Gun shows...I just don't get it.

[GD]

As long as I find collectible rifles for less than half their value, I will continue to go to gunshows. You just have to keep your eyes open and ignore the crazy prices you see. Another thing to do is make an offer on a rifle you really want. Tell them that they are way over priced and see what happens. I got a M28 for about 1/3 of its price by doing that. They are also great places to get deals on ammo. At the Wichita shows we usually have 2-3 ammo vendors competing for customers. I have never paid over 9 cents per round for any of my military surplus 8mm or 7.62x54 at a gunshow.

Some deals I have seen at gunshows in the last year:

U.S. 1898 Krag for $30
Finnish M39 VKT for $60
Finnish M27 for $100
Finnish M28 for $90
Russian M91/59 for $70
Finnish M28/30 for $90

I got all the above except the Krag and the M27 - a friend got those.
And the list goes on....

 

[CB900F]

Bearmgc;

Having lived in Wyoming for many many years, I'd be interested in knowing where & when this show was. Even though I'm now in Montana, I've still got contacts in the Wyoming gun culture. Care to provide the information?

900F

 

[veloce851]

If you don't go to gun shows, where would you buy candles?

And Buffalo jerky

 

[bearmgc]

CB, this was the Riverton Gun show, the biggie of the year for central WY. Too bad you're in Montana. You could have gotten a ton of real cheesey junk jewelry, in colors not found in nature, for your wife for 10 times the wholesale price, AND Pumpkin pie scented candles....This was the place to be.

 

[thebigc]

i usualy dont like gun shows because im in ma and for some of the out of state dealers like to display with prices handguns that arent ma legal and then not tell me untill i want to purchase them.

 

[Manedwolf]

Oh, one sort of gun show that IS kind of fun in a schadenfreude sort of way.

Ones in MA. Where NH residents can buy things that are denied to the residents OF the state shopping there. Expressions range from sad-puppy eyes to gritted teeth and clenched fists when a NH resident buys something that the dealer just told the MA resident that they can't.

Same happens in NH gun stores near the state line. Watch the size of a MA resident's eyes when you bring a bunch of hi-cap magazines to the counter.

 

[Byron Quick]

I don't know. I've been to a few in Knoxville in the past couple of year. Sold an H&K 91 before I even got in the door with it. Walked around with a Winchester 1300 all day. No one there wanted one. No insults. Found a pistol I'd been looking for at a fair price.

Everyone was cordial and polite. But then it was in the South where rudeness can still be hazardous to one's health. I've seen people throwing out insults suddenly be required to back talk with action...and couldn't do it.

 

[R.W.Dale]

The last time i went to a gunshow I ended up paying $15 to have my pocket knife sharpened (admission figured in) and looked at some really overpriced guns. But thy guy did an excellent job on my knife.


Gunshows are still around they've just moved online. The various trader boards are where thae action is. You gan go to gunboards.com's trader and turn any gun into any other gun in a similar price range within a couple of days.

I turned a .357 handi rifle into a semi sporterized M96 mauser and then turned that into a nice Rem742 in 30-06 in straight up trades.

 

[baranjhn]

We get the Crossroads of the West show here in Salt Lake City. It's alright. There's a great table that's always there with fresh gourmet style bread. It really is good! A couple of guys with beef jerky, it's good but nothing that can't be had at any other gun show. There's also a table that brings in nice eastern european galssware. I haven't bought anything from them yet. Another guy sells Russian nesting dolls and the like. Then there's the obligitory eye glass cleaner. Oh yeah.... there are some guns too.

One old vendor always has nice old S&W's and Colts mixed in with some nice Rugers. I usually see the same ones every time. I look forward to it, because it's almost like a museum. Last time he had a decent S&W 28, definatley not a safe queen. Only $475.

BTW- One of my rules is to always take something for sale or trade to a show. Yes, I walk around with a sign. Sometimes it sells/trades, sometimes I go home with it. I guess mostly I like to wheel and deal. For instance, at the last show, I sold my Remington Rolling block to a dealer for 4 bills. I paid $425 for it 6 months prior to the show, but I turned around a picked up a very nice 3" S&W 36 from a vendor for $240 out the door.

The shows aren't as good as there were when I used to go with my Dad in the 80's, but I keep hoping for it to return to that way. That's another reason I always bring something to trade or sell. Hopefully more people will also. Let's face it, the majority of the good deals, though not always, come from private transactions. I understand a dealer has to get his cut, but when you want to sell to one, it's usually highway robbery. A private guy can sell to you for more than a dealer will give him, but less than you would also pay a dealer. Of course this only applies to used guns.

