More gun show prices

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Stubert

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Went to the show at Crystal River Mall, Fl. today, on a good note, lot's of ammo for sale. Prices seem to be stabilizing on ammo. S/D ammo averaging $1.00 round. for .45, .380,.38. Last month at the show in Tampa at the fairgrounds ammo was running in excess of $2.00 for S/D. On a bad note, The price of fire arms is insane. I'm seeing Colt Mustang pocket lites for $1099..00 USED. They retailed for $699.00 when I bought mine 5 years ago. Ruger Old Army B/P revolvers $950.00 advertised as new. ( had a pronounced turn line). Lots of Browning A-5 shotguns marked vintage or collectable for $750.00 or more. I feel sorry for the people just getting in to the sport. They don't know if the're getting the shaft or not. Lets try and be more helpfull with some of the questions and posts that we are seeing from the newer folks.
 
It's called capitalism. In 1994 shortly after the AWB passed I sold a G23 with one 13 round magazine for $600 at a gun show. I then sold 5 spare magazines for $100 each. That was before I got in the door. I actually had more people lined up wanting to buy and I could have sold at least a dozen at that price if I'd had that many. I certainly wasn't forcing anyone to pay those prices.

I paid just over $600 for one of the Sig M17's a year or so ago. I saw one in a local gun store yesterday priced at $1500. I'm tempted to sell mine at that price. Things will moderate but I doubt that we'll ever see prices as low as a few months ago. I feel for the guys who are over paying now. A neighbor paid $2000 for a $500 AR after the Sandy Hook shooting when he was convinced they would be banned.
 
A few high spirited conversations have taken place on the value of firearms and their accessories that are likely to be in upcoming legislation. The value of such its is what you can get someone to pay for it or how much you want to keep those items IF they will no longer be available in the retail market. Tapping the deep pockets is nothing new.

I came back from the ‘stan in 2011 with a lot of polymer, 30-round magazines that soon were selling for $30 plus a piece in the States. I could have gotten more for them too but I was only selling them to a couple of friends. Those magazines are 100 times stronger than the stamped aluminum types they replaced. Unfortunately, a member of our Congress got the contract pulled that was supplying the Army with those great magazines. It seems a business in his district was not selected for the DoD contract for the vastly superior 30- round magazines, so the magazines were something that had to be disposed of. Oddly, the polymer magazines are used again when I was in Saudi Arabia in 2017-18 although I don’t remember the company making them.

Last December, a good friend of mine had his lifelong firearms collection up for sale. Prices were not out of reason, considering the condition of 95% of the auction items. A nylon, lever-action Remington rifle brought $3100. Some unfired revolvers brought over $2000 each. An unfired, double barrel BB gun went for $1,000. Some like-new pieces brought more than he paid for them and considering how hard it is (or was) to find good firearms, I don’t think the prices were wildly high.
 
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went to a show yesterday and saw crazy stuff. a clean S&W model 10 4 inch HB for 750.00 saw a used ruger redhawk hunter with red dot 1995.00 !!!!! I know they were not sol prices but jeez God Bless em but I hope we dont stay here forever
 
The problem at the moment is a huge influx of new folks to the shooting world, many of whom have no clue as to what the prices are/havebeen and what's gouging and what's not. All they know is there's lots of unrest going on, law enforcement being defunded, and possible gun control coming and now they want in. Couple their newfound interest in having a firearm for protection and the realization that a firearm without ammo is a fancy club and we have the perfect storm for the shortages we see now. The part I see as a good thing, the demographics at a show are changing. We're getting new blood into the game as some are getting their eyes opened.

I haven't seen rational prices for most stuff at a gun show in nearly 40 years. These days, you better know what you're after and what's a decent price. I don't go much anymore because of all the cheap chinese knockoffs, beef jerky and toys. When I do go, I go to a show with a rep for decent content and even then, I'm looking for a couple specific things that won't be at a store and would most likely be on somebody's junk table. Last show I went to, I scored a complete Ohaus reloading beam scale complete with original case and cardboard box. If you don't know what that is, it's a reloading scale from the days when engineers made products and not accountants. Price was $70, far less than a new version and built way better. I also play in the antique gun world a bit. Some of the prices on those are still reasonable, but there are also some ripoffs on the tables. Buyer beware.
 
