Went to the Lafayette Gunshow today to conduct some business with another forum member. After purusing the show with a pocket full of newly acquired Benjamins, I left having purchased nada but with several observations and questions.
Is there a new gunshow protocol that everyone needs to bring a little white yipyip with them?? I counted 3 behind the tables and one rather buxom comely lass was carrying one in her purse.
It seems as if there are more and more guys with long pony tails, sleeveless shirts and camo fatigues running around.
The aisles need to be widened to accomodate all the morotized scooters.
Saw a gut wearing a "BlackWater" T shirt. Is this the new "macho man" ??
If I hear the word "Dude" one more time, I'm gonna scream.
All you skinny litttle white guys listen up-tats, backwards caps and holding your hands like you have arthritis when greeting a friend does NOT make you a gansta, plus when you grow up you will wish you didn't have 'Blood" tattoo'ed on your neck. You should get a "BlackWater" T shirt instead-then at least you have a good rag to wash the car with down the line.
Prices have absolutely gone through the roof-but thre was plenty of ammo.
Ruger has a new factory folder on their Mini 14, iIt is a huge hideously ugly piece of plastic thst does folf but bulks up the gun to about twice an old factory folder did. Also, the four way pickatinny rail does look a bit stupid on the mini 14
It seems as if S&W's have become a high end speciality item. Other than the guy next to the door with a nice display of museum quality old Smiths, colts and various high end semi autos (vastly over priced) there weren't any M&P's no 1911's, just a smattering of the "body guards" and scattered J frames. There were scattered used ones but the prices were all gunbroker "buy it now +$500". No Benellis- no Ruger long rifles other than some Mini 14's. Had a bunch of Ruger Single Actions-was tempted to pull the trigger on a Stainless .22 convertable, but by the by a pretty disapointing show. There were more interesting custon knife tables-saw some nice local work. Oh and they had a BUNCH of new unfamiliar name 1911's some as cheap as $349-I almost bit on this one but it was sooooo rough and they wouldn't let me take off the twist tye to cycle so I passed. I was going to buy some nice smelling pecans until I saw the guy selling them and decided that I wasn't going to support the terrorists.
All in all-a nice outing that reinforced my notion that I got some good stuff in spite of what anybody says. If I could sell it for the prices those guys were asking at the show, I could buy a new Suburban with cash

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Forum consigliere

The gun show I went to today was small. I agree about some of the hoods I see walking the aisles. I'd not want to sell to anyone I thought was of a criminal bent. If I'm approached by that type of buyer, I plan to deflect any interest by saying that I just brought the gun in case I saw something I was interested in (i.e., I'm not doing business with you).

Gun prices remain ridiculous in my area of the South. Many dealers want to make a killing on every trade. I'm coming to the point that I primarily look for small stuff like used grips, or I spend my time talking to the "old guys" who've forgotten more than I'll ever learn about guns.

You don't have to see many dogs urinating or defecating in the aisles to decide that the shows need to post at the entrance, "No dogs allowed." Almost as revolting are the people you pass in the aisle who haven't washed in the last week.

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Southern Conservative

You guys don't seem to be very inclusive of others . . . (that's the new human resources buzz phrase these days).

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- Change it back -

Caje, you just need to take a cattle prod with you to the next show.

All the public shows are the same nearly everywhere. Why not have private gun shows that are invitation only? Oh they do!

SWCA, WACA and etc. hold great shows- perhaps you should go to one of them, and lighten that load of Benjamins...
I'm hoping on planning on going to some next year, so I can look at all the stuff I can't afford.

Even if you don't, change them to €500 notes- your wallet will be lighter.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

You guys are going to the wrong shows. At ours, the isles are wide, the dealers are courteous, the prices are fair to good (lot of high priced Obama stuff being discounted to turn some cash), the women are beautiful, the food is affordable, the selection is varied, the "junk" is highly limited, the guns are tied, the displays are interesting and educational, and we are non-profit. You have two choices, keep going where you are going or start your own shows that meet your criteria of what a show should be.

