Having grown up in RI and being bordered by Massachusetts and Connecticut gun shows are pretty much non existent. So now, being in Georgia, I was pretty much looking forward to the show in the Savannah Convention Center.

So I went there this morning, and was thoroughly disappointed. I do not think that there were a dozen S&W revolvers in the whole place of any flavor.

What was there was many tables of AR's and AR platform parts, anodized in every color you can imagine. Lots of second rate guns, pink guns, Chinese junk knives, over priced ammo, components, and army surplus junk.

Only one table had jerky, and no fudge. Could not get a coffee till 11AM.

Without trying to make a political statement, suffice it to say there was a lot of propaganda all over the place.

Well they got 15.00 entry, 10.00 for 4 bullet key chains and 3.21 for a coffee. So 28.21 all together.

I hope I can find some shows where small individual collectors participate. I am done with what I experienced today

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Good luck. I'm a Georgia native and resident. I haven't been to a gun show in years because of these very reasons. Neither Atlanta or Columbus are any better.

Retired W4 may tell you otherwise. He seems to be finding treasures.

There is an auction house about 130 miles from you in Montrose down I16. They get some interesting items occasionally. I'll let you an Retired W4 fight over them.

Never been to the Savannah show. I started bidding at Montrose in 2010, when it was in-person only. Years ago I set up from Cartersville down to the ATL Expo. Now I just do Gwinnett Co. Fairgrounds, Jim Miller Park, Union Hall and of course, the Expo. I've been told I have the best S&W selection around, but KenL might dispute that claim. He is my next door neighbor at Expo and he does have a lot of good stuff.

This is from a few months ago.

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I have been to good ones and not so
good ones . I still set up a couple times
A year. I end up buying more than I would
If I just walked around.

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Another reason to live here, even the lousy gun shows are good. The prices likely start high, but if you have done business before the dealers learn what you like and flag you down most often offering a decent discount or asking for an offer to bring things back to earth. I have a crowded safe to prove it. I always see something that I want. yesterday, one of my pushers saw me waking and called me over and showed me a pristine Model 3906. So little money so many good guns. Also found some OEM 4006 magazines still in the package.

Seems that most well known larger shows have “ shrunk” and mostly have plastic guns and AR’s. A few smaller shows have more variety. Our show( NFACA) is considerately smaller than 6-7 years ago. Thanks to so many on line sites and covid. All our show have quite many S&W’s, Colts and other older name revolvers and semi autos. Sure we have ARs and plastic but not covered up in them. Last year a buddy and went down to the big Tampa show. $10?to park and $12? entry. What a Big disappointment. Huge hall that could easily hold 1500 tables but Wide isles and maybe 700-800 tables Full of ARs and plastic pistols. Only saw 2 older guys ( my age) with older military rifles, 1 guy with so called military surplus, cleaning kits ECT but no real collectable items. Do not recall seeing but 1 or 2 S&W revolvers, no Colts even 1911s. I no longer collect US militaria and sold off remainder of collection few months ago but still look.

If you are looking for a decent show this should do you. Lakeland Arms Show Spend the weekend and see some sights too.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

We have our share of junk in the ATL shows but RK Shows has a collector section, so to speak with lots of good stuff.

If you look at one small case you will see a Glock 10mm. I found a real nice EAA Witness 10mm I had been looking for so the Glock got sold that day.

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Now that in Colorado we have a 72hr wait from submitting the NCIC until pick up (even though the ffl knows almost immediately if the buyer passed or not) there's no reason to go to any of the shows here unless the search is for accessories. Too much of a pain to figure out how to pick up a purchase. The only buyers that are exempt are ffl holders and they look to buy things cheap to make a profit-which I understand completely.

No private sales? Have them here in Fl. so far. Also if through a dealer and you have a CCW for Fl. you can take possession immediately.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The only show I even like attending anymore is the RK Shows at the convention center in Knoxville. Always a pretty good show, more than their share of plastic but always some great old guns as well.

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Life Member GOA and NRA

I attend a show at the local fairgrounds twice a year, more to see friends than to shop. These days I buy mostly uncommon ammunition, brass etc.

