Tips for first time gun show?

Only actually bought a gun at a gun show a couple times. It's a bit of a PITA to buy a gun from a dealer at a show in this state.

Know what things are worth. What people on gunboards say, and what they go for on gun auction sites, may very well not be what they go for in your neck of the woods.

Take money but don't flash it all at once, treat the place like a gigantic gun related garage sale. Be prepared to pounce on a bargain, and prepared to walk away from something without regrets.

Can't go wrong with a Ruger 10/22.

Know what things are worth. What people on gunboards say, and what they go for on gun auction sites, may very well not be what they go for in your neck of the woods.

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+1, do some research so you know at least a few models you are interested in and search the net. I usually go on gunbroker and auctionarms and write down the highest and lowest price I see, add in what it would cost to ship and have a FFL do the transfer so I know if it's at least comparable to the other prices out there. Within $20-$50, no prob, I'll support the local guy. $100+? I'll pass.
They shouldn't try to rip you off, but thats where the knowlege comes in (write down prices on a little notepad if you want). If you find 30 models of XYZ brand .22 online between $180-$220 and the guy at the gunshow insists it's a $350 gun you know to walk away.

Just know what your looking at and dont get too excited when you first walk in. Don't let anyone talk you into something you dont want, and try to ignore the guy with the stun gun. Enjoy!

Dynasty

Look around a lot before you commit to anything; if you don't like crowds, go early enough before the place fills up. If you don't want to deal with an FFL dealer, try looking for tables rented by individuals (some of them will have a small sign saying "private collection"). A private non-licensed individual can sell to you face-to-face, without a background check, provided they're satisfied with your age and place of residence (bring your Drivers License). Respect everyone else's property; always good form to ask if you can look at something before you pick it up. Take a small notebook along (if it's a fairly large show), and jot down things like what you saw, where the table was, and how much. This will save you time from backtracking, once you've narrowed your choices down. Keep in mind, most everything is negotiable. For example: say the asking price is $300, ask the seller if they'll take $200, they say no, but they would let it go for $250. Bottom line: it doesn't hurt to ask. If they say no, then you'll have to decide if you want to pay that much, or move on to something else. Bring cash, but don't flash it around; be careful and use common sense. Oh, and have fun while you're there.

Lee n. Field was right about the Ruger 10-22. You cannot go wrong with this gun. Lots of things you can do with this gun. I have added a few things to mine and it is a very accurate 22 cal.
Enjoy your gun show and learn a lot. There is always someone around you that can help you out when it comes to questions about guns. I use a 1100 rem 20 ga. for most small game like quail and rabbits and a 12ga. for the likes of turkey. Have fun and good hunting.

This is from Xavier Breath's blogsite... very wise words to heed...
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2005/10/xaviers-gun-show-rules.html

Don't sign any petitions, join any political parties, or agree to 'hold something' for anyone.

Don't waste your time and the admission fee to the show. Go to the gun shop instead. I've yet to see any deals at a gunshow that made it worth the price of admission.

1) Caveat emptor- no returns, no refunds. Once the deal is made it's yours.
2) What the prior posters said: have an idea what you want and what it's worth.
3) Look a lot before you buy. It may be cheaper at the next table.
4) That said, be prepared to pounce on a bargain.
5) Don't be reticent to dicker. It's expected and part of the fun.
6) Take a borelight with fresh batteries and use it. At the least, it helps you look less like a rube. At most it can keep you from buying something with a bore like old sewer pipe. Exterior dings can be dealt with- a FUBAR bore is a deal breaker.
7) Watch your manners- don't sweep anyone while you're inspecting a possible purchase, and treat the merchandise with respect.
8) Don't go with the idea that you have to score TODAY. If nothing smokes your shorts hang on to your money for the next show. If you have to buy SOMETHING as a trophy of your first gun show pick up a good pocket knife.
9) HAVE FUN!! For a firearms enthusiast (I hate the term "gun nut") going to a gun show is like going to Disneyland, or a museum where the exibits are for sale. You will see guns you will see nowhere else. Enjoy seeing them even if you can't afford to buy. I still wish I had $13,500 for the Spanish-American War Gatling Gun I saw back in the Pleistocene, but even if I couldn't buy it I got to see and caress it.
10) Let us all know about your first trip trip a gun show.
Having 2 degrees in Gunsmithing, 5 instruction certifications, and a lifetime of loving guns this is my advice Dynasty. Have a good time and tell us about it.

Don't waste your time and the admission fee to the show. Go to the gun shop instead. I've yet to see any deals at a gunshow that made it worth the price of admission.

