Hendricks County Gun Show

[DanVoils]

So it's a bad thing we have another Gun Show in the area?

It might be for my wallet and room in the safe!

 

[Brian's Surplus]

So it's a bad thing we have another Gun Show in the area?

Competition is good, but too many shows just divides the dealers and customers. It's hard for dealers to make a profit when there are fewer customers. It's hard for customers to find deals when there are fewer dealers.
We have had several promoters in Indiana for decades and shows were good 10 years ago. In the last few years there have been several new promoters pop up. In my opinion, this has hurt all of the dealers & customers and has adversely affected the quality of the long established shows.
For example, I've lost count of the number of shows in Ft. Wayne recently, but they had 3 in as many weeks not long ago. That hurts everyone. The market will not sustain that for long.

 

[singlesix]

I guess I'm hoping that competition will force dealers to price based on reality. Tired of seeing Ruger MkIII going for over $100.00 retail, etc. I'm not looking for dealers to be stupid just a fair price is all I want. Hopefully this being in Danville will drew in from surrounding areas. I know several people that won't go to the 1500 or Holt Rd shows because it's in the "hood".

 

[singlesix]

It might be for my wallet and room in the safe!

I'll be just looking, just picked up a Pre-64 Winchester Model 12 Trap, so the fun money is low.

 

[bb37]

I get the sense that some of you believe that attending one of these shows is a cakewalk for the dealers. Having set-up and staffed dealer booths at large shows, though not gun shows, I can tell you that it's not.

Table rent, transportation to and from the show, wear and tear on the merchandise taken to the show, possibly an overnight stay in a hotel room for you and whatever staff you have helping you at the booth if the show is too far from your home base, food while on the road, staffing your retail shop back home while you are at the show, the logistics of safely handling money and credit card receipts while at the show (I know one local computer dealer who flew back from a major show on the west coast with a cooler stuffed with cash) all add up and feed into the dealer's overhead costs. And, the problem with these overhead costs is that you are still on the hook for those costs even if you don't sell a thing at the show. After a while, dealers start to think that these shows are not worthwhile so they just stay home.

The organizers are on the hook, too. They often have to pay up-front for hall rental, insurance, and publicity. If dealers and attendees don't come to the show, the organizer eats it.

In amateur radio, we have flea markets known as "hamfests". In the 25+ years that I've been going to hamfests, I've seen the number of shows, the number of dealers at shows, and the number of attendees at shows steadily decline. The biggest hamest in the state, in Fort Wayne, struggles to get dealers and struggles to get attendees. The show is now half the size that it was in the mid-1990's. You'd think a town the size of Indianapolis would have a major hamfest, but you'd be wrong. We used to have two hamfests each year--now we are down to one and it can't attract a full-line amateur radio dealer.

I tend to agree with the previous statements that we can have too many of these shows. The sellers and the buyers won't support them if the market gets saturated.

Nonetheless, since this Danville show is about 10 minutes from my house, I'll be there.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

I get the sense that some of you believe that attending one of these shows is a cakewalk for the dealers. Having set-up and staffed dealer booths at large shows, though not gun shows, I can tell you that it's not.

Table rent, transportation to and from the show, wear and tear on the merchandise taken to the show, possibly an overnight stay in a hotel room for you and whatever staff you have helping you at the booth if the show is too far from your home base, food while on the road, staffing your retail shop back home while you are at the show, the logistics of safely handling money and credit card receipts while at the show (I know one local computer dealer who flew back from a major show on the west coast with a cooler stuffed with cash) all add up and feed into the dealer's overhead costs. And, the problem with these overhead costs is that you are still on the hook for those costs even if you don't sell a thing at the show. After a while, dealers start to think that these shows are not worthwhile so they just stay home.

The organizers are on the hook, too. They often have to pay up-front for hall rental, insurance, and publicity. If dealers and attendees don't come to the show, the organizer eats it.

In amateur radio, we have flea markets known as "hamfests". In the 25+ years that I've been going to hamfests, I've seen the number of shows, the number of dealers at shows, and the number of attendees at shows steadily decline. The biggest hamest in the state, in Fort Wayne, struggles to get dealers and struggles to get attendees. The show is now half the size that it was in the mid-1990's. You'd think a town the size of Indianapolis would have a major hamfest, but you'd be wrong. We used to have two hamfests each year--now we are down to one and it can't attract a full-line amateur radio dealer.

