Gun Shows

E

Edison

New member
There's a gun show in the area this weekend. Are there any tips regarding purchasing? Do dealers haggle, or is the marked price usually the final price? I will probably buy new instead of used.

I'm looking for a Beretta 92FS, but I may settle on a Taurus 92 if the Beretta isn't available. I've examined both at a local dealer, but I don't think I'm knowledgeable enough to discern the differences between the two (other than the safety/declocker). I've read threads which say the Beretta has better quality, but upon cursory examination there doesn't seem to be much difference between the two I looked at.
 
Edison: Most dealers don't have alot of "haggle" room built into new guns. I'ts very similar to car trading, you might get a good price on the new gun, if you're willing to trade something at a loss. The market is good right now so don't count on any great deals. Personally, I've seen very few bargains at gun shows at dealers tables. The shows are great places to sell, but you can usually find better buys elsewhere. Keep your eyes open for individual sellers - if your willing to buy used. There are many slightly used pistols out there for good prices.

Taurus vs Beretta - I've heard that the new Taurus' have gotten better but I would choose the Beretta.
 
My advice - don't go.

Gun shows are frought with dipsh*ts selling over priced (sometimes even illegally configured) arms and related materials. I think the biggest issues related the area of semi auto rifles and the parts / mags for them.

The crowd is often composed of people that don't believe in bathing AT LEAST once every other day.

Jackass gang and gang wannabes.

Not to mention the fatigue wearing dumbasses and or neo nazi types.

Oh - and the stench of nasty pop corn with palm oil instead of butter!

Join a club, make friends in the know.

Go on line.

Sorry, but I have had it with gun shows.
 
don't buy naything expensive

i only go there for ammo, cleaning supplies, grips, gun cases, etc. i would NEVER buy a gun from a gun show dealer. last time i went they were selling guns with no mags for the same i can get one with two mags at my dealer's. good luck and save your money.
 
Taurus vs Beretta

Go to the gun show...just dont buy a gun there! Touch taste smell etc. Get a feel for what you like..the 92. Then come
home get online and go to auction arms or guns america. I love
guns america..its not an auction site..there is a taurus 92 for 285.00$ as we speak. You contact the seller and reach an agreement...poof, its yours. No bidding or waiting...cool.

The taurus is essentially the same gun as the beretta...same patent etc...I love the taurus safety system...wish every gun
I owned had it. Alot of people swear by beretta's as they should.
It is a very high quality gun. The taurus is a highly underrated gun. My gun was as good as any gun I have ever owned...a stainless pt 940. Alot of people for whatever reason dont like the taurus line. Let them think what they want....I know better, as well as my gun snob buddies who thought the same thing until they shot my gun :D Hope this helped.. Shoot well
 
Thanks for all the responses. It's definitely food for thought.

I'm not of a mind to "beat" some dealer out of a sale, it's just that I've seen markedly different prices for the same pistol. AND, I read Shotgun News and see even lower prices. I will take the information provided to heart.
 
So much for what I expected as responses!

I love gun shows. I go every chance I get. I've also bought a few guns there, both new and used, and have been happy with every purchase.

The selection is the best you will find other than online (and that's a close call). However, at least with the shows you can see the goods up close, rather than just in a picture. At least down in Florida, there are about 100 booths, half of which sell guns (some only have knives, ammo, holsters, etc.). There are always 2 or 3 major sellers who have a few hundred guns for sale. Every Glock, HK and Sig model, tons of rifles, etc. Keep in mind that you need to know what you're looking for. There are those who will sell you a used gun and tell you it's new, but that can happen anywhere. Just make sure to check the gun out, and if you're not sure, ask someone who you know and trust.

Regarding tips, you can negotiate. Be reasonable, but you can negotiate. Best time (usually) to buy is late sunday afternoon. If the guy has one gun that he hasn't been able to sell, he'll want to get rid of it. But also keep in mind that if he only has one of those guns, someone else may buy it before sunday afternoon. Bigger sellers often buy the guns cheaper than smaller sellers, so can give bigger discounts. Make sure the gun comes with the correct magazines and accessories. If it's advertised as new, make sure it's new. Don't be afraid to ask him to take it apart. If the seller has them, you can negotiate accessories such as holsters, ammo and extra mags. Don't buy the first one you see. And if seller A tells you a Glock 23 is 500 bucks, feel free to tell seller B (who has the Glock 23 marked for 515) that seller A is offering you the same Glock for 500. He may beat the price by a few bucks. Finally, remember to ask about sales tax, transfer fees, background checks, waiting periods, etc. My favorite line is "This gun is marked 500. What can you do for me if I buy it now, cash?".

I have had a few slightly bad experiences. When I bought my AR-15, I gave the guy some extra cash (10 bucks maybe) to send me the box and the sling. Never got it. I bought a used HK P7M13, and it had a broken extractor (HK fixed it for free). But overall, I've been very happy. I've bought guns from shops, at shows, and online. And I will continue to buy from whoever has what I'm looking for at a good price.
 