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TOMBECK

everytime I go to a gunshow I end up wanting the two hours or so of my life back, and SWEAR I will never go to another one...
From the airsoft tacticool thigh rigs to the guy selling "miracle" glass cleaner, there just doesn't to be much for me other than an occasional ammo find...
I search out .32 Remington for my Model 8A, and score sometimes.

Try one of the shows in Shreveport. You will think the show today was a mega show.

I'm truly sorry to hear that amigo.

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Forum consigliere

I went to the gun show in raliegh last week end haven't been to one in years. The only deals to be had were the guys walking the ailes trying to sale to the dealers. I went looking to trade a 8 3/8 inch mod 57 or not didn't really matter, but took it anyway and find some round to square grips for my 686. not too many smiths that I would consider trading my 57 for so never pulled it out of the back pack. I did find some grips so I thought but the dealer was such a Jerk I walked on. I asked him which grips were for the 686 he never looked up from his computer and said they were in the case. Now out of 50 some grips they all started to look the same. he was too busy surfing the net and I had wasted enough time with him so I moved on. Found another grip dealer she was very nice but prices were too high could have bought coke's for what they wanted. So the only thing I bought was georgia arms reloads for someone else. Can't remember any gun show in the past I didn't walk out with something for me. Bad thing is I had a pocket full of stash money and a willing heart to spend it even got permission from my wife. But came home empty handed. Doeboy

what tom beckwith said,is the way the houston area shows are. i cant wait till the next one.

I've been to eight show in the last eight weeks. I went to Mobile and Hattiesburg last week, so there was one weekend where I didn't go to a show. I went through all the things that CL mentioned and recently when one of the yappers tried to bite me the woman who owned it didn't like it when I told her "if that dog tries to bite me again I'm gonna stomp it's guts out." I spend a lot of time in my line of work going up to people's houses dodging vicious dogs and a gun show is the last place I want to experience this simply because I usually don't carry my steel flashlight or pepper spray and the promoters would probably get upset if I shot the dog while at their show. The woman was more offfensive than the dog. She was a rather large spandex enhanced creature and had apparently unsuccessfully tried to mask her body odor with a lot of cheap perfume. Rather than risking an escalation of the dog incident I decided to check out a few other aisles away from where this woman and her (enter vulgar derogatory term for dog here) and could still hear her yapper on the other side of the building. I think someone must have asked her to leave becaused the barking ceased after a few minutes.

I bought one S&W in the last two months. It is a beautiul 4" 624 that I am planning on shooting tomorrow with some ammo I got at a show today. I sold three S&W's to collector friends in the same time period. I got on a riot gun buying kick because they were there. I bought an Ithaca at a forced estate auction, a Police marked Winchester because I like it and I didn't have one, and an old High Standard with no serial number marked "BILOXI POLICE #9" They were all cheap and I didn't buy them at shows. I respect the dealers at the shows because I understand they want as much of my money as possible and they are starting to understand they aren't going to get it. I look for individuals with nice stuff to sell if they don't look too shady. I ran into one with a real nice Smith today. I smelled a rat about the same time he figured out I wasn't an ordinary buyer. I liked the gun he had and was trying to memorize the serial number where I could secretly call dispatch and run it on NCIC. He took it away from me before I could get the number so I told one of the officers working the show he might better run the number before the guy sold it. He was walking toward the guy as I was leaving the show so I don't know what the end result was. This show was not in my jurisdiction or I would have run the number myself and would have anyway if the guy hadn't snatched it away.

