Gun Show Prices.

[lefteyedom]

DISCLAIMER
NOT ALL GUN SHOWS ARE THIS WAY, NOT ALL DEALERS ARE THIS WAY

Gun shows in southern Wyoming are hardly worth the time, much less the cost of admission. The local gun club in Cheyenne puts on a good show one once a year but that is about it.

Most shows are the same basic group of grumpy old gun shop dealers and would be gunsmiths. They truck their inventory from one town to the next each weekend, see them in Worland, see them next week in Burns the week after in Laramie ect...

If you think of them as traveling gun museums then, it maybe bearable.

It is not really a friendly buyers market, $375 take it or leave it for a well used Savage 30-30 bolt action 340, missing the magazine seems to be the norm.

Here is some free advice...

Learn to talk to your customers.
If you don't like people, hire someone that does.
Buy a copy of Dale Carnegie's book and read it.

Another thing, know your inventory...
Not all Sears shotguns where made by Winchester,

Be knowledgeable about firearms
Yes a 270 Winchester is a fine rifle
but it won't shoot a straight line across a 500 yard field with the same point of aim as at 100 yards...

Don't prey on young peoples ignorance,

If a 21 year old brings in a Model 12 Winchester in great condition, offering him a $100 towards a traded for an over priced Frankenstein no-name 1911 is wrong.
(I saw this happening to a young troop, lucky a few NCO's step in educated the young lad on the value of the shotgun)

There has to be a better business plan than trying to pay for the whole week end off of one firearm sell.

Ok I am stepping off my soap box now.

 

[Sniper66]

Prices vary with each show

I have attended the Tulsa show many times in the last several years and shows in Kansas City and Topeka, KS. Every show is different with prices generally on the rise. I have been disappointed with ammo prices sometimes, but it has been plentiful recently. Occasionally, I have found great deals and learned that I need to carry cash and buy quickly when I find them. Guns are generally reasonable and dictated by the market, with some being over-priced, but dealers are almost always willing to negotiate prices. Reloading supplies are almost never a bargain in my experience, but they may have what you need and save you a trip to get it else where. Do your homework, pay attention, and be reasonable. Dealers are there to conduct business and make money, not give stuff away so you can get a bargain. Most dealers have a wealth of knowledge and I learn a lot at every show that doesn't cost me a penny. In my experience they gladly share that knowledge. So, if all you go for is to get a bargain, you just might miss the best part of the gun show experience.

 

[gym]

The best thing you can do, is know the prices before you go. I know what every popular gun is going for because I read about guns all the time, and frequent several gun stores where i am friends with the owners. I know what they pay. So if there is a genuine deal at a show, I will find it. If you go to "shoot straight for instance, he will sell a gun at a loss just to break the smaller dealers, This is common knowledge, he is the man here in FL. I believe he has 8 stores with ranges at about half of them.
He sold me a brand ne LCP 2 years ago, for $259, that's when they were smoking hot. But I said there is a guy right there selling one for 270, what can you do, he went right to 259. so you need to know their bottom line. Other guns were priced high, it's like buying in a bargain store ,not everything is a bargain, last show he was selling the new Sigs 290, the one with a 775 msrp, 9mm not the 238. He was letting them fly for $550.00 with the laser. That's a deal and a half. I will buy one if he does it again, he also had a low price on the nano, and lc9, $300 for the lc9. great price, may have gone down another 10 bucks. The 238 was more than the new 9mm model. The baretta I have read too many bad reviews on to buy one yet.
If you walk in and just ask how much is that gun, expect to be quoted top dollar. Ask to see it and then ask if you can pull the trigger, never start playing with a vendors guns without permission, that's a sure way to not get a deal. Strike up a conversation let him know your interested, but plan on walking the floor to, "look around". he will stop you, and ask you what you are looking to spend, or how interested you really are. or something, that's when you need to know your prices.You can say I will buy this gun now if you can let me have it for x. Chances are if he is making a few bucks on it he will take it, but don't insult him with a rediculous offer. You will usually get the best deals from the largest vendors. They do volume and pay less for the gun.

