Did I screw up?

T

taylorce1

New member
Went to a gun show today and it was terrible. Really was looking for some scopes and found a few old Denver Redfields that I tried to haggle on and no one was in the mood today I guess. Found a nice gloss Leupy Vari-X III 2.5-8X36 for $325. Tried to talk the guy down by stating I could get a new VX3 for $399 and his glass was at least 3 generations old. Couldn't get him to budge to $300 out the door so I walked.

Went to a different table found a unique old shooter rifle a Winchester Model 54 in .30 WCF (.30-30). Lady came by and said it was priced to sell, after noting my intrest. This was a shooter rifle not a collector so it did have a lower price but it still wasn't what I was willing to pay.

First thing I noticed about it was the stock. It appeared to be in a M70 Supergrade stock with stainless sling swivels. Next thing I noticed was the receiver had been D&T for a side mount scope. Then I noticed that the bolt knob was wrong it was more of a knurled cylinder than a round ball, looked like the bolt handle had been threaded and this one screwed on. Last thing I noticed was the bottom metal had been coated with a flat black paint, at least that is my guess as to what they had used since it was starting to flake.

It was priced under $500 but not enough for my taste. I asked the lady what the bottom dollar they needed for the rifle? She again said it was priced to sell at that price and she couldn't make that decision I needed to talk to Jerry. I asked where Jerry was and all she said was "around" so I asked her to have him paged or call his cell because I was ready to buy but I wanted to talk it over. She basicly didn't want to hassle with that so I walked away. Just wondering if I should have walked? It was a neat rifle but just a shooter like I said.

Wish I could go back and talk to Jerry, I think if I showed some cash to him I could probably walk out with it for around $400. Who knows though the gun shows are becoming a PITA to find good deals. I realize these guy have to pay for space and travel expenses, but I'd think they would want to move some stuff once in a while. I always see a lot fo looking but very few people buying.
 
I think you did the right thing in every instance. But if you really need a 2 X 7 redfield widefield I've got one I might part with. In came on a nice LH Rem 700 30-06 out the door for $374. That's the kind of deal you shouldn't walk away from.
 
She basicly didn't want to hassle with that so I walked away.
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That gun has had some (or a lot) or work done to it. If it was priced to sell there was likely a reason. I'd have walked away from that gun on that reason alone.

Couple that with the fact that she couldn't make the deal and wasn't willing to find someone who could, I'd have certainly walked.
 
I noticed the same thing at Gun Shows recently , nobody wants to haggle . Even when their stuff is overpriced . Have the rules changed or what ? I tried to haggle with one guy that had some overpriced magazines . He acted like I had cussed his mother , got downright rude . I told him that if we were outside , he would be picking himself up off the ground . I may never go to another Gun Show !
 
In the last couple of years (at least in my neck of the woods), there are no "deals" at gun shows. The only advantage to even going is you have a lot of vendors in one building, so you might save a few bucks on gas by not driving to all the different shops. Seems like they are willing to sit on these guns forever instead of knocking a couple dollars off and moving some product. I suppose the rules have changed in every aspect of todays economy.
 
yap i think gun shows all over have went downhill its a dang shame to it was one of my favorite things to do but I aint been to one in three years now. I was thinking about going to the next one but now you guy just ended that ideal
 
+1 for MOA.
Not sure what happened in the last 10 years but the 'deals' are few and far between.
Maybe Glenn has a PhD candidate that wants to do their dissertation on why:)
 
I still get flyers from the Odessa, Texas, promoter from when I had a table at his shows. Table prices have gone from $15 to now $40. Motel prices are also up; $40 or $50 where they once were "special deal for gunshow dealers" at $28.

Incredible prices for rusty old Colt SAA parts, or for rusty old Winchesters. I can see high prices for quality collector items, but for a bunch of rust? Duh?

Same sort of thing for ancient scopes, as well. Some of the coatings from forty and fifty years back do indeed evaporate with time. Stout and rugged is all well and good, but reduced clarity is not good.

Leaving FFL folks out of the commentary, it looks like a fair percentage of private sellers think that just because it's old, it's a high-value collectible. Er, uh, no, not necessarily so.
 
I haven't bought many guns at gun shows recently, but picked one up at the last one by dickering. It was later in the morning and the second time I'd been to the booth. I usually go all around and check guns and prices quickly, making eye contact with the dealer and saying a few minor comments, then go back to the ones where I found something I may want.

Don't go to a gun show thinking you must buy something. If you want a new shotgun, don't try to dicker at a gun show or shop within a month of the bird season or a deer rifle near deer season. Best deals will be in the off-season! Hot selling semi-autos and ARs = not best dickering. Revolvers = better chance to get a good deal.

Gun show haggling usually occurs when the crowds are down, often at the end of each day. If it's been a bad day for a table, the guy will want to cover his losses. If a good day and he doesn't want to deal, just walk away. Saying anything negative to him back doesn't help on your next deal. Sometimes others overhear your conversations or see your attitude. Take the high road and don't let him drag you down to his level.

