Okay, so maybe the NRA hasn’t actually taking over Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but they did take over the sportsman’s show in Harrisburg after the last producers banned semi-automatic rifles.
This article features reporters who talked to attendees, and the response to NRA’s involvement appears to be overwhelmingly positive. One man said, “I’m happy the NRA took over,” even though one of the top things he was looking for at the shows included ATV displays. Another attendee told reporters that since NRA took over the show, it appears more organized and functional for consumers to get around the facility.
Looking at their photos, several of the aisles look nearly as packed as the busiest weekend days of the NRA annual meetings. That’s impressive. I hope that the rough winter weather doesn’t impact attendance too much. Hopefully, word will continue to get out that it’s a great event under new management and numbers will continue to climb.
I was at the Harrisburg show on Saturday. It was more crowded than the NRA convention in Pittsburgh. There was much more floor space and it was so much more than just guns. It’s really a great show. If you re-up your membership at the door, you get in for free. Parking is $8 and they will shuttle you to the door.
If I wasn’t broke it would be good idea……
Can’t walk out with a gun, could two years ago. That’s progress!
Considering that last year, many of the firearms were going to be banned completely, the system in place for this year is an improvement. In fact, one non-profit wasn’t even going to be able to sell their fundraising raffle tickets because it featured pictures of the semi-auto rifle they were raffling off. Let’s not pretend like last year was going to be all wonderful for gun buyers and that NRA is responsible for mucking it all up.
I’m willing to give NRA a little leeway on this issue since they aren’t gun show promoters who typically handle events that sell guns on site. They have also never held an event at this venue, much less one of this size in the area. While that may not seem to have much to do with a decision to sell guns or not, it does. There’s security for the firearms to worry about, technology to allow dealers to conduct the background checks quickly, and more. This is the very first year they are doing something of this size in this venue and taking over an event that comes with certain expectations. Let them learn relevant lessons that come with actually running the event to see if they can’t open up that gun sales policy a bit more in the future.
“Another attendee told reporters that since NRA took over the show, it appears more organized. . .”
I manned a table at the NRA show accompanying the Convention in Philly — so many years ago it was at the old Convention Center near UPenn — and they seemed to know how to organize that. I doubt they have forgotten how to run a show in the past several decades.
Actually, I’m pretty confident the same office that handles the Annual Meeting isn’t the one doing the Great American Outdoor Show. However, they used to have a smaller outdoor show in Maryland that was replaced by this one, so the staff probably had a pretty good idea of what works and doesn’t work. Regardless of the office, NRA does typically know how to put on a good event. It’s not an easy thing to pull off, so good for them.
Your better than that Bitter. I never said what you imply. Just stating a fact. I won’t hold my breath.
I just don’t think you can use the “progress” claim sarcastically by denying what the situation was last year.
Don’t get me wrong, I read you two every day. I’m a Pa. CCW, I like what you do. My comment was “progress” from “two” years ago. If the NRA hadn’t taken over perhaps another group would have that would allow the same conditions as “two” years ago. You are both more informed then me on the state and organization of the gun rights movement, I just wish I could still walk out with a gun.
If you’re that much in the market to buy a gun at the farm show complex then you can attend either of the two mega gun shows that are held there each year. Don’t fret, you can still get 14lbs of horse jerky and some whittling wood at the NRA show.