I plan on going to a gun show hosted by RK shows here in a couple of weeks in search of a 629 or 686. Any advice on what red flags to be on the lookout for? I have heard of end shake, hammer push off, pitting, rough trigger, forcing cone cracks, flame cutting, and mangled screws. What else am I missing?

Have enough cash available for what your spending limit is. Lots of sellers won't take a check or a card. Check out the whole show before you make a purchase, in case something nicer than the first one you saw shows up further down the line. If you do run up on the perfect gun early, you have to decide whether to take the chance it will still be there after you make a lap of the tables.

As for what to look for in the gun itself, you pretty much covered it. Ask about the box and papers, etc. and look at the stocks to check if they are 1- numbered to the gun (not all will be), 2- period correct for the gun (if they may have been changed and are not original) 3- if they are the correct type (if it matters to you; some revolvers came with magna, some with targets, some could have either). Ask before dry firing, but if they have the hammer zip-tied, ask if they'll remove it so you can feel the action. Some sellers will, some won't.

Don't get excited and take less than you're looking for. You might not find it that day, but there are others out there.

Buying a used gun, especially at a gun show, is an exercise for someone with some experience. There is a lot of stuff to look for and it is hard to relay it on a blog post. You are kind of in a "you pays your money and you takes your chances" arena. Be slow to jump in and be quick to back away if something just looks funky or doesn't feel right.

Bring a small flashlight and a pair of cheaters.

If you are looking at a used gun, some polite discussion over the price could be a rewarding experience. I usually have a sign that implies that on my table at shows.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Your list is missing making sure the timing is on for all of the six chambers. You should also run fingers down the length of the barrel carefully, going by feel to find a bulged barrel.

I would never turn away a revolver missing its original stocks — but if it is, that is absolutely a point to be argued against the price.

It was mentioned earlier to do the whole show before buying.
If you do this and pass up a great deal, chances are the deal will be gone when you go back to buy.
There is no real cut and try solution for this, just have to go with what you know.

IF you find the right gun at a fairly reasonable price buy it. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have passed on great guns. I go to larger gun shows regularly. Sometimes it takes well over 1 + hours to see everything. By the time I get done and decide to go back for a particular gun it's gone. Due your due diligence on condition and then make a fair offer.

Good advice here. The standout for me is the flashlight. I'd be sure to take one for close up inspection, particularly of blued guns. The flashlight may also help you with spotting replacement parts, refinishing, etc., of blued guns. Even for the stainless models you're interested in the flashlight should be helpful.

I have to agree with not passing up one you want. It is my experience in over 30 years of attending and setting up at shows, that if you pass on a good deal or one you REALLY wanted, it tends to not be there when you go back. Heck, I have even had some sold before I walked away from the table after putting it back down! So, newbie advice, do not put a gun down until after you decide to pass on it. If it is on the table, it is generally open season, unless you just put it down to get out your wallet.

I was approaching a table at a gun show recently and they were discussing an SKS rifle. The seller told him it was a D model Sporter which caught my ear.

These were made to accept AK magazines from the factory and this one had a 16" barrel and the thumbhole stock so it was a "pre-ban" 1994. Good to go, even in the commiewealth of Ma.

The seller gave him a super price... !!

The potential buyer thought a bit..racked the bolt a few more times....and told him he would be back after he thought some more..

I walked up and bought the gun. While doing the paperwork the first potential buyer came back.

He looked quite disappointed.

Sorry.. you snooze..you lose.

Just saying..

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Remain Viable

Great advice here. Ask to have the grips pulled to check the frame condition underneath. Bring feeler gauges to check the front and rear cylinder gage. Find out what the B/C gap should be, and have a cheat sheet. Also the rear cylinder to frame gage values.

Check the forcing cone to be sure it has not been filed. Check for hammer push off. If the finish looks too good to be true for an old gun, it might be. Look for signs of refinishing by excessive polishing.

I still believe that the best way to insure a good used gun is to advertise here on this forum in the Want To Buy section. 95% of my used firearms are from forum members.

Look extra hard on semi autos. Bubba works on them a lot. Semis just lend themselves to tinkering.

Now all this is not to say that there are not good deals out there. At least you get to hold it in your hand.

