The main reason I go to gun shows is to see friends in person. If it were just for shooting, I can do that 10 minutes from my home. If I am looking to buy something, I can do it online from anywhere.
I still attend Gun Shows, but not as often as I once did. There is no question that most have become smaller over time, prices are higher, admission costs are higher, and we see less guns and gun related content. I've only been to a few that restricted content, and kept out the jerky and Indian Jewelery crap.
I don't go specifically to see friends or to visit, but I frequently do see and speak to shooting friends. When I can find and buy a rifle or shotgun at a Gun Show in my own state, I can examine the gun up close and personal. Then I can make my deal and buy it without sales tax or background check fees. (Background Checks are required for handguns in my state, but in neighboring Ohio, legal adult residents only need to show their I.D. to the seller... as it should be) Then I can immediately take my gun home without any shipping costs or fear of shipping loss or damage.
The last gun show I attended a few weeks ago was only around 120 to 150 tables. I didn't buy any guns, but I got some great deals, and was glad I went. I bought a .36 cal 43 inch long octagon barrel in excellent condition for a whole $10.00. I have a small Siler flintlock, and now I am one major step closer to building a .36 cal squirrel rifle. I bought several pounds of powder, Hogdons H 375, Red Dot, and WC 846 for less than half of retail. A brand new S06-A3 Timney Trigger for a whole $5.00. 2 boxes of Hornady and Speer .490" round balls for $4.00 each. A box of .433" Speer round balls for $3.00. 2 tins of # 11 percussion caps for a buck each. 3 muzzleloading short starters for $2.00. A Garmin E-Trex GPS with all manuals and accessories for $15.00.
I also bought a box of .32 S&W Long ammo, and at least 20 pounds of assorted bullets including two boxes of 300 gr. Hornady .45-70 bullets that are no longer available, some .380 pistol bullets, 500 Winchester 55 gr. .224 cal. bullets, and two Saeco bullet sizer dies I needed. I think the cost for almost all of these items was less than I would have paid for shipping alone if I had searched and bought them online. The only non-gun related item I bought was a 3 ton snatch block. At $10.00, it was also cheaper than any online price. While I was carrying a heavy armload of bullets, the .36 cal. barrel, and other items to my truck, I saw a full brick of 209 primers for $45.00 and a large bag that appeared to be around 500 .357" jacketed flat nose pistol bullets for $25.00. Like a fool, I didn't pay for them and ask the vendor to hold them, and they were gone when I got back a few minutes later.
Gun shows aren't what they used to be, but I still manage to find some great buys, especially in these times of ammo and component shortages and Biden-flation. The next Show at this venue will be in April, and I plan to be there to find some more goodies. Much of the increased demand for Black Rifles is due to the well justified fear that anti-gun Democrats will ban them. The additional restrictions, higher costs, and outright bans on Gun Shows are almost universally due to the efforts of anti-gun Democrats, so it continues to amaze me that any gun owner with an ounce of brains would support or vote for them. Biden failed to deliver on his promise of a cure for cancer (Why don't Republicans ever mention that?). We need a cure for cancer, but what we really need most is a cure for Stupidity.
