SunCoast Gun Show (What a Joke....)

[sig228]

Went to the SunCoast Gun Show in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend. I'm almost embarassed to admit that I paid $8 to get in (and $5 parking to add insult to injury). The usual assortment of clowns - beef jerkey, jewelry, junk guns for $125 and a whole lot of overpriced guns and ammo. I think these guys actually RAISED their prices for the show. Wall to wall people. Lots of gangstas. Needless to say, I won't be back.

 

[HUMONGO]

Yeah, I went to a show in maryland this weekend Nobody would work with you on price and EVERYTHING was over priced.

 

[Kali Endgame]

Sounds like the jerky and airsoft shows in CA.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Suncoastgunshows are heinous.


I never buy from them. I go to offload stuff I don't want. With their outrageous prices, my fair deals look like steals. I usually buy good stuff, and treat it well. Haven't failed to sell one yet. I hate paying the $6 to get in, but I'm only there to sell, so I figure it is part of the cost to sell.


I laugh everytime I see that Colt 6520 for $2,499.00. If I ever see anyone serious about buying it, I'll offer mine for $1,900 even (only paid $999 new).


Ammo is ridiculous. Radway and XM855PD being sold for 2x more than internet pricing. Mosin Nagants which run $69 go for $180 there, and they are average to poor grade. Lots of junk guns at high prices. Lots of used AR-15's with complete junk mods and add-ons (like no-name chinese optics) or airsoft accessories having extra high price tags because they are advertised as "tactical" ...Most used guns cost as much as new guns would in reasonable stores.


Then you've got other people there trying to sell their firearms. That I don't mind, but most of them are just an annoyance trying to peddle things that no one on Earth wants. They are almost as bad as the dealers. People with beat-up bubbafied SKS's thinking that their former ideal dream combat rifle can appeal to someone else. Look, you destroyed it - it is an embarassment, you're stuck with it. No, I don't want it for the "giveaway" price of $350. The Leapers scope and the ATI stock does not make it an SVD substitute. Sorry. No, I don't believe that you shot a 1" group with it either. The spray paint camo is flaking off too. Thanks, bye.

 

[Outlaws]

At least your gun shows are $6.........

 

[worker]

I was this weekend at Ft. Lauderdale too...

Here are some deals I negotiated (but not necessarely
finalized) -- all at the same place with different vendors.

new EAA Witness Match pistol in .38 super with two mags
(it comes with one from the factory), out-the-door price
is 590. What do you guys think: good, bad or so so?

Saiga .308, 16 inch barell. new 350 out the door... is that reasonable?

Mosin - long version (working, no cracks anywhere) $60 bucks plus tax.

FEG PJK-HP 9mm, new in a box with magazines 300 plus tax.

ar15 lower (empty) 120 out-the door

?

 

[BADUNAME13]

Worker: all too high. Except the Nagant.

 

[.cheese.]

sig228 - I was at the same show. There weren't too many gangsta types when I was there, but I saw some coming in as I was leaving.

The prices were ridiculous! The prices were higher than the LGS prices.

All I bought was some Glock recoil springs from the Glock armorer booth.

Admission and parking prices were outrageous for what the show was/is. I'd gladly pay more if the show was actually decent.

Blazer Brass .40SW was like $15 a box! I can get it for less ANYWHERE. Glock mags were $25 and up at all booths. Knife prices were MSRP. It was a joke, I agree.

This was the second time I went to the show, and will likely be the last. I'll try the other gun show that hits Miami (I forget the name).

 

[helpless]

I am in Florida

And they have these shows at least once a month. I go maybe once every two years.

They suck.

 

[Cannonball888]

An Ode to the gun show By McUZI (edited)

Saturday's a coming And I can't wait
Gunna hurry on over, Cuz I can't be late
I'm going to the place We all love and know
The local overpriced nightmare gun show

I had to park my car twelve miles away
The walk to the door takes me half a gosh darn day
I go to the door and pay my entrance fee
Walk around the floor, to see what I can see.

I get a sample Beef Jerky that taste old and stale
Some lady's selling left over garbage from her last garage sale
I see a table with some hardware that's looking mighty fine
I pass a pair of homies gawking at a Tec-9
I get to the table and what do I see?
A gun I've always wanted. There just for me.

I ask the dude behind the table, (How much is this thing)?
I was hoping that the price was right and wasn't going to sting
He thought for a second, and rubbed his Grizzly Adams beard
His demeanor got somber, and his face looked weird

"This very gun was used by a NAVY SEAL
but I'm in a good mood, so I'll cut you a deal
Ordinarily, I'd need to get a grand for this gun
But I'll sell it for $800, howse that sound to ya son?"

