I was at a gun show today, and it was not really different than any other I've been to.  But, I realized a few things that I'm sure some of you have too:

-99% of the people at gun show are between the ages of 35 and 55.

I honestly saw only about 3 or 4 people with kids or young people.  I surely hope that this isn't a small snapshot of the armed community in this country.  I do somethings to get young people into shooting and politics, but I really don't think our efforts are helping too much.  Do we have a serious situation here or what??

Are you complaining?  I can't stand children.

I "Set up" at approximatley 30 shows a year in the midwest (I'm located in Springfield in southwest Missouri) and the thing I've noticed is the large number of young people, both young adults (17 to 25) and children accompanying their parents. 'Course around here there are nearly as many women at the shows as there are men. I'm always more pleased to see the younger people and the women folk than I am all of us crusty old men. All of us "old men" will support the RKBA as long as we are around. But our future rights rest squarely on the shoulders of the young people and to a lesser degree women.
I'm anxious to here what others observations are at shows around the country.

As a young "old person" (36), I can attest that part of the problem is all the flack we get from the old geezers.  They don't want us at the clubs.  If we shoot shotgun, our 8 shot Mossberg 590 is too much.  If we shoot rifle, our "assault" rifles are to blame for the Gun Control measures.  If we shoot pistol, "it's them dang plastic guns, why do you need'em?"  They think we should be shooting revolvers.  Show up with a 10-22 and your magazine is too big or you shoot too fast.  Bring a plain gun and the muzzleloader guys think you are a POS.

Drive your Pontiac Grandprix GT and they all stare at you for not driving a truck.  Now I drive my BMW and you can imagine the looks!

Wear a polo shirt and they think you are a freak.  Wear camo and you are once again to blame for the Anti's attitudes.

You can't win.  Sure, some of it is my interpretation, but we AR-15 guys get rousted for every little thing, while the black powder and benchrest old farts can wave loaded guns around, handle firearms during a ceasefire, you name it, and rarely is anything mentioned.

In Phx, the gunshows have tons of people from all age groups...lots of the 18-35 crowd, many with their children. There are also plenty of 'middle aged' people from business men to blue collar 'good ole boys', and just enough 'old-timers' to give us 'youngins' some good stories, good info, etc.

I think it is a pretty good mix....don't fear the lack of youth/young adults...we are out there...and we will prevail!!

Viva America!! [:D] ch

Oh, let's not forget all the brainwashing at school, and all the laws that keep young folks away from guns.

Coupled with how unfriendly guns shops and ranges can be at times, it's tough if you don't have someone to help you through the process.

That's why I really like to help out new guys.

Hey I'm a young person, 23 I'm dumping lotsa cash into the firearms industry and NRA, and hit every gunshow that I can, it is sad though, I barely know a handful of people my age into shooting, all the rest are too into pot n' computers to care, not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with either of those, but I live in Oklahoma and ya know we ain't some pussy gun-grabber state I'd really like to think there are a lot more, but any younger folks I see at gunshows or ranges are out there with .32 davis's tec-9s and SKSs and are dressed like Eminem if they are white, and would give a shit less about our fight. never see any black kids we have so many backward-ass rednecks out here that no black kid ever is going to show up at any shootin spot.

Just got back from the Tampa Gun Show. Big
crowd and lots of people filling out yellow
forms. Lots of families with kids and it seemed
every outher kid had a new rubber band AR15,
AK47, and a big piece of beef jerky. Lots of
Moms and Dads pushing strollers, Dads walking
around holding their childs hand and explaining
"whats that Daddy?", many people in wheelchairs.
Just like a day at the park.

I see people of all races and ages at gun shows and ranges in the Seattle area. I also see a lot of old guys with "assault" rifles, so there is not a lot of flak for us AR shooters. About the only place I have seen people look down on me for having a AR is when I hunt coyotes on farms in the Columbia Basin. Some of the farmers give me dirty looks when they see what I'm hunting with, but none have ever said anything about it.

Kyle

What's the best way to find out when and where gun shows are going to be held?

hey guys us youngins are out there i am only 21 but cant stop with learning loving and fighting for my rights and yours.  i work with about seven others with my same views  we all should not be so afraid to say what we believe in certain situations.  you might find just like i did that there are plenty of us firearms lovers out there just waiting for someone to talk to.  just do what you love guys and dont ever let anyone walk on your rights.

nathan

Well being 17 i can tell you why most of us teenagers and other young people dont go to gunshows is that most of us really dont care about them 1. most of us take shooting as a casual event that takes place a few times a year so we arent really interested. 2. we cant buy anyting cause we are under 18 (not that thats a bad thing) 3. most people at gun shows arent very nice. 4. there are NO gunshows worth going to in california! 5. going to a gunshow is usually a full day event, most teenagers are spoiled and whine alot, parents don't want to take em (as they ruin there fun). 6. most of us teenagers would rather pend thire time with thire friends then with thire parents. I hope this explains part of the problem to you guys and you can now understand why there arent many of us young people at gunshows.

