Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show

[gaskg]

Is anyone going to this? Is this show a good one?
http://www.easternsportshow.com/

 

[adjusterr]

It's a well established monster sports show. Be prepared to wait in traffic depending on what time of day you get there, probably have to park in lot and ride shuttle bus to show, it is generally very busy, sometimes difficult to stop and look at displays. Figure on a long day if you want to see the entire show. Everyone should do it once.

 

[Kiev88cm]

Pay to Park, then Pay to get in.....

 

[kalister1]

My wife let me know she would go with me just for the ride.
Is this a GUN show or an Outdoor show? I know you can book hunting parties and things like that, but are there tables of guns like at York? I am looking for a 1903 Colt.
The Map quest directions talk about turn here and then make a U Turn and go back? I guess there is a one way street or no Left turn?

 

[gotguns]

When I was a kid it was a good sportsman show. They actually sold guns, gear accessories & all kind of "man" toys!
Last time I was there about 6 years ago. stopped going. It turned into a big flea market; jewelry, food, junk....very little sportsman/gun stuff.
My customers tell me last year's show did turn out to being a sportsman show again?

The comments above are right! Wait to get in, Pay to park, wait to get in, pay to get in. Fight the crowd!
My experience in past: go during the middle of the week.
OH...smuggle in your own food! or take KY if your plan on eating there!

 

[stonet21]

You can buy tickets online ahead of time so you don't have to wait in line at the door.

 

[dajudge]

They say Uncle Ted will be there

 

[PJDiesel]

They say Uncle Ted will be there

Lee & Tiffany too.

 

[balttigger]

If you want to be assaulted by row upon row upon row of grossly overpriced hunting/fishing guides, then this is your place. There will also be a gaggle of "as seen on Outdoor TV" items: Automatic fishing lures, automatic turkey calls, etc. Don't forget the overpriced outfitters. The bow and archery area inside the indoor soccer stadium is nice. There will also be bag, clothing, belt, luggage, dream catcher, et. al. sales stuck in every hallway, nook and cranny. The ONLY firearm related stuff I ever found was Numrich had a bunch of parts next to the NightForce optics table. I have never seen a firearm for sale at one of these shows. Ever.

And did I mention there are Outfitters there? Because they are. From Canada to South America. If you have several grand eating a hole in your pocket, they will put you in a stand or in a boat near some of the biggest <insert prey of choice> on the planet...just ask em.

 

[ffemtreed]

i avoid this show at all costs.

As others said if you are looking for a hunting trip this is the show to go to, other than that its not worth it.

 

[kalister1]

When I go to York they have a sign about no concealed firearms inside. Do they allow permit holders to carry concealed inside, or do they ASK that you allow them to Zip Tie it?
I have a Florida Permit that I have never used, if they do not object it just could be my first time,,,,,

 

[dajudge]

If you haven't ever been there, check it out. Then decide if there is a next time.

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

I'm going Monday for the ride. From what i'm reading, this might be my first and last trip.

Not into the guide stuff or meeting TV personalities.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Do any dealers sell 30 round AR-15 Mags there? If so, who?

C and R guns? Lugers?

 

[Slimjim]

Do any dealers sell 30 round AR-15 Mags there? If so, who?

C and R guns? Lugers?

Its not a gunshow, its a sportsmans show, there is gun stuff, but its not a gunshow.

But Leupold,Trijicon,eotech/insight, benchmade,cold steel, and other companies will be there.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

I have never seen a firearm for sale at one of these shows. Ever.
.

You must have not looked hard enough, which I can understand because it's go so packed in there it's not funny.

I saw firearms for sale last year, and this year (today). The Gun Bunker from Shrewsberry, PA was there as one example. There were probably less than a dozen booths or tables actually offering firearms for sale. We didn't bother with actually trying to look, every table that had firearms for sale was filled with people, along with massive stop and go crowds.

I'm also not sure your agenda is with the negative virtue against the Outfitters, people go to these shows to line up trips. Did you not read the map of the hall you were in? One hall is primarily all out fitters with more scattered about the entire show except in the Powersports hall. I get annoyed with the flea market trend product sellers than I do with hunting trip guys. If these hunting gurus sucked so bad, they wouldn't have an entire hall dedicated to it. LMFAO

Do any dealers sell 30 round AR-15 Mags there? If so, who?

I saw window PMAGs for a very high rate of price, I would not go to the Sportsmanshow just to buy Pmags.. or go there to find any firearm related stuff to be honest. It's a Sportsman show, not a gun show.

 

[Deep Creek Rock]

If your looking to book a guided trip, then the show is for you.

If your looking to see endless amounts of mounted game, its for you...

If your looking to buy discounted shooting gear, and guns, the show is not for you. What little was there when I went, was overpriced - greatly.

Ive gone to it years ago, wasnt worth it IMHO. If you go on a weekend, dont worry about accidently tripping, youll never hit the floor with the crowd.

They have factory reps there. Hart rifles had a decent booth. But its mostly for show, not for buying on the spot.

 

[PapiBarcelona]

Krieghoff, Smith and Wesson, Mossberg, Benelli, Trijicon, Zeiss I remember seeing there today

 

[Jack Ryan]

I went with up my son and father in law today, we just got home. Had a great time. The place was packed.

I bought 2 AR15 Magpul mags for $15.99 each, a leather holster for my .357 magnum revolver for $20, and a hand tooled leather belt that the guy stamped my name on it for $20.

We really enjoyed the scores of awesome taxidermi which you need to see to believe. The NRA had a big display, prolly twenty deer heads in a row.

The NRA store with some bargains.

S&W had a big hands-on display of S&W handguns, rifles, as well as Walther pistols, and Thompson black powder rifles. All were on thin cables which reeled out line so you could pick up and try out everything.

Trijicon had a great booth with two guys who let us play with all their different rifle and handguns which had their scopes and red dot devices mounted too. I learned a lot, great stuff.

There were tons of outfitters, this was the main reason for us being up there today. I enjoyed meeting the local Bay skippers and hunting guides, as well as the fishing camps up in Canada. We have gone to two different Canadian fishing camps twice before, and your money goes a long way up there. We will book trips with some of them.

There were many Safari outfitters from South Africa. I spoke with some at length and learned a lot. There were also hunt and fishing outfitters from Argentina, Alaska, Russia, as well as Florida, Illinois, Idaho, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas.

Jerky was everywhere...at least 15 different sellers, expensive too, some wanted $8 for a slice. We skipped over that. I did buy Buckeyes from a hand made candy maker, they are awesome, chocolate cup stuffed with peanut butter fudge. I also had a crabcake sandwich, it was ok but smelled like fish?

Also there lots of fishing stuff, fly fishing demo, boats for sale.

Bottom line there was something here for everyone.

 

[720Deere]

I say that I won't return every year, but every February I find myself returning. $8 to park, $13 internet discount ticket and hour upon hour of push and shove crowds that prevent you from spending any time with anything that you may actually be interested in. I think this was my last year for sure.

I think the big issue is the internet. When I was a teen and even in my twenties this show and the PA Farm Show were events that you just could not miss. Anything that was new for the year was introduced at these shows and we had no other avenue to find out about it. Now the internet allows us to constantly keep up to date on everything. This show is no longer exciting because nothing is new to us when we go! The internet is a mostly a blessing, but in a lot of ways it is also a curse!

The highlight of our day was stopping at Richland Shooters Supply and Shyda's to stock up on reloading supplies on our way to the show today. I will take a 2 hour trip to Cabela's any day of the week over the Eastern Sports & Outdoor show.