I had been to one Big Top Promotions show before at the Thurston County Fairgrounds.  It was tiny and populated 80+% by dealers.  It was such a waste of time and money that I requested a partial refund when leaving.  Not only was I denied, but the manager asked me for my name in a threatening way like he was planning to do something with that info.  I swore off his shows right then.

Now several years later and in the middle of a "gun show dry spell", I saw signs for their show in Tacoma this weekend.  I was already in the area and thought maybe with the lack of other local shows (WAC and Wes Knodel won't hold theirs), I thought maybe they would have more/better vendors.

The show was at the old LeMay collection "event center" in Parkland and admission was $10.  In the entry hall where admission is paid, there was only 1 vendor at the back with about 8 tables made into a square.  I asked the ticket cashier if this was where the gun show was and he said yes, it is in the other room.  Then said something like, "Would I lie to you?"  I though to myself, "Maybe, but why would you say that?"  That first vendor is one I recognized form other shows.

Entering the other room, it was small (half the size or less of the hall used by Wes Knodel in Centralia) and very spread out into a maze of tables to walk you through.  The VAST majority of the space was one dealer called LC Sports or something like that.  Mostly new guns with some used.  Probably 1/3  with knives and crappy swords, many tables covered with gun cleaning mats.  

I spoke with one guy working the knife tables and he confirmed that other than them, there were only 4 or 5 other vendors, including a massage person and a large display of purses (presumably gun carry ones).  I said to him that the show seemed like a scam due to the lack of vendors.  $10 to visit one dealer plus a couple other sellers.  He said the $10 admission is for the venue.  So basically you PAY to visit this one dealer's travelling shop.

I spent a TOTAL of about 5 minutes inside the "show".  

BUYER BEWARE.  I won't call this a "scam" because as far as I know, no one lied about it.  But they did NOT advertise the size, number of tables or count of vendors.  But they DID seem to purposely hide the show in another room from the admission door and cashier.

I AM ONCE AGAIN SWEARING TO NEVER GIVE ANY MONEY TO BIG TOP PROMOTIONS.  LET MY VISIT BE A WARNING ABOUT THIS PROMOTER.  BURN ME ONCE, SHAME OF YOU.  BURN ME TWICE, SHAME ON ME.  THERE WILL NEVER BE A THRICE.

Rob

I've been to one of these shows maybe a year or two ago and it was the exact same thing. Not worth the time and certainly not worth the admission. I haven't bothered to go to one since.

They got me one time years ago in Vancouver. It was the worst show I have ever attended still to this day. Sounds like things haven't changed.

Gun show at the car museum in Spanaway coming up, I won't be in attendance.  A lot of stuff I have no interest in, better finds at the surplus stores around base.

I literally came to the hometown forum to complain about big tops Tacoma "show" and saw this post first thing. The "show" consisted of one big retailer charging at least 50% markup on most pistols. Heritage rough Rider single action 22lr $350, need I say more? What a disgrace!

Go to their Google page and leave a review here one of the ways we can fight back.

Well LC Sports owns Big Top Promotions. The lady with the Concealed carry purses is his wife.

He is not very good about allowing competitors to have tables.

Been to a couple,dont like them.

Bump for the weekend.

I WILL NOT BE GOING TO THE SCAM SHOW IN LACEY THIS WEEKEND.

If it saves just one $10 bill, this post will have been worth it.  Just say "No" to Big Top.

Rob

They used to have a variety of dealers coming in.  I don't know if they got bought out or what, but the first one I went to was pretty good.

A few months back there was the same rip-off in Everett.  I was pissed after doing a five minute, if that, walk-through.  There wasn't a lot except one dealer had about a 100 handguns spread out over several tables.  They had cases of 9mm ammo at $2 a round!  I was in the market for a lot of things just not a handgun or expensive ammo so I got no joy.  I had a grand burning a hole in my pocket and my wife was in a good mood so it's easy to understand how frustrating that was. They were doing background checks on site but I didn't spend enough time there to see if anyone walked out with a purchased gun.  I've sworn off going through Washington's process ever again.  Had a dealer shown up with parts for builders he would have cleaned up.

Yeah.  That's the thing.  I think that the promoter doesn't really want competition for his other business and a few "friends" that set up at the shows.


Rob

I did buy one gun at a big top event. The event is pretty crappy over all but there was a dealer there I recognized from WAC shows and he had a SW 1006 that I paid 600 out the door for. Went to another one after that and then swore them off. Never again.

Last gunshow I went to was 2008 maybe? No deals, everything was overpriced.


