Lack Luster Gun Show . . .

I go to gun shows quite often but only find the big shows (700 tables or more) worth going to.
The best as far as finding military type stuff is the Knob Creek machine gun shoot & show. It's held twice a year in West Point Ky.
You get a good show to go along with a machine gun exhibition that is second to none.
 
I go to a lot of gun show. I travel to Ohio and Pa. Most are no better than the ones here in NY. I go to shows farther away hoping to see something different. It usually doesn't happen. I have no interest in new guns. I like to see used stuff and buy parts. This weekend I'm going to a gun show in Watertown , NY. I hope to see a fresh bunch of dealers.
 
And despite previous disappointments, I decided to take my daughter to the Dixie Gun & Knife show in Raleigh this past weekend and... we both had a great time! There was a very good variety of firearms, including tons of revolvers. I even found a table or two with some Ruger SA revolvers (can I say I was not impressed with the F&F of Ruger's new production?). Lot's of C&R items, most of it only slightly overpriced. I learned that a larger local machine shop had decided to open up a manufacturing FFL and has a VERY competitively priced line-up on ARs and parts. I can't speak for their quality, but I will keep them in mind and was told I could tour the facility if I arranged it with one of the owners. Most of the firearms were priced in line with reality. Obviously a little high, but also obviously no one pays asking price at a gun show anyway.

I saw quite a few fellow local holster makers, a couple of which do some really nice work. One gentleman nailed a replica of Doc Holiday's crossdraw holster from Tombstone (the one worn when he dueled Johnny Ringo). There were several very talented knife makers, lots of hard to find ammo at a decent price (not great but decent), and plenty of powder and primers.

There were still plenty of tables selling crappy stun guns and cheap knives, but I honestly saw a lot fewer crappy nylon holsters and other garbage than I did in gun shows of the past. Either way I was well pleased. I'm glad I gave the show another chance.
 
San Antonio has a monthly show and while 80-90% of the time its mostly identical stuff and tons of AR items, I have found the occasional eye raising item that keep me going. I also know that very soon I will be retiring back to the North East and I will be limited in my available gun shows as they are fewer and far between up there. A key to keeping them fun is no expectations and that "kid in a candy store" mentality...the prices may be inflated or not as good as online but at least you can see/touch/handle most of the items after asking....that's priceless intel on if I buy the next toy or not
 
Is there one place or publication that list all or most of the "significant size" shows nation wide. I have the time and I might make an over night stay just for something to do.
 
I like gun shows. My best "deals" have been found at gun shows. At the LGS I can expect to pay what the local market will bear. With auctions, I only "win" when I am willing to pay more than any other bidder.
 
Pa Gun Collectors Assoc. show for September is cancelled. Newsletter wasn't specific why, but in a different portion of the newletter, it was written that the spring show attendance was very low.
 
Used to be a pretty good gunshow at the fairgrounds in Princeton Illinois when I was growing up, the "Sauk Valley Gunshow" was the name. Always had plenty there for everyone. Have not seen anything on it for years, I left Illinois in 2001 and moved to Michigan.
 
The only show I attend regularly is the Wanenmacher show in Tulsa, twice a year. Usually about Easter, and again just before Thanksgiving Day.

I have never yet made it through the entire show yet, I usually only go one day, maybe
6 or 8 hours. The show is very large, many hundreds of tables.
 
Having worked with a vendor in CA, NV and AZ along with knowing other vendors, I can say making a living from shows is unlikely. The only ones probably having success are the big ammo sellers like Miwall. Miwall is the only seller that I know of that uses a semi for a show.

Over the years I ran the numbers associated to each of the shows we've done for a given year. The highest cost for a two day show are the tables, 8 tables at $100 each is $800. Other costs such as the truck, motel, personnel, and food vary depending on show location. The further the distance traveled the less profitable it becomes.

Regardless of location the best deal for arms are used from non pro sellers. I've seen some beautiful pieces like Weatherby Mark V and Garcia era Sako Deluxe rifles at what initially appears to be deals. But as many of you already know the caliber chamberings are funky. The Mark V is a Weatherby magnum and the Sako was chambered in 222 magnum.

