Gun Show Cancelled After Ban on Assault Weapons

NewsMax ^ | Jan 25, 2013 | Matthew Auerbach

[EXCH54FE]

Organizers of a Pennsylvania outdoors gun show have cancelled the event after a backlash over a ban on assault rifles.

The nine-day Eastern Sports and Outdoor show was scheduled to begin in Harrisburg on Feb. 2. In a notice posted on its web site, Reed Exhibitions said an "emotionally charged atmosphere" had been created that would make it impossible to hold an event "designed to provide family enjoyment."

The company’s reasons for a ban were laid out in a statement issued by Chet Burchett, Reed Exhibitions' regional president.

"Our original decision not to include certain products in the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show this year was made in order to preserve the event's historical focus on the hunting and fishing traditions enjoyed by American families," he said.

Burchett said banning “modern sporting rifles” was "a product decision ... of the type event organizers need to make every day."

According to Burchett, most of the show’s 1,000 exhibits would have been unaffected by the ban.

Reed Exhibitions said the Newtown, Conn., elementary school shooting prompted the ban. Initially, the company claimed the decision was made because of concerns that the "current climate" would distract from the emphasis on hunting and fishing "and possibly disrupt the broader positive experience of our guests."

[MamaB]

I liked the boycott on FB. I got a notice today to subscribe to their newsletter because they think FB will delete that page. Will have to wait and see what happens. As to Bass Pro, I think I read they pulled out over parking issues.

[DesertRhino]

And i’ve always thought it’s kind of funny that muzzle loader hunts allow modern muzzle loaders, with modern scopes, with very modern capabilities except for follow up shots.
But if you showed up with an original iron sighted Sharps from circa 1870, firing black power cartridges, you’d be in violation.

[paulcissa]

These British twerps need to lose the SHOT show. I hope NSSF shows them where the door is. There's other exhibition companies that would gladly take on SHOT 2014 without resorting to political maneuvering.

s Send a comment to NSSF and thank them for supporting our Constitution!

[Oberon]

MrB, you must not have heard the story behind this. It seems that once the participating vendors got wind of the new restrictions the promoter was putting on the show, they all boycotted.

So the promoter was left trying to promote a show with no vendors participating. Faced with the prospect of a handful of show attendees walking up and down rows of empty tables, they called it off.

[MrB]

Actually, I was being sarcastic about the use of the phrase “assault weapons”.

An “assault rifle” is a select-fire rifle capable of firing multiple rounds with one trigger pull,
as opposed to a “modern sporting rifle” that is self-loading, magazine fed, and fires one round per trigger pull.

I don’t think there were actually many actual “assault weapons” for sale.

[nomad]

How is the counter exhibition doing? We need to bump up that one to hammer home the point to the would-be “friends” of supporters of the 2nd Amendment: Turn on us and you`ll pay the price!

WE STAND UNITED.

[AnAmericanMother]

Here's the story on Bass Pro:

They had already pulled out of the show before all of this blew up, they had a separate dispute with Reed over parking or something.

Apparently Reed is a horrible venue manager. Friend of mine who exhibits at the ShotShow said that they mess up everything they touch.

[TYVets]

I looked for Bass Pro Shops a few days ago and did not find them on either list.

If Cabelas was originally scheduled to be there I would have thought Bass Pro would have been there as well.

[Oberon]

I’m aware of the true definition of an “assault weapon,” but thanks for the information in any event.

[MrB]

I figured you knew that.
I would suggest that everyone insist on using the correct definition when discussing this issue with libs.

When they say “assault rifle”, or “assault weapons”, call them on it.

I even pinned a lib-in-law on “semi-automatic” when he used the term. Of course he was implying “select fire”, but admitted he didn’t know the difference when I asked him.

[thackney]

ESOS Vendors Support - Our Virtual Sports Show
http://mynortheastclassifieds.com/

[thackney]

NOTICE TO VENDORS: RE – VIRTUAL SPORTS SHOW
http://mynortheastoutdoors.com/notice-to-vendors-re-virtual-sports-show/

[PapaBear3625]

Just a fancy way of saying that “We thought our vendors, exhibitors and customers wouldn’t care if we wussed out over PC pressure. But they did.”

And the interesting thing is, they preferred to cancel the show than back down on barring AR-15's and high-cap mags from the show.

[expat2]

If they want to make a deal out of ‘traditional’ they should go back to flintlocks....

[Vigilanteman]

Yeah, I’m still trying to make sense of that. They must of lost a whale of a lot of money. I’m thinking that someone in the ObaMao regime had a little talk with them.