Gun Show Gack

[Riomouse911]

Never been to a gun show.

With all the reports of ho-hum items and high dollar prices, I think I’ll continue to pass.

Stay safe.

 

[AlexanderA]

Guns shows are worth going to even if you don't buy anything. They're a window into the gun world.

I've been going to gun shows for more than 50 years. It's true that the shows have changed over the years, but then I've changed too. My gun collecting would have been impossible without the shows.

I haven't been to a gun show since COVID hit, but I'm looking forward to going again once things get back to "normal."

 

[J-Bar]

I haven't been to a gun show since COVID hit, but I'm looking forward to going again once things get back to "normal."

I hate this cliche/phrase, but sadly this may be the ‘new normal’.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Guns shows are worth going to even if you don't buy anything. They're a window into the gun world.

I disagree. Gun shows today are a complete waste of time and money. If I want a "window into the gun world," I'll watch gun videos on youtube.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Ammo may be the new "cash" if Putin doesn't back down.

Dont sell anything gun related right now, no way.

As far as gun shows go, ya the golden days may be over, but what else are ya gunna do on a weekend.....yard work?

At least yard work would be productive.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Never been to a gun show.

With all the reports of ho-hum items and high dollar prices, I think I’ll continue to pass.

Stay safe.

You should go at least once, just to say you did. Take a friend or a relative too, make some memories!
Gun shows aint what they used to be, but some of my best memories of my Dad are going to gunshows with him, even if we didn't buy anything.

 

[Gone Hiking]

It's almost like gun show vendors pretend there's no internet and all the attendees don't know they can get the same things online for much, much less.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I never been to one myself. I asked my one LGS if he ever does gun shows. He said no. We have our own gun show here.

 

[tubeshooter]

If you know what you like and what to look for, you can find the occasional deal. I still think it's a great resource for people who don't like to buy online/sight unseen.

It helps me know what the going rate is for items out "in the wild" rather than relying on completed online auctions.


I sure don't need another knife, or really another ammo can to be honest, but somehow they follow me home from the show oftentimes. I also like being able to buy bulk ammo with cash and the in-show competition tends to help keep prices from getting too far out of line for a given vendor.

 

[CapnMac]

One of the issues that many bring up are the prices. But, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there.
The people setting those tables up are not getting their wares at some mystical, inexpensive Narnia to flog at usurious rates. They are buying from many of the same places as the rest of us, or from such distributors as will sell to "the trade" in small volume.

The beat up boxes from "granpa's attic" are probably just that--items picked up at estate and yard sales in the desperate need to have anything to sell at all.
It's a hard life to be "on the circuit." You need to find a "cheap enough" motel room (or crash pad if you are lucky). You drive the van or truck with sturdy trailer, and you show up at the venue before they open up on Friday afternoon (and you want to be early so you can park near the door to shorten the trip inside). The Venue and the Promoter then shoo you off to the designated parking area--which you have to hope does not look like "Hey, criminals! Unattended vehicles of some value there!" so very much. The dealers all prowl all the tables once they are set up and there are a huge amount of trading and dickering done--two or three hours' worth. (Some canny dealers can actually "earn the rent" on Friday night alone; maybe, perhaps.)

There's a lot of "overhead" on that box of ammo. The actual profit on that thing might be only a dime, for being ten bux over "internet prices" (and I'm as guilty as any other of forgetting about shipping and handling costs). And for being the only box of the fifty or a hundred on (and under) the table that actually sells.

 

[tws3b2]

The last gun show I went to "last summer" was pretty much a bust for me. I said it would probably be my last. Mostly tactical rifle. Ok for a lot of people I guess.
Im old school wood and metal, Remington, Winchester, Colt, Stevens and the other older gun makers.
They had absolutely nothing I would be interested in. And their ammo was beyond high priced.

 

[AlexanderA]

In this thread, we are discussing gun shows as if they are all the same. Not true. There's quite a bit of variation. For example, the Maryland Arms Collectors show (held annually in Baltimore) is quite different from the Nation's Gun Show in Chantilly, Virginia, which in turn is a far cry from some podunk show held in a local firehouse or VFW hall. You have to know what to expect in each case. Otherwise you will be disappointed.

 

[Trey Veston]

I went to a gun show back in the mid-90's. I had to pay $4 for the privilege of walking around people loudly proclaiming how much they knew about everything while seeing prices at least 10% higher than in local shops. Plus the fascination with WWII German memorabilia and jerky.

Back then, there were tables with lots of hard to find parts for firearms and tons of SKS rifles for $70 (never bought one). Still, I didn't see the need to ever go back, since there is nothing but the podunk ones around here.

Ironically, my buddy is currently attending one about 15 miles from here with my rifle that he is going to try to sell for me. AR-15 in .450 Bushmaster. Great little rifle I built as a camping/hiking carbine but just never warmed up to it. Replaced it with a Henry Black in .45 Colt. Real world value around $700. He said he was going to ask $1000 since I threw in 60 rounds of ammo and Hornady dies for it. Hope the gun show fever strikes someone today, lol.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

If you know what you like and what to look for, you can find the occasional deal.

Emphasis on occasional. How many times did you pay parking and admittance fees at various gun shows before you found your occasional deal, and after adding in those costs of previous gun shows where you found no deal, was your occasional deal still even a deal?

