Worst Gun Show You've Ever Gone To?

[xrae21]

My wife and I recently went to a gun show and it was without a doubt the most disappointing show I’ve ever been to. 1 hour drive, 8 dollar ea. entry fee, less than 30 vendors total, maybe 9-10 vendors selling firearms , with only 3 vendors selling more than 10 firearms, and prices either at or higher than retail. We spent less than an hour at the show and saw everything they had for sale. To and insult to injury when we left we stopped at 4 different gun shops on the way home. I found the Henry 45L Colt that I went to the gun show to buy for either the same or less than I could have gotten it at the gun show.

So our experience got me wondering. What’s the worst gun show you’ve been to?

[starmac]

I have never gone to a gun show looking for a specific item. I generally go for entertainment purposes, so they have all pretty much been worth the entry fee.

[9.3X62AL]

I'm not a big fan of gun shows in general, but I do enjoy the big Reno Show once a year. It occurs 3X yearly.

I like my gun shows to feature GUNS--not churros, not T-shirts, not jackalope taxidermy. Bullet moulds and reloading tools are a nice touch, too. As Starmac says, it's mostly entertainment for me--and I get to see my NCBS folks too. But I do buy primers and parts of many kinds, and a mould or two. One day I will fall prey to one of the $550 Colt New Service examples in 45 Colt, I just know it.

[GRUMPA]

I would always go to the shows to just look around, the only I thing I ever bought at the shows was reloading supplies and maybe a couple of little things that didn't amount to much.

Where I live now is very remote and they have guns shows here from time to time. I think there version of a gun show is having a certain amount under 1 roof. I've been to peoples homes and they had more than what was at the last 2 shows I went to. Talk about over-priced rusty relics, it was there and they were rather proud of them to.

And if you think the ones you went to was small you should try the ones where I live, the biggest show up here equals about what you went to and took me almost 2hrs one way to get there and I was with someone else at the time and told him I would only recommend buying something if I didn't like you.

[Awsar]

yes i feel your pain when i was younger i remember going to gun shows w/ my dad dupage ill it used to be so big 4 buildings full of guns and gun related items.no beenie babys,cell phone cases.and it was usually packed full of people. now i cant remember when ive been to a truley good gun show.

[scb]

The second to the last show I went to was very disappointing. That was about 7 years ago. This summer I decided I'd try it again. I swear it was the same clowns with the exact same same overpriced "stuff" as it was 7 years ago. I doubt I'll go again.

[Houndog]

Yep!!
All the above describes ALL the gun shows around here lately! If you want Aluminum siding, new windows for the house, VERY BAD beef jerky, worn out "surplus military" clothes, cheap Chinese made pocket knives, and any other worthless gimic someone can dream up, our so called gun shows are your kind of place. What few guns that are on display are either ready for the round parts bin wore out junk or WAAAAY over priced!

[Love Life]

Worst gunshows I went to were in Jacksonville, NC at the NG armory. It was very rarely worth the price of admission. The one time it was woth it I scored a 95% Savage 24 O/U .222/20 for $175. I still have that gun, but have only shot it a couple times.

[starmac]

From what I have been seeing the models 24's go for, you made up for a lot of admission fees.

[Love Life]

Not quite yet. We went to every show so I think I may still be in hole a bit!

[lead-1]

Seen an ad for a gun show about 45 minutes from me so three of us jumped in the truck and away we go. This show was supposed to be in a two story building of decent size so we were figuring on a decent turn out.
Well so much for that, there was probably 60 tables set up nicely but as for guns, you could've put every one in the show on one eight foot table, all the ammo and reloading stuff on another and all the knives on yet another.
On the other hand there was plenty of edibles, taxidermy and fishing stuff to go around, lol.

[starmac]

There are two different ones listed up here right now, both 30/30 over 12, which I wouldn't mind having.
One is listed at 500 bucks and the other is 550. I don't think they are that neat yet. lol

[Love Life]

Hmmm. Looks like I need to see what they go for on Gunbroker. Next time I go to Georgia I will have to pick the gun up.

[kenyerian]

I've pretty much stopped going to gun shows here in Ohio. used to belong to the Ohio Gun Collectors when they had the big show's at Vet's Memorial in Columbus
but Columbus passed a City Ordinance basically banning gun shows. Haven't been to a good show since.

