gun shows-sheeeshhhhh!

Everybody who wants to sell thinks their gun is a BRICK OF GOLD. Most people who want to buy think your gun (generically anybody - not just you) is never worth your price. VERY occasionally you can get a deal at a gun show. In 30 plus years I have bought three or four. It is when you you walk into a gun show and see that rare, overpriced of course, model that you have been looking for that the trouble begins. Yes, it has happened to me. Bottom line for me is that gun shows are mostly good for window shopping, camaraderie among shooters, and usually a good breakfast.

When I lived in Tulsa back in the 90's we'd always go to the two Wannamacher shows, the club had a booth, and also one or two others. Bought a few guns and sold a few guns.
The "bar" was set pretty high back then for me and the couple shows that I've been to here in Kansass have certainly not measured up.

ohihunter2014 said:

I haven't been to a gun show in maybe 7-8yrs. Its just never really been my thing cause I don't really like AR'S and old military stuff and well I'm poor too. Lol.

My best friend called me today and asked if I wanted to go cause he was selling a couple things and I have 2 old muzzleloaders I wanted to ditch so I figured why not. I put $150 on my cva optima with scope and sling and brand new TC quick handle ramrod and got a few glances but no one bit. He was selling some kind of surplus rifle that was in very good condition and walked around and checked prices and most were $300-450ish and in fair condition. He had a lot of people ask and he hit them with $250 and a lot of them said no way, your crazy, too high, I can find it at the next building for $125. Some people just were down right aholes about it. He explained to them that he priced off what the tables had and his was lower than any of them.

I was really hoping to offload the CVA but it didn't happen. I figured $150 was a decent price for the gun, $100 scope, mounts, 2 sets of fiber optic irons and sling. I even heard some people say he's crazy after peeking at my tag. I am kind of glad I went with a paper saying how much and what it was so I didn't have to play the game.

I'm wondering why everyone wanted his rifle and was drooling over it but wouldn't touch it for almost half of what crappier ones were going for? this is why I don't like gun shows. everyone thinks their stuffs worth hundreds more than it is, if you pass they get all crappy. id rather just slap a sign up at the gun club with pics and a price.

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Shoot me a pic of your CVA

Gun shows lost their luster when the internet turned finding 'hard-to-find' guns and parts into an easy shopping experience. Years ago, when you needed a certain part, an obscure mag or a specific gun, the only options you had were the local shops and the gun shows. Now, no matter what you need you can type it into a search engine and usually have several options. Also, sellers have the option of listing their parts on Ebay or Gunbroker instead of waiting for a buyer, in need at a gun show.

Gun shows are now a place to look at and hold various guns we are considering and to meet up with friends. It's less searching for bargains and more about socializing. I don't know many people who go to gun shows to actually buy but rather to browse and visit. If you have no expectations of finding a good deal you won't be disappointed.

Gunshows I go to in my area are nothing but retail. Years ago there were bargains,chatting with vendors and an overall good time,not so anymore. Vendors act if though you are bothering unless you have a pile of cash to give them. Been a long while since I wasted my time going to a show.I do miss the days when they were fun

What I miss from the old timey gun shows is that nobody trades anymore. It seems that everybody is a wanna-be dealer and the only object is to make a profit. Whatever happened to trading two $50 dogs for a $100 cat???

I use to go to gun shows, not anymore; I can't tolerate the crowd and sloth pace.
If I want to buy a gun, I'll go to local gun shop or Gunbroker.
Want to part with gun, try and trade at local shop or list on Gunbroker.
No admission price, no crowd, no sloth pace.

I was at the Berea gun show yesterday also and I go pretty regular. There are definitely some jerks running around that place. I took a Ruger MKI Target pre warning label, 98% in original box asking a firm $350. I talked to probably a dozen old guys who had that pistol years ago, they said my price was fair and thanks for letting them look. Had short conversations with more than a few and that's the part I enjoy. That and the dealers who ask to see it and then telling them I'm not a "motivated seller". Some of the older dealers there can be a pleasure to chat with if you stick around after the crowds clear out. I hope some day I'll find that guy who wants to replace an old pistol he was fond of.

