Reloading stuff at Asheville NC gun show

[johnp]

It has been about 25 years since I have been to that show.
Is it any good? Is there a good vendor or three to get components from?

Thanks.

[BD]

I'm curious as well. Ashville is within range, and I've got some friends just north of there. When is the show?
BD

[johnp]

August 18-19 at the Asheville Civic Center.

I was thinking there were some guys on here for that area but if they are they must not be posting.[smilie=1:

[Blammer]

Forget it! Asheville show sucks!
I've gone there a bunch in the past NOTHING for the caster or reloader.

I didn't go the last 3 of 4 times it came and when I did go the last time, everything was WAY over priced and pretty much no reloading components. No primers, bullets, shells, hulls, dies, nuthin...

I wouldn't bother.

I'd save your money and time and head to the GSO show or the Raleigh show, now thoses are GOOD shows!

[Blammer]

The Hickory show is much better than the Asheville show.

At the asheville one lots of military type vendors. you want a 60 rail addition to your AR 15 they'll have em and all the stuff you can imagine and then some to put on the rail.

There is a Liberty Safe dealer who usually sets up, one guy who has generally 8 tables of guns, but he is a dealer and goes to most of the local shows. A little high but generally good stuff and has a big assortment of everything from pistols to rifles.

Lots of other people who have parts and stuff but you can get the new delivered cheaper from midway....

[johnp]

Thanks Blammer, that was what I was wanting to know.

I went to the Hickory show about a month ago and was impressed. Maybe I will just wait for it to come around again.

[targetshootr]

How does the Hickory show compare to Gso? Never been to Hickory but I'd like to even if it's only better than the Winston show...which ain't saying a whole lot.

[johnp]

I was very impressed with the Hickory show. Lots of vendors, lots of trading going on. There was about a dozen guys standing at the front door wanting to see what you had before you even got to the show room.

The only other show I have been too is some time is the one in Myrtle Beach and it is put on by the same folks that do the Hickory show but it was nowhere near the same.

[Blammer]

The GSO show is about 2-3 times bigger than the Hickory show.

and the Hickory show is 2wice as good as the Winston show.

I used to live in Winston Salem,and hit all the local shows when they pretty much came around.

Now that I live in Asheville, I'd go to the Hickory show, the Raleigh show and the GSO show, the other's I'd skip. UNLESS REALLY REALLLY REALLY BORED...

[targetshootr]

I'll have to check out Hickory show one of these days. I think if I set up a card table in the back yard it would be better than the Winston show.


:drinks:

[OBXPilgrim]

Got to agree with Blammer about the A'ville shows. You can get any knife you want and anything made in woodland camo though.

I've passed on the last 4-5 shows. Seems like I have to work every weekend they have one anyway.

I'll never forget about a friend of mine that was at one once. He waited for a couple folks to finish looking at a little Colt .25 Auto. He picked it up racked the slide. At the same time, the "holy crap!!" & other remarks started when a round eject & hit the table. About 3 of us saw it, including the table owner. The show had arleady been going about 3 hours by then.

I went to the Meadowlands show a few years ago - they advertise it in the local classifieds rag around Asheville. Meadowlands is straight up Interstate 23 into Johnson City (or just past it). That place was absolutely PACKED with people.

That was the first time I'd even seen casting equipment at a gun show (or at least remember - I haven't been casting but just a few months).

[1hole]

Obviously some folks milage will vary but the A'ville gun show dealers are largely an indifferent lot. A few are ok but maybe 65% give the rest a bad name; surly, arrogant and over priced is the norm for them. I rarely go anymore but did for years. Went to the last one a few months ago with my 17 year old grandson just to show and teach him a few things about several weapons, their features and history, etc. We both enjoyed that.

As with anything, sometimes a few good dealers show up with good stuff, of any type, at reasonable prices. It costs about the same as a movie and is more fun so you pays your entry and parking fees and takes your chances!

PILGRIM - Don't know anything about the "Meadowlands show" in Johnson City, tell us more, please! How can we find the schedule, where is it, any tips about parking, etc.?

That's a nice bait fish you're holding in the photo.

[Scrounger]

Don't take this personal, 1hole, but I used to hate it when someone blocked out my table to do a Show-N-Tell with one of my guns to impress a girlfriend or someone. Tableholders pay many times as much money as walk-ins for the specific purpose of selling their guns, and they don't take kindly to non-buyers blocking their table and using their merchandise for their purposes. When they shut down Great Western in SoCal, I quit doing gunshows. What a place that was in the 70s and 80s! There were times I sold 20-25 guns, everything I brought, and walk out of there with 5 or 6 thousand dollars. What's that in today's dollars?

[1hole]

Scrounger, your point is well taken and agreed with.

I object to the gun show beer-belly experts, usually in silly camo, loudly spouting off while taking up table frontage myself. I kept myself and the boy off to the side of any table we stopped at, walked past those that were filled with potential customers and returned later if we wished. Meaning bad manners at gun shows can be seen on BOTH sides of the table and I don't want to be part of it!

I examine most guns without touching and ask permission if I want to lift anything. I spoke quietly to the boy, never touched a trigger nor shouldered a rifle and watched the muzzle as I handled it by the wood, not trying to be a public know-it-all ass like some do.

Not only are these common sense rules for shows, I used it as an opportunity to teach the kid how to conduct himself at one. He had a good time and so did his grandpa.

No offense taken, in fact I'm glad you gave me a chance to express this.

[Scrounger]

We all like to get the kids hooked, don't we?