IDAHO FALLS — On a Saturday declared “Gun Appreciation Day” by pro-gun groups in the U.S., thousands of firearm enthusiasts flooded the Shilo Convention Center at the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls.

 The gun show was part of the Lewis Clark Trader’s bi-annual event in Idaho Falls. They also hold two gun shows in Pocatello each year.

    “When we first opened in the morning, it was so crowded in here you could hardly move,” said Steven Snider of Lewis Clark Trader.

    Many of the gun sellers were extremely busy helping purchasers fill out background checks, while others carried hunting rifles over their shoulders with flags sticking out the barrels with messages reading, “AR-15, $1,950, brand new, willing to trade or best offer.”

    The show’s promoter said this event was one of the most attended he’s ever seen.

    With 120 tables featuring gun suppliers and traders, a myriad of products were on display, appealing to gun enthusiasts from all backgrounds. Items for sale included handguns, hunting rifles, scopes, antique firearms, assault weapons, and holsters.

    Also included were sellers of hunting knives, homemade jewelry, jams and archery supplies. There was even a huge range of books for sale covering topics like antique weapons, gun pricing guides, hunting fiction, how-to guides on how to make ammunition at home, and guides to each state’s different gun laws.

    The current political climate in Washington, D.C., involving gun control was a hot topic among many of the sellers and the attendees, an issue that Snider believes was a reason for the high turnout.

    “People are just afraid of what Obama and Congress are going to do,” Snider said. “So many people are coming out to buy guns now because they are afraid they won’t be able to later.”

    When asked what the gun control legislation that was currently being considered in the U.S. Congress and the possible reinstatement of the assault rifle ban that expired in 1994 would do to his business, one gun seller angrily replied, “They’re legal now and they’ll be legal tomorrow.”

    Despite the wide variety of weapons and hunting accessories on display, one key product was in short supply — ammunition.

    “Ever since the election, the ammunition suppliers have not been able to keep up with demand, and shelves all over the country have been empty,” said Bryan, one of the gun salesmen. When one seller was asked by a customer if he had any .22 ammunition, the seller smiled and shrugged his shoulders and said, “You know how it’s been. Maybe next week.”

    The demographics at the show were mixed, with all different age groups represented. One man brought his young son with him, and the kid was immediately attracted to the elaborate, medieval-style swords Sam’s Gun Shop from Pocatello had on display.

    “It’s just like the ones in The Hobbit,” he said to his father as his dad took of photo

    One seller had numerous pro-gun bumper stickers on display, with politically charged statements on them, such as “If Guns Kill People Then Spoons Make Michael Moore Fat” and “I’ll Keep My Guns and Bible, You Can Keep Your Change.”

    To cope with the ammunition shortage, more people are getting involved with reloading.

    Lynn Jakubowski, of Cloverleaf Shooting Supplies in Idaho Falls, said that making homemade ammunition has always been a popular winter hobby for many northeastern Idahoans.

    “When a lot of hunters get snowed in during the winter months, they like to make their own ammunition out of old bullet casings as a hobby,” she said.