Long story short: I don't get good deals from the dealers at the shows unless I find one who has absolutely no idea what he has, which sometimes happens. I mostly look for ammo, assessories, or individuals needing money trying to sell something I like. I will still go to every show within 3-4 hours of where I live and occassionally one a lot farther than that. (Louisville and Tulsa)

Hey Cajun, come to Arizona in December for the 3 day gunshow. First you pay $10 for parking, then your $16 to get in the door!
Then the freak show starts; gang bangers running around trying to get someone to sell them a Tech 9 or Hipoint w/o paperwork; the guy who has horns implanted in his skull to look like the devil or the lady with the shaved head and a tatoo that says go **** #######!!
I swear each year I will never go back but what the heck it is probably cheaper than going to Disneyland and it is quite a freak show!
Now you see why I sent you the list of S&W's for sale. They just aren't the fun they use to be. [I guess I can't say to much because I keep going back]

Did a real speed run south to the Reno Show , hit it all day Friday. Not very crowded, and not nearly the "critters" one see's on average.

+1 on the damned people with baby carriages, ammo carts, etc. I was at a table looking at a revolver, had just put it down, when an elderly man FALLS INTO ME as he had been hit in the back of the ankles by some idiots cart! Luckily I was able to stay UP and didn't push too many revolvers around...enough to cause any damage.

FN

I'm 42, will be 43 later this month, I started going to gun shows with my uncle when I was 11, maybe 12 years old. He had inherited a fairly large gun collection from his uncle, primarily European handguns and basically turned that collection into a collection of SAA Colts and Winchester lever guns. He would give me guns to sell, this was back in the late '70's, they were priced at $50, $75, maybe $100 each, he'd give me a 10% commission and buy my lunch. Helluva gig for a kid who liked guns. I used to love going to gun shows, you rarely saw a new gun in the place and if you did find a new gun, it was generally new, old stock, just a lot of nice old collectible stuff.

I went to college in the fall of '85 and didn't go to a gun show for a couple of years, I don't think I went to a show until the winter or spring of '88 and man, things had sure changed. At least 50% of the guns in the place were brand new, the same things I could order from almost any distributor, there just wasn't much in the way of collectible stuff and almost all of the used guns, were overpriced junk. Things haven't gotten any better.

It has been at least five years since I've even walked into a gun show and for most of them in the Dallas area I can get in with a badge from a friend that has a table, so it wouldn't even cost me anything other than time. I know I'm not missing much and don't see myself going to a show anytime soon, it just isn't worth it.

I have been to the Phoenix gun show twice, and I will go no more,Over priced stuff,isles so crowded you can't get through, People going there with scooter's and get this. A guy ran my toe over riding a segway. I yelled at him for being such a idiot and 2 for being so lazy to walk through the isles on his feet like every one else. And perish the thought of taking a firearm to sell and being mobbed by all the scum and lowlife looking gangbangers that want to check out your weapon. Like if I really want to sell a gun to him that is registered in my name. When I lived in Ventura County I had a ffl and would sell at the show there at Seaside Park. Having pistols on the tables and having folks pick them up with out asking permission and then dropping them on the table and clanging them together as if they were one dollar plastic squirt guns . Then I had the Mr. Know it all's who wanted to show me their gun dissaembly skills that they learned in the service.. I finally got plex glass cases and only one came out at a time. Gunshows can be a nightmare for buyers and sellers alike.I won't be going to any Phoenix shows ,but the Mesa show is more laid back and enjoyable.

One of the things I really like about this forum is the social commentary...

Here in the UK we have similar shows, they're just called "Arms Fairs" and they tend to be held at Bisley or old towns & cities like London, Winchester or Birmingham. The London one held at a big hotel was the best (typically) because you'd get some real high ticket stuff like vintage 19th Century Colts (this was nearly 20 years ago) that was nice to look at even if you could afford it. But as for the rest...

Haven't been to one outside of Bisley for years; you didn't get unsavoury types mentioned on this thread, but they're similar in that there's hardly anything worth buying unless you want to pay thousands for cased duelling pistols or the odd cased shotgun from one of the less well known London or Birmingham makers. Otherwise it's: bayonets, airguns and deactivated firearms, military cap badges, campaign medals that sort of thing, old mazagines (the reading type) and books - you might find a nice obscure tome...or not: I seem to remember a multi- volume encyclopedia set just listing names of British First World War fatalities...You suspect turnover is low, because you see the same stuff over and over at the different fairs - I doubt they were particularly lucrative for the dealers.

