The Dulles gun show was the same old stuff but every three months you could go and get some BBQ at the place around the corner. We relocated west and the only show that comes close is the Tanner 700 table show in Denver. Tanner sucks and the venders have junk. Very little high end optics or toys. OK a lot of high end hunting rifles but thats it. Nobody brings in pallets of ammo and nobody has inventory like Trader Jerry's or sun whatever. So appreciate what you got VA to include the NRA range because there is nothing as good or cheap out here. Then again we do not have road rage (80MPH no problem) or people flipping you off, breaking into your car, or treating you like an AH for being nice or making conversation.  If you break down on the road some one will stop to help and not hold you up or rape your wife. This works for me. Lastly, a lot of little mom & pop gun shows out here. Mostly Glocks, Cowboy guns, and low end things (no HKs). I am not a Glocksucker so no help there.

I agree - it's fun to take the youngster and let him enjoy the beef jerky and Hooters wings (but we do BBQ often, too).  But you must have missed ESS before you left - The NRA range suffered a catastrophic death.  No one I know of will ever be back.

Not sponsored by ESS, by the way.  

As much as I like to bitch about it, I am glad to live so close to this show. I always make it a three day social event with friends and like-minded individuals.

Funny story- A few years ago, before the Walmart was there, they were hosting the gunshow in the North Hall and a wine tasting / selling event in the South Hall. Well, it seems some metrosexual and his Wife (somebody has to hold her purse) passed a man with an "assault weapon" slung over his shoulder in the parking lot and they took cover behind a parked car then called the police. Fairfax County had a unit already on-site so the officer found and talked to the couple who were visibly shaken up by the whole ordeal. After the officer listened to their story and explained that there was nothing illegal about what they had described, the wine-ing woman indignantly retorted; "well, aren't you afraid of what that man might do with that gun?" to which the officer replied; "frankly, I am more concerned about all these people who spend all day "tasting" wine and then get in their cars and onto the roads."

What's the beef with the NRA range?

Willards is the bomb and always 50% of why I show up to the chantilly show. Right indeed however, few and far between can compare to that show. If you have cash to blow, and don't care about the about best possible price, there are some nice toys to play with and buy! I have surely done my share, and haven't regretted it one bit

Guess he's saying ESS is new and everything new just seems better.  I do like that ESS has wider booths and wider carboard backing so you can put two targets side by side.  I'm hoping that the NRA range isn't so busy anymore.
 

There is no beef, per se.

NRA - 15 lanes
ESS - 42 lanes

NRA - Inconsistent hours w/rude staff
ESS - Consistent 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week w/amazing staff

NRA - Targets 3x the cost of ESS
ESS - Ammo at almost cost for members

NRA - Slug only
ESS - 00 Buck or Slug


I can go on and on.  They are 13 miles apart - and the NRA is someone's preference?  Hey, it's up to the individual, but these are Pinto vs. Ferrari conversations.  And I've been a vocal critic of ESS on many issues, I'm a life member of the NRA, a previous frequent range attendee, and annual member of two other local ranges.  But when you compare apples to apples, there is no comparison, ESS is amazingly superior as a range and with customer service.  Sorry for being snotty, if I am.  Just answering the question.  The NRA Range is dead to me.

Dark Sun and the Oriental Gun Parts Ladies were the only saving grace of the NGS. I've not been there in at least three years.

It's just not worth the 90 mile round trip to me anymore....much less the butt-reaming admission price. It sucks being in the hole $20 from the get-go.

90 miles ? mines close to 400 for a round trip

My safe has been full for years (no more room for guns), but I try to go the Nations Gun Show when I can, just to show support, pay my entrance fee, and pick up some knick-knacks.  We are blessed to have such an awesome show here in NOVA, and should not take it for granted.  Thanks OP for this thread.

Gotcha.

Can't say I've really had an issue with the NRA Range staff myself, targets don't seem horribly expensive.. but then again I don't use that many, and don't buy ammo there.  Plus I don't own a shotgun, so slugs vs shot isn't an issue for me.  You have a great point on hours though.... but then again, operating a range isn't NRA's primary business, so they get a little leeway in my book.  As a range facility, I've always rather liked it.

Guess I'll have to take a look at ESS.

Sucks for you for sure. If I'm to drive 200 miles one-way there better be more than a bunch of smelly people, shysters, and beef jerky at the end of the trip.

To be honest I have never really found anything there (or most any show these days) that I could not get on-line or local. I'd rather support my local pawn shops or LGS than some guy from PA operating out of a Featherlite. IMHO the NGS is just pretty much the impulse buyer's wet dream.

Even the C&R show in Manassas that I used to attend religiously twice a year has fell a bit flat of late due to some of the old guys I did FTF deals with dying off. How much of Trader Jerrys can a man stand?

That said it's good that the various shows are around if that type of thing floats your boat but the "I should be thankful" aspect eludes me and to be honest is sort of weird.

The ESS staff is amazing!  Plus, coming out of Quantico, it's a whole lot closer than the NRA Range.

I think it would be cool if ESS set up some standing displays of historic weaponry and gear in their open spaces.  Maybe as a divider between the lounging area and snack bar...

10-12 years ago, maybe 15 - gun shows were gun shows.

Now its beef jerky, hot sauce, shapern your knife sir, clean your glasses sir hucksters.

EVERYTHING is over priced and there is NOTHING there I can't get cheaper anywhere else. This includes guns , ammo, and or powder.

To hell with paying 10-20 bucks to be bumped into, farted on, stepped on, coughed on, by a random patron or insulted or gouged by somne shitbag dealer. My local dealer went to the hampton show recently. He said the ammo was far higher than even he would charge in his small shop. Said it was dead, like a ghost town. I say good. Screw em. You want to act like an ass and overcharge people, that only works in a panic. News flash, the panic was overa 18 months ago and its smooth sailing for at least the next two years. Better step up, or get run out. Either is fine with me. As long is UPS ships components and my local dealer does transfers, I dont need a gun show to waste my time, money or patience.

I don't think that VAGuntrader was mentioned.  Every gun that I want has been advertised on there but that is because I am  not looking for rare collectables.  I have had to hold back on looking at times because there is so many good deals.  Unfortunately I really don't need gunshows anymore and have been refraining from attending to save the entrance fee.

The wait was why I stopped going to the NRA range. Last time I was there was a weekday morning and there was a 1 hr. and 20 min. waiting list (don't you people work?). When I finally got a point on the range, I was pressed for time and 55min. later got the tap on the shoulder. The demand on the facility isn't the fault of the NRA in anyway but it makes for a frustrating experience none the less. I am also a member at AFC-IWLA but that facility is hardly set-up for effective handgun practice. Silver Eagle Group (boo, Silver Eagle, boo) has a nice range but I will not patron their business for the political reasons hashed out here so many times that I won't repeat it. So far ESS is working out GREAT. I am only afraid that it will become too popular making it harder to come-in and walk-on the range or, the opposite,  that it will be so under utilized that the management will be forced to cut operating hours (lower payroll) or make other cost saving changes. I hope not because I really like their facility and their crew. ESS is definitely needed in the NoVA area.

I was there last Friday and on the other 25 yard range there were a group of police doing drills.  They also had a classroom so hopefully they have a nice large $$$ contract setup with ESS.  
 

I hope so. In my experience working with local law enforcement training programs (I am NOT a cop or a professional instructor) their budgets for such activities are usually pretty thin and they tend to look/ask for low cost or no cost opportunities for training venues.