*resolved* Our firearms too scary for Toronto Sportsman Show

[Tuco Pike]

Yes. But don't pm the email. Place it here, so everyone can see and send him a nice email saying that we want your products there. Like you say, if hot tubes and the like can be there, I want AR's and such there too. The AR is the next great american (and Canadian) hunting rifle.

[Technology Direct]

Unbelievable!

Time for a CGN dealer show. F-em!

[Uberfiend]

I'd like their email too. I just based a weekend getaway on a similar show elsewhere. Ridiculous. Do all hunting rifles require camouflage now? If they do my lever guns will be pissed.

[Drucifer]

Wow...What a disappointment.
To be expected from this crowd though.
Narrow minds flushing our city down the drain.
Gotta get outta this place!

[Paatz]

Boycott the show.

[Jwirecom109]

I would like to start off with I recently attended the Calgary sportsmen show, and was very disappointed by what i saw,

More so over i would like to talk a little about the fact that you denied a company a booth at your show because their supplies eg "guns" where not the typical hunting rifles that are shown.

I will have you know that MANY hunters in Canada hunt with these type of firearms, as they are legal to hunt with and considered sporting rifles.

I myself up till recently hunted with a non restricted CZ 858, which is not only legal to hunt with in Canada but a pleasure as the rifle is very reliable.

If you were a true sportsmen you would allow these firearms to be shown, as Hunting and Target shooting are sports in Canada.

Classification based on looks is a ongoing problem with Uneducated Canadians, that consider themselves experts in what Canadians think about firearms.

If you have a problem with allowing All sporting equipment being at your show, you should consider stepping down, and let someone that understands true sporting in Canada to run the show.

In the future, I have decided to boycott your show, and support shows that are truly sportsmen shows.

alittle strong but gets my point across

[bjhill]

Politically correct gun show.Don,t go if you do not like the biased thinking.I don,t so i do not attend anymore.

[Fozy]

Sent this email to Mitch

I had occasion to be reading about a company called Tactical Imports that was denied space at the TSS this year. I have no affiliation to this company and have never purchased product from them, though I may start. I don't know if this is an exact quote, but the reply from your office was along the lines of;

"I spoke it over with the Show Manager and the issue is that these rifles don’t look entirely like Hunting Rifles. I realize they can be used for that, but typically we don’t allow any rifles in the show which don’t have the distinctive look of a hunting rifle i.e. camouflage etc. We would therefore not allow these particular firearms to be in the show. One of the main reason is optics as we want to keep the show and Hunting Hall as items that can be clearly identified as hunting related items"

As a hunter, as a sports shooter, a parent and a long time attendee of the show I was a little surprised at your repsonse to their inquiry. I suppose having Sham Wow and the Toronto Star (a very anti firearm rag) and other businesses that have absolutely NOTHING to do with the "spirit" of this show would be better candidates for floor space. I am disheartened to hear that Remington, Savage, Hamilton Tactical among others won't be able to attend as they displayed products, last year, including firearms that have no realistic use for hunting. You would probably recognize these as the "big scary looking guns". My son will be saddened that there will be no paintball product there in the hunting hall this year, I always enjoy the girls from Sgt Splatters. Fine examples of the spirit of hunting.

It's a shame that the show has gone this route and all these vendors won't be able to attend. I guess myself and my family and my VISA card will just have to skip this years show.

A shame really

[IMagius]

Email sent top all listed in the post above:

To whom it may concern,

I am appalled at the news of a decision you have made. It has been brought to my attention that some vendors are being denied the opportunity to display their wares because thier guns "don’t look entirely like Hunting Rifles".

Are you kiddingme? This is the type of ruling I would expect from Liberal or NDP supporters, not people supposedly being part fo the Hunting & Shooting culture.

You have booths full of paintball equipment, hot tubs, airsoft, etc.. How is any of that related to Hunting, Shooting, or the general theme of "Sportsmen"?

After 25 years of faithfully attending every Toronto Sportmen's Show, I can tell you that I will not be returning again until you mend your ways. And I can assure you that I will be contacting ALL of my hunting * shooting firends and associates and informing them of this as well. I know that the vast majority of them will feel (and act) exactly the same as I do.

I sincerely hope that every hunter & shooter in Ontario can be made aware of this decision prior to the Show, and that they will ALL refuse to attend. Perhaps then you will understand that it si the people walking throught he doors that shoudl dertermine what is acceptable or not, and not some managerial dimwit that has no clue what the Hunting and Shooting community believes.

"typically we don’t allow any rifles in the show which don’t have the distinctive look of a hunting rifle "

I hope that you will also ensure any attending vendors also remove all the targe rifles with thier synthetic stocks, thumbhole stocks, etc.. from your venue since those also dont' look like a traditional hunting rifle. All Paint ball and Airsoft retailers had also better be made to remove all merchandise as non of it can be used for hunting, nor do their "guns" meet your own criteria of a "distinctive look of a hunting rifle".

Extremely disappointed, angry and saddened,
My Name
My Town

[MegaMonkeyChunk]

You mean the GM6 doesn't look like a hunting rifle? :D

Kidding aside, this is pretty dumb IMO. Just because your firearms don't look like the typical bolt action rifle, doesn't mean they aren't hunting rifles. I guess black just isn't in this year.