As you know handguns are banned here, but even when they weren't, dealers were rare at these places, probably because the strict laws meant that only the more dedicated dealers dealt with them, who tended to think attendance wasn't worthwhile because said laws in turn meant there were few of the public actually able to buy them.

So, unless you find something you really like and buy, you tend to leave these affairs feeling a bit depressed...so I don't go.

Agree with FN - I hit the Reno show on Friday as well and scored a nice M&P; but the show was kinda slow, and the prices sucked a little bit. A friend who is an FFL remarked that the show has become the place the dealers bring all their "blow-overs" - i.e., **** that isn't selling in-store so they bring it to Reno and mark it up 40%.

Not many "deals" to be had - lots of museum-quality guns (I have seen them at the same tables for two years now..) with attendant prices, or just beat-to-hell shooters with road rash. Very little in-between it seemed...

--Neill

In defense of the vendors at the gun shows, most are retired and living out of either a motorhome or a travel trailer. They travel from place to place setting up so they can sell their goods. Most have their inventory in an enclosed utility trailer behind their RV.

These people are not accustomed to being around people socially so they may not bathe as often as they should and their pets are their children as well as companions.

I have a friend in our motorhome group that he and his wife make jellies and they travel the gun show and RV circuit selling their homemade products. Ironically he makes a really nice living doing so but they are not as sociable as they were before they began doing this.

Something else I should add, about 8-10 years ago I was at a show here in Dallas with a friend of mine, like all gun shows now, it was filled with gang bangers, probable illegal aliens, and the usual assortment of unsavory characters. At some point my friend looked at me and said, "ya know, if I didn't know anything about guns and just walked into a gun show one day and saw who come to them, I'd be all for gun control."

Sad, but 100% accurate.

I am the one Cajun met to do business with. I pretty much agree with him on the show . I just want to let you know if or when he lists a gun for sale it is probably better than his description or pictures show. I bought two wished I had the money to have bought four. Beautiful guns fair prices nice guy made for a good day. Enjoyed meeting a fellow member. Thanks Joe.

Who woulda thunk it?

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Sure you did

But..regarding the Reno Show; Three years back from an older Gentlemen who was moving part of his collection, I bought a 4" M-624, a 4" and a 6" M-657 all NIB with papers, tools, etc. I paid $450 for the 624 and $475 for the other two. So THAT Show was surely worth attending!

Then the next day I found a 1970's Browning HP LNIB for $500 with several factory hi caps, ammo and a nice set of Herretts walnut stocks. One of my favorite shooters now.

Despite having to endure the occasional unsavory character as well as laughable prices, unless you attend you will not find the occasional DEALS we all so enjoy posting.
Like Northslope snagging a nice older M&P. Ya gotta play to score.

As soon as I declare I'm swearing off these crazy shows...tired of the critters and the tacticool/military/survivalist crowd...I will stumble into something I really want at a decent price. Those occasional good deals keep the addiction going.

FN in MT

I wish you'd had the money to buy all four also Seriously though-thanks for the kind words. It's always nice to put a face on the members and I enjoyed meeting you yesterday.

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Forum consigliere

I keep telling myself this will be my last show, but I always go anyway. It gets me out of the house and doing something I enjoy for the most part.


I usually take something with me wether it be cash or trading material, most times I am not looking for anything in particular. I do watch the people and the vendors.

I do get a kick out of the guys who are not vendors but meet people at the door and try to buy cheap. I watched one a few weeks ago at at show who stopped an older woman with a Brwoning shotgun and tried to finagle it away from her by telling her that because it was made in Belgium that it wasn't worth that much being foriegn made and all. She bit into his butt but good, she was a trap shooter and knew better.