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Wfevans4,what area of the country are you in. In my a.o. R.K. shows are a bit....sketchy...more stuff than firearms,ammo&accesories. May not be the case everywhere but be advised especially if you're not a regular attendee. Other than that everyone else has pretty much covered things.
Take plenty of cash,don't be afraid to negotiate,keep in mind what features are important to you,and keep in mind mind availability while considering price.
Good Luck&have Fun!

The gun show is in Knoxville, TN

If you have it in your hand and decided that you will buy it, never put it back down because someone else will pick it up and it is his.

Skip all that & just bring an angry wife...............

Buggered up screw heads can tell you a lot.

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Todd

I used to work those shows for years with The Gun Crew.

An excellent dealer to look for is Darryl's Guns. He has some of the most gorgeous Smiths & Colts you will ever see. The bad news is, he ain't cheap. However, you can be assured of getting a beautiful gun for your $$$$.

There's also lots of walk-around sellers as well. I bought a pristine Model 36 3" one time from a walk-around. I looked at it, we were apart on price. But I told him to come see me before he left if he hadn't sold it yet. He did & we did the deal. I was very, very happy with the gun.

TN in general has pretty good shows. Private sales are legal, which helps the crowd size, IMO.

Good luck!

This is a very important piece of advice. I've seen it happen more than once.

Beware of sellers lighting. It was a common thing in Florida shows. Couldn’t see any detail without a good flashlight. If the seller won’t allow a reasonable inspection, including removing zip tie and grips, he’s hiding something.

Most of the stuff in gun shows is over priced. Once in a while you may come across a bargain, but don't count on it.
Know what you're looking for and current prices on similar guns. GunBroker closed auctions help here. Decide what the maximum you'll pay is and try to stick to it.
Of course when you're standing there with your dream gun in your hand and the price is over your max, then you have to make a decision.

Another vote for not passing up a decent deal on a desired model. If more than casually interested in something I always ask myself "Will I kick myself later if I pass on it and it sells to another?" A few years ago I came across a 4" 617-4 within the first few minutes of the doors opening at the monthly show. It was the first one I had a chance to handle and I knew they were desirable from my readings here. When I also saw the original box on the table I knew it wouldn't last long. After a friendly and fair negotiation we did the paperwork and I continued on through the show. I saw nothing else that needed to go home with me so I'm glad I struck while the iron was hot. And you know what? I haven't seen another one there since.

Todd

Attached Images

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My two cents:

If you find a gun you *really* want, that you can afford, but that—after negotiating—is still priced a bit more than you’d like to pay, just buy the darned thing.

By the same token, a good price on a gun you don’t want is rarely a bargain.

Finally, don’t be afraid to go home empty-handed.

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Mark Lathem

I just returned from the Reno gun show. The first time I went about +25 years ago I think I'd spent all my money in the 1st 15 minutes. So my suggestion is walk all the way through before you whip out the cash.

BTW, I found these two guns - one at a great price and the other, I wouldn't have bought had I not resisted the impulse to buy something else first.

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I passed on a full sized SKS for $450.00 and found the carbine for $399.00. The Savage came after passing on a lesser condition one.

Bring a note pad to write down table locations.

In one sentence:

Never be afraid to walk away...

There will be others, and if this is one of your first shows - have low expectations and high standards.

As others have commented, having a small flashlight is imperative. Not only for checking the finish, but also for checking the condition of the bore. I will still buy a revolver if it has a dirty bore, but not if it has a rusty & pitted bore or worn out bore. There are quite a few YouTube videos (like the one below) that are very helpful. Having plenty of cash is important even if a dealer will accept credit cards. Counting out a stack of Benjamins proves you're a serious buyer, and I've made quite a few good cash OTD deals. Since you're looking for some very specific revolvers, you should be able to bypass all of the knife, plastic pistol, and rifle tables and focus on the dealers with revolvers. This will really speed up your first pass around the gun show...just be sure to remember where the revolvers in which you were interested were located. I usually make a quick trip around the entire show and make note of tables of interest before I get serious. Don't be too anxious and buy something just to buy something. As others have said, there are always other shows.

Been going to gun shows for many years, and has been my experience the majority { with exceptions } of the used guns on tables are just exactly that, USED ! Be careful, and look a potential buy over VERY carefully a do not be afraid to walk away. Been stung a couple times at shows, but NEVER with an online auction in 16 + years with online auctions. Good luck !

