Tomorrow is the big day. Never been to a gun show and will be going to the Crossroads of the West show in....yes, Tucson. My friend and neighbor asked me to go and since my bride is booked for the whole day between church, lunch with friends and a trip to the broadway musical "Wicked", I am on the proverbial long leash. (o; While I'm not looking for any particular gun I do need some more .380 and 38 special ammo. I will have a little coin in my jeans so anything is possible. I have read reports both good and bad about gun shows here on the forum and don't really know what to expect so it should prove interesting at the very least. Any last minute advice for a gun show virgin would be appreciated and I'll report back tomorrow, wish me luck. (o;

Wear comfortable shoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You might want to carry a light backpack in which to tote yore goodies. If you are thinking about buying a S&W, take your copy of the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson. A magifying glass and a pocket flashlight are both helpful for examining guns.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Not sure if the press will be there today but they were yesterday. after last weekend there was a planned (poorly) protest that was dispersed by the law enforcement because they didn't have a permit. It was an extremely busy show on Saturday. on Sundays the best time to get there is a 9 AM because the crowds don't usually show up until 11 or so. Good Luck in finding that prefect S&W.

Dan

Just returned from a very enjoyable first gun show. I took the good advice offered here (comfortable shoes, magnifying glass and flashlight), and found them all to be very useful - thanks guys. The Crossroads of the West show here in Tucson was very well run. Lots of nearby parking ($3), and $10 to get in. We arrived at 9:15 and were glad as the crowd grew rapidly. Folks were very friendly and polite, not bad for the size of the crowd, spent a couple of hours and managed to see every table. Lots of Taurus' at every table but they hold no particular interest for me. Saw a number of nice S&W's but nothing jumped out at me screaming "Take me home I'm a smokin good deal." (o;

I did find 125 grain 38 Special HP's for $10 a box, I bought 4 along with 3 boxes of .380 100 grain FMJ's @ $13 a box and a pair of 38/357 speed strips for $9. My buddy picked up a nice Lever Action Winchester 30/30 for $700 and then we headed off to the local Indian Casino for the Buffet and some Blackjack. Won $50 playing 21 which subsidizes my ammo purchase down to $29 for 350 rounds. All in all a very pleasant morning and home in time to watch the playoffs.

You probably had an advantage because you walked in with no pre-conceived ideas. I've been preaching for a while here (I've wornout my first set of lips I've preached so much). If you go with only one gun or component in mind, you'll probably be disappointed. The wider range of interests you have, the more likely you are to see something you'll enjoy. I go to every gun show I can. Around here, its a lot of them. But then I don't want or purchase ARs or junk semi-autos.

What I really enjoy and concentrate on are the folks walking around (some have great guns in their hands to sell) and the tables manned by old coots like me. Its where you can locate items that haven't been produced in years, or better still, things still priced as they were 30 or so years ago.

I'm just going to guess the folks who complain about pricing really don't know what things sell for today. They know that 10 years ago an old M10 sold for $350. When they see the same gun in its box with an asking price of $500, they're offended. Of course they wouldn't sell their stuff that cheap, even if they had it to sell. When they go to a gun store, they only see a small sampling of the stuff you can see at a big show. But the prices would shock them if they did.

I'm guessing those who complain about the asking prices don't always have a good feel for what one gun might or might not offer. What I really enjoy is when someone comes to my table and tells me he's seen an identical item for $100 less "across the room". I usually tell him to go buy it, quick. Of course its usually just a clumsy negotiating tactic. I really don't mind if someone else is dumb enough to be asking 1980s prices.

Go to more shows. Once you've been to a bunch, you'll start to understand more about the culture (if it can be called that.) I have fun regardless of my focus on buying, selling, or just looking. A while back I had no idea I needed a Bianchi full flap holster. But I did.

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Dick Burg