Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors OT, UGCA bit the dust

I got a letter from the Utah Gun Collectors Association saying that they are now defunct. I had been showing my collection there for the last 15 or so years. Up until a few years ago they had 4 shows a year. The number of shows dropped to 2 a few years ago. The number of tables sold decreased and the attendance of spectators decreased. The letter said they were losing money and had a hard time putting on the show due to the ageing and deaths of some of the people who put on the show.
I also noticed that the Colorado Gun Collectors Association didn't have as many tables or spectators for the last 2 shows.
Are you guys seeing this trend at your shows?

Gun shows around here are a shadow of what they were 15+ years ago. I hardly ever go anymore, because it isn't worth the gas and entry fee.

The only non collector gun show I go to is in Rock Springs. It's much smaller and held less often than a few years ago.

I think they'll end up pulling the plug on the couple closest to here in the next decade or so... they've been on life support for a long time. One is maybe 50% the size it used to be, and the other one is a lot worse off than that.

Our local big one, the Maryland Arms Collector Association (the "Baltimore Show") stopped for Covid reasons, but upon re-starting it has been as big as ever. Not as big as Tulsa, but of the same caliber and it still takes all day just to traverse it from one side to the other and then go back and cherry pick stuff. Poconojack, Triple Deuce, Joe Martin, Pugs, et al have joined me in wearing out shoe leather there. This year I'm sharing a table at the show with a local buddy who's weaseled his way into the hierarchy of the Association. Worth a trip if you're within striking distance of Baltimore, third weekend in March.

Glad to hear that show is alive and well. Way too far away for me to attend.

KC show (MO Vally) went from 2 to 1 several years back. Number of tables and attendees dropping compared to years gone by. Still a good collector show.

Pa still has some really good shows.

Va still has some decent shows, not as good or, as big, or as many as Pa though.

Syracuse show in NY used to be really good. Haven't been in years though.

Biggest change in my lifetime as been the people selling beef jerky, Chinese knives, swords, throwing stars and flashlights. And don't forget the guy that wants to clean your glasses.

Never saw that sheet at gun shows in the old days.

A few of us are going to the Albany show Randy if you were thinking about going. Hoping to make it to the Baltimore show also Gary.

Virtually none of that sheet at Tulsa. Hope they can hold the line, I want to go back again.

North Carolina Gun Collectors show held twice a year is going well. Table numbers are limited by too small a facility. Always full. South Carolina Collectors show is also doing well with 8 or more every year.

Darrel, glad to hear that the South Carolina show is doing well. As you know I attended a number of their shows when I had the Winter home in Georgia.

There’s always something special at Syracuse.

Rick,
In my opinion the Missouri Valley Arms is double the show Tulsa's spring show is. You will spend maybe 45 seconds a table in Tulsa trying to scan something worth looking at. The Kansas City show is an experience of quality, not quantity. Mike

David,
I have not missed the Colorado Show but once in the past 15 years. I wasn't to happy about last year, but I thing is Greeley is alot better place to have the show, I been there to several Ag. conventions over the years and always been happy. I usually go to Grand Junction,Co . and Vernal Ut Shows, I need to try Rocky Springs its just 140 miles and no services.
Bill

I hope Greely is better. I won't be displaying there. The trip home in the rain from Colorado Springs ruined my display. I had to put it in the back of the truck since some a hole stole my trailer from the parking lot. The display requires many hours of work to create and I just don't have the energy to build it again.
I'll be selling copies of my new book at Greely.