Shooting show

[redcat]

No reports on the Harrogate show?

Redcat

[20series]

We went Saturday, to my mind far less stalls than previous years, lots of shot guns that said there were a few selling reloading bits, powder etc. Lots going on for country sports types with clays, HFT etc.

Might give the stalking show a go next April as itll be the third year and from what I understand lots more in the way of rifles.

Alan

[Ballistol]

Poor, worse again than last year.
Far fewer exhibitors than previous shows, including some of the big names, they were so spaced out you could have driven a car around the halls.
Whilst we all know prices for shooting related kit have increased, some of the prices were extortionate.
Almost everyone i spoke to were doubtful as to whether they would return next year, a real shame for an event which initially showed such promise.

[Tallguy]

I think the above comments just re-enforce my view that the Target Shooting Show, Northern Shooting Show and the show that was at the NEC in Feb should just be combined into a single show that everyone would attend and exhibit at.

[MistAgain]

Its a bit difficult for a trader to make a profit selling the sort of things we need when a 3 metre stand can cost £1000.00 .

The Brit and the Northern shows were both trying to sell stand space days before the event , that shows how many dealers have been cutting costs .

As for combining the three shows , I hope that never happens .

At least the Phoenix show is still on at Bisley , and its back in the Pavilion !

[Blackstuff]

I went on the Sunday and aside from the fact that has already been mentioned, that there were far fewer vendors/stands*, most of what was left had been picked clean. The Vortex stand only had the most expensive scopes left, anything under £4-500 seemed to have gone on the Saturday.

*The lack of stands meant what was there was well spaced and it wasn't the horrendous 'scrum' it has been in the past few years. For someone who dislikes crowds and having to try to attract the vendors attention like you're in a city centre bar at 11pm, that was a huge bonus

I still managed to pick up everything I went for, and more than one spur of the moment purchase , and one of the guys I was with got an absolute bargain of a shotgun so can't really complain too much.

One thing that was a lot worse this year which I must just have never noticed, was the vendors being able to take card payments due to a lack of wi-fi/internet signal. I can't see why this would have gotten worse unless the buildings have been modified in some way, but you could see the visible relief on the vendors face when you pulled out cash and not a card. That said once i'd spent up my cash and wanted to buy some cases the guy was so sick of card payments he was willing to let me just take them away and send a BACS payment when I got home!