Gun Show Insanity

[simon99]

Greetings everyone,

So my wife and I went to a gun show at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds today. I usually go to a couple there every year and the last two ( including todays ) really left me feeling disgusted.
Here's what we observed -

For the most part, the majority of the vendors have remained the same for the last couple of years with their items being pretty much the same along with the prices. I think the most upsetting issue was that there were soooo many booths that had used or everyday items at "Sandy Hook" prices.
For example - MagPul 30 round ( windowless) PMags at one booth - $28
Used and abused Bushmaster XM with no-name red dot - $900
Lots of junky, junky basic old rifles for big $$.

I just don't get it....The only saving grace is that there were a few stands with good prices on new guns and ammo...but by far, most of the vendors were a joke.

Is this just in my area or in yours too?

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[1200bruce]

Pretty much every where that I've seen.

 

[jbett98]

If you sell an item, and only make a buck over your cost, but sell a million of them, you've made a million bucks.
If you try and sell the same item for a million bucks and nobody buys it. What have you made, nothing.
I see a lot of the latter at the gun shows.

 

[raftman]

Went to the Hillsboro show today (first gun show since January, I think). At least parking is free and admission is cheap. Guns were largely of reasonable price, ammo still obscenely priced. Didn't buy anything at all.

 

[Benny503]

That is the reason I dont go to gun shows the last two years. I am not worrying about the entry fee. It just up set me to listen to all the BS dealers telling buyers that the GOV is going to ban all the stuffs.

 

[RVTECH]

Gunshows seem to have 'morphed' into something different entirely and seem to cater to a 'different' type of buyer. They really do nothing for those of us who who have been into the shooting sports for a while and remember how it 'used to be'.

 

[kenboy]

Ya but it takes a long time to get a million background checks.....

 

[xymotic]

Ya but it takes a long time to get a million background checks.....

If you sell one widget for a million dollars, then you have a million dollars and 999,999 widgets. so why the hell would you give them away for $1?

Why do you guys hate capitalism?

 

[jbett98]

It's the margin of profit that's the issue being discussed here, not capitalism..
If you price your inventory way above what is considered a reasonable currant market value, and nobody buys it, what is gained for the seller.
Granted, the seller has overhead and labor costs, but at what point does the seller accrue diminishing profit returns with his merchandise hauling it from gun show to gun show without a sale.
Take Taco Bell for instance. Would you buy one of their bean & cheese burritos for $15.95.
Most folks wouldn't, but at .89 cents they sell millions of them a day. The profit margin is probably slim but still profitable in the long run.
Keith's Guns has a very good business plan. Keep a large inventory on hand and sell it for a little less then anyone else.

 

[bullshot]

If you sell one widget for a million dollars, then you have a million dollars and 999,999 widgets. so why the hell would you give them away for $1?

Why do you guys hate capitalism?

Is Capitalism the problem, or Plain old greed and a F^&$ the next guy attitude has that inflated prices at every show, " So why the hell would you give them away for $1?" You have made a million dump the rest to the guys who can't afford a million (you have made your profit) then buy a new and improved batch of widgets and find the next Buyer remember "There's one born every minute"

 

[xymotic]

Is Capitalism the problem, or Plain old greed and a F^&$ the next guy attitude has that inflated prices at every show, " So why the hell would you give them away for $1?" You have made a million dump the rest to the guys who can't afford a million (you have made your profit) then buy a new and improved batch of widgets and find the next Buyer remember "There's one born every minute"

Well, with bullets it's a little of both. BUT I'd also add that if people are willing to overpay then it's bad business NOT to to maximise profit. That's what is so insidious about corporations. There is no morality or "do the right thing" in corporations.

At some point though, the game of musical chairs the music stops and a scalper gets stuck holding a few thousand rounds he can't use and paid a little too much for, right?

 

[Jamie6.5]

At some point though, the game of musical chairs the music stops and a scalper gets stuck holding a few thousand rounds he can't use and paid a little too much for, right?

