I've been attending gun shows regularly since 1965, and along the way I've learned a few things. I'd like to pass these tips along. You're welcome to contribute more!

1. If you're a collector, take along a list of those guns you are looking to acquire. Try to stick to it, and not be tempted by "targets of opportunity" you'll see on the tables.

2. Take along reference material, even if you only leave it in the trunk of your car. The Standard Catalog of S&W Third Ed. should be a "must" for S&W collectors. If you need to refer to it on a specific piece, then run, don't walk to the parking lot and check your reference.

3. Take cash. Green talks. Go to your ATM and withdraw what you think you'll need at the highest level you're willing to spend. I find it useful to staple $20 bills into packs of five ($100) for ease in counting when you close a deal. Negotiate with "What's your rock bottom, cash on the barrelhead price?"

4. Get to the show so as to be among the first in the door. Then make a VERY quick sweep of the tables so as to nail something you want before anyone else sees it; and while the owner might not have a good idea yet as to what it's worth.

5. Conversely, go to the show on the last day a few hours before it closes. Vendors may be anxious to get rid of stuff that hasn't sold, and they don't want to pack it home. Good time to make a lowball offer.

6. ALWAYS negotiate. "That's more than I want to spend." "Do you have any wiggle room on that?" "I only have $X on me." "The guy down the way has one, and he's only asking $X"
"My wife (or husband) will only let me spend this amount." "Are you willing to trade for this Spanish .25 auto?" "I checked the SCSW and it says it's only worth $X in this condition." "It has a scratch... It has some pitting... The bore looks frosty... The stocks aren't original... You don't have an original box for it... etc. etc." Walk away with "Sorry, that's just too much," and see if you get called back with "How much did you want to spend?"

7. If you don't see something you like on your first quick sweep of the show, then take your time and check each table in detail. Sometimes a sleeper that you didn't see before will lie there waiting for you.

8. Take along a gun rug or rifle scabbard to protect your newly-bought firearm. You don't want it to pick up nicks and dings by leaving it in a plastic sack thrown in the trunk of your car.

9. Spousal relations: If at all possible, do NOT bring your spouse along. Like sausage making, negotiations are not something you want her or him to watch. Also the age-old cry of "I could buy a whole new formal outfit for that" could interfere with your zeal.

10. Wear a shirt with lots of pockets. Include in them: pen and paper to write down aisle locations of things you'd like to come back to, a small magnifying glass to check markings, a small battery-powered bore light or key chain light, money apart from that in your wallet, your want list, etc.

11. Buy ammunition last. It's a bear to carry it around the show all day. If there's a run on the ammo sales places, buy it, but take it out to your car right away and come back.

12. If at all possible, set up a vendor table of your own. You'll find interesting things at other tables during the set-up period (usually the day before) and you can beat the crowds.

13. Wear your most comfortable shoes - you'll probably be walking miles at the show.

14. On your initial sweep of the show, you may find two identical items at different prices. Play one against the other while negotiating.

15. Be sure you know how to check out used guns properly; I won't address it here, but revolvers in particular need to be checked on at least six particulars before buying. Please check the gun out mechanically before buying and be sure of what you're getting before shelling out hard-earned cash.

16. Condition is everything. Don't be tempted to buy a poor condition piece as a "representative example" until you can find a better one unless it's really rare. An excellent or NIB gun will always be worth more - both when you buy it and when you decide to sell it.

17. When you're standing in line for the show, have a buddy hold your place while you cruise the line looking for guns that are "walking in off the street." You may get first dibs on something you like. Remember that commercial vendors are only prepared to offer a fraction of what a gun is worth so that they can resell it for a profit. Remind the owner of that as a negotiating point.

18. Never buy anything from an attractive gal with lots of cleavage. You will be too distracted to think clearly....

19. It's usually best to buy from a private individual rather than a dealer. Show your required ID, but the less paperwork the better. No telling what this country may come to in the future. If you do buy from a dealer (some of my best friends are dealers, so no offense here), then be sure to record the fact you bought it from a dealer in your records. You should have two categories of guns: Those with paper trails and those without. Remember also that dealers have less negotiating room, and you'll always wind up paying a sales tax. Be sure you negotiate the "out the door" price.

20. If you don't KNOW what you're getting, and you don't have reference material on it, ask around - most gun shows are crawling with knowledgeable people on one thing or another. Check with a vendor specializing in what you're contemplating.

21. Buy the gun, not the story. "This gun belonged to Pat Garrett! It could very well be the one that shot Billy the Kid." Yeah, right. Get some provenance in the form of old notarized affadavits, factory letters, etc. to verify any story. Otherwise, just smile and walk away.

