What day is best to go to the gun show?

[Ohio Rusty]

There is a gun show this weekend I want to attend and I'm at work today (Saturday). I can only go tomorrow on Sunday. Do you find Satudays are the better days for gun show deals because there is more stuff available, or do you find Sundays are the better day as the sellers are willing to take a lower price because their stuff didn't sell on saturday?.
Are you able to haggle for a better price on Sunday ?
I really don't need much ... just looking for a couple of the latest cast boolit and reloading manuals, and some other bling for my pistols that I don't have (A set of RCBS mould handles, contender scopes, pistol grip sleeve, safariland 5 shot speedloaders, moulds if any laying around, etc. ------ kinda sounds like a christmas list ??).
If I find any of this stuff, I hope they will take a lower price if I offer it. After I look at the price, my opening line is always ... "Will you take.......?"

Ohio Rusty ><>

[imashooter2]

It's a coin toss. Go the day that is most convenient to your schedule.

[quack1]

I think it is a tossup when you are looking to buy something. I do think you can haggle more on Sunday and get a better deal, but you can't get a better deal on an item if it was sold on Saturday. I do think Sunday is a better day if you are carrying around a gun to sell or trade. Seems the dealers are more willing when they have money in their pockets from things they sold on Saturday. In the end it sepends on how busy my weekend is as to when I go.

[mooman76]

I find going early the first day you find better deals. The deals are few and far between but some people just have a few things they want to get rid of. The bargains will go quick. It does really depend on what you are looking for though.

[bhn22]

Early Saturday is usually better, however you can get lucky at any time. The gun show vendors are always trading and their table inventory changes constantly, if the shows any good. Most of the guys I know are really happy if they can "flip" the item quickly, and the margins aren't usually as high if the item sells quickly. Be prepared to act when you find something really good, it could be gone if you come back later.

[lonewelder]

I think what few deals left at shows are on sat.But if you are looking for something in particular a lot of dealers will come down sun. afternoon.The stuff you are looking for I call nick-nacs and it prob. doesn't matter.I used to enjoy sorting through the nic-nacs but the shows have changed,as have the people.I miss the old shows,but times change.

[Rocky Raab]

As a 15-year veteran vendor, I've seen it both ways. The truly prime stuff gets sold within minutes of opening, but not at bargain prices. Some dealers that sell a lot on Saturday bring in more items for Sunday.

Sunday shows are busy only from 10 to 2 -- between church and the prime football game. That opening hour Sunday can be juicy!

[Doc Highwall]

I like Saturday when they first open. I am sure other people here like me have missed out on what we were looking for by minutes or hours. I usually know what I am looking for and keep an open mind for other interesting things.

[Kraschenbirn]

Only "major" that I attend regularly are the Indy 1500 shows and I've found, there, that early on Friday...these are three-day events, held three times a year...is the best shopping time. Better selection of used stuff on the tables and some of the smaller vendors seem more willing to deal a bit...like, maybe, to cover their registration/table costs early in case it turns out to be a slow weekend.

Bill

[MT Gianni]

If you are looking for deals on molds get there first thing Friday. For the best prices on guns go Sunday afternoon.

[stubshaft]

I'm with the more items on Friday, better prices on Sunday camp.

[cajun shooter]

When I first started to become interested in guns the lines were heavy waiting to enter on Saturday morning in the 60's. You could even find a deal while standing in line. I purchased a M1 Garand for $300 in 1970 and a Model 62 for $125. Those days are gone but the old saying of the Early Bird gets the worm still applies.

[mooman76]

Easily solved. Show up early the first day and late on the last.

[Powderpacker]

Only "major" that I attend regularly are the Indy 1500 shows and I've found, there, that early on Friday...these are three-day events, held three times a year...Bill
Bill-
You're missing a couple of 1500 Shows! There are actually 5 shows each year - mid-January, March (around the 20th), early June, late August, and October (around the 23rd).

[Blammer]

I've found that either day can produce great bargains.

so I go BOTH days. :)

actually, I just go when I can and enjoy.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've found that if the gunshow has more non-FFL dealers,
you want to go early the first day.
If The show is mostly FFL type dealers and
you're looking for the type of Guns a dealer will typically have
go late on the last day.

The last gunshow I was at, a dealer had a really nice used Ruger #3 in 22 hornet
for $700. He didn't want to budge. I offer $500 cash, he just chuckled.
well, when the show closed and he was loading up stuff, He asked if
I had cash...I said I got five "C" notes...He took 'em, I got the gun for a heck of a deal.
Jon

PS: the one gunshow I work, starts saturday morning at 8am.
I have usually spent $200 to $300 on stuff from other vendors
the day before while everyone is setting up :)

[canyon-ghost]

I go early Saturday mornings, rather pay a bit more and get whatever I want. I only shop them for 2 hours or so, then leave to avoid the crowds. Gun Shows aren't the only source.

[mooman76]

I wish they would start our shows earlier. They don't open til 10 am and there is always a long line waiting in fact they usually open a little late.

[Ohio Rusty]

The Wife and I went to the gunshow this morning. It was one of those Special Ops shows ... like the P.R.O. gun shows. It was pretty lame ...... It was in a small building, probably 40 vendors tops and everything seemed over priced. The only thing I found I wanted were a bunch of the Berrys plasic boolits storage cases in clear so I can see what it loaded, and some of the GI cleaning toothbrushes. There was almost nothing for reloaders except some boxes of j-word boolits on different tables,

I did get to take her to lunch afterward, That was the highlight of the afternoon and I went to the GI Depot (army surplus) and found a GI belt I have been looking for.

Ohio Rusty ><>

[C1PNR]

IF you can do it, the best time is the night before opening when they are all setting up and most everyone wants to finance the trip and show costs.;-)

I used to belong to a Club that was offered a free table to set up "Display Only" items, in our case Civil War equipment of all types from Rifles, Carbines, Pistols, Swords, to camp equipment, etc.

This gave each of us an opportunity to cruise around looking for a chance to buy something we really wanted and that would finance the vendors trip.

Yep, the night before they open when everything is out there. I love those old days! Things have gotten a LOT more "commercial" these days.

[KCSO]

This one is easy, YESTERDAY. What ever you want they sold iit YESTERDAY!

Around here Sunday's seem to bring the most DEALS.