lights at gun shows??

[notsobrite]

i bought my first good light, surefire 6p, at a gun show about 5 years ago. at the time surefire and maybe streamlight were the only brands at the show. i haven't been to another gun show since and i'm wondering if other lights are for sale at shows now? it would be nice to be able to compare fenix, jetbeam, etc. without having to buy them first.

 

[american lockpicker]

Once I seen some Pentagon Light Flashlights for sale and the occasional knockoff.

 

[fespo276]

It depends on the show, of course, but they are becoming more and more prevalent. For example, some dealers sell just lights, while many other dealers carry a sampling.

 

[oregon]

Your friend and mine Mike, PTS, vends a large assortment of terrific hand-held lighting products at the shows in this neck of the woods (Pacific Northwest). If you want to handle the latest gear then visit with Mike. And, should you want to discuss pending releases with an enthusiast chances are that Mike will bring cool new product X up first in the conversation.

You can even contact him before a show and ask him to bring something for you and if he can get it then it will be there. He is someone that I can vouch for.

There are usually a few other torch vendors at the show but none with the shear blunt force of inventory, manufacturers, accessories, pricing and knowledge.

Where are you notsobrite? If others in the forum knew your location then perhaps your in-the-know neighbor forumites could point you properly.

oregon

 

[TonkinWarrior]

While it's nice to fondle, test-drive, and "date" a flashlight at a gun show, I've found this approach to be less than satisfactory (for flashlights, not members of the opposite sex) because:

1-The prices are higher than the better online dealers (for flashlights, not *cough* members of the opposite sex).

2-Compare/contrast evaluation of various models is limited to "what's there" vis-a-vis the many/extensive reviews (see Selfbuilt's excellent reviews) available here at CPF (for those willing to do some patient research).

3-In general, I find gun show flashlight vendors tend to be less-knowledgeable (than CPF experts) and geared toward pushing stuff to Newbies/Joe Everyman/K-Mart shoppers.

4-After-sale customer service is poor, and "return" of a faulty product is difficult, at best, limited to tracking down that specific vendor at some future show (if at all -- good luck).

5-The show's bright ambient lighting totally prevents meaningful beam testing.

In my area, I do regularly see a knowledgeable Pelican dealer at shows. Recently, I've spotted multiple OLight and StreamLight vendors -- decent stuff, but all usually at max/retail prices. Also find a few Surefire sellers (doing it as a sideline) but somewhat negotiable re price.

The low-end 12-minute run-time import lights ($5-20) are spotted everywhere -- usually along with the sellers' calcified beef jerky, Beanie-Babies, Junk-Knives-For-Gang-Bangers, Usless-Fantasy-Knives-For-Ditz-Teens, Arrest-Me-ASAP Shuriken stuff, Fire-Breathing-Dragon-Barf/Chartreuse-Zolatone/Mall-Punk T-shirts, and used pantyhose.

YMMV.

 

[Illum]

The low-end 12-minute run-time import lights ($5-20) are spotted everywhere -- usually along with the sellers' calcified beef jerky, Beanie-Babies, Junk-Knives-For-Gang-Bangers, Usless-Fantasy-Knives-For-Ditz-Teens, Arrest-Me-ASAP Shuriken stuff, Fire-Breathing-Dragon-Barf/Chartreuse-Zolatone/Mall-Punk T-shirts, and used pantyhose.

YMMV.

LOL, I take it that your a veteran of many years going to these here gun shows?

 

[notsobrite]

While it's nice to fondle, test-drive, and "date" a flashlight at a gun show, I've found this approach to be less than satisfactory (for flashlights, not members of the opposite sex) because:

1-The prices are higher than the better online dealers (for flashlights, not *cough* members of the opposite sex).

2-Compare/contrast evaluation of various models is limited to "what's there" vis-a-vis the many/extensive reviews (see Selfbuilt's excellent reviews) available here at CPF (for those willing to do some patient research).

3-In general, I find gun show flashlight vendors tend to be less-knowledgeable (than CPF experts) and geared toward pushing stuff to Newbies/Joe Everyman/K-Mart shoppers.

4-After-sale customer service is poor, and "return" of a faulty product is difficult, at best, limited to tracking down that specific vendor at some future show (if at all -- good luck).

5-The show's bright ambient lighting totally prevents meaningful beam testing.

In my area, I do regularly see a knowledgeable Pelican dealer at shows. Recently, I've spotted multiple OLight and StreamLight vendors -- decent stuff, but all usually at max/retail prices. Also find a few Surefire sellers (doing it as a sideline) but somewhat negotiable re price.

The low-end 12-minute run-time import lights ($5-20) are spotted everywhere -- usually along with the sellers' calcified beef jerky, Beanie-Babies, Junk-Knives-For-Gang-Bangers, Usless-Fantasy-Knives-For-Ditz-Teens, Arrest-Me-ASAP Shuriken stuff, Fire-Breathing-Dragon-Barf/Chartreuse-Zolatone/Mall-Punk T-shirts, and used pantyhose.

