Are Gun Shows really worth attending?

Ive found really good deals at a few flea markets here, better than anything at the gun shows

As mentioned before, I like to go just to browse and see folks I know. If I find a deal I consider it a bonus. I think the value is in the older guns, as all the tactical and plastic stuff is usually overpriced. I've noticed the majority of people flock to the tactical stuff, so I can easily browse what I'm interested in.

The dealer tables are usually populated by folks running the local gun shops, it makes comparison shopping a bit easier for newer items.

Most of the bargains to be found are with the private sellers walking around the show.

I go with friends, have breakfast beforehand, then chat about different guns we encounter as we walk through the show. I always find something that interests me, and usually make at least one new friend. It's become a social things, as much as "shopping".

One ammo dealer at our gun shows always has the lowest prices on ammo that can be found, even on line. And, you don't have to buy a case at a time. Just a box or two is fine.

I like to take a gun or two with me, and sometimes swap for something different. Especially if I have two of a kind and want something new.

The crappiest gun show in our area charges TEN DOLLARS at the door, and maybe 100 tables. THAT is reason to grumble. But when you can attend a gun/knife/ammo show for $6 and there are 600+ tables, that's a hoot for me.

In February, "The Show of Shows" (Mid-Ohio Valley Gun Club) in Louisville, KY is awesome. Usually two shows on the same days, at the same venue. Over 2,000 tables in each show....one is MILITARY and one is NON-MILITARY. You can walk yourself to death in those shows! I spend three days there with friends, and it's a great outing. I guarantee you will see plenty of things (rare guns, accessories, militaria, war heroes, etc.) that you've never seen or heard of.

Gun shows were great during the 10 year period we had the AWB ban. Now thought they have been easily eclipsed by Bud's Gun shop, CDNN, Atlantic Firearms, SG Ammo, Ammotogo and other online retailers. Ordering a gun online is such a streamlined effort that I can't imagine going to a gun show other than to browse.

You have to go with the right attitude. If you expect to always find a bargain you'll probably be disappointed. I go to look, and take lots of cash just in case. It gives me an opportunity to look at and hold a lot of different guns a lot easier than asking for them 1 at a time from most gunshops. I can literally pick up and hold several hundred in an few hours at a gunshow.

I rarely, if ever find new guns cheaper than I can buy them from local dealers. But at least I can have a much better idea of what I really like by getting to compare so many side by side.

Used guns, especially from individuals are a different story. All of my best deals have happened at gunshows. But you just never know what you'll find and when.

But if you don't go, you'll never find those deals. It is like deer hunting. You don't expect to kill a B&C buck every time, but if you don't go hunting, you'll never kill one. The more time you spend in the woods, or at gunshows the better the odds of finding a trophy.

going to shows used to be more of a social event to see a few buddies for an afternoon. always saw the same vendors with the same overpriced crap at each show. always wondered why someone would pay for dealer space, set up shop then break it down and redo it again and again. decided against spending for gas, parking, admission and overpriced junk food.

I went to one recently.... and think it was my last.

Like many said above, things change. Unfortunately here it was not for the better.

I may go again in the future, but only if I hear one is worth attending. I wont go out of my way for a while.

I went to the Wannenemacher Show in Tulsa this weekend. It is a fantastic show, but wears me out walking miles on concrete. I have gone twice a year fort the past 10 years or so along with numerous smaller shows in KC and Topeka, Kansas. I've yet to see 2 shows alike, especially the Tulsa show. if you can't find something to get excited about at the Tulsa show then you have my sympathy. I bought several pounds of powder, all at reasonable prices and a brick of 17 HMR at about 20% below Cabela's regular price. Picked up a 12 ga bore snake for $10, which is usually $16 + tax. Also bought a hand made varmint call, carved from beautiful wood....a real work of art. Found a rifle and a shotgun that I would have given a lot to own, but didn't take enough money and the price was right. also got to handle dozens of really fine guns and talk to lots of interesting people. got a couple of email addresses and may have made some new friends. Many tables have signs inviting you to make offers. So if you don't like the price, but you are honestly interested in the gun make an honest offer. It is a load of fun for me and even more fun if you make an effort and not demand that the show meet your expectations.