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Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I've bought a half dozen rifles that were priced right at shows, a lot of ammo priced right, and a lot of parts, accessories, ammo cans, reloading components, powder, etc, etc. It depends on what it is and for how much compared to some other source. I've also seen the same guy for 10 years with an M14 magazine priced at $80.

Don't waste your time and the admission fee to the show. Go to the gun shop instead. I've yet to see any deals at a gunshow that made it worth the price of admission.

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Disagree - go and give it a shot, observing all the anti-ripoff precautions everyone above has laid out. Worst case you'll be out about what a movie ticket would cost and you can get more than 2 hours of entertainment out of it! "Have some fun" as George Carlin might say.

Even if you don't buy any firearms, you'll get a chance to see and handle firearms that you may have only read about up until now. Always be polite and ask the table owner if it's ok to pick something up, but if they're ok, go to it! This alone makes shows pretty cool, if you know you're going to buy a gun eventually but perhaps aren't sure what all the choices are. Go see.

I don't buy many guns at shows, but another reason to go to one is for gun-related stuff. There will be more different ammo, components, holsters, bags, and any kind of gun gear there in one place than you'll ever find at the most well-equipped store. Stuff that's worth a look, even if you don't buy any at the show.

And, you might even find a good beef jerky vendor or two (love the stuff)!

Carry cash.

As a young guy myself, I do notice that some (read: a lot) of people will assume you're an idiot or that you can be hoodwinked. Now surely not everyone is like this, and it depends where you're at. At PA gun shows, I always felt respected. Here in California, not so much. I feel talked down to a lot. I don't do business with people who dont respect the customer, so some times I spend more to buy from someone who is nice.

But definitely be prepared going in.

As for the .22, I'll throw Marlin M60 into the mix as a counter to the Ruger 10/22.

When I go I keep money in each pocket. I dont buy right out I tell them to make me a deal I can't refuse. If they arent willing to talk to you or make the deal they arent the one to deal with. I have 5 vendors whom I know by name that I buy from on a regular basis. As a matter of look for the guys trying to do a face to face sale. I have gotten a couple of really good deals on .22 lrs from guys with personal guns for sale.

Expect to hear a lie or two (at least) while you are there. I don't know how many times I have seen someone trade for a gun and two or three minutes later he's telling the next guy he has had it for years and it shoots great and his grandpaw gave it to him when he was ten, these people make me sick. Not to say they are all bad, I do a show or two a year and try to be as honest as I can when selling a gun, we all should.

J.B.

Picked up a Smith 686 at a gun show a few years back for $300. Also picked up a Kimber Classic Custom for $500. Both were pretty good deals.

Bring Cash, Sort it out so its not in a big wad. I got the Smith cheap because I told the guy the most I had was $300 in my pocket. I wasn't lying to him either. I had $300 in my pocket. What was in my wallet was a different issue.....

Always ask first to handle guns.

Definitely know your prices

I have seen used Ruger 10-22's and Mossberg 500s priced higher than what you can buy a new one for at Wal-mart. If you know exactly what you are looking for it should not be hard to come up with an idea of what you should expect to spend. Check Gunbroker for the firearms that you are interested in as well as Walmart and the local gun shop. I have bought LOTS of guns at shows. The best deals are made in the isles. The guy with a rifle slung over his shoulder is looking to sell or trade. CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS!!! In some states all firearms transactions have to go through a dealer. In some states, like the one I live in, private sales are perfectly legal.

Be patient, if you can, go to the show on Saturday and scout out the best prices. Talk to the dealers. If you have cash you are probably in a better bargaining position though this is not always true. Go back on Sunday. The dealers are sometimes willing to let somethig they have been sitting on for a while go a little cheaper. On the other hand they may have taken in a trade that they don't mind letting go for a small quick profit.

As I said earlier the best deals are made in the isles. I will often go to a show knowing what gun or guns I am looking for. I already know prices pretty darned well. I look at what people are carrying and I try to have plenty of cash in my pocket. When I spot something I am interested in I might just ask the guy how much he is aking for it or I might follow him for a bit as he tries to trade it. You will be surpised how fast a guy will take $200for a gun that he thought he might get $300 for once he as been offered $150 or less a few times. At one of my first shows I was looking for a Stainless Ruger Mark II. They were going for a little over $300 new at the time. I was actually looking at a new one on atable when this guy comes up with one that was like new in the box and he asked the dealer for $200 in trade. The dealer said no. I followed the guy about 20 feet and asked him if he would take $175 cash. He did. I kept that gun several years and actually sold it for more than what I had paid. I have even gotten good deals from dealers but that only started happening after they knew that I knew what things were really worth.

