Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
The folks at Bearing Arms put up a blog post tonight about a proposal in Texas that would allow alcohol sales at Gun Shows in the state. My first thought was “bad idea”, but then I read the rules:
Under the proposal, any show allowing alcohol would have to meet the following criteria:
No live ammunition sales.
All guns must be disabled.
Customers may not leave with purchased alcohol.
No live ammo sales at a gun show? Umm, last time I checked live ammo sales were about half of the booths at a gun show, and I can’t imagine that all of those booths would be replaced by beer sellers.
The folks that put on gun shows are in the business of filling the tables with dealers and promoting the show with the public. If they suddenly have to tell all of their ammo dealers to go pound sand, not only do they lose money on those tables, they also lose money from the people that come to the show for ammo. They lose even more foot traffic from people who may have safety concerns about mixing guns and alcohol. They lose even more money from gun dealers who don’t want to deal with the one idiot who will have too much to drink, or disabling every gun they sell.
I try to avoid gun shows because they don’t have good deals, are crowded, and the people behind the booths tend to be cranky. I wouldn’t start going to gun shows just so I could pay $7 to go inside and buy an overpriced beer.
Everybody loses in this situation. Go buy your guns and ammo, then go grab a beer…
I agree on all of the points you mentioned.
Gun shows haven’t been worth my time for a long, long time. Being able to get a beer at one makes it even less enticing to go to one.
Yeah, I can’t say I’ve ever been walking around a crowded gun show and said to my self “Self, You know what would make this crowded place better? A bunch of drunk dudes.”
On the other hand, a little booze might make the price gouging on ammo and pistol powder seem more reasonable.
But there won’t be any ammo!
Ok, but how many beers would it take to make $40/pound W231 attractive?
Having not ever laid eyes on a keg of W231 since I started reloading, I’d probably buy it sober.
I agree with all your points.
Guns and alcohol don’t mix well, along with the few that would drink & drive.