Being a former gunsmith, I know what to look for and know what I can easily fix. I also know that many used guns at gun shows (and internet) have flaws. You need to know what to expect and whether the gamble is worth the risk. Failures to fire, feed or eject are common on handguns. Bad rifle bedding is also. Firing failures are extremely common on single-shot break-open shotguns and a few doubles.

Buying from a dealer who's shop is within a reasonable distance and will stand behind the gun is the best situation.

Good luck and good dealing.
 
I may never go to another Gun Show !
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You may never be allowed to go to another gun show after threatening to hurt someone. :(




I noticed the same thing at Gun Shows recently , nobody wants to haggle . Even when their stuff is overpriced . Have the rules changed or what ? I tried to haggle with one guy that had some overpriced magazines . He acted like I had cussed his mother , got downright rude . I told him that if we were outside , he would be picking himself up off the ground . I may never go to another Gun Show !
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Went to the show yesterday in Tucson. There was nothing that I wanted there and everything else was overpriced. There was s one new stuff there but it seemed like a majority of it was old used stuff. Not just used but old stuff. Honestly I saw about 3-4 times where there was duct tape on the stock of an old rifle. I can understand if it was priced real low but they were still asking a couple hundred for this old beat up Cleatus rifle. I doubt if I will go to another one. Left there and went straight to Sportsmans Warehouse to get the Savage I was hoping to find a good deal on at the show. Fourth and last time going to the gunshow.
 
Well I'm a haggler, as well as a hooligan,;)When I walk up to a booth they are all polite. Now if they want to sell me something they'd dang sure better act like it. Most times if I see something I just can't live without, I can usually haggle it down to what I'm willing to spend.. I say usually, you want to see something funny, go to a carlot with me!:D I've been in fistfights while trying to buy a car for crist sakes!!!:rolleyes: but i digress.;)And as to the OP's question, no you didn't!!:)
 
Well, I don't feel bad about walking. Just kind of feel bad that I didn't wait to talk to Jerry. You don't see those old Winchesters in .30-30 very often anymore. While I'd love a pristine one shooters are more fun.

Thanks for the replies!
 
Was at one a few weeks ago and it seemed like most things were more expensive there than at the store. Powder was a few dollars more. The only thing that might have been a little cheaper were primers. I left with a few ammo boxes and some brass, but even then I had to pick through because some of the bags of brass were more than new while some were actually ok.
 
I don't think you screwed up because to me, a model 54 in any caliber is only cool when its original and hopefully clean. They're not as great as model 70s, value wise, feature wise, demand wise, etc so they need to be original and nice to be worth it. Sounds like this one was almost not a model 54 anymore and it didn't have anything else to redeem it. I don't think some know-nothing woman (sorry, I can't help it) helping her husband sell guns using the phrase "priced to sell" itself is a deterrent from the gun but the modifications sure are. Priced to sell on a gun like that is $300 and odds are, if it was priced to sell, it would have been gone before you looked at it yourself; priced-to-sell.

As for the scope, I have a 3.5x10x40 like new in the box I would sell for $350 so I suppose your scope could be a mistake, in some people's eye but as for that model 54, leave it with them for the priced to sell price that they had trouble selling it for :rolleyes:
 
I've seen a few deals here and there at the gun shows in my area recently. If anything, sometimes prices are slightly below retail, but for the most part, it's just like having a bunch of gun shops all in one place. I picked up a Colt AR-15 for less than retail average at the last show I went to.

One guy that has a big set up (10 tables, all reloading related) was asking $42 for a thousand small pistol primers!!! Primers have been available in my area (Pittsburgh, PA) for quite some time now. He got away with charging that during the panic when Obama was elected, but that won't fly now. I asked him if he knew that he was over-priced (compared to other vendors) by $10, and he said that it was a "fair price". I smiled and walked away.
 
I went to my first gun show last month. I was severely disappointed. The prices on new weapons were the same or higher than what I've found at regular gun stores. The prices on rusty and worn out curios/relics were out of this world too. :(

Dealers were very rude and did not want to bargain on anything. It was a bad experience, and had I been someone new to firearms, it might have dissuaded me from getting a gun altogether.

I don't think I'll be back to another gun show for some time after the horrendous experience.
 
Same here in Utah, the current political climate has gun/accessory vendors thinking that they have the consumer over a barrel. The gun market is hot enough that they feel confident that they can hold their ground and name their price. Prices on everything are absolutely ridiculous.
Deals are out there to be had, you just have to be patient and keep pounding the pavement. It took me a full year to find the 7mm rifle that I wanted at a price I was actually willing to pay.
Gun shows are a good venue to look, and not buy.
 
Well looks like someone bought the rifle and is trying to turn a little profit off of it. I found it listed on Arms List today. Don't know if he sold it yet but I know this is the exact same rifle I was looking at because of the bolt knob.

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