The Houston Gun Collectors Association is hosting one of their two to three annual gun shows in Houston.
As expected there were lines to get in and the crowds were thick. What was new and most likely spawned by the frenzy to buy large capacity rifles were several raffles outside the door offering tickets to win AR 15’s. For $20 people got 5 chances at winning an AR 15. They most certainly did well based on the steady flow of people purchasing tickets. Just outside the entry was a table where the N.R.A. was steadily signing up new members.
On the inside the crowds were dense and it was difficult to navigate the rows of vendors. The hand gun displays where extremely busy with people looking over others shoulders just to get a peak. At the hand gun vendors booths consumers were at least two deep trying to shop hand guns. This sudden frenzy to purchase hand guns appears to be sparked by the fear of gun control in the future. This has only managed to raise the prices of guns and this becomes a windfall for the vendors. It was also clear that an extremely large number of women where shopping and purchasing hand guns.
Another difference due to the gun control fear was the apparent large numbers of Military/Police type style of rifles for sale. Some media has been reporting shortages of these types of arms but that certainly wasn’t the case in Houston this weekend. The difference was in the price, gun control fears have driven the price to double what they sold for pre Sandy Hook. The absolute best sales staff any gun manufacturer or vendor could possible have is a vocal gun control advocate like the Media. The more and louder the cries for gun control the higher the prices and the more vigorous the sales. There is also the myth of anyone can attend a gun show and buy a gun with out any type of background check. This is false with the exception of private sellers walking through the crowds trying to make a quick profit from a rifle they are willing to part with, but it has always been that way when anyone purchases a gun from another individual. Dealers are strictly regulated and only individuals licensed to carry can bypass the red tape when purchasing hand guns.
Something else that was impossible to not notice was the tripling of pricing on ammo. Fears of shortages have pushed the demand through the roof and thus the prices follow the demand through the roof. If any factor raises the demand than the prices follow, that’s how things work in a free market. This seems to be a surprise to many, but only a trend to those in the know.
There was also no shortage of the non gun vendors. There were flags, books, various arts, and the gun show favorite, jerky. Several vendors offering free samples of jerky are always a nice gun show amenity. And occasionally one can find the illusive chocolate covered bacon. And there were numerous T-shirt, bumper sticker vendors.
If the Media and anti gun advocates want to slow the sales of guns and ammo they would be best served by not capitalizing on tragedies’. As opposed to bettering their agendas they only strengthen that which they fear.
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