TexasCHLforum.com

To be fair, I said, "When we can help it."

There are some times when we can't. Some festivities / activities / necessities don't have true alternatives. Hospitals in emergency situations don't. Movie theaters, restaurants, and gun retailers do. We are moving the planned birth of our next child because the hospital we have historically used is currently posted. There's plenty of birthing centers that aren't posted that will be more than happy to take our money. We changed which movie theater we go to and left all of our "reward points" unused at the other one.

I just don't want to violate the principle just as a matter of convenience, which I feel like gun shows are. We like them. We feel like they're on "our side". . . but they're throwing in our face one of the most precious beliefs we hold. As far as gun shows go, there are plenty of alternatives, and I'll do some free-market voting with my wallet until they reverse their position. I felt like a hypocrite the last time I went after emailing a private business the week before and telling them of my plans to not patronize their establishment due to a 30.06 posting.

If enough people saw it the same way, they would either stop posting, cease to exist, or continue on with non-CHL gun owners happy to have more elbow room. . . but I'd bet a dollar that some enterprising individuals would find a way to start a new gun show circuit before letting them die, even if they had to scale back in the beginning. I want to pressure the people who should be on our side to support us all the way. They could replace the 30.06 sign with a giant one that says something like, "If you are legally carrying a concealed firearm, you MAY NOT unconceal it, draw it, or display it while on these premises. Violators will be prosecuted for willfully failing to conceal. If you want to look at accessories or consider selling / trading a firearm, it must be unloaded, locked, declared, and inspected at the entrance."

I do disarm from time-to-time for professional sporting events, high school activities for cousins, etc. Right now I work from home, my wife stays at home with the kids, and we're planning to homeschool, so it shouldn't come up very often. . . I'm very fortunate in that regard.

AddyLO wrote:
What he said.

I enjoy the FW Gun show, simply because it gives me a chance to see first-hand a lot of different items that I can't find at my local gun shop or even at the big-box store. Sure there are a few rip-off artists there, just like anywhere else you go. Caveat emptor. There are also some sweet deals if you just take the time to look. The only negative for me is the crowds. It can get really crowded, but most of the folks are polite enough. You see what you look for.

The Original Fort Worth gun show is the largest in the Fort Worth area, and second only to the Dallas Arms Collectors show in the DFW metroplex. Parking is only $3 in the Harley Street lot, so that's not really a valid reason to not go. Some just can't get over the fact that they started charging for parking some time ago. Let it go and move on for gosh sakes!

I have actually purchased several firearms from the Fort Worth show in the past, but decided to be a stick-in-the-mud about the 30.06 signage. Forum members often puff their chest about not giving business to places that post 30.06 whenever they can help it. . . but we're all tempted to compromise this principle when it's convenient. The fact that the building is owned by the city and thus cannot legitimately post their sign (although they use off duty police as a scare tactic at the entry) adds to the insult.

So far it's a revolution of one, but I'll keep posting my feelings.

FWIW, I'm not swayed by the "they have to post it for insurance" argument. If their insurance depends on the sign, then the fact that they can't legally enforce the sign in a publicly-owned building would not mitigate the risk to the insurance company. So either they need to move the event, the insurance company still doesn't understand the risk, they need to find a new insurance company, or insurance isn't the reason they're posting the signs.

I've been to the Fort Worth show more than any other one. . . here's my current review:

- 30.06 signs posted, even though it is a government-owned building. They hire off-duty police officers to secure checked firearms, so carry at your own risk. I won't go anymore solely based on this. The CHL community seems to unilaterally boycott any other businesses that attempt to post 30.06, I won't make an exception for a place that sells firearms if I can help it.

- The cost of parking and admission are unlikely to be recovered through deals inside.

- It's usually VERY crowded with what seems like increasingly hostile / impolite / inconsiderate people.

- You can get better deals by visiting the big box stores, independent dealers, pawn shops, and online dealers. Very few gun dealers at the show will negotiate on the prices for new guns anymore.

- Most dealers post the "cash" price (although it's not clearly labelled) and then add on the credit card fee.

- There's a lot of jerkey, hats, rude T-shirts, etc.

I don't want to be totally negative and a buzzkill, but I won't drive 10 miles to visit this gun show anymore. . . I certainly wouldn't recommend driving two hours. Even back when I enjoyed this gun show I wouldn't have recommended a day trip for it.

That said, if you want to come and visit Fort Worth, there's a lot of more enjoyable things to do with your time to get better return on the gas money it takes to get here. :)