ARPC gun show this weekend?

[BanjoGeek]

For those that mention no one haggles anymore heres my expert opinion on it

I don't want to throw a number out there that you may take offense to. I don't want to sit there and haggle back and forth with you. I just don't want to waste the time doing it. Chances are you won't come down enough to make me feel like I got a good deal and if you did you may feel like you kind of got jipped in the deal and I don't want that either. I like it when both parties feel they got a fair deal. But when many of the prices there (That I saw today) where above retail anyways how far down are you really going to come? If your ok with selling something for less why not just put that price on it. The next person to walk up and grab it to look may just buy it instead of putting it down thinking they can just get it cheaper somewhere else. Plus people may spread the word about the great prices at your table and bring more business your way.

Example. I was looking at a grand power x-caliber at a table because I'd never seen one in person but I love grand power pistols and own 1 already. The guy says to me "you look like you know what that is" I told him I did and I was surprised to see one as most people don't even know about them. He tells me he's surprised it's still there. He had it listed for 800 something. I didn't look real hard cause I know I could get that gun shipped to my ffl and take it home for $750 total. For all know he had it listed for $850. I stopped looking whwn i saw the 8. I'm not going to haggle him down over $50-100 his asking price. I feel like if I had something for sale and someone offered me less than $100 my asking price that he's low balling me. Obviously there are exceptions. If what your selling is $1,000+ then it may be more acceptable to offer $100 less...anyways I don't want to low ball someone so I just put it down and walked away. Sorry. That's just my take on it.

I hear you for sure. My only take on it is people will ask "what's your best price?" If I respond with half the posted price they want to haggle down from there and if I ask them what's their best offer they usually won't respond. It's a game and I don't mind playing it because one, I am trying to get rid of things before the commie take over and I like being around people so I stay in the game, two I encounter a lot of old time friends and also Veterans that might need to know where to go for help with service related problems. We each get a different meal at the same banquet.

 

[Fishonshawn]

Just talked to my wife about that x caliber. She said it was listed for $850. So in my opinion, for me, i'd feel like i'd of got a decent deal if I could have got that gun $50 cheaper than I could have elsewhere...well I can get that gun for $750. So I would have had to shoot him an offer for $150 less his asking price. In my eyes that's kind of insulting and probably what most would call a lowball offer so I just don't do it.

 

[fxdc]

Are you going today PP40?

 

[CLT65]

So in my opinion, for me, i'd feel like i'd of got a decent deal if I could have got that gun $50 cheaper than I could have elsewhere...

Maybe he wasn't looking to sell it to someone who needed a "good deal", might have been looking for the guy who "had to have it".

I don't go to shows looking for a bargain so much any more. If I find one, great; otherwise if I find something I want and the price is ballpark reasonable I just buy it. I don't buy many guns at all any more and I don't buy to sell, so if I end up paying a little too much for something I like it doesn't bother me.

You guys are making me jealous. I'm not that far away and I be there if I wasn't stuck on a big project at work all weekend. The positive side of that is I'm making enough money in a couple day to buy a couple nice guns (not that I will; I have two kids in braces).

 

[Mikej]

For those that mention no one haggles anymore heres my expert opinion on it

I don't want to throw a number out there that you may take offense to. I don't want to sit there and haggle back and forth with you. I just don't want to waste the time doing it. Chances are you won't come down enough to make me feel like I got a good deal and if you did you may feel like you kind of got jipped in the deal and I don't want that either. I like it when both parties feel they got a fair deal. But when many of the prices there (That I saw today) where above retail anyways how far down are you really going to come? If your ok with selling something for less why not just put that price on it. The next person to walk up and grab it to look may just buy it instead of putting it down thinking they can just get it cheaper somewhere else. Plus people may spread the word about the great prices at your table and bring more business your way.