I about soiled my pants!
"$800? EAT MY SOCK!
It's a worn out police trade-in ratty old Glock
I think you were drinking when you wrote your price tags
So you can keep your stupid Glock and your lame post-ban mags"

But I didn't despair, I just went on my way
The Class-3 table ought to brighten my day
The man behind the table was a sketchy old cat
With dark tinted glasses and a MOLON LABE hat

He stood there looking proud at all his full-auto goodies
The kind of guns that could give a gun-nut woodies
I asked him how much he wanted for the Colt M-16?
He snapped his head around and started to scream

"THESE GUNS AREN'T FOR SALE!
DIDN'T YOU KNOW?
I ONLY SHOW THEM OFF AT EVERY GUN SHOW!
I HAVE NOTHING IN THIS WORLD, NO KIDS, NO WIFE
WITHOUT MY MACHINE GUNS I'D HAVE NO LIFE!"

His arms were flailing 'round like a bat out of hell
And just at that moment, I caught a horrible smell
I felt kind of bad, but it still made me laugh
What he has is machineguns, what he needs is a bath

So I pulled up my shirt to cover my face
My eyes were tearing up like I got nailed with mace
I walked off quick, the smell was just too rude
Till I got to the table of the C&R dude

"This rifle is handpicked and personally chosen
by the Czar of Russia as the Worlds finest Mosin
Now lest you think it's out of your price range
I'll let this gem go for $200 and change"

I said "Dude, your nuts. Out of your freaking mind.
Those guns sell for $50, for the exact same kind"
He got really mad, and threw a hissy-fit
So I told him he could keep his outdated old kit

I needed some ammo, so over I went
To the ammo display in the green army tent
The ammo guy named Tom told me to come in
And look through the baggies in the little blue bin...

He said his 10mm ammo should be somewhere in there
Loaded by his drunk brother Willie, hot enough to kill bear.
I politely declined, and wandered back out on the floor
And slowly but surely made my way back to the door.

As I left the building. the promoter said "Have a nice day"
To which I replied "Your gun show was lame"
They asked if I had plans on ever coming back?
Yeah. Maybe the next time I'm strung out on crack

The moral of the story is "modern gun shows suck"
And are no longer the place to go if you want to save a buck
While there are things there that we'd all like to get
It's all just overpriced crap bought off the internet.

 

[JohnBT]

I love gun shows, but admission is cheap here and we don't have to pay for parking. I walk around and walk and walk. And look and look and look. And talk to folks. I've bought so much salsa and jerky from some of the vendors I get freebees now. Dern, their kids are getting big, too.

I bought a gun once. One. Got a good deal on a 442 that had been traded in.

John

 

[30 cal slob]

sounds like the manchester (NH) gun show.

 

[Kaeto]

At least you have gun shows you can go to. Here around Detroit the only ones are at the Gibraltar Trade Centers (Think flea market inside a building). And if you are lucky ten vendors will show up.

 

[ceetee]

I use the local gun shows as a way to pick up and handle guns that I may be interested in, but don't want to waste three or four weekends' worth of gas running around four counties trying to find. I've actually made three out of my last four gun purchases at gunshows. The trick is to not go there expecting to find any "once-in-a-lifetime" deals. Just go there to look and handle the wares. IF something strikes your fancy, and IF you're well versed in market values, and IF the seller is asking what you're happy paying, then you make the deal, and everybody's happy. If any of the above conditions aren't met, then just walk away. The dealer's there to make money, just like every other dealer. Just because he's asking $650 for that rare only-slightly-used G-17 doesn't mean you have to pay it...

 

[glocktoberfest]

I am in Florida

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And they have these shows at least once a month. I go maybe once every two years.

They suck.

at least we have the option to go or stay home , some don't .........................................

 

[whited]

.

I went once to the (in) famous Tanner Show in Denver a while back.

Utter, utter crap.

The rhyme above describes everything to a T. Homies, wild-eyed morons,
overpriced everything. The cops even cuffed a guy and walked him out.
And there were like 40 cops there. The knife prices were
out-*******-rageous. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the
price tags on the knives.

A ho-hum Nimravus for the one-time low, low show price of a mere $180.
A supremely beat up and re-edged Kershaw vapor for $69. Without sheath.

Weekend warrior home-business folks hawking their wares, clad in load
bearing vests and "X brand" manufacturer garb. All very unfriendly and
tough-acting.



I will never, ever ever ever (ever) set foot inside another "gun show" as long as I live.