I took a Glock 26 once and I can say that some of guys asking about it were a way different sort, definitely not a pleasure to talk with. Pistol whipping can be a strong urge to overcome.

Asking price on the dealers tables went from 350-450 for a similar Ruger

I think one dealer asked to see it and had several and told my buddy no way he will get what he wants for it. my buddy says hey, you and the guy next to you have worse ones, I'm not letting it go for someone to put $200+ markup on them.

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Well, if you want the truth, ask the guy with experience. The fact that they have them and have carted them to an unknown amount of gun shows trying to find an owner, tells me they know at what price they won't sell for.

ohihunter2014 said:

I get a lot of tables jack the price up but what got me was how rude and mad people got. its like hey its too much for you then okay but you don't have to run your trap about it to the seller. Lol.

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I have never understood that mentality either.
A gunshow is mix of politeness, good common sense, and smart business sense.
If I happen to look at one that I feel is priced too high (not saying yours is at all)
I'll simply say 'Thanks, but I'll pass' or 'Thanks, but I'm looking for brand X'.

Often you might later see that same fellow carrying something else that you are interested in,
and you have not alienated him.

JT

I'm the counterpoint to a lot of this. I continue to find good deals at gunshows: not every time but occasionally. Now there are some shows that aren't worth the bother, but there are some where you find something you really want from a private seller who is tired of dealing with lowballs but will respond to decent offer. Everyone wants to buy at a bargain, but nobody wants to sell at one. Funny how that works. Human nature, I guess. It's the same reason you can never just post a fair asking price on something. You have to overprice it by some amount so the horse traders can get their satisfaction out of bargaining you down.

Shows are still the best place to buy a gun without a 4473, at least in most states. Any sort of online transaction still leaves a trail, and some people would like to own at least a couple of guns that can't be tied to them.

Far more demand for any kind of milsurp at any time of year than there is for a used ML deer rifle.
Used CVA Optima's can be had on Gunbroker for as little as $40. There's one on there right now at that with no bids. Wrong time of year.

GBExpat said:

I stopped going to the local gunshows (gunshow, now), about 15 years ago. I think that my last was the last one that was held at Hugo's in Opel, VA (I would also attend the one in Chantilly periodically).

By that time the prices had increased enough & selection decreased enough that it was no longer an enjoyable outing for me.

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Yes, I remember the gun shows held at Hugo's Skating Rink. That was many years ago. That venue is now a nondenominational church.

The Chantilly show (The Nation's Gun Show) is still going strong. It's huge (it's recently been expanded), it's a 3-day show, and it's held every month or so. It's local to me, so I just drive over on Friday, park free, and get an early look at what's available.

As a fairly dyed-in-the-wool collector, I find that my hobby would be practically impossible without gun shows. Local gun shops are a complete waste of time to me (they basically don't have anything that I'm interested in). Online venues such as GunBroker have their uses, but they lack the possibility to do hands-on inspection. Since condition is everything in collectible guns, I want to see exactly what I'm getting before I put my money down.

I admit that most of the time, I leave the shows empty handed. But once in a while I find an overlooked treasure, and that makes up for all the other times when I haven't found anything. In any case the trips aren't wasted because I get to visit with dealers and fellow collectors that I have known for 40 years.

I know people ask for a higher price so when the haggling starts they can get a price they were looking to get. If I feel someone has one that's a little too much, I flat ask what they really want out of it. If it's the posted price and I feel it's too high, I usually say thank you and move on. I don't get rude or offensive. Some people just get their undies in a wad for some reason.

Berea was never a favorite and it's probably been twenty years since I've been.

