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Do you still go to gun shows?

  • Yes I do! Whenever I can.

    Votes: 22 15.7%
  • Yes, but sporadically or only specific types of shows.

    Votes: 34 24.3%
  • I haven't in a while. But I will get back to regular ones soon.

    Votes: 19 13.6%
  • Nope. Total waste of time.

    Votes: 57 40.7%
  • Never been to one so, I guess not.

    Votes: 7 5.0%
  • Um, eh (bromp!), what wuz duh ques'n again?

    Votes: 1 0.7%

  • Total voters
    140
Looks like my blind vote was on par with the rest of the voting thus far..

Went once cause I had never been to one...and it was the last one I went to... Prices at the show were higher than they were at the store that had a booth in the show....the rest were peddling junk optics, chinese knives, etc. For the most part it was overpriced junk. (this was long pre-covid pre-panic buying, pre 1639)
 
Oh I bought ammo once at that same gun show...I'm lucky it came out of the end of the barrel. It was .45ACP JHP reloads. They fired dirty and with inconsistent velocities, and you would be LUCKY to hit the broad side of a barn with them at 10 paces...They were utter trash...swear they cut the powder with dirt...cases were mixed small and large primers of all different brands which added to the inconsistency. Never again. I didn't even save the brass. Just burned it up in mag dumps as that's all that ammo was good for.
 
I think that it's easy to take our gun shows for granted. Yes, they are full of shinola, over priced crap, beanie babies, etc. But we still get to have them compared to other states. They are still great (and safe) places to take your kids to so they can get exposed early to our culture. It's also a way to see guns displayed that your LGS might not and probably doesn't have. Just like in the classifieds here though, if you don't like the prices, move on. it's also a nice place where you can mingle with lots of other 2A minded people. I generally like the energy at these things. As always, YMMV. :s0145:
 
Na i haven't been to one since 2015 or so. stopped after i seen the same old guys with the same old stuff priced way too high. old guy trying to push a Israeli k98 with nazi marking in horrible shape as if it was something special for $800+. probably still has it now and is selling for 2k haha.

All that said i did like going to look around and that i went with people also so that made it fun. I also walked out with my first m38 after buying from a guy that was just walking around with it with a flag saying for sell. thought that was cool and im sure that has changed so yeah no more gun shows for me. im betting they were way better even before i started going in 2014.
 
I believe the last show I was at was the Palmer High School Gun show in Palmer, AK. The HS holds the show as a fundraiser for the hockey team. It was around 2013 I believe.
 
Look forward to the next ARPC gun show in Albany and typically go or work at both every year. With covid restrictions lightening up, hopefully, they'll be able to hold it, but not sure if vendors will have much to show.
 
I usually go to one a year just to show my kids some older firearms. The last one I went to was almost a year ago, right after the lock down. I took a friend and her daughter who were looking for their first defensive pistol. Of course back then, Trump was a shoe in to win and we were only looking at 15 days to stop the spread so most prices at the gun show were high for the time we were in. I almost bought a Sig P365XL that was listed at $599, but it had a manual safety. My friend did not find anything either so she picked up a Ruger Security 9 from BiMart for less than $300.

The only reason to go to a show now days is if you are rural like me and want to pick up an 80% lower or unfinished Glock frame for cash.
 
About 5 years with tables in the kitchen area at Rickreall waiting to get tables in the main room, kept first 2 tables on the left behind admission for a couple years after I quit. Spring and Christmas shows, best show in oregon early and mid 80's. Actually had numerous tables just display only, really nice Colt collection, rivaled some of the best at the Cody museum. Went a few years ago, pretty nice still compared to most, but still a lot of non firearm related. Sure miss pre 1986 show when you could actually buy, sell, and trade freely!
 
Before the net I used to almost always go. Some I would sell at. They long ago became to me, a huge waste of my time. Junk at prices that made it seem it was plated with gold, legit guns at prices that the sellers seemed to think there was a panic going on even when there was not. Then a lot of "flea market" crap that if I wanted to look for I would go to the flea market which was free. Last time I went was early in the great clinton ban. I was "gifted" a couple M9 mags, still in wrapper by a retired Master Sergent :cool: who sold my Father a gun. I had a P-89 so I went, paid my $5, went looking for Preban 89 mags. A few tables in I see guy with some used in great shape, wanted $50 each. Showed him mine, said "trade?". He said great. Since I had already paid I walked the rows, saw nothing interesting to me. Have never been back. From what I keep hearing I have not missed anything.
 
About 5 years with tables in the kitchen area at Rickreall waiting to get tables in the main room, kept first 2 tables on the left behind admission for a couple years after I quit. Spring and Christmas shows, best show in oregon early and mid 80's. Actually had numerous tables just display only, really nice Colt collection, rivaled some of the best at the Cody museum. Went a few years ago, pretty nice still compared to most, but still a lot of non firearm related. Sure miss pre 1986 show when you could actually buy, sell, and trade freely!
The Cody museum is amazing for sure !!
 

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