another gun show

[Rifleman1776]

There is a gun show going on in my town right now. I went yesterday. As usual the prices were shockingly high. Dealers were all griping about low sales. Dealers with accessories and supplies priced right were doing brisk business. And, again as usual, many dealers covered their tables in early afternoon and left still complaining about low sales. I have to wonder how, when they are not there and tables are covered they expect to make sales? Guns are big ticket items. One sale late in the day can be very important.
I'm sure many dealers are trying to cover travel expenses by raising prices but I don't see the logic when those prices dissuade buyers. Still, the place was packed. I think mostly with people like me who won't pay those prices and are mostly 'lookers'. I did add a little to my obsolete cartridge collection.

 

[retiredcoasty]

The vendors at the gun shows I attended also complain about the lack of business. But they and all vendors must realize that the economy bites and people have fewer discretionary dollars. If they want to sell, the price has to be right. And unfortunately for vendors, that means lower prices. Of course, there is a point where the vendor makes no money. It’s a balancing act. And it seems that firearms sellers have yet to adjust to the economic realities of life.

The last gun show I went to was the first show where I bought nothing. And my brother bought some ammo. Normally we are good for a couple firearms!

 

[m17s_guy]

something i tried to explain to my father years ago about selling off his collection.
1. That weapon doesnt include the memories you have of growing up with it or hunting with it. You cant add it to the price.

2. selling 1 rifle for $1000 but leaving 10 rifles on the table is not good business sense. think Quid Pro Quo.

If you are selling water in the desert, and you have 50 gallons to sell, and you sell them for $1 each you made $50 right> but tomorrow you get greedy, and try to charge $2, then only sell 25 gallons, you still only made $50 and now you have to haul the rest back home.

Ive lost my faith in Gun shows in my area, for the most part i have found cheaper prices and better deals at my local Country Sportsman...

 

[Rifleman1776]

Another thing I noticed was the large number of 'sellers' with 20 up to a hundred guns on the table and a sign that said "Personal Collection". Might be OK but these same 'sellers' are there every time (4 shows a year) with an ever changing 'collection'. They are going to get zinged by the Feds and ruin open personal selling for all of us.

 

[steveno]

a couple of the gunshows I go open at 9:00 and some of the tables are still covered when I leave around 10:00 or so. these people have no right to complain. they also complain that people aren't buying even though the price tags haven't been changed in years. if the prices were too high a couple of years ago they are still too high now.

 

[huntinaz]

It's gotten to where I hardly even look on the tables anymore. Sometimes for ammunition, sometimes for reloading stuff. Private deals are where it's at, I generally am looking at the guns people are carrying around with them to sell. Found lots of great deals that way.

 

[KennyFSU]

I also went to a local (Suncoast) gun show and I don't plan on bringing any more cash with me next time. Prices were outrageous and no one seemed to want to negotiate AT ALL. I only go to these events to look now, not buy. Private sales are where it's at.

 

[chiefr]

Since your from AR, you must have went to the same one I went to in Jacksonville.
I agree with you on the prices. Not many sales. You can get better deals at retailers. There were some ammo dealers from out of state that, had exceptional prices on ammo. They were doing very well.
I still enjoy going to gunshows, however I always keep in mind that many are meerly shows.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I went to one (gun show) recently in Sedalia Missouri. Some of the tables were covered at 11 AM.

Prices seemed kinda high ($50.00 for 1K of Tula primers, $30.00 for a can of 700-X, $23.00 for 100 Remington .357 Mag JHP bullets <just the bullets, I reload>).

If I could have found a Ruger Vaquero or Redhawk, .45 Colt, I would have been happy (maybe).

That being said, I do not begrudge anyone from trying to make a profit. But some of these men and women at the show had ridiculous prices on junk. My theory when I was in business was to take a little bit of money from everyone and not a bunch of money from one person. I was able to retire early and I am much happier.

As a rule of thumb, I never take more than $300.00 to a show (I can always go to an ATM if need be.). I did pick up a nice rig for my six-gun and some corn cob media for the tumbler.

Everything else seemed over priced for the condition it was in, even for the NIB stuff.

 

[Mr. Wild]

I go to the shows for primers, powder, and to just look.
Its got to the point its cheaper to go to Gander Mountain, Cabellas, Grafs to buy these items.

2 weeks ago I went to a smaller show (about 30 vendors) close to Springfield, IL, I was bored and needed to get out for a while.
I looked for some 6.8 spc brass.
One vendor had a large variety of brass, he had 6.8 for $37.00 for 50.
Hell I can buy them from the manafacturer for $49.00 for 100 with shipping.

The 2 bigger shows are almost as bad.
Once in a while you can find a deal, but not too often.

I know they have to pay for tables at the show, and figure in their time, travel expences, etc. and make a profit.
Maybe they use the shows to advetrise their businesses.
But at the prices they charge, I'm wondering why they are still in business.

 

[a.lol.cat]

I also went to a local (Suncoast) gun show and I don't plan on bringing any more cash with me next time. Prices were outrageous and no one seemed to want to negotiate AT ALL. I only go to these events to look now, not buy. Private sales are where it's at.

