Gun Show Tactics

[possom813]

The last gun show I went to was a few months back in Mesquite, close to the rodeo arena, but I don't remember the name of the complex.

I walked in with a mint condition 870 Wingmaster, literally not a scratch anywhere, lived in a safe since the late 70's-early 80's. Rough Market Value(RMV) $400

A Marlin Model 25 .22 magnum with 3 Extra Mags topped with a Zeiss Conquest 4x32. RMV $450

Mossberg 152K in factory original condition with the peep sight RMV $150

Pre-64 700 in .30-06, still with factory sights RMV $750

Post 64 700 in .30-06, topped with a Nikon 4-16x50 Monarch RMV $600


Those were the prices(at least I think they were) that I had on my little sign on my cart.

Everything detailed, so that I wouldn't waste anyone's time.

I stopped at a table of shiny ss lever action rifles. I found a ss .30-30 that I liked, and had a sticker on it of 499. I don't recall the model now.

He and I talked for a while and he started asking about the guns I had for sale/trade.

Long story(of haggling) short, he got out a price guide and showed me where the 870 was only worth 175 and the Pre 64 .30-06 was only worth 350 and that he had to make money and if I put 165 in cash with it, he'd take both of those and the cash for the .30-30.

I politely declined and just offered to pay the 499+tax for the .30-30 and he kept on, to the point that I walked away, with the fact that he'd rather trade because he needed the inventory more than the cash. Basically wouldn't sell me the rifle outright because I wouldn't trade with him.



I had another table dealer, same show, ask about the Pre 64 and the Post 64 700's and what kind of deal I'd give him on both without the Nikon. I told him I could 1000 on both and he said he couldn't do that, the best he could offer was 800 for the pair with the scope included or 500 without it. Really?



Same show again...Another table dealer

The Marlin 25. He saw it and asked about it. We chatted for a minute and he asked the best price. I told him the best I could do with it as it was would be 400. He then asked about it without the scope and I told him I'd be comfortable at 275 without the scope, then told me I could keep the gun and he'd give me 125 for the scope.



That was the last gun show I went to, and probably will be for a while.


On a lighter note, I did pick up a nice Savage 311 20ga for 200 bucks, and a Savage 110 in .270 for 225.

I didn't sell anything that day though...

 

[Shyoldman]

I go to shows as much as I can. I like to browse. Many times I am an impulse buyer. But I am getting tired of prices on used being higher than new. Some side by side. Guess some guys need to fund their retirement on one sale.

 

[AJBarney]

Im burned out on shows also...prices are high, and courtesy is hard to find. It's no fun trying to buy something and you can't get a straight answer out of the bored 15-year old daughter texting away that the seller left in charge of the table while he went to do who-knows-what....

 

[JustinJ]

I'd be more inclined to buy from a vendor who doesn't make me question his sanity with his conspiracy theories about the New World Order or Lizard People.

I also don't care for to listen to elementary school political analysis.

 

[sargas23]

When I was little and my dad went to the gun shows, he always had a "trade gun". If he had more than one, he would let me carry one of them around the show while he was shopping around. He discovered that if I was carrying it around, someone would always ask "what do you have there, little lady?" and that usually ended up in a trade for him. After that, I always carried the one he really wanted to trade or sell because people would pay more attention to me than to him.

 

[22-rimfire]

Having a "trade gun" with you is always a good way to keep you interested and involved in the gun show scene. For me it makes a show more fun. If I have a gun with me, I am not trying to sell it to the show vendors, I am looking for another person attending the show just like me. I will trade a gun to a vendor, but rarely sell and seldom hold much more than a passing conversation with a vendor about a gun I might have to sell. You see, I am trying to sell for fair "retail" and the vendor is trying to buy it for resale only and hence about 50% of the value, sometimes less.

I've gotten too many good deals from sellers trying to "force" a sale. If you're desperate to sell, it will show and you can be talked down in price.

I agree with this in general. Your body language may just say more than you think it says... that you really aren't interested in selling as the opposite side of the coin.

 

[TxPhantom]

My wife & I were at the Lewisville gun show last Sunday. Paid $14.00 (I had two $1.00 coupons) to get in, and $4.00 for two cokes. My wife bought a $15.00 (+ tax) 30 round MagPull (?) windowed magazine for her new S & W, MP, AR15. About market price.
I was hoping to stumble on a sorta well priced preowned shotgun. There was only one table with used shotguns that were fairly priced but I didn't see anything I wanted.
Got in a big traffic jam getting out of there. That will probably be my last gun show for a while.
Bass Pro is more fun and no cover charge!!

 

[doubleh]

One small show a year is normal for here. Have you every heard something described as "Mickey Mouse"? I haven't gone in several years. I don't need used reloading tools for more than new prices, jerky, poorly made knives that are overpriced, costume jewelery, etc. or even guns priced at 20% over retail. I can drive farther to shows in the area put on by the same promoter taking most of the day and $50 in gasoline to see about twice as much of the same thing. I'll pass.

