[zedteamk2]

New to guns, and i am going to a gun show in a few weeks.
What can i expect? good deals? cheap ammo?, rip offs?. I'm mostly just going to take a look around.
I'm familiar with motorcycle shows and car shows, but no-ones selling those things, it's more people selling wax etc.
Are gun shows the same?
Thanks !

 

[bps1]

Subscribed.. good topic.

 

[btleslie]

Best advice I can give is to know what you can get it for elsewhere. If you're going just to look around that's fine, but if you have something in mind you want know what you can get it for elsewhere.

You can find some good even great deals at gun shows, but there are also a lot of people with over priced everything. If you don't know before hand what a good price on an item is you can wind up paying too much.

 

[20361]

Never been to one, maybe won't.
From what I've heard, you can spend $20 before you even get in the door on parking and admission.

 

[guesser]

Think "flea market" with a theme. You will find every aspect of human nature there; centered around a common interest. That is: getting as much as possible for as little as possible on one side and on the other, getting as much as possible for as little as possible. Think rip off and be ready to deal if it seems fair. Have cash, it speaks louder than plastic and checks are rarely accepted.

I love gun shows, the good, the bad and the ugly.

 

[dbeardslee]

In the days before the internet gun shows were THE place to buy firearms. You had a bunch of vendors under the same roof, and their sheer proximity insured that prices would be reasonable. If you didn't like a guys price, you turned around and bought the same thing from the guy at the next table. You usually find the best deals on the web these days, but gun shows still have a competitive environment. And you see a lot of different kinds of accessories and other goodies too. And if you're thinking about a purchase they offer the opportunity to get your hands on firearms you may be interested in buying. They're generally just fun places to go poke around - even if you're not planning to buy anything.

My best advice is don't buy anything until you've been all the way through - then go back for whatever you want. Nothing sucks like buying something and finding the exact same thing five minutes later for less bucks.

 

[ledwaster]

If it's held at a large facility,expect to wait in a long line to get in the door.Going later in the day,the lines lighten up.Cheap ammo,probably not on popular calibers.Good deals on guns are possible,best will be on used ones.The main thing I like about gun shows is that you can handle as many different guns as you like,as a lot of them are on tables and not behind glass,without aggravating a sales person at a gun shop.You just might find that great deal you're looking for.Good luck,and have fun!

 

[aquajim]

My oldest daughter likes going to the gun shows with me. She likes being the only girl.

 

[ice]

You'll find a little bit of everything! Price gouging, decent prices, and in between! Enjoy!

 

[RichO]

You can find some good even great deals at gun shows, but there are also a lot of people with over priced everything. If you don't know before hand what a good price on an item is you can wind up paying too much.

This pretty much sums it all up. Ever since Sandy hook, the over-pricing has gotten worse, but there are still good
deals to be had. If you have a smart phone, it's a good idea to bookmark some sites such as Gunbroker Mobile on
your browser so you have quick access to some reference prices.

 

[william]

I go to people watch. But all my wants, needs, and wish items or on my smart phone, priced. Gunbroker, arms list and davidsons are all bookmarked. If I'm really looking for something I move quickly through the venue, on the hunt. After that I relax and enjoy the crowd. It'll be like walmart, minus the screaming kids, and beauty aids.

 

[Rossi]

"You can find some good even great deals at gun shows, but there are also a lot of people with over priced everything. If you don't know before hand what a good price on an item is you can wind up paying too much."

---


This pretty much sums it all up. Ever since Sandy hook, the over-pricing has gotten worse, but there are still good
deals to be had. If you have a smart phone, it's a good idea to bookmark some sites such as Gunbroker Mobile on
your browser so you have quick access to some reference prices.

I agree with the above two statements. Probably true for many parts of the country. You can find stuff there, but it's almost demoralizing to browse a gun show around here anymore. It's almost like a "show and tell" for grown men, because most vendors aren't pricing stuff like they actually want to sell it. And around here, they aren't selling much at gun shows. It used to be common to see people walking out of gun shows with weapons they just bought. Now I rarely see that, it seems.