Had a buddy of mine trying to sell a 03A3 and a guy told him they were no good because they had been double heat treated and the receiver would blow up. I told him where to go and to re-read the Brophy book.

Mostly I look at the S&Ws and cowboy guns and sometimes I find a decent price. Being in the near Milwaukee area I do see a lot of gangbangers or those who dress like them. Alot of guys wearing SEAL or Ranger T-shirts. No Blackhawk shirts yet, but a lot of Hitler clothing T shirts and hats and the like which scares me a bit.

I have noticed a lot more women lately as well as children so thats always good.

A lot of people bring their dogs and other pets, that I haven't figured out yet. Saw a guy selling live rabbits, a lot of beef jerky and jewelry, but the jewelry tables were usually connected to the hubby's table with guns.

Otherwise I will probably go to the next one too, just because its a habit and I see people I wouldn't normally see.

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Stan

I agree with cajun regarding gun shows. I go to them now to get lead. Go in make a left walk back to the far wall buy the lead turn around and leave. The last time I went to look it all over I seemed to get around someone who had a serious gas problem, no matter where I went the smell followed me. I'm pretty sure it wasn't me for the most time I know when that happens. That was the last check it all out gun show. Thanks Larry

I also remember gun shows from the late '60s-70's and enjoyed them. Aside from traditional warnings about staying away from the food.

Started back to them in the 1980's, had tables and noticed the start of some of the issues Cajun mentioned. Plus, if you wanted deals by then, you had to be there during setup and run around that night to find your stuff and close deals. When the doors opened to the public, reasonable prices largely went out the window unless, as stated, the seller didn't know what they had.

Several years back, I decided to see what a big gunshow was like in Virginia. Saw all the issues mentioned. There were a few tables with decent stuff, a lot of "collectables" that didn't go bang and the people had certainly become.....more diverse.

One thing that hasn't changed over the decades is that people seem to think that because they paid a certain price for something, that's what it's worth. Not in the real world. I can still recall a guy trying to peddle a SA M1A for list. I carefully explained to him that I wasn't going to pay retail for a used gun I could buy new for $400 less than he was asking. I don't think the concept got through. He kept repeating "But I paid --------!"

Possibly related, I haven't been in a pawnshop outside Virginia in 20 years. You used to able to find deals, I recall filling a pullman suitcase with empty .45 brass in Alabama for $30. Not in Virginia. They don't seem to grasp the concept that a used firearm doesn't sell at the same price it did new. I don't care what they lent on it/paid for it.

I went to the Pasadena gun show yesterday, and it was just as the OP described. Narrow isles, strange crowd, and a lot of junk. I was looking for bullets, SP primers, and a can of SR4756. There was none of any to be had.

The HGCA show is still pretty good. There is enough room to get around, and there is always something cool to see (sometimes even a good deal). The down side is parking. It is expensive and you need to be up for a long walk in the sun. In Houston, in the summer, this can be a big deal. On the other hand, this may help to keep some of the scary people at bay.

Went 129 miles to a gun show in Decatur IL yesterday. It should have been more appropriately called Decatur Knife and jewelry show with some guns & supplies. A 300 table show that I went through in an hour. Crowd was very light, and isles were clear. You could stand at one end of the hall and see every table the full length of the room. Did buy a lb. of powder I needed. There were probably less than 20% guns and maybe 1% S&W. The only thing my antenna went up on was a 15-1 4 screw. I was tempted, but couldn't get him down to where I felt the price should have been given the condition. Nice and tight, but lots of holster wear and a rough scuff mark under barrel (? dropped on concrete?). I was very disappointed. We had been to this show a year ago in the fall, and was a well attended show with lots of opportunities. Doubt if I head back to this one any time soon.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

2 observations at the last 2 shows I attended with a friend who had a couple of tables.
1) Several older couples who don't seem to know a lot about collectibles are dropping some big bucks on mint guns. They seem to sense the approaching devaluation and want to convert into something that will hold its value. Probably tired of buying silver and gold.

