National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

[Saltyyy]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

Wait...what? It was there last year for sure!

Edit: In reference to the topic at hand, can airsoft not have its own event? I would much prefer a show where I don't have to fight past lots of shotguns, 50. cal rifles and airguns to see the bit i'm interested in. This is just an idea, and i'm sure there's a good reason to have it as a section of the british shooting show.

I was under the impression it was one of the first, thanks for the correction, my bad :P

[CK]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

I actually just read Yossers review of the airsoft show, and it was an interesting read.

I think the airsoft show from a non-airsofter prospective was a good introduction, with the displays and the AA introduction to airsoft etc.

From an airsofters point of view, there wasn't enough there this year, maybe it'll get bigger in the future.

[Cojack]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

Went on the Sunday with a few friends with the intention of buying a new AEG.

Walked out two hours later with nothing but a disappointed look on my face...Completely agree with most of what has been said in this thread. The Airsoft scene and stands appeared to have been shunned into one dank corner of the show with nothing more than a few spot lamps on the ceiling and some carpet covering the barn floor.

It had been pushed right to the far end of the show with a few arrows on the ceiling to indicate the 'rough' direction of where to find it.

The people attending the main arenas for the hunting, shotguns etc, their general attitude toward people not wearing wellies or a tweed jacket seemed very unwelcoming. Couldn't wait to get out of there to be honest!

All in all a waste of time and very much 'touch your sister' land looking at the majority of people that attended.

[-=256=-Swerve]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

Alan Partridge had it figured

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5jpVbEL0jc

[B.E.N.]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

For the record, I didn't buy anything from the show either, in fact, I think the only things I ever bought from War & Peace in the times I've been where a body bag, for the lols, and a really crap resin skull money box, also for ironic effect.

Airsoft is a hugely internet driven market and people now feel they know and can tell enough about any given product from the comfort and convenience of their own PC screen. By the same token, you can't expect retailers to rock up for the day and sell things for no profit, especially since it actually costs them MORE to operate a pitch.

I'm sure the attendees of the larger shooting show and indeed the local Police force will have had enough to say about the massive clusterfudge that was Saturday morning's entry/parking fiasco and it's been duly noted that there was a distinct lack of tactical nylon available.

In respect of the show being better associated with a militaria show, I'm not sure. Airsoft gets a bad enough wrap in the press as it is and I have to be honest, I always get a weird vibe from "militaria" shows, albeit the only significant one I've been to has been War & Peace. The main reason behind it is the massive proliferation of Nazi memorabilia and regalia. I simply don't understand why it's so popular.

Last year's War & Peace show was the icing on the cupcake for me, seeing a group of 50-something guys all cruising around in upper echelon Nazi-regalia and dress uniforms. There was nothing "militaria" about it, it was simply stomping around looking like the SS command going to a dinner date. Maybe that's my opinion of it tainted, and I certainly agree that somebody needs to "play the bad guys" in reenactment scenarios, but I'm not keen to see airsoft publicly aligned with this kind of thing...

Before people go off their nut about this, it's merely my take on it. I'm not saying I'm right, but to me, it certainly seems that "historical" airsoft is such a niche within the hobby that the airsoft side of it is almost secondary.

With the above said, I do think that a brave entrepreneur that went and cleaned out a couple of units that had just come off deployment for all their surplus would make a killing if they were selling for reasonable prices. Not just UK forces either...

[Gadge Europa]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

No i totally agree Ben.

There is an unpleasant undercurrent to militaria shows (mostly because any decent 're-enactment' show bans political german uniform and only allows 'combat' nazi uniforms) and W&P is awful for it. It doesnt help when even the 'good guys' like SOF (genuinly nice blokes) sell SS coffee mugs and adolph hitler portraits

However I think the majority of militaria collectors are a decent bunch with just perhaps the same slightly unhealthy interest and war, armed conflict and uniforms and kit that we all have

I'd also agree that my reason to go to the show wasnt solely to buy stuff, i was looking for some new combat trousers or any interesting cold war kit if it was there (saw a lovely 1980s german 'recce' sleeping bag but the store selling it in the shooting hall wanted about £30 more than its worth for it!) but my main reason was to catch up with people i've not seen for ages like Ratty, Nige etc and meet a few of the retailers i chat to through work 'face to face' like the chaps from *******

I can appreciate that wouldnt be of much use to everyone but quite a few people seemed to enjoy talking to us about the hobby on the AA stand and i'm sure it was the same over with you guys at AI (like i say i popped over once to say hi and two of you with beards were both busy talking and i wasnt sure which of you to interupt if either!)

Perhaps something that would add value to the event for the ticket holder could be maybe some seminars from people in the industry that people could attend and possibly join in with... a bit like when i used to run Games Day for games workshop i used to arrange for the games designers to come and chat to people about new developments and then field questions.

Maybe some extra things to do other than the purely 'sales' aspect?

- - - Updated - - -

Oh sorry, i didnt realise that i'd accidentally mentioned another retailer in a thread about a show with lots of retailers there

[PureSilver]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

In respect of the show being better associated with a militaria show, I'm not sure. Airsoft gets a bad enough wrap in the press as it is and I have to be honest, I always get a weird vibe from "militaria" shows, albeit the only significant one I've been to has been War & Peace. The main reason behind it is the massive proliferation of Nazi memorabilia and regalia. I simply don't understand why it's so popular. [...] Last year's War & Peace show was the icing on the cupcake for me, seeing a group of 50-something guys all cruising around in upper echelon Nazi-regalia and dress uniforms. There was nothing "militaria" about it, it was simply stomping around looking like the SS command going to a dinner date. Maybe that's my opinion of it tainted, and I certainly agree that somebody needs to "play the bad guys" in reenactment scenarios, but I'm not keen to see airsoft publicly aligned with this kind of thing...

There is an unpleasant undercurrent to militaria shows (mostly because any decent 're-enactment' show bans political german uniform and only allows 'combat' nazi uniforms) and W&P is awful for it. It doesnt help when even the 'good guys' like SOF (genuinly nice blokes) sell SS coffee mugs and adolph hitler portraits

Jesus H. tapdancing Christ!

Tha f*** is wrong with people?!

[Gadge Europa]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

Worryingly some of the guys wearing WWII german political uniforms at one show when asked 'why?' said 'because here i can', they were german and its banned over there (unless you're wearing it for historical/education purposes).

You see at the risk of sidetracking the thread... i see no problem at all with people wearing WWII combat uniforms for battles, its hard to do 'cowboys and indians' if no ones allowed to be an indian. I can see why the military track record of the german paras, heer, panzer units and to a degree the SS appeals to those who like first rate armed forces impressions and to a degree like playing 'opfor' - it doesnt make you a nazi (I mainly do WWII brit but also run the german side at some WWII events, i also play NVA in cold war and vietcong in nam games and im neither fascist nor a communist)

But.... why the hell would you want an adolph hitler coffee mug, or an accurate picture of 'the fuhrer' exactly like the ones in a nazi office? I also dont see the need in 're-enacting' gestapo or allegmeine SS.. it's just bad taste.

Anyway... airsoft shows...

[CK]

Re: National Shooting Show and British Airsoft Show - are we in the wrong place.

No more discussion of retailers! Ta!