Before that I went to one in 2003/4. Wasn't wowed then either. Online sales have killed gun shows IMHO.

Right beforei met my now wife, wav went through all it's internal political turmoil after the Clint/Marty bs.

I was done with wac, that killed shows for me

Ever since FTF purchased got killed, WAC shows became “Parts and Ammo Shows” for me.

I think I've been to two wac shows since then, and the last one has been years ago. Lol

Even then there wern't a lot of private sellers. And when there were it was overpriced! (Cuz no paperwork bruh)

The last gun show I attended was in CA back in the mid 80s, before they went full retard on guns.  

No shortage of guns, ammo, and deals on both.  We bitched about the people selling dolls and candy...

NVM

I got tired of gun shows when the admission and parking fees hit around $20.  Once inside, there were plenty of Beany Babies, jerky (the meat) sellers, used VHS porno tapes, cheap jewelry, flea market items, and aisles so narrow that a fat man with his cart who stopped to visit with his buddy across the table jammed up any movement in either direction.   I figured I could think of plenty of other better ways to spend my time.

Just a reminder to everyone that Big Top Promotion gun shows still suck.


Rob

i see they are this weekend in everett.  I'll be skipping them,  Might wait for the other guys to grab a table and flip some 40 ammo

One of the guys at work told me about the everett thing this weekend.

I remember a time being excited about gunshows and driving and hour, or sometimes even 2 down to the portland show.


Now? Im not so sure I even give a fuck. I kinda want to go just to see stuff, but I know all of it will be retail or higher. No deals. Can just as easily order online or HU the LGS.

I miss the big WAC shows in Puyallup.  Those were always a good event.  I enjoyed going with my old man and shooting the shit with all the old timers.  Good deals could be had.

Alet!  Alet!  Big Top Promotions shows still suck!

There IS a Falcon show in Centralia this weekend.  I've heard they can be decent.  Any feedback about their show at Yardbirds Mall?

Rob

I saw that. A friend, who, at 69 years old, just got his first gun, is bugging me to go to his first gun show. I don't expect to enjoy paying $10 and driving for 2 1/2 hours to wear a fing mask all day, looking at swords and fishing lures...

Falcon just did a couple of shows up here on the North end and one table guy I was chatting up said the Chehalis show was a pretty decent affair.  Not really approaching peak WAC shows, but far better than Big Top.  Also, no mask requirement, I saw a handful of people wearing masks, on their own

Today's Falcon show in Centralia was a nice show.  Some some familiar faces and vendors and many new ones.

As expected, ammo and primer prices were crazy.  I didn't look at any modern guns.  Lots of old guns and some very fair prices (lever actions, old shotguns, old pistols).

I found brass for 32-20, some 25-20 ammo, some .327 Federal brass and the big ticket...a great price on an old Colt Lightning rifle in 32-20.

Rob

I went to the Falcon show in Centralia at the Yard Birds venue on Sat.  The closest approximation to the show is that it was like going to a WAC Puyallup show set up in the Pavilions part of the fairground.  

I saw some decent deals and a good selection on milsurp rifles.  Ammo pricing was all over the place but some of what I saw was 20rds of .223 for $15-20/box, 50rds of 9mm for $35-50/box, Aguila minishells 20rds/$14.  I know that
you could have bought ammo cheaper than advertised as I saw $ changing hands after much haggling.  Saw lots of WAC vendors set up at this one.

I think the Wes Knodel shows at the Centralia fairgrounds surpasses this Falcon show, but who knows how longer that event will go on with Wes dealing with terminal illness.

I came home with a Hitler Youth Nazi dagger on Sat. at a really decent price.  My 1st!  lol....

I'm looking forward to the next one (Falcon) and the Wes' April show at the fairgrounds.


Rob

I am middle aged and don't remember when gun shows were cool in Western Washington.
I know what they should be like, but have never experienced it.  :-(

I got here shortly before y2k and I remember some great shows. Impromptu here or there.

And a many a great haul out of shows.

And some good meals in good company as well.

I remember some decent gun shows at Monroe, Puyallup and the Everett ARNG armory back in the 1990s. Got some good deals out of the Little Nickel and Shotgun News,too.

Once the internet really took off in the later 1990s-early 2000s, though, gun shows and printed classifieds just seemed to go into a steady decline.

Every year I hear the same disappointment from different people..

I'm surprise that they are not out of business yet.
I really wish these gun shows were as good as they were 30 years ago. Use to find really cool surplus stuff for a good price. Now everything is crap and overpriced.

