I enjoy going to their show, but, man, prices are so high. How do these dealers make it? I did find a new set of grips for my Walther PP. I did have to make a little modification, but they look nice.

Any way, I am posting this to inquire if anyone else went or is planning to go and how you react to the sign that they do not allow loaded weapons, including CCW permit holders. As the old saying goes, "Concealed means concealed."

I've quit going to those shows. The prices are ridiculous, and the dealers never sell any of the guns. The last several gun shows I attended, I saw the same guns over and over again.

One reason to go is to pick up a DPMS Panther Lite at a bargain price. DPMS sells them at their booth for something like $575. This gun has a forged receiver instead of cast, like on the old DPMS guns, and a chrome-lined chamber, but not a chrome-lined barrel. That has to be one of the best deals in the AR15 world.

I don't remember where I read it, but I believe they expect haggleing. Offer half of the price and work your way up to what you want to pay.

I agree that a lot of the prices at the MWCA show were completely out of this world (I saw a beat up rusty S&W Model 10 for $350, among other things. Some of the prices, on the other hand, weren't so bad. I went because I just love to shop for guns.

Mad props to DPMS, they had some smoking deals at the show...I walked away with a 16" AR15 flattop for $700.

As for not carrying at the show - I don't have a problem with it because they provide armed security & controlled enterances. But I do wish they had a safe place to clear your weapon before entering the show. When I asked the cop at the desk where I could clear my gun, he said "upstairs, away from me."

I went up the lobby level, and was going to go in the bathroom, but just as I headed that way I saw 2 obviously homeless wierdos going in. I decided that they were the type of guys I didn't want to be disarming near, so I wound up sneaking into a corner behind a vending machine and hastily unloading my .38.

A simple barrel of sand by the registration table, and they would have a safe clearing station. If you are going to require patrons unload their guns, you should give them a safe place to do it.

That is eminently sensible, and you ought to let them know of your troubles and your proposed solution.

I think a better option than a barrel of sand would be a snail trap that would enclose the gun more completely during unloading.

Another option would be having someone from the show doing clearance for you, and then let them figure out what the best/safest way to do so is.

Yikes! A cure worse than the disease! I'm far from ready to trust that some yokel at the door knows how to safely clear any gun he touches.

I think you're overstating the risk.

I'd assume that it would be someone with a significant firearms experience, associated with the MWCA, not some hourly McSecurity drone in a maroon blazer whose firearms experience is limited to shopping for gansta sights for their Glocks.

I'd also assume that a handful of experienced people checking and clearing guns in a secure area, following a known protocol would be better and involve less liability than a whole bunch of random people off the street following their own personal protocols over a barrel of sand. I'm just thinking of the number of people who can't follow simple range rules, like not uncasing at the line, and poor muzzle discipline.

Personal clearing wouldn't be all that bad, but I think they'd have to provide a supervised area with greater safety protocols and equipment than they might need for known, experienced staff members.

Upon further reflection, I am concluding that the current policy of requesting but not strip-searching is probably best.

How about this for a novel policy...

Allow lawfully carried firearms.

After all, aren't we the ones that have had a background check, have demonstrated proficiency with a firearm, and (hopefully) have proficiency with the firearm that we are carrying???

It will never work, Dustoff. It makes too much sense.

Allow those of us who legally carry to have loaded guns! Are you kidding? The last MWCA show I went to was at the State Fair grounds in the education building ( not the huge one in the coliseum). Somebody was blowing up balloons in the back of the building and one balloon popped. The little old lady selling tickets (some officer in the club I guess) had a fit! She ran back there and forbid him from putting up any more balloons! I guess she thought it was a gunshot. By the way, the guy blowing up the balloons was an NRA rep. setting up his booth.

"Guns don't kill people...balloons do."

I have suggested this before (else where) that we treat all businesses the same. If they ban carry we should take our money elsewhere and leave a no gun/no money card (or the like) behind.

I agree, where are the no gun / no money cards? By the way, I've been to North Minneapolis, but I don't recognize the part of N. Mpls. shown in your Avatar / thumbprint.

p.s. I don't seem to be able to drag or copy/paste the smilies.

"When spoons are outlawed, only rosie o'donnel's body guard will have spoons."

The Picture is of myself and my dog Shadow (who passed away several years ago) at the farm my grandfather use to own in Iowa. It was a great place to be and Shadow loved running there so much... It really is hard to see because of the size of the photo, but Shadow is standing in front of the open part of the barn door.

Try this link for the no guns/no money cards (dd-b runs the site)
http://noguns-nomoney.com/

I believe you just click on the smile you want to use.

PS: We hate living in N. MPLS if we could afford to move we would.