Gun show findings - 3/28

T

The Great Mahoo

New member
The local gun-show rolled through town again this last weekend. I was surprised to see it as busy as it was. There was a lengthy line to get in at 8:00 am, and one longer at 10:30 when I was leaving :eek: I guess I figured that with the way things are, fewer people would be out to spend money. By the looks of the show, you'd never know there was an economic slowdown here!

I was also a little surprised at what I found inside. Prices were all higher than they should be, I guess due to demand though. With that many people coming to the shows these days, I guess they'll be people paying the inflated prices.

In terms of guns, I was shocked to see what some of the dealers had. Last year, I looked for months trying to find a .45colt DA revolver, hoping for a Smith & Wesson Mountain Gun, to no avail. After several months, one turned up in my local shop, which I quickly and happily snatched up. At the show this weekend, I must have seen 6 or 8 of them, including a blued one (I'd not realized they made any blued ones.) Also, I saw atleast a dozen Colt 1903's throughout the show, another gun I've not come across much in the past and had looked for. Sadly (or maybe not) I already had both of these, so didn't have to part with any of my cash on them now. I had hoped for a .327 revolver, but none were to be found :mad:

There were plenty of other used guns about the show, too, though no good deals.

I had planned on stocking up on some ammo, but was put off by the prices. There was a good many tables selling it, but it was very expensive yet still went fast. I know ammo costs are up across the board, but I will stick to buying from walmart for $33/100 of .45 ACPs for now. Even the guy selling reloads was up about 50% of his usual prices, and actually increased them from $21 to $25 a box of 50 while i was wondering around. Far too expensive, so it looks like I will have to make some time to load my own.

I did walk away with a few things, as I always seem to. I picked up a few 8-round mags for my 1911 ($15/each), a nice leather double-mag pouch ($25) for my 1911 (though found it to be very tight, so am stretching it out) and an accessory kit for my Mossin Nagant M-44 for a whopping $7. I was considering a Nagant 1895 revolver, but decided against it. I ended up goin back later in the day and buying it for $120 OTD. A little high, but I don't have my C&R for online order, the local dealer charges $25 per transfer, and I got to pick my choice from a few pieces, so I am happy.
 
we had one roll through this week end as well, opened at noon on fri. I got there at 12:30 and had to wait another half hour to get in.. All they had was mostly junk, what they did have that was good or decent they wanted an arm and a leg for. AR stuff was almost nonexistent, 3 sigs and 3 HK's lots of elcheapo's. NO AMMO other than some guy reloading **** in his basement, and asking 2 dollars less than factory new a box.
 
I was at a Hunting/Outdoor/Gunshow this past weekend too. Ammo prices were laughably high.

Wolf black box ammo was $45 for 100 rounds. (Last week I bought 300 rounds at Dunhams for $94 tax included.)

Wolf black box .223 was $50 for 100 rounds.

Between panic buying hoarders, and profiteer gun store owners, it is no wonder the prices are insane.
 
There were plenty of other used guns about the show, too, though no good deals.
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It's getting like that at all the shows it seems. I've been to several that I've walked away empty-handed; something that was unheard of at shows of previous years.:D For me they're still good to go to just to be there "shopping."
 
Went to one in Indy a couple of weeks ago and same thing. Packed and people hauling ammo out by the case, in some instances many cases! Anything 'tactical' was a hot item and gun pricing way up with few 'bargins' to be found.
 
One thing that surprised me was how expensive some mil-surp stuff was getting. I bought a Mossain M-44 rifle in January for $110 OTD. I don't think I saw much in the way of selection this time around (past gun shows had crates of them, literally) and prices were in the $175-250 range for them. I think the cheapest SKS I saw was near $400, though I wasn't particularly looking for them.
 
The 44's are drying up that is why the prices are going up. Very few C&R dealers have them now. Bad thing about C&R once they get them in they are a good price, once the dry up, expensive. I remember the SMLE jungle carbines going for $170. Wish I had the money to buy one then.

What show was it? Sometime I get to the Greensburg one.
 
Remember the $89 Makarovs?Pretty much the same story with all misurp stuff,once all the crates in Europe are empty,up goes the price,it's simply the law of supply vs demand...

That said,I picked up a NIB Ruger SR9 for $425 OTD,I think I did okay...
 
Gun shows seem to be over priced. I have seen dealers sell stuff at shows for 10-25% over ther store prices. You can sometimes get deals on mag carriers, holsters or other accssories. Plus beef jerky and non-firearms related stuff.
 
pesta2 said:
The 44's are drying up that is why the prices are going up. Very few C&R dealers have them now. Bad thing about C&R once they get them in they are a good price, once the dry up, expensive. I remember the SMLE jungle carbines going for $170. Wish I had the money to buy one then.

What show was it? Sometime I get to the Greensburg one.
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I, too, wished I had picked up a Jungle carbine SMLE. I saw one a couple months ago for a decent price; its about the only one I've seen in quite a while.

It was the show in Greensburg. I'm glad they started doing them there again; I never much cared to go to them in Monroeville or Harmorville.
 
Yeah I did not like the one at Monroeville at all. I use to get the best deals when it was at that old Mall in Greensburg.
 
I traded one Mosin rifle for another at the show Sunday. Pretty much got what I wanted there- even trade. Then I got a neat pistol, of course obscure and foreign. And needs a new extractor, I find out now. Well I had no rounds to test it there and they discourage loading guns! So now I gotta nuther expensive paperweight unless I can find obscure parts. None visible online. Pfffh to gun shows! :mad:
 
Going to one on Saturday. Don't wanna say where because the gun industry is obviously doing fine for the most part and I don't want a longer line to wait in.

I will talk about what was there after I go though.
 
Don't worry, everyone knows about it wherever it is and if there is gonna be a line, you are gonna have to join it. Otherwise, you can use strategy. Get there quite early and get in front, great if cold rainy windy. Wait a few hours for the first surge to die down and people to start leaving. Probably just before lunch, people will want to go eat. Sunday morning early. Less attendance early on Sundays. Or stay home and just imagine the worst gun show you have been to. Mental gun show! Lately you will not be off the mark by much if you leave your imaginary free gunshow, disgusted. Always remember. Alot of the dealers or so called dealers/sellers there, would tell a lie on their mother's grave, with hand over heart. They would do worse there, for a few dollars more. And you will maybe not know which ones, till the money is gone and you get home!
 
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