My first gun show tomorrow - what to expect?

Back in the day gun shows were worth going to just to build relationships with different vendors. I used to look forward to seeing the milsurp vendors each year who were a wealth of information, always had reasonably priced firearms and bulk ancient ammo, and usually had a tall tale to share. I hope those folks come back.

thunderbyrd said:

Do you find good buys at gun shows?

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No

Am I likely to find primers?

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no, or they’ll be .50/each if there are any

Am I a sheep going to the shearing?

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Yes, unless you like expensive beef jerky and $800 mosin-nagants

Be prepared for vendors of jerky and jewelry, stickers and t shirts, hawkers of raffle tickets, dealers of the finest edged weapons from pakistan, and lots of gimicky slings and holsters guaranteed to be the "next new thing"- if not already issued to SEALS and Special Forces, and maybe a few guns and parts. But seriously, you never know when you will fall in on that deal of a lifetime, or that one item you have been searching for forever for next to nothing, or whatever. Some of my greatest scores have been at small gun shows. For the past couple of years, I look at gun shows as just that- shows. A chance to look at some stuff and burn a few hours on a weekend. If I find something useful, bonus.

How well you do at gun shows depends on your negotiating skills. Remember most dealers pay around half retail for used guns so don't be afraid to low ball. New guns typically don't have that much room for negotiating so be aware of the going rate of what you're looking for and don't expect to find BNIB bargains.

I would be interested to know your thoughts after you get back from the show. I haven't been to one in years. When I did go to gun shows I kind of looked at it like going to the flea market. If I found a deal on something I wanted I thought of it as a pleasant surprise. If I didn't I just kept walking, saw the sights & people watched.

I read you location is Kentucky. But just coming up is the world’s biggest gun show in Tulsa OK. 4,000 tables in one 11 acre room. April 2-3. You could not possibly see all of it in one day. Do a search on the internet for Tulsa gun show and you will be amazed. What ever you want is there, you just have to find it.

After 4 decades of shows, all small local affairs, I finally found a rifle I really wanted at a reasonable price, then negotiated down from there. Nowadays they’re about setting kids loose with $25 each and seeing excited faces return with stupid treasure. No worse than the price of a movie while being evermore entertaining.

My suggestion; look at your older firearms, especially magazines. Take a few cell phone pics with a small ruler or something for scale. Then dig through all the used magazines and pray for a miracle. My grail quest has forever been an FEG APK .380 ACP. Someday I’ll find one.

We have two local shows, one full of FFLs selling plastic guns at MSRP or over, the other mostly private sellers with old stuff ranging from fair condition/price up to awesome collecter level peices for nosebleed money.

I go to the second one regularly, sometimes I buy something, but rarely would I call it a "deal", exactly.

Skylerbone said:

My suggestion; look at your older firearms, especially magazines. Take a few cell phone pics with a small ruler or something for scale. Then dig through all the used magazines and pray for a miracle. My grail quest has forever been an FEG APK .380 ACP. Someday I’ll find one.

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Exactly. The "Notepad" app in many phones can be your friend in many ways. Listing out things you have only a couple of magazines for is a good thing to have with you, as you may see something that nags at you, only to find out you already have 5 of that version.

Taking the time to go check retail prices (and noting them in your app) before going is smart. You see that RIA .38super and it's "on sale" for $675 can look pretty good surrounded by things all marked up at $800 or $900. Until you get home and you find that they can be had for $570 . . .

For @thunderbyrd , it's probably too late, but the place to linger are the private sellers, they are more likely to have better deals. If only as they were not restocking things 4 or 5 or 6 months ago at sky-high dealer rates. But, at the same time the private sellers are also most likely to imagine their tinplate trophies are, in fact, solid gold.

thunderbyrd said:

stayed about an hour and was ready to go

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One of the things I have found helpful is to find a good place to eat that's near the venue that I don't have a reason to go to regularly. This can be TexMex, or BBQ, or seafood--but, it will be worth the drive (and it helps keep me out of the jerky and spiced nuts and the like [] ).