 

[Wheeler44]

There are still some good ones

My son(14 yrs. old) and I go to a small show put on by a local collectors group. We have been looking at different revolvers thinking he may need one someday. There is usually several nice vendors that take the time to talk with him and most don't try to BS him too much. Well they might try to pull his leg a little but it's all in fun. At the last show, as we were fixin' to leave one display the vendor asks me if my son can have a knife. I said "sure' and he tossed a nice little chinese made folder to my son and said "don't take it to school with you" At the same show I was offered a Longbranch enfield for $100.00 .

 

[TonyStarks]

First, Cannonball....that was awesome!

Second, I hate going to the gun shows! Everytime i go its the same crap.
The Southern Classic Gun & Knife show is over priced, and there is about 5-6 tables with an assortment of pistols which are all over priced. Forget about finding a good deal here unless your looking for belt buckles and airsfot guns.
I went looking for holsters, and no one had them except one guy who was way too expensive.

I only go to these shows to look at and feel a new model i dont have experience handling and thats about it.
The miami & ft. Lauderdale gun shows all blow!

 

[pharmer]

Suncoast controls most of the shows anywhere south of Orlando. Recently they sabotaged the Lakeland show by having their show in Tampa on the same weekend and requiring their regular (Khalid& Shoot Straight) dealers to attend or lose their regular spot. It isn't going to get any better. At least the Orlando show still has free parking and a different promoter. Always crowded. Joe

 

[ED21]

I know! The gun shows have all (or most) gone down hill. I remember going when anyone could buy a table and sell or trade what they had. I even did it a few times when I had a couple of guns to up-grade or sell for cash. Even had some extra camping or black powder trinkets to sell. It was fun. Now there is a totally different attitude. Like stated here, the prices are higher than in the shops, the sellers are un-friendly and un-willing to deal. I still go from time to time just to look, handle, drool. Once in a great while one runs into a good deal on ammo or some other "must have" item. When younger, I would go with my Dad and GrandDad. GrandDad would look at every single item on every single table. I miss the good old days.

 

[Agent 006 &7/8]

We had a show at the local Holiday Inn a few years back. Prices were MSRP +10% to 20%. I, and appearently several others went nextdoor to the local ranch supply store (which has a decent gun selection) for what we wanted. Some then returned to the show, let the promoters know that things were WAY overpriced and that they would buy elsewhere. A few guys even stood outside and advised people about to enter that the guns and such were over-priced! In response (I guess) the promotes cancelled the next show. After about two years we finally started seeing gun shows again. Now, when we get a show most, although not all, prices are more appropirate and the attendance is much higher than previous years.

 

[Kingslayer]

Suncoast shows are the WORST.

I usually go to the Ft. Myers one just to walk around with a buddy. He'll point out a gun and the price and I'll tell him how much it's overpriced in front of every one.

I actually had one guy just go stark raving nuts on me. I actually offered him a more than fair price on a 10/22 for my daughter. I offered him $200.00 for the carbine model which had a $240.00 price tag on it. He had the gall to ask me if I was stupid. He says he doesn't even get them for that price.

Yeah. Right...

I told him $200.00 was a more than fair price and he went nuts. I simply told him that seeing he didn't want to make any money today that I would go to Wal-Mart and pick one up for $170.00 and he told me that I couldn't get one that low.

Low and behold I returned 2 hours later with a reciept from Wal-Mart for the same gun for $170.00 and told him ever so politely to cram his entire stock in his rear end.

Was the guy with the Baretta CX-4s for $1200 still there?

 

[buck00]

"This very gun was used by a NAVY SEAL
but I'm in a good mood, so I'll cut you a deal
Ordinarily, I'd need to get a grand for this gun
But I'll sell it for $800, howse that sound to ya son?"

HHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!

Can't stop laughing because I've actually seen this before at gun shows.

 

[scotch handler]

are there any good guns shows in central PA? or within a 60 mile radius of Williamsport PA??

 

[03Shadowbob]

You can always tell when Shoot Straight is at the show down here because most prices are kept in check, since Shoot Straight is always the lowest priced. When they aren't there the prices go through the roof. I was talking with a vendor once and we were talking about Shoot Straight and he despises them as they are underselling and under-pricing all other vendors and I asked him if that was truly the case or is it that he and others are trying to rape customers. He assured me they must be doing something shady to get the guns at such a low price. Needless to say, I have bought the majority of my guns from Shoot Straight.
The main thing that ticks me off most about the gun shows around here is that there are no holster reps or holster companies. I can't afford to buy a new gun every show but can afford to buy a new holster at every show.