Sheesh I hate gun shows.

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Y'know, if one walks into a crowded room with the attitude that everyone in there is going to be a selfish jerkhole out to rip you off, then this becomes what we call a "self-fulfilling prophecy".

Also, the guy with the table isn't going to buy a gun at full pop. Your gun may be worth, say, $350. That's what he can hang a price tag on it for. Now, your separated-at-birth twin at the gun show across the state isn't gonna pay no $350 for it. No sir. That's full price, and full price is a ripoff. He came to the gun show for a deal, not to get ripped off.

Now, if your clone across the state won't buy the gun from the guy for more than $300, and you won't sell it for less than $350, how is the guy in the middle supposed to make a dime without both of you thinking he's a crook?

Riddle me that.
 
Actually I walk into places with a friendly attitude and expect to be treated at least cordially as a potential customer and what I usually get is a "chip on the shoulder, been there seen it all, heard it all, I'm going to charge you for the time of day" attitude.

I do realize that folks are there to make a living and I don't have a problem with that. however what ever happened to straight foward honest wheeling and dealing? If someone said "your gun is worth $350 retail but I'll give you $275 cash or $300 trade" that would be a welcome refreshing change. and that person would actually have a chance of getting a profit off of me.

The art of haggling seems to have gone by the wayside as well I've gone to table after table and asked what they could do on a certain gun. Invariably they point to the price tag and walk away.

I guess if these folks can make money being rude, condescending, unyielding and abrubt to potential customers then more power to them.

Doesn't mean I have to like it.
 
What you have is a post war P1. It is the same thing as a P38, just a new name for the post WW2 German army. They are pretty good guns, and there are no particular problems you need to be aware of.
Click to expand...

If his gun is stamped "P38", it's a post-war commercial P38, not a P1. P1s are stamped "P1". Commercial P38s are worth more than P1s, just because there's been a recent flood of surplus P1s on the market, as the German Army sold their old pistols when they upgraded.

Here's a picture of a surplus P1...note the markings on the slide.

attachment.php
 
CA gunshows sucks. Nevada has better shows. The best story here is Hillbilly's recovery of his stolen Rem 700. Now that's a bedtime story worth telling. :)
 
Marko,

Interesting information you have there, and I stand corrected.

I just checked a gun that I thought was a P1; it has P38 stampings on it, but I don't see anything that looks like army proofmarks, so maybe its commercial after all. It doesnt have the finish I would expect on a Walther commercial gun (it looks parkerized).

Were all german army P1s marked with P1 on them?

This is exactly why one has to be very careful at gunshows, especially with military guns... just when you think you have enough info, you find out you dont.

How much is a post war commercial P38 worth? When I bought this one, I thought it was a P1 and paid $250. Its a fairly nice shooting little gun, but the DA trigger pull is kind of stout.
 
Just check the importer stamp on the weapon and contact them. They can tell you exactly what you have. You can get P1s for a bit under $300 the last time I checked.

As for gunshows I'm spoiled. I've used to live near Tulsa for several years and loved going to the Gunshows there. Nothing measures up anymore. Our area shows in Panama City, Ft Walton, Pensacola and Tallahassee are puny in comparison. Still, if you have cash in hand you stand to make some very good deals.



Good Shooting
Red
 
Gun shows are like used car lots!

When you go to buy or sell at either one you must remember that nobody is there to do anybody favors. Everybody is looking for a bargain. Yes, some of the people you meet there are really -------'s but that's nothing particularly new - is it? Do your homework on which gun(s) you want to buy or sell. Don't get all emotional, bargain hard, and from time to time you can get really good deals. And, you must be willing to walk away from a deal that isn't "just right" for you. Often, late in the day I'll go back to the seller/buyer and see how they feel. Often they have not had a good day and your deal will look much better to them then. I really don't enjoy gun shows all that much but good deals are possible. You just have to know what you are doing. Good shooting;)
 
Every gunshow I've been to in Alaska has been terrible. It's a mix of the sad dog handguns and rifles from the stock of all the local gunshops, plus small-time vendors with massively overpriced garbage. The only good values I've found have been non-firearm items such as old Rifle magazines. The last great gunshow is ON LINE. The real life ones are rip offs, at least up here.
 
My gunshow experience similar to Art's.
Both sides of the table for me.
Lot of good folks on both sides of the tables.
A few bad ones both sides of the tables.

Like the rest of life's experiences.

Sam
 
i know the feeling.i would go to waste an afternoon on a weekend just so i wouldnt have to go hang around at a hen party or to trade something that i didnt shoot anymore.the private sellers will give you a better trade or sale but you have to watch them.they have helpers that work their junk throughout the show.will follow you round till you get tired of carrying it or will make you some ridiculous offer.ive seen it at some big shows.your gun you just traded is now worth much much more(the guy "beams" a smile at it and wipes it down,writes a new sticker and carefully lays it with his other guns).the prices are so ridiculous they wont buy it from you unless they can make a hundred off it.the dealers will make a good deal but only if you have cash.ive bought several such "novelty" guns (i call them that because they are missing parts and its a surprise to discover this on the range..)good luck returning to get your money back.ive tried this and it doesnt work.its my opinion that the shows have gone downhill the last 6 years.im pretty much done traveling to them to get insulted and ripped off,the buffalo jerky was kinda good though.
 