Last year I went to what used to be the old Niles show and that wasn't bad, they actually had some deals on 3rd gen S&W semiautos.

I've sold a few guns at shows over the years, one I broke even on the other I lost but I was forced to sell quickly because of job loss.

ohihunter2014 said:

... ever done medina? ...

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I'll just jump in to say that I have pleasant memories of my one trip to the Medina Gunshow. That was in '88 or '89.

Excellent show that year. There were a lot of the cheap SKSs available. I passed on them because I was searching for something else ... and found it... a used, EXC-condition Marlin 1894S to go along with my 629-1. Still have it.

I'm the counterpoint to a lot of this. I continue to find good deals at gunshows...

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And then there is the guy (actually a lot of them) that was happy to buy a 30 round Pmag for $100 a few years ago....

I stopped going to gun shows a long time ago unless it's a gun show in a small venue in a small town. The big "corporate" gun shows like Crossroads Of The West have turned into nothing more than gathering places for gun shops to empty their stores for a weekend, jack up their normally higher than MSRP retail prices by 50%, then put a "sale" sticker on them. Yes there are still a few, and very damned few guys who are looking to swap and trade, but those guys are unicorns and in the parking lot. I only go to the SAR show once a year in December because of the manufacturer presence like Cold Steel, Lone Wolf, and MagPul....they ALWAYS have blems and leader deals for John Q Public.

Being fair...during the last AR drought and Obama Panic, I went to one of the Mesa Gun Shows with two Frankenstein ARs I put together with "parts bin" components along with four old steel GI mags taped to each, and an old CETME with five mags. My shooting buddy and I had "MAKE OFFER" taped to each one. We didn't even make it into the building before we got literally swarmed by guys with wads of cash. I thought there was going to be a fistfight between a couple of guys wanting to buy one of the ARs. Everyone who tried walking in with an AR got swarmed on their way in.

I was in the AR's for about $300 each, and the CETME I got in a trade. I sold all three, we went into the show for a grand total of 30 mins, where I bought two sets of old double diamond 1911 grip panels and a pair of ivory wood 1911 grip panels and a few 1911 parts. All the guys inside were trying to sell (and selling) base model ARs for $3000 each and PMags for over a hundred each. Let me just say that I had a nice wad of cash minutes later and my buddy and I went to our LGS who's owner does NOT go to whore it up at the shows and I spent a good of it chunk there. BUT...Happy Meal...because I never set a price, just MAKE OFFER and I sold the rifles for what guys were willing to pay. They set the price.

ohihunter2014 said:

ever done medina? he wants to try there next month.

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Naw that's a bit far for me to drive but I think the bigger show like Media or Akron might be worth it.

The best northeast Ohio show used to be Yankee lake with 1000 tables but that was 30 years ago.

I always do well at gun shows. Got most of my beautiful old S&W K-frames at gun shows. You can still find classic Smiths in great condition for less than an equivalent new S&W costs. I got my best rifle, an older Rossi 92 Trapper, at a local show. Some of the local gun shops actually lower their prices for the shows, so you can usually save $20 - $50 by buying a new gun at the show rather than their shop. I go to talk to people, listen and learn, handle some guns that interest me - I end up crossing some off the list after handling them, and adding others I didn't realize I wanted until I spied or handled one. I usually pick up some ammo at gun shows, and I appreciate the wide variety available. Decent prices on ammo cans, holsters, grips and any kind of knife you might want, though there's a lot of junk knives too. I like the smaller shows with more old timers and a slower pace, but have found some good stuff at big shows, too.

ohihunter2014 said:

anyone know what they charge for a table?

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Varies.
Used to be was about $40 per table per day. So, ten tables for two days was $800

Bigger shows charge premiums for being near the netrance; those associated with a group give preference to group members, etc.

Probably abotu $80 per table nowadays.

deadin said:

is that nobody trades anymore.

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That's because all the trades happen on Friday night when the dealers all set up.