[starmac]

I don't know about gunbroker, but nearly all the shows here will have a couple and their usually asking 4 to 450. I don't know how well they sell at that price.

[Love Life]

I consider myself lucky for where I live. We have the Big Reno Gunshow. Hands down the best gunshow I have ever been to. They actually have guns and gun related items for sale! Also they have a huge ammo booth that has good prices on primers, a maker of very sturdy belts frequents the shows, S&W model 28s (you can never have enough), and oh so many other great gun show things. It is a huge gunshow as well. If anybody is within 5 hours of it I would highly recommend attending once a year or possible once every 2 years. My wife shudders in fear whenever I mention it.

[MT Gianni]

I would like to go to a gun show and see powder or primers but almost all of the ones I go to do not allow the sale.

[Trey45]

I went to one a few years back at the Norfolk Scope. Hot sauce, quilts, cabbage patch kids, swords, jerky, surplus clothes and gear, jewellery, boots, belts, jackets, leather goods (not holsters), watches, knives, martial arts stuff, nazi stuff (I never understood the fascination with nazi stuff), electronics, cameras, wallets, purses, vitamins, books, paintings, zippo lighters, cigars, and maybe 2 dozen firearms.
It was like a flea market that just happened to have a few guns for sale. I hear they have improved the Norfolk Scope show since then, couldn't prove it by me as I won't go to another one there.

[Goatwhiskers]

I don't go anymore, not in over 10 yrs. Everything is either overpriced, tactical, or non-gun related. GW

[Freightman]

Only bargain is found as the people come in period, the dealers are higher than the pawn shops.

[429421Cowboy]

Another guy here who would like to go to a real gun show... Last one they had close by was ok, wound up buying a few old Shooter's Bibles in years i didn't have, and some 60 grain .22lr subsonic loads to play with. All in all, less than $10 of money spent for the $5 entry fee. I was hoping to find a few useful molds, and maybe even a RB mold, turns out there was not a single mold to be found, the one guy selling cast boolits looked at me like i was crazy when i asked if he had any .44 boolits over 250 grains and how hard his alloy was. No primers or powder for sale anywhere, used die sets cost more than new! Honestly, it scares me that they can ask the price of a new carbide die set for an old RCBS steel .357 set, because somebody will probably buy it! I felt bad for our one truly local gun dealer, i hope he made enough to pay for his table. As long as he continues to sell used reloading equipment, once fired brass, used leather and trade guns, i'll support the local business for cheaper than gunshow prices and he doesn't charge me to walk through the door either!
The worst one i ever went to was the spring gun and antique show in Great Falls because i happened to be through. I had more guns in my own safe then they had there, but plenty of "artifacts" old worthless no name saddles, food, and ripoffs of Army surplus that i swear was just new made in China junk. I am about done with gunshows!

[GT27]

[QUOTE=xrae21;1935449]My wife and I recently went to a gun show and it was without a doubt the most disappointing show I’ve ever been to. 1 hour drive, 8 dollar ea. entry fee, less than 30 vendors total, maybe 9-10 vendors selling firearms , with only 3 vendors selling more than 10 firearms, and prices either at or higher than retail. We spent less than an hour at the show and saw everything they had for sale. To and insult to injury when we left we stopped at 4 different gun shops on the way home. I found the Henry 45L Colt that I went to the gun show to buy for either the same or less than I could have gotten it at the gun show.

I can honestly say that I'm yet to see one that didn't look like peddlers trying to sell the stuff that sits in a dark corner for years at the shows I've been to! Jacked prices on anything of interest,which hasn't been much.Seems to me they are just trying to unload junk from their regular business's.I don't waste my time anymore,any deals I find are on the internet,and local places of business. The only positive that I can see is that it does provide some local revenue for the small business and the firearm community,if you are lucky enough to find something to buy...IMHO, and personal experience! GT27

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Lately it seems like the worst thing about gun shows are prices. Most people selling at shows seem to be selling used guns for more than MSRP on a new model. Also, I have an AR-15 and I like it, but many gun shows have turned into big "buy pseudo tactical attachments for your AR" expos.