YMMV.

beanie babies??? they have beanie babies!!!??? sorry- but about the only thing i ever won in my life was back in 1983-84 when i won a beanie baby- or was it a cabbage patch kid? either way, what a pathetic thing for a guy to win.

you make a lot of good points, but i'm very hands-on and i gotta touch it. i like ordering off the net for prices, but if i see something i've been drooling over online at the gun show next weekend it's mine!

oregon- i live in austin, tx. i guess i should update my profile, eh?

 

[TonkinWarrior]

Illum:

Now, mercy goodness, I've never been to a gun show in my whole life! Learned all I needed to know about them just by watching unbiased CNN news reports, Sixty Minutes, chick flicks, and reading the N.Y.Times.

And, when I'm not researching flashlights on CPF, I prefer to spend Saturday afternoons attending Vegetarians-For-Redistributive-Change-And-World Peace meetings. Of course, I always wear Organic Birkenstock sandals and carry my Tie-Dye-Flower-Power anodized and customized Surefire M-6 Semi-Automatic Assault Light at these events.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I've seen a Coast vendor pushing their stuff lately. But it really is regional. Like Oregon said in the PNW Mike@PTS goes out to some of them. (Mike unfortunately doesn't go to the Portland shows right now, he's got someone else doing them) But beyond that I always see a few people with surefires, and a bunch of utter, cheap garbage lights.

 

[oregon]

(Mike unfortunately doesn't go to the Portland shows right now, he's got someone else doing them)

No. Say it isn't so. You couldn't ask for a nicer more knowledgeable fella to spread the gospel. It has been a few months since my last visit to the Portland Expo. I hope to see him again. Perhaps he will be a OKCA in Eugene next month.

oregon

 

[154CM]

Our gun shows consist of old ladys trying to sell beanie babies.

 

[Illum]

Our gun shows consist of old ladys trying to sell beanie babies.

target practice? exotic weapon carry?:thinking:
if not how do they managed to get in under the "gun show" banner?

 

[DieselTech]

target practice? exotic weapon carry?:thinking:
if not how do they managed to get in under the "gun show" banner?

They pay the promoters for a table, give the BB a toothpick 'baton', and call it 'tactical'. :nana::devil: Same thing the beef jerky, home made jam, and Gutter Guard people do.

As for lights, it depends on the show. The ones I usually go to around Middle Tennessee often have one Surefire vendor with most of the common lights, and some E1Bs, E2DLs, etc...their prices are about the same as you'd find anywhere else for a brand new Surefire.

 

[Burgess]

Attended a local Gun Show in 2007.


Dealer was selling a wide-variety of flashlights.


I wondered if perhaps he might be a fellow CPF'er,

so i asked him if he ever goes on CandlePowerForums.


And this very nice fellow replies:


"No, not really. Those guys are FANATICS !"






No argument there !



_

 

[Sean]

There is a gun show about 8 miles away from me today and I've been debating on going. If I could get in free I'd be there.
I just don't want to pay to get in and there not be any flashlights for sale at all. :thumbsdow

 

[TonkinWarrior]

Sean, I strongly suspect that if that fun show is a major one run by a decent promoter, there will be numerous flashlight vendors there -- in addition to all the other boy-toys. Now, not that I've EVER attended one of these eeeevil events, but I've HEARD rumors that better flashlights and batteries are slowly getting discovered by the non-CPF crowd thereabouts.

You might check an online website called "gunshows-usa.com." It has a state-by-state calendar of most US shows. Each show listed has the promoter's phone #. If a show's size is advertised as over 300 to 400+ tables, it's a fair sized one. The really big shows run 500-1,000 tables. Most shows are packed these days, so allow plenty of time to take it all in (i.e., 2 hrs. min, 3-4 hrs. for the big ones).

The NRA often sets up a membership-drive table (staffed by fair ladies, too) outside larger shows, and if you sign up ($25) they give you a free pass to that show.

 

[Patriot]

I've been a regular attendee at state gun shows since I was dragged around there as a child. Pretty much everything that Tonkin Warrior stated was right on the money and all that started about 10-12 years ago when the Chinese stuff started getting really cheap. Prices on new, guns, lights, and knives are ridiculous. 95% of the products for sale are cheap junk. About the only reason that I do go is to pick up used firearms after scanning for deals, or to pick up ammo. Last few times I went down to the big shows I was there only to keep a friend or my dad company and wondered what I was doing there the whole time I walked around. Everything can be researched and purchased much more intelligently on line.

 

[horizonseeker]

gunshows here in So Cal, you will find surefires, I've seen Solar Force and Tiablo for new brands, hopefully there will be more coming. I've seen Fenix in Arizona shows.

and there are always the unbranded multiple-led lights.

 

[notsobrite]

i'm going to the gun show in austin this saturday. i'll post back what i find. hopefully i'll post back that i got a new light, too

 

[g36pilot]

Illum:

Now, mercy goodness, I've never been to a gun show in my whole life! Learned all I needed to know about them just by watching unbiased CNN news reports, Sixty Minutes, chick flicks, and reading the N.Y.Times.

And, when I'm not researching flashlights on CPF, I prefer to spend Saturday afternoons attending Vegetarians-For-Redistributive-Change-And-World Peace meetings. Of course, I always wear Organic Birkenstock sandals and carry my Tie-Dye-Flower-Power anodized and customized Surefire M-6 Semi-Automatic Assault Light at these events.

LOL, This made my morning on several fronts, er, I mean issues.