Gun Show in several weeks

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Steelers252006

New member
Live in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. Is a gun show the place to go to find GREAT deals on new and quality used weapons, or are pawn shops and guns shops the way to go? I'm now looking at purchasing my CCW and want to find the best deal I can. Thanks!!
 
Gunshows?

Let me say I have been to probably a couple of gun shows a year, for a good number of years(Virginia)...I have bought guns and ammo at some, and walked out with nothing ftom others...
I have found a few GOOD deals, but have not found any what I would call GREAT deals. About 3 weeks ago, I went to a gun show, and bought my Ruger SR9c there. The best price I had found(and that was online)was $398.00--then add on transfer fee($20.00). Got it at the show for $389.00 + tax....so I DID save a bit of money, and it WAS a GOOD deal-but again, not a GREAT deal.:D
What I have found works best is to go with a good idea of what you want, and what a good price for it is. Then shop the dealers at the show. Stay away from impulse buys, unless you KNOW the price is a good one.
Same for ammo...every now and then someone may be having a pretty good deal on ammo. If you know the average going price for it, you may pick up some for a good price.
Hope this helps!!
Pud
 
In my opinion gun shows are not what they used to be. Years ago they were the place to go for good deals. Anymore it seams like they are about the same as going to your local store, except that they usually have a better inventory.
 
Gun shows you get scammed today, some guy was selling his single shot shotgun 12/20g I forget, for like $35.. Over heard it while I was standing there.

Most guns are $20~$40 more than the shops locally, only good stuff is hand crafted leather by locals, magazines. Lately pamper chef has had their hand in a few gun shows, a team of 3~4 women come with loads of stuff, then you got those ninja knife kids. Like 500 knifes all under $20 prices. I call them the Ninja tables. Then you got the German stuff. You see like 1 or 2 private sellers, or a few walking around trying sell a rifle/shotgun over priced...

Look for private sales, good deals there. When I buy privately I make sure the seller has a CCW.


Gun shows are a good place to get Mosins, under $115 you can walk out with tax. Gun stores will try to sell them $180.


TBH if you arn't looking for something "old" like a WWII gun, then stay with local shops. Most will return your gun for free if it's broke. I read some good stories of local shops returning/exchanging a messed up gun with another they had in stock, they sent the bad one to the factory for repairs.
If you buy a bad gun from a gun show, the seller moves around.

You can always order off gunbroker/buds just FFL transfer fee
 
I have found a couple good deals at gun shows before. I agree with Pud - you have to know what it is you are looking for and what a decent price would be. I usually base a good price to be whatever it is on Bud's gun shop online + FFL fee (anywhere from 20-30 dollars).

If you come upon a "so-so" deal - remember to add in the gas money and the entrance fee to the gun show into your calculations to see if you would still save money by walking away.

Walking around with pen/paper with some pre-written figures helped, and I record the prices of the different tables. You can ask if there is a cash discount (so far I've been unsuccessful with that one)
 
Oh I forgot to mention - one downside to gun shows is sometimes cylinder or slide might be zip-tied shut so you can't choose the one with the best trigger, smoother forcing cone/cylinder, etc. I even asked once if they would temporarily cut it loose since I was seriously considering buying it but NOPE. But if those are the rules then what are you gonna do? :o
 
Anymore you just have to look at gun-shows as just something to do when nothing else is going on. They just aren't what they once were (but what is)? Here in The' Show Me State', they charge $10+ just for the admission. As others have stated, deals are few and far between. I too have better luck shopping online or locally (if you can find a friend or acquaintance that is a FFL, you can get really good deals).

-Cheers
 
About the only thing I buy at guns shows are accessories...mags, etc. Most prices at the shows are too high and I've always found better deals at pawn shops or from individuals. Now, if there's a specific hard to find gun you're looking for, then the gun show might be a good idea, but it's not my first choice as a place to browse for deals. Like another poster said, gun shows aren't what they used to be.
 
It's possible to find good deals at gun shows, but you've got to do your research. I go to gun shows to browse, to shoot the bull, and to fondle handle a few guns. (I simply don't have time to drive around and find one example of every gun on The List when I'm shopping.) However, I don't buy guns at gun shows unless the research is done and I have singled out a model, or at least narrowed it down to The Short List. Same goes for accessories. If I'm shopping for X-brand Widgets, I figure out what they're going for, and what I'm willing to pay.
 
If I go to a gun show and I'm looking for an item that's no longer made, I'll probably jump on it if I find it there and it's in good shape. On the other hand, if I'm looking for a current production item, I make sure to learn the MSRP of the gun I'm trying to find. I'll take a pen and notepad with me. The building where these shows take place is HUGE, and you can have a hard time finding a specific dealer's table there. Once inside, I begin "mowing the lawn", going up and down the rows from left to right. When I come across the gun I seek, I jot down it's location, the dealer, and the price. By the time I'm done with my methodical walk, I've got a list of very different prices on the same gun. An example would be my Ruger P95. At the gun show where I got it, I found it at the first dealer for $389.00. The price kept dropping with each dealer I found, until I finally found one with the lowest price: $315.00. BIG difference! So, even at a gun show, it pays to shop around.
 
Gun shows where I live* are packed with Taurus's and Glock handguns, cannot find a Ruger GP 100 or SP 101, tons of WWII guns, loads of magazines, tons of reloading gear. Safes/leather items etc..
 
You may find some deals just not on what your looking for. :) Really it's hit or miss just know what you're willing to spend and what you're after.

It's a place to look at a bunch of different things. Don't let them talk you into anything that you don't want. The ones around here are over priced and are Ruger,Glock and Taurus heavy for new guns.

When I go it's to look for reloading supplies and the used firearms. Be Diligent and have fun finding a parking space.
 
Each and every gun show is it's own little thing. There are good ones, there are stinkers. If you simply want the odds -- the BEST way to get the most gun for the lowest money is to find what you want by looking through gun classifieds, on a large site such as here at TFL, or through a local forum, or through some manner of a local/regional gun-centric swapping forum.

These offer your best chance of getting something from another OWNER, not anyone who is in business and has overhead to cover by the sale of firearms.

The selection isn't nearly as good. You have no idea who you are dealing with. Depending on your state laws, it may not even be a legal method of purchasing. You could get screwed and buy a real lemon. You might get taken and pay too much. You could get shanked in a back alley.

Another method is to combine these two... attend a gun show but don't look at anything at any table in the joint. Instead, ask the folks walking around carrying guns and try to make a deal with them.
 
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