[starmac]

I guess I have been lucky, the ones I have been to has probably always been around 90% guns and related items. There is always some knives, varying from new junk to nice customs, and usually a table or two selling homemade jelly, but mostly at least hunting related.

[xrae21]

The Henry wasn't the only firearm I was looking for. My shopping list included another Springfield 1911 mil spec, reloading supplies, clips for my wife’s American Classic II 1911 and accessories “wife wanting to fru-fru her 1911”, 12ga coach gun or nice over-under for father’s Christmas present and a nice black powder rifle. However in all fairness this was the first show I was going to that I specifically planned to purchase one or more firearms. Heck I even went to the bank the day before and pulled out a hefty sum of cash to wheel and deal with. I’ll list some of the prices I remember below.


Springfield 45acp mil spec 5” model with no extra work done to it was $1050 credit 1000 cash.
Accurate #2 $28 a lb - no discount for cash
CCI large p primers $39 per 1k - no discount for cash
Henry 45L Colt $760 credit $738 cash
1911 7rd clips same ones that cheaper than dirt sells for $6 ea were $13 - no discount for cash
Winchester 45acp 230gr 100 value pack $50 the same value pack you can buy at Wal-Mart or Academy for $42-44 after tax. Oh yeah and no discount for cash
All the black powder and Shot guns were either in too poor of condition or not the style I was after. I don't have an issue buying a used gun but not one that looks like it's been dragged behind my car for a 100 miles.

[frkelly74]

The last one I went to was in 06 I think and I had the best deal going in the whole place. I sold some of my milsurps to buy groceries and got pretty well skinned in the process. Not a very pleasant time or memory, but you do what you need to.

[Bullwolf]

I really enjoy looking at stuff at the gun shows, even if I don't find anything that I want. The price of admission, and gasoline is usually worth it for the entertainment value alone.

My favorite is still the big Reno show, but since they don't sell powder at the show (city ordinance) I typically end up getting my re loading stuff elsewhere, unless I happen to find a real good deal on an old press, inexpensive primers, brass in some rare caliber, or a really economical deal on condom bullets in bulk.

My days of finding nice moulds at gun shows are long gone. I am pleased if I even see a mould at a show, though it will typically be a Lee one, and way over list price, or only for round balls. Sometimes I still find decent ammo, holsters, or other accessory deals at the shows. I do always seem to need another ammo can, or a flashlight. I just want to be sure I am not buying inexpensive mystery reloads made by someone else. I prefer my hand loads to be crafted by me personally, so I know how they were assembled. If I do buy ammunition at a show, it's only going to be factory packaged ammunition.

In some ways the shows are not as good as they used to be, fewer good deals and such, but with the internet, smart phones, and all the information technology that's around today, things have really changed. I see people looking at their phones at shows now, and comparing prices online - something that would never have happened a couple of decades ago. Things are really moving so quickly in the firearm industry lately, I've been seeing stuff literally flying off the shelves.

For example, I had a gentleman next to me looking at a new Ruger 10/22 at a local gun store. He asked the price, and then he told the salesperson if you have EIGHT of them in stock, I'll take em all right now. Call it panic buying, hording, or just hedging your bets, but inventory is really zooming out of gun stores. Consequently there will be more price mark ups, and fewer good deals to be had.

I continue to enjoy the gun shows, and seeing all the people, and hardware in one place. It helps remind me that there are LOTS of like minded shooters around, despite what television would like to have people believe.


- Bullwolf

[oneokie]

Worst gun show I went to had more tables of baked and canned goods than tables with guns and gun stuff.

[Artful]

I went to a gunshow in Mesa, AZ at one point - it had more candy, jerky and beanie babies then you could shake a stick at.

I'm going to the Small Arms Review show in Phoenix this weekend, (actually starting on Friday), and am hoping to find some AR parts as most of the
parts here in local stores have disappeared.

[dk17hmr]

I am rarely looking for something specific at a gun show so going in knowing Im probably not going to buy something makes it a little eaiser to walk out laughing. My FFL dealer lives one block away and is my boss's nephew, if I am looking for a gun I can ussally find a better deal online and he doesnt charge me much for the transfer.

