My observations at the Dallas Gun Show 1-5-2013

[Kelly Green]

I arrived an hour and a half after the show opened and there was a line some 50 yards long of people waiting to get in. The line did move quickly though.

It was packed inside and almost impossible at times to move down the rows of tables. An announcer over the PA kept asking people not to congregate and block the main aisles, to keep moving. It was the largest crowd I have ever seen at a gun show.

I mainly looked at hunting rifles, shotguns and revolvers. There were some vendors selling at ridiculously inflated prices and there were some that were in line, albeit higher than a couple of months ago. I didn’t bother looking at the quote “assault type weapons” and accessories. Even if I had wanted to it would have been a wait to get up to those tables.

Most powder, ammo and reloading supplies were overpriced, but not everything. I found some Remington Express Long Range #4 shot shells at a bargain. This particular brand is currently selling for $16 to $17 per box of 25 at Midway and Cheaper Than Dirt. One vendor I visited today had them for $12 a box. I bought the last 4 boxes he had.

In conversations I had with some of the older folks around the reloading tables, the general consensus was that they were only buying what they needed now and would be back to buying in larger quantities in a few months, once the craziness had passed.

Another observation I made was that there were more people than usual carrying weapons through the crowd with ‘for sale’ signs.

[Muddyboot]

That's pretty much what I saw at OGCA today. So many people were at the show, I really did not enjoy it and left sooner then I would have liked, but the huge crowd made it impossible to see the displays.

[Texas Star]

Thanks for the reports. I guess that I didn't miss much at the Dallas show.

I plan to get some money together and look at revolvers after the panic buying eases.

I don't think that Feinstein and the other varmints will get all that they want from Congress, but it won't be pretty to think of them getting anything at all.

[Harrison]

We have to be prepared for outright bans and confiscations of some firearms and magazines.. Feinstein's bill is coming out next week and the Administration and VP already have their ban list ready. The Dems own the Senate and the Majority leader is already to change the rules on filabustering. Everything he wanted our president has gotten, one way or another. The Republican house will eventually cave like they always do. It's sad, but the majority of people in this country are urban, don't own gun, or don't shot the ones they own, and don't really know or care about gun rights. The media is backing the anti-gun movement, as it the educational establisment. We may be fighting a lossing battle.

[GKC]

I'm glad to read your report about the gun show...I wanted to go, but I am sick. Every orifice I have is leaking fluid, I am coughing, running fever, and sneezing...and when they all occur simultaneously, it's not a pretty sight. (Actually, I don't guess any of them alone is a pretty sight.)

It sounds like I didn't miss much by staying home...and I'm sure everyone who was there wouldn't have appreciated me infecting them anyway. So, reading your report makes me feel better about not being able to go.

Thanks!

[smith17]

A good friend who has a table invited me to bring some things up and sit with him so I left home at 4:30 and made it when they opened up for the vendors. There was already a line for the general public that was over 200 yds long and many had AKs and black rifles. And that was pretty much the theme of the show, along with ammo. I'm not sure how many rifles sold since so many came in. Probably those who owned a few figured they would bring one and make a killing. Problem was, everyone else had the same idea. The one on our table never moved at $1500 which was on the low end of the asking prices I saw. There were guys coming in the front door with backpacks full of PMAGS and walking around with signs, trying to sell them for $60 each.
Ammo was very hot which is surprising to me since there hasn't been a big political push against it. I took some 308 and 223 cases up there and they were gone by lunch on Saturday. An ammo vendor came by and told me they sold out of .22 LR by 11am. In fact, I don't remember seeing any .22 ammo for sale once I had time to walk around. Did find something I'd been looking for for awhile, a CZ Brno .22 bolt action for local squirrel de-population.
One vendor came by our table and said he brought 6 Mini-14s he had gotten at Wal-Mart last year and sold them for $695 each, all by 10am on Saturday. He was lamenting that he thought he sold them too cheaply.
One older lady came up to our table and was sorting thru some mags and asked if we had anything on the list that her son had given her to shop for him since he couldn't make it. She pulled out a piece of paper from her bra and unfolded it and tried to hand it to me. I told her I didn't have my reading glasses with me and could she just read the list to me. About that time my buddy came walking up with coffee and she handed it to him to read and we sold her some magazines. Later, I told him where she had stashed the list. He burned my steak for me that night.
Ed

[smith17]

We have received 4" of constant rain today so I thought I would add a bit to my Dallas Show observations, more along the S&W line.
Looked at a nice 2nd Model 44 that a man was selling for his sick friend, a fairly well-done re-blue for $895. A 5 screw .22 Combat Masterpiece that a guy had labeled as a Model 18, about K200xxx for $595 but it had a good bit of wear, especially the cylinder which had some old rust / pitting on it. Several 29-2s that were in nice shape but had tags for over a grand each.
One purchase I almost pulled the trigger on was a nice Remington 1100 Special Field in 12 gauge. I have wanted one since they came out back in the 80s and this one was 429 plus tax. Instead, I opted for 2 bolt .22s, one a glass bedded Romanian trainer with a Simmons 4x on it which has already taken 2 tree rats near my orchard and a gun I have looked high and low for, a CZ Brno Model 2 from 1965 with a Nikko Stirling Scout 4x on it. I've never heard of the Scout model from Japan but it is nice and bright.
Near the end of the show, I found a table with nothing but old scopes and rings. Bought a 60s model Weaver K2.5 C-3 for a similar era Marlin 30-30. I have given up thinking I can use open sights anymore so it was a welcome addition.
Old scopes are cool.