Bangor gun show

[FROGO207]

Found out that they are finally going to have a gun show in Bangor Maine this Sat and Sun. Was not able to attend for two years and last year it was canceled. Hope to see other local board members there and we get to buy some interesting stuff. Several local friends are going and it will be interesting to see whats up after not going for 3 years.

 

[earlthegoat2]

…..it will be interesting to see whats up

My guess is….prices.

 

[CapnMac]

have a gun show in Bangor Maine

Is it a large venue? Like 500 or 1000 tables? Is the promoter getting advertising out?

I've noticed of late, that small venues with promoters with poor "exploitation" (marketing term of art for billboards, radio spots, etc.) seem to have "less good" vendors.

Weather looks to be mild, too. Which may get a bigger turn-out. Which can mean getting to see that we gun owners are often the worst possible examples of parking skill []

Here's to hoping you have a good time, even if only for the people watching.

 

[kje54]

Not just myself but many others I know in person and on different forums have stopped going to gun shows. Mainly because the vendors are almost all asking outrageous prices and are unwilling to haggle making it a waste of time and money.

 

[earlthegoat2]

When it is convenient for me to go to a show, I do. They are not what they used to be (nothing is) but I do still get enjoyment out of them. Looking for non-guns and ammo items makes it more enjoyable too. I like old reloading manuals and other gun books, vintage optics, and anything related to casting bullets even though I don’t do it myself. I have a nice collection of bullet molds, gas checks, ladles, pots, etc.

They don’t take up much space but I think they are neat and nearly all of it found at gun shows for bottom feeder prices.

 

[FROGO207]

Is it a large venue? Like 500 or 1000 tables? Is the promoter getting advertising out?

I've noticed of late, that small venues with promoters with poor "exploitation" (marketing term of art for billboards, radio spots, etc.) seem to have "less good" vendors.

Weather looks to be mild, too. Which may get a bigger turn-out. Which can mean getting to see that we gun owners are often the worst possible examples of parking skill []

Here's to hoping you have a good time, even if only for the people watching.

There are about 30-40 tables there and basically vendors from within 100 miles or less. I go to find parts and pieces for projects, old reloading gear, old advertising or powder cans etc. For the last 10 years or so the firearms were usually priced quite high for what they were IMO. Going mostly to support having a profitable turnout so there will be shows in the future. Kind of like paying a small bit more to support local brick and mortar stores to help them remain profitable.

 

[CapnMac]

There are about 30-40 tables

Cool, that's the size I think of as a "VFW" show, from their use in central Texas for that size event.
Such shows, in Texas, seldom have jerky or spiced nuts vendors--competing with the VFW's kitchen not being agood way to get invited back.

 

[FROGO207]

All we see are firearms and blades there. No beanie babies, bumper stickers, or food there.

 

[DustyGmt]

They used to have one at the Radisson Inn in Lebanon, NH that was always pretty good. Also the one in Barre, VT was insane. Nothing compared to the places out west like TX but for new England those were some of the better ones I'd been to. It has been years since I've been to a good one.

The last couple times I went it was more dealers and shop owners which makes it kind of meh for me. I liked the ones with alot of private collectors and private sellers would put their goods out for sale and would sell to you on a handshake. That's where the real treasures were found, private sellers looking to cut a deal. Now anyone looking to sell a private firearm goes on gun broker and looks and thinks their gun is worth 1.5-2x what it's really worth where often times you could get a deal in the past because there was no internet and and guys just wanted to get what they had into it 30+ years ago..... at least that was my observation in years past, you could find Colt DS, Cobras and Woodsmans for example in the $200-$300 range. That would never happen nowadays.....

 

[FROGO207]

Well I went today. No surprises there. The firearms were about 1.5 X the pre pandemic prices. Front stuffers were in the $300-$500 range for used. Some repro mil surp junk, several tables of blades and leather sheathes. High prices there too. Primers-----Oh primers there was a guy selling them for $100 a brick and doing a brisk buisness. They were mostly 10-25 years old and said he had sold 38 bricks so far! All I got was a box of 12 GA brass shotshells from Magtech at $1 each but there was a guy selling individual hulls for $3.50 each. Ammo was mostly 3X the pre pandemic prices although some stuff like boxes of 338 Lapua mag were $125. Handgun ammo like 9MM, 38 SPL, 40 S&W in 50 round boxes were $60 and up. Lots of lookers and maybe 10% wearing masks.