I do ussally pick up some primers and powder from one vendor at the local show because they have the lowest prices I have seen since moving to Wyoming. I have their buisness card and can call them the week before the show and pick up my powder at the show.

[gandydancer]

No longer go to the shows for some of those reasons. The fun and joy of gun shows is no longer there for me.

[richhodg66]

We have several small town shows here that I usually enjoy tremendously. It's always the same vendors, but that's OK. All gun stuff, usually older collections and nice folks.

I went to one in Manhattan, Kansas last year that sucked unbelieveably, wasn't worth admission. I never like Manhattan and the gun show was a reflection of the town, but I went to another one in Herrington that same day that was great. Go figure.

Topeka has them every other month or so and I will usually leave there with reloading components. There's a lot of the tacticool stuff and other junk, but a lot of good stuff too. I don't get to any bigger town shows than that anymore.

[Frank46]

I have to agree that it's the same old stuff at inflated prices, and it seems that it's the same guys selling it. Haven't been to a show in at least 6 months and with the panic going on after the election they are bound to be a madhouse. The shows held where I live are in a building way too small and it's like going from room to room. They even have people showing where you can park. One more show before years end. Maybe or maybe not. Frank

[bob208]

the last few shows have been really bad. if there were guns. they were black rifles and glocks. ammo for more then i could go to wal-mart for. no parts no reloading stuff. of course lots of cheap china pocket knives and other flea market junk.

[jfischer]

It :$ 20 in Phoenix and they have suckers me in a couple times. Never any great deals, most of my stuff come from Backpage.

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

[cbrick]

I went to one a few years back at the Norfolk Scope. Hot sauce, quilts, cabbage patch kids, swords, jerky, surplus clothes and gear, jewellery, boots, belts, jackets, leather goods (not holsters), watches, knives, martial arts stuff, nazi stuff (I never understood the fascination with nazi stuff), electronics, cameras, wallets, purses, vitamins, books, paintings, zippo lighters, cigars, and maybe 2 dozen firearms.
It was like a flea market that just happened to have a few guns for sale. I hear they have improved the Norfolk Scope show since then, couldn't prove it by me as I won't go to another one there.

cheap jewelery, Hot sauce, quilts, cabbage patch kids, cheap jewelery, swords, jerky, surplus clothes and gear, cheap jewelery, boots, belts, jackets, cheap jewelery, leather goods (not holsters), watches, cheap jewelery, knives, martial arts stuff, nazi stuff (I never understood the fascination with nazi stuff), cheap jewelery, electronics, cameras, wallets, purses, vitamins, cheap jewelery, books, paintings, zippo lighters, cigars, cheap jewelery and maybe 2 dozen firearms radically over priced and of course plenty of cheap jewelery.

Did I mention cheap jewelery?

Sounds like Trey has been to the (so called) gun shows around Los Angeles, the above list pretty well covers them.

So I move to a little town in Arkansas and a couple of months later at the county fair grounds (10 minutes from home) there is a gun show. I figured what the hey, I'll go. I get there and the first thing I noticed was plenty of free parking and the entry fee was $5.00. I pay and standing in the door before I even get inside :shock::shock:, wow, there are guns in here. Sure there were the normal over priced stuff such as the guy with 2 Ruger 10/22's new in the box for $750.00. I asked him . . . $750.00 for Ruger 10/22's? He says if you buy both I'll let you have them for $700.00. :shock: I'll bet he would. But that was the exception not the rule at this show. There was a little of the cheap jewelery and knives & such but most of the show was guns. A lot of "black gun" stuff, some fascinating tables of revolvers, a few tables of 94's. While much smaller than the LA shows it was a far better GUN SHOW than I had seen in years. There was very little in the way of reloading and not a mold to found anywhere. Oh well. I didn't buy anything, just went to look but I will go again. It was a refreshing change, I went to a gun show and actually looked at GUNS, just what is the world coming to?

Rick

[popper]

Never been to one, don't intend to go to one.

