Latest Gun Show Experience

[avogunner]

The Fredericksburg (Va.) gun show is this weekend so I thought I'd try going Friday to, hopefully, miss the cluster that is the norm of the weekend. Evidently a lot of other folks had the same idea as when I got there, a few minutes before opening, the line was already wrapped around the expo center. Anyway after getting in, I started looking for .22 rimfire at the request of a couple of buddies. Yep, it was there but priced like the apocolyse was upon us. $20 per box of CCI mini-mags (or any other manufacture's 100 ct) was the norm. I also saw a $100 price tag on a Remington 525 bulk box, and a $75 price on a Winchester 333 count box! Needless to say, I didn't get any. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of dough on .22 LR.
Then I spent some time walking the aisles and touching stuff. I did see a real nice Smith Corona 03A3 that I spent some time on (couldn't agree on a price) but there were plenty of AR rifles and plenty of magazines of all types...again a little pricey but not too bad for these days I guess. Since both seemed to be plentiful with multiple vendors, you could probably have dickered with them a little. As is habit, my last stop at this show is the reloading vendor that's always in the back right corner of the showroom. I've bought plenty of stuff from him in the past and I didn't expect him to have much in the way of primers but surprisingly he did (also a decent selection of powder). He had Federals, Remington's and Winchesters in all sizes. However, he was limiting the buys to 1000 per customer and they were all priced at $45 per thou. At the last show (Jan. I think) they were $29 a box but he seemed to be cleaning up as folks with armfulls of powder, primers, brass, bullets, etc were lined up (halfway to the front door) for his register.

Final thoughts.... from this show it appears that supply may be starting to catch up with demand, with the noticeable exeception of .22 rimfire, as there was ammo, components, and a good assortment of those "evil" assault rifles available. However, one could sense that people are still worried of potential govt. regulation and shortages and their buying habits (I hesitate to use "frenzy" or "panic" buying) show it to keep prices high.

Again.... just my thoughts and observations
Semper Fi

[Rex]

Avogunner,
We are a lot cheaper out here in the sticks of Nebraska. Gun show I took in about a month ago had Varget powder for $60.00 a pound and there seemed to be plenty of it there. .22s were only $40.00 for the Walmart 550 Federal bulk packs, again all you could afford to buy. Winchester 333 bulk packs were only $30.00. Black rifles were there but you better take a loan on the house. Shotguns were reasonable, apparently nobody has jumped on Joe Biden's wagon yet. No, I didn't buy anything and left mad as hell.

[Echo]

I went to the Crossroads gun show here last weekend - nary a pound of powder, nary a deck of primers, in the whole gun show! And nary a brick of .22's. Little casting stuff, but plenty of black stuff... I left empty-handed.

[Love Life]

Hmmm. We have the Big Reno Gun Show coming up in April. I am debating going because the line was always long before the crisis.

Don't need components, but it is one of the few places where Colt SAA revolvers are in abundance and I get the chance to actually inspect the gun before plopping down the equivalent of a solid used car worth in cash.

[Wayne Smith]

Was Dominic there? DAG AMMO? They are right there in Fredricksburg. Typically has Wolf or Tula primers by the case of 5000. I got an e-mail a while ago saying he had them in stock. Maybe sold out already?

[shooterg]

You saved me some gas ! I have gone to Fredericksburg before and the wife always enjoyed walking around the old town area with the antique places/restaurants, so the 3 hour drive was OK.
Guess I'll just hit the flea market tomorrow...

[PS Paul]

Kinda the reason I've avoided the gun shows for a while. Frustrating, astonishing, disappointing and (ultimately) infuriating as I leave with nothing but a bad taste in my mouth the last time.....

As the song goes, "Ther's always tomorrow".....

[TheGrimReaper]

Kinda the reason I've avoided the gun shows for a while. Frustrating, astonishing, disappointing and (ultimately) infuriating as I leave with nothing but a bad taste in my mouth the last time.....

As the song goes, "Ther's always tomorrow".....

Yea, the last couple of years the Gunshow sure ain't the Funshow anymore!!!

[Matt_G]

Yea, the last couple of years the Gunshow sure ain't the Funshow anymore!!!

Seem to sell more beef jerky and turquoise jewelry than anything else...

[imsoooted]

i also have seen the gun hysteria start to die down. at our local gunshow there are PLENTY of black guns by nearly every maker, PLENTY of high cap mags, PLENTY of people. very little .22 lr, but all of the $1 per round 223 you can afford. last month people were clamoring to get whatever they could at whatever price was asked. this month all those high cap mags and black guns were left on the table as everyone was asking where the "reloading stuff" was....no primers,not much selection of powder,lots of brass but not one 224 to be found. heard one guy saying he was going to dump all his AR stuff and jump into reloading equipment. that will be next i suppose, the government placing huge orders for sizers, presses etc.
wish i had shares in hornady....

