Gun show enthusiasm waning

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Thernlund

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I was just at Crossroads this weekend (disappointing), and while looking at the ammo, I began to wonder why I'm bothering. I noticed that the price of the ammo was about the same as online, in some cases even with shipping.

As well, I was looking for a new gun but managed to avoid buying it from any of the sellers. Good thing, because after we left I went to the range and spotted the gun there for cheaper than any gun show seller was selling it for. Ugh. (I bought it at the store/range. More on that later.)

Then there's the whole flea market non-gun stuff becoming more prevalent. We already had a thread on that awhile back. So never mind that for a moment.

And finally, the damn petition people. Talk about high pressure. I mean this guy was coming on strong. Practically getting in my face. I finally had to be rude and just walk away while he was still talking at me (not to me, at me). As I turn to walk away he shouts (LOUD) something about Obama coming to take my guns, which had nothing to do with any of the stack of petitions he was pushing.

$7 to park, $12 per person to get in. Good grief.

Over lunch, my buddies and I pretty much resolved to stop going to gun shows. We're done.

Anybody of a similar mind?


-T.
 
Yep, I've been to my last one. Nothing but greedy vendors preying on kids with too much money burning holes in their pockets, overpriced everything, and the ridiculous parking and entrance fees. Plus, the closest one of any size (SF, of all places!) is a tank of gas away. Pass...
 
I keep thinking that exact thing, but I keep finding myself at gunshows. I haven't bought a gun from a dealer at one in years, but there are some good finds to be had among the other attendees. Not to mention that around here there are a group of us that know each other just from going to the shows, and it's fin to mingle with those gents and shoot the old bull.
 
My interest in gun shows always rises or falls depending on how much extra cash I think I have and what I think I want to buy. At the very least, I like to see what the ammo vendors are selling and how much. There is at least one guy that goes to all the Houston shows that is competitive with the online sellers (plus shipping).

But then again, Houston does have some decent gun shows.
 
The gun show here in Orlando Florida isn't too bad. There are a few old hands who spend their retirement days making ammo at home and selling it a 20% mark up, still well under retail price and better quality as they use only starline brass for their brass. One of the old hands gave me his email and I'm on a list he has that whenever he and his buddies are going to show up and sell I get an email. The ammo's quality has been superb and has made shooting .357 magnum affordable (20 bucks for fifty rounds instead of 27) and .45 ACP is a few bucks cheaper, the key thing is it is all reloadable and after firing it sits in an old cooler I found at a campsite abandoned. Other than that I only really go to handle those guns I'm interested in but have no idea about size or feel. There are enough small time gunshop owners that there are competitively low prices and a wide array of guns, about the only place I see Rock Islands and Firestorms offered.

Not to say all those prices are great as I'm accustomed to getting guns by trade, estate sale, or purchasing used. The ammo prices by everyone else is usually a joke but components for reloading are incredibly competitive against(usually lower than all of them) the website I have found.
 
I just love the vendors who clean out the local Wal Mart and then try to resell a $7 box of .223 for $12! Plus, it seems nowadays that half of them don't want you to 'handle the merchandise' hoping that you'll discover the pitting and rust spots AFTER you've brought your 'new' and over priced gun home!
 
I go to gun shows occasionally, if I have nothing better to do. Mostly overpriced junk. Almost every table has one or more old Colt single actions that look like they were dredged out of a river, and the dealer usually wants two grand for them! Because of their collector value! They'd be better off selling them at a garage sale to a junk collector, because that's about all they're worth...
 
Once in a blue moon, you'll see a firearm at a market price. Other than that, I go for parts and accessories I seldom find elsewhere.

-Sans Authoritas
 
I haven't been to a big one in about 3 years. I go to the smaller local ones from time to time. I've found some good deals at those. Mostly on reloading stuff and occasionally on other things like mags, books, parts and even ammo.
 
I actually go for the new guns. Seems that the two or three big shops in town offer very competitive gunshow prices - prices that they never have in their retail stores. So if I want new - I buy at a gun show. If I want used (which is usually the case), I make the rounds of the local small shops.
 
In Colorado Springs it's free to park & 5.00$ admission. At the price it's a cheap afternoon. I've got three reasonably priced ( I think) used guns at gun shows & some mini-14 20 rd magazines for about 15.00 $ each.

It seems like the show is getting smaller though since they moved it.

And my wife has fun so I think I'll keep going.

GUN SHOW PRICES
I got the following three guns W/in the last eight months at gun shows.

RIA 1911 W/ two magazines used 410.00$

CZ75B .40 S&W W/two magazines and extremely cheesey uncle mike's holster used 400.00$

CZ82 W/two magazines W/ issue holster & cleaning kit used (duh) 200.00$

All three prices included tax seems like a reasonable deal.
 
