Houston HGCA show at Reliant Arena?

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wally

wally

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Anyone go today? Worthwhile?

These Houston Gun Collector's Association shows used to be among the best in the state, but since they've moved from Reliant (now NRG) Center to NRG Arena they have been on a downward spiral in terms of number and quality of vendors.
 
I went this morning, my wife dropped me off to avoid the $12 parking, Naomi entrance was closed so it was a long walk, but I needed some exercise, dreary day but pleasant temps, so not a bad thing. The Naomi exit was open when I left so the walk back was minimal. If you want to take the train your stop leaves you with a bit longer walk than I had as the station is past (North of) the Holly Hall entrance.

IMHO the downward trend for this show continues -- too much non-gun crap and fewer quality gun vendors, but that said, I picked up a 9mm Shield 2.0 no safety with factory Green Crimson Trace laser for $422. I saw some other pretty good deals like Ruger Precision Rifle Gen II in .308 or 6.5 Creedmore for $998, SIG P320 RX with optic for $770, and SIG P226 Elite RX SAO with optic for $1250.

If you like old guys selling old guns this was your show :) most interesting to me among the old stuff was a 30-40 Krag with the side loading gate, cool, I've no idea if the $1250 asking price was reasonable or not, but it was interesting to look at. SKS prices seemed schizophrenic $350 for a Chinese, $450 for Yugo on the same table, Bubba seems to be closing out his plastic thumbhole stocked AWB-era Chinese AKs :)

Looks like they are dropping from three shows a year to two and unless they find a better venue I think the future of this once fabulous gun show is bleak. Used to be you had little hope of checking out every table unless you stayed all day Saturday, I looked at every table and bought a gun in about two hours.
 
Oh I forgot to mention the coolest thing I saw and handled at the show this morning -- the Silerenco Maxim 9 pistol. This is the first of what will be many integrally suppressed pistols should the HPA ever pass. They were asking $1500 which seemed to be about $400 more than a quality threaded barrel 9mm pistol and a 9mm can, although its the same price Brownells lists them for.

A suppressor you can move among multiple guns makes more sense at present than one locked to the pistol, but if the HPA passes and removes suppressors from the NFA, I expect we will see a lot of design creativity unleashed, the Maxim is hopefully the start of a trend :)
 
That's a shame to hear.
I used to make the two hour drive down to the AstroHall on a regular basis, enough to consider joining HGCA. Bought all kinds of goodies at the various show, particularly from the vendors way, way, in the back.

That show took a turn not for the better when they moved to Reliant.

The AstroHall show spoiled me from even bothering with the GRB shows (the neighborhood did not help much, back in the 90s). But, the vendors weren't as good, and by a long shot (NPI).
 
The AstroHall show spoiled me from even bothering with the GRB shows (the neighborhood did not help much, back in the 90s). But, the vendors weren't as good, and by a long shot (NPI).
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This is true, but he GRB shows have slowly improved and the neighborhood has "gentrified" and is much improved to within anything close to reasonable walking distance.

Unfortunately I haven't been to a GRB show in over six months because the two main promoters of GRB shows (High Caliber, and Premiere) have managed to always have dueling shows on the same weekends, one at GRB the other at Pasadena. So I generally skip both shows that would split the vendors thus limiting selection. Pasadena is a much smaller space so it always seems crowded but it has free parking.
 
I concur on the decline, sad. I did however pick up an LCP2 at a great price, this having lost confidence in my LCP which stovepiped 3 time last week at the range. Ruger gets a call this week, from what I understand their customer service is great, confident they will fix it.
 
As I said there were still some deals there, glad you found one, but it used to be the place to go for best selection and price.

Only about a hundred rounds through my Shield 2.0 but the green laser is visible in direct sunlight!
 
wally said:
Pasadena is a much smaller space so it always seems crowded but it has free parking.
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The Pasadena show has always been kind of special in its own way. But, given how "wrong" the Saxtet shows at GRB were, Pasadena always seemed a relief. Was a nicer venue than Brenham, if a longer drive. Often, for me, it depended on if I knew any of the vendors at the show. I'd go just to go visit. Or even to let them have a break and table-mind.
 
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