I do know of a couple of dealers that are nice people in this area where I can get a decent price. I just spend my money with them.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

Got in a big traffic jam getting out of there. That will probably be my last gun show for a while.
Bass Pro is more fun and no cover charge!!

...and has the plus side of not being crammed into an old Best Buy store.

 

[TreeDoc]

I don't go to many anymore, sometimes to kill a little time or if the weather is bad outside. I always take something with me to trade or sell. I like dealing with other people walking around the show, a fair deal is usually struck. But like many have posted, many of these so called gun dealers price their stuff so high and won't come off the price it's useless to talk to them. If one of them pulls out the 'book of values', I just turn and walk off.

 

[Ignition Override]

My gun show buddies have a buddy who attends every show in this area, and even some about three hours away. The Guy usually has a few milsurp rifles in good condition.

A very astute friend (with over twenty milsurps) is very seasoned regarding certain guns. He knows all of these guys pretty well and recently told me that he suspected that the Guy might sell you a gun with a flaw, but not tell you about it.

The minute I heard that was the moment I resolved to never buy a gun from the Guy.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

There's reality and there's seller's reality. I always say too bad for seller's reality. Now I've sold guns of mine and I've done it on gunbroker and I look for a few weeks as to what price that particular gun was selling for, and then knocked 10% off of what it finally sold for at auction. It results in only one or two bids but I usually get at least what I asked for. Granted this is if the selling price is sufficient to be worth it.

Sellers don't really want to sell their guns in my opinion. I've seen FFL dealer catalogs, I know what the prices generally are. If you don't have a shooting range in your shop then you are desperately trying to sell guns at inflated place. It's like a gas station, you can sell gas for a penny less than what you paid for it because folks are coming in and buying the overpriced coffee and donuts.

One time I was holding an FFL dealer catalog and told the guy straight to his face he wanted three hundred dollars more than what he paid for it and I'd be willing to offer him $125. He told me he couldn't do it and I told him neither could I. He got upset started spouting his life story and I laughed in his face. If a sale isn't happening then wipe the dirt off your shoulders and move onto the next one, time is money, opinions are like thumbs, we all have them.

I buy from private sellers. They tend to be realistic and if they are selling 30% under public market, I'm agreeable to buying. Only knocking $20 off the new price won't cut it. Oh yeah I go to Pawn Shops but I only buy deals, and they still make good money on the guns compared to what they paid for it. If you are a seller you have to take responsibility and face reality about what you are dealing with in the market. Don't cry and whine, and don't play hard tactics, and don't be an arrogant scumbag. We have the money and either need our money or you don't. If you don't need my money then I don't want to be doing business with you. Surrendering an advantage outright is pure foolishness.

 

[TxPhantom]

I agree with Magum, but would like to ad, price depends, as in all things, on supply and demand. If you are selling something in high demand, but plentiful, it should sell fairly quickly.......at a fair price.
But, if you are selling something that is rare, and in demand, you can be a little more pricey and get away with it.
If you are trying to sell something that is sorta common you better get right with the price, or hope for a sucker.
You just gotta know your market wether buying or selling.
And I got to ad, I've been sucker too many times!!!

 

[HKGuns]

I have NEVER seen a good deal at a gun show.

 

[USAF_Vet]

I've been to 2 gun shows this year.

First one was overpriced, crowded, poorly lit and had everything from airsoft to lens cleaners. Oh, and high prices. I did get to see several guns I'd only seen pictures of before (Chippa Rhino, Kel-Tec KSG, Kriss Vector), but, can you believe it, they were all overpriced.

The one I went to today was dead. Several empty tables, several tables that didn't have much on them, and nothing really worth looking at.

I did pick up an ATI Omni lower for a pretty good deal, though. Funny, still had money to burn, but nothing of interest to spend it on. I only saw one deal that piqued my interest, a Mosin Nagant M-44 in pretty darn good condition (at a glance) for $179. But since I already have one, I saw no need for another.

Something else I've noticed at the local gun shows is the abundance of restricted non-firearm weapons. Brass knuckles, switchblades, ninja stars, etc. are restriced/ illegal in the state of Michigan. Yet somehow, there are at least two or more tables with piles of the stuff. a switchblade possession conviction can get you a year in jail on a misdemeanor charge.

 

[12gaugeTim]

I'll be at the Charlotte, NC show on the 20th looking for these "killer deals" by the way. I'll have $20 in CASH in-hand...

See ya there.
Thanks for reminding me.
The last time I was there.... What a bad experience. From what I learned, here are some things that you can do as a booth owner to not make a total jerk of yourself and make me never want to patronize your business again in my life:
-When someone tries to talk you down on the price, "NO, IT'S FINAL" is not an appropriate answer
-As someone else said, I don't honestly care whether or not you want to be here, or if you ARE 65 years old, do you want to make a sale or not?
-If I say I want a 5.45 Saiga, don't sell me a 12 gauge. Next time I'm keeping it and selling it back to you for a profit.