10 years ago it was a much better show. Lots of Chinese pocket knives now and imported "tactical gear". I'm always the designated shopper for 2 or 3 friends. There are still bargains available if you're looking for something basic, a utility grade pump 20, bolt action .308 or lever action .22 etc. Friends know I'll pay the gate and hit every table. If I see something that fills someone's need I text them a description and a table number. I'm a happy enabler.

There are still 2 or 3 venders that show up every time with multiple older Smith and Colt revolvers. I spend time with them. Like me they enjoy having someone that to talk to that appreciates their stuff and speaks their language. Sadly, the things I lack are generally priced out of my range. My offers aren't usually accepted but I've hit a time or 2.

I notice the venders are smarter than me. When they pass on one of my offers, it's a good sign they will sell it for their asking price before the end of the day. Yes folks, I'm THAT GUY. Stuff can't possibly be worth more than twice what it was in the 90s, right???

In 2013 our idiot legislators made it so even private sales have to go through an ffl-we've never had the exemption with a ccw permit. Now with our new law if one finds something from a private seller at a show we have to find a local ffl (evidently there are some at the shows) that will process the sale and then arrange for pickup at the end of the 72 hr waiting period.

With my schedule it's just easier to either just buy from one of my favorite shops or arrange the transfer at them. The last gun I bought was in November at my range/shop. They have convenient hours so after work on the third day I was able to drop by, resign/certify the 4473 and take it home.

I do have quite a collection of friends who congregate around and behind my tables. Some come from as far away as Dalton. People are directed to the right place when they come in with a S&W. A good time is had by all.

I live in NY. Yeah, yeah, I know. Restrictions, draconian gun laws, permit reuirements, etc.

Nevertheless, we have the best gun shows around. Three local counties have their Pistol Permit Departments and computers on hand. You could conceivably buy a dozen handguns and have them registered and take them home with you. No waiting periods. There are NICS chek table set up and on computer, no problem.

Prices? Well, that's another story. But they are no higher than at the LGS. If you can't afford one you like, there is a casino next door so you can go and win whatever you need (hahaha).

I can't count the number of guns I've bought at one of the local shows.

I’m below Macon. Haven’t been to a show since COVID. Last one went to was not that great. I used to go mainly for bulk ammo purchase, and to stop by Mr Broome’s table. But he quit coming out years ago. He always had nice old S&Ws, Colts, etc.

...good gun shows any more? We have a big one at the fairground but it's mostly local vendors, set up with what they sell every day in the store. The usual tables of trinkets, beef jerkey and some knives. There's a pretty stiff entrance fee so unless you find something that you really like or need, you are paying them to shop.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Harvey is an old buddy. We did a lot of buying and selling, especially at the old North Atlanta Trade Center. That was a GOOD show. Ah, the good old days.

I have 3 pretty good gun shows within reasonable distance of me. One is at the Frederick (MD) County Fairgrounds, and the other two are in PA in Gettysburg and York. The PA shows are better for me since I'm a PA resident. All of them have enough guns to be of interest to me and I've bought enough stuff at them to make it worthwhile to pay the price of admission and keep going to them.

I DO dispute that! However I will yield to you in having nicer keepers!
I was going to suggest the OP visit our shows. I've heard the Savanah shows ain't all that.

True True and every once in a while I get Tom's overflows and am able to snag some good ones! Tom is a great guy who attracts a lot of other great guys to our little area of the show. Of course, they don't ALL just come to see Tom's stuff!

I knew you would see this thread Ken. An Honorable Mention should go to Sigi and friends with their WW II stuff. Some of those guys are like walking encyclopedias when it comes to Lugers, etc. Our "collector" section at the shows are a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stuffy plastic world. And people do know to bring the good stuff to us, even if it's just to ID or evaluate their guns. I'll bet even the big gorilla would agree.

The fairgrounds show in Jacksonville isnt bad . At least some decent smiths....

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

Yeah, even HE shows up every once in a while!

As I think about it, most memorable shows I ever attended all seem to occurred during the last century. How’s that for sounding like an old curmudgeon?