I don’t understand the gun show hate. Take cash and be prepared to haggle a little bit. There are both ends of the spectrum at our shows around here. Bargains and ripoffs. Fair prices at a lot of tables. There are always gunshow specials at a table or two. Not to mention the people walking around with hardware in their hands wanting to sell grandpas 1911 for $500
 
I will never understand the quandary people exercise over firearms/ ammo pricing; if the price is too high, then do not purchase it - the proverbial gun is not being held to your head, all of any pressure you feel is self imposed. If you are “armed” with the knowledge of proper pricing of anything, then you have a competitive advantage - you are fortunate. The buy high, sell low people are your friends - they have the same obligation to protect themselves from pricing skullduggery as you do. When you really think about it, the absolute value of an education is to protect yourself from other people. We live in a very cynical and competitive world, you had me at “hello”.
 
I don’t understand the gun show hate. Take cash and be prepared to haggle a little bit. There are both ends of the spectrum at our shows around here. Bargains and ripoffs. Fair prices at a lot of tables. There are always gunshow specials at a table or two. Not to mention the people walking around with hardware in their hands wanting to sell grandpas 1911 for $500

I did not say any of em were wrong or should not ask... I am very pro them setting what they think they want - I was just shocked is all... and I was prepared for high when I went.. and I did not buy anything or knock anyone either...
 
The problem at the moment is a huge influx of new folks to the shooting world, many of whom have no clue as to what the prices are/havebeen and what's gouging and what's not. All they know is there's lots of unrest going on, law enforcement being defunded, and possible gun control coming and now they want in. Couple their newfound interest in having a firearm for protection and the realization that a firearm without ammo is a fancy club and we have the perfect storm for the shortages we see now. The part I see as a good thing, the demographics at a show are changing. We're getting new blood into the game as some are getting their eyes opened.


I think you’re on the money here. At least for a large part of the current situation. I overheard a young (to me, early 20’s ish) guy talking to a sales rep in an LGS the other day. He was saying that .80 a round for brass case .233 really isn’t all that bad.

When I started shooting, an ammo can with 1000 rounds of loose .223 was about $100 at most gun-shows. Course that was a lot of money to me then, and honestly more than I was generally willing to part with at one time for ammo. I imagine there were guys back then who couldn’t believe we’d pay $15 for a 500 round brick of .22lr.
 
It's called capitalism. In 1994 shortly after the AWB passed I sold a G23 with one 13 round magazine for $600 at a gun show. I then sold 5 spare magazines for $100 each. That was before I got in the door. I actually had more people lined up wanting to buy and I could have sold at least a dozen at that price if I'd had that many. I certainly wasn't forcing anyone to pay those prices.

I paid just over $600 for one of the Sig M17's a year or so ago. I saw one in a local gun store yesterday priced at $1500. I'm tempted to sell mine at that price. Things will moderate but I doubt that we'll ever see prices as low as a few months ago. I feel for the guys who are over paying now. A neighbor paid $2000 for a $500 AR after the Sandy Hook shooting when he was convinced they would be banned.
I gladly sold an IMI UZI Model B and full set-up for $3,000 in 1994. I paid $600.00 for it in 1992. I, too, wasn't looking to take advantage of anyone. The guy opened with three grand, and I said yes. That was the end of the negotiation. Never have lost a minute of sleep over it.
 
I don’t understand the gun show hate. Take cash and be prepared to haggle a little bit. There are both ends of the spectrum at our shows around here. Bargains and ripoffs. Fair prices at a lot of tables. There are always gunshow specials at a table or two. Not to mention the people walking around with hardware in their hands wanting to sell grandpas 1911 for $500
Agree...instead of taking a entire saturday to drive to the 5-6 gun stores(or 7 or 9), go to a show where there are scads of gun stores with tables so you can look around, yak, and maybe haggle a bit for that gizmo/gadget/gun ya want..Worth the $12, IMHO...pre covid, of course.
 
I'm eager to attend the Wanenmacher show in Tulsa to get a feel for the mood of the country and to see what has happened to pricing. I recall vividly the impact of election outcome on prices and mood of the gun-loving crowd. The current mood of the country, to quote a famous book, is "the worst of times". I'll welcome an exchange with guys who also attend the show in April.
 
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