Gun Show today. Waste of time?

[solman]

Hello fellow shooters,
I went to the gun show today in Lake Harmony Pa. While I don't mind the crowds or the $8.00 admission fee, I found the prices were too high all around. On ammo $15.00 for 100 rounds of 22lr. I don't think so. Everyone was asking the same price as if they all got together before the show and set the price. New guns priced higher than brick and mortar stores . Powder overpriced, primers at $38 dollars a box. I thought these shows were supposed to be about saving a few bucks or at least finding a nice selection of used rifles. Mostly new guns and lots of AR's with little interest. I did miss out on a Marlin model 60 for $80. Guy beat me too it by about 2 minuets. This was by the only dealer who had what I thought were reasonable prices. I am wondering if it's worth the time and gas to even go to these shows?
I am always hoping for a fair deal on some ammo or a used rifle in good condition but never see any.
Just my rant for today....

 

[redneck2]

Evidently these guys haven't gotten the memo that the shortages are ending. Also, they may have paid too much and are still hoping to get their money back. Greater fool theory.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I go because it's more of a show and tell than a sell. In the used market, I see the same old guys with the same old guns at the same old high prices. Their's are worth a mint, your's just like isn't worth even Blue Book. I sometimes look at a piece just to listen to the song and dance....At 8 bucks, it's cheaper than a movie and far more entertaining if you don't get wrapped around the axle over asking prices.

 

[Archie]

Do Not Attend a Gun Show - If...

One desires to find brand-new guns and factory ammunition at give-away prices.

One desires to sell a rather ordinary gun for above Blue Book prices in the theory the buyer will then sell it at a loss.

One is uninterested in finding out anything new. At all.

One expects to pick up a really hot looking girl who has 'a thing' for anyone peripherally interested in firearms.

One expects to be recognized as the world's authority on much anything.

One does not want to talk to 'people'.

On the other hand, if one is seeking something out of the ordinary, or one seeks certain 'bits and pieces' pertaining to one's interests, or one just wants an excuse to talk guns with like-minded people, a typical gun show isn't such a bad place to be.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

there are very few items that i've ever seen at a gun show that i couldn't get online cheaper

 

[Silver Duck]

I went to one in Wilmington, MA (suburban Boston) today; I agree with the OP. More knives and militaria than guns, prices were higher than at the LGS, and vendor attendance seemed lower than last year. Waste of twelve bucks!

Still, ammo was a bit more plentiful (which is a good sign) except for 22 lr. There's more of that in my ammo stash than there was at the whole show.

 

[Sam1911]

Truth be told, I attend about one gun show a year, but have been slipping even from that in the last few years.

It is fun to see stuff, but I don't really have discretionary income to blow on "fun guns" or neat-o historical pieces that might tickle my fancy while walking around. Anything serious I've budgeted long and hard for and know what I want, what I'll have to pay for it, and where I'll get it long before I buy. So finding a great deal on some really nifty 1938 Wimarlington side-shucker in .250-450 Martini Express Improved that I'd just LOVE to make a project out of and work up a great load for and polish up nice... well, that's just frustrating.

Components, ammo, other gear? I've been around the block, and the web, enough times to know where the best prices are likely to be found and I shop hard for them. Paying parking and an entrance fee to go see if MAYBE I might beat my local shop's prices on powder or primers? Nope. Waste of time.

So, I don't see much point, myself. Now as entertainment, or to take a newly minted gun nut out just to "see it all?" Yeah, they're good for that. It just doesn't come up that often for me.

 

[NMPOPS]

I totally agree with Archie. I go to the shows mostly just to look and pick up a few odds and ends. I picked up a nice set of J-Magna grips last weekend. I nice just to hang out and evry now and then you get a deal that makes it worth going.

 

[wally]

I saw some good signs that things might be headed in the right direction at todays Premier gun show at GRB. Good attendance, but not so crowded as to be uncomfortable. Ten months ago the lines were so long I turned around and went home.

Lots of ammo at high prices with essentially zero interested buyers.

Lots of Tavors, with and without the Meprolight optic, most still above MSRP but several at MSRP, both in black and DE color, didn't see any move.

S&W Shields, still mostly a bit high but saw some under $400, both 9mm & .40S&W. Eight months ago if you saw a Shield it was $550 and gone if you went back an hour later.

Several Kel-Tec KSG, most at $1400+ but one was at $1100 and had a crowd around it.

Several Glock mag Kel-Tec SU2000, but at $600 they attracted little interest.

More ARs that I could count, pretty full spectrum from $600 "sporters" to $2700+ models. AKs were still pretty scarce and thus overpriced when found but nobody seemed to be looking for them.

SCAR prices both 5.56 & 7.62 seemed stuck at levels from 6-8 months ago, and few seemed to even look at them.

About he only magazines that weren't easy to find at decent prices were S&W M&P mags.

