[stoble]

I don't know where this should go so move it at will if needed.

I was reading on another forum about how guys were really disappointed in gun shows and many didn't even go. Complained about price to park and to get in which they didn't feel it was worth the cost. They didn't find anything to buy and said the gun stores did them better. My experience is very different in N.C. and I wonder if this is a state to state issue. I have bought guns, ammo, reloading supplies, cleaning supplies, accessories, novel stuff, etc. I don't go to spend money just to spend it, I look for deals and items I can't get at home or in stores sometimes. Of course shopping is shopping and there are times I get frustrated that I can't find what I wanted. Over all the shows are fun and cool to see so much gun related stuff. The guns offered is more than I could ever hope to see in several stores. Yes, everything is expensive today and some shows are so frequent that this has caused problems with a flood of offered goods. Just wondered how you all felt about the gun shows in your area? Do you go? Do you enjoy or just avoid them like a tupperware party?

 

[Bountyhunter]

I've never been to one. I have a shop 10 minutes down the road and they have anything and everything I need for reloading, and a huge inventory of many other things. I will make a gun show one day, but it's never been a priority.

 

[Wizard]

Back in the '80s and '90s, I used to go to gun shows at least twice/month. The best ones, here in Florida were in Lakeland and in Tampa, and maybe Orlando. Those places are about 100 - 150 miles away.....diesel just costs to much now to try to find a bargin....

 

[sheepdog]

I've been to one in my life....I don't like the not knowing anything about the seller or his gun....I know there're good ammo prices sometimes....I guess I just need to play more and work less...but if I don't work I can't play.....I gotta go to one soon....this has started me thinking about it....thanks...

 

[deputy125]

to me there are two reasons to make a gun show
1. find a "bargin"
2. examine a paticular model gun that you can not find locally on display in a gunshop.

a bargin is in the eye of the beholder. If a person is expectin' garage sale type bargins you can just about forget it. With new guns of the main-stream variety, you can just about always get as good a price from Academy Sports or Big 5 on the day to day always in stock items. The bargins usually come from clean used stuff that the only way you can find it is thru auctions like gunbroker.com-------but at least at the show you can 1st hand examine these guns befoer ya buy.

What i like to look at is all the old out of production guns to look at. Nice old remingtons and winchesters or even the odd-WWI or II surplus stuff. Along with all the other goodies that go along such as reloadin' stuff and such.

On the positive side, some gunshop owners take slow movin' items to shows and will clearance them out be it guns or other accessories.

On the negative side, some folks will take "problem" guns that may have function issues to these shows and get rid of them knowing fully well that when the buyer discovers something wrong, the show will be over with and the seller may be hundreds of miles away.................such as a bad bore causing accuracy issues or headspae problems after a rifle warms up-----i've seen folks get taken---badly...................

 

[Snuffy]

I use to go to gun shows, had a free pass to get into one once. When I got there they had cancelled the gun show I had to jump through my butt to get there on time as I had to work that day. Needles to say I don't go to gun show, they never said a word about canelling the show either. Never found much there that I cared for any ways I can get just about anything I want at The Bore House in Lampass Texas.

 

[gunman42782]

I used to go all the time. I remember once during the late 80s, early 90s walking into the show in Louisville and this guy had crate after crate of SKSs in cosmoline for $49.99!!! Now THOSE really where the good old days! Now, I seldom go, as I honestly can get better deals from my gun dealer. The one in Louisville costs you $5.00 to park and $10.00 to get in, and it is about 80 miles away. The only other ones I go to are in Cave City and Sommerset, and neither is large enough to get excited about.

 

[fordman650]

I have bought 2 guns at a local gun clubs gun show and did real good,we have another gun show that sets up at the fair grounds around the state and there prices for the most part are more than the local gun stores on everything

 

[Johngoboom]

I prefer auctions...I find much better deals on firearms there.

 

[Caveman]

I like gun shows. The only problem is Washington Arms Collectors puts a lot of them on here, and they make life difficult for non-members. But I have found some good deals, and it's a good way to spend a day wandering through a gun store the size of an arena. The best part? The question 'want to go to a gun show, dear?' always had the exact answer I am looking for: 'take one of your stupid friends.'

 

[flounder22]

The gun shows in my neck of the woods are just so so. Lots of cool guns and knifes to look at but the prices always seem high. 50% of the accessories they try and sellseem to be cheap junk. The people are fun to look at though.

 

[JOHNNY WACKO]

The only good deals ive seen at gun shows are when I went with little or no extra cash!
The last one I went to in Pittsburgh had deals out the a$$ but I was broke and went home empty handed.
I wanted to buy everything,If I was Rich I would go to one and buy everything in the place.
I see all those guns with finger prints all over then + want to start whipping them all off with A oily rag!

 

[jimbo1096]

I use to look forward to the gun shows. Even when I wasn't in the market for something it was a fun and informative way to pass an afternoon. Sort of like going to a car show. You don't really intend to buy anything, it's fun to look and to talk with other enthusiasts of the hobby.
I have bought guns at shows, and had a few tables where I sold misc. stuff and ammo.
Today the shows seem much different as the selections isn’t as great and the prices are high. Many ffl holders use the gun shows to sell their stock and they seldom have any deals. Not as much fun as it was, and the admission and table prices keep going up. Costs $80 a table to sell now and the walk in admission is 6 bucks a head.
I still get reloading stuff there when I need it, and it’s still a fairly cheap way to spend an afternoon.