That is but one of the lessons taught in a free market economy.
And it works to weed those folks out better than dotgov regulation ever will.

Oh sure, they may make some bank in the short term. But ultimately they'll get burned, and have no one to blame but themselves.
Last year during the shortage, there was a doosh in the T-mook area buying all the .22 ammo he could when WalMart was putting it on the shelf, thinking he'd resell it for double and make a killing.
His customers found out about it (even his long term ones) and he now has lost about 50% of his customer base.

People have longer memories than most scalpers think they do.

 

[DMcGPNW]

If you sell one widget for a million dollars, then you have a million dollars and 999,999 widgets. so why the hell would you give them away for $1?

Why do you guys hate capitalism?

I don't think anyone here hates capitalism but there are two sides to a free market, supply and demand. You are just seeing discourse on the demand side disagreeing with the value placed on the item by supply. This is how the market adjusts. Capitalism is not a one way street. "This is what I have and here are the terms you have to accept." That's called the affordable care act. It is the opposite of a free market.

 

[44mag2ndamend]

So, from the feel of it, Sounds like nickel and dime price gouging. Not free market capitalism. I have never gone to a gun show.

I go to the sportsmans show every year and see the same thing. The only reason I do that is because it is a annual ceremony for myself and the love of the outdoors. If I think its too expensive or overpriced, or an article that is new or I have not priced out in the free market, I leave it at the show. So it can be shown off some more!

 

[superdave65]

I find deals at gun shows all the time. You have to haggle. If you pay asking price for used guns, you are an idiot. Find a guy who looks bored and low-ball the crap out of him. You can get deals and stop whining. If you have never gone to a gun show, how can you comment.

 

[simon99]

I find deals at gun shows all the time. You have to haggle. If you pay asking price for used guns, you are an idiot. Find a guy who looks bored and low-ball the crap out of him. You can get deals and stop whining. If you have never gone to a gun show, how can you comment.

I go to gun shows all the time and I just don't understand your mentality.....why should I haggle? Would you haggle for a Gen 2 30 round windowless Magpul magazine for $28 and be "happy to get it down to the same price I could go buy a Gen 3 for down the street at any local shop in town?
As a business owner, if you alienate your knowledgeable regular customer base because of prices you're not going to be around very long.

 

[44mag2ndamend]

I find deals at gun shows all the time. You have to haggle. If you pay asking price for used guns, you are an idiot. Find a guy who looks bored and low-ball the crap out of him. You can get deals and stop whining. If you have never gone to a gun show, how can you comment.

I definitely see the need to haggle, or it can stay at the show and been seen some more.

 

[RVTECH]

Last few Gun shows Iv'e seen it politicized and by that it seems they are looking to target the panic buyer and to hell with the faithful gun enthusiast they used to serve

Spot on - I watched the transition from the 'faithful' gun enthusiasts to the new 'enthusiasts' where it is all Tactical, high-cap, auto, semi-auto, cans, suppressors and all wrapped around a paranoid survivalist/defensive mentality. Sorry but sometimes this stuff drives me a little nuts!

 

[SevenRemMag]

i feel like these days the shows are just for literally show. because they markup the prices so high. id go to buy apparel or knives, i looked for a sling yesterday at the expo center gun show and i couldnt find any cheaper than 20 dollars.

 

[superdave65]

From the posts that I see, we don't want dealers to make a profit. We don't want people who are survival minded or like tactical guns. We don't want "city folk" to own guns because they are apparently too stupid to be safe. Of course gun shows have changed. Forty years ago you could buy a Colt for $100. I attend 40 gun shows a year, either as a vendor or attendee. I believe that we should support the Second Amendment with actions, not just pay it lip-service. To say that you hate more regulations but openly support them make you a hypocrite. If you don't like to haggle, shop at Walmart. Good luck finding an old Winchester there. Gun shows are fun. It is a place for like minded individuals to congregate and trade, buy and sell. If you don't see the fun in that perhaps you should just stay home and watch Oprah.