This past weekend's gun show (AAR)

[The Pontificator]

South Carolina State Fairgrounds. From this AAR I copied from ARFCOM it looks to have been a stinker. Parking was $5 and door admission $10.

"I went on Sunday from 10AM until about noon. I was specifically looking for a used 10/22 and I wasn't willing to pay the $350+ I'm seeing on Armslist.

I didn't find a used one, but found about a half-dozen new ones. I couldn't get any of them to budge on their prices ($310 and up) until the last guy. I got a BNIB 10/22 basic wood stock model for $289 OTD. Not the deal of the century, but I got what I wanted and didn't go too far over budget.

Attendance was extremely low and not nearly the usual amount of vendors. No joke, there were probably only 100 people there, including vendors, event staff and security. Jamil Temple show had people lined up outside and it took over an hour to get in......this one had no lines at all, w-i-d-e aisles that even the strollers/scooters/fat-guys-in-mixed-camo couldn't block.

I didn't see any primers, only 2 tables with any powder and they only had a couple of bottles. (I didn't look at prices because I didn't need any) GA Precision had their usual table, but it looked like they only brought about 1/4 of what they usually do.

Overall, it was a sad show. More Chinese junk than ever, vendors weren't willing to haggle (except for the one I bought the 10/22 from), ammo was sparse and overpriced. Worst part was not seeing ANY people walking around trying to sell ANYTHING except for the random old guy trying to trade off a couple of rusty break action shotguns.

I managed to find what I was looking for and the price wasn't bad (especially for the current political climate) but it wasn't the best show I've seen.

If you missed the show, you didn't miss much."

 

[nortac]

I have not been to a gun show for many years and this bolsters my decision to avoid them.

 

[The Pontificator]

What the Internet couldn't kill off COVID/civil unrest/commies pretty much did.

 

[dojpros]

By the mid 2000's here in the midwest, they were a waste of time unless you simply enjoyed the hunt with the possible exception of some primers/bullets (shipping costs given weight) because virtually everything else could be sourced on line cheaper.

Therefore, my first shooting mentor eschewed attending gunshows from that point forward. He said when he got up on the morning of a gunshow, he simply flushed a 5.00 bill down the toilet (the admission fee for the gun show) and went back to bed. Time better spent he said. Often more than a kernel of truth.

I did not mind the hunt and the people watching could be worth the price of admission. Having said that, in the dozens of gunshows I went to, I never got a real bargain on anything.

 

[Toothpick]

I’ve only been to one gun show in my entire life. I wasn’t totally impressed. And this was back in 2016 I think. I never had the desire to go back. I buy what I need online or the local gun shops.

I do remember I saw a bunch of knives that I wanted at really good prices. So that’s a plus for gun shows at least.

 

[The Pontificator]

I miss the big multi-building shows at the Metrolina in Charlotte. I believe I attended my first one in '97 when Internet sales were still in their infancy.

The last time I went there (after a 11 year hiatus) was in 2014 and was the final show before the Metrolina property was torn down.

 

[The Pontificator]

Even during the salad days aka "Trump Slump" many gun show vendors refused to lower their prices. Not even a smidgen.

An exception was some Class III/NFA dealer who had reportedly purchased 244,000 PMAGs hedging on a Hillary election victory. At a show in Florence, SC he was selling them on Saturday for $8 each and at the end of the day on Sunday had lowered his price to $6 each. I am sure that even at that price he was making something of a profit though not the $40-50 or more he originally envisioned.

 

[BigFoot]

The shows I go to in the Dallas area have big crowds and a crap load of vendors. Prices reflect what you are trying to buy and who the dealer is. Ammo is high of course, but it is there so if you want it bad enough you will buy it. AR type rifles have gone way up in price at the shows. Pistols are for the most part within a few bucks of MSRP. No great deals to be had on anything though.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Last gun show I went to was in the astrodome in their basement. It was huge. I didn’t even get halfway through before I had to go home. Gun shows do have their purpose but not always a good deal.