I just like to go to check out lots of neat old guns and have no expectations of buying anything. I did find a nice old Wingmaster 870 with a gorgeous patina for only $200 at the last show though.

I guess a lot has to do with your expectations...and your location.

I'm in the same neck o'the woods as Dogtown Tom, and I agree with his assessment 100%. I try not to miss a Dallas Market Hall Show. One coming up the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to it. It's usually mobbed. The wimmen-folk go shopping and the men go to the Gun Show.

I usually go with a friend and we spend 3-4 hours wandering around looking and occasionally buying--usually reloading equipment or components. There is a guy there who buys estates and almost always has something good. Might be dies, might be a bunch of brass or projectiles in an uncommon caliber...always worth a look, and he's a personable gent, so I enjoy just stopping by to say hi. I'm looking forward to it.

Don't look at it like a gun show.

Look at it as a place where you might be able to get some good Mosin Nagant stripper clips after taking a three hour road trip with your buddies, where you'll also get to handle a bunch of guns and make fun of some lunatics.

Now... is it worth it?

i often go with my 19 yr old son. its a great bonding experience for us.since he is in college now we dont get to do a lot of stuff together anymore. we like to look at diff guns but mostly we carry in guns to sell and have good luck at that. we dont always sell them but occasionally we do.

to me its worth the 10 bucks just to look at that many guns. often i ll buy a mag or a can of powder or some primers.then we are off to get a nice lunch somwhere as we dont eat out much.

go to the movies and see how much it costs you for the same amount of time. a gun show is cheap entertainment. thats how i look at it.

i know dealers are way overpriced, but if yu ask them and shoot them a offer often they will come down.

I enjoy going in and looking around, but generally limit purchases to small things like an ammo box or a pocketknife. It's fun to look at all the guns and think that they're priced as high or higher than what's in the local GS down the road a piece, and occasionally you see a nice collection you'd love to have if you had $$$ to burn. The one last week here, a guy had a case full of Colt Pythons in all barrel lengths, one each in blue and one each in nickel plate. Probably $15K+ worth of revolvers there.

Now and again you run up on something you've looked for and haven't been able to find, and get lucky and talk the seller down to a point you feel is worth letting go of some bucks for. I found a SxS Fox B and talked the guy down $300 off his asking price, traded him an old Stevens SxS that he gave me $150 more in trade for than I paid for it 3 months ago, which made the deal even better.

I wonder how the sellers there make any money. Seems like they pack up about as much as they unpacked.

Fella's;

A lot of it is in your own attitude. If you go expecting good deals because it's a gun show!, you'll be disappointed every time. However, if you regard it as street show entertainment, they're a bargain. You can spend as much or more money to get into a current movie, and finance some Hollywood type's anti-second agenda in the bargain, for maybe a 2 hour show. The entry prices I've seen quoted in this thread are less than the movie, and I get senior discounts too. Then I can spend as long as I care to watching the entertainment. Might even see friends, or find an item I'd like to have too. Upon rare occasion you can find a screamin' deal, but that's very rare and you'd better darn well know what you're lookin' at too. The show doesn't owe you a deal, but if you take what you can get, they're a pretty good deal I think.

900F

I haven't been in years. I would do the Glock test at the tables. I know I can go to my LGS any day of the week and get a Gen 3 for $499 and Gen 4 for $549. When I see higher prices for the same gun, same forms, I'm out. The last show I went to was before Sandy Hook and there were no deals to be found. In addition, there was table after table of pro-2A don't tread on me....fight the power...right under the big no loaded firearms sign (read no CCW allowed). I understand that these sites are bound by the insurance carriers, but I can't stomach the hypocrisy of being more than willing to take my $$ under the guise of exercising our 2nd amendment rights all while infringing upon them. And that's all I have to say about that.