But I did find my late 1940's S&W pre-model 10 with a 2" barrel at a gun show. It wasn't a steal, just priced a whole lot less than similar items from any of the other vendors. Probably worth more now after the recent panic prices, so I'm happy with what I paid for it. But as a buyer, "doing OK" is about the best you can expect to do. I'd go, but just to have fun.

 

[Lil Beaver]

Knowledge of the best going prices locally or on the net ( if you are inclined to buying on the net ) is the key to knowing if an item is priced right. Some times you can do a little horse trading style of dickering to reach the price you are comfortable with. I have found some good buys at gun shows and some I just ended up spulging for a hot dog and a soda! I did find two Colt Cobra's at gun shows one has a fair amount of holster wear on the bluing and the other is in the high 90% range both bought for what today would be a heck of a steal for a Colt revolver!

 

[KLo]

I agree with many of the statements made here. They are a GREAT place to go and have fun looking. The beauty is you get to visit several vendors all in the same location. As for pricing, you will see everything so you need to know the worth of anything you may wish to buy. I have bought both new and used at gun shows. In the case of my new pistol, I was not finding it in the stores but did find it at a show and the price was in line. I just bought a used shotgun at a show two weeks ago. It was so nice to see so many used guns available and to be allowed to handle them all! As for ammo, I have yet to be at a gun show since December where ammo was fairly priced. 223 that I could get for $20 from Midway was $50 at shows and so on.

 

[Fishinkeylargo]

I go every 2-3 months when they are in Miami. I have gotten good deals, and I have come home empty handed. I don't mind the $10 to get in I enjoy people watching and I definitely get my $10 worth. Know your prices, having a smart phone helps for on the spot research. Since I don't have a smart phone I take my laptop and leave to do my research then go back if it is worth it.

If I see something I may be interested in I ask them for a business card and right the details on the back, this way I can easily find where I need to go back to if I want a second look. For any new guns I ay be looking for I research the best price before going, I have found some dealers will lower their price if you ask quietly off to the side. They don't want the other un-knowing to here. Some dealers will not negotiate, I just move on.

It is also a good place to go to get a hands on experience of many different guns. This way you know how they feel before ordering them on-line at a better price.

Now may not be the best time to get good deals but it never hurts to start getting a feel for what to expect from the different dealers. Go have fun, don't be discouraged if you can't get a deal, give it another try when things start to calm down.

 

[rollin thunder]

I think the days of the good old fashioned gun shows are long gone. You shoulda been here yesterday...

 

[45 Forever]

One good thing is you can build your own AR right there if you know what your doing. Have fun and enjoy the people most are friendly and will talk to you. Most dealers are Okay except for a few. Some can be real tools. Make sure you buy your Zombie targets and other gun show junk.

 

[G8R8U2]

I went to one this month; no charge for parking and admission was $8.

As others pointed out, look around online, as well as your local GS, and find out what a good deal is before going to the show.

You'll still find ample weapons and ammo; but in this climate good prices are more the exception than the rule.

Back in the day one could find deals on new guns that were mind-boggling because they were so much cheaper than retailers; now though, even gun show vendors are asking full retail prices because inventory everywhere is down... I guess they figure they're giving you a deal just by having the gun available right then and there.

 

[Peacemakr40]

+1 to knowing what fair prices are for items before you leave home. I smartphone every potential deal just to compare the show price vs what I can get it for elsewhere. I will say this.... If you have the available cash on hand, go with an empty stomach. The food vendors always seem to have awesome food at slightly elevated prices. Whatever you do, BUY SOME JERKY.

 

[gbusmech]

New to guns, and i am going to a gun show in a few weeks.
What can i expect? good deals? cheap ammo?, rip offs?. I'm mostly just going to take a look around.
I'm familiar with motorcycle shows and car shows, but no-ones selling those things, it's more people selling wax etc.
Are gun shows the same?
Thanks !

You just never know what you may find there, You might just find something that you just got to have and yesterday you didn't even know it existed....