Went to the Shot Show in Dallas a few years back. Drove all the way up there only to find out you had to have a FFL license or a press pass to get in.
There was good food there in the press room, and it was interesting to me seeing the sales kits and all. There were hundreds of these media notebooks freely available.
My enterprising buddy had a web site he referred to as an online magazine. I was named instant photographer (think I had a couple disposible cameras with me) and we got in after about a five hour wait.
Funny thing about the wait in the press room were these gothic or punkish looking girls. Musta been reporters for some publication or such. You shoulda seen how their disposition toward us changed when we finally got the press passes. They liked us all of a sudden...lol. They actually came over and congratulated us. If we didn't have to hurry up, we may have gotten to know them better.
Those passes were like gold around there. I still think the powers that be gave passes to us just because we waited around so long. My buddy and I decided we weren't leaving for as long as we could stand it, or it got too late in the day to pursue going in. When we got the passes it was three hours 'til closing on the first day.
The show practically filled the convention center. It took two days to see everything, and it was all very interesting.
But yep, gotta have an FFL or a press pass to get into the Shot Show. It's not just a regular gun show, like my friend and I thought it was, and we almost didn't get in.
Les