Used guns were generally scarce and overpriced $600 for an AMT BackUp made me grin.

I jumped on a used Trijicon dual illuminated RMR in a LaRue LTT26 QD mount for $300.


In the unusual category, saw a Chicago Palm Pistol for "only" $2500 I'd only seen these on TV (Tales of the Gun, in a few Westerns) and books & magazines so I thought it was pretty neat. I think there were less that 13000 made and to have survived 120+ years is pretty remarkable. As far as I know there is no ammo available for them to shoot.

Product has to be out there and not moving for prices go retreat. I think the "panic" is largely gone and buyers are now looking for the right price, myself included

 

[Dmath]

You do occasionally see some interesting things at the bigger shows. I once saw one of those Philippine back-country handmade revolvers that I should have picked up. Handmade from blanks of steel, as I understand it, with much filing and fitting. Actually, it was not fire-able. It had been shot out, it looked like, and was not whatever the gun equivalent of airworthy would be. Price was about $350. . . definitely a collector's item.

That and the gun-show atmosphere. Since moving away from a major metropolitan area three years ago, when I went to seven or eight gun shows a year, I miss them.

I have gotten excellent deals at them, including a ton of primers for cheap back then. But mostly it's just the atmosphere. I like them.

 

[Twiki357]

I have to agree. The one I went to today was only $5 admission. I only found three guns worth looking at. One was over priced by about $200, the next one didn’t look safe to shoot, and the third was a real nice S&W Model 36, no dash with a 3” barrel and a good price with someone else filling out the 4473 for it. Ammo was a total loss. Two sellers of reloads at $28 to $32 for 50 rounds depending on caliber…. Forget it. Oh, and one guy with a load of Wolf large pistol primers at $42 a brick… Ouch! But it wasn’t a complete loss; I spent a good half hour chatting with a WWII vet.

 

[medalguy]

Remember most of us here are pretty net-savvy. But there are a lot of others who may not even own a computer, let alone surf the ne looking for bargains. To these people, and there are a LOT of them, gun shows are the only place to find many things that they want. For the rest of us, we know all about Top Brass, Powder Valley, and Jeff Bartlett and we take advantage of those vendors and everything else seems over-priced.

However, there are a lot of deals to be had at most any gun show, if you know your products and know what they are worth.

 

[WaywardSon]

Got a show coming up locally next weekend & I will be there. If it is anything like the last few shows, "deals" will be in short supply. At least from the vendors that are actually paying for a table Ammo and components will be scarce. But there is always something of interest to be found & I will have some trading material with me. Best bet in my experience if you have the time is to hang out near the entrance and check out what folks are bringing in. More likely to find a bargain there than inside. Bring cash

 

[PabloJ]

Glad I went. I held unfired US Arms .44Magnum revolver from Riverhead NY. The finish was flawless and action very smooth. Very impressive piece of US craftsmanship for price of new Ruger SA.

 

[Ignition Override]

redneck2:
True, and the sellers hope that so many show visitors never browse through gun websites, and that their buyer behavior is still based on rumours and herd mentality.

Let's have more understanding for the sellers because they will also face the totally unknown consequences of the "Unaffordable Care Act", when a larger fraction of doctors will Refuse to accept new patients using Medicare (and very co$tly medicine deductibles etc). Not kidding here.

 

[Dean1818]

I found a slightly used Bushnell Banner illuminated reticle and rings for $40 at a show here in Mesquite, TX yesterday. Couldnt pass it up

Tasted turkey jerky for the 1000th time

Almost bought my son an M44 Mosin for $123

Bought some Silver

Lusted over some guns that shall not buy......

Mostly, it was 2 hours of quality time with my teenager, who is 18

 

[Zoogster]

Gun shows have not been about finding gun and gun related items for flea market prices for a long time.

At one time they were but the internet has all but killed that.
The lack of surplus any newer than pre WW2 also means they will never quite be what they were when there was things like crates of SKS rifles so cheap you could buy 5 for less than a single budget US gun.
Select fire has been standard since WW2, our military destroys handguns and other civilian legal firearms rather than let you get your hands on them, and newer UN laws encourage destruction of small arm stockpiles rather than sales to civilians.
While a lot of surplus ammunition cannot be imported or has dried up.
The result is surplus is a dying market. And for decades it was the source of inexpensive decent quality firearms that tended to end up in mass at places like gunshows.

There was a time when if someone wanted to offload things in a timely manner they priced them below value at a gun show, but in higher quantity or for more than they could get from a pawn shop. So in addition to browsing neat items there was people trying to get rid of things cheaply.
That was how people got into touch with the market, locally at the gun themed swap meet.
Today people wanting to sell something under market value can instantly be put in touch with a much greater market all across the country.
This means they can sell firearms just as quickly for even less of a loss.
So those wishing to sell their guns for less than what they cost from other sources have no reason to attend a gun show to do it. Auctions will bid it up to more than what someone would have had to offload it for in a hurry before. And someone can browse similar sales or auctions and get an idea of what they might successfully sell their gun for, so they are less apt to sell it severely underpriced.
As a result people trying to sell guns inexpensively are rare at gun shows.