 

[D.B. Cooper]

It's almost like gun show vendors pretend there's no internet and all the attendees don't know they can get the same things online for much, much less.

The internet has done more to bring us closer to a pure competition marketplace than anything in history. Today's gun show is called gunbroker.com.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

The last gun show I went to "last summer" was pretty much a bust for me. I said it would probably be my last. Mostly tactical rifle. Ok for a lot of people I guess.
Im old school wood and metal, Remington, Winchester, Colt, Stevens and the other older gun makers.
They had absolutely nothing I would be interested in. And their ammo was beyond high priced.

People like you and I are a dying breed. We won't be around much longer. In 20 years, our collectible, vintage, blued and wood guns (Colt revolvers, Pre-64 Winchesters, etc.) will be worth pennies on the dollar simply due to changing consumer preference that values plastic, tactical aesthetics (ARs and Glocks). This is reflected in the guns being offered for sale. Sellers and manufacturers are simply trying to meet market demand.

 

[AlexanderA]

I went to a gun show back in the mid-90's. I had to pay $4 for the privilege of walking around people loudly proclaiming how much they knew about everything while seeing prices at least 10% higher than in local shops. Plus the fascination with WWII German memorabilia and jerky.

You have to tune out 90% of what you see and hear at a gun show. I've learned to walk the aisles really fast, only stopping to talk to the vendors that I know (old friends), or when something catches my eye. By the same token, I skip over tables that are known to have outrageous prices, and tables with the usual clutter such as jewelry, beef jerky, etc. It still takes me 2-3 hours to scan a large show in this way.

 

[GJeffB]

Different take by me. Like most, gun shows are good, bad, ugly, whatever, right?
How about educational? Gun show with #1 grandson. He learned what Garand clips are for, how they work, and what the "ping" is. Also the difference between nonexistent silencer and suppressor. A couple of years later #2 grandson learned etiquette to ask before fondling someone else's firearms, was invited to hold a pretty nice example of an Winchester 1886 which he did with a big grin while I curled arms underneath in case of a drop.
Out of the two I was happy to snag a pound of 5744 for $20 on the way out the door, and the two grandsons' experience was worth 10 times the costs just as education.

-jb, they got the best of the shows, mission accomplished

 

[RayRoy]

I disagree. Gun shows today are a complete waste of time and money. If I want a "window into the gun world," I'll watch gun videos on youtube.

I want to buy blackout curtains.

 

[RayRoy]

Broken down boxes of 12 ga slugs at $5/each.

Did you say they’re selling singles of shotgun slugs?

 

[Mars5l]

People like you and I are a dying breed. We won't be around much longer. In 20 years, our collectible, vintage, blued and wood guns (Colt revolvers, Pre-64 Winchesters, etc.) will be worth pennies on the dollar simply due to changing consumer preference that values plastic, tactical aesthetics (ARs and Glocks). This is reflected in the guns being offered for sale. Sellers and manufacturers are simply trying to meet market demand.

I kinda hope so honestly. Not into revolvers really but yea into the older wood stuff. But all the guys in their 80s want gunbroker prices and it will sit and probably get tossed out when they die or sold in a gun buyback by some family member that doesn't want anything to do with it. There's still quite a good number of us in the 40s and under that like the old stuff more, some were brought into it by video games. I do wish some of the older guys realize that some of us younger ones would love some of that older stuff and just make us a once in a lifetime deal on it. I'd love to have that old rifle to enjoy til it's my time to pass it on.

 

[Jeff olson]

You should go at least once, just to say you did. Take a friend or a relative too, make some memories!
Gun shows aint what they used to be, but some of my best memories of my Dad are going to gunshows with him, even if we didn't buy anything.

The gun shows of old were an absolute treat.

 

[Mullo98]

It mi

People like you and I are a dying breed. We won't be around much longer. In 20 years, our collectible, vintage, blued and wood guns (Colt revolvers, Pre-64 Winchesters, etc.) will be worth pennies on the dollar simply due to changing consumer preference that values plastic, tactical aesthetics (ARs and Glocks). This is reflected in the guns being offered for sale. Sellers and manufacturers are simply trying to meet market demand.

I beg to differ, several people my age (early 20s) are drifting towards the old school look. Look at SA producing a traditional style Hi power or the surge of interest in lever action guns.


My main beef with gun shows is that many vendors act with a chip on their shoulder. They act very hostile towards someone casually browsing or act like a jerk when you try and talk.

 

[Bandit67]

These are a couple gun show scores from recent years. I got the model 37 just before the Crud virus and the Browning at one of the first shows back after all the stupid lockdowns.
I like gun shows. Yes there's a lot of crap but you can still find a gem once in awhile. It's all about the hunt.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Whether gun shop, gun show, internet, I don't just consider price of item: I include in the cost of item to me for gas to travel to the shop or show, and cost of shipping and handling for internet sale.

I went to the last local gunshow hoping I might find small pistol primers or .312 85gr bullets. Gunshow admission was less than internet S&H. Found nothing I wanted, but saw a few interesting items, some prices reasonable, some not. Took my time, made two complete circuits. (Felt good about that: six years ago my then health issues made me leave a gun show half way through.) All in all, it was more entertaining and less expensive than a bad movie. Did see a Krag cavalry carbine, Charter Explorer II with both magazines, and a Universal Explorer in captivity; don't often see those in the wild.