[bob208]

i got off track on a rant about gunshows in general. but the worst is the harrisburg pa. show it is large i don't know what it is inside now. i stopped going years ago when they started charging to park on the lot then charge to get in the show. yes you have to pay twice. now it gets better. if the lower lot is full you get to park in the upper lot about a mi. away and ride a shuttle bus. the bus is a city bus which means no guns no ammo or parts. so if you buy anything you have to hump it back to upper lot.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

$7-$8 to get in here, plenty of guns and usually plenty of bulk ammo in the popular calibers. Prices are average, probably not going to get a great deal on anything, but as long as you know what you are looking for and what it is worth, you can avoid getting hosed. Absolutly zero in the reloading/casting dept. Great place to handle just about anything, but I have never purchased much at all. It can get crowded, and when it is packed, I'm ready to go. They allow FTF private sales from what I can tell, but I'm not a fan of the method.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Here's a little hint that I really shouldn't be giving to the masses.

The Best shows are the small ones when there is a larger show on the same weekend that isn't too far away.

CASE IN POINT.
Dec. 8-9 2012 (a week and a half from now)
A Small show in Wilmar, MN put on by the local Gun Club. the Vendors are mostly locals.
AND
there is a Large show in St. Paul at the RiverCentre, put on my Minnesota Weapons Collector Assn...which put a TON of rules on the vendors...and even so, All the overpriced Gun dealers will be here.

Guess which one I will be at ??? :)
Wilmar is always a good show, even if I come home empty handed.
So, I hope to see all my MN castboolits peeps there...and maybe a few of you from the eastern Dakota's.
Jon

[km101]

Worst gun show I ever went to was about 20 years ago! Just got in the door when there was a loud bang as a gun discharged! The bullet glanced off the ceiling and hit the floor about 20 feet from me. It tore a gash in the tile flooring and then hit the front wall of the building about head high. There was total silence for about 15 seconds, and then total chaos! People were yelling and running all directions. About 6 men grebbed the person who supposedly fired the shot and "escorted" him to the door without his feet ever touching the floor! Fortunately no one was seriously injured. A few people got "nicked" by lead/jacket splatter, but nothing that required treatment. It turned out to be a "I didn't know it was loaded" screw-up. I didn't go to another gun show for about 15 years after that. Fortunately firearms security seems to have improved over the years!

[fatelk]

I'm going to one this weekend, but with a table for the first time ever. Any advice from you long time gun-show vendors?

I got laid off last week, and the baby was born a few hours later. I figure it's a good time to thin out the stuff I don't need. I'll take a bunch of loading gear, surplus surplus ammo, and maybe a dozen or so guns I can let go of. I'm not to the point yet where I NEED to sell anything, so I'm thinking I'll price them on the higher end of reasonable and see what happens. Most of the guns I'll take are ones I've had for at least ten to twenty years, but if they haven't been out of the safe in a decade I guess it's OK to let them go.

[starmac]

No advice here, but sorry to hear about the job, congrats on the baby and good luck on the show.

[9.3X62AL]

Fat Elk--

What Starmac said.

[JeffinNZ]

Pretty much any gun 'show' in NZ....

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Several years ago I drove for an hour, paid 17 dollars for parking and admission. As soon as I walked in the large hall were it was being held I knew I had wasted my time and money. There was table after table of either camo or swat uniforms as well as all the previously mentioned junk. I never went to another one at that location.

[MT Gianni]

I may want to change my thoughts. The worst one might be our local show about 2 years ago. They had a Model 35 Smith in fair condition, after market stocks for $950 and a model 17 Smith for $599 in fair to poor condition. I might pay that for the Mod 17 in good shape and a 35 in great shape but those just made me sad. There was also a HK P7 M8 for $1400 reminding me again that I passed on one for $400 20 years ago. For a town of 1000 people that just made me wish for better conditioned guns than I saw. None of the pistols were there the next show.
As good shows go I once bought a 2 cavity 358429 w handles for $15 and a SC 358311 with out handles for $10. That is in the last 10 years.

[ROGER4314]

Those comments echo my own experiences but they STILL aren't the worst Gun Show in my experience.

When the tax people came to a show and rousted the sellers, the mood of the show went south. They wanted sales tax collected and were dunning the sellers for collected tax and displaying tax permits.

