I'd never been and decided to go.

This kind of thing would NEVER have played well in San Francisco, the city where I was born, and had lived and where I spent most of my working life; and the entire city only had 7 CCW permits (You might as well not even bother to try) issued at my last count - almost 8-9 years ago; and I personally knew 2-3 of them (Superior court Judges).

Where up here in rural and lightly populated Nevada County there are 750 of them.

So time to get educated, it was time. I'd already gotten a really good utilitarian Japanese made knife to keep in the house and carry when i want to..

Here are some random observations/recollections from my visit to the Sacramento gun show this weekend. (put on by Roadrunner Gun/Doll Shows of Arizona, upcoming ones in Ventura CA and Tucson, I believe)


It was REALLY well attended, and people of ALL races and backgrounds were there.

A vast majority men of all ages in t shirts and ALWAYS: baseball caps.

Huge selections of pistols, revolvers, rifles, were on sale. Aummunition, beef jerky, surplus military clothes, ( I got a USN Seabees camo jacket,) army boots, cleaning gear and jewelers rouge, paper targtets for the range, gtun related boks, (and even "the Turner Diaries", every kind of CCW holster, and an enormous selection carry bags for ammo, rifles and pistols;, antique firearms, medals and military decorations, even Nazi memoribilia, and a huge selection of (edged /bladed weapons) like knives daggers and swords.

Handcuffs, mace, taser like devices and every kind of pepper spray and holsters for them. (One vendor had a little sign that said: "If you are cornered in a parking lot late at night, call me at this number and I will Fed Ex one to you in the morning".


And booths for FREE CCW permits issued for the states of Utah and Florida.

CCW vests for sale.

Lots of bumpers stickers and Anti-Obama and gun rights slogans.

One I liked said "There is NOTHING here that is worth your LIFE."

Free admission for joining the NRA. ( a booth)

A sign in the parking lot saying: NO trades or exhanges to be made in the parking lot

A screening table that everyone bringing a weapon had to pass through, manned by local uniformed LEOs: Looked like the homeland security airport ones.

All exiting purchasers had to have the guns secured with plastic handcuffs, like in Crininal Coourtroom trials where evidence was a gun.


Many hats and shirts. I bought me a couple. One of them for Heckler & Kock MP5SD "Silence is Golden" below its picture (I got lots of comments on that yesterday)

Some jewelry displays to interest the females in attendance). (though most of them to me looked like a pretty nasty, unattractive and rough crew,,,)

Besides the Camo Jacket, I bought a US Army .50 cal ammo can, for storage, some jeweler's loupes, tweezers, magnifiers and small tools, and a couple of T shirts (The other one said BOMB SQUAD - If you see me running, you better try and catch up

~~~

Cash was preferred; and I spent fairly freely and found things hard to find elsewhere ... I could have VERY easily and wisely spent LOTS more.


I had a good time. I was going t go to Cabela's in Reno again but this was FAR more interesting.


I felt like I fit in pretty ok, and this first and firsthand glimpse into to the gun culture made lots of sense.


For people sensible about self defense and that lives in rural areas, or involved wih ranchers or livestock of any kind, or appreciated the fine craftsmnship of really good firearms and bladed weapons, it was quite a revelation.


I had a good time!

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I've never been to one. How does anyone walk out with a purchase? There's a 10 day waiting period on firearms sales.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

Because each gun is sold by the owner as a private sale. No paperwork, no waiting period.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Jim, I'm glad you had a good time. When I lived in Ohio, I would visit the Bill Goodman's Gun & Knife Show twice a year. I've traded up, and sadly, traded down a few times with my collection. I've found quite a few items, such as the missing Mauser to mate my WWI bayonette, parts and pieces to make repairs to some of the broken guns I've picked up cheap, as well as some great deals on guns themselves.

My last great deal was picking up a dozen FEG PA 63 handguns at $50 a piece about 8 years ago. After custom making new grips that allowed it to sit higher on the hand, I sold all but 2 of them to members of the Dayton Police Department as their ankle piece. I just wish I would have bought more of them...there were literally dozens of them there, each with a canvas holster, I just didn't have the additional money needed at the time.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

AFAIK in CA you still need to do an FFL transfer and wait the 10 days.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

There must be two every week here!

True. In CA, all transfers must go through a dealer and are essentially treated the same as a new sale. Background check, waiting period, fees, only thing missing is the mandated collection of sales tax. For now.

I believe there is an exception for inheiretence from a parent (only, no siblings). As for ways you could be leaving with a gun? Since many vendors are local dealers, it's possible that all the paperwork was done 11 days ago, and this was just an opportunity to pick-up an item. I believe that law enforcement is also exempt from the waiting period, as are some other permitted/exempted groups.

MV

The waiting period and dealer application do not apply to:

• Transfers to police officers
• Other gun dealers.
• Manufacturers or importers.
• Antique firearms, and rifles and shotguns which are classified as curios or relics by the federal government.
• Infrequent gifts or transfers to one's "immediate family," an infrequent temporary loan not to exceed 30 days to a person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm.
• A transfer of a rifle or shotgun at auctions by nonprofit or public benefit corporations.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Note that you need a special license to bypass the 10 day waiting period on Curio and Relic firearms, jpl.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

It's great to see people exercise rights offered by the constitution.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Glad you had a good time. Gun shows really do show that gun owners come from all walks of life. I dont go much any more because I never really see any good deals. That sucks that in california you have to wait 10 days.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

I've been to about ten, though I've not managed any in recent years. Only bought at gun once, a Mauser 98 at my first show. I've bought lots of other stuff since, ammo, militaria, books' dvd's etc. But never had enough cash to buy the big stuff again. But there's one coming up on the 17th/18th at University of Phoenix stadium which is on my side of town. Maybe I'll break the fast...

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
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1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Yeah gun shows are a lot of fun! I love people watching the most. You get the creepy types in trench coats I like to refer to as "blade". Blade loves knifes and sharp objects and doesn't like sunlight, or social settings.

Than you get the survivalists, who are always hoping and preparing for the world to end.

Lastly you get the Nazi's and beef jerky salesmen. Our local gun show for some reason is very well attended by both. If your a local Nazi and want to trade some of Hitlers boxers around it seems to be the place to be.

I go once in awhile to find some really oddball stuff, but you have to know what your looking at. Cash is preferred, I always bring at least $3k just in case.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

When I was a kid in Atlanta gun shows were mostly antiques and war souvenirs. I hadn't been to a show in 30 years when I took my grandson about 2 years ago. There were very few antiques, a small amount of war relics and a whole lot of Kalashnikov variants and mods and the same for the AR line.

It was sad, IMO.

The above people you wrote about are probably why i wont be seen at a gun show I see enough weirdos as it is at the shooting range around here.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi