Another local gun show flop

[Mauserguy]

I used to go to the Great Western show in LA before they banned it. It was great. There were hundreds if not thousands of tables. Lots of good guns and gear.

LA was a great show. You'd be looking at a surplus backpack and a troop of Civil War soldiers would march past- what a spectacle. There were also good deals on some particular suplus gun. The year they had ninety dollar Soviet SKSs was great. I got a good 91/59 once as well. Unfortunately I was poor back then, so I didn't buy as much as I knew I should, but that's life.

What was a trip was the LA show during the LA riots. unforgettable.

Now I go to the Orange County show. Sometimes it's okay, but there are too few guns and too much fake jewelry. The Civil War reenactors don't go anymore and it's generally not as fun. Then again, it's still legal so I go.
Mauserguy

 

[JTHunter]

There is a show coming up this weekend and I'm planning on going.
I'm still looking for a Marlin 1894 in .357 but I'm also looking for .357 brass and primers (at "affordable" prices!).

We'll see! :banghead:

 

[HoosierQ]

I go for pieces and parts. There are AR parts galore for about the same prices as on-line...little parts anyway. Mags that are hard to find at big-box stores. The one I go to is the Indy1500. It is really just an aggragation of local retail shops, a few out of towners, and then the odd-ball stuff...like the huge bins of parts.

No, not a place to shop for guns. We have so many good LGS around here one doesn't need the show for that.

 

[Sav .250]

After a while they seem to turn into .............. A cheap import knife and
junk show.

 

[jmorris]

I can count on one hand the number of gun shows I have been to since the Clinton AWB. The first go round of the panic buy/scalper pricing.

Now that we have the Internet, I really don't see the point in them. I have a lot better chance of finding what I am looking for and can always get better prices.

 

[Captcurt]

Our local club had their fall show last weekend. I usually have 3 or 4 tables but this year they had the show on opening day of archery season . This is the first club show that I have missed in 5 years. I am glad that I didn't go. Attendance was down by at least 50% and nobody was spending money. Some of my dealer friends said their sales didn't cover the cost of their tables. I saw knives, jewelry, survival gear, canned fruit, and jerky. I think that I will stick to online sales.

 

[sawdeanz]

My recent shows have been decent experiences. The big one actually has decent prices on ammo, and bulk as well. Just a few deals on used guns, mostly the local big box stores selling new stuff which I don't really pay attention too. Recently went to a small show for the first time, many more surplus guns, unusual gun parts, and friendly folks. I was actually looking for some 7.62x39 ammo and having a hard time of it, near the end of the last day so I was able to score about 230 rounds or so for $40. It was kind of funny because it was all assorted with some partially empty boxes, bags of various amounts (with a few bonus .223 mixed in for good measure). The worker sympathized with me and just kind of cut a deal to get rid of the various loosed rounds and no one else was selling bulk amounts so it worked out.

 

[Onward Allusion]

What's a gun show???

 

[doubleh]

Gun shows are few and far between locally. I think population density being thin is the reason. I CAN drive 125 miles one way and attend one and have done just that. I have made very few purchases over the years but still attend the infrequent local shows. There is just the chance that special something will appear and If not it's a cheap way to spend some time and the amusement factor comes into play with some of the pricing and listening to the bullpucky that some of the seller are distributing to the customers.

There is a well advertised show at the fairgrounds this week end. By well advertised I mean there is a crude sign in front of the fairgrounds and at the main intersection of town. I'll go and if the admittance fee is reasonable I'll attend.

Like some have already stated I'm glad that we can still have shows, no matter how poor or good the quality, to go to. There are lots of people that would gladly take that freedom away from us.

 

[Hoppes Love Potion]

I tend to do better at the small town shows. I'll usually pass on the big show 5 miles from my house but get all excited about driving 100 miles or more to check out a smaller show. I always seem to find a few enjoyable old timers at these shows who often have very nice guns and reasonable expectations about price.

 

[slumlord44]

Wife does not care if I look. She sometimes points out attractive women that I fail to notice. She is a very secure woman. She always tells me to go for it if I can afford it. I can't! She also can handle a shotgun.

 

[Sniper66]

I have rarely gone to a gun show that wasn't better than sitting on my butt at home watching football. Of course, some are better than others and I'm familiar with the high prices, kids in strollers, ill-informed vendors, and $3 bottles of water. BUT, I have also found many, many guns that I would never have seen or thought of if I remained where I am right now, in front of the computer. I have several guns in my cabinet right now that I would not have if I didn't go to gun shows and all at reasonable prices. The asking price was always higher than I paid. I am eagerly awaiting the Wanenmacher Show in Tulsa in November, a truely spectacular event. I've gone to that show twice a year, spring and fall, for the past 10 years or so and will continue to go until I'm too infirm or they don't have it anymore. Gun show, with a few exceptions, are a load of fun.

 

[ID-shooting]

It is all a matter of perspective. In this thread alone you have a guys complaining that there are only old mil-surp junk, then the next guy that states it is only new-plastic junk. LOL

A couple buddies and I usually hit the shows, it is that season and we seem to have them every other weekend across the valley at various little towns. I always come home with something. Used GI parts, new commie parts, last weekend was a pile of 7.62x39 for .25/round.

Sure there are lots of over priced stuff, and I see the same stuff over and over again, the rusty Mosin-Nagant 91/30 comes to mind. But you also see new stuff and once you get to know the same vendors and are polite and willing to BS with them, the prices seem to get lower and lower. Not too mention when you wank up and the guys says, "HEY! I say this the other week and thought you might be interested." then hold up the rare, missing part you have been searching for and asking about the last year.

Whats not to like about that.

 

[redneck2]

Costs about the same to get into a gun show as lunch at McDonalds and the gun show does't clog your arteries. :

 

[3212]

I've never been to a gun show.A local auction house has a gun and ammo auction several times a year.I've bought and sold there a few times.They usually have about 100 guns plus ammo and some fishing gear.Alot of it is old hunters equipment.About 75% junk and 25% good stuff.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'd say that show was not a total waste.

I haven't been attending gunshows contrary to my history of doing such. I have just decided I have enough for now and I really don't want to drop a few thousand on a few I'm interested in acquiring. Priorities.

 

[tubeshooter]

I mostly have what I think I want, so ammo and accessories are what keep me going at this point.

My local show is normally pretty good. I have gotten a lot of desired items that I was looking for at fair-to-good pricing from a couple of tables in particular. To me, it beats running all around the state trying to find something.



I don't walk around and look for hours like I did way back. Usually I've either found what I'm looking for or realize I won't that trip after about 45 minutes or so.

 

[JWH321]

My accountant (wife) says that I cannot afford to go to gun shows due to lack of will power and my oft-depleted firearms budget (what can I buy for $3.98?).

 

[JTHunter]

Some good news

As I said earlier, I went to the gun show at the county fairgrounds in Belleville, IL today (an ECA show).
The first thing I noticed was that there were fewer tables set up this time and, of the remainder, there were fewer that were "gun-related". There were a few more with jewelry, or food, or "artistic" knives than before which also made the gun tables seem to be fewer.

Now, the good news.

While .22LR was in greater evidence, the prices were outlandish!!

BUT, in the .380, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum I was looking for, I was pleasantly surprised to find some of the ammo I had priced less than 6 months ago had come down in price! And there seemed a bit more variety of brands from which to choose.

 

[Anmut]

I've got so disjointed from the gun show scene that I stopped going altogether. Now if I want to browse overpriced used stuff I have Facebook groups and Armslist. And without having to pay a cover charge, every once in a while I get a really good deal.