Gunshow observations

I'm done with the rudeness, the higher than retail prices, the long drive, the crowds, admission fees, etc. Gun shows used to be fun and had some great deals, no more.

I agree with you DR., I agree.
 
I usually go to the gun show to watch the people as much as the merchandise. As a non-meat eater, i do appreciate it when they have funnel cakes for the jerky-impaired.

I think the last gun show i went to was the one at which i bought a cz-52 from a little old guy with a table full of knives. LOD actually mentioned "i usually just sell knives; got it in trade". He had a fair price marked, and i paid it. I then wrapped it in a grocery store bag and looked down at the package a bit uncomfortably; i've never really gotten the etiquette for carrying an unboxed firearm in public without a holster or something (must be the Gmen with those subliminal suggestions).

"Whadya got in the box?"
Use your best Brad Pitt, anxious voice, and hope it isn't a severed head. :D
 
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TailGator, the gun show in Miami isn't too bad. I found several deals at a couple of vendors. The show in Fort Lauderdale is too small for the room and there aren't many dealers.

The show in FLL happens every six weeks, while the Miami show only comes around every four or five months.
 
I don't waste my time with dealers anymore at gun shows. I look for private sellers who wants to get rid of stuff for friends or relatives. I also check boxes with old parts and/or magazines because you'll never know what you will find. Case in point, last month, I was in San Antonio and it just so happened there was a gun show. I went just to check it out. I found a box with old magazines and started looking. I found 3 Factory Colt 9mm AR15 mags. I asked how much? The guy said they normally go for $50 each. I took out a $100, asked if he will take it for all 3 and he said "YES".

I go to shows with no intentions of buying anything, just to look and maybe, just maybe, accidentally find something that says "BUY ME". There was one time I was walking out of the Austin show and I saw a private seller with a "For Sale" sign. He was off-duty policeman who was selling a NIB pistol. His price was "way below" MSRP. I went home with the pistol that day and I didn't even have to pay sales tax, fill out the form and go through a background check.
 
Broward County in South Florida has exercised an option in the Florida Constitution, Article VIII, Section 5 (b) that says the county can require background checks of anyone selling in a publicly accessible location.

The gunshow in Fort Lauderdale is now requiring private sellers to do the background check or sell only to CWS holders. So if you don't have the CWS, you have to step out to the parking lot.
 
Every gun show I've been to has been a mighty disappointment. People charging prices higher than Cabela's, which I consider to be silly high to begin with.
I tried bartering with a few guys over used items, but no one wanted to play ball. They wanted MSRP prices for used items.
But yeah, I bought some AWESOME beef jerky at the last show I attended. :D
 
All this bitterness and hostility....... don't y'all know that "gunshows" origininally were just that: a place for collectors to show off their collections, and maybe trade or sell some to each other. Then the retailers moved in ...... and it became about selling guns, not showing them ......

If you want the best deal on the latest plastic fantastic wundernine the gun show ain't it ..... the internet will have less overhead for the seller, so they can give better prices ...... but if you want to hold an obscure Smith, or an early Dick Special, then the Fun show is it.
 
Skans, perhaps you've just had the good fortune to only attend the better gun shows. I've been been to good ones too. But I've been to plenty of bad ones.
 
Seems like the same show always come to our town about twice a year. Decent deals on used stuff, nothing special on new. Last time I went looking for a nice .357. Not a one, but plenty of for lack of better boring stuff. Taurus, Glocks (which I love), Hi Points, Kel teks whatever. I did in fact get a good price on a new P3at and the lady turned out to be a local dealer. In fact quite a few were from just "out of town", but not far! No really nice stuff to speak of. Not a single 1911, no Sigs, HK, Browings, Colts, old S&W etc. There is one here this weekend and I doubt I will attend. I do want an AR so maybe I will, but who knows. :D
 
Skans, perhaps you've just had the good fortune to only attend the better gun shows.

I've been to many. Some are better than others, but not by a whole lot. I glaze over 80% of the stuff at most gun shows. I'll have several guns in mind that I'd be interested in buying - and I'm usually lucky if I find just one of them in an entire show (older examples: STI LS40, Detonics Pocket 9). Then there are things I run across that I'm not looking for but get my interest.

I will pay a fair price for something I'm specifically looking for. Not really looking for bargains. But, I like to collect guns - I have lots of guns I don't shoot. And, I have a fair idea of what can be purchased at a "fair" price that will go up in value. So, when I paid $700 for a nice FN FNC in the '90's, it was a fair price. I also knew that it was one of the few rifles that could still legally be converted to full-auto if you purchased a registered sear and had someone to do the work, and with the import ban, it had some upside to it.

I Bought a couple of Pythons and a Colt SAA .45 when I thought prices were still "fair". They sit in my safe, and I'm very happy with them. Now, I'm on to other things.

I've made some mistakes too - nothing big, just things that didn't go up in value. At one time I thought there would be legislation outlawing "assault pistols", so I purchased several. One I sold for $50 less than what I paid. Another has gone up in value - maybe a couple hundred dollars over the last 20 years. My Carbon-15 pistol is worth less than what I paid, so I shoot the heck out of it for fun.
 
Poets, gun shows...

I haven't been to a local gun show in my area or state in about 5/6 years.
I'm no poet but I'll size up the last few gun shows trips with these phrases;
"foul odors", "mark-up", "mall ninjas", "IL Nazis", "crowds", "dirt/stains/grime", "sales clerks who were clueless or inept", "gun owners & FFL holders who forgot basic safety rules or SOPs".
And did I already say "foul odors"? And by "foul" I mean BO mixed with Chinese food. :(

CF
 
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