I tend to agree with the previous statements that we can have too many of these shows. The sellers and the buyers won't support them if the market gets saturated.

Nonetheless, since this Danville show is about 10 minutes from my house, I'll be there.

bb37, I couldn't have said it better myself.
Most customers don't realize just how much these overhead costs add up to. I've spent enough money on hotel rooms in the last 20 years to buy a nice house. Some of the larger dealers have over $2,000 per show in operating costs. Having a dependable vehicle and trailer and maintaining them can also be VERY expensive. Not to mention the fact that it's really hard to find good help these days.

 

[2in1evtime]

I am planning on attending to see if there is any milsurp and left handed rifles for sale.

 

[DanVoils]

In amateur radio, we have flea markets known as "hamfests". In the 25+ years that I've been going to hamfests, I've seen the number of shows, the number of dealers at shows, and the number of attendees at shows steadily decline. The biggest hamest in the state, in Fort Wayne, struggles to get dealers and struggles to get attendees. The show is now half the size that it was in the mid-1990's. You'd think a town the size of Indianapolis would have a major hamfest, but you'd be wrong. We used to have two hamfests each year--now we are down to one and it can't attract a full-line amateur radio dealer.

Is Dayton Hamfest even still around? I've not seen anything about it in a super long time.
Dan

 

[bb37]

Oh, sure. The Dayton Hamvention will never die. Attendance had dipped, but it's been coming back. The big change is that 2016 was the last year for Hara Arena. The owners fell way behind on repairs and taxes and finally announced back in September that they were closing the place for good. The Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) owns the rights to Hamvention and they are moving the event to the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia. It's a smaller venue with less facilities than Hara, but DARA keeps spinning the move as A Good Thing.

I quit going to Hamvention about five years ago. I had quit doing the fleamarket back in the 90's. The signal to noise ratio was pretty poor, IMHO. I still enjoyed walking the inside exhibits to see what was new. But, thanks to the Internet, there's not much new equipment shown at Hamvention that the world doesn't already know about.

Getting back on topic, for those of you travelling from the Indianapolis area to this Danville gun show, go west on U.S. 36 from SR 267 in Avon. Look for CR 200 E (there's a convenience store and a fairly new Wal-Mart in the northwest corner). Turn right (north) and go about a half mile. The fairgrounds will be on your left just north of old 36.

U.S. 36 from I-465 to SR 267 can be a bit of a bottleneck. Too much traffic, too many traffic lights. It may take you longer to get through that stretch than you think. But, on your way, there's Grey Wolf Firearms, Fort Liberty Firearms, and Parabellum Firearms & Indoor Range.

 

[DanVoils]

Oh, sure. The Dayton Hamvention will never die. Attendance had dipped, but it's been coming back. The big change is that 2016 was the last year for Hara Arena. The owners fell way behind on repairs and taxes and finally announced back in September that they were closing the place for good. The Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) owns the rights to Hamvention and they are moving the event to the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia. It's a smaller venue with less facilities than Hara, but DARA keeps spinning the move as A Good Thing.

I quit going to Hamvention about five years ago. I had quit doing the fleamarket back in the 90's. The signal to noise ratio was pretty poor, IMHO. I still enjoyed walking the inside exhibits to see what was new. But, thanks to the Internet, there's not much new equipment shown at Hamvention that the world doesn't already know about.

Getting back on topic, for those of you travelling from the Indianapolis area to this Danville gun show, go west on U.S. 36 from SR 267 in Avon. Look for CR 200 E (there's a convenience store and a fairly new Wal-Mart in the northwest corner). Turn right (north) and go about a half mile. The fairgrounds will be on your left just north of old 36.

U.S. 36 from I-465 to SR 267 can be a bit of a bottleneck. Too much traffic, too many traffic lights. It may take you longer to get through that stretch than you think. But, on your way, there's Grey Wolf Firearms, Fort Liberty Firearms, and Parabellum Firearms & Indoor Range.

Good to know about Dayton. I still miss the Marion County Fairgrounds Hamfest. Lots of great memories there.

The Danville gunshow should be a good one. Hopefully it will become a mainstay regardless of what the naysayers thinks.
See ya there Bob. Hopefully my alter ego 'EHQ can show up as well!
Dan

 

[WebSnyper]

I get the sense that some of you believe that attending one of these shows is a cakewalk for the dealers. Having set-up and staffed dealer booths at large shows, though not gun shows, I can tell you that it's not.