I do agree with Branrot that you should go. Just be informed before you buy. Gun shows are great entertainment. You'll get to see all types of guns and a lot of "interesting" people.
 
I went to a gunshow a couple weeks ago and had a good time, lots of junk and novelty items and a few interesting toys to look at. I ended up walking out with a really nice scope for my AK, a preban mini-14 with folding stock, 2 cases of MRE's (for camping and when I'm too lazy to push the buttons on the microwave), and a bunch of t-shirts for $600.

Even had a bit of fun at a booth that sold nothing but rebel flags and confederate memorabilia. Anytime someone would start to buy something I'd ask where the Abraham Lincoln tshirts and General Sherman cigarette lighters were, and did they have any pro-Union bumper stickers.

I was amused anyway.... :p
 
originally posted by Normalizer:

Even had a bit of fun at a booth that sold nothing but rebel flags and confederate memorabilia. Anytime someone would start to buy something I'd ask where the Abraham Lincoln tshirts and General Sherman cigarette lighters were, and did they have any pro-Union bumper stickers.

I was amused anyway....
Click to expand...


I don't get it??? What's funny about that?? I mean obviously a booth selling Confederate memorabilia wouldn't have any Abraham Lincoln memorabilia which my family has never thought very much of and we don't even mention the Red headed General around ladies.

PigPen
 
Went to the gunshow this weekend, but didn't buy anything. Very few new pistols <lots of long guns>. One guy did have a nice used Beretta, but I'm kinda leery about buying used because I just don't know what to look for. He had cleaned it up so well I thought it was new. :D At least he was honest.

I may go back just to pick up some ammunition or a new case.

I did see a pistol line I had never seen before <remember, I'm a relative newbie here>. It was a semiautomatic pistol made in South Carolina. The pistols only sold for $125 -$145 for the 9mm. No, I didn't buy. I have not read anything about them, nor have I seen them advertised. At least I've seen the Hi Point line and actually seen an AD in one of the gun magazines.
 
Gun shows can be good and bad. IMHO the key is to know what you are doing. Do a lot of online research, talk to lots of folks and then dive in with your knowlege.

Anyone who has been involved in firearms for any number of years has made some good deals and some bad deals. Some lessons are harder than others.

There is some junk to be had at gunshows but if you reasonably know your stuff then you won't believe that a preban ar-15 with a folding stock is worth $ 2,000. :)

I went to one today in Houston but didn't get anything. I was looking for a lever action in .357 and no one had one. :( I did see a folding stock for my SKS. Guess what, one for $99, one for $89 and one for $ 77. I didn't get any one of them because it was more than I wanted to pay.
 
Edison,

It really depends on the gun show and who is sponsoring it.

Avoid small-town shows with only 4 or 5 dealers. They tend to sell very few guns and don't have much margin. Huge shows, however, usually have 20+ dealers from across the region who must compete with all of the other tables for your dollar.

If you stick to large, well-sponsored shows, you will not only enjoy gun shows, but will also find great deals there. The Indy 1500 Gun show, the 2nd. largest in the country, is a GREAT place to buy a new or used gun. New prices literally $50-80 less than you can buy the gun at your local dealer. NIB, all extras included. If you have an interest in used, gun shows can be an even better deal. A lot of guys at gun shows are desperate for money. Every other accessory you can think of, all under one roof. Several vendors of each, competing for your dollar. Learn what things cost, know what you will pay for them, and then have fun.

I suspect most of the complaints in this thread about gun shows are from those who don't have access to a large, well-sponsored show. Small-town shows, typically held in a VFW post or similar sized building, with 3 or 4 local, cut-throat dealers, will turn you off to shows pretty quickly. The next Indy show is January 18-20. If you are in Northwest Ohio, it would be well worth the drive for you. Attend a quality show and you will never buy from a dealer's gunshop ever again. Why would you?
 
hey INDY SIG, give us some examples of the deals at the INDY show, I am in Michigun, so if the deals are good enough the drive may be worth it.
 
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Edison, I have been attending gun shows for about 12 years, and grab every chance I get to do so.

The larger shows are great places to see what is available for the shooting sports. There will be a large selection of ammo, cleaning supplies, some tools, accesssories (pistol magazines, speedloaders, scopes, grips, etc.), memorabilia, and of course guns. I've spent some serious money at shows too.

That said, I have never bought a gun from a show.

I also spend time at the local (& some not so local) gun stores. When I am interested in a gun, I'll usually have a pretty good idea of what the going price is. In all those shows, I have never seen that "must have" gun at a "can't walk away" price. My money has been spent on ammo, holsters, cleaning solution, etc.

