Every gun show starts with a promoter. Promoters book the fairgrounds or convention hall, rent tables to dealers and collectors, handle security and advertising, and keep the show coming back year after year. Some run one famous show; others run dozens of weekend shows across several states.
This page covers the promoters behind the biggest shows in the country, the organizations that run the major industry events, and the listing sites that help shoppers find a show near them.
Gun Show Promoters at a Glance
| Promoter | Region | Since | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossroads of the West | AZ, UT, NV, CA | 1975 | SAR Show West |
| RK Shows | 10 states, Midwest and South | 1994 | Gun and knife shows |
| Westchester Collectors | Northeast | 1984 | New England shows |
| Wanenmacher Gun Shows | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 1955 | Tulsa Arms Show |
| Lakeland Rifle Club | Lakeland, Florida | 1968 | Central Florida Arms Show |
| Las Vegas Antique Arms | Las Vegas, Nevada | 1962 | Antique arms |
| NSSF | Connecticut | 1961 | SHOT Show |
Promoter Profiles
Each profile covers the promoter’s history and where its shows run.
Crossroads of the West
Western states since 1975
Bob Templeton’s show company runs weekend gun shows across Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California, including the Crossroads side of the SAR Show in Phoenix.
RK Shows
Midwest and South since 1994
One of the busiest gun and knife show promoters in the country, with shows in ten states from Georgia to Colorado.
Westchester Collectors
Northeast since 1984
Founded by Newman Chittenden and Martin Fasack, with some of the largest gun and knife shows in New England and New York.
Wanenmacher Gun Shows
Tulsa since 1955
The family behind Wanenmacher’s Tulsa Arms Show, billed as the largest gun show in the world.
Lakeland Rifle and Pistol Club
Central Florida since 1968
The club behind the Central Florida Arms Show, the biggest gun show in the Southeast.
Las Vegas Antique Arms Show
Las Vegas since 1962
Antique and collectible arms, international sporting arms and custom knives every January.
Industry Show Organizers
A few organizations run the trade and member shows that set the calendar for the whole industry.
NSSF
Founded 1961
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the firearms industry trade association, owns and runs SHOT Show in Las Vegas every January.
National Rifle Association
NRA Annual Meetings
The NRA runs its Annual Meetings and Exhibits each spring and the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg every February.
TriggrCon
Started 2017
A new-product show with industry and range days, started in Bellevue, Washington and later held in Wichita, Kansas.
Gun Show Listing Sites
Listing sites collect show dates from many promoters in one place. The Gun Show Calendar here on Gun Show Reviews.com does the same for the shows the network follows.
GunShows-USA
Since 2001
A long-running directory of gun shows by state and month, built by Earl Kurburski in Mountain Home, Arkansas.
Gun Show Trader
Since 2012
A gun show listing and news site founded by Jason and Kristina Andrews in Washington state.
Arizona Gun Show Promoters
Arizona has a busy gun show calendar. Along with Crossroads of the West, these promoters and outlets run or promote shows around the state:
- AZ Gun Radio
- Arizona Collectibles and Firearms
- Firing Pin
- Pioneer Country Events
- WCSF Gun Shows
- Yuma Territorial Gun Shows
On the Road to the Shows
The Gun Show Loophole Tour took the crew to gun shows and gun shops across Arizona, with a look at what came home from each stop.
Gun Show Loophole Tour Loot Batches, Series Intro
Gun Show Loophole Tour Loot, Batch 6
Find upcoming shows on the Gun Show Calendar, and see the biggest of them on the Major Gun Shows in USA page.