Hope these tips have been useful. I'm sure the members here can contribute many more. Good hunting!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Wear old worn out flannel shirts and blue jeans so people will think you are poor and cut you a better deal. This is called the Dick Burg rule.

There's this one old guy at our Market Hall show that brings out a five year old Blue Book of Gun Values when he wants to give you a price on your gun.

He never remembers me, but I screw with him every show. A few shows back he offered me $275 for my LH 624. It was to old he told me.

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Smith & Wesson beat four aces

You gotta look for guns sometimes.

Brother & I were at a show, he smacks me & points... still didn't see it, "oval grips in the waistband" he tells me. So I ask, "do you have a S&W for sale?" It was a mint condition 4" 32-30HE (1916-1917), he had been trying to trade it to a dealer for a Taurus....figured it wasn't worth much, was gonna take it back home.

Not everybody wears an neon orange poster board.

Your suggestions are excellent. I don't shun the "targets of opportunity" though. There are a lot of guns out there that I didn't know I wanted untill I saw them. ;>) I have had good luck working the people who are walking the aisles with guns to sell. I bought a decent Browning BAR like this for $350 at a show recently. It must have been a bargain since 5-6 people offered me $400+ before I left the show. I once bought a nib S&W Model 50 for $365 from a guy who couldn't sell it to a dealer for near that amount.

Hi:
In the past when I attended gun shows #5 was my way. On the last two hours of the gun show "Delusions of Grandor" of the sellers has disappeared.
The last show I attended I went to find a pair of grips for a Model 59. I only carried the gun frame in a pistol rug which was tied with a plastic tie at the door.. I think that a hundred people came up to me to inquire what I had in the rug.
Jimmy

Don't be a know-it-all. You might be more in the know about a piece than the seller, but stay quiet. Blow-hards usually don't spend money, and all the dealers know it so they won't take you seriously.

Don't act too interested, and practice your poker face. Give the dealer the impression that you're about to walk away.

I've always got the best deals when I had the cash in my pocket (or more than ONE pocket) so as to avoid the 'be-back' syndrome.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

Slandered again. And tell us, Blake.... how well has that worked? You won't budge a nickel! And you already know I'm impoverished! Now your table mate has managed to sell me a bunch of stuff over the years!

As for the above rules, we alter them a good bit. First, its not $20s in packs of 5, its $100s in stapled packs of 10. We call that the Carl Dillon approach. (Carl has a table about 100 feet from Blake.)

Always get a table, or make friends with someone who will let you store junk. Bring along one of the folding wheeled carts, a shooters vest (covers the pocket idea, but its thin web that allows air to circulate.)

Those who read the bible (SCSW) are amusing. Even more amusing are the guys who try to negotiate using its values. Jim knew the values were open to debate when he wrote them, much less obsolete when he had the book edited, shipped to a far off country for printing, then binding, then shipped across a big ocean for distribution. That was years ago, before the last surge in prices..the one before the one we're in now...

Having a table you can sit at is great. It takes the load off your feet while the younger guys wander around and act indecisively. At the last NGD show when Charlie Sherill came up to visit, we did just that. He and I sat and BS'd while his son, Jr, tried to run up and down every aisle at a 3,000 table show. Remember the old saying about the old bull an the young bull? The young one, all steamed up suggests they run down the hill and service a cow. The old bull says no, lets walk down and service them all. That'd be me and Charlie.

Except I always cut our visit short when one of my bird dogs came back with a hot lead on ammo. So I'd wander away, using my directions, then return with all I could carry.... Yes, stored behind the table.

It does help to have a few experts within reach. Some are just unbelievable at how good they are at picking out original guns in a field of beauties.

We have things we've experienced, too. First, we don't believe the end of show stuff. We come during setup. Its when the scarce items change hands. I bet in the last 15 years I've bought more during the Friday setup (and sold more) than all the Saturdays and Sundays combined. And Friday's part of the show is only half as long! Any sales or purchases made the days its open to the general public are made during the first hour, before the doors are even open!

I know that kind of bursts the bubble of folks coming in to score something early Saturday, but the great guns are usually under the tables by then. Sometimes we drag them out to show to a friend, but its rare the folks who really pay the tab even get to see the best deals. Well, except for the choice guns I have at my table!

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Dick Burg

I learned the "buy ammo last" tip the hard way. 2000 .45 bullets get real heavy real fast...

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"Shall not be infringed"

I find it works well if I just walk around looking clueless, a bit like a woman that knows nothing.