The last one that I attended was in ~2001 after I decided they were changing too much for me to really enjoy the experience. YMMV (I hope!)

At both large-venue Gun Shows & Computer Shows I quickly developed a routine. After entering I would pause and sketch a quick map on my pad. That would be followed by an up-then-down each aisle taking in what was available and making brief notations of locations to re-visit (and what was there).

When I had completed the walk thru I would usually take a break for a sitdown with a Coke & Chips while I studied my notes and planned my next moves.

I would then revisit the interesting-to-me tables and see what deals I could find/develop ... and some of them to just take a long LOOK at intriguing items that I would probably never buy.

Once that was complete, if I had any energy remaining, I might just wander aimlessly and enjoy the experience.

Enjoy!

You can buy machine guns, landmines, RPGs, C4, handguns that pass through metal detectors, cop killer ammo, enrich your own uranium kits, ghost guns, gun show loop holes, chainsaw bayonets, magic bullets, 9 shot 22 revolvers that hold 12 shots.
I even heard one gun show had the iceberg that sunk the Titanic for sale.

DR505 said:

Been to many gun shows and usually there is nothing worth my time or the entrance fee. However, once I went to a show in Virginia Beach and a dealer had a pallet of brand new Model 29-3's for sale, $200 each. Going price at the local shops back then was about $450. Wish I had bought more than one. That was 1987 and the last time I bought a gun at a show.

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I was probably at that show. Chinese SKS’s $59 in box with cleaning kit and canvas ammo pouch. If you had deep pockets an AK would cost you $120. The Pavillion had good gun shows.

Enjoy yourself! The quality of gun shows can vary greatly but most have enough variations in firearms and accruements to be interesting. In terms of value, thanks largely to the internet, "deals" aren't nearly as likely to be discovered as they used to be. Arm yourself with knowledge of the "going rates" of the firearms you're interested in and shop accordingly.

Don't expect too much and enjoy yourself in the company of like-minded, fellow gun enthusiasts.

thunderbyrd said:

I was thinking a speedo and some flipflops.

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This is how I roll at gun shows.

I bring my small arms with me.

EXPECT CROWDS

Go with an open mind. Take lots of cash. Enjoy!

Human sacrifice!
Dogs and cats living together!
Mass hysteria!

Best gun show I went to was 2008 at the Biloxi coliseum. It was just before the election so no one was panicked yet. I loaded up my car with brass and bullets, mostly Remington JHP in .357 and weights of 110, 125 and 158 gr. I still have a bunch of those to this day.

The big regret I have was a gun show in about 2010 timeframe. One dealer had an unturned 3rd gen Colt SAA .45 Colt 7-1/2" bbl. He wanted $1500 for it at the time. I could have sprung for it but didn't really want to part with that much cash. Now I wish I had.

Most gun shows I've been to are hit or miss, as everyone else has mentioned, with a lot of stuff that you will probably also see at a Mexican street market.

There used to be a gun show in Pomona California that literally had 9 miles of tables. The last time I went there was in the 90’s before gun shows were banned at that venue. What a huge show.

Gerd33 said:

I've occasionally run across a good deal on a firearm.....

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DR505 said:

Been to many gun shows and usually there is nothing worth my time or the entrance fee.

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I've had both experiences, but much of the time it depends on what you're looking for. Around here, there are several pawn shop dealers who regularly attend and many times have some very nice guns for sale, at market prices, if not bargain ones. Over the course of five years, I've found most of my S&W revolvers, and the pricing was in line with values given in SCSW. I found a BHP I've been looking for (.40 S&W version) at what I felt was reasonable for a model that isn't widespread available, at the most recent show. It was the only BHP I saw at the show (and I look closely), and was sort of hidden among a bunch of old Saturday night specials and half worn out off-brand revolvers.

@thunderbyrd - Thanks for reporting back and letting everyone know how it went.

Also, I buy most of my lead at my local gun show Sometimes 3 or 4 500 round boxes. Instead of lugging around these i pay for them and have the vendor put it aside and i pick them up when i leave. Just get a reciept. HAVE FUN