Gun Show Cancels Las Vegas Events, Seeks Return to L.A.

The world’s largest gun show has canceled its next scheduled events in Las Vegas and wants to return to its original home, Los Angeles County.

Months after being chased from L.A. county fairgrounds by a new law enacted by the Board of Supervisors, the Great Western Show announced Friday it had axed its scheduled shows for this fall and is redoubling its efforts in court challenging an L.A. county law barring the sale of ammunition on county property.

The gun show had announced earlier this year that it was moving to Las Vegas. Supervisors last August narrowly passed the gun sale ban after the slaying of a postman and a shooting at a San Fernando Valley day care center.

The gun show challenged the law in court, winning an injunction that allowed two final shows at the Pomona fairgrounds. Then, with a lawsuit contending the law violates the state and federal constitutions still pending, the show moved to Las Vegas.

It held one show there this spring and then suspended its next scheduled show and decided to concentrate on litigation, the show said in a written statement.

The show, which drew as many as 40,000 to the fairgrounds last year, has been described online by one enthusiast as “like ‘Animal House’ with guns.” It features Civil War-era firearms and memorabilia, as well as modern weaponry. Authorities last year arrested vendors on suspicion of conducting illegal weapon sales.