TexasCHLforum.com

Part of it comes down to what you are looking for and how well versed you are in that area.

I've been around rifles and shotguns since I was young. I had never been around hand guns until 2010. I didn't have a clue about concealed carry.

So I found and still find the gun shows an amazing source of information. I make it a point to walk every isle and look at every table, some a lot longer than others. I've met a couple of vendors for accessories who impressed me and bought things from them on the spot. I really like the "touchy feely" part of getting to handle many different guns and to compare them I can look at pictures on line but I do much better when I have my own greasy fingers on it. If nothing else, I think a gun show starts to give you a sense of the changing market place so that you could recognize a bargain when you see one.

I particularly appreciate the capability of judging quality on accessories. Pictures are not much help with that. I'm always looking for the person who is marketing something unique. Most of those, you might dismiss immediately but I have found a few nuggets. I take the same approach on home improvement expos, some of which are held in the same venues as the gun shows.