Key Takeaways
- Join me at GunCon 2026 in Niles, Ohio, from June 17-20, especially on the public show day, June 20.
- GunCon offers two ticket tiers: $50 for regular attendees and a sold-out VIP pass at $250.
- Expect real interactions with manufacturers, hands-on product experiences, and engaging Q&A sessions with industry leaders.
- Participating brands include over 60 sponsors, making it a prime opportunity to connect with the firearm community.
- Find me on June 20 for a chat, and get a free USA Carry patch or sticker while supplies last.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
NILES, OH — I’ll be at GunCon 2026 on June 20, and if you’re going to be there too, find me and say hi.
GunCon is an annual industry and consumer event hosted by Jon Patton and The Gun Collective. The 2026 edition runs June 17 through 20 in Niles, Ohio, with industry and VIP days filling the first part and the big public show day on Saturday, June 20. The format is straightforward. A curated room of manufacturers, top firearm content creators, and 2A organizations, with live Q&A panels, hands-on time with the latest products, giveaways at every booth, and lunch included with the ticket. No upcharges. No paid extras for the basics.
If you’ve ever come away from a major gun event feeling like the experience was designed to extract money from you at every turn, GunCon is built as the opposite of that.
Tickets
There are two ticket tiers, and one is already gone.
- GunCon Attendee, $50. Access to the public show day on June 20, all live Q&A panels, and lunch.
- GunCon VIP, $250 (Sold Out). Show day plus the exclusive VIP range day on June 19, a GunCon T-shirt, lunch, and VIP swag.
The general admission ticket is one of the best values in firearms events right now for what you actually get. Use code USACARRY at checkout to take 10% off, which brings it to $45. Tickets are limited because the space is intentionally limited, so I would not wait on this one.
Tickets are at https://guncon.regfox.com/guncon-2026.
Speakers and Live Q&A Panels
The speaker lineup is stacked. You’ll get Jon Patton from The Gun Collective, Shawn Herrin of We Like Shooting, Mrgunsngear, Tactical Considerations, Adam Kraut from the Second Amendment Foundation, Guns & Gadgets, John Commerford from NRA-ILA, Erich Pratt from Gun Owners of America, Travis White from FRAC, VSO Gun Channel, Kevin Dixie, Luke Cuenco, Tactical Advisor, Johnny B, Concrete Cowboy, firearm historian Ashley Hlebinsky, and Josh Wethington (MacBroz). Amber G. Johnson is the featured speaker.
The Q&A format means you can ask the questions you actually care about. For what these creators charge to consult or the access most attendees get to 2A leadership in a normal year, that piece alone is worth the ticket.
What You Actually Get From Being There
GunCon is not a giant cattle-call gun show with thousands of folding tables. It is purpose-built around three things the bigger shows are not optimized for.
- Real conversations with the people who make your gear. Brand owners, engineers, and product managers are on the floor. You can ask the questions that do not get answered in YouTube reviews.
- Hands-on time with what’s new. Manufacturers bring current and forthcoming products to the floor. You hold them, work the controls, ask about the design choices.
- Live Q&A with the creators and 2A leaders you already listen to. Each panel gives you direct access. Not a stage at a distance.
Every brand on the floor is also required to run a giveaway. Hit enough booths and enter every giveaway, and you can walk out with real gear.
2026 Sponsors
Jon has pulled together more than 60 brands and organizations for 2026. Here is the current list with links.
- 1st Phorm
- 3rd Coast Limited
- Aim Surplus
- Akos Arms
- American Suppressor Association
- Armslist
- Bersa
- Biofire
- Brigade Tactical
- Bucks Holsters
- BulArmory
- Caldwell
- Canik
- Century Arms
- Chestnut Mountain Manufacturing
- Derya
- DS Arms
- Extar USA
- FRAC
- Full Forge Gear
- Gideon Optics
- Gun Owners of America
- Herrington Arms
- Hi-Point Firearms
- Holosun
- Inland Manufacturing
- IWI
- Kelbly’s
- Kimber
- LayerX Suppression
- Mad Science Tactical
- Meligun
- Meprolight
- NeoMag
- NRA-ILA
- One Horse
- OpticsPlanet
- OTIS Smart Gun Care
- Patch Ops
- Phoenix Trinity Firearms
- Pyramyd Air
- ReCover Tactical
- Retro Rifle
- Riflespeed
- Rost Martin
- Samson Manufacturing
- Second Amendment Foundation
- Second Call Defense
- Shaw Custom Barrels
- SIG Sauer
- Stealth Arms
- Stuff & Things Inc
- T&K Suppressors
- Takedown Tool
- Tandemkross
- Tisas USA
- Unorthodox Suppression
- Warden Studio
- Wheeler Tools
- Wilftek
- XS Sights
- XTech Tactical
- YHM
If you have a brand you have been wanting to put hands on or talk to in person, this is the room to do it.
More from USA Carry:
If You See Me, Say Hi
I’ll be on the floor all day Saturday, June 20. If you read USA Carry, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or any other of my social accounts, or are running Armorer on your phone, come find me. I am happy to talk through anything from concealed carry to my run to USPSA classification to B class in eight months.
Find me on the floor and I’ll hand you a free USA Carry patch or sticker while supplies last. First come, first serve. When I run out, I’m out, so come say hi early.
Plan Your Trip
- Tickets: https://guncon.regfox.com/guncon-2026
- Travel info: https://guncon.net/guncon-travel-information/
See you in Niles.