2) About 30 minutes before the end of both shows on their respective Sundays, a wad of shady characters enter, split up and begin handling everything. At the same time, the vendors in the area share a knowing look and, under their tables, load up. I have watched this transpire at consecutive shows in different towns.

Ed

Well, let's go ahead and make gunshows illegal and be done with them then.

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- Change it back -

I used to go to the Goodman shows at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio and they were well run and great shows to attend. When I first started they were in a small hall and grew each year until they would fill the large main hall. I left in 1996 to work in Illinois and was not at a Goodman show until 2006. It almost sickened me, The show was back in the small hall and was so ****** I left after only 20 - 30 minutes.

Now I mostly attend the OGCA meetings. They are well run, members and guests only shows that enforce their rules on what can be displayed etc. My only (minor) complaint is that there are a couple of the scooter riders (out of many as there are a number of older long time members) that seem to go out of the way to stop in the middle of an aisle blocking it (they won't even try to move to the side so others can get by) and glare at the people waiting to get past like they're daring them to say something. It's amost always the same person. They are the exception though.

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

I often set up at shows here in Ohio, all of them seem to be shrinking in size and variety. It didn't help when Bloomberg sent his hired help to try and pull off illegal sales and get people to say (or do) things they shouldn't for his hidden cameras.
You see fewer people getting a table to sell their own stuff at the public shows and even the number of dealers is declining. New guns are in profusion (many discounted) but good used guns and collectible stuff usually has internet pricing. That includes most of the ones being carried around. The new catch phrase seems to be "I saw one on the internet for that price!"
Oh well, at least we are still able to have gunshows. Bloomberg and all his anti-gun pals would like to get rid of them all. I still enjoy them even if they aren't as good as they used to be.

I probably should keep my mouth shut, but the Princeton, IL show is a lot like the shows you remember. No charge to park, $2 to get in, and quite a bit of interesting stuff. It is far enough from Chicago to not draw the gangbangers, and there always seems to be a lot walking around. In the past four years I've picked up a .44 HE Second Model, a Terrier, a 15 no dash, a 15-3, a 22/32 target, a .38 Regulation Police, a Winchester 75 Sporter and a Savage 99T.

It can be a little crowded, but it is a polite and friendly crowd, and I have yet to see a dog there. Prices are not like you remember them from years ago, but not normally ridiculous.

It's a good day at our gun show when the hill people show up with clean sweatpants on.

Neck Tattoos = The original Public Service Announcements.

I quit going to gun shows when they posted them to stop CCW from entering. I don't patronize other businesses that do so, they're no different.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

I don't really go to shows to buy guns,I bought my last one at a show several years ago, I usually buy ammo from Ga. Arms,grips, if I can get them at a decent price,and look for Tyler T's.

Thanks for the report H Richard, I am only 40 miles from Decatur and was tempted to drive down this AM out of boredom. Glad that I chose to stay home and wash the daughter's car. The Fall show in Bloomington may be similar, but it sure gets a huge crowd. If you should choose to come, I just might buy you lunch.

I saw one of those instances maybe 10 years ago. The aisles were narrower than usual. Some young guy had his wife in tow. Really she was acting as his guard. No way he was going to enjoy himself if she could help it. She kept whining "lets go". She had the baby stroller and had strategically placed herself to cause the maximum traffic disruption. She was good at her task. Finally the poor husband moved forward.

Without looking, she pushed forward. Right into the back of a guy who had somehow managed to get around her roadblock. Hitting the guy in the back of the knees. He did what anyone would do. There was no referee, but she should have gotten a clipping penalty. He went down. Right into her stroller and on top of the baby! It was kind of ugly for a minute or two.

She of course was mad at the guy she hit. And started screaming at the poor husband that they should leave. He told her on no uncertain terms to go to the lobby! I misjudged him badly. I thought he would be a wimp, but he grew a set. It was good because she needed to know her little game wouldn't work, or she'd pull it over and over.

