Hamilton gun show was worth the trip (3/3/2009)

UPDATE:

We've created an updated Gun Show Events Listing for 2010, please check it out here: Montana Gun Shows 2010

I've been going to Gun Shows for most of my adult life, usually in Missoula, but occasionally I'll drive too Hamilton or Butte for a good gun show. I made the trek to the recent Hamilton gun show last Saturday, hoping to score on some ammo, which I did.

For those in the know, or whom have spent some time in a gun store lately, the ammo shelves have been pretty bare. Several calibers of ammo are hard to find, if not impossible, and the ammo that is remaining is priced a bit high. I was delighted to see that this wasn't the case at the Hamilton gun show, as every caliber I haven't been able to find in the gun stores, were available at the gun show.

The Hamilton gun show isn't as big as the Missoula gun show, but they did have wider aisles, which was great, because usually it's a pain in the butt to get around. I personally like to cruise through the show and take note of anything that is a good deal, or anything that is on my "must acquire" list. I always go with a few friends, who help spot the good deals, and ensure I don't spend more than I should.

After conferring with friends on anything of note I then tend to take another pass or two at a slower rate. This is when I'll start making offers or when I'll ask questions. Nearly everyone is friendly, and most are extremely knowledgeable about guns, hunting, etc.

There are a few folks I always make a point of seeing, like the ammo folks with Bitterroot Ammo. I probably purchase 75% of my ammo from them because they have good ammo for rock bottom prices. I'm guessing that they did good, because they were making sales every couple minutes or so.

Gun shows aren't just about guns, though it is obviously a big part of the draw. The Hamilton gun show is a great example of this, as there were just as many antiques and jewelry tables as there were guns and ammo tables. One notable thing missing was artwork. The Missoula gun show usually has several tables of paintings, sculpture and photography. I didn't see a single table of this in Hamilton.

Another thing I noticed was the plethora of knives. There are always knives at gun shows, but this time was over the top. It seemed like every table had a dozen or more knives. As a knife collector, I was happy to see it, though I wasn't expecting it, so I did budget it into my trip.

The next gun show in western Montana is April 17 - 19th in Missoula at the County Fairgrounds. The Missoula show is usually the biggest in the state, done twice a year, in the spring and again at the end of summer. Hopefully I'll have squirreled away enough cash to pickup a new shotgun. See ya' there!

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