Note: The views in this article are nowhere near that of the authors [:D]

It's not like I haven't seen my parents and grandparents enough already. Now I have my day off from the idiots in the office and wanna go shooting, guess what, I end up seeing the same generations of people again. For godsake!!  The same people that yup yup yup and keep telling me " no no no".  

If I want to hear this kind of things, I may as well go to the Church. Now figure out why young people stop going to the Church and gun clubs......both disallow "fun". I need to buy a private sandpit.  

Well, I'm shocked.  It might just be my liberal area/state; in that the older people can stand up to the liberal propaganda...yadda, yadda.  Well, thanks for the good news.  I'd like to go to one of these utopian gun shows out west some day...

For a community deserate for membership, there are many with superior attitudes, re: ARvs.AK.
When I started shooting, I bought cheap guns and big mags, guns that looked cool instead of guns that shot well. We all need to give others in our community a little slack. This forum and gun shows are great places to build memberships and teach each other, and so many use it as a place to flame and feel superior.[smoke]

I am 19 and the reason I don't go to shows is simple.   I have too much to do.  I have school, work and the never ending task of chasing girls.  Not to mention the lack of funds to purchase all the pretty toys I see.

It's more than young people not just being interested in guns. Our children are being educated in public schools and mesmorized by a media that is all largely leftist and amoral. They are being taught not to respect individual freedom or our republic. Instead they are being taught that we are the cause for crime, to depend on the local police for protection, get their fare share of wellfare  and to do things that will provide for the greater need of the global community. It's called the dumbing down of america. I have recently become involved in some organizations who make great efforts in fighting the socialism consuming us and they were ecstatic to find that such a young person as myself (28)cared about such things.

www.sustainable.tv

AS POSTED IN ANOTHER THRED: as a person of the age of 22 I can honestly say that the anti gun culture is pushed on us in the college scene, as well as in our personal lives. The biggest problem I find is a lot of the dealers don't want to take time to interact with us younger folks at many shows. I am boasting a nice collection for someone my age however the dealers don't know that and could give a shit less cause of my age... go figure, I guess my money isent good enough for the dealer to take some time out to answer my questions at the show.

Check out my Webpage http://hometown.aol.com/sksseven/

I'm 30 and go to everyone I can!  Whether I have any spare change or not.  My child is'nt quite old enough to care much about firearms 5, but he does love that plastic AR-15 he got for his last B-day, and everytime he sees the computer turned on he yells "that's an AR-15"!  So one day I'm sure he'll accompnay me.

I belong to two private clubs. One has a pretty run down rifle range which no one really uses, and the other has some seriously nice facilities. When I need to be serious, I go to the good one. When I want to burn up several hundred rounds of .223 and 7.62, I go to the run down range. I'm always the only one there, and I can shoot cans, plastic bottles, Million Mom March buttons, Jane Fonda records, videos and books, and all sorts of other fun stuff. It's kinda like having my own sand box. :)

If you're ever going to be in N.W. Connecticut, look me up. We'll have some fun.

Stubbs,

It seems to me that we all need to begin to take an interest in bringing young people into the "gun culture".

I have a seven year old daughter who owns two rifles already, and loves to go plinking. And recently, I kinda took this young fellow under my wing, and have brought him to the range a few times and let him shoot my AR and a couple of other rifles. Then I took him to my local FFL and he found a decent, used .22 semi auto for $65. Seeing how he's still in school and doesn't have much cash, I split the cost with him, just to get him that first rifle. $35 is a small price to pay, to lead a young man down the path of rightiousness. :)

A nice side effect of all this is he's learning a lot of small, but important lessons. The first and most important, and one which many young people have trouble with these days, is following rules, strictly. He has seen right away that no nonsense will be tolerated at the range we go to. He is also being exposed to decent, polite, moral, and upright individuals, who, by example, are showing him the right way to act in a social setting. He's learning patience, courtesy, self discipline, and having fun doing it.

I see some attitude changes already. It's kinda nice.

And we now have one more ally in the fight to retain our RKBA. I never miss a chance to point out the hypocrisy of a socialist gun grabber lie. Funny thing, those young minds. The truth sinks into their heads readily, when they hear it.

It's part of the trimming down of the "gun culture" which our enemies are actively encouraging.  They can't just ban all guns today as much as they would like to, but in 20-30 years the antis hope there will be far fewer people interested enough in guns to fight them.

I am 41 and usually I am the youngest guy on the trap line or in the skeet squad.  People who grew up playing video games instead of outside shooting their Red Ryder are less likely to be interested in guns.