 

[nikonNUT]

Even during the salad days aka "Trump Slump" many gun show vendors refused to lower their prices. Not even a smidgen.

An exception was some Class III/NFA dealer who had reportedly purchased 244,000 PMAGs hedging on a Hillary election victory. At a show in Florence, SC he was selling them on Saturday for $8 each and at the end of the day on Sunday had lowered his price to $6 each. I am sure that even at that price he was making something of a profit though not the $40-50 or more he originally envisioned.

Or he might have been selling them at cost just recoup some working capital. I have returned stuff at work with a restock fee because "Sure we will use them but it might take 20 years to sell them all. I'd rather eat 10% and have the cash on hand for other things...".

 

[novitiate]

I stopped going to any of the big regional shows and only hit the small ones; especially those at shooting clubs. Those tend to be best for older items and sellers wanting to move stuff on. The big shows though are bad. Tables of crap and few private/individual sellers. It's nearly all shops & distributors.

 

[Acmemfg]

Gun shows are just 15 minutes ago. Only today I’m reading ads from online dealers selling ARs by Colt, Ruger, and S&W for $800-$1,100.
Handguns aren’t in really short supply either. Just have to look a tad harder.
Gun shows?? Nah…”video killed the radio star.”

 

[simon1]

I went to a gun show here a few years ago...it was so small you could go through all of it in about 30 minutes. I was looking for a Detective Special but didn't see one. Police Positive Specials were abundant though. A retired Texas Ranger that I used to work with had a table with a bunch of old Colt Model Ps, some engraved. You know...the kind that are several thousand dollars each...five figures and up.

Last show I went to was in Mesquite and it was much better. Found a Colt Cobra that I picked up. This was all before the shortages. The best gun show I've been to was when I was living in Tulsa. That is one huge show.

 

[BigFoot]

Last show I went to was in Mesquite and it was much better. Found a Colt Cobra that I picked up. This was all before the shortages. The best gun show I've been to was when I was living in Tulsa. That is one huge show.

I usually hit the one in Mesquite, it has a nice blend of stuff. I go more than I should as I am looking for a HS Derringer with box and paper work. I am looking at you @Ad Astra.

 

[Ad Astra]

I usually hit the one in Mesquite, it has a nice blend of stuff. I go more than I should as I am looking for a HS Derringer with box and paper work. I am looking at you @Ad Astra.

Ah, good call.

Like this one? 22 mag, nickel, NIB from 1975?

A very stylish carry, IMHO...

Here's a B&Ber with one...

Don't forget the classic Safariland holster..

AA

 

[novitiate]

I went to a gun show here a few years ago...it was so small you could go through all of it in about 30 minutes. I was looking for a Detective Special but didn't see one. Police Positive Specials were abundant though. A retired Texas Ranger that I used to work with had a table with a bunch of old Colt Model Ps, some engraved. You know...the kind that are several thousand dollars each...five figures and up.

Last show I went to was in Mesquite and it was much better. Found a Colt Cobra that I picked up. This was all before the shortages. The best gun show I've been to was when I was living in Tulsa. That is one huge show.

I used to love poking around for used/older handguns at shows and in the LGS cases. Very little now, even low-end stuff like Bersa, H&R or Charter doesn't seem to even show up anymore. Plastic, plastic, plastic and very little else.

 

[Wishoot]

Unfortunately, it's been pretty depressing around here for the last 15 years or so. Overpriced firearms, overpriced ammo and reloading components. Plenty of cheap, imported knives, war memorabilia, surplus and tacticool gear.

 

[The Pontificator]

Just a lot of cheap imported crap, period.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I miss the big multi-building shows at the Metrolina in Charlotte. I believe I attended my first one in '97 when Internet sales were still in their infancy.

The last time I went there (after a 11 year hiatus) was in 2014 and was the final show before the Metrolina property was torn down.

I never went to a gunshow at the Metrolina, but went to alot of CBA Bike Shows and Swapmeets there.