No more gun shows for me

[cfullgraf]

I've stopped going to gun shows since the pandemic. At least in the east TN area, they have morf-ed into plastic-fantasitic sales or AR-15 sales. Very few folks selling older firearms.

I have three Glock pistols and that is two more than I need. I don't need any more.

 

[jmorris]

You mean you don't want to pay extra to pay extra?

Since the internet and forums, I have found many more "deals" than I ever did at gun shows. Shows, just seem like a place for venders to shoot fish in a barrel around here.

 

[Mark_Mark]

You mean you don’t enjoy $30/lb beef jerky and $650 police trade-in Glocks? Not to mention grumpy table sellers who don’t actually seem to want to sell you any guns they have?

Grumpy tables are my favorite! No, they are not there to sell. Just air out their collection once a year

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Not to mention grumpy table sellers who don’t actually seem to want to sell you any guns they have?

I go to walk around and look. Sometimes I buy, sometimes I don't. I have a good time talking to the independent sellers; the Dealer tables full of new stuff doesn't interest me at all.

When the "seller" is grumpy I simply wish them luck, and move on. Life's too short.

I go to shows, but the only one I've been to in the last 5+ years has been the bi-annual Wanenmacher show in Tulsa. Spring and fall, I go to both sessions. About a 2-hour drive each way.

 

[King Medallion]

Here in Illinois, its rows of table of knives. I don't know why the call it a gun show, its a knife show. And now that the AR is illegal here, the other half of the tables will be gone.

 

[valnar]

I have not seen anything of value (to me) at a gun show in years. They remind me of an antique store that has been picked through. Anything you'd want is gone, and anything rare of value is overpriced.

 

[DoubleMag]

I still go but at least 50% less since the scamdemic

Political target these Regular-plain-folks-can-go-look-and-buy-FtF-without-Big-Gov-looking-over-shoulder-shows

a.k.a. gun shows

THEY WANT THEM BANNED and NO LARGE AMMO SALES, must be some benefits IMO....

 

[br549arkie]

It's not worth the time and effort, or gas to go to gun shows. Havn't been to one in about 20 yrs.

Dave

Same for me. Used to go to most of them within 150 miles of me but now the prices on everything (including admission) is just to high to just walk around for a hour or two and leave disgusted.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Go to enough shows and you'll eventually hear someone set off a round unintentionally.

I've been to two gun shows where guns were fired.
The first one was at the Washington Arms Collecters Show in Puyallup WA.
An older guy stopped by another older guys table looking for a carry handgun and didn't see anything of any interest.
The old guy that had the table was pulling his pistol out of his pocket and it went off.

The second time was at a Washington Arms Collectors show in Monroe WA.
Another old guy with a table selling pure junk. Old hides (deer raccoons skunks and others) a bunch of old relic guns worthy of their final resting place.

Some one picked up an old 22lr rifle was looking it over and pulled the trigger with out checking to see if it were loaded. We'll it to went off.

When a gun get shot inside of a gun show you can hear a pin drop, everything stops.
Both guys got escorted out of the show, the security packed up their items, and took the stuff out to their means of transportation and were banned from future gun shows.

 

[lightman]

I think Retiredchief makes a good point! How much is a half day of entertainment worth? I still hit a few shows a year, usually with a buddy. I haven't found a bargain in a while but I enjoy looking around.

 

[wayneinFL]

I'm not a shopper. That's not entertainment to me. Hunting, fishing, shooting, boating, or reading is entertaining to me. I would have to need something specific and be able to save $20 and whatever time and gas it takes me to get there.

I'm imagining Walmart charging me a $20 entrance fee to shop. It wouldn't be worth it for me to drive 40 miles round trip and pay $20 on top of it.

 

[TitanicTortilini]

The biggest show near me is $6 to get in, usually between 100 to 200 tables. Everything from the same stuff you can find at any Dunham's right through to antiques, milsurp and other oddities. Always a lot of people looking to buy, and sell on top of that.

There are a couple of much smaller shows that are wroth showing up for from time to time, and the rest are either so small it's not worth the drive, or so generic it's not worth the effort.

 

[Hokkmike]

The "old days".. A cup of coffee, conversation between people who like firearms, the hope of finding that certain "deal", maybe a little breakfast sandwich or pie thrown in.... Especially when going with a friend gun shows were a great way to spend a couple of hours..

Part of the lack of luster is on us... We grow old and are less tolerant of foolish or different opinions. We have seen the good, bad, and ugly of gun sales and are more suspicious and careful. I think also when you have seen more, acquired more, and shoot more as you age the excitement of the possibility of finding something that "you can't live without" wanes greatly. Don't see a lot of young folks at the shows so much as I do men 60 and older.