 

[GEM]

I find that the TX gun shows around here are good for buying standard handguns at signficantly better prices than the stores. If you want a common Glock, SW, Sig, etc. the shows usually have a dealer or two with good prices.

If I want something a little out of the ordinary, Dury's in San Antonio is pretty decent. But if I wanted a Glock 19 or a SW 625, the big shows would save me money.

 

[bearmgc]

I went to one of the Crossroads shows in SLC last year, while visiting friends. I sold a couple rifles, and bought a bunch of Magtech and Black Hills ammo at really good prices. I was a happy camper.

 

[Leanwolf]

BEARMGC, What nice firearms were you trying to sell???

Both table holders and attendees are usually pretty mannerly here at the Boise gun shows. (Six each year.) There are always a couple or three A.Hs. but mainly, people get along well.

There are always some good deals on certain firearms ... and others where you better hold on hard to your wallet.

I've never been to a gun show yet that it wasn't that way... and I've been going to them for 40 years.

L.W

 

[wally]

Gun shows in the Houston area are still very worth going to. Prices almost always blow away anything you can get in the local stores and reserve prices on Gunbroker etc. have never been a problem for me to beat at shows here. Ammo+tax is sometimes cheaper than on-line after shipping, and usually I get reloading components at prices I can't beat on-line.

Guess we are still lucky here. My favorite dealers are Military Gun Supply, AJC Sports, A&J Guns, Schramms, Bachman Pawn and Gun, and before he retired "Doc Walther". Some of the smaller dealers have been very good for Taurus, RIA, and Kel-Tec guns.

Most used gun sellers walking around seem to want way too much, like the guy with a DPMS AR-10 clone with a cheap scope wanting $1100 when a dealer from Austin had them new for $950 with two mags, and extra mags $30 each. Since this price with the number of extra mags I wanted was about the same as the best I could do on-line, I jumped at it.

--wally.

 

[bearmgc]

I was trying to sell a Redhawk stainless 5 1/2 in in 44mag and a S&W 657 stainless 7 1/2 in in 41mag in excellent condition, had bought them new a couple or so years ago. These are normal fare in Wyoming.

 

[Detritus]

My favorite dealers are.... ...AJC Sports,

being local to the brick and mortar store, i have to ask WHY!!!??

they are THE most rude and hated dealer amoung the rest of the houston area FFL, his prices ain't that special (the show prices are the same as the one's for his walk ins, and THAT is about 10-20% higher than Fountain or AAMI have always quoted me), don't know about the new crop of young guys he's got working as his "face" but the owner himself is a rude AH that has driven myself and most of the more serious gun people i've come to know in this area, away from buying so much as a patch holder from him.

i better shut up before i get too worked up on this, i just do not see why anyone buys from the guy, you can do better than him ant 90% of teh shows he goes to, and the other 10% it's worth not to give money to a man that has been heard by numerous witnesses to effectively say he doesn't give a real rat's rear for the shooting comunity other than to give him more money.

 

[wally]

Never been to the AJC store, but his gun show prices have always been competitive, and many times the lowest for what I'm looking for. He's always treated me right.

Reports are that Bachman's is also much better to buy from at shows than from their storefront, but I've never been there either.

--wally.

 

[IndianaDon]

I used to go to “photo-fleas” outside the Philadelphia-New Jersey area. Used to be there were just too many deals to even begin to pursue---you could get all kinds amazing stuff cheap, swap, talk cameras, etc.. Then around 1989 the dealers got smart and began buying up all of the good stuff to mark up in their stores. Last one of those I went to was in 1992 and it was a total waste of time.

 

[Mark8252]

Gun Shows

I go to almost every gun show within 200 miles of me, including the big ones in Denver. I really enjoy the day and visit with many of the venders that call me by name now. Its a cheap days entertainment and a great excuse for a road trip.

That said....most of the time the worst place ( with rare exceptions) to buy a gun in Colorado is at a gun show. The majority of the venders make a living on people that do not know any better. Definitely buyer beware. Most are very friendly and polite to everyone. Once in awile you meet the occasional guy full of macho stupidity. Its rare but happens.
Gun Dealers are extremely common in Colorado and competition is high. This seems to disappear at gun shows. Many dealers sell 20-30% higher than the dealer down the street. They know most of the people that come to the show know little about what they are looking at. People that do know will offer less so get them while you can is pretty normal. Like I said....Buyer Beware.
Now add the occasional guy that got a table for this gun show only. These are usually the little guy that got a table to sell the firearms he no longer wants or messed up playing gunsmith. Sometimes its the guy that thinks his Ruger 10/22 ( or other firearm) is now worth a small fortune because he bought some aftermarket parts and put them on. These guys never fail to think their time is worth $150 an hour.
They tried to sell or trade at a gun dealer only to find out the dealers do not want amateur smithed firearms. The dealer will not even give him what he paid for it so he goes after the not so knowledgeable at a gun show.
There are of course bonafide smiths that do these same guns. Just once ask what his qualifications are. Most will tell you they have owned firearms for 30 years. I have flown in planes for 30 years too but would you want me working on the plane you are going to fly in? Buyer Beware....get a real gunsmith.