Table rent, transportation to and from the show, wear and tear on the merchandise taken to the show, possibly an overnight stay in a hotel room for you and whatever staff you have helping you at the booth if the show is too far from your home base, food while on the road, staffing your retail shop back home while you are at the show, the logistics of safely handling money and credit card receipts while at the show (I know one local computer dealer who flew back from a major show on the west coast with a cooler stuffed with cash) all add up and feed into the dealer's overhead costs. And, the problem with these overhead costs is that you are still on the hook for those costs even if you don't sell a thing at the show. After a while, dealers start to think that these shows are not worthwhile so they just stay home.

The organizers are on the hook, too. They often have to pay up-front for hall rental, insurance, and publicity. If dealers and attendees don't come to the show, the organizer eats it.

In amateur radio, we have flea markets known as "hamfests". In the 25+ years that I've been going to hamfests, I've seen the number of shows, the number of dealers at shows, and the number of attendees at shows steadily decline. The biggest hamest in the state, in Fort Wayne, struggles to get dealers and struggles to get attendees. The show is now half the size that it was in the mid-1990's. You'd think a town the size of Indianapolis would have a major hamfest, but you'd be wrong. We used to have two hamfests each year--now we are down to one and it can't attract a full-line amateur radio dealer.

I tend to agree with the previous statements that we can have too many of these shows. The sellers and the buyers won't support them if the market gets saturated.

Nonetheless, since this Danville show is about 10 minutes from my house, I'll be there.

I would think that the internet and the availability of whatever you may want by doing a few searches and ordering it, doesn't help the turn out at shows either.

Personally the 1500 and other shows like it have not been of any interest to me. Pay to park, pay to get in, and then just dealing with the general PITA of getting there and getting around in the show just doesn't do anything for me.

This show being close and free parking with a relatively low ticket cost would be more interesting... but still pushing my threshold.

 

[bb37]

I still miss the Marion County Fairgrounds Hamfest.

It's back there after a temporary move to Camp Sertoma. The Saturday after Independence Day.

The Danville gunshow should be a good one. Hopefully it will become a mainstay regardless of what the naysayers thinks.
See ya there Bob. Hopefully my alter ego 'EHQ can show up as well!

My gun show experiences are limited to two trips to the Stout Field Armory show about 3 years apart, so I really have nothing to use as a benchmark. I've heard lots of stories about the 1500, but I've never been. I'm cautiously optimistic about the Danville show.

EHQ? Haven't seen him or heard him on the air in years. I've put the word out to some Hendricks County hams who are into firearms. You might see some familiar, but older, faces.

 

[bb37]

I would think that the internet and the availability of whatever you may want by doing a few searches and ordering it, doesn't help the turn out at shows either.

I agree. Ammo, parts, and supplies are as close as your front door. I know it hurts the LGS, but if I can buy ammo online with better selection and lower prices (including shipping), it's hard to not just sit in my jammies and click a button. That leaves FFL fees on processing Internet transfers. Can an LGS survive on that?

 

[SSGSAD]

I guess I'm hoping that competition will force dealers to price based on reality. Tired of seeing Ruger MkIII going for over $100.00 retail, etc. I'm not looking for dealers to be stupid just a fair price is all I want. Hopefully this being in Danville will drew in from surrounding areas. I know several people that won't go to the 1500 or Holt Rd shows because it's in the "hood".

I did INARNG, Duty, at Stout Field, and it is NOT "in the hood" .....

The closest neighborhood, is a half mile west, on Minnesota St.,

and almost 1 mile south, south of Raymond St., is Mars Hill .....

If that is the "hood", then what do you call 38 and Mitthoeffer ?????

 

[singlesix]

I can't answer since am in the "hood" myself. Some people think all of Indianapolis is the "Hood".

 

[medcoxo]

Close to home, and low cost (admission/parking). I will make a visit Saturday morning!!

 

[RobbyMaQ]

I'll be visiting tomorrow to scope it out for a number of reasons

 

[jsharmon7]

Can someone report back on this today? Vendors, selection, etc.? I want to go but don't want to waste my time if it's dead.

 

[singlesix]

So you want others to waste their time instead?

 

[KellyinAvon]

Close to home, and low cost (admission/parking). I will make a visit Saturday morning!!

Me too!