This weekend I plan to continue NOT ATTENDING Big Top random temporary gun shops.  Instead I WILL be going to the Centralia Wes Knodel gun show!  Yay!

Rob

This is a Wes Knodel Centralia gun show after action report.  Well, I got there at around 11:30 am and the place was busy but not elbow-to-elbow crowded.  The story of this show is the crazy ammo prices.  It is worse than the Falcon Centralia show I attended last month.  In the past at WAC and Centralia, ammo vendors would try to undercut each other to see who could give the lowest prices.  Here, everyone is trying to out do each other to become the most expensive ammo merchant.  

Here is a sampling of the prices

9mm/50rds   ($50-55)  
Case of 9mm 500 rds ($350)
.223/20 rds  ($29-35)

Reloading supplies were not much better.  They were asking retail prices for bullets.  Powder was 1lb/ ~$40.  Even used dies were priced nearly as new.  Primers were anywhere from $150-250/thousand.  Saw one guy sell 100 SRP/SPP at $22/each.

Gun sales were pretty steady.  Saw a lot of people filling out 4473's.

Looked at milsurps and nothing caught my eye within my price range.  Jap 99's $200-400, Garands $950+, Enfields ~$700, and 1903's at around $925.

Pros:  Good selection of ammo if you want to pay, didn't see many jerky/lube-hand lotion/toy vendors
Cons:  Ammo prices are absurd.  In light of the high ammo prices, I saw very little move at these levels.

Compared to previous Wes Knodel shows at this venue, I thought this was a disappointment.  Came home with 2 used die sets at fair/slightly above avg. price and a free partial can of pistol powder that someone forgot to take with them.  Seller gave it to me.  lol.

I agree with the above.  Good attendance.  Well stocked tables.  Fairly high prices generally.  I brought a friend, so maybe didn't spend quite as much time as usual peering at the little stuff on everyone's table, looking for the hidden gem or diamond in the rough.

I came away with a box each of factory 25-20 and 32-20 ammo, both bought for fair prices, I think, since both are low-volume calibers.

Rob

Just a reminder to all how crappy Big Top "gun shows" are and that they have another attempt to suck in the unknowing this weekend in Everett.


Rob

They’re advertising another one in Silverdale or Bremerton, coming up this weekend or the next.

Keep up the good work reminding everyone, wish I had seen who the vendor was before going to their Vancouver show a month or two ago.  

It absolutely sucked.  Entry was expensive, and basically LC Sports was 95% of the “show”.  The way they had it setup you can’t tell that prior to paying either.  

Their prices seemed to basically be “covid/riot panic pricing” + 50% additional.  No joke.  Basically twice what stuff was going for on GB.  Pretty much all new guns too, nothing used.  It was a flat out ridiculous.  We were in and out in 15 minutes.  Oh yeah - had to pay parking as well!  What a scam.  

I did go to the one at Yardbirds a few months ago, seemed pretty decent for attendance and variety of stuff.  I was not needing any ammo or reloading supplies so I skipped over all the 1950’s components pulled out of closets.  I will go back there.  

If I see a Big Top show sign, which they stick on the sides of lots of roads, I might just add my own signs next to it pointing out what a ripoff they are.  

Total ripoff on entry, not a real gunshow, and their prices are fucking outrageous.  We need someone else to crush them into dust...

Just another reminder with coming NOT-GUN-SHOWS by Big Top.  They're still a ripoff and not worth your time or money!!!!!!

rob

Big top in Oak Harbor this weekend.  

You should get a table.

Guessing we are not gonna see you at the Vancouver Big Top Show this weekend eh Rob?

Absolutely!  I will NOT be attending the "show" today.  Thanks for reminding me!

I went to the real gun show in Centralia and got some old ammo (.32 S&W Long and .43 Mauser), Ruger Blackhawk grips and a Marlin 1895CB rifle in .32 H&R for a really good price.

Rob

Big Top still blows!  Don't waste your time this weekend at the Ocean Shores mobile gun store.

Also remember to skip NEXT WEEKEND'S flop in Lacey!

Good real show coming up Jul 9 - 11 in Centralia.  Not sure if there will be both a Falcon show at Yard Birds and a Wes Knodel show at the Fairgrounds, but for sure at least one will be on!

Rob

Looking at the various calendars, both Falcon and Wes Knodel have shows in Chehalis next weekend.  Plus the WAC show in Elma.  (Plus the aforementioned Big Flop show in Lacey).

Seems like a lot of competition for the same weekend.

I heard the lacey commercial this morning and thought of this thread.

I like how they now call it the "Gun Sale" instead of "Gun Show"