 

[orionengnr]

I'm really sorry to hear of the experiences many of you have had.
I missed last weekend's Lewisville show, but have been to almost all of them so far (they only started about a year ago).
Yes, it is fairly small as N.TX shows go, but it's ten minutes from my house (unlike Mesquite, Market Hall and FW), and I'm really happy that they have one so close.

Over the last 8-9 years I have lived here, I have made many friends "behind the tables" at the local gun shows, and I enjoy talking with each of them. It is a pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning, even if I don't go home with something new.

I look at it like this:
I could go to a movie and spend $8-10 to support a bunch of hypocrite Hollywood wanna-be gun-grabbers, or I can spend a few hours surrounded by people who enjoy the same sport I do.

If I find something I can't live without, great. I will usually end up with 1000 primers, or a pound or two of powder, although I have also found some good deals--a 6" M27 for $450. A 4" M25 in .45acp, $400. An 870 Wingmaster for $200.

I have also been caught flat-footed, about to walk out the dooor after spending all my money...ran into a guy walking aroung with a sign on his back...he had a Wilson CQB, well used, finish wear from carrying. He wanted $1000, and I didn't have a dime. I took his phone number "just in case" it didn't sell (yeah, right). Called him back the next day and yeah, it sold quickly.
But then he said that he also had a Les Baer, same price, much nicer condition.
I didn't miss out a second time.

If not, I still enjoy myself. The jerky isn't bad, either.

Manage your expectations, keep your eyes open and have a smile ready.

See you at Market Hall the 24th of November. Donate blood at the Carter Blood Care mobile unit outside, get in free.

 

[leadcounsel]

I go back and forth on shows... It is frustrating how absurd some of the rude venders can be and how messy their tables are, or how things aren't priced...

But then there are the individuals who walk in and sell you the gun you've been wanting for a very fair price, or the tables that always seem to have a really fair priced gun... every show I go to I always find some good deal, whether selling or buying.

Advice to folks:
*Label stuff clearly with what the item is and the fair price, not your wishful price.
*Neat inventory. A big random messy pile of unmarked pistol mags or holsters is useless to anyone.
*I don't care about your "opinion" or "folklore" about the best gun/caliber/design...
*End your chit chat with your fellow dealer when I'm wanting to look at something or ask a question...
*Actually be at your table when I am wanting to buy something.

I continue to go because of the amazing deals I have scored at gun shows.

 

[22-rimfire]

I have NEVER seen a good deal at a gun show.

You clearly have not gone to enough shows. There are deals, but sometimes it is for something that you weren't planning on buying, but would like to own.

The chat part of gunshows makes them enjoyable. You just can't get in a hurry.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

If there are goods laying on an open table and I am genuinely interested I am probably going to fondle them. If that's a problem then you don't really want to sell it.

 

[SteelManCM]

Over the last 8-9 years I have lived here, I have made many friends "behind the tables" at the local gun shows, and I enjoy talking with each of them.

This is good, too. I've gotten to know a few of the bigger vendors that show regularly. Whenever I make it past their tables, if they are busy with a customer, I just wave so they can see me. If they have a spare moment, I'll chit-chat. Every now and then, they'll say something like, "I just got this in on trade and I know how you like them, so before I put it on the table I'll give you a shot at it". They know my buying habits and usual price ranges. If they can come close to it, they know the deal is done.

 

[FiveStrings]

When I was a kid my Dad took me to the big Houston Gun Shows of the early 1970's. Those were like huge museums where everything was for sale - all types of guns, plus militaria, and lots of other cool stuff (Jap skulls, arrowheads, cannons, etc.). I remember seeing guys walking around wearing complete, original SS uniforms. THe people-watching was lots of fun. Today I go to gun shows and it's just a big yawn. All the tables seem to be stocked with the same plasticrap merchandise sporting the same prices. The people-watching is still fun, though.

 

[tonkamog]

Wow! Some of you guys seem pretty sour and should stay home! People watching is fun. Looking at and holding guns I am interested in or might be interested in someday is more fun. I can ignore the tables selling tools/jewelry/legal services.

Sometimes I am looking to buy, others I only buy if I find a great deal. I try to take cash up to my max budget. If a seller is really interested in selling, cash usually makes a much better deal.

I always pick up some ammo, even if it is just plinking ammo. I don't go to every show in the area, but I always enjoy my time spent there!

 

[12gaugeTim]

Wow! Some of you guys seem pretty sour and should stay home! People watching is fun. Looking at and holding guns I am interested in or might be interested in someday is more fun.

Don't get me wrong.. I go to the Metrolina show every chance I get. Their inventory is always really diverse and I get to see guns that I normally wouldn't. But whatever booth it was in the back (I'll remember it when I see it) will not get my business again.

 

[tarosean]

See you at Market Hall the 24th of November. Donate blood at the Carter Blood Care mobile unit outside, get in free.

Sea of new black plastic? Or do have more than table of older stuff? I'll be in the area that weekend.