First gunshow in a while... Disappointing.

Theres least one NFA dealer with stuff you can't buy.

True - I've seen the same dealer haul the same $16,000 M-16 to at least four different shows over the past few years, and I really don't go to that many shows.
 
He got $650 for a Detective Special on a trade in? Good for him. Could be because it was NIB. The one I was looking at locally was $450 with not a scratch on it. No box or papers. Could just be that it's a different area.

Yeah,

We are in tn. He had all the papers and the original hard case and original cardboard box that the hard case came in.
 
Gun shows here suck bad. Overpriced new guns and very limited selection of used guns. I usually just go to handle the selection then do my buying from Buds.
 
Gun shows are mostly over priced as hell, but, deals are there if you look hard enough and perhaps get a little lucky.

My last gun show didn't result in a gun, but I did find a great price on a Spyderco Endura. That was worth the price of admission by itself.
 
Gun shows are also educational, especially antique gun shows where there's a lot of old guns to learn about.
Sometimes gun shows are a good way to make contacts with some of the area vendors. Obtain their business card, find out where they're from, what kind of services that they offer and what kind of guns that they specialize in.
For instance, I've become familiar with a Walther importer and know where to find parts and have service done. I've found a local vendor who had a supply of long discontinued guns for sale that he didn't even bring to the shows. I learned about vendors that specialize in High Standard parts and Winchester parts. Vendors will often hand over their business card and invite someone to contact them anytime after the show. They can be a wealth of information too.
Gun shows are more than just about buying guns. It's about meeting business people and actually getting to know more about them, learning about gun models and products that you never knew anything about, and the market values of guns even if you're not interested in buying them. The prices, products and people all have a story to tell.
And by going to a gun show a person can also learn how to haggle. Sometimes talking with a vendor is better than walking away! ;)
 
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Went to one today by St. Louis. Apparently Saiga 12-gauges are worth $800 bone stock and M855 is $1 per round. Ridiculous.

The only thing I left with was a box of Girl Scout cookies. :D
 
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