deal on a Mini 14. Vacillated on the Mini 30 but opted to stick with 5.56 NATO.

The coffee is actually good. Waiting - delayed as usual.

KaosDad wrote:Rubber band gun guy is absent.
Thompson arms (along the wall to the left of teh doors) have 1911/22 cals for $233. They have .45s for around $375.
Dark Sun has the lowest price I've seen on a Ruger GP1000. I might have to go back tomorrow.

The number of gawkers who have no situational awareness was stunning.

You mean two fat assholes standing right next to each other in the middle of the lane?

I swear the gun shows must hire people like that just to make the place seem full.

ShortMan wrote:

KaosDad wrote:Rubber band gun guy is absent.
Thompson arms (along the wall to the left of teh doors) have 1911/22 cals for $233. They have .45s for around $375.
Dark Sun has the lowest price I've seen on a Ruger GP1000. I might have to go back tomorrow.

The number of gawkers who have no situational awareness was stunning.

You mean two fat assholes standing right next to each other in the middle of the lane?

I swear the gun shows must hire people like that just to make the place seem full.

And the slow mover that step side to side rather than forward. And the knot of people in front of the actual gun dealers, all looking in a different direction.

KaosDad wrote:Don't forget:

ONE LAST WORD OF CAUTION AND EXPLANATION.

DUE TO PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, THERE WILL BE NO LOADED GUNS, OR MAGAZINES, ALLOWED ON THE SHOW FLOOR. THIS APPLIES TO VENDORS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC. SORRY, BUT WITHOUT MEETING THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS THE SHOW CANNOT GO ON, AND AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT AGREE ( or disagree ) WITH YOUR OBJECTIONS, WE MUCH PREFER TO CONTINUE THE SHOW IN SPITE OF THIS SMALL INCONVENIENCE. THIS MATTER IS NOT OUR POLICY OR DECISION, BUT WE CANNOT AND WILL NOT CHANGE IT OR MAKE EXCEPTIONS.

From TNGS Web Site.

Well I know 2 people that had loaded guns on Friday

Mindflayer wrote:I made the mistake of going. Got a deal on a Mini 14. Vacillated on the Mini 30 but opted to stick with 5.56 NATO.

Now, you knew better than that. I couldn't get out of there without "doing my part for the economy", either.

At least I was frugal enough to stick with an ammo I already buy. That 7.62x39 Mini 30 was very, very tempting....