Thread: Been to one been to em all

Am i the only one who's starting to think they are having way too many gunshows lately? Dont get me wrong i love goin to a good gunshow but its starting to become the same thing every time. You have the same vendors every weekend selling the same stuff at the same prices. Maybe if they just spread em out a bit but every weekend come on! Miss the days when it was more like a swap meet than a gun store. this last weekends CW show was a joke! You couldve driven a semi through the aisles there! Sorry but i like it when its so packed you have to spend all day lookin for the little treasure you go for. Guess i will just stick to this site for my searches not as fun but way more treasures here.

I think you're just looking at the way of the world. Brick and mortar stores are goners. What you see at the shows are basement businesses that make deals by email, then deliver at shows. Tons cheaper than a storefront. I too miss the "garage sale" vibe of some shows where you feel you might actually find a treasure, but I certainly understand how it works well for the vendors. I don't see a solution. I think an "amature only" swap meet would be too much paperwork for everyone to deal with.

i think thats why i like the classifieds here. has that feel and i love the trading that goes on. nothing better than barter deal IMHO!

I think I've been to my last show this weekend. First off, the "traveling trailer show" was ??. I'm not even sure what to say regarding that mess. I went to the show looking for a hand full of specific items including:
1. Acog scope and Vortex Scope : Saw two there on the last row before I left. There were very few high dollar tactical optics.
2. Chest Rig - Saw 1 true chest rig all day.
3. H & K P30 - Only person I saw who had them was Keith's who is just down the road for me any day of the week.
4. Walther PPQ - None in the show
5. Ammo - Bought a thousand rounds of 9mm. ( 2 ea. 500 round w/steel cans) for $210.00 Plus + 3% for using my card!! If you count the admission, parking
and six dollars for a hot dog and a pop it cost me $230.00 for the ammo which I could have bought at Bi-mart for the same.


And if we're honest Keith's seems to be about 25% of the show every time I go. On the bright side I met and talked to a few very nice vendors there. Found a Vortex dealer down in Southern Oregon Coast area at the show and they seemed like real nice folks.

Lastly, I hate that I have my carry piece at the show - Empty, No magazine and a plastic strap holding the slide open so it doesn't fit properly in my holster. I feel naked and out of my normal mode of comfort.

Originally Posted by John Gault

There were very few high dollar tactical optics.

Are you kidding me? Didnt you see all the NcStar optics? The best on the market! When are dealers gonna get a conscience and quit selling this Crap? I tried one once and on my ar it lasted about 2 mags!!!! glad they were so cheap! I definitely feel your pain. I have vowed to only goto the albany shows from now on (just not the east lions show)! Free parking and $5 to get in. That i can recoup pretty easy plus there is a McD's down the road so i dont get and ecoli dog that costs $8!!!!

This last weekend's show was a bust, on several fronts. For one thing, the low cost ammo dealer from Grass Valley, CA, wasn't there, and isn't due back in Portland until August. It's nice to be able to peruse Keith's in an open table environment, but after a few gun shows, the novelty wears off.

I'm afraid I'll be sticking mainly to the internet save for the upcoming Oregon Arms Collectors show in August.

Originally Posted by dakaham

plus there is a McD's down the road so i dont get and ecoli dog that costs $8!!!!

Worried about e coli, but you eat at McDonalds? Totally agree about the shows. Love the diamond in the rough finds.

I'm interested in this ammo dealer from california. Are his prices that much cheaper then walmart or bi-mart?

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im too young to miss the "good old days" of gunshows... might as well have never happened. it's my opinion that gunshows are totally worthless, and the only reason i ever go is when i'm desperate for a case of ammo and cant wait for AmmoMan to ship. so maybe once a year..

little less airsoft, little less beanie babies, and crap junk vietnam era leather gear that should have been burned 30 years ago, and more GOOD DEALS on guns... till then, nein danke.

Went to the Rickreall show last time it was in town. IMHO it is far better than the Portland show. Ammo prices were good, had a vendor from California with some of the best prices I have seen around for a while. Also the show cost 3$ to get into and parking is free. It is not a bad trip for me since I have a friend with a farm out that way any way. I long ago got burned out with the Portland show and its rip off prices! After paying 8$ to park and another 10$ to get in are you really gonna save any money buying there any way?? I think not. Just my 2cents. Gonna stick with the small shows. Canby and Rickreall will be my go to shows from now on.

I seldom if ever go to the Portland show anymore. With gas prices the way they are now, the outrageous parking fee, and the show admission you have to buy a lot of stuff at really good prices (which you seldom find there) to make it worth your while.

OTOH, the show in Hillsboro the last couple of times was better than it has been in years. 10 minutes from my house free parking and cheap admission.