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What my friend and I usually end up doing is go around to the local gun stores the two weeks before a show to see what they have in stock, and what the going prices are. Then we check online for ammo to see what the going rate is. Armed with that knowledge, we can usually spot the good deals at the show.

For instance, right now I can get 7.62x54R ammo from AIMSurplus for just under $90 a case of 440, including tax and shipping, if I order two cases. Well, if I spot it for cheaper at the show coming up at the end of the month, I'll get it there. Also, knowing that I can get the case for $90, if I see it for $100 I feel that I can negotiate better with the seller. If he wants to deal, great. If not, I go home, and in five clicks or so order the ammo online.

All in all, deals can be had at the shows, but only if you do your homework first, and know your local market.
 
The other nice thing about shows is buying the occasional gun FTF. I rarely have done this though. I have sold some and got what I wanted for them. I know a guy who goes to the big HGCA gun show in Houston just for that purpose. He gets their early and trolls the line of people waiting for tickets looking for deals before they get into the shows. It takes time and persistence, but he does end up with some deals. You really need to have some knowledge of what you are looking at though. Also, you need to watch the entire show.

I have seen some good used prices at tables at times. Some dealers overprice everything, some don't. Last show, I saw several used Sigs for decent prices. I agree with others that you just need to know what you are looking for and how much.

The irritable things I see are:
1. Way overpriced surplus mags. A G3 20 round mag is not worth $25 especially when a guy on the other side of the show has the same thing for $5.

2. Used guns that are priced the same price as a new one. Why? I saw this at the table of the people who were selling the new guns and at nearly the same price. Maybe 20 or $40 difference. I can only assume they expect you to low ball them on an offer.
 
Being "between jobs" right now:mad:, I didn't even bother going. Otherwise I would have. I do hear you about the gripes ... but I still keep going anyway. ;)

The big ammo vendor ticked me off some time ago, wanting to charge 10% extra for using a debit card. :fire: As for the petition solicitors, I walk briskly away and pretend not to hear them - just as I do with other panhandlers. ;) I am not there for "politicking" - there is plenty of time for that in the voting booth.
 
I went to one in Columbus,Ga recently, the first we've had in several years.
The line and wait to get in was the longest i've ever seen ( a good sign), the place was packed, and for the first time, i noticed several very hot babes (also a good thing,YMMV). Those were the pluses.
On the down side, they raised the price a little more,and according to my buddy, the prices on reloading supplies were a joke.Also, the "sky is falling "
prices,on the Yugo AK's for instance,were in the stratosphere.
But, i did manage to sell a SKS scope i couldn't use,for more than i paid for it, and i found a killer AK sling for $5.
But sadly, it's unlikely i'll ever pay to get into one again.:(
 
I go as a customer ONLY if a friend is an exhibitor who has an extra free pass (which is nearly always). I go for free entertainment (except for gas). I rarely buy anything except for stuff homemade by local guys like the guy who makes steel targets, clothing, and such. Bottom line, they stink badly compared to the "old days", and I refuse to pay. If there is an occasional good deal, I jump on it. I will however, pay the $40 to set up if I'm wanting to sell a bunch of stuff.
 
The big ammo vendor ticked me off some time ago, wanting to charge 10% extra for using a debit card. As for the petition solicitors, I walk briskly away and pretend not to hear them - just as I do with other panhandlers. I am not there for "politicking" - there is plenty of time for that in the voting booth.
Click to expand...

That's bizzare, unless it also applied to credit cards. Retailers save money if their customers use debit cards as opposed to credit cards.

-Sans Authoritas
 
I have only gone to a few shows in the last few years. One last year, bought a used scope, from the folks at a local pawn shop. I found a knife maker who lives in the next town north and he had the perfect knife for my daughters birthday. Found a video for a friend who likes Glocks.

At this spring's show I found the knife maker and bought one for my wife. He threw in a nice kitchen knife, thank you sir. Dillion reloading set up was purchased from a local cowboy shooter. Also bought a Savage 29, paid too much for it. But it's been professionally restored, and I like it alot. It shoots great and it's cheap to shoot. The seller was a local gunsmith. The show here is small, everyone seems to know one another, you get a good feeling from most of the vendors.
 
I enjoyed the gun shows in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The Wanamaker show in Tulsa was unbelievable. It was hard to see everything in six hours. San Antonio has more people than Oklahoma City and Tulsa combined, but the gun shows are surprisingly lame.
 
I've been to Crossroads here in Utah twice now. There aren't really any deals on guns. The guns can be had around town for the same or better prices. In fact most of the dealers are local. There are some slight ammo deals, but nothing that covers the door price. The one thing I like about a gun show is being able to pick up and handle a ton of guns without having to deal with poor gun shop employee service.
 
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