I mean nothing about firearms.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

I only have one rule for gun shows.

1. Never buy a gun at a gun show!

I buy ammo, parts, grips and whatnots but never a firearm.

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Stay safe people!

Where else would you find great old handguns? Buy on the internet, you end up bidding against the rest of the world. Buy at a gun shop, and you get last choice. The shop owner takes all the best or rarest for himself. Then the clerks get a shot. Only after that does the customer get a chance. And then only if he's the first one to see it. At gun shows, you can often see the guys walking in with Grandpa's old gun. Better still, at the tiny shows, no one has enough cash money, or are too stingy to to spend it. Leaves an open field for the interested collectors.

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Dick Burg

"Where else would you find great old handguns? Buy on the internet, you end up bidding against the rest of the world. Buy at a gun shop, and you get last choice. The shop owner takes all the best or rarest for himself. Then the clerks get a shot. Only after that does the customer get a chance. And then only if he's the first one to see it. At gun shows, you can often see the guys walking in with Grandpa's old gun. Better still, at the tiny shows, no one has enough cash money, or are too stingy to to spend it. Leaves an open field for the interested collectors."

+1 on these comments, and great OP; very good insights shared, thanks...

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NRA Life Member

My brother and I were at a local gun show a year or so back when he spots a little bit of a blue box peeking out from under the arm of another attendee. I was intent on looking at the stuff on the tables when I hear him says, "What's in the blue box?" The guy pulls out an NIB 1988 2 1/2" 686-2 with original paperwork and everything. My brother wasn't interested, so he gives me that look that says, okay for you to proceed. I ended up buying it for $500 out the door. It's a real beauty.

That adventure reminded me that one must keep an eye on the regular folks cruising the show. It's become a running joke with us now. Once and while I'll look over at him and in a nasally/whiny voice I'll say, "Soooooo, what's in the blue box, mannnnnnnnn?" It helps us keep in mind that not all good things are on the tables.

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1st Signal Brigade, RVN '70

Maybe I should qualify that, never buy a gun at a gunshow. I also would never buy a gun on the internet. I have seen a lot of trouble guns doctored up to sell to an unwary victim. The sellers usually can never be found again. I know that there is a lot of fine honest folk at the shows but I am not willing to take the chance. I like a brick and mortar shop with a dealer I can trust. However with all that said, I would trust our forum members here and would not have a problem buying a gun in our classified section!

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Stay safe people!

Well I guess you don't buy many guns then.

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Dick

Your right, I dont buy many guns, I only average two to three new to me S&W's a month and a few odd, catch my fancy guns as well. Im retired and can wander around checking out my dealer network.

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Stay safe people!

Dick, I just figure that if I lower the price on something to the point where you would buy it, I would be selling it way, way too cheap.

I am a gunshow scrounge, and pretty good at it. The last Tulsa show I scored a nice pre-29 in the black case for $1500. Took it up to the SWCA table and everyone wanted to know where I "stole" it from. I spotted the box kinda hidden on the guys table and voila.

Same show I bought a 57-58 vintage pristine box of Western Super-X 44 mag ammo for $37.00. Took that to the SWCA BBQ that night and just about got mobbed. The box was in very plain sight on the guys table.

Here's the haul


I recently bought a 5 screw pre-28 for $450 mint and a decent 4 screw 28 for $350. Both at gunshows and both from dealers.

Ya just gotta look.

I seldom ever buy a gun at a show..but for the last two shows I have found a very productive lead on a gun. For instance, I was at our usual Memphis gun-knife-throwing star-jerky show this past weekend and found a marvelous lead on one of my semi grail guns... a nice 1926 3rd Model .44 (of which one I've never owned). It has matching number magna's that are gorgeous. It is being held and I hope to consumate the deal by early next week..more to follow on that. But..my point is gun shows have other ways of being benificial.
Heck, I even like the beef sticks at the shows.

Roger

We have a philosopy out here in Wyoming that if you want it cheaper, go to Walmart. The other is that you probably can't afford it even at a lower price.
Most of the ridiculous prices on guns are a direct result of folks equating gun shows to flea markets. Which unfortuynately most have become because the real gun guys are staying home. That only leaves the guy/gal with scented candles, jerky or Emu oil.
I don't price my guns at what I am willing to sell them for very often, because of the guy who always wants a better deal. He didn't pay $50 for a table, he didn't have to pay for two or more nights in a motel, he did not have to travel far to get to the show and he doesn't care what the rest of us went through to be able to offer the wares to him that he can't find in Walmart.
I don't have much respect for the guy who will "steal" a gun from an unsuspecting elderly seller simply because they are not aware of the value. And at the same time I am not above taking advantage of the "Know it all" motormouth who does not have a clue.
We try to treat everyone the way we would like them to treat our grandparents. If that does not work then we just don't deal with them at all.
I do agree with the philosophy of paying in cash, knowing what you are buying and negotiating the best price.
Just because you are dressed like Dick or Red Green does not mean I will not treat you with the same respect that I would if you were sporting a real JB Stetson and nice boots.
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474

Thom, I too see a lot of similarities between the appearances of Dick and Red Green.

