My first gun show - the good and the bad

[scrat]

out here in CA you dont see that much kkk and nazi stuff. but its pretty much the same. Worst part about gun shows is not having enough money to buy all the stuff you want. Best advice is to make a list of the things you want then hunt them down when your there. a lot of deals could be made for reloading components thats my choice for going.

 

[Drgong]

Hey Indy, I am from north carolina, even us white folks are handled depending on what we wear. Though I guess one can never know when you come across one of the racist types

 

[Vaarok]

Vote with your wallet. If the dealer doesn't sell anything, the dealer doesn't come back to the show after a while. Generally the Nazi-saturated tables up in NY are guys who got started when their uncle or father brought back a buncha bayonets, walking-out bayonets, and uniform pins, and the hobby snowballed to the point they buy and sell.

Gunshows for a newbie have one VERY IMPORTANT cardinal rule. Don't buy anything you don't know about. Gunshows are more about exposure to guns you'd never heard of than buying anything- you have no idea what a good price is yet, or if it's a good gun.

Go see what you like, look it up, learn about it, and the next show you can consider buying it.

Also, gunshows are uniquely fun because you can literally strike up a conversation with anybody and have a pleasant discourse on a mutually enjoyed topic. Everybody's friendly at a gunshow, it's like Christmas for grownups!

 

[chipperi]

The quality of the promoter weighs heavily on the quality of the show. When I lived in MD there was one promoter in particular who always allowed Junk dealers, as you stated the typical Nazi, klan, beanie baby selling idiots. There were however a couple promoters that had right in their table rental agreements that all merchandise must be firearms, firearm parts/accessories, ammunition, all found selling anything not related to the shooting sports will be asked to leave without refund. They tended to be the more popular shows.

 

[Nozoki]

I'm a little bothered by this statement. Given the context you used it in, it implies (to me) that had you been a Conservative you'd have no problem W/ neo-nazis at the gun show. Maybe I read it wrong

Didn't mean for it to sound like that. I think I had typed something else and deleted it but left that in. It was late when I wrote it.

 

[tuckerdog1]

If you overcome the "poor" situation, and go intending to actually buy firearms ( always a happy way to approach a gun show ), walk the whole show first. It amazes me the spread in price for the same gun two rows apart. A $10-$30 spread is pretty common. But I've seen a $230 difference in the same gun

I have a friend that often goes to shows with me. He's an impulse buyer. And having been burned time & time again, he just keeps buying the 1st example of what he's looking for. Then after walking around the show, he will come across what he just bought for $30 less

This may not apply if you're looking for something hard to find. Likely if you see it, it will be the only one at the show, and might be gone by the time you work your way back around. In those cases, snooze & lose.

Tuckerdog1

 

[KiltedClaymore]

trick is, to get there and to the deals before EVERYONE and his/her brother gets there. if you go long enough, you get to know who has what when and where.

 

[H088]

Because if it stands for "Heil Hitler" then you and me have a problem.

We do?

 

[42]

Indie when I come to the USA would you like to take me to a gun show from your posts you seem an inteligent respectful man who would be an interesting companion ansd I could get some hair tips as I am trying to grow long hair for eventual dreads.

We could even play a game of who gets odder looks you in what people may percieve as gangsta atire and mysself a skinny pale blond guy with a british RP english accent dressed in gothic attire on crutches walking with an obvious limp.

gangsta n-word or Limey spacker I wonder what would get abused more?

I apologise about the words but in my case the S word is a common term of abuse to me, in the UK spazz is incredibly offensive yet an accurate term for me due to my disability and Rugerlvr I agree with your views.

 

[chaim]

Quote:
Because if it stands for "Heil Hitler" then you and me have a problem.


We do?

While I wasn't the person you answered, I know what he means. Do you mean to imply that you can't understand why civilized people would have a problem with the "88" being the Neo-Nazi signoff meaning heil then the name of the embodiment of evil (you know, the guy that headed the Nazi party)?

 

[KiltedClaymore]

agreed. nazis are scum, both new and old varietys.

 

[slzy]

real military collectors/dealers will not have t-shirts or bumper stickers of any stripe.at least all i have known. if you see nazi t shirts and shiny hitler youth knives,move on.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

I have seen some cool shirts while at the shows. my fav is "if you die first, we're splitting your gear"

 

[Rachen]

One vendor had a lot of Nazi and KKK stuff. And the Nazi stuff wasn't authentic memorobilia or collectors items. It was bumper stickers and pins and other cheap junk. Same with the KKK garbage. Not the best face to present to the public. He also had some stickers that were quite derogatory towards "faggots". I wonder why he didn't have any "I hate Ni##ers" stickers with his KKK stuff. Do all the gun shows have a guy like this?Oh well, I better shut up, my Liberal is showing.

***??? If that was MY gunshow, I would have kicked them out of the premises as soon as possible.

German WWII memorabilia is one thing, but racist/hateful stickers, T shirts and banners is something else. No way they should be allowed in any gun show. They ruin the business and ruin the media portrayal of the shooting sports.

There is nothing "liberal" about not liking these things. Actually the leftist extremists are the ones who spread hate in the first place, not true Americans and patrons of the shooting sports.

 

[CountGlockula]

I just end up buying accessories (cleaning supplies, targets, mags, etc.) and ammo (factory and reloaded factory) at gun shows. Time to save up for the next one!

 

[Rachen]

I'm just curious -- do you realize that "sic semper tyrannis" is what John Wilkes Booth cried as he lept from the balcony to the stage after shooting Lincoln?

I realize it's George Mason, 1776 to the Virginia Convention and the motto on the Seal of Virginia, but -- to paraphrase Paul Harvey -- "what about the rest of the story?"

Huh?

Sic semper Tyrannis just means "death to tyrants". I am aware of the John Wilkes Booth thing, but this phrase has existed for a pretty long time. And I am also a member of the greatest Confederate and Southern preservation society ever existed. Whats your question again?

 

[3KillerBs]

I had never heard of 88 being heil hitler (h = 8th letter of the alphabet). I've seen '88' grafitti and never knew what it meant.

As far as I know, 88 means "Go Dale Jr!". Especially in North Carolina. LOL

Though one might find a few Dale Jarrett fans wearing their older shirts.

Growing up in Pittsburgh it mean Lynn Swan.

 

[CypherNinja]

Sic semper Tyrannis just means "death to tyrants". I am aware of the John Wilkes Booth thing, but this phrase has existed for a pretty long time. And I am also a member of the greatest Confederate and Southern preservation society ever existed. Whats your question again?

It actually means "thus always to tyrants." Death is the implication, though.

Supposedly, Brutus said it.

 

[hso]

No, the KKK and National Socialist garbage isn't seen at all gun shows (even here in the state the KKK originated).

No, the walking garbage that put it out aren't there because of any "Free Speech" requirement. Remember that a gun show is a private business and who gets to set up is the promoter's choice. If the promoter allowed it they can just as easily deny these creeps a table just like they refuse to sell tables to the flea market junk dealers that want to set up or the Brady Bunch.

Complain to the promoter. Tell them that you and your friends are offended. Tell him he's hurting the shooting community. Tell him you won't be back and that you'll be telling all your shooting friends about it and that the gate proceeds will more than counter the table fee he charged the racist moron.