My wife and I have recently stopped going to shows, too. For decades we seldom missed a gun show within 50 miles of where we lived. We always enjoyed the people, displays, and deals to be found. We could browse for hours and always come away with something fun we didn't know we needed! However, the past few years have seen increased entrance and parking fees, huge crowds causing long waits just to get in the door, frantic people clawing and running for ammo dealer tables, retail prices, and generally just not a very fun time or place to be. Perhaps we are just getting old, but the ease with which you can find things on the internet (this board included) has largely taken over the way we shop for many things, including firearm related purchases. The handful of comments regarding the smaller shows makes good sense to me though. We might just give them a try again and see how it goes. Thanks for the reminder!

I have been hitting up the ones that are close. I've noticed the same thing, same vendors, same guns, same prices.. There are however quite a few people, and its nice to get out and talk to somewhat like minded people. I've noticed as well, that the last show we went too, didn't hardly have anyone selling holsters of any sort. The one before that, 1/4 of the vendors were people selling a variety of brands of holsters...

In the end, you never know exactly what you'll find, and it may be worth the trip if not to go meet some people.

Originally Posted by t.huynh

I'm interested in this ammo dealer from california. Are his prices that much cheaper then walmart or bi-mart?

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Some examples:

1. German DAG .308: 200 round battle packs for $74.95. That's 37.5 cents a round (even lower in quantity), so it makes the cost of show admission and parking better than usual ammo shipping costs. You can't get milsurp from Walmart or Bi-Mart, so no comparison here.

2. Hornady 17 HMR at $8.99 a box, 10 boxes for $85. Bi-Mart does get down to $9.99 on this on occasion.

MiWall just has more variety of ammo as well. It's a high volume operation that makes going to the gun show worthwhile.

Originally Posted by dakaham

I have vowed to only goto the albany shows from now on (just not the east lions show)! Free parking and $5 to get in.

The Albany show is worth the drive from Salem for me.

Originally Posted by FelidaHouse

This last weekend's show was a bust, on several fronts. For one thing, the low cost ammo dealer from Grass Valley, CA, wasn't there, and isn't due back in Portland until August.

They were at the little Rickreall show a couple of weeks ago.

Originally Posted by t.huynh

I'm interested in this ammo dealer from california. Are his prices that much cheaper then walmart or bi-mart?

Depends. The 500 rounds of 9mm remanufactured for $79.95 sure beats Bi-Mart.

Originally Posted by tacticalinsertion7923

Went to the Rickreall show last time it was in town. IMHO it is far better than the Portland show. Ammo prices were good, had a vendor from California with some of the best prices I have seen around for a while. Also the show cost 3$ to get into and parking is free.

$3? I had to pay $5

Originally Posted by FelidaHouse

Some examples:

1. German DAG .308: 200 round battle packs for $74.95. That's 37.5 cents a round (even lower in quantity), so it makes the cost of show admission and parking better than usual ammo shipping costs. You can't get milsurp from Walmart or Bi-Mart, so no comparison here.

2. Hornady 17 HMR at $8.99 a box, 10 boxes for $85. Bi-Mart does get down to $9.99 on this on occasion.

MiWall just has more variety of ammo as well. It's a high volume operation that makes going to the gun show worthwhile.

Agreed. Miwall Store

My apologize . I thought it was 3$. May have been $5? Either way, still far cheaper than that of the Portland show. And I guess Miwall must have been who I bought both .45 ammo and .223 ammo through. PMC was $280 case of 1000 closest I can find is 300$ any where else. I will keep my 20$! And I got 500 rounds of Winchester white box 230gr for 164$.

There are still "treasures" to be had if you are willing to look and haggle. Last weekend I found a real, made in America, Harris bi-pod for $40 and lightly used AR mags for $5 each. If you become a member you can get in an hour early. The members that come in that first hour on Friday do get some goodies, and don't have to wait in the line. The membership is $12 per year, pro-rated monthly, and gets you in early and a dollar off at all Collectors West Gun Shows including the smaller ones. You can sign up in the Collectors West show office at Expo.

Been going to gun shows since about 1964 with my dad. Spent 14 years as a custom knifemaker going to them once or twice a month. And they are all different. I will grant you they have changed they are all smaller then they used to be. There are way fewer private sellers (thanks to new laws and bull) But I see different stuff at everyone I go to.

And they have NEVER been a place to go to thinking you would find a specific item. Like cheap ammo for your black gun or some special part for your black gun. Heck 25 years ago you were hard pressed to find more then a couple tables that even sold black guns. And there was about 80% less varities of pistols. And NO WHERE AT ANY GUN SHOW could you find a petite pink pistol for your shela.

Went to the one yesterday in Eugene and for the first time since I've been going to shows I was actually bored. Saw a lot of the same vendors that I've been seeing with mostly the same inventory. Was pleased to see a couple new booths or vendors with a slightly expanded collection. But aside from picking up a vest and some knee pads there was nothing there that caught my eye or warranted it sans one guy with a nice Mosin and Enfield.

Also about the 3 out of 4 shows were ammo prices weren't great. And at times worse than retail.

The shows are a great way for newbies to feel,hold and get educated on various firearms some bad experiences from a show but on balance people who are new can get their hands on and feel whats right for them.if you are more discerning collector they tend to be boring as the real deals are done otherways.