(Man oh man, am I ever going to get grief in Dick's Louisville show report he will post after this weekend.)

very good advice...

For all you know, I am Red Green.

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Dick Burg

I thought I noticed a similarity.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

I can't find Red Green on TV anymore. Is his program still on?

#18: Never buy anything from a pretty gal with a lot of cleavage.
At gunshows around my neck of the woods, those two are mutually exclusive. Most of what we see is Shamu with Billy Joe Jim Bob that is about 90# and your mind wants to ponder the question "how", but suddenly you are jolted back to sanity by the impact of your knees on the floor as you start to recite 'Thank you Lord.............

Wife and I were at a small gun show and we were looking at some junk an old acquaintance had, that I met when I used to work the shows and I told him that I was interested in a few things that he had and I would think about them and come back. On the other side of the room I put the amount of cash I was going to pay in my right front pocket and the rest in my left front pocket and went back. Fur was flyin from the horse trading and finally I jerked out my poke and said " Eli this is all I have", whereupon the wife said "Honey if you need some money I have some". One look at Eli's smirk told me that he had me by the cahones and I paid up. So yes, don't take the wife to the shows. Oh, when I told my wife to stay out of my trading and what my strategy was, she got really pis... at me for trying to take advantage of that old couple.

Usually a good strategy. What upsets me are the wives who tag along and then huff and puff when their hubby stops to look at something. Sure, they plant their more than ample posterior in the narrow aisles, making sure to block everyone. The modern approach is to just bump them after a few seconds of immobility. They get upset, butt (intentional usage) they get the idea, too. Some clearly don't want the husband to buy anything. Years of observation lead us to conclude they equate each box of ammo with another pair of shoes they need badly. Or another 30,000 calories.

Me, I'm taking my wife. At least for part of the show. She represents free labor for David Carroll. But if he won't get her in for free, I'll send her next door to the flea market.

My wife came around about 10 or 15 years ago. Her entire approach and view changed when I handed her the check Jack Haney gave me for 3 factory engraved Colts. And women find things they want at the shows, too. Particularly at the jewelry tables. It can get expensive.

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Dick Burg

The 'inflation calculator' I use tells me the $500 I spent in 1978 now equates with $1655.

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913-2009

No idea if it's accurate, but it gives me another otherwise meaningless tool to justify buying stuff now for the reduced rates compared to what's coming.....

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

There's alot of great tips in this thread..
I never go to the shows early, This has more to do with my gunshow buddy than me, I have to drive 20+ miles to his house & then get him motavated, then after two pots of coffee & an hour or more of conversation & gun fondling were off to the show..
I've found that when you see a "Piece" you realy like & the price is a little "Too High", They always are BTW, That if you don't "Jump" the gun will be gone on the next pass..
Then you are kicking yourself for not jumping..
I'll be at the Ron Dickson show around Noon Saturday, If I can get MM Motavated by then & I'll see Dick & David as usuall with those great looking Smiths..
Finacial advisers are telling me not to go this time but getting the free tickets & parking passes as usuall will see that I'm there..
I think I'm gonna take my June of 1959 Remington Nylon 66 with me to use as trade fodder or sell it outright..
It's a sweet old gun that has never jammed or stuttered even once in it's lifetime, Being it's pre serial # & 50 years old I shouldn't have any trouble moving it..
I'll be the guy with worn out clothes & shoes with No Money
Gary/Hk

I truly hope this doesn't offend anyone but I'll say it anyway.
When I see these guys that think it's a good idea to bring their better half to a gun show and that better half has no clue and just aimlessly follows along it reminds me of a farmer leading a cow by a leash. (they block up the aisles about the same as well)

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

They call 'em gun "shows" because a lot of guys only show their wares. They're so exorbitantly priced that nobody buys anything. I walked the whole last OK City gun show and bought nothing. I bought a nice pair of model 10 grips for $3 at a flea market on the way out of town.

