The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

They tried charging before. Car parking or some other malarky, or was that at Pistol AD?

Either way, to double the charge for dealers! Short sighted and greedy, either or both.

Will anyone be selling the magical C2R we've heard such good things about? I'd like to buy a bit.

I will be there for the weekend selling prize draw tickets in aid of H4H, the first prize is a new Browning X-Bolt. We should be set up by the score boards on the opposite side of the road to the pavillion so drop in and buy a few tickets and say Hi if you are at the Phoenix, its all in aid of H4H. Hopefully I will get the chance to stock up on a few things, thanks Gaz for reminding me to seek out C2R as I want to give that a try.

We also have a system where you can buy tickets by email. I will post details on here later after I have sought permission to do so from the site administrators.

Chapuis wrote:I will be there for the weekend selling prize draw tickets in aid of H4H, the first prize is a new Browning X-Bolt. We should be set up by the score boards on the opposite side of the road to the pavillion so drop in and buy a few tickets and say Hi if you are at the Phoenix, its all in aid of H4H. Hopefully I will get the chance to stock up on a few things, thanks Gaz for reminding me to seek out C2R as I want to give that a try.

We also have a system where you can buy tickets by email. I will post details on here later after I have sought permission to do so from the site administrators.

Post away

Chapuis, you will be able to find some C2R very close to where you are going to set up the score boards.

Thanks Christel I have just sent you a pm and I will definately be seeking out The Shed Ovenpaa.

Dougan wrote: ..I doubt many of the gun dealers make a profit from the event (though good for making contacts), but do draw many to it...

I certainly make a loss at each Bisley arms fair; there simply isn't enough turnover (due to FAC restrictions) or margin in old rifles to cover the costs. Most of the "part-time" RFDs who have other employment also have a very high "opportunity cost" because they have to turn down work income to prepare and attend the fairs.

One of the additional gripes is the lack of space - in my case, I usually take 1/2 or 1 table, which is all that is available. If the events were bigger and had cheaper table costs, then there'd be a heck of a lot more to see and buy. I could fill four tables with historic rifles, parts and accessories.

In my "group" of RFDs, I think we all attend the arms fairs only for the social aspects, and genuine enthusiasm for the collectors' & shooting side.

My own opinion is that the NRA and Bisley Hotel should organise much bigger and more cost-effective arms fairs. I'd add on something related that draws much larger numbers of attendees - maybe a militaria fair or country fair.

The problem is that everything in UK seems to be crippled by cost, over-regulation, lack of space and lack of ambition....

Rearlugs wrote:
I certainly make a loss at each Bisley arms fair; there simply isn't enough turnover (due to FAC restrictions) or margin in old rifles to cover the costs. Most of the "part-time" RFDs who have other employment also have a very high "opportunity cost" because they have to turn down work income to prepare and attend the fairs.

One of the additional gripes is the lack of space - in my case, I usually take 1/2 or 1 table, which is all that is available. If the events were bigger and had cheaper table costs, then there'd be a heck of a lot more to see and buy. I could fill four tables with historic rifles, parts and accessories.

In my "group" of RFDs, I think we all attend the arms fairs only for the social aspects, and genuine enthusiasm for the collectors' & shooting side.

My own opinion is that the NRA and Bisley Hotel should organise much bigger and more cost-effective arms fairs. I'd add on something related that draws much larger numbers of attendees - maybe a militaria fair or country fair.

The problem is that everything in UK seems to be crippled by cost, over-regulation, lack of space and lack of ambition....

I agree with you, it would be so nice to see a bigger and better Phoenix meeting. I have my opinion about changes to the Phoenix that I can't post about on this forum for a variety of reasons. However I can cross my fingers that something will change in the future.

In the three years of attending Bisley arms fairs The Phoenix, The Imperial Historic Arms weekend and the Trafalgar I have never made a loss, I've just broke even a few times at the Imperial event and made a modest profit at the others. The being there is as important as making the money but I cannot justify making a loss and with the recent table cost hike I'd like to go to these events feeling that I was working for my self rather than the Bisley Pavilion.

I have never understood why the NRA couldn't host arms fairs for the major shooting events.

For the Imperial Historic Arms weekend the HBSA put on a very nice and bijou arms fair in a hired marquee on Maple Acre, I'm sure that it covers its costs and the charges are very reasonable.

Why couldn't the NRA try something similar, competition would be good for all as the Pavilion seems to be allowed a monopoly.

The NRA keep telling us how strapped for cash they are but they could do this on a commitment basis asking for a deposit from traders for tables beforehand, I for one would be happy to put up 20% of the cost of tables and pitch hire, in advance, for space in a good tent for the Phoenix and the Trafalgar provided that the costs were reasonable. Not only would this signal that the NRA is taking more ownership of what is happening at Bisley but it could make money for the NRA and add value to the events.

If putting on arms fairs wasn't viable then I'm sure the Pavilion wouldn't be doing it.

As rearlugs has said, lack of ambition, also vision and will.

Gaz wrote:Will anyone be selling the magical C2R we've heard such good things about? I'd like to buy a bit.

Yeah we will...

Bring your rifle .... I will give it a clean with the "3 Urine" formula

Tim / ENS