This leaves primarily people that go to gun shows to sell at or above market value in the attempt to make a profit.
Most of these individuals don't have an economy of scales comparable to many online or retail firearm stores and so have to sell them for more to even make it worth their time to travel, pay admission, and then sit around for hours.

One neat thing about gun shows is they can condense a lot of firearm merchandise into one location. So you can see lots of stuff in person and buy something if you are interested. Not for less, but because you want it and it is available.
It is like a gun magazine in person. Rather than images on a screen like internet browsing. You may also stumble upon models or accessories you were not aware of and become more aware.
You can also be around other people into firearms, as most sellers are only going out and spending hours sitting around making less than they would from hourly wages at many jobs because they like trading and dealing in firearms.



However people that continue to think of them as large bazaars where you can get guns cheaper than elsewhere are likely to be disappointed.
Widespread internet ended those days.

 

[itchy1]

The only time I even attend shows is when I'm looking to sell something. It's not very difficult to ask a fair price for something and actually get it. Compared to the outrageous prices the dealers are asking, a sensibly priced gun can seem like a bargain.

 

[Willie Sutton]

And every now and then you can find an unfired Valmet M-76 slung on the back of a guy walking around with a small "for sale" sign taped to the barrel and buy it for $750....


Gun shows are the wrong venue to find new guns or buy ammo. Those are just boxes with a price on them from a sales standpoint and you are likely better finding them closer to home. Gunshows are for networking, meeting people, and finding that little treasure in a box sitting on the back of a table someplace. And the guy with the Valmet walking around with it for sale with everyone thinking it's just another AK and not even asking about it....




Willie

.

 

[redneck2]

And, if you think about it, how many times do we go into a huge big box store like Best Buy and not get anything, even though they have millions of dollars of inventory per store. It's the latest stuff at the best prices

I used to work part time at the LGS. The first few years, when we had a local show we'd spend hours packing up stuff and hauling it to the show. Prices were so competitive everyday that we really couldn't mark it down, particularly after paying for the booth and the extra manpower. Then guys would come from the show back to the store and bitch because the shelves were half empty. Everything was at the show. I guess everybody thought we got new stuff just for their entertainment at the show.

Vendors aren't in it to buy stuff, then sell it to you at a loss just so you can tell your friends what a great deal you got. As noted previously, shows were great pre-internet days when all you had was a local market. You could shop dozens of stores under one roof. Now we can shop worldwide from home.

 

[cfullgraf]

I do attend the local gun shows when it does not take two to three hours to get in. The local gun stores in my parts just do not carry the kinds of things I am interested in or enough variety in inventory.

Even so, the number of vendors at the shows that have things that I am shopping for is few and far between but I like to browse and see what folks are charging and the trend in prices.

There is one regular vendor that usually has a good supply of powder, primers and bullets. I have not bought bullets from him but usually buy some powder or primers to replenish some stock.

I like to see what folks are trying to get for their Garands and M1 Carbines and I did find a nice IHC Garand to round out my collection at a show a year or so ago. I probably paid a premium but since CMP keeps delaying the sales of there IHC Garands and I afraid my luck will run out on the "special" Garands", I bought it anyway.

Once in a while, I will find a firearm that I cannot live without and is outside the normal self defense category gun. But mostly the tables are covered with Glocks, Sigs, Springfields, S&W M&Ps and the like. I can only need so many home defense or carry guns.

I do not feel the gun shows around here are as good as in the past, but it has some entertainment value and I find enough "treasures" to keep me going back.

 

[rugerman07]

I haven't seen any real bargins at a gun show in a long time. I use to go quite often, but not so much anymore.

 

[cheesebigot]

Going to a gun show these days, especially in the interest of acquiring a firearm below MSRP, is like going to the hospital to bandage a scraped knee - lots of people there with what you want, never at the price you're looking for.

I don't go anymore with intent to buy, I go to look and network. The guns are merely secondary to comparing vendors from a price/service perspective, learning about guns I've never heard of or seen, meeting people with similar tastes, discovering what's really beyond my front door in terms of businesses and people, and sampling all the beef jerky.

It doesn't hurt that one can occasionally find a deal on surplus ammo from some individual looking to gain some space in his garage.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

No such thing as bargin ammo or firearms these days. I see our local gun shows as a social experience, a chance to have the guy who does leather work make something for me, maybe find an old S&W revolver and who knows what else. Might do a little trading if I see domething I like or have been searching for. I go woth no expectations which means I'm not disappointed. Anyway we have one next week and I plan to go.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I have bought some cool hand made knives at gun shows.

I'm down to about 1/year and I go pretending I am going to find a quality coach gun for $100, then I go home.