The Nation's Gun Show - Dulles, VA 4/23-4/25

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  • csxt602

    Active Member
    Oct 29, 2020
    132
    Essex, MD
    4/23 - 4/25

    Dulles Expo Center
    4320 Chantilly Shopping Center
    Chantilly, VA 20153

    FRI 4/23 - 11:00, 1:20, 3:40, 6:00
    SAT 4/24 - 8:00, 10:20, 12:40, 3:00
    SUN 4/25 - 8:00, 10:20, 12:40, 3:00

    Admission is $10.00, 12 and under are $6.00
    Online tickets only for 2-hour sessions, available at https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1018200/nations-gun-show-chantilly-dulles-expo-center

    2 buildings, 500 tables, due to VA's Covid restrictions.

    https://www.thenationsgunshow.com/company.html
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    has anyone been to one of their shows lately? lots of ammo?

    Not one of their shows, but the few commercial ammo vendors at the VGCA show in Manassas had plenty of it. I’m not sure if they’ll be at Nation’s too. It’s priced high enough it doesn’t get depleted.

    There were lots of private sellers with ammo too. I saw people paying $15 a box of steel cased 7.62x39, $18 a box of brass 5.56, and $40 a box for 9mm brass FMJ.

    What is the "Staged" times listed for each day??

    You get your tickets for specific 2hr blocks. At the end of each block, they kick everyone out so ticket holders of the next block can go in.

    SGK (different promoter) did that system at the last Fredericksburg show. There, it was a hard stop with no exceptions. My coworker said he saw a lady get kicked out by police halfway through doing paperwork on a gun.
     

    Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    So you have to buy advanced tickets? can you just "Show up on Friday at 11:00AM ?


    You get your tickets for specific 2hr blocks. At the end of each block, they kick everyone out so ticket holders of the next block can go in.

    SGK (different promoter) did that system at the last Fredericksburg show. There, it was a hard stop with no exceptions. My coworker said he saw a lady get kicked out by police halfway through doing paperwork on a gun.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    You get your tickets for specific 2hr blocks. At the end of each block, they kick everyone out so ticket holders of the next block can go in.

    SGK (different promoter) did that system at the last Fredericksburg show. There, it was a hard stop with no exceptions. My coworker said he saw a lady get kicked out by police halfway through doing paperwork on a gun.

    That is nuts. Just cancelled my plan to visit this show, I'm not dealing with that crap. I'll stick to the PA shows... in fact there is one in Morgantown the same weekend as this, and it is growing (from 600 tables to 650 tables) while Chantilly is shrinking (down to 500 tables now).
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    That is nuts. Just cancelled my plan to visit this show, I'm not dealing with that crap. I'll stick to the PA shows... in fact there is one in Morgantown the same weekend as this, and it is growing (from 600 tables to 650 tables) while Chantilly is shrinking (down to 500 tables now).

    Yeah, the two hour thing really kills it for me. I could probably make it through all the tables in that time, but I like to go back through near the end to throw low offers on things and also watch for guns private sellers bring in slung over their shoulders.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    Yeah, the two hour thing really kills it for me. I could probably make it through all the tables in that time, but I like to go back through near the end to throw low offers on things and also watch for guns private sellers bring in slung over their shoulders.

    Exactly... i usually walk the whole show and make notes of what I want to go back for. I'm not an impulse buyer.

    That's probably doable now that this show is 1/3 the size it used to be, but that's just another reason it isn't worth dealing with the extra BS.
     

    csxt602

    Active Member
    Oct 29, 2020
    132
    Essex, MD
    They posted on their FB page earlier that there are vendors who have been stocking up and bringing tons of ammo, at supposedly good prices (yeah, we'll see), and were hoping to be more back to a normal show by June, if Northam lifts his Covid restrictions. I don't see that happening either.

    My son and I are going. I don't NEED anything, but have no problems perusing the show in the 2-hour span, and he is in the middle of an AR build, so he's just looking for parts and ammo, depending on prices.

    It's only an hour+ drive for me, and will hold me over to the next York show in June. Morgantown is a little farther for me.
     

    Kmic14

    Slimy Member
    Apr 17, 2020
    112
    Baltimore City
    this is much closer than the Morgantown show but the two hour time limit is a major turnoff. Maybe it would be worth it to pop into a LGS or two tho.
     

    csxt602

    Active Member
    Oct 29, 2020
    132
    Essex, MD
    this is much closer than the Morgantown show but the two hour time limit is a major turnoff. Maybe it would be worth it to pop into a LGS or two tho.

    I'm pretty quick at gun shows. Walk through, make mental notes of what I want/need, go back and grab it, and get out. Kind of how I shop at Walmart. If I browse, I'm a danger to my bank account and credit cards.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    You get your tickets for specific 2hr blocks. At the end of each block, they kick everyone out so ticket holders of the next block can go in.

    SGK (different promoter) did that system at the last Fredericksburg show. There, it was a hard stop with no exceptions. My coworker said he saw a lady get kicked out by police halfway through doing paperwork on a gun.


    It looks like this show is going to have hard stops too. They suggest if you need more time to buy tickets for consecutive time slots. Yeah, ok. :rolleyes: Pass.

    https://www.thenationsgunshow.com/company.html
    TIPS: Arrive 15 - 30 minutes before your time slot to have your tickets scanned. For additional time, please reserve consecutive time slots.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    For those of you who have been around a while , think back to the final Gun Show at PG Equestrian Center Arena .

    It had been a popular GS venue for years , and filled a significant niche as the most geographically convenient large Gun Show for a big chunk of population . Then after a particular round of anti- gun outrage , the county said to the effect of " Guns Bad ! No more Gun Shows . Because we said so ."

    Years of lobbying and litigation , and finally the County would allow Gun Shows again . BUT we have these conditions .......

    And the stupid conditions were so onerous , that it wasn't commercially viable to conduct Gun Shows under those conditions . So the promoter's Victory was ultimatelyimately Phyric

    I really hope the situation will play out differently here , and continue to improve from here in regards to Chantilly .

    ( On the positive note , I did meet and spend time with Beo Bill , LadderTower , and nameless later disgraced former Board Member at MSI booth .)
     

    SavageShooter

    Active Member
    Jan 10, 2014
    644
    Arbutus, MD
    Last good one I went at Chantilly 1400 table was Nov. 2019. Went last Aug. 2020 when they started back up and I left without going in the show. It used to take me an average of 4 hours to look at everything properly with a 1400 table show. CE Gun Shows / Showmasters sends me the e-mails for the shows. This one for Chantilly Apr. 23-25 insane! If and when they get back to normalcy I'll go again. By the way I went to the very first one that was held there!
     

    IronDuck

    Active Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 11, 2021
    488
    Frederick ish MD
    Thanks for posting the restrictions, purchased my ticket today, to attend on Sunday. I agree 2 hours sucks. Going to support the promoter and vendors if nothing else!
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    It looks like this show is going to have hard stops too. They suggest if you need more time to buy tickets for consecutive time slots. Yeah, ok. :rolleyes: Pass.

    They have 20 minutes between when one ends and another begins. The question is if they’ll be lenient towards those doing paperwork during those 20 minutes.
     

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