Gun Show Insanity

[simon99]

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.

You must be going to different shows than I do.....80% of the vendors I see aren't making a profit, more like rape and pillage.

 

[erudne]

I'm sorry that folks are having a hard time, one would think that after the AWB, 2009 and 2012 one would have had sufficient warning to slowly accumulate the gear needed

I don't like the shows either but as far as pricing goes, Blame Obama!

There are alternatives to shows; NWFA is one

 

[Brutus57]

I go because of the social aspect of going with a friend or wife, checking stuff out and sometimes finding a gem like a decent priced AK pig sticker. As a WAC member all the WAC shows are free here in WA so better deal the more shows you go to. Did by a BCM upper for not too much over retail during the Panic. YMMV

Brutus Out

 

[superdave65]

I go because of the social aspect of going with a friend or wife, checking stuff out and sometimes finding a gem like a decent priced AK pig sticker. As a WAC member all the WAC shows are free here in WA so better deal the more shows you go to. Did by a BCM upper for not too much over retail during the Panic. YMMV

Brutus Out

 

[AMT]

"Haggling" may be one thing, but when offering a fair price, and backing it up with preprinted pricing to show, and you are still told "go buy those"..... You tend to just stop looking at the price tag and walk away.

I don't think anyone minds seeing something tagged high and making a fair offer on the item. But being told "no" and they turn and walk away is getting real old.

I see it like everyone else.... vendors are sitting at the tables not selling anything and then get grumpy when they receive a fair offer. Especially when the table next to them has the exact same thing for significantly less. *I was in the market for a Taurus (please keep opinions to yourself ). Two tables side-by-side. One guy had his marked $80 more than the other. He has some other stuff that I asked about too. The guy wouldn't budge on his price. So, I walked to the other table and bought the pistol and walked away. I thought the guy (with the high price) was going to throw something at me.

It is THAT that is killing the shows. As stated before..... everyone wants to make a profit. Why try and make your entire years' salary in one sale instead of multiple sales? What is the worse that happens? You leave the gun show with no product(s) because you sold everything? AND, you probably ended up with happy and repeat customers?

Soap box has been evacuated.

Next....

 

[jrprich]

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'.

I agree and have just quit going to them as I always leave annoyed.

 

[superdave65]

"Haggling" may be one thing, but when offering a fair price, and backing it up with preprinted pricing to show, and you are still told "go buy those"..... You tend to just stop looking at the price tag and walk away.

I don't think anyone minds seeing something tagged high and making a fair offer on the item. But being told "no" and they turn and walk away is getting real old.

I see it like everyone else.... vendors are sitting at the tables not selling anything and then get grumpy when they receive a fair offer. Especially when the table next to them has the exact same thing for significantly less. *I was in the market for a Taurus (please keep opinions to yourself ). Two tables side-by-side. One guy had his marked $80 more than the other. He has some other stuff that I asked about too. The guy wouldn't budge on his price. So, I walked to the other table and bought the pistol and walked away. I thought the guy (with the high price) was going to throw something at me.

It is THAT that is killing the shows. As stated before..... everyone wants to make a profit. Why try and make your entire years' salary in one sale instead of multiple sales? What is the worse that happens? You leave the gun show with no product(s) because you sold everything? AND, you probably ended up with happy and repeat customers?

Soap box has been evacuated.

Next....

Hopefully you will come by my table brother. I never sit down, I price my guns to move and I sell the CRAP out of them. Those old guys that just sit there and read western novels are my best resource for low priced guns. Some of them just can't understand that you have to price your guns for what they are worth, not what you want to get out of them.

 

[AMT]

Hopefully you will come by my table brother. I never sit down, I price my guns to move and I sell the CRAP out of them. Those old guys that just sit there and read western novels are my best resource for low priced guns. Some of them just can't understand that you have to price your guns for what they are worth, not what you want to get out of them.

If you price your guns "to move", or even reasonably, I would love to stop by your table. As mentioned, it is the ones that don't and won't budge on their price.

 

[jbett98]

China figured it out. Keep the overhead low, minimal profit markup and volume sales, lots of volume.

 

[ma96782]

You never know what you'll find.

EXAMPLE:

I went to the St. Helen's gun show this weekend. It was a long drive and the show was small. I thought I had wasted my gas and time traveling all the way from Vancouver, WA for this. But, since I came this far already.....what's another $6 each for entry. It's father-son time, right.

My son and I took a few laps around and went back to a table that showed some promise. Long story made short.....I made a deal for a Polish made Mosin Nagant M44 at a good price.

BTW, I am a WA resident and I did use a friendly FFL who was there at the show to do the transfer. Thank You: Matthew from Pacific Trading Group, LLC

Of course, my son has claimed it as his Christmas/Birthday present and it's not even December yet. All in all, you never know when you'll score.

Aloha, Mark