There was a TSA knife guy at our local show a couple months ago, selling knives confiscated by the TSA.

Most the table was $2 a knife. I manged to pick through to get several Case and Schrade Old Timer carbon steel knives. I also grabbed a couple of Buck knives. There were plenty of other modern knives to pick from and at $2/knife, it was almost like giving them away. Most of them cleaned up pretty nicely:


I went back last month and pickings were slim. Frost Cutlery and such were mostly left. I did pick up a few ones in like new condition as give aways to friends and family.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

I haven't been to a gun show in over five years now
Don't think I'm missing anything either
Better luck with the local pawn shops
One has their inventory online & that lets me know when something decent shows it's head, In fact I see a SIG Sauer M18 right now + a couple overpriced AR-15s & a 10/22 Ruger
If The M18 has an optic it MIGHT be worth riding the two miles to go see BUT? I Just found a Glock 19X SO!

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MightShowYouHisSmith&Wesson

And what is their turnover, how old is their inventory?

raljr1, yes, Green Cove Springs show. Second one at fair ground here, another scheduled for April? Check on the promoters website. Our gun club co promotes their JAX show, next one in Jax is end of March. I get a table beside couple of other gun club members for “ something to do”. Everyone knows how that is, sit and “ chew the fat” and see and meet friends. One is also a Vietnam Vet. we talk about things that happened there, few laughs. Once in a while a deal comes along. Was looking for S&W revolvers but as you posted the dealer with most of them is very proud of them, not that his stock is bad, he has some really nice ones.
65 I picked up was decent price, less than $600,got $25 less than he asked. Always have to ask if price is best. Had rubber grips with dept. number gouged in bottom, right cylinder shield was really dinged from key ring worn above holster. Managed to get dings out and after shooting will most likely clean up all of it. Pics after shooting

Which gun club? We just moved back her a few months ago and I am looking for a place.

The guy at Green Cove had some very nice pieces. Nothing that I wanted bad enough to pay his asking....And did not really want anything he had enough to try and negotiate.

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

One of my uncles was stationed at the old Army training base at Green Cove Springs for most of the duration of WWII...I understand there is a military museum there now......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

pharmer: You're totally correct about the Orlando show- I quit going several years ago. SS owns about half of the show, and their used guns (trade-ins) are usually ****. I routinely visit the Melbourne and Ft. Pierce/Vero Beach shows, and I do enjoy the Lakeland R&P Club's arms shows that they hold 3 times a year (coming up Jan 22-23). I'm glad that they left the "RP Funding Center" (used to be the Convention Center) and moved west to the Sun n Fun Expo near the airport. RP charged $8 to park and $12 at the door. When I last went to Melbourne ($5 at the door), ammo dealers were selling boxes of 9mm for $18.99 which was the best price I'd seen in a long time. It actually forced some of our local gun shops to match that price.

Technically, since Khaled bought the "Florida Gun Shows" circuit he owns the whole show (from here to Miami on the East coast and Ft Myers on the west). He collects gate and table rent plus SS sales. Lots of overhead though, can't even imagine the $$$ numbers. I'd rather go to Lakeland but it's all day + 160 mi r/t rather than 40 mi and Saturday morning for Orlando. "Doc" decides where we go and he ain't into bayonets for Civil War rifles (neither am I). It's a pain having both on the same weekend. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Gun shows now seem to be like outlet malls. Once upon a time an outlet mall was a place to find discounted odds and ends that couldn't be sold in the regular retail channels. Now they're just selling cheaper versions of name brand stuff—usually at full MSRP. But people don't know that and they flock to outlet malls (and gun shows), assuming that it's some sort of bargain.

And hey ... more power to them. If buyer and seller find the transaction mutually agreeable, then godspeed.

I go to gun shows mostly to see what's in vogue. And, occasionally, a gem does pop up. Like the Detroit PD marked Colt Police Positive that I picked up a few years ago for a few hundred dollars. Don't know how everyone else missed it, but it's a cool piece and the price was definitely right.

Occasionally a blind squirrel finds a nut!

Mike

Years ago in my area, the gunshows would have a number of people walking around looking to buy a gun or perhaps trade their gun in on another, but now they seem to be the same horsetraders walking around trying to trade for profit. The actual people looking to buy guns have figured out they can buy new guns as cheap or cheaper at one of the big box stores than the gunshow dealers often want for used guns. The end result is traders carrying around overpriced guns trying to trade each other or the guys set up with their overpriced guns. Both sides of the table are trying to turn a profit so they keep inflating prices on both sides.