The gals in tight jeans, tennis shoes , cowboy hat and vest knows where the S&W Revolvers are.

The gal in a mini-skirt, follow her, she knows where the Gov't Models of 1911s are and the USGI/Colt parts such as 7 round mags, hammers, sear springs, ...etc., are.

The two good looking honeys, in tight jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy hats and drinking Dr. Peppers know where the lever action rifles, and single action revolvers are.

If you hear "Da-dee" - find that voice of the honey in short shorts and tank top as her "Da-dee" is standing where the nice shotguns are.

If the person next to you is chewing gum and smells of mouthwash, and really wants you to consider a private transaction outside. That would be the ATF.

The guys still wear the funky shoes even in civilian clothes and the gals look have cuts from shaving legs so they could put on the ill fitting hose, to wear with a dress K mart would not carry.

Stay away from the tables with a bunch of wannabe's standing near.

Head toward the table with the older couple, and pay attention to the wife that knows her handguns and the husband that has forgotten more about shotguns and rifles than many will ever learn.


Go with a seasoned shooter, do not go with the intention of buying, as some can smell youth and money from 100 yds away.

I recommend the Beef Jerkey, Vanilla ice cream, Dr. Pepper and Foot Long Chili Dawgs with extra jalapeño' peppers.

Do stand there and watch the kids with parents and grandparents messing with rubber band guns, getting a brick of .22 ammo, and messing with any puppies.

Be very willing to walk away. There are always deals. And you can get very good deals on .22s and 12 ga guns at Wal-Mart. New!

For what is worth the guy one the survival blog says one should only buy from shows or private parties. However, he also says you should have 50 mags. per gun.

For what is worth the guy one the survival blog says one should only buy from shows or private parties. However, he also says you should have 50 mags. per gun.

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If that is to keep any transactions off the books, FFL dealers at gun shows have to track purchases just like FFL dealers not at gun shows. There is no "gun show loophole" there is just a "freedom to sell from private party to private party" sometimes called a "loophole" - which has been infringed and continues to be infringed.

I don't think gun shows are a good place for a total novice to buy guns unless you are well informed. I think newbies should probaly buy new guns at first to begin to learn. Also if you buy from a local gun shop, if you have a problem, even on a used gun, you can at least go back there and they will help you even if it only means pointing you to a gunsmith.

The Ruger 10/22 is a good first 22 rifle. I think the Marlin model 60 is good too or up the price and get the Marlin 39A. There are lots of choices and decisions to make depending on the kind of shooting you intend to do.

Mostly plinking, some hunting, some target... get semi-auto
Mostly target and hunting, get bolt aciton or lever action. Bolt action rifles will generally be more accurate than lever actions and be less expensive.

Reiterating what others have said and adding my own spin:

1) Know the prices for what you want, and don't be afraid to walk away. Sometimes you can find great deals at gun shows, sometimes not. The one time I went to one with something in mind, the two I found were going for prices that were more than reasonable (High Point 9mm carbine for $225? Don't think so).

2) Mind your manners. Watch muzzle direction, try not to step over people, and ask before fondling (some folks are eager for you to handle them, some are extremely touchy if you don't have a wad of cash). I prefer to go when the place isn't crowded; there's a better chance of the table workers being courteous to even browsers.

3) Follow the rules and the law. No loaded weapons (usually), no deals outside the room, don't buy anything that looks legally funky from somebody walking around. As sm said, the ATF might well be there trolling for easy pickings.

4) Look at it as entertainment more than "I'm going to get a good deal and buy here." You might get a good deal and buy. You might note that of the two tables that have what you want, the prices are kinda high or you want to think it over. Don't get buck fever, and don't view the entrance fee as lost money if you don't buy. Of the shows I've been to, I have yet to purchase anything, I just went to waste time more than anything else.

5) If you are thinking about buying a particular gun, take note of who runs the table. Is it a local gun shop (and therefore more likely to have continuing service)? Is it a kitchen table FFL who stocked a few things for the show? Is it an out of town seller who won't be around in the future, except for future shows? With most gun dealers of any kind, sales are final and any problems are between you and the manufacturer, so I'd figure more into the customer service of the maker than that of the shop.

6) Don't assume everybody there is knowledgeable about guns, even if they're selling them.

7) Don't assume everybody there is ignorant about guns, even if they're selling them.

This should be stickied somewhere. Nobody else has posted it yet, which shocks me.


COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO GUN SHOWS:
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Gun shows are run by and for dreamers. Every dealer who sets up a table seems to think that the people who attend are half-wits who will happily pay 25% more than manufacturer's suggested retail price for their goods; and all the attendees hold it as an article of faith that the exhibitors are desperate men who have come in the hopes of finally disposing of their stock at 30% less than wholesale cost. In this environment it helps to have some idea what to expect; so for the benefit of those who are so unfortunate as never to have experienced this distinctively American form of mass entertainment, I offer this guide.


GLOSSARY
The following terms apply to items offered for sale:

MINT CONDITION: In original condition as manufactured, unfired, and preferably in the original box with all manufacturer's tags, labels, and paperwork.

NEAR-MINT CONDITION: Has had no more than 5,000 rounds fired through it and it still retains at least 60% of the original finish. Surface pitting is no more than 1/8" deep, and both grip panels are in place. If it is a .22, some of the rifling is still visible.

VERY GOOD: Non-functional when you buy it, but you can probably get it to work if you replace 100% of the parts.

FAIR: Rusted into a solid mass with a shape vaguely reminscent of a firearm.

TIGHT: In revolvers, the cylinder swings out, but you need two hands to close it again. For autoloaders, you must bang the front of the slide on a table to push it back.

REALLY TIGHT: In revolvers you cannot open the cylinder without a lever. Once it's open the extractor rod gets stuck halfway through its travel. On autoloaders, you need a hammer to close the slide.

A LITTLE LOOSE: In revolvers, the cylinder falls out and the chambers are 1/4" out of line when locked up. There is no more than 1/2" of end play. For autoloaders, the barrel falls out when the slide is retracted. If the barrel stays in place, the slide falls off.

GOOD BORE: You can tell it was once rifled and even approximately how many grooves there were.

FAIR BORE: Would be similar to GOOD BORE, if you could see light through it.

NEEDS A LITTLE WORK: May function sometimes if you have a gunsmith replace minor parts, such as the bolt, cylinder, or barrel.

ARSENAL RECONDITIONED: I cleaned it up with a wire wheel and some stuff I bought at K-Mart.

ANTIQUE: I found it in a barn, and I think it dates from before 1960. Note that ANTIQUE guns are usually found in FAIR condition.

RARE VARIANT: No more than 500,000 of this model were ever made, not counting the ones produced before serial numbers were required. RARE VARIANTS command a premium price of 150% of BOOK VALUE.

BOOK VALUE: An irrational number which dealers consider insultingly low and buyers ridiculously high. Since no one pays any attention to it, it doesn't matter.

IT BELONGED TO MY GRANDFATHER: I bought it at a flea market two weeks ago.

CIVIL WAR RELIC: The vendor's great-grandfather knew a man whose friend had been in the Civil War.

SHOOTS REAL GOOD: For rifles, this means at 100 yards it will put every shot into a 14" circle if there isn't any wind and you're using a machine rest. For handguns, three out of six rounds will impact a silhouette target at seven yards. In shotguns, it means that the full choke tube throws 60% patterns with holes no bigger than 8" in them.

ON CONSIGNMENT: The vendor at the show does not own the gun. It belongs to a friend, customer, or business associate, and he has been instructed to sell it, for which he will be paid a commission. He has no authority to discuss price. The price marked is 150% above BOOK VALUE. All used guns offered for sale at gun shows, without exception, are ON CONSIGNMENT, and the dealer is required by his Code of Ethics to tell you this as soon as you ask the price. A BATF study has proven that since 1934 there has never been a single authenticated case of a used gun being offered for sale at a gun show that was actually owned by the dealer showing it.

I'LL LET IT GO FOR WHAT I HAVE IN IT: I'll settle for what I paid for it plus a 250% profit.

MAKE ME AN OFFER: How dumb are you?

TELL ME HOW MUCH IT'S WORTH TO YOU: I'll bet you're even dumber than you look.


PEOPLE YOU WILL MEET AT THE GUN SHOW:

RAMBO: He's looking for an Ingram MAC-10, and wants to have it custom chambered in .44 Magnum as a back-up gun. For primary carry he wants a Desert Eagle, provided he can get it custom chambered in .50 BMG. He derides the .50 Action Express as a wimp round designed for ladies' pocket pistols. He has already bought three years' worth of freeze- dried MREs from MARK, as well as seven knives. He is dressed in camouflage BDUs and a black T-shirt with the 101st Airborne Division insignia, though he has never been in the Army. He works as a bag boy at Kroger's.