I LOVE gun shows. I go to them all over NM. You might say its my hobby. Last weekend I put 570 miles on going to one. I still find the occasional great buy, but after my drive and motels I probably don't come out much ahead. Who cares! Like I said I love them and it is a hobby. The closer shows are where I find the gun I've been wanting AND make a few bucks. A couple of years ago I bought up quite a few flat top Rugers. If I wanted, I could unload them for a wonderfull profit. A whole lot more than if I had invested the money. All bought, one or two at a time at GUN SHOWS throughout the state. I LOVE GUN SHOWS. Thanks to you guys that hate them so much I can still find good buys. Like I said, I HATE GUN shows. EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS HIGH PRICED!!;)
 
I've had a lot of fun at gunshows. One of the better things I've been able to do is to cater to what look like poorer families, looking for a starter gun for a kid, or just something to use to put meat on the table. I've gotten a fair number of teenagers started out--and to heck with a profit on THAT particular gun! My own version of paying my debt to the Lord, I reckon; pass along some of my own good luck...

It's fun to tease folks: "Did you just buy that lovely treasure, or are you trying to get rid of that old piece of junk?" :D Or get a grin when they see the sign on my table, "This ain't no museum. This junk is FOR SALE!"

Gun parts, good-used reloading equipment--lots of times I've really lucked out.

I've made some pretty good friends, through gun shows.

:), Art
 
Or get a grin when they see the sign on my table, "This ain't no museum. This junk is FOR SALE!"
Click to expand...

I saw a table displaying a sign with that exact saying this past weeekend at the Houston Gun Collectors show. My friend and got a good chuckle from that.
 
I love gun shows,about half of the dealers have "store front shops",and only maybe 2% are rip off artists.We get about 50 shows a year these days,compared to the 3 a year of just a few years ago.Yes,you do have to know abit about what your buying,is it any differant walking into any shop?
 
Ok...Tamara I will bite....

How does the guy in the middle make money???

By selling you the accesories!;)

There are good and bad on both sides of the tables.

I just get tired of the guys with low overhead/high prices.

Shouldn't bother me, because I prefer to patronize my local shop anyway.

Their prices on new and used guns are better than most of the prices I see at gun shows, and I have somewhere to take it I have a problem.

And the remark about knowing prices is spot on....

I cringe when I see adds for used guns that are as much/more than msrp

You just no some poor schmo paid full boat retail and now he is trying to sell it for more than I would have to pay down the street for a new one.
 
I don't hate gun shows, but they aren't exactly the Land of Good Deals either.

A lot of the sellers, in my experience, are often rude. This only surprises me because I am unfailingly polite to almost everyone.

Maybe sitting around all day while people fiddle with your guns, sweeping you with them, half-dissasembling them, only to say they are "overpriced crap" and leave would put me in a bad mood too.

:D

That said, I have had some intereting conversations at shows with sellers, and have seen some fair, if not great, deals.
 
Heh.

The best sign I saw on a table at a gun show said "Your wife just called. She said it's okay."

Wish I'd thought of that one. :D
 
I hate gun shows also....

.... I spend too much money at them.


This weekend there was a gun show locally and I got a S&W Model 57 and a new Ruger GP100 (Special Edition). I am not exactly sure why it is called a "Special Edition" other than the length of the barrel is 5".
 
Most of the gunshows I've attended in Virginia haven't been really great. Kinda small, but I still like going. The one in Harrisonburg VA a few weeks ago was pretty small, but I did see some good deals there. Saw a new Glock in .357 Sig for $450, and an S.A. M1A with wood stock for $950 new.

Then of course I saw a Kahr MK-9 for $570:scrutiny: . If I want to pay retail, I'll buy online and save the sales tax!
 
A little off-topic...but along the lines of the wife thing

I was looking at DSA fals...kept swapping back and forth looking at the 21" barrel and the carbine


Owner of the store walks by and says...can't decide...just buy both!

Hope he doesn't moonlight as a marraige counselor

Couple months later...looking at HK45Compacts...trying to decide between stainless and black slides....he looks at me ..."Don't say it!"
 
I really like gun shows - - -

Not all of 'em are great, but most are pretty good, if you have the right attitude.

I usually go with the idea of buying some loading components or some parts, but I do take along as much case as I can spare, too.

I haggle with a couple of my favorite vendors for bulk bullets, powder. and/or primers. No haz mat or shipping fees! Yeah, I know it's figured into the price, but the guy who orders thousands of bucks worth at a time gets a better rate than I would. On Sunday afternoon, he's looking at having to pack that stuff up and carry it home. He'll usually knock off a few bucks. He's happy and I'm happy. :p

Several people know generally the type guns I like and will bargain with me. I see old friends and make new ones. Even the abrupt people will often warm up if you nod and smile and ask how their day's going. I compliment their nice stuff, too, 'cause I may see the same guy next year. If interested in something, I ask the price and if too high, I grin and say, "thanks for your time," and wander on. Frequently, on my second trip through, the dealer will recall the exchange and re-open dealing. "You really interested in that old Colt? I could come off the price some . . . ."

Most dealers with a lot of new stuff won't come off their rices much, if at all. Just as with automobiles, the real dealing comes when you have something decent to trade, and the dealer knows where he can turn a buck on the trade-in.

People don't pay for tables, pack up, travel, pay expenses, and such, because they're philanthropists. Well, other than Art . . . . I consider gun shows as mostly social events. The occasional oportunity to make a decent buy or swap is just a bonus. :D

Best,
Johnny
 
Gunshows

I love going to gunshows but as stated, you have to know the value of what you're looking for/selling. YOu can do really well or you can get ripped off.

I recently had an opportunity to work the other side of the table - and let me tell you, it can be just as bad from the sellers point of view. Most of the people are ok but you WILL get the occasional wacko.
 
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