Six Reasons Why I Chose Not to Participate, Advertise, Sell At or Attend Gun Shows

I get asked this a lot, and people are often surprised when I tell them I don’t go to gun shows. As someone who lives and breathes firearms education, safety, and responsible ownership, you’d think I’d be the first one through the door. But the truth is simple: gun shows don’t align with the standards I expect for myself or for the people I train.

My entire profession is built on safety—real, disciplined, accountable safety. At gun shows, the environment is crowded, rushed, and full of people handling firearms with varying levels of experience. I’ve seen too many fingers on triggers, too many muzzles pointed in unsafe directions, and too many vendors who assume everyone knows what they’re doing. When you run a training business, you don’t get to “hope” people follow the rules. You need structure, control, and consistency. Gun shows simply don’t offer that.

As an FFL and instructor, I take compliance seriously. Every transfer, every background check, every piece of paperwork matters. At gun shows, the culture often leans toward speed and convenience over clarity and compliance. Even when everything is legal, the environment can feel rushed and chaotic. I’d rather deal with reputable shops, trusted distributors, or direct manufacturers—people who value professionalism as much as I do.

One of the biggest issues I see is misinformation. You’ll hear people giving advice that ranges from outdated to downright dangerous. Whether it’s legal interpretations, self-defense myths, or technical claims about firearms, gun shows can become an echo chamber of bad information. My job is to teach people the truth—about safety, about the law, and about responsible ownership. I can’t endorse environments where the loudest voice often wins over the most accurate one.

There’s a culture at gun shows that just doesn’t fit who I am or what Tactical K Training and Firearms stands for. I’m not interested in the theatrics, the bravado, or the “look at me” attitude that sometimes shows up in those spaces. Firearms aren’t toys, props, or personality boosters. They’re tools that demand respect. I’d rather spend my time with people who want to learn, grow, and handle firearms with maturity and purpose.

Between teaching classes, maintaining equipment, staying current on laws, and running a business, my time is valuable. I’d rather invest it in my students, my range, and my community—not wandering aisles looking at gear I don’t need and listening to conversations I don’t agree with.

As an instructor and FFL, I already have access to quality firearms, parts, and equipment through trusted channels. I don’t need to dig through tables hoping to find a deal. I’d rather buy once, buy right, and know exactly where my equipment came from.

I’m not saying gun shows are inherently bad. Plenty of good people go to them. Plenty of vendors run honest tables. But for me—for the standards I hold myself to and the example I set for my students—they just don’t make sense.

I’d rather operate in environments where safety is non-negotiable, information is accurate, and professionalism is the baseline. That’s what Tactical K Training and Firearms is built on, and that’s what I stand for.