Offerings by pro sellers, IMO, appear to be lackluster with very few deals if any.
 
I've patronized the local gun show for years. Yes there's jerky, plus the miles of plastic guns, the antiques, the T-shirts, the knives galore... but theres also a lot of good hearted Americans exercising their 2nd amendment rights. All very polite Americans. I've never been bumped without the person apologizing or at least acknowledging they bumped me with a grin...

Two weekends ago I bought a Sig P365 at the gun show. I have a CCP and as usual I was required to fill out the federal forms and submit to a FBI background check. As I have a CCP I was able to leave the show with my new pistol in hand. (No gun show loophole for me....)

I guess my point is I still enjoy the gun shows. Eight dollar entry and five dollars is a cheap mornings entertainment. Plus I get to handle just about everything I'm interested in. And have you tried the hot candied peecans? Mmmm!
 
I'm surprised only one person has mentioned the Tulsa Arms Show. I have never been disappointed at that show.

Is there a lot of non firearms vendors? Yup!

Are there a lot of excessively expensive firearms? Absolutely!

Would I go back? Yessir!

For all of the high prices and junk being sold at other shows I think the sheer size (average of 4,200 tables per show according their website! :eek:) of the show forces more realistic pricing. Trying to sell your run of the mill Swiss K31 for $1,200? Good luck with that when every 4th table has one for half that. Most of the people there also tend to know what a firearm is really worth as well. And half the fun is just talking to other enthusiasts! If I go to work and start talking about how excited I am to finally get an M1917 Eddystone or how I saw a near mint unissued condition AG42B my coworkers eyes start to glaze over. But at this show not only will people speak to you about it with great enthusiasm they will probably teach you something as well.

You can also try going to a specific show type. The Military Arms Show in Kansas City every July comes to mind. You will find almost no polymer guns and very little in the way of tactical stuff. Not to everyone's taste but to a C&R collector like myself it's a blast.
 
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Gun shows are just preppers' conventions now. Stocks are black and plastic. Tons of semi auto pistols and then a bunch of knives and beef jerky. I like classic guns. I'm just a man out of the time he should have lived in I guess...
 
Went to a gun show in Concord, NH today which is known for being the largest gun show in all of New England. It had been a few years since I last went and I can see why and why I'm never doing a gun show East of the Hudson river again.

$8 to get in, had no guns I was interested in, so many top break revolvers that were in poor condition asking $300 for them, a Ruger Old Army for $1195 is like something from a fiction novel, old guys selling ammo for $15 more than you can get it for online (.327 is out of stock everywhere, so he was price gouging and he was price gouging in 2014 too.)

All I got out of it was some Hornady .22 Mag Critical Defense for $10.

Went with a friend tho, which hanging out with him was the only enjoyable thing at the show. I got to point out to him how bad the prices were and specifically wanted to show him how the new Charter Arms revolvers with the matte finish are cheap looking garbage compared to older Charter's that are blued.

Also got to show him the Colt Cobra and how it's priced like a Colt, but looks like a Charter, while the Kimber is WAY better looking and in .357 Magnum.

So we left, drove 25 mins to a gun store on the way home and they had at least 5 guns or things that I had hoped to see and handle at the gun show that cost me money to get in while the gun store didn't charge me a cent.

Given how much better the gun store was, I'd rather give them a buck every time I go in compared to a gun show with rusty beaters that look like something you'd find in a dumpster.
 
I'd not been to a gun show in a while, so went to a small-medium sized gun show last month. A few nice guns, most significantly over priced. Didn't end up buying anything, not even any jerky;)

Truth Tellers, haven't seen the new Colt Cobra yet in person. But relying on photos, my first impression was that it did resemble Charter Arms or some other non-Colt manufacturer. The trigger guards look like something damaged in shipment, and kind of bent back into shape to me. But, they are marked "COLT", and for many firearms enthusiasts, that is enough. I think Colt could sell anything, of any quality, manufactured anywhere. The Colt name is all that matters to Colt True Believers.....
 
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