Example. I was looking at a grand power x-caliber at a table because I'd never seen one in person but I love grand power pistols and own 1 already. The guy says to me "you look like you know what that is" I told him I did and I was surprised to see one as most people don't even know about them. He tells me he's surprised it's still there. He had it listed for 800 something. I didn't look real hard cause I know I could get that gun shipped to my ffl and take it home for $750 total. For all know he had it listed for $850. I stopped looking whwn i saw the 8. I'm not going to haggle him down over $50-100 his asking price. I feel like if I had something for sale and someone offered me less than $100 my asking price that he's low balling me. Obviously there are exceptions. If what your selling is $1,000+ then it may be more acceptable to offer $100 less...anyways I don't want to low ball someone so I just put it down and walked away. Sorry. That's just my take on it.

You're not alone, this ^^ is how I feel on the matter. The only thing I took a chunk of money for was a Swede Mauser. I found one pretty quick. There was no price on it, the other rifles were priced though. As I started inspecting they decided it was going to be $$. It seemed high for the condition of the stock. If these guys were going to let that gun go this afternoon for C-note less, they should have priced it at that yesterday. I hope they sell it I really do. I hate offering less. And I knew if I offered a C-note less they'd just want to meet half way and I don't want the feeling of walking away after working up the nerve to make the offer.

Then Kieth's! Two Swedes! One looked good but it was German and $800.00. The other a '41 short rifle, $995.00 I think.
I was kinda looking for nickle .357 brass, got some I considered worth the price, and saw some in bags of 100 at the price of $200.00/K. And I'm beginning to think that powder at gun show will always be crazy priced. At least it's come down from the $50.00 a lb it was six years ago to $22-25.00 for an $18.00 lb of Titegroup...And was only two years old.

The last thing....I swear that I saw the very same $35.00 AK 30rnd mag that I saw at the Canby show, and the last EXPO show I went to in Nov.

 

[Colts4me]

My friends table did pretty good Saturday. On the phone quite a bit and sold rifles all day but with 20 handguns out he never sold a one. In my opinion he has the best used gun prices in the place but it was a rifle show. Odd how no matter what you have on something folks want it for less. $80 on a great Marlin 60 22lr and they want it for $60. buyers are just as greedy as they say the sellers are.

Glad it wasn't my stuff on the table getting beat to death by a thousand people who pick guns up with no intention to buy. Worst gun to have out is an M1 Garand, everybody has to pick it up.

 

[nfield4]

I've gone to this show a lot of years. This may be the best one.

Arrived 9:10, parked way out on the gravel, and waited in the get-in line.
Show was pretty packed, as in: slow moving down an isle, slide sideways, excuse self to get to a vendor table. As a former vendor this is as good as it gets —especially if there are buyers. As a buyer the array of firearms and related stuff was darn good.

Met a lot of pals, gabbed, and got helpful info. Met Skeezix (very nice guy) for first time, and bought an item. Item had to be properly transferred, and that went well. Anyway lots of guns and related, with good crowd.

Great show!

 

[uscsoldier]

What makes you think they do that?

Because they canceled their most popular event AKA The Machine Gun Shoot.

 

[fxdc]

Waiting in the lot to get inside.
I gotta wizz....
LOL

 

[PiratePast40]

Because they canceled their most popular event AKA The Machine Gun Shoot.

Two different events with very different activities and liabilities.

 

[Mikej]

My friends table did pretty good Saturday. On the phone quite a bit and sold rifles all day but with 20 handguns out he never sold a one. In my opinion he has the best used gun prices in the place but it was a rifle show. Odd how no matter what you have on something folks want it for less. $80 on a great Marlin 60 22lr and they want it for $60. buyers are just as greedy as they say the sellers are.

Glad it wasn't my stuff on the table getting beat to death by a thousand people who pick guns up with no intention to buy. Worst gun to have out is an M1 Garand, everybody has to pick it up.

Okay, you seem to be wise in the way of gun shows like this. Does the guy with the high end Winchester lever actions sell much? Good lord, he had one that was $75,000.00!!! Not saying they aren't worth it, I dunno. I did notice that there weren't many people looking at them. It was good place to take a break from the "Sardine" atmosphere of a lot of the isles. I spent some time looking them over. Would have been a treat to fondle, but I'm not stoopid and start working levers on guns like that.

 

[uscsoldier]

Two different events with very different activities and liabilities.