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Dick Burg

Houston is probably the gunshow capital of this part of the country at least. The quarterly Houston Convention Center and Summit gun shows are excellent and the almost monthly local Pasadena convetion center show is pretty good, each with many quality older guns and lots of new ones, but good used S&W's are not aleays cheap. There are always people who confuse outstanding with standing out.

I have stopped attending the big shows at the Cashman Center (appropriate name!) here for the following reasons

1) At least $6 to park
2) At least $12 to get in.
3) Stupid, stupid prices from most vendors.
4) Diabolical "food"... well, that's what they called it.

I only go to the shows at the casinos, and they are far and few between these days. If they have a show in Mesquite, Parhump or Boulder City I will go just to make it a day out.

Here in Southwest Virginia my gunshow pet peeves are as follows:

Too many food vendors-if I was hungry I would have stopped at McDonalds-I don't want to try your beef stew, peanuts, jerky, or anything else!

Prices at most dealer tables that make you think you are at an auction by Tiffany's! A beater model 19 is just not worth $700, sorry!!!

Guys who decided to hold off taking their monthly bath until after the gun show!

If I wanted to buy jewelry I would have gone to the jewelry store!

I do tend to enjoy the dealers who bring a scantily clad assistant with them with a low cut blouse who is constantly bending over to show a gun to the twenty guys hovering around their table asking dumb questions.

Yes, we have some dealers who bring their doggers with them, but being a dog lover I enjoy getting to visit with the dogs. I have found that most dogs are far better friends than most humans!

I have found that at local shows the best deals are found privately outside the front door. I have gotten to know most of these traders, and for the most part, they are pretty good guys that you can get a decent deal from, without doing all the government paperwork.

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Steve

The thing that I miss most is the local guys that would bring in the stuff that they had accumulated to sell. I used to find a lot of bargains on their tables. I guess that the tables are too expensive for them to rent nowadays. I agree with a lot of the earlier comments but I still go. I haven't found many deals on guns recently but do enjoy the socialization and sometimes find a deal on a holster or something. I recently bought an El Paso Weaver K4 scope for $20.00 from a guy wandering the aisles. I also recently found an El Paso Saddelry holster that fit a Commander for $20.00. Neither of these items were big deals but they are enough to keep me coming back.

One of the recurring gunshows here locally is at a Fairgrounds. The last time I went, wifey and I walked through the entire place in about 10 minutes, skipping the collectible plate and jewelry tables.

On the way out, a man asked me if I had found what I was looking for to which I replied: "Nope, I was looking for a gunshow."

He didn't get it, or didn't care, they all paid the same to have a table there, so he got his cut.

The most recent show, I did as someone else mentioned, didn't really even look at the guns. But I did find a decent selection of .22 target ammo, some speedloaders, and assorted stuff.

I thought I had found a set of GP-100 grips I want, until the gentleman gave me his price...$45!!! This for the old rubber with wood insert grips! I can get Hogue wood for that, or a Hogue Monogrip for $25!

The Highlander

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I hope I copied that right

Hmmm, I haven't thought about that. Maybe I should exchange my current get up for something a bit more revealing

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too TOO young!!

I'm going to the Dallas show this coming weekend with a friend, who's getting along (he fought in the Battle of the Bulge), and walks slowly. We rented an electric scooter, and after we setup on Friday afternoon, we're going to try it out while the aisles are relatively empty. It doesn't really have any brakes: you let go of the motor pushbutton, and the contraption is supposed to stop. I think we're in for an interesting time; no toes will be safe. If you are at the Dallas show and you see someone roaring down the aisle, trying frantically to stop his scooter, run for your life.