Reminds me of the time, some 5 years ago when we went to Florida on one of those cheap vacations where you had to sit thru the timeshare spiel for an hour. The accomodations and price were too good of a deal to pass up, and we knew going in we weren't buying anything.
Some slick-haired salesman did his thing for about a half hour, to no avail. Then they bring in this buxom blue-eyed blonde with a much too small halter top, to close the deal. She takes out the pencil and starts writing numbers down on the legal-sized pad, all the while making direct eye contact with me, ignoring the wife. Blondie tried her best, but I was there for a cheap vacation, nothing else. Blondie and the other guy were holding onto our ankles as we left.

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Sure you did

Let me add one...

If you see a really good deal on table of other items that are exorbitantly priced, it likely isn't a good deal at all.

Last show, I saw a four digit serial number K-22 which was a well used example, for $300. I took a look at it thinking it was some kind of trick...I looked it over good, noticed it did have some end-play in the cylinder, sat it down and went to find a buddy I was with to take a look at it.

He did, and noticed the cracked forcing cone at the top of the barrel when hit with a very strong flashlight- I missed it. Dealer must have known that.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

Hey Joni, pardon the pun but you are a real pistol! Often had the same thought myself!

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Stay safe people!

Back in the old days when we were still dating (we celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary 2 weeks ago), my wife used to accompany me to the local gun shows. We worked out our routines before hand so if I made a certain sign, or said a key phrase, she would respond accordingly. Depending on the circumstance, she would either say something like "you already have enough guns", or "can't we go now?", or "I liked the gun that we looked at over there, and his price was better". I don't know if it really worked or not, but we sure had a lot of fun at the gun shows.

Best of luck,

Dave

"I truly hope this doesn't offend anyone but I'll say it anyway.
When I see these guys that think it's a good idea to bring their better half to a gun show and that better half has no clue and just aimlessly follows along it reminds me of a farmer leading a cow by a leash. (they block up the aisles about the same as well) "

Now that's funny; what a great analogy! And Lynnie, thanks to you, I will now have that thought in my head the next time I see this all-too-familiar sight at a gun show...

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NRA Life Member

.............nothing to see here, mooooove along.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

I tend to break this down too. Nothing like telling them you can only spend $500 then pull out $1000 to count out $500.


Simple, yet important.
I almost purchased an item this past show and lucky the deal fell through because i didn't have anything to carry it in and it surely would have been scratched by the time I got home.



Actually, my wife is useful. She asks the person non-technical questions which then allows me to process my thoughts and the information discussed. Usually she will actually get the person to come down in price further than I can simply because she is more personable than I am.


No tax!!! The savings on tax can but used for extra money in negotiation a price.

"and noticed the cracked forcing cone at the top of the barrel when hit with a very strong flashlight- I missed it."

Thank you for that bit of information. It never occurred to me that the forcing cone of a .22 LR could be so damaged. Sincerely. brucev.

Good advice, but those people are always selling something I just gotta have..

That saved me over $200 on a new .223 earlier this year. It was $150 less than MSRP and no tax or paperwork, just ID and cash. The seller was an elderly gent who had bought a lot of stuff before the last election, knowing what would happen to prices after the election. I got $50 off his asking price by paying cash, he probably made about $50-$75 on the deal.

Thanks for the tips, they're all good.

We just recently opened a gun shop in Texas and will be traveling to gun shows. Everything is bigger in Texas! It's not fair to tell people not to buy from me. I may not be an expert but I know my stuff. I'm there to sell guns and accessories not my cleavage.

A basic shopping rule applies here. Never go to the grocery store hungry. Same-same gun shows. If you've got "the fever," expensive mistakes can be made. I'm not really sure that the "late last day" theory applies either, at least around here. With some of the regular dealers,I've been looking at the same guns for years. I guess some guys would rather lug their stuff home than bargain.

Always have an I phone or similar and go on line and check prices.

Rent a table. Go on Friday.

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Halfway and one more step

We'll probably need to see pictures.

Heck, that's how most of the vendors are dressed. I guess they already know that trick.

NEVER SAY NEVER, but I've only bought 1 gun in the 40 years of gun shows attended as a buyer/seller, and it wasn't in great shape or the deal of a lifetime, but I had been looking for a 4" 617 for under 500$ for some time. Usually I sell more guns and smalls especially. Last show I had a table at was a small venue & I didn't see anyone sell a gun. I bought more ammo & small items than sold, mostly from/to the guy with the table opposite me, but did manage to come out slightly ahead & got rid of some bulky stuff.

I used to do this quite a bit, even if I only had an item or two to put on the table. You could get in before the crowds and also have a place to rest when you wanted.

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John
S&WCA Life Member