In another show, The Federal Meanies sent teams of Hispanics into the show trying to set up straw purchases. One of my vendor friends had a Mexican guy tell him that he couldn't buy his gun but his friend Pedro could get it for him. He was sent packing. I heard the whole thing and it was all pretty phoney. It was obviously a setup.

At another show, a vendor friend was taken into custody, rousted for reselling without an FFL and carted away. I did NOT attend that show. I'm not sure how it was resolved because he got very ill and died. Several other private sellers were threatened by mail for reselling and they ended up getting their FFL's.

We had a rough run for a while but for the last few years, things have been quiet. All of this happened during the time when Bloomberg was ranting about gun shows.

Those were the low points.

Flash

[smokemjoe]

Go to Tulsa,

[357maximum]

All the shows around here are the same travelling clown carnies selling the same overpriced junk they had 10 years ago on the same circuit they have always ridden. I doubt I will ever go to another gunshow in this state. The feds did not have to kill the gunshow thing for me...the dealers did it for them.

[Dannix]

and prices either at or higher than retail.
This.

When I'm taking to friends who are interested in going to a gunshow to get their first firearm, I just recommend a few local shops since they have the selection to find something suitable at the same or usually lower prices.

[winelover]

All the shows around here are the same travelling clown carnies selling the same overpriced junk they had 10 years ago on the same circuit they have always ridden. I doubt I will ever go to another gunshow in this state. The feds did not have to kill the gunshow thing for me...the dealers did it for them.


Agreed. The last one I went to was put on by Bill Goodman at the Detroit Light Guard Armory in 1980. Typical of what 357 Max said. The straw that broke the camels back was when I left I discovered my van was stolen out of the parking lot in broad daylight!

Winelover

[ROGER4314]

I'll give two thumbs up to the Tulsa shows at the fairgrounds. It will take all weekend to see it all. While you're in the area, be sure to stop at the JM Davis Gun Museum in Claremore. The museum is beyond description!

http://www.thegunmuseum.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._Davis_Arms_and_Historical_Museum

Flash

[mold maker]

It amazes me that they think I go to a "GUN" show to buy pocket knives, jewelry, jekey, coins, dolls, clothes, tools, and indian wares. Only about thirty % of the dealers even cary a gun or two. NO reloading tools or suplies. Large tables draped an hr after start time.
No parking within a block. What guns there are, are undoubtably blued gold by the prices.
And they have the nerve, to charge $9.00, just to stick your head in the door.
I have to drive passed two "Gun Stores" to get there.
I still go occasionally if I'm bored.

[cloakndagger]

Worst one? Hmm... probably about a year ago now, first tables at the door were "womens concealment purses and luggage" and the rest resembled a flea market. Ex vendor friend of mine found an acquaintence to ask about the goings on, flagged me over and I was informed we were going to one about three hours north, after dinner at Olive Garden. Grand total, $8 entry, 5 mins inside, and nada for results. Generaly shows in MS are Pretty good, but too many "guns with boxes" (new guns) are showing up now....

[Inkman]

Pretty much any showi've been to here in Kalif has been a disappointment. The only real reason to go now is to get primers. There is one main seller of ammo, powders and primers that makes the gun show circuits here. With tax and entry, the primers are around what you'd pay from PV inc hazmat and shipping, but you get em immediately. If you don't reload, their ammo prices are the best too.

Anything casting or reloading equipment related is rare to find. The guns are mostly old rifles that these same sellers have at every show. Handguns are always much higher than any local shop, where shop owners have payroll, rent, insurance etc but are still cheaper than the tables at the gunshows.

Was hoping the shows in other states were better than here, but from what i'm reading, they do not sound much better.

Al

[HollowPoint]

The last gun show I attended was one of the Cross-Roads-Of-The-West gun shows. It was about a half hour drive from my home, maybe thirteen-bucks to get in and a twenty minute wait in line.

Rows and Rows of vendors all selling basically the same over-priced items. The AR rifle section in particular; the only differences were the logos embossed on the parts and the people selling them. Other than that, it was all the same stuff.

I wouldn't have minded the price to get in the door or the waiting in line if the price of the items for sale weren't so outrageously high. It's just that I could have went online and ordered most of that stuff for less money even after adding in the shipping cost.

