Going to gun shows. Worth it?

[whitenack]

Hey guys,

The National Gun Day Expo is this weekend.

Has anyone ever been? Is it worth going to? Is it mostly just antiques or do they have good assortments of modern guns? Any good deals there?

I live a good bit away from there, but if it is worth going to I would make the trip.

Also thinking of stopping by Knob Creek for a little range time for me and my wife.

This would be a long day, though, and too long a day for a waste of time at the gun show.

 

[garrettwc]

It's a pretty good size show. Lots of variety everything from antiques to AKs. A lot of the big vendor tables are local dealers selling for the same price they sell in their shop (sometimes a little higher).

One thing to consider, the Carl Casper Custom Car show is this weekend at the fairgrounds as well. The place is going to be packed.

 

[CajunBass]

I never go to any show looking for a "deal." If I happen to find one, that's great. If not, so what? Just walking around and looking is well worth the price of admission.

 

[SIGSHR]

I attend gun shows in my area because 1) they are there 2)You never know
what you will find. 3 years ago I found an 1895 dated Krag bayonet in a Type
I scabbard, only $100.00, first one I had seen and I had been looking for years, and a friend came back with an excellent WWII Remington M1903.3)
You make contatct with fellow shooters and enthusiasts.

 

[chuckles]

For just touring around looking and buying ammo. Fun, fun and more fun!

 

[Kobra]

Hello fellow Kentuckian...

Never been to that show but several of my old coworkers went every year when I lived in Owensboro. At other gunshows, I have never found a deal at a gunshow except on ammo. But hey you never know......good luck.

 

[18DAI]

In my experience it is well worth it. The Greensboro show near me is always good (Got a S&W 4516 Police overrun for $560 NIB in Jan). The winston Salem show is more of a Fake Sword and Jerky show. But the last two shows in Winston were good for me. In the Jan show I scored a S&W M 66-4 3" barrel I've been searching for 18 months ,$375 out the door. At Saturday's show I swapped for a Performance center 586 L-comp 357. I always wanted one but couldn't afford it. With S&W not making revolvers without the "Hillary Hole" lock ,this is the only way to buy good trustworthy revolvers for me. YMMV Regards 18DAI.

 

[dairycreek]

I've been going to gun shows for nearly 40 years and IMHO they are more of a "cultural phenomena" than anything else! And, with luck and preparation, you might be able to buy a gun there.

If you are a serious buyer then do your homework. Decide on what you want to buy before you go to the show and check out prices to find out what the market will bear in your area. If you engage in pure impulse buying the chances are that you will not get a good (or even fair) deal. If you know your price then, by all means, haggle a bit. Most vendors will engage in a little and you can soon tell which ones are offended by you even trying to haggle.

Don't go to a gun show with the only purpose being getting a good deal. Truly good deals at gun shows are few and far between but if you do prepare you can, at least, be in the running.

Try to have a great time. People watching at gun shows is among my most favorite of sports. Lots of luck and have a great time.

 

[gdeal]

Gun Shows

Back in the day they served a purpose. Now with the internet I think they are obsolete. Of course if U like walking around and walking around and walking around, it should be fun.

 

[KeithR]

I just went to the "Crossroads of the West" gun show in town and I would say that you are better off going to a shop that will be there the next week. Everything at the show was too expensive and even the ammo was more than the local shops. They are a waste of money in my opinion.

 

[dynamite44]

i went to a gun show at the expo center in chantilly va (suburb of washington DC, probably 20 miles out) a few weeks ago and had a great time. i don't think i'd ever seen so many pickup trucks in 1 parking lot in my entire life. i agree, people watching is fun. that makes it worth it.
i buy stuff i can't usually find, like the bore lights that have a piece of bent plexi that goes 90 degrees, .22LR tracers, shotshells, and other oddball stuff i just can't get at local gunshops.
i don't get amazingly good deals, but i do keep my eyes open.

 

[Seven High]

I went to the Indianapolis 1500 gun show a short while ago. It was great for the entertainment value alone. I didn't see any bargains however.

 

[DonR101395]

Like someone else said I don't go expecting to find good deals, but sometimes I find a deal. Usually it's the local guns stores and stores from Tallahassee trying to sell what they have at MSRP. The rest is people who think they have the Holy Grail and try to sell used guns at MSRP for a new gun.

 

[281 Quad Cam]

I just don't understand why they are called "GUN shows." Atleast by me, in FL, the majority of booths are selling beef jerky, eyewear, nazi parafanalia, boots, knives, accessories and in atleast one instance a pornography booth.

Usually they have some guns. WASR-10's for $1,300, Glocks for $750, K-31's and SKS's for $300+

BUT SOMETIMES, there is a deal. I did recently find a NIB CZ-75 Compact for $380 cash. Same table had a Ruger 9mm for $550.... Go figure.

 

[topspin43]

The jerky and home made slim jim's are excellent. If you love guns (and jerky) you'll come home satisfied and with bad breath.

 

[mxwelch]

I used to think gunshows weren't the best place to do your shopping. $7 at the door to pay the exact same price at the shop. I always went just to lust after the enormous amount of product there though. That was until I found a new loaded M1A for $300 under retail. I even convinced my wife to buy it for me.

 

[XavierBreath]

Xavier's Gun Show Rules

Whether you will find a "deal" or not is relative to what you are looking for. A $5 entry fee to chat with old friends and make new friends in a pursuit you enjoy is cheap. If you are looking for a $200 Python, you are in the wrong place. Well, unless you are zip tying guns at the door........

 

[mxwelch]

Whether you will find a "deal" or not is relative to what you are looking for. A $5 entry fee to chat with old friends and make new friends in a pursuit you enjoy is cheap.

Your gunshows must be far more friendly that they are here. Here, it's elbow room only with people far too busy to shoot the breeze. It seems I need to start going sometime other than "peak hours".

 

[Ruger451]

Just recently went to the show at the Orange County fairgrounds outside LA. This gun show would be a great place to find antiques, flatware, and/or knives. Why these items were FAR more prevalent than guns I don't know. There were a lot a accessories which was nice, a good amount of rifles, and one (counted) good layout of pistols and revolvers. Like others said, if you are going to have a good time and take it all in (including the jerky ), then go, but don't expect to be waist deep in cheap handguns. That must be what heaven is like...

 

[22-rimfire]

The National Gun Day show in Louisville is probably the largest gun show east of the Mississippi. (If not largest, it is close to the largest.) It is well worth taking a drive to attend if you like gun shows and the atmosphere that goes with a show. I drive there from TN and it is a heck of a lot further than your drive. I know people from FL that fly just to attend that show. Get there early and be prepared to walk a fair distance due to the other shows going on there at the same time. It should absolutely be PACKED with people on the fairgrounds. So, don't plan on trips back to the car during the show; bring a day pack or something to carry stuff if you are going to be buying.

Gun prices will range from something on the order of 50K to regular prices. So, you will see some pretty special stuff if you like that sort of thing. Yes, there are frequently deals to be found. But you have to be able to recognize a deal when you see it and make the purchase immediately. If not, that "deal" will probably be gone by the time you make it back to the table. Also, I take a little note pad to record where a table is so that I can find a certain interesting table/dealer should I want to.

"If you are looking for a $200 Python, you are in the wrong place." But you will probably see 20 or 30 Pythons at the show. Not many shows are like that.