Once upon a time, gun shows were pretty much the “public event” held by bona fide gun collector associations. And, the reputation of these collector associations was largely based on the quality of the shows they put forth.
Member-Exhibitors actually made an effort to arrange their displays in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Just randomly stuffing a couple glass cases with a pile of junk was actively discouraged.
The idea of gun shows as strictly commercial events organized by LLCs really didn’t exist.
The experience of going to a gun show bore almost no similarity to visiting your LGS.
Personally, I think this is tremendously important. Besides a few fellows like some of the guys that have posted throughout this thread, you don’t often see much expertise or obscure areas of specialization amongst the displayers. Largely vanishing are the guys with tons of obsolete parts or unique reloading supplies & gear. Whatever happened to the cartridge collectors? All these have been replaced with hucksters.

So, now we’ve got the flea market type tables, the sea of plastic and ARs, etc. Prices are generally nuts, and the exhorbitant entrance fees are part of the bottom line. And the overt angry political messaging everywhere just makes things unpleasant.
Pay to park? That was unheard of until recent years. I still think it’s pretty insulting!

But, it’s too easy to strictly blame the shows. A few guys have pointed out state law issues. How many of you remember the changes back in the 1990s that impacted the majority of small FFL holders? Obtaining an FFL was relatively easy and offered a lot of advantages to serious collectors who weren’t full time businessmen.
The ripple effect seriously altered the gun show experience.
Then, you’ve got online auction sites, etc.

I went to the Greenville, SC show just before Christmas. First show I attended in a few years. Obstensibly, it is organized by the South Carolina Arms Collectors Association. Aside from a very small number of displays, you’d never guess this show had anything to do with collecting. But, the wife wanted to go Christmas shopping and the show seemed like a better choice for me than the mall. The building was mostly empty! I got a box of shellholders for my old Lee Autoprime. Otherwise, it was pretty much a bust.
Maybe it's all just another symptom of a rapidly vanishing civilized society?

Our show in my area are always packed, especially on Saturday.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Thankfully there is a small town gun show culture here in Nebraska and Iowa... I have a buddy that goes with me, or vise versa, I go with him to many shows... we never have to pay for parking, and most still only cost 5 bucks plus or minus... and generally speaking, the smaller the town the better the selection... there is still plenty of colorful guns & plastic fantastic, but I almost always find something to at least discuss possibilities of changing ownership..

Agree you have to be discerning about gun shows, even if you live in a free state.

There is a decent (RK) show that comes by every 2-3 months. There are some smaller ones but per trusted local contacts they are of ill repute.

All in all Tulsa Arms shows are great, if you can make the trip. Something for everyone, literally.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

AJ is right!

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Lakeland Gun Show use to be in the civic center in town. The Jan. show had 600 tables. The April and Sept. shows had 400 tables. Now it is out at an airport in one or two hanger, depending on the time of the year.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Since IL has had a 72 Hour waiting period for many years, having a Collectors FFL (C&R) has entitled me to purchase quite a few fine S&W's at shows both in state and out of state.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

AJ & Gunbarrel have it right-the Lakeland Fl. gun show is the best around and is still very much a collector show. It’s a 5 hour drive from Savannah and a 5 hour drive from my home south of Miami. Several SWCA members set up there and I know of at least 3 South Georgia dealers who come down to buy. It really still is a great collector’s gun show.
Regards,

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turnerriver

Yes, the Lakeland (Rifle & Pistol Club) Gun Show aka The Central Florida Arms Show has been held since 1968. We were downtown Lakeland until about 6-7 years ago; first, at the old Civic Center and later at the "new" Civic Center (now the "RP Center"). Without going into a lot of details, we had to move the show to the Sun n Fun grounds at the City of Lakeland (Linder) Airport. There is no charge for parking (the city's parking fee at the RP Center is now up to $10), and while we are not as large a show as we used to be, we feel that we still have one of the best real gun shows in Florida. The show is held at the one hangar with A/C; we tried two hangars for a couple of shows, but the second hangar doesn't have A/C. So, we had to scale it back to one hangar. We have 3 shows per year, with the one on the Spring being the smallest. We have a list of vendors waiting on a table to become available, even though you can find a "gun show" with tables full of black guns, beef jerky, eyeglass cleaners, etc., anywhere. But if you want to attend a gun show like they used to be, we'll see you all in a couple weeks.