Gun? Show

[Waxahachie Kid #17017 L]

Went to the local/yokel "gun show" this past Saturday. 

Perhaps it should have been called the: "knife, solar panel, jerky, perfume, metal signs, uppers, lowers, clean your glasses for free, what we got is no bargain" show. 

Ammunition, what there was of it, was sky-high. No reloading components, and of course no primers. I guess they were too embarrassed to put any prices on the ammunition, you had to ask. I don't blame them.

I did see one of the new Ruger Marlins. Good fit and finish, for sure, but not too good for C.A.S. in that form. 

What firearms were there, were AR's, A.K.'s, and Glocks. I saw a couple of type 2 Uberti's, one in 38 wcf caliber. No thanks. I love the 38 wcf, but I am not interested in the type 2 design. I do have the parts to change it out to the old "4-click" model, but I don't own a clone with a "smokeless power" frame, so it is not worth it to me. 

So, I pretty much flushed ten bucks down the toilet. 

We seem to be a long way away from what I consider a gun show. Like as not, it will never be what it once was. 

More's the pity.

 

 

[Ezra Hawthorne]

Unfortunately it seems experiences like ours have become the new normal. I made a similar post myself in the past:

They're  "kettle corn and jerky and maple syrup and fire starter and stun gun and gas station knife and clothing" with oh by the way a couple of firearms show these days.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I stopped going to most gun show about nine years ago when we left California.

 

Stuff like camo bikinis and underwear, John Wayne table lamps, tactical toilet paper, and other plain out and out trash.....and not a bargain in sight.

 

It isn't much better here, but I went to a show about three weeks ago: seventeen dollar entry fee and I was in and out in under an hour without finding anything to buy.  Almost no used guns in anything resembling a realistic price, little ammo, people offering to buy guns at way below their value, and even more trash that had nothing to do with guns.

 

I think I'm through wasting my money that way.

[Warden Callaway]

The last gun show we attended last year was knives and other junk.  As we left,  Mary lagged back at the entrance table. When she got to the truck I asked her what held her up.  She said she complained about half the show being other junk and she should get half her money back. And they did. 

[Buckshot Bob]

I haven’t been to a gunshow in at least 10 years. You can find far better deals at the local shops or on the internet, and I don’t have to pay a entry fee and contend with the crowd. It’s too bad I really used to enjoy them. But like everyone has stated here their are very few guns at the gun-shows anymore.  

[Sedalia Dave]

I only go to the local one. It is a fundraiser for the local museum so I know where my admission fee goes. 

[Pat Riot]

In a couple of weeks I am going to 2 gun shows on the same weekend here in the USA. My first in a while. I am looking forward to going. 
 

[Badlands Bob #61228]

We have two different gun show companies that make the circuits around here.  The last couple of gun shows I attended was a wasted $10.00 entrance fee.   Chinese scopes, 2nd Amendment t-shirts, AR-15 parts and pieces and plastic pistols.  Very few used guns that weren't foreign bolt action military surplus rifles.  I might go to another show some day but I'd have to be pretty bored.

 

Besides, my wife tells me I don't need any more guns.

[Cypress Sun]

Gun shows USED to be worth going to.

 

These days, there's four kinds of gun show venders...

 

- The ones that have interesting, old/antique guns and related items that they have at every gun show. That's because their prices are so high that it's obvious they aren't there to sell guns, only visit with the other venders.

- The ones that are really from the local gun store and want to sell all of the crap that didn't sell at the store.

- The ones that are selling items that have nothing to do with actual guns...jewelry, Trump decals, tee-shirts, beef jerky, coins/gold/silver and (of course) knives/swords.

- The ones selling WAY overpriced ammo, powder and primers.

 

If one were to stay all day by the entrance, you might see something decent being brought in by an attendee...if you wanted to stay all day. 

[Blackwater 53393]

I went to a nearby gun show last month, mostly just as an excuse to have lunch with some of my shooting buddies.

 

 I’ve been wanting a semi-auto 12ga shotgun, either an AR or an AK style with detachable magazine.

 

Made it halfway through the show before I stumbled onto a deal worth considering on a Turkish made AR style gun with two magazines, three removable chokes, and a cheap red dot laser attachment.

 

I shopped around for another hour and tried to talk myself out of it. Found two more comparable deals in the same price ballpark and tried to get my buddies to talk me out of buying one.  
 

The little horn headed red guy on my left shoulder won the argument and I took the first one home.

 

One of my pards found a pistol that he wanted and another found some powder and bullets.  Three out of the four of us went home with something.

 

There WERE a lot of knives and way overpriced ammo, not to mention the T-shirts, the jerky, and the useless gimmicks for sale and lots of overpriced plastic guns and tacticool stuff, but if you looked close and were willing to bargain really hard, there were some deals too.

[Caladisi kid]

Are Gun/Firearm shows what they once were?  No and Yes. 

Most of the  recent shows I have been to have been in Central Oregon and before that it was Florida. 1/3 to 1/2 of the the items were not gun/firearm related. I agree that you have to pick and choose you shows now. I usually call the promoter and request a list of the venders before hand to see if it is worth going to.  When you add in gas, parking and entry fee's and find not much of what was advertised it can be frustrating.

Just 2 weeks ago, while on vacation, I went to a show in Alexandria, MN and there were 95+ venders there and 95% was good ole firearm stuff, and most not of the black type.  One vender even had an 8 Gauge SxS hammered market gun for sale.  What a hoot that would have been to shoot.  I found some good buys such as a Winchester 38 WCF saddlebag reloading tool, complete and 99% condition for $50.00.  Parking was free and entrance fee was $5.00.  Hot dogs were $2.00 and I spent a nice 4 hours looking and talking to the venders.  Love the Midwest.  

It seems that, outside of collector shows, the more rural the area the show is in, the more old west style firearms and accessories used as tools you will find.

Just my view from the saddle.  

[Sixgun Sheridan]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:02 AM, Waxahachie Kid #17017 L said:

What firearms were there, were AR's, A.K.'s, and Glocks.

 

Then it was a better show that I usually see. Here's they're all Taurus, Rossi and Hi-Points.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

The last show I went to a few months ago it cost $12.00 to park and $18.00 to get in.  Most of the vendors were gun shop owners or traveling vendors that just go from show to show.  Same old stuff.  Black guns.  What I always hope to find is the guy cleaning out his garage or giving up shooting and has a table full of his personal stuff.  

[Seamus McGillicuddy]

Took in the Big Reno Gun Show last month and while not what it was years ago it was still pretty good. Lots of older guns and Old West stuff. Spent several hours there Friday and a couple more Saturday morning while the wife gambled in the casino. Found a nice piece at a fair price to fill in a gap in my WWI collection so I was pretty happy. 
 

Seamus