I went to the "Big Show" in Reno last week. They have it 3 times a year. Been going to it for many years. I can't put my finger on it, but something was not the same about this last show. The prices were so outragious that all I bought was a brick of .22 ammo. There were dozens of old, worn out Model 94 carbines with 20% finish remaining for only $1200 (and up). If you are looking for a model 94 "rifle", with the longer barrel, and in the same worn out condition, why you can find them all over the show for only $2500. And lots of 1911A1's that have mismatched barrels, slides, and have otherwise been messed with for just $2500-4000. Of course most of the dealers will tell you that "as far as he knows" the pistol is 100% original, but of course he "is not an expert" on military .45's. I don't know what the dealers are thinking. Evidently they are perfectly content to pay travel expenses, and the high prices for their table spots, and just sit there and not sell anything. I am beginning to think that the major action for them is the dealer to dealer stuff that happens on Thursday, before the show is open to the public. They get a chance to tell each other how they stole a Navy Lugar, or a Colt single-action "Artillary" model from some poor guy who didn't know what he had. I looked at one "Artillary" model, and the guy only wanted $10,500 for it. There were not as many people bringing in guns to sell. There were more tables devoted to military, assault type weapons. There were far fewer M&Ps and Victories. And there were very few people buying anything other than ammo. Some of the dealers won't even look up at you and make eye contact. They are simply too busy talking to their neighbor dealer about their latest "score" (that they hope to turn around with a 150% profit), or reading a gun values book while they eat a hamburger.

Then there are the "museum tables", you know the ones with an engraved Henry rifle, for $65,000, perhaps a Colt U.S. Cavalry revolver for $20,000, or a matched paired of fancy duelling pistols for $220,000. These must sell like hot cakes.

There are more tables with knives, eyegalss cleaner, cheap silver jewelry, stuffed pheasants, repeating rubber band guns, and more people walking around with 20 tattoos, T-shirts that look like they have had the sleeves cut off with a weed-eater, and a burning need for another AK-47.

There was definately a change, and not a change for the better. It was a very subtle change. But I came away with the very unsettling feeling that a really good show that I have enjoyed for over 20 years is beginning it's slow disintegration, and that it won't be long before I just don't go anymore. Sad

CAJ: Not seeing the four legged dogs at the local shows but the prices in NE FL are crazy. Low grade shooters priced at just under LNIB. I wont go back. If I wanted to buy beef jerky I would go to the grocery store.

Some additional comments. What drives gunshows is capitalism. Its an exercise in the free market. Those who write here they hate them and don't buy anything don't have a vote in the matter. Gun shows are organized by a promoter. He gets paying vendors to come in. He doesn't pick and choose, they either want to bring their wares or they don't, and they pay dearly for the honor. If they bring the wrong stuff it doesn't sell and they take a loss. Usually not to return.

The stuff you see is most often the kind of thing that has sold for them in the past. It doesn't matter if you like it or not, chances are someone has bought it in the recent past. None of the vendors are there to sell you something at a loss. Chances are the prices they're asking is pretty much in line with what other vendors are asking for the same items.

If you don't like the prices, don't buy. If you remember that same item for $100 10 years ago, it has no relevance to today. Prices change.

On the food issue...

I used to love the big Louisville show. They used to have a vendor who sold the best Ham and cheese croissants I'd ever eaten. I waited to get there just to buy them. Supper Friday, lunch Saturday and Sunday. Same sandwich, 3 days in a row. But they changed vendors. Soon it was ham hoagies. Not as big, not nearly as good. And of course more expensive. Now even those are gone, too.

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Dick Burg

Went to the Pasadena show on Sunday and was pleased to see more older Smiths than I've seen in the past 8 months. Not sure what happened, but the older guns came out to the tables. I had just about given up on the Pasadena show.

Don't forget diversty.......HR guys always come up with this sensitivity ****. I agree gun shows lately have really gone down hill. There is a big one in Dallas this weekend but I expect to see the same as in the small ones, overpriced ***'s and riduculously priced nice pieces. But I keep looking for that one item I just can't live without, but I haven't seen it yet. I need an original WWI slide for my orginal Springfield. Like looking for hen's teeth in a haystack.