Gun show deals are becoming less and less common as those markets migrate onto the internet.

My guess is there is a negative feedback loop forming. As the internet drives sales online, gun show revenues are down while the rental price for the hall stays the same, so it pushes prices higher, pushes more people to the internet looking for lower prices, and the cycle repeats.

I wish I'd have attended more gun shows years ago. But what I've noticed as time progresses is that there are fewer and fewer used guns at the gun shows in my area.

More and more new guns, more and more unrelated stuff too. Kettle Korn anyone?

Well, they started on the downhill in 1986. Closing the NFA registry caused select fire weaponry to become virtually unobtanium for common folks. Wish I bought that .308 belt fed 1919 for $1500 at the Tupperware show. 1994 had the 2nd AWB (Bush I started it in 1989) and prices went haywire. $150 for a Glock mag, $50 and up for AR pattern 30 rd. At least we got a reprieve 10 years later. 2008 caused a deeper malaise to form and the "threat of action" especially after the Newtown tragedy, caused more than one panic/shortage over 8 years. After 2016 things got good for probably the last time in a favorable political climate. Recently the COVID has caused some crazy along with women and liberals realizing they are undergunned for the current environment. The future? Flip a coin, could be better, could be worse. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Took my 2 65’s to range, first time for the 4”. 3” shoots like a dream, have to work on action of 4” as its still kinda rough.
38 Spl. warm hand loads and factory 125 grn flat point jacketed double action from 10 yards in timed fire. Had to use pasters to fill big hole.3A14125A-2650-4328-B83C-90893C59579D.jpg

I'm envious Grayman50!

I agree! The hunt is half the fun. I refuse to buy online

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213th FBINA

Gun shows, where it costs $5-15 to go window shopping. And yet, just like window shopping on the street, we sometimes find something to buy. Generally though (for me at least) it’s an exercise in just looking, dreaming, and remembering.
One of the disadvantages of living a long time, I suppose.

Froggie

A similar thing seems to be happening with in person local auctions. I retired 8 years ago and that was when I began accumulating. A local auction company had a couple of firearms auctions each year,. Mostly from estates. I was able to get a number of nice firearms at them and they were fun to attend You could preview and and take your time to handle the guns in person several days prior to the auction and could really look them over. The company held FFL and they would do the background check and transfer during and after the auction.

The auction company was bought and the new owner has gone on-line only and in person preview is only for a couple of hours a day or so before the auction. Haven't bought from them since. Prices are higher due to wider audience with the on-line auction.

Even if I don't see anything I want to buy, I still like gun shows. I see nice people, and I don't care about the stuff that doesn't interest me, so I ignore it. The promoters want to sell their table space, and if gun people aren't buying it all, then someone else needs to. No need for anyone to get upset about it. Don't like the prices? Join the club. I don't like them at the grocery, the car dealers, or the gas station either. I've set up at shows before and had OK prices, with some wiggle room. Even had a sign encouraging negotiations. I think a lot these folks have elevators that go all the way up.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I went to a gun show on Sunday and one table had a Heritage Rough Rider for $450 and a new model blue Single Six for $650. Both guns were used!!!! Yikes!!!! Talk about crazy prices!

I attended 2 shows Saturday where I saw everything from that-seems-almost-fair to what-planet-did-you-come-from in prices...I made one trade, and a few other deals...I came home with five more......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Been going to gunshows since the mid 70s, don't recall a time when the prices weren't considered high....
I generally have fun making a game of finding a bargain....

It looks like I value my guns more than they do.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

Khaled as absolutely turned it into the traveling Shoot Straight show.

I have fond memories of the Ft. Lauderdale at the War Memorial Auditorium. I remember when Shoot Straight was just a tiny little spot.

I also remember cruising the tables and seeing a smattering of everything. Mil-Surps, Wheel Guns, Modern Automatics, Classic Hunting Guns, and parts.... man, it was great. If I wanted a Colt Wide Spur Hammer for a 1911. It was there.

Now, the show isn't even done there and the old ways are long gone.

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GOA FL Dir. & Nat. Spokesman

Here in rural WI., almost all the estate auctions are online. Hardly any "in person" live auctions being held. Most auction houses here now add state sales tax and a 10% buyers premium to every winning bid, which can add a considerable sum to the "hammer" price
Gary

Here in rural WI., almost all the estate auctions are online. Hardly any "in person" live auctions being held. Most auction houses here now add state sales tax and a 10% buyers premium to every winning bid, which can add a considerable sum to the "hammer" price
Gary