Only time will tell

 

[nehalemguy]

Okay, you seem to be wise in the way of gun shows like this. Does the guy with the high end Winchester lever actions sell much? Good lord, he had one that was $75,000.00!!! Not saying they aren't worth it, I dunno. I did notice that there weren't many people looking at them. It was good place to take a break from the "Sardine" atmosphere of a lot of the isles. I spent some time looking them over. Would have been a treat to fondle, but I'm not stoopid and start working levers on guns like that.

Didn't I see one marked at $150k?

Good lord....if it's truly worth that why would you ever have it laying on a table where any member of the general public can just pick it up and go all Rooster Cogburn with it in the middle of the isle?

E

 

[partsed]

We saw those rifles while looking around and I wondered who in the "F" has that kind of money to spend on a rifle, let alone a credit card (if the guy accepted one) with that high of a limit.

 

[Unka-Boo]

We saw those rifles while looking around and I wondered who in the "F" has that kind of money to spend on a rifle, let alone a credit card (if the guy accepted one) with that high of a limit.

No one shopping there

There is always a table like that, they are more "show and tell" than "I'm here to sell stuff".
If they truly were for sale, they would be going up for auction...

 

[Mikej]

Last year at this show....Several times Wifey pointed out the little "Don't handle without permission" sign, AFTER I was handling. I thought about making my own little, like 3"x 5", card to stick on my shirt. Something like "I'm sorry I didn't see your little sign as I'm here to look and touch, and hopefully buy, a firearm. I was so taken by your fine array of firearms I completely missed your little sign". If any of the sellers pointed out their sign I could have Pointed to MY sign. None of the sellers last year said anything but after the sign was pointed out I felt like a moron. This year I looked and didn't see any signs, not even on those spendy Winchesters. Even I know better than that! Believe me, I handle others firearms with the utmost care.

 

[Mikej]

There is always a table like that, they are more "show and tell" than "I'm here to sell stuff".

Nah, I think it's just show, and no "tell" I/we stood there for several minutes looking at those, no one ever stood up and even looked at me. I would assume I look a little green when it comes to firearms. A real sales person should want to strike up a convo with someone ogling those fine rifles, I'd think.

I'll still go to this show, it's the best I know of.

 

[thorborg]

Went for the first time, and was more in line with what I like to see. All manor of weapons, calibers, and age, (Portland's are usually 9o% new stuff) with an eclectic mix of parts and accoutrements. Best show for the money I have been to for a long time.

I almost bought a dime store quality Remington made in Russia import Baikals under the name Spartan Gunworks, 12ga O/U . but my wife wasn't feeling well so we left as I didn't want to spend the purchase time.
In the off chance anyone knows the dealer, A name & phone # would be great.
He was busy with another so I was talking to his helper but of little info when my wife approached me .
All I got at the time is he has no brick and mortor store, works out of Oregon city, and had a east / west running tables, about 3/4ths down the west end of the last isle, South West corner of the hall.
Stranger things have happened. Maybe here too!

 

[pharmseller]

A couple of years ago I saw a guy with a nice, but not that nice, Winchester model 71. He had it priced about 3x what it was worth. I looked at it, looked at him, and he said "I know, I don't want to sell it."

I appreciated his honesty.




P

 

[MountainBear]

Okay, you seem to be wise in the way of gun shows like this. Does the guy with the high end Winchester lever actions sell much? Good lord, he had one that was $75,000.00!!! Not saying they aren't worth it, I dunno. I did notice that there weren't many people looking at them. It was good place to take a break from the "Sardine" atmosphere of a lot of the isles. I spent some time looking them over. Would have been a treat to fondle, but I'm not stoopid and start working levers on guns like that.

He and his partners are decently nice guys. I've tabled at shows and watched them sell almost 100k worth of guns in two days and buy almost as much. His stuff, surprisingly maybe due to the cost, moves pretty well, but I would guess most of the high end stuff moves to other high end collectors.
Having that much money in inventory outside a locked vault would scare the shot out of me. But I will say every time I've asked them questions, they've gone out of their way to show me and let me fondle, even knowing I wasn't a buyer.