Sure, Kaye Wall will sell a gun to a kid it's a gun
show, after all. But the most damage the gun she sells will do is leave
a good welt.
Wall sells rubberband guns, sunglasses, cap guns
and other trinkets at gun shows across seven western states. She was recently
at the Crossroads of the West Ogden gun show with dozens of other vendors.
Wall said crowds at gun shows are a mixture of collectors
and families.
"Because of families being so huge (in Utah), we
do quite well," said the Vista, Calif., native.
What many people don't realize about gun shows is
that often more than half the booths sell things other than guns, said
show director Jeff Templeton. The increasing coverage of guns and gun shows
in the media has peaked the interest of the general public.
"More people are coming to gun shows to see what
the fuss in the media is all about," he said.
What first-timers are surprised to find is the make-up
of the crowd and the variety of items being sold. Templeton said gun vendors
often make up less than 50 percent of the booths.
Karen Wright has been selling anti-fog chemicals
at shows for 13 years. It's great for gun scopes but also for snowmachine
windshields, goggles and glasses, she said. Crowds she sees walking by
have been the same for more than a decade and don't resemble popular stereotypes
of gang members and criminals.
"The people at gun shows are very neat people. They
are not crazies," she said. "If they're looking for a pistol, they're looking
for protection, not to shoot somebody. A criminal doesn't buy a gun, he
steals the dang thing."
For those buying guns, there were plenty of options,
from black powder pistols to fully automatic weapons. Machine guns are
legal to buy, but usually require three to six months for permit approval.
Their high cost, often running into the thousands of dollars, also limits
who can buy them.
"We sell most of them to doctors and lawyers. They
use them to go out and blow off some steam," said Kevin Dean, a salesman
at the Impact Tactical Weapons System's booth.
John Yelton was in Ogden looking for something with
a little more power than his AR- 15 semi-automatic rifle. Yelton target-shoots
in competitions and wants to move up to the next level. The Newton resident
traded his AR-15 in for an M-14 semi-automatic rifle, the same kind he
carried in Vietnam.
"I thought I'd just give it a shot," he said.
You can reach reporter Joe Pyrah at 625-4252 or by e-mail at jpyrah@standard.net