My take on gun shows is that this is probably the only country in the world that has such a thing. We need to keep supporting this part of our gun culture that some people hate so much. Been going to most every gunshow within a 90 minute drive of my home for many years. Usually go with two old friends depending on our family schedules. Sure there are lots of over priced guns, non gun stuff, and over priced ammo. Also a great social event with mostly like minded people. Find a bargain on occasion. Find something I have been trying to find for years on occasion. Sell stuff I no longer want on occasion. Know most of the dealers and regulars well. Get fair deals because of this. My interest is mostly C&R guns but if I want something new I can usually find a dealer who will treat me right. Been looking for a NAA Mini Revolver in .22 short for while. Recently bought one from a dealer for $216 out the door brand new. Best price anywhere I could find. Have bought a few from him and sold him a few. It is about the people. Bought a wide front end for my antique John Deer tractor from a gun show friend. Lots of cross over interests there. Keep avoiding them. The gun hating gun grabbers will thank you.

I go to Knob Creek shoots, that's a gun show worth seeing. I buy bulk ammo and accessories. Local county gun shows offer little to me but I go a couple times a year anyway.

I love to go to gun shows. I don't go planning to buy anything, except maybe a hot dog and a coke, but it's always fun to walk around, look at guns, talk about guns, and watch people walking around, looking at guns, and talking about guns. I don't even really look at prices, so I can't tell you rather they're high, low, or in between.

At one local show there is a fellow who sells old paperback books. Military history stuff. I'll buy some of them if he's got anything interesting.

Don't overlook what I would call "quasi gun shows," such as military vehicle events. For example, at the East Coast Rally of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (held annually at Aberdeen, Maryland) there are always 2 or 3 vendors selling machine gun parts, including tripods and vehicle mountings, and their prices seem to be more reasonable than what you would find at Knob Creek. Last spring, I was able to find an original WW2 M3A4 machine gun cart, something I had been wanting for a long time. And it was not too outrageous in price.

If you are interested in the older stuff, the North-South Skirmish Association's Spring and Fall Nationals (held outside Winchester, Virginia) are good venues. This is where you can buy original and reproduction muzzleloaders at some of the best prices around. And large Civil War reenactments always have vendor areas where you can find some of the same things.

remember when computer shows were all the rage?
why did they die?
gun shows.... same thing
we a couple local shows here that i go to and i always find a little used thing of some sort
plus i get to see some the local cronies i hang about with

At most shows I've been fortunate to attend -began in '07- there are many more types of military surplus guns than can be found in any gun Stores near Memphis.

Even though these shows are half the size of some shows around Atlanta, you can immediately handle anything you Want to.
If the entrance cost goes to Twelve bucks, so what....As another option, buying two six packs of cheap beer would not compare to handling a First Enfield no. 4 rifle, Czech VZ-58, AK, Belgian FN-49, Makarov, P-64 or Mauser Hsc handgun etc.

Hope that some of y'all enjoy the beer while we attend the shows. If needed, drive three hours to a much larger show and pay for the gasoline.
Many sellers don't plan on selling anything. They are there to share a common interest.

I guess it depends on what, if anything specific, you’re looking for.

I used to like the big shows down in Phoenix, but they are just not worth the cost. Between the $17 admission, $8 or $10 for parking and the cost of gas for a 200+ mile round trip, it’s over $50 just to walk in the door.

The last 4/5/years it’s just the small local shows for $6 or $7 admission, free parking and no mile hikes to get to the door. No expectations of any good buys, but it sure is fun to people watch and leave a lot of finger prints behind.

Theres few deals out there but you have to be at the right time and place. The sellers are tired of bringing along the same stuff and they want to convert them to cash. Make the offer and ready to shell the cash.

I used to attend a few gun shows with a gun nut friend of mine back in the early 90's before I was really into guns. Guess he a was a gun mentor of sorts. He always ferretted out deals.

Finally went to one last year again in Birmingham, Al. Actually saw one local dealer who I mostly deal had lowered his normal decent pricing. He was selling a lot too. I finally was also able to buy some Win231 powder too. First I'd seen in a year.

I guess another good thing about gun shows is that they even exist and are a thorn in the sides of antis.