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I have posted an email received from Sean McCarter, President of OGCA. Many of you may know that there was an accidental discharge of a firearm at the OGCA meeting held in March. It is my understanding that two people were injured but will recover. In light of this incident, the Roberts Centre (Wilmington, Ohio) will no longer host OGCA events (see below). This should be a reminder to all of us that gun safety is paramount, not only at home, but also when attending gun shows.
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“With sadness I must announce that in light of the discharge of a firearm at our meeting on March 15, 2025, the Roberts Centre has decided that it no longer desires to host OGCA’s events. This comes after communicating that OGCA has instituted significant rule changes regarding disabling firearms at our meetings. At this point all scheduled future meetings at the Roberts Centre are hereby cancelled.
This of course is very disappointing. While other options are being reviewed at this time, there is no ability to reschedule a May meeting. OGCA of course will provide refunds to table holders for any tables paid in advance for meetings that do not occur or are rescheduled. Please be patient on that front.
At the May meeting we had the annual OGCA Display show scheduled. That event is being moved to the June meeting, June 21-22, at the IX Center in Cleveland. If you had chosen to display at the May meeting, but do not wish to do so at the June meeting, please contact the OGCA Office and your display cancellation will be addressed.
At this point the annual banquet will not occur in 2025.
What will we do next? We will look for an alternative venue in Southwest Ohio that can accommodate our meetings. As you know finding a venue with sufficient space and parking to meet the needs for our meetings is challenging. Please understand that OGCA desires to have meetings in Southwest Ohio, to continue the tradition of providing meetings in this area as we have done at the Roberts Centre since 2002. OGCA will pursue having meetings in Southwest Ohio diligently. This is a difficult time, but OGCA will adapt and continue.”
Sean A. McCarter, President
Thanks Heather,
Because of one table holder, not checking his firearm, when he put a gun tie on the weapon.
The OGCA, has to do their due diligence! A very good organization. This is not their fault naturally. The Table holder never checked the firearm,’s chamber! A stupid, yet complacent mistake that we all, pay for. Negligence as a table holder!
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN EMPTY GUN!!!
A couple years ago I went to look at a Winchester model 1873 SRC. A pretty tired old honest girl in her own rights! First thing I did, for my friend was to check the chamber, and upon noticing a live 44-40 round in it, and several in the magazine tube, I removed them!
We have to keep our guard up! I guess I got Lucky again!
Safety always!!!
Anthony
November 7, 2015
Offline
It’s easy to get complacent in a show environment. I don’t know exactly how this negligent discharge transpired but I can assure you the management of every venue that hosts gun shows has heard of this incident and other shows may be lost as a result. I hope those injured experience a speedy and complete recovery.
Mike
You’re right Mike!
A member decided to look at a rifle that was on an unattended table, and without permission, decided to look at the said rifle. A .308 caliber, that had a plastic gun tie on the gun. He squeezed the trigger and here we are.
The first guy that took a bullet entered his thigh, and exited. He’s in stable condition and recovering. The second guy,supposedly sustained a ricochet and into his buttocks. He was at the show the next day tending to his table. Yeah it could have been worse, and that was bad enough.
Naturally, nobody is happy about this. A very unfortunate incident, that could have been avoided.
Anthony
Anthony said
You’re right Mike!A member decided to look at a rifle that was on an unattended table, and without permission, decided to look at the said rifle. A .308 caliber, that had a plastic gun tie on the gun. He squeezed the trigger and here we are.
The first guy that took a bullet entered his thigh, and exited. He’s in stable condition and recovering. The second guy,supposedly sustained a ricochet and into his buttocks. He was at the show the next day tending to his table. Yeah it could have been worse, and that was bad enough.
Naturally, nobody is happy about this. A very unfortunate incident, that could have been avoided.
Anthony
Anthony – w
Thanks for the additional information. Obviously any round going off can be deadly, but a .308 going off is formidable. There’s a lot of guys walking around gun shows who are savvy to safe gun-handling but there are very large numbers of attendees who are not. There’s also no small number of dealers who are not strong in the safety conscious arena. While I can’t get my head around why that attendee felt the need to squeeze that trigger, I can easily picture it happening.
Online
The Roberts Center was a great venue for OGCA for many years. Plenty of space and ample parking, and right off the interstate. Don’t know why someone felt the need to pull the trigger on .308 deer rifle, especially from an unattended table. It could have been much much worse.
It seems to me that the Roberts Center was looking for an excuse to cancel holding a gun show there.
I have been present in the room for five accidental discharges during gun shows. Each one happen because someone pulled the trigger. When I hear a hammer fall at a gun show I get pissed. Why would anyone do that.
A table holder just a few tables from me once put what he thought was a snap cap in a 410, pointed at his glass case and pulled the trigger. It wasn’t a snap cap and glass rained down around me. T/R
mrcvs said
It seems to me that the Roberts Center was looking for an excuse to cancel holding a gun show there.
I don’t feel the Robert’s center was looking for an excuse to cancel, the long standing agreement with the OGCA!(The largest and oldest gun association in the world) The relationship, between the two parties has been a very good one. I’m sure the Robert’s Center’s Insurance company, might have had something to do with, their decision, no matter what the OGCA, has told them. I would also have to imagine in today’s current environment, they as a facility, has too carry their own Insurance policy, as does the OGCA. They might have had some pressure from they’re Insurance company, to make different plans moving forward. I’m also pretty sure it will affect their bottom line as the facility, one hour North of Cincinnati, on Rt. 71, will be affected tremendously.
I have posted the information, that I chose to, as far as adding facts, to Heather’s original post, to not only inform, others, but to remind each other, that we are responsible for our own actions, and as Gun owners, collectors, hunters, and even CCW permit holders, we have to follow rules and be vigilant ourselves. As I feel, most are, the few who aren’t are the ones that ruin it for the rest of us!!! IMO!!!
Anthony
Posts 8 and 9:
I don’t understand what dry firing anything accomplishes other than damaging a firearm (or firing accidentally a life round). At gun shows, if even allowed to cycle a firearm, the final thing to do is pull the trigger and let the hammer down SLOWLY.
I was under the impression that the Roberts Center agreement dates from decades ago. Times change. Administrators there come and go. New administrators may reflect the general population of this country and be less receptive to gun shows. Probably for most or all on this forum, attending one’s first gun show as an adolescent was a rite of passage. That’s unlikely the case anymore with most youths.
I belong to a local gun club that puts on three shows a year. It has been the best show in the state for years, at the same location, a public building owned by the county. I started attending 35 years ago, no gun check at the door, no tie straps, after an accidental discharge the rules changed. The club has been warned any more and we are out.
Any sane owner of a building, private or public would pull the lease on the building if something like the Roberts Center accidental discharge happened. That’s why you hear the show promoter throughout the show on the P/A about checking guns and tie straps. Zero tolerance for accidental discharge. T/R
No more accidental it’s a negligent discharge, automatic Article 15 minimum.
Steve, many/most civilians don’t know what an Article 15 may be. I do as I am retired Regular Army, but civilians? Not so much. Choices should be whether its a company grade or field grade Article 15 and I agree–that’s minimum. For all others, negligent discharge at the OGCA event is history. Now comes the question of what is next? I’ve little doubt this event will have far deeper ramifications for us going forward. My opinion only. Tim PS. For those who don’t know, an Article 15 is non judicial punishment the offender has to agree to accept. Should they not accept it should then be preferred for Courts Martial.
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