I was there Saturday to sell 2 guns I don't shoot any more to fund a couple of From 1's I wanna do. Got good money for both of them. The main guy with outrageous prices is Shoot Straight. They get tons of 1st time buyers who don't do any research but go to them cause they've the most tables. I've bought a couple of guns from them but I only deal with the owner, guy in the scooter after hurting himself, the flunkies are there to take the easy sales. I also find if you can wait till 15 min to close on him, he's obsessive about making numbers and won't do the back and forth and just try to close the sale quickly. The ones I've actually bought from them have all beaten every online place I had looked at, His OTD price vs Online+ship+transfer+call, YMMV.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Attending gun shows used to be one of my favorite things to do, back when it truly was local folks and businesses. I used to really see some good deals.

Now the shows want $10.00 admission, and the majority of vendors are in business just to sell at gun shows, you see the same ones at every show, trying to sell used guns for new prices.

It's been a couple of years since I've been to one...

 

[aarondhgraham]

I still go because it's a fun outing,,,

But for the most part I don't expect a bargain.

Last large show I went to I had my old college book bag,,,
in it was a few things I wanted to peddle/trade,,,
And the latest Blue Book of Gun Values.

People actually got angry with me,,,
When I would back away from their table,,,
To look up a price I thought was high but wasn't sure about.

When (if) I offered a price below book value,,,
They told me book was out of date before it was published.

It's not a racket so to speak,,,
But dealers at gun shows put out their tourist prices.

One dealer in particular made me chuckle.

I asked him, "What makes this Model 18 worth $750.00?"
His answer was only one word,,, "Obama."

I just go to see things I can't see anywhere else,,,
And the beef jerky sold by that under-clad young lady.

Aarond

 

[mj246]

I like the gun shows because it is the best place for me to find a very large number of firearms in a wide variety. It's a great way to spend a couple of hours on the weekends and I can look at many different types of firearms that I wouldn't necessarily see when just going to a LGS or large chain-store. This way I get to decide what firearms I'm interested in and can search around for a good price once I save up enough money. I do agree that a lot of the items are over-priced, however at the show I went to yesterday, there were a few deals that I would have thought really hard about if I had any extra money and there were also a couple of tables selling ammo for quite a bit cheaper than I usually see it in the local stores.

 

[LakeCruiser]

Osage Beach, MO Gun Show 3/5 and 3/6 - worst ever

Well...this one was a story for the books...

No Heat - outside temp of 32 and inside was about the same...maybe 36 inside.

No running water...porta potties outside in the cold.

Sad story from the promoter about being lied to about the Expo center being "show ready". Really they didn't check out the facility before booking it???

We had a very bad experience.

Otherwise, I saw what most other are saying...

Some high prices, some average and not really anything I'd call a deal or even a "sale item"

I saw some NIB Kel tec P3AT and P32 for $249 and $239 respectively.

A couple vendors had case quantities of ammo selling at about the same price as what you'll see on the internet. So, those large qty deals were OK...no shipping, but do have to pay sales tax.

Almost ZERO reloading supplies. I might have run into a couple boxes of Wolf primers and a couple 1lb. of powder. That's about it, other than one guy that had some misc. brass and bullets in zip locks in misc. quantities.

I still like to go to the shows just to take a look around. You know...models of stuff that you don't see at the LGS everyday. I consider the entry fee part of that cost to see some of those things that you might only get to see and check out at the show.

I sure hope the next one I go to is a better planned and prepared event.

 

[oneounceload]

Attending gun shows used to be one of my favorite things to do, back when it truly was local folks and businesses. I used to really see some good deals.

Now the shows want $10.00 admission, and the majority of vendors are in business just to sell at gun shows, you see the same ones at every show, trying to sell used guns for new prices.

It's been a couple of years since I've been to one...

+1 - you see the same folks, in the same location, at every show - unless you are looking for something odd in particular, you're better off going on line

 

[Avenger]

I think I'm done with local shows...the dealers all seem to think we still have an Obama panic going on, and set their prices accordingly. It just isn't the case anymore. Why would I pay $1200 for their used AR mixmaster when I can purchase the same thing for $600 from another attendee, or for $800 from an actual gun store, or make it myself for around $500?

All I've bought at the last couple shows was beef jerky. Admittedly, it is pretty much the Beef Jerky of The Gods...but not worth being muzzle-swept 2387658 times.

 

[Bruno2]

I just go to see things I can't see anywhere else,,,
And the beef jerky sold by that under-clad young lady.

Yes , I do enjoy the underclad sales staff at some of the booths. I go to shows in order to buy FTF or just look at cool stuff. I used to go looking for reloading equipment and components. I still look for equipment , but , not components any longer. The people selling the compnents look as though they are buying them from Midway and marking them up 20-30%. I see people selling stuff for outrageous prices. I truly believe the exhibitors are relying on uninformed buyers and impulse buying to sell their overpriced inventory.

They are fun to attend , but , the deals have gone the way of the Dodo. The web is where the deals are.

 

[Mr. Wild]

What underclad staff, I must have missed them.
Are talking about the females with short skirts that like to bend over to pick up something they just dropped just to get your mind off buying something for more than an item is worth.

Micro minis, sprayed on Levis, LOOOW cut bloses and thin almost see through shirts.
Nope, haven't noticed any.

 

[KBP]

gun show

The best thing about a gun show in my experience is to go when you want to sell a rifle or shotgun. Go to it and forget about selling to a vender. They will never give you more than 60% of what it is worth. Just take the gun and carry it around. Someone at the show will ask you what you want for the rifle or shotgun and you will have the best chance of selling it for a fair price.