Hi folks,

Gotta make a choice for next weekend on which one to go to.

Is the Big E show bigger than the recent Marlboro show or is it better just to go to Manchester to see what they have. Really looking more towards ammo and accessories....


Thanks in advance

Well You may be able to finds a pre-ban to bring back to the peoples republic in NH.
Big -e is okay, Once in awhile you can find a franken Fal or something, and for AR parts Serluck will likly be there.

Manchester flier advertises 300 tables.

W. Springfield postcard advertises 1000 tables w/members of the Winchester Arms Collectors Assn (WACA) and members of the Remington Society of America (RSA). This translates to a number of tables (perhaps 100-150) of pure collectibles that usually start with prices in the $4K+ category. Nice to look at, prohibitive to purchase.

Since there is a conflict, some vendors who tend to work both DiPrete Promotion and Mid Hudson Promotions shows will be at one and not both shows.

Lots of "national" vendors come to the Big E shows and would never travel to the smaller shows.

Handguns: LOTS more for sale in NH, but generally we can't buy them so it doesn't matter.

Hi-Cap Mags: Prices will probably be cheaper in NH than MA. You need to be careful, as what you buy in either place could put you in jeopardy for 5 years and $5K-15K fine/mag. Also you would lose your legal ability to EVER possess guns in the state of MA.

I've seen lots of LEO-Only marked mags for sale in both NH (pre-9/13/04) and MA, just laid out on the tables with no attempt to restrict who they were sold to.

Reality is that Big E will probably have 600ish tables of items for sale (their advertised number of tables is always "optimistic", more likely reflecting the number of tables that fit in the room, not the number of tables sold). A number of book dealers, accessories and supplies, lots of rifles and a smattering of handguns for sale. Most guns are priced high vs. a good local dealer. But the variety of supplies makes it worth a trip.

I'm planning on spending 10/9 at the Big E and Manchester is probably 1/2 the distance.

The Big E is the largest show around, lots bigger than the Manch-vegas shows......although i like them all...lol
Usually lots of parts at the Big E, Bushmaster used to set up there, too.

Quoted: the Manch-vegas shows...

Uggg ... I hate how the locals have started dubbing that shitty city Manch-Vegas ...

Anyway ... I've never been to a Gun show and am thinking of checking this one out. I'm a relatively new shooter and am in the market for my first AR (I'm leaning towards a standard 20" rifle, either A2 or A4) ... Any tips on what to look for and what to watch out for at shows?

Last few shows I've been to have sucked.  People trying to get way more money for stuff than it's worth and not much interesting anyway.

Not sure whether I'll bother going to this one coming up yet...

Looks like the Big E Show is the way to go. Plus, I can take a ride over to the Smith and Wesson factory and take a look at their products as well.....


Thanks for the background info...

Springfield Armory National Historic Site, too!

Quoted: Uggg ... I hate how the locals have started dubbing that shitty city Manch-Vegas ... Anyway ... I've never been to a Gun show and am thinking of checking this one out. I'm a relatively new shooter and am in the market for my first AR (I'm leaning towards a standard 20" rifle, either A2 or A4) ... Any tips on what to look for and what to watch out for at shows?

Same here, except I've been to one or two shows before in Concord.  I think the chances of picking up a nice ar for a good price is pretty much zero.  I might go just to see what's out there and what to put on my wish list (to buy online.)

I always enjoy the Big E shows when I'm in state...  There is always a decent find.


- BG

Especially for those in NH looking for AR15s, save the shoe-leather and go to
www.ar15sales.com/

Pete of Legal Transfers is in NH, an AR15.com advertiser and lots of folks have only good things to say about him. He carries Rock Rivers AR15s and I'm told has good pricing.

Personally I haven't done business with him, but I've only heard good things about him.

I've seen quantities of Olympic Arms AR15s at gun shows, and according to the experts (e.g. Tweak), they are pure crap. RRA however is an up and coming mfr who makes high quality rifles.

I'll be headed to Manchester tomorrow - I am stationed in Mass but not a resident so I can still buy a lot of goodies there if the opportunity presents itself. No matter though - I buy most of my gun stuff off the internet where bargains are usually where its at. A good ol gun show cant be beat though.

Quoted: Especially for those in NH looking for AR15s, save the shoe-leather and go to www.ar15sales.com/ Pete of Legal Transfers is in NH, an AR15.com advertiser and lots of folks have only good things to say about him. He carries Rock Rivers AR15s and I'm told has good pricing. Personally I haven't done business with him, but I've only heard good things about him.

Quite true.  I have done business with Pete and highly recommend him.

OK, let's hear a post mortem of the NH show.

My next reply is a post mortem of the Big E (W. Springfield, MA) show.

W. Springfield MA Post Mortem

Sorry to say that I didn't meet up with anyone from AR15.com yesterday.

Good trip and made a fun day, but as gun shows go this was a disappointment. Competition of another 300 table show in Manchester, NH didn't help. Lots of good dealers were in NH rather than MA.

- Parking is now $5! Obscene when it was free until Spring 2003 when they started charging $3 (reasonable fee).
- Post card used to be good for $1 off up to 2 admissions, now only 1. And admission went from $7 to $8. So we're (Wife & I) in for $20 to walk in the door.
- I was told by a dealer that I know that the promoter gets ~200 free parking passes to give out. She sells them to the dealers for $10 each! Duh, same as paying for the 2 days so the dealers don't even get a discount. She also jacked up the table fee so that they now pay $75/table with no discount for multiple tables (used to be $60/table).
- Probably 5-600 tables max. Interesting display by the Springfield National Museum. Lots of very expensive Remington & Winchester collectors tables ($3K and up category).
- A lot of regular dealers were in NH not in MA this past weekend. Also missing was a number of good leather suppliers.
- High capacity mags ran from ridiculous pre-ban pricing to OK. Only problem was that some were LEO (still illegal in MA) and put on the table to make the status not obvious to potential buyers.
- Pre-ban AR15s (a few slab side Colts) ran from $975 to $1350. Most post ban AR15s were overpriced ($800 to ~1050).
- Promoter has pissed off a large number of dealers. One NY supplier (an AR15.com advertiser) I met in May 2003 at the Big E show went into a familiar litany when I asked him if he'd be there. He and a number of others have told her where to get off and refuse to do her shows any more.

Sounds like it pays to be "selective" about attending the Big E shows. Usually the June and December shows are the best ones. I'll probably pass on the rest of them. Their Marlboro show is also alleged to be an excellent show.