[375supermag]

hi...

No gun show in the area this weekend,but I did get a chance to make a circuit of the LGSs.

One shop had a good selection of powder and a few primers(limited to 1K per customer), essentially no jacketed bullets and only one bag of new brass.

Supplies at the two other shops I visited were very hit and miss, essentially no primers, very limited selection of powder( but some 4 and 8 lb containers of a couple powders), one store had a decent selection of jacketed bullets(none that I use) and only 2 boxes of cast lead bullets (expensive...I left them there). One shop did have a decent selection of new brass...calibers were hit and miss...I don't need any brass, so it isn't much of a concern at present for me.

.22LR is available at one store, but the price for a 500-round box (CCI) is around $40. I have plenty for the time being...late summer may be another matter. I am confident that the shortages will ease by then.
Centerfire ammo was available at one shop but the prices were high...so high that I am thankful that I don't need any.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

One of the best Gun shows in MN this weekend...The last one that's held in a public school building (in this state). Here is an article (from last year) about this show. http://mankatofreepress.com/columnistjcross/x1511866515/Cross-Wells-Gun-Show-more-than-just-guns

A friend and I went there this morning...He didn't believe me about the 22LR shortage/craziness...til we seen everything at the show...Many people bringing out old bricks (500rd) of 22LR ammo. Most priced around $50 to $60...but I found a fellow with 2 bricks of some old Ruusski "Junior" brass cased 22LR marked $30, I offered $50 for the 2 bricks and he jumped on it like he was robbing a bank. He also had some steel cased 22LR, but he thought that was collectable, he only had 50rd boxes and marked $5 each.

I also picked up another 1969 Romanian trainer (dated 1980) Lots of dings in the wood, but a fairly nice grain to it...the metal was minty, almost looked unfired...there was some cosmoline in the crevases of the bolt. and pretty nice Weaver B4 and weaver mount. I've had issues with another one of these with feeding...When I got it out to the car, the first thing I did was load the only Mag that came with it (again, looked unused), and cycled the 5 rds through it...functioned great. It was marked $125, I paid a little less. So there are still deals out there. I also found a Lee auto-prime, the round tray type...missing a spring and a larger primer plunger, $10.

The show had lots of AR's...most priced at $1400 and up. SKS's were $500 and up. I didn't see any AK's but they could have been there, Lots of Hi Cap mags...all flavors. Almost no primers, there was one old box of Fed SPP, $40 almost no Powder. I passed on 3 OLD 1lb rusty steel cans of 748 marked $18.
Jon

[Dark Helmet]

Which vendor is it? Richmond (Showplace) usually has TnT Reloading. Was wondering if it was them or another outfit.

[Blanket]

I have not been to a gun show in over a year. Did have a good day at a local small town dealer. Came home with a K38 masterpiece and a P38. Think I will continue to feed on my stash. Hope all that shoot will remember what brought this on and it was not the Republicans. Russ

[avogunner]

Which vendor is it? Richmond (Showplace) usually has TnT Reloading. Was wondering if it was them or another outfit.

At the Fredericksburg show, the vendor is Mac' Reloads and Reloading. They're out of Va. Beach.

[TXGunNut]

...but I found a fellow with 2 bricks of some old Ruusski "Junior" brass cased 22LR marked $30, I offered $50 for the 2 bricks and he jumped on it like he was robbing a bank. He also had some steel cased 22LR, but he thought that was collectable, he only had 50rd boxes and marked $5 each.-JonB

I have some old Junior .22 from a previous shortage. They are steel cased rounds filled w/ extremely dirty powder but they shoot pretty well IIRC. I'd probably part with them for $5/box. :wink:

[PS Paul]

Meanwhile, over on e-bay: I just saw with my very eyes a Lee 6-Cavity mold handle up for auction. Bidding is NOW up to $51.00!!!! Pretty un-believeable. So the gun show guys don't have an exclusive on pricing insanity......

[Blanket]

Wow, what a bargain, want to buy some for less????????????????????? Reply to the Russian Jr.

[avogunner]

Was Dominic there? DAG AMMO? They are right there in Fredricksburg. Typically has Wolf or Tula primers by the case of 5000. I got an e-mail a while ago saying he had them in stock. Maybe sold out already?

No Wayne, I didn't see him. I do have a couple thou of Tula left from my last buy from him though. Honestly, I may have just missed his table, I did skip a few of aisles as my annoyance meter rose.

[chsparkman]

Yes, DAG Ammo was there. We bought some large pistol primers but he had no small pistol.

[carbine]

A month ago, one vendor was selling mil surplus Remington .22LR for $18 per 500.
Yesterday, he was selling them for $55 a brick