If I do attend a gun show I do it for the same reason I'll go to swap meets. I go just to look for stuff I might be able to use. I generally head right for a vendors Junk-Box rather than browsing their gun selection.

Now days to many vendors seem to think everyone is dumb enough to pay Gold-Prices for their rusted steel or aluminum parts.

I long for the days when gun shows were more like swap meets; you know? It was a place to meet like-mined folks and chew the fat. And from those conversations you could wheel and deal your way into a good buy. For the most part, those days seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur.

HollowPoint

[fatelk]

I long for the days when gun shows were more like swap meets; you know? It was a place to meet like-mined folks and chew the fat.
I don't go to a lot of shows any more, but around here I've found that there are two types of shows. One type is put on by a promoter somewhere nearby every couple weekends, and is the same old thing. The other type is put on by a gun club once or twice a year, and is usually pretty good; a lot more swap meet type stuff.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I don't go to a lot of shows any more, but around here I've found that there are two types of shows. One type is put on by a promoter somewhere nearby every couple weekends, and is the same old thing. The other type is put on by a gun club once or twice a year, and is usually pretty good; a lot more swap meet type stuff.

Yep, My thoughts exactly !!!! [smilie=s:

[starmac]

It sounds like we all go to gunshows with different expectations. I don't go to gun shows expecting gun show prices to meet or beat online wholesale prices.
I don't expect the dealers to load their stock up and drive to a show and sell cheaper than they would in their store either.
I go to check out a big selection in one place, and usually their is some bargains on used stuff, and a few non dealers with some decent to good deals.
I seldom even slow down at the tables with new guns, but we tend to get a lot of old guns, parts, and accessories, that I do like to look through.
It also sounds like the shows in locals that have two or three a year are much better than areas with a show close by every two or three weeks.

[Bent Ramrod]

I'm with Starmac. I don't go to gun shows to look for stuff I could find at a gun store. I go to find stuff that I couldn't find anywhere except by pure luck. This includes guns (of course), parts, moulds, tools, books and anything "neat." Even most of the ones that have come up dry have had at least something of interest to look at. If I think I have burned a given show down by going too often, I just leave it fallow for a year or so and try again.

For me, it's a combination of theater, petting zoo, museum, auction, lottery and classroom. I don't add the costs of getting there with the parking fee and the entrance fee and get disgusted because all the costs added together plus what I find are more than the item goes for at Gunbroker, Cabela's, the local gun store or whatever. I've seen stuff at gun shows I've never seen anywhere else and gotten stuff that no gun store would ever have. I found a Fairbanks-Vega "Little Wonder" banjo-mandolin, a copy of "The Autobiography of A-No. 1, America's Most Celebrated Tramp" and an endoscope to look down gun barrels (and other less savory cavities) at gun shows. I can't recall ever walking out disappointed because I could have bought the AR-15 Uppers I saw all over the tables cheaper at some web site or other.

Gun shows are like Life, itself--mostly a matter of separation science. At the end of (hopefully) a lot of either, you have a large pile of culled-out dross, a small pile of pure gold, and the wisdom to tell the difference between the two.

It is true that the Promoters, who would be running Tattoo Shows or Computer Shows or Doll and Bear Shows if they weren't running Gun Shows, have diluted the basic concept badly, and reduced the chances per mile or dollar fee of getting The Good Stuff proportionately. Their business is, after all, selling tables and entrance tickets, not gun appreciation. Alas, you can't find USDA Choice steaks at the grocery store anymore, Fender guitars were never as good after CBS took them over, and lever action rifles have a Safety button on them that the Legal Dept and the Ugly Dept worked mightily to produce. All we can do is endeavor to persevere:veryconfu.

[fatelk]

I'm glad I'm not the only one, Ramrod. I enjoy looking through piles of odds and ends looking for something interesting. A show with a bunch of tables full of new guns only would not interest me at all, no matter how cheap or expensive.

I had my first day behind the table today. It was interesting. I sold a lot of stuff, but I was the one with the piles of interesting and oddball stuff, some of it at "it's gotta go" prices.

The funniest thing is the people. Most folks were nice, quite amiable. A couple were downright rude, with snide comments about my "outrageous" prices. A few were battle hardened haggle warriors that just had to chew a good price down to a steal.