BUBBA: He needs some money, and has reluctantly decided to sell his Daddy's .30-30, a Marlin 336 made in 1961. He indignantly refuses all cash offers below his asking price of $475. Unable to sell it, eventually he trades it plus another $175 for a new-in-box H&R Topper in .219 Zipper. He feels pretty good about the deal.

GORDON: He is walking the aisles with a Remington Model 700 ADL in .30-06 on his shoulder. He's put an Uncle Mike's cordura sling and a Tasco 3x9 variable scope on it. A small stick protrudes from the barrel, bearing the words, "LIKE NEW ONLY THREE BOXES SHELLS FIRED $800." This is his third trip to a show with this particular rifle, which he has never actually used, since he lives in a shotgun-only area for deer.

DAWN: She is here with her boyfriend, DARRYL. At the last show, DARRYL bought her a Taurus Model 66 in .357 Magnum. She fired it twice and is afraid of it, but she keeps it in a box on the top shelf of her clothes closet in case someone breaks in. She is dressed in a pair of blue jeans that came out of a spray can, a "Soldier of Fortune" T-shirt two sizes too small, and 4" high heels. DARRYL is ignoring her, but nobody else is.

DARRYL: He has been engaged to DAWN for three years. He likes shotguns for defense, and he's frustrated that he can't get a Street Sweeper, so he's bought a Mossberg 500 with the 18-1/2" barrel, a perforated handguard, and a pistol grip. He plans to use it for squirrel hunting when he isn't sleeping with it. He plans to marry DAWN as soon as he gets a job which pays him enough to take over the payments on her mobile home.

ARNOLD: He is a car salesman in Charlottesville, Virginia. He has a passion for Civil War guns, especially cap-and-ball revolvers. He has a reproduction Remington 1858, and is looking for a real one he can afford. He owns two other guns: a S&W Model 60 and a Sauer & Sohn drilling his father brought home from the war in 1945. He has no idea what caliber the rifle barrel on his drilling is, and he last fired the Model 60 five years ago.

DICK: He is a gun dealer who makes his overhead selling Jennings J- 25's, Lorcin .380's, and H&R top-break revolvers. He buys the J-25's in lots of 1000 direct from the factory at $28.75 each, and sells them for $68.00 to gun show customers. He buys the H&R's for $10 at estate auctions and asks $85 for them, letting you talk him down to $78 when he is feeling generous. His records are meticulously kept, and he insists on proper ID and a signature on the 4473. He doesn't care whether the ID and the signature are yours, however. Other than his stock, he owns no guns and he has no interest in them.

ARLENE: She is DICK's wife. She hates guns and gun shows more than anything in the world. Her husband insists that she accompany him to keep an eye on the table when he's dickering or has to go to the men's room. She refuses to come unless she can bring her SONY portable TV, even though she gets lousy reception in the Civic Center and there isn't any cable. When DICK is away from the table, she has no authority to negotiate, and demands full asking price for everything. She doesn't know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun, and she doesn't care, either.

MARK: He doesn't have an FFL. He buys a table at the show to sell nylon holsters, magazines, T-shirts, bumber stickers, fake Nazi regalia, surplus web gear, MRE's and accessories. He makes more money than anyone else in the hall.

ALAN: He's not a dealer, but he had a bunch of odds and ends to dispose of, so he bought a table. On it he displays used loading dies in 7,65 Belgian and .25-20, both in boxes from the original Herters company. He also has a half-box of .38-55 cartridges, a Western-style gun belt he hasn't been able to wear since 1978, a used cleaning kit, and a nickel-plated Iver Johnson Premier revolver in .32 S&W. He's asking $125 for the gun and $40 for each of the die sets. He paid $35 for the table and figures he needs to get at least that much to cover his expenses and the value of his time.

GERALD: He's a physician specializing in diseases of the rich. He collects Brownings, and specializes in High-Power pistols, Superposed shotguns, and Model 1900's. He has 98% of the known variations of each of these, and now plans to branch out into the 1906 and 1910 pocket pistols. He owns no handguns made after the Germans left Liege in 1944. He regards Japanese-made "Brownings" as a personal insult and is a little contempuous of Inglis-made High-Powers. He does not hunt or shoot. He buys all his gun accessories from Orvis and Dunn's.

KEVIN: He is 13, and this is his first gun show. His eyes are bugged out with amazement, and he wonders what his J.C. Higgins single-shot 20-gauge is worth. His father gives him an advance on his allowance do he can buy a used Remington Nylon 66. He's hooked for life and will end up on the NRA's Board of Directors.

What did you buy?