And true, these days everybody thinks that their for sale items are gold bricks. And think about this, with the passing of each generation interest in hunting and shooting declines - except maybe for PD hand gun sales - if what I read in the news is true about record sales for handguns. But generally the body of dedicated gun lovers is on the wane - (just my option, no facts) I see fewer hunters afield, less elbow room at gun shows, less or no waiting time at the range, and many beloved family owned gun shops closing up.

 

[Ignition Override]

Strange- with the overhead costs of gun shows,
who —in recent years— expects a “good deal”? My first show wasn’t in the Golden Age, it was 2008 at age 52.

It was always , for me and buddies, about getting a first or only chance to look at certain milsurps In The Flesh, which seldom or never are seen in gun Stores in our areas of Memphis/ Cordova.

 

[deadeye dick]

I used to go to all the local gun shows, an average of once a month.

But I haven't been to a gun show since early 2020, around the time Covid hit.

Reasons:

1. My collection has reached the point that there is hardly anything further that I would want, at least among the things that are available at gun shows.

2. Costs and prices at gun shows have gone way up. I hate to pay $20 for admission and come away with nothing.

3. Much easier to browse Gun Broker.

4. At age 78, my arthritic back makes it painful to walk the aisles at large gun shows. (My limit for standing / walking, without sitting down to rest, is about 15 - 20 minutes, on an average day.) And I refuse to be one of those people that you see at the shows, puttering around in their motorized wheelchairs.

I do miss seeing my friends at the shows. But they're starting to age out / die off too. It's depressing.

I agree. But i am only 86 on the end of Jan. Also the tripple bypass last Apr has slowed me down

 

[deadeye dick]

This^^^^^^^^ if I want jerky Ill make my own.Kettle corn can be had at the county fair.Dont remember buying anything at local gunshow,except meeting my powder supplier because he was going anyway and cut my trip to see him in half.

I do that with my bullet guy also

 

[doubleh]

The local shows are small because of our low population density. Admission went up to $6 from $5 two years ago. No parking fees ever. I went to our February show last year but have been unable to attend any since and will miss the one scheduled for February due to physical problems. 6 bucks is pretty cheap entertainment today. At the last show I found lots of older guns and scades of new revolvers although I left empty handed. i also had some chats with friendly dealers. No cheap jewelry, jerky, etc. was there. Powder and primers were scarce though. I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping to be able to attend the fall show.

There is one show only 72 miles away and i might go to it. Any other is a 2 1/2 hour one way drive and not worth the cost.

My LGS owner loves the gunshows. Says his business increases a lot during each.

deadeye dick, I have already passed the 86 mark but have no heart issues. A bum right wheel is my problem and I am scheduled to see an orthopedic surgeon next month as our arthritis doctor and pain doctor have both thrown in the towel. Business must be booming as it's a long wait to get in to see any specialist in this area.

 

[DesertFox]

Gun show at my house 24/7. Coffee is on and free. Beats admission fees hands down.

The last couple times I did go, there was not much to look at, prices weren't appealing and half the old codgers I used to see are pushin up daisies.

 

[Otto]

I could have almost bought a gun for what our show charges for drinks, jerky and parking.
The stupidest thing I’ve ever seen on a vendor’s table was a “tip jar”.

 

[epags]

Looks like the prices are going up for entrance fees. I would spend a few hours with my wife walking around at $10 per person. But $20 per ill pass. Anyone else’s shows going up in price? View attachment 1189957

Heck. It cost me $20 for just one hour at my local indoor gun range and I have to bring my own ammunition. And I do that weekly, doctors appointments allowing.

 

[drobs]

The Tulsa gun show is still worth going to. It is huge! I get a hotel room and meet forum friends for dinner. I usually don't go back for day 2 of the show as I'm beat after walking 1/2 of it the 1st day.

I might go to my local gun show, once or twice a year. Something to do with like minded friends that includes a meal out on the town.

 

[IALoder]

I stopped going when I could walk into the LGS for free and buy the same thing for the same price or less.

 

[Remington1911]

I quit going about a year ago for the same reason. Just too much money for too little "real" content.

You have priced me out of your business.

 

[eastbank]

i used to sell and buy some good sights from k. bean, but he has passed on. and my main parts man move to another state. i do a few very small shows for select arms and odds and ends. some times they are the best.

 

[CapnMac]

I went to about 5 years ago

Was that at the Convention Center, or the Sports Arena? Those venues were interesting, and they seemed to attract some interesting vendors. Kind of a unique crowd of gawkers at both Allen and Frisco shows, too.

If not quite as odd as the one Premier puts on in NRH at the NyTex hockey rink. For my 2¢, the mix of folk at the FW show is still the most interesting (and Premier more so than Lone Star). Although the crowd mix at the old Dallas Arms shows at Market Hall was pretty unique (and a good excuse to go to Sonny Bryan's for BBQ).