I'm writing this Sunday morning, so it is probably too late to help you this time around. But for the future, when you are interested in a particular gun, or guns, start your homework weeks before the show. Grab the Yellow Pages and a cup or 2 of coffee some morning & start making phone calls to the gun shops in your area. Most all the shops around me will offer phone quotes; one in particular will always ask if he can attempt to beat your best price. Also, you can visit shops and just casually examine the display cases. (I've bought a couple of guns by walking into a shop just because I was using up my lunch break from work). See what type of pricing you can get. Don't be too intimidated to barter - this isn't like going to Sears & buying a toaster. It's more akin to buying a car.

Armed with that knowledge, go to the show. The dealers that are worth the effort will make you feel comfortable - forget about those who make you feel it is a real effort to deal with you & they hate being there. You may just get lucky.

As for the Beretta & Taurus: I am a real fan of Taurus pistols but would suspect the Beretta may be a notch above. Kinda like the difference between a Lincoln & Grand Marquis. I've owned a couple of Taurus guns, while I sold one off when I needed the cash for another purchase I still have a PT940 that I really like. It is accurate & reliable, with nothing left to want in fit & finish. never owned a Beretta, I was always put off by the price.

Good luck & have fun - for me, at least half of the fun in buying a new gun is in the chase for the best deal!
 
Grindliner - I bought a SIG 228 at the last show for $519, NIB, 2001 production with standard sights. Bought Crimson Trace Laser Grips for the same gun at the show for $219. Each was originally marked $10 higher than what I paid. I've found the best approach when buying a gun is to tell the guy behind the counter "I'm ready to buy this gun and I can pay (asking price - $10). It's the most I can pay for it." You'll get the gun a good 80% of the time. Be sure to walk the entire show and see all the vendors with the gun you're looking for before buying from anyone. Also, ask around and find out who at the show typically has the best prices. For example, at the Indy show, I already know that Midwest Gun Exchange will have the lowest prices of all sellers there. The only reason I would buy a gun from anyone else is if Midwest didn't have the gun I wanted. You'll find price differences of up to 20% from seller to seller. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples. Do your homework BEFORE going to the show and know what gun(s) you're interested in and what they cost (call around to dealers before the show and ask what they can get you the gun for). If you go to a large, well run show, you'll find the same gun for $20-70 less than the best price you got from a dealer on the phone.

The only * to the above is if you have a well-established relationship with a local dealer in your area. The repetitive sales may be worth cutting you a larger discount than the normal guy walking in off the street can get. With everything equal, apples to apples, you'll always get a better price at a reputable, large gun show than you will at a dealer's shop. A buyer's convenience is a large factor in pricing anything: guns, a gallon of milk, a car, etc. When you are in a dealer's shop, the convenience of buying elsewhere, if you don't like his price, isn't very good. You have to get back in the car, drive somewhere else, find the time to do so, etc. The seller knows this and uses it to his advantage. You're more likely to pay his price than go to the trouble of finding the same gun somewhere else for $10-20 less. At the gun show, if you don't like the price, the convenience of finding another seller is very easy. You walk perhaps 100 feet to the next table. The seller knows he must be competitive to keep you at his table. If he isn't competitive, he either doesn't sell anything or he sells to idiots who haven't done their homework, have poor buying skills, and deserve to be taken. The whole thing really is common business sense.

If you come to the Indy show, be prepared to spend an entire day(Saturday, January 19 starts at 8:00 a.m. and runs until 6:00 p.m. - admission is $7). First time visitors to the show are amazed at its size and variety. If you're hooked on guns, like most of the guys writing in these forums, it's better than sex.
 
I agree with Indy_SIG . This weekend we are having a 1000 table show, at the largest expo center in the Portland area. Most All the major gun Dealers go, So you can see the competitors prices all in one building. It can be one of the best places for reloading supplys. I go check out the prices and usually find at least a couple bargins.

Tony
 
I think the best part of the gunshows is the exotic stuff. Where else could I go and fondle a P90 with a suppressor, a MK23 with a suppressor, a M60, M249, M16's with M203's, all in the space of half an hour?

I also like being able to see things in person. For instance, I bought a Reflex II sight online. I can't see what they are like online. At the gunshow, I can play with one, then see if I really want to get one. Some things sound good on a webpage, but not in your hands.
 
I go to every show they have down here. You gotta shop the tables and see who has the best deal. Get there early on the first day. I have seen the same gun new for $20 dollars difference between two different tables. Both were new. You never know what kind of deals your gonna find there.

As for the Beretta vs Taurus deal. I think alot of guys on here know IM pro Taurus. I have the PT100 AFS in .40 and love it. The ambidextrious safety/decocker works for me cause Im a lefty. The 92 in Taurus is just as good as the Beretta in my eyes. Just stay away from Taurus's polymer for now till they get the defects figured out. Aint that right Denfoote;)
 
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