Best advice, take somebody with you that is knowledgeable on the subject of buying used revolvers. Nobody is going to buy wisely on first trip to a gun show with no experience in checking out the gun. You may do fine or get burnt. Don’t go with the intent to come out with your target purchase.
There is always a next time.

Get to know gun show courtesy If you are standing by a table and there is a transaction or negotiations going on, don't butt in. If it falls through, and the buyer walks, without buying, then you can ask about the gun. Always be courteous, even if you aren't in a gun show.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Buy the gun, not the story!

I guess I can "talk the talk" but not "walk the walk". In my earlier post I stated the importance of not bypassing a desirable gun. Last Saturday I looked at a pristine in box 3913. It was early in the show and I moved on. Later I went back and haggled with the owner a little. I sat down with a friend and discussed the 3913 and whether I should buy it. Within 1 minute another friend sat down across from me after buying the 3913. I had also looked at a 4566. It was a little too high so I ended up buying a 6906 and two tone P 220.

I don't do gun shows often anymore. First, I'm old enough that I can't stay on my feet for a long time like I used to, and I don't have as many needs and wants as I used to. But I will say this, shopping gun shows has been fun for me, and I love the process and almost every gun that I have bought at a show I can remember all the details about how I made the purchase. I have walked away from some thinking I would come back and get it later and it was gone. I've also had someone swoop in on one I'm looking at and trying to decide, and I've done the same thing myself. I really enjoy them, because you just never know what you are going to come across at one.

Quite the blanket statement for hundreds of gun shows across the US...............

TIMES 10.............

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S&W Accumulator

Your RK gun show is in Tennessee. I go to the RK gun shows down here in GA several times a year. I see very very few used guns for sale at these shows. The few that I do see are very nice older guns (usually pre-lock) that are priced way above the guns actual value. Reminder, these sellers know what the real value of the used guns are and jack up the price accordingly. They may come down in price, but the gun is still not a good deal. These dealers are looking for buyers who don't know any better so they can make high profit margins off one gun.

You want a 629 or 686, both are great models. If your dead set on a used gun, I would highly recommend visiting every gun shop and pawn shop within an hours drive and if they don't have one in stock, leave your name and number in case one comes in. You will find nice guns at fair prices.

My opinion is that gun shows are just that, shows. You know, entertainment, not really a place to buy guns, unless you don't mind paying list price or near list price for guns. Think about it, if a gun is such a really great deal at a gun show, the other dealers will snatch it up quickly. Remember, these people are professional, your just an excited newbie looking to buy a gun.

Good luck and go with the 686 first, you will really really love it!

I've never attended a gun show in GA but have done dozens of RK shows, from Memphis to Bristol. I worked gun shows for dealers (FFL holders) for over 30 years. I've seen some things & learned some things.

Having no used guns at a show is a surprise to me. I have no guess why that would be, but I'll take your word for it. At the TN shows, there was/is a dealer who had 95% used guns. Rifles, pistols, all in excellent shape. No, he wasn't cheap. But the guns he had were gorgeous. (Darryl's Guns, if anyone is interested. No, I never worked for him.)

But you're wrong in that there's no deals to be had at shows. But most of the deals are from walk-around-sellers, i.e. private sales. I'm speaking of used guns here, not NIB ones. Sun afternoons are best for private sales deals. Sellers are tired from walking around, tired of carrying heavy guns around, tired of lowball offers. They just want to sell it & are willing to dicker a bit just to get home with some cash.

As for deals with dealers, those deals will always be for new guns, IMO. A big advantage for the buyer will be he gets to hold the gun he's buying. Doesn't have to be the one on the table, it can be the one in the trunk. Finger bang it, check for issues, try the trigger, etc. Can't do any of those things at a big box store anymore, sadly.

Again, Sun afternoons are best when dickering with a dealer. I always asked, "You want to take it home or do you want to sell it now?"

Yes, there are dealers who want to make a weekend's worth of profit on 2-3 guns. Those are the dealers who won't sell many per show, IMO. Then they whine about how badly they did.

The first dealer I worked for always had the largest set of tables at any show we worked. Wasn't even close. This was in the 1990s, early 2000s. Those days were during the Clinton gun bans, ban on Chinese ammo & other assorted fun games.

But the next dealer I worked for was something else. He was a former employee of the aforementioned dealer. He graduated college, worked as a stock broker & got his FFL. I began helping him for free at shows. He had ