Gun dealers from across the state brought their wares to Great Bend this weekend, for a gun show at the Great Bend Expo Complex west of town. The show continues today, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., but Saturday’s turnout was enough to convince Anthony Lutz with R.K. Shows — sponsor of the gun show — that his first Great Bend show won’t be his last.

"We’ve been doing shows for over 25 years," Lutz said. "People come to buy, sell, trade. We’ve got some of the biggest gun dealers in Kansas here this weekend."

One exhibitor, Steve Sechler from Treasure Chest Gun Shop in McPherson, said he takes hundreds of guns to show almost every weekend. "There’s a lot of collectors looking for older stuff," he said. "A lot of people are buying handguns for self-protection."

Individuals could bring their own guns, but each weapon is inspected at the door to make sure it’s not loaded. A plastic zip strip acts as a gunlock, another safeguard that makes the weapons temporarily unfireable. And people who purchase a firearm at a gun show still have to fill out all of the paperwork required in the store, Sechler said.

In addition to guns, venders at the gun show sell gun safes, jewelry, coins and other items.