I want to go to a gunshow but.............

[Howland937]

I haven't been to a gun show in a long time, but we used to have a few good ones. My dad and I would occasionally take supply of things we'd traded for, bought in yard sales, or some such way acquired.
We sold some guns, traded for some and even bought some.

I got to know a few venders who strictly did gun shows. One priced guns astronomically high because "They'll sell for these prices at (such and such) show. I'm only here to buy today."

So I found most of my good "deals" are the ones other folks are out there carrying around.

 

[theotherwaldo]

The one and only show in our area keeps getting cancelled.
Then again, I can understand why.
The Winter Texans went home for the holidays and brought covid back with them.
There are over 400 covid cases in the local hospitals right now.

 

[Captcurt]

Why buy from a LGS at a gun show when you can go to the LGS store and get something at the same price any time?

Our LGS doesn't do shows and is closed on weekends. It is a shame that he doesn't work Saturdays because he could make a fortune selling to people who just came from the show. His prices are a lot cheaper than the dealers at the show.

I have set up at a few shows and it usually is a waste of time. It is about 24 hours that I could be in a tree.

 

[lionking]

The era of the guns shows from the 70s, 80s, and 90s is over, the internet has effectively replaced them
.

I wouldn't say that because every time I do go to one attendance is high, in fact due to last years social unrest and such a friend who went to one not long ago said there was a line to just get in. Add the fact of being able to touch and see first hand, which makes some just buy a item then and now. I'm not here t bash gun shows per say I like them just saying that in these times is it worth going to one?, I lean toward no.

COVID actual death rate is low , yet why take a chance in a mass amount of people situation even if you are healthy? That is not to say that is not living your life by being afraid, it is just the fact that mass gatherings like a show with herds of people increases dramatically the chance of getting it or spreading it.

It would be a mental pickup to go to one is a sense to do something that hasn't been done in a while but in the end given all I am probably not gonna go BUT maybe I'll go to the range instead!

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

There is one coming next weekend, haven't been to one since COVID started. Would like to, there is a mil-surp guy that always has things that spark my interest on his table. Would like to see what kind of Mosin M44 might be had, want to see if I can find a Vortex Spitfire 3X.

But something tells me after driving thirty miles, paying to get in it will be....

1 a line to get in and bump and grind with a bunch of possible COVID positive people
2 slim pickings
3 prices sky high like anywhere else right now
4 backed up background check with a zillion people waiting for a reply
5 I will walk out with a couple ammo cans after all that.
6 driving home thinking to myself "should have slept in , made pancakes and looked online anyway".

There's one here in San Tan this weekend that I had a chance at a couple of tables for. I thought it'd be interesting to go just to see the scenario and people's comportment as well trading some of mine for someone else's. Then, having had a particular week of particular covidiocy in the form of SJWs and virtue-signalers I thought why invite the headache.

Though I have to say, the first San Tan show after this madness started had but one guy in a mask and he was directing traffic in a dirt parking lot.

Most directly to the point of the Op's list - In the end in the old days of getting in for 5 bucks and out with something to eat, drink and some ammo for another 25 are gone so I really neeed to *need* to go to a show these days.

Todd.

 

[IMAhobbyist]

"...Why buy from a LGS at a gun show when you can go to the LGS store and get something at the same price any time?..."

In other than "Panic Times" I've found LGS dealers will bring along slow moving inventory items which can equate to obtaining either a "show special" or better negotiated price.

 

[BigAlShooter]

I remember the gun shows from 15 years ago. Prices were still high, but the reason you went as you knew they would have some of the really hard to find new guns that were always sold out on the internet. Sure, the prices of these would be $50 - 100 more, but you might pay this premium in order to get a gun you'd been searching for for years. Or, you'd see private sellers, some walking around wearing a poster board selling a used gun real cheap. I'm still kicking myself for passing up a $75 beat up 357 Rossi. And you'd see all kinds of old military surplus.

Now, gun shows only have leftover guns marked up $100+ and ridiculous ammo prices. No thanks.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I remember the gun shows from 15 years ago. Prices were still high, but the reason you went as you knew they would have some of the really hard to find new guns that were always sold out on the internet. Sure, the prices of these would be $50 - 100 more, but you might pay this premium in order to get a gun you'd been searching for for years. Or, you'd see private sellers, some walking around wearing a poster board selling a used gun real cheap. I'm still kicking myself for passing up a $75 beat up 357 Rossi. And you'd see all kinds of old military surplus.

Now, gun shows only have leftover guns marked up $100+ and ridiculous ammo prices. No thanks.

I do an immediate 180 when I'm talking to a fella at a show about a non-firearm and he uses the phrase *well, on eBay, I can...* Dammit man, then go and damn well sell it (or buy it) there. This is a gunshow, not an electronic auction.

I figure the first bad thing to happen at shows was when dealers started emptying their shops to bring brick&mortar prices to the shows thereby queering the old-school price structure. This was back in the 90's and earlier in some regions.

Then, once the internetards started using every highest or lowest number which served their purpose - regardless of trailing costs or availability - we were all in the twilight zone.

Todd.

 

[taliv]

"...Why buy from a LGS at a gun show when you can go to the LGS store and get something at the same price any time?..."

In other than "Panic Times" I've found LGS dealers will bring along slow moving inventory items which can equate to obtaining either a "show special" or better negotiated price.

sure, but slow moving items and all items are negotiable in the LGS store anyway. that's how i just bought my silencerco maxim 9. it sat in the store for two years. they got tired of looking at it and made a deal.