I still on occasion buy a firearm at a gun show but it has become very rare.
But I do enjoy going to them.

 

[Kurt S.]

AJC Sports rude & ugly?

Hi there, Detritus, I've bought guns from AJC Sports at the last 2 shows I've been to and I thought they were fairly nice without being over-friendly or obsequious. They answered questions and the guy who I am guessing is the owner came over and talked to me extensively about the Springfield M6 that I was buying. I saw them have to turn down a couple of folks for background check issues, and I thought they were exceptionally tactful and helpful (both parties looked legit to me, and no radar going off).

They sold me a decent Yugo SKS for $109.00 +tax the first time, and gave me a fairly good price on the M6.

 

[Detritus]

the staff treat show customers just fine, probably b/c show goers can walk away and find it elsewhere within minutes, it how they treat "the locals" ie the gun shoppers of southern Brazoria county, that tends to be bordering on "you gonna buy something? just looking huh, naw i don't have time to answer any d@#$ questions, and no we ain't gonna haggle i don't care WHAT (insert decent shop in houston) has it for."

granted when i've gone in recently, (the next closest source of Pro-shot cleaning tools is an hour drive so sometimes i have little choice), the staff have been more helpful, spouting Less BS, and maybe they've finally got the owner on some new mood levelers or something....
things do seem to be changing for the better with regard to inventory adn pricing at least at the shows, but it'd take alot MORE change for the better in the realm of customer service at the brick&mortar store, to bring them up to teh standards of Fountain firearms or the AAMI the local mom& pop shop in angleton.

 

[22-rimfire]

You need to think in terms of entertainment value. You can find firearms that are not available at your local dealers. At a show yesterday.... how many stores do you go to that has 10 Pythons, 3 or 4 Diamondbacks, 3 or 4 Detective Specials or that $1800 NIB Officers Model Targer 22 revolver all under the same roof? I was really surprised at the show with all the Colts that were there. Most of the dealers were not flexible on price on Colts. Other stuff, pre-lock Smiths... there were quite a few on display, they were negotiable. Prices on current production tend to be just a tad below the local dealer price which to me does not make it worth while spending the money at the show rather than the dealer's store.

Saw more good looking girls than usual which always make things interesting. I like to see girls at shows, not so much for eye candy perspective, but to guage interest in firearms in general.

Whether or not you realize it, there is a lot of stuff that you will have a hard time finding outside of shows. Replacement grips, AR accessory stuff, and yes even jerky or candles. Gun rugs for $5.00. When was the last time you saw prices like that at a retail store?? Ammunition prices are okay, but you have to pay attention.

 

[jcb]

I've been going to some of the big shows recently, such as, Tulsa - 4,000+ tables, and Louisville - 3,000+ tables. Great shows! Lots of deals if your on your toes, and look for them. I really like the Wannemachers show in Tulsa in the spring the best.

 

[Ala Dan]

Recent gun shows around central Alabama have been a JOKE lately;
a bunch of old fart's sitting a'round tables consuming milk and cookies
and trying to gouge folk's with unheard of prices~!

 

[unspellable]

Deterioration of shows

I agree the shows are not what they used t obe, for some of the reasons above and for some not mentioned.

Trouble is, I'd say much the same about gun shops. In particular gun shops are getting thin on the ground and generally don't have what you are looking for. So where do you go? back to the show and ....

It seems to me that be it show a shop, over priced or not, there just isn't the interesting stuff out there any more. You have to admit that after you've seen a few Ruger Blackhawks or SKS rifles, you've seen 'em all.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Gun shows are just OK here. Certainly not the way you describe, but they have slid a bit as everybody seems to agree. Seems like the grand old Michigan gun show disappeared with Bill Goodman. When his show was at our Light Guard Armory, there was none better. It's also where I got my all-time best deals. Now it seems I can do marginally better than any run-of-the-mill gun shop in one of the trade center shows, sometimes. But the people seem to be friendlier than what you describe. Or, I could drive for a long time to get to one of the bigger shows that sometimes appear, but I'm not likely to do that.