 

[flaman]

I'm absolutely amazed at what I'm seeing in Florida- for new guns. Used guns are still reasonable...

 

[Gtimothy]

Went to the Tampa Fl, show today mainly to keep my son from buying something he would regret. The show was PACKED and when we left 4 hours later, there was a HUGE line waiting to get in. The prices were higher than I have seen in a while but most vendors were willing to make a deal.

My son bought a new 4" stainless Ruger GP-100 at the "Shoot Straight" display for just over $600.00 (tax and xfer fee included). They had a higher price than what I thought was fair so he made an offer on it which they accepted. I think he got a good deal on a great gun. I, on the other hand, bought 1000 rounds of .223 Win for my ARs but found out later I could have bought it cheaper online. Oh well, win some lose some!

 

[Stumpknocker]

I quit going to the gun shows put on here in Florida by Sunstate Gun Shows. The prices and crowds have gotten ridiculous, and they are dominated by the big stores like Shoot Straight. There's another company putting on shows in Clearwater, Sarasota, Ft Myers and maybe some other places. I think they are called 2 Guys or something like that. I will probably check out their shows and see how they are. I'm going to be looking for a pistol for my daughter pretty soon.

 

[BIGGBAY90]

Depends on which vendor you go to, some charge tax

 

[newfalguy101]

Depends on which vendor you go to, some charge tax

Thats not quite correct.

In all fairness, vendors do not "charge" tax, they "collect" it.

I suppose its mostly semantics, but, I get tired of guys wanting me to NOT collect sales tax even though I have to SEND that sales tax money to the state.


I had one guy looking at some Shootnc targets. I quoted him a price that was like 50 CENTS above my cost ( cuz I wanted to get rid of em mostly ) and he wants ME to pay the sales tax. I suggested he go to Wallybarf and see if THEY would eat the tax.............he walked away, which suited me just fine!!

2 months later, the SAME guy walked by my table, saw the targets and offered me 25 cents less than my pricetag. I told him NOPE.

Twas one of those deals where he ticked me off so bad the first time, I will NEVER give the guy a deal.

 

[Gtimothy]

Depends on what and how you are buying. Today all of my CASH purchases from different vendors were not taxed. My Debit/Credit card purchases had to have taxes collected, I guess thats because of the credit card companies involvement in the transaction.

 

[newfalguy101]

Depends on what and how you are buying. Today all of my CASH purchases from different vendors were not taxed. My Debit/Credit card purchases had to have taxes collected, I guess thats because of the credit card companies involvement in the transaction.

ORRRRRRRRRRR

The vendors dont have Sales tax permits ( thats what they call them in Nebraska ) or the sales tax was included in the price or the "vendors" were not a business entities and are not required to collect sales tax.

 

[Agsalaska]

I don't like gun shows. I don't like most gun shops because of the attitude. There is no way to explain gun shop attitude to someone hat has not experienced it but once you have you will always recognize it. But gun shows take that attitude and multiply it by thirty. I have found in my life that most gun shops have no idea how to treat customers. There have been a couple of examples of these types of incidences quoted on this thread. Why would I want to go somewhere they are all gathered.

The shops I do go into are very successful because they know how to treat people. And they will ge me anything I would ever need.

 

[Beak50]

I notice a lot of Gun shop owners/employees are more relaxed at the shows then their shops maybe it's just the atmosphere of the whole thing.But then again I know practically everyone that sets up from setting up myself for so many years.

 

[wally]

We're lucky, gun shows in the Houston area are really good with large selection and good prices, its rare that I can beat gun show prices at a local store or on-line. CDNN is the only consistent competitor.

 

[xfyrfiter]

I have been a frequent flyer at the local shows but no more. For a better deal I have started to go to the local auction house, twice a year and the prices are fair cause most of the guys are educated about what they want and there can be some really good buys if you know what you are looking for.

 

[gym]

The only way to skip tax is to buy private used guns. Otherwise dealers must charge you tax. ASs mentioned above big Vendors like Shoot Straight, will take a "fair offer", and sometimes a real lowball price if they run a special.