 

[brewer12345]

Apparently the store is open , and you very much want to go. Given that the business emphasizes milsurp it probably is not mobbed. Take the all the precautions and visit on a Monday right at opening time.
Or don't.




I might get killed in traffic on the way to church tomorrow , but I'll risk it.
BigBore44 makes sense. I'm glad he is still able to express it.

Spare me the lecture. I choose to lower my risks these days any way I can. Others do differently. Vive la difference!

 

[Waveski]

Spare me the lecture.

If a person expresses his opinion or position in a venue such as this forum there is likely going to be responses. Nature of a discussion forum.

I choose to lower my risks these days any way I can.

Fair and reasonable. Others do differently , as you stated.

 

[CapnMac]

There's a Dallas Market Hall Show on the 23rd, and a FW Original show on the 30th--I'm likely to hit both. If only as an excuse to get out of the house.

 

[Speedo66]

Everyone has different thoughts about the pandemic, whether to wear masks, are in different age groups or threat categories, etc.

I personally am interested in staying alive a while longer, so I avoid crowds and wear some leftover N95 masks from when I was doing some homeowner sheet rock work a while back

My county is at "risk level purple", so no, no gun shows for me.

I also think the golden age of gun shows has past, not much in the way of huge influxes of low priced milsurps and currently ammo prices are sky high, so aside from Covid, I'm not interested in throwing away $10 at this point.

 

[bannockburn]

Haven't been to a gun show in years. Use to be a fun way to spend an occasional Sunday morning with a couple of my buddies, taking it all in. But inevitably there were other things that needed to get done around the house on the weekend and believe me gun shows are a whole lot less fun if you don't have the money to buy anything!

Went to one about 10 or 11 years ago and finally I had some cash to get a few things. Made a quick walk through of the various exhibition halls and picked up some parts and accessories and made a mental note of some guns that I wanted to go back to so I could check them out more thoroughly. When it was all said and done I walked away with a Rossi Model 92 carbine in .45 Colt and a Beretta Stampede, also in .45 Colt. This definitely was one of my better gun show performances, very close in total gun fun factor to the one where I scored a Ruger Flattop Blackhawk in .44 Special and a Colt Commander in .38 Super!

 

[Zendude]

There is one coming next weekend, haven't been to one since COVID started. Would like to, there is a mil-surp guy that always has things that spark my interest on his table. Would like to see what kind of Mosin M44 might be had, want to see if I can find a Vortex Spitfire 3X.

But something tells me after driving thirty miles, paying to get in it will be....

1 a line to get in and bump and grind with a bunch of possible COVID positive people
2 slim pickings
3 prices sky high like anywhere else right now
4 backed up background check with a zillion people waiting for a reply
5 I will walk out with a couple ammo cans after all that.
6 driving home thinking to myself "should have slept in , made pancakes and looked online anyway".

yes. All of the above.

 

[PapaG]

Save your time, money and maybe your life. Around here, at least, the old fun buy, sell, trade gun shows where you bargained with like minded fair folks are as dead as honest politicians. Gouge shows with dolls, tacticool wannabees junky antiques and jerky sales about describes it. I miss the old shows. Dad and I had tables at the Misissippi Valley Gun Colectors show at Aledo, Il, for twenty wonderful, fun years.

 

[bikerdoc]

Stopped going 10 years ago. The character of the sellers and the crowd has changed and they are no longer fun.

 

[J-Bar]

The RK Gunshow came to Springfield, Missouri this weekend. The Ozark Empire Fairgrounds parking lot was full by 10 AM in spite of snow and ice from Friday’s storm. Estimating 500 tables, maybe 3000 visitors at the time I was there. 75%+ wearing masks, most respecting some social distancing. Local gunstores have few firearms that appeal to me these days. I came home from the show with what I was looking for, a 1971 Highway Patrolman in great shape. I’m 76, one of those high risk geezers, glad I went to the show.

 

[TTv2]

I wouldn't say that because every time I do go to one attendance is high, in fact due to last years social unrest and such a friend who went to one not long ago said there was a line to just get in. Add the fact of being able to touch and see first hand, which makes some just buy a item then and now. I'm not here t bash gun shows per say I like them just saying that in these times is it worth going to one?, I lean toward no.

COVID actual death rate is low , yet why take a chance in a mass amount of people situation even if you are healthy? That is not to say that is not living your life by being afraid, it is just the fact that mass gatherings like a show with herds of people increases dramatically the chance of getting it or spreading it.

It would be a mental pickup to go to one is a sense to do something that hasn't been done in a while but in the end given all I am probably not gonna go BUT maybe I'll go to the range instead!

Just because attendance is high doesn't mean gun shows are what they once were, they're not. The only benefit of them over the internet is you see in person what you may be buying and maybe you could haggle on the price a bit.

 

[Trashyshoots]

If I wanted to pay 20$ to look at overpriced used goods I'd go to my local gentleman's club.

 

[bikerdoc]

Trashyshoots win the thread

 

[bannockburn]

J-Ba

Nice find! Definitely worth the price of admission! Looks to be in great shape and here's hoping it's a real tack driver!

Take care and stay safe!

 

[Casefull]

Hide in your house or live life. You’re going to die anyway. Guaranteed. If you listen to our leaders you’ll be wearing masks for the rest of your life. As far as gun shows go, I realized they were a waste of time 25 years ago.

 

[Robert]

Gun shows are one of those love/hate things. Some love them, some hate them. There is no right or wrong opinion. Let's call it a day before we wander into the weeds any further.