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Gun Shows

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  c45man 
#1 ·
Can anyone tell me why gun shows are not the best place to buy a gun. There is one close to me next weekend and just wondered if i might find a 1911 to add to my WW2 collection. Also might fall into a M1 Garrand. Thanks all .
 
#2 ·
Usually bc the prices stink. Years ago good deals were plentiful now its a joke. Also you really need to know what your looking for and what you looking at. Its really easy to buy someone else's piece of crap. I quit going all together, especially since I work in a range and retail store, I see what the used guns go for in reality, not some inflated gun show price.
 
#4 ·
While I do agree with Helix, I still attend the shows. I can usually get ammo for the samy price as on line with out the cost of shipping. I can usually find some other things there that I can't find at the local shops. I have seen guns for sale at the shows that were cheaper sitting on the shelf at the local store, than they were at the show!
 
#5 ·
I still enjoy going to the gun shows. They vary greatly in quality and quantity of products offered. I think what is missing any more is "a bargain". With the easy access to the internet and the auction sights and just "Asking the Pros what is is worth" any one wanting to sell can find the going rate for a particular fire arm. Like Carver I find reloading and cleaning supplies more readily available at some shows than at my local retailers. I am not a "good" gun trader but if you are real careful I think you can still find a good gun at a fair price. The gun show steal is pretty much gone unless you are buying one of mine. :D

I just purchased a like new S&W 27-3 in the box for $650 at a gun show on Sat. Was it a steal? No way but it is a very nice gun and I got it for the going rate in these parts. Where else am I going to find it where I can have hands on. Went to another small gun show today and the offerings were very limited and sky high. Didn't take me but about 15 mins. to walk around and leave.
 
#6 ·
Gun show vendors have been all but squashed by the internet. One can build and maintain a websight and put 100 listings on auction websights for less than the cost of towing a trailer across country and paying inflated table prices. Vendor overhead is just too high, just like the rest of small business in the US. I personally do not go to them due to the absence of guns and the overwhelming presence of beef jerky, turquois jewelery and stun gun vendors. Its been bastardized into a flea market.
 
#7 ·
I started going to gun shows (as a vendor) in the early 60's, and there were plenty of good deals to be had. Many people had guns and accessories that they really didn't know what they were, or what they were worth. As noted, all that has changed with the internet. Thanks Algore. Anyway back then gas was 25 cents a gallon and a motel room was $25. It was easy to travel long distances to gun shows and still make money.

Today, costs have risen so much it's impossible to make any money if you have to travel out of town. In case you haven't noticed, there aren't any big dealers traveling acros the country any longer. Most vendors are local guys trying to make a few bucks, and possibly move something they don't want or don't like. Very few vendors are big-time dealers. Deals can still be had, but they're infrequent.

Also anything priced cheap will be sold on Friday during dealer set-up. Guys who stand in line at 8 AM on Saturday thinking they will be the first to look over the offerings are sadly mistaken.
 
#9 ·
Good question. I suppose a more telling question would be, Have gun shows outlived their usefullness? Gun shows, for the most part, were started as an avenue to sell surplus military weapons that were dumped on the market in years after WW2 and Korea. It took many years, but like all other good things, the surplus came to an end. Gun Shows continued on and they remained profitable for both seller and buyer. As many in this post mentioned, there are other outlets now that are not only hurting the profitablity of the shows, but could be placing in question the very future of what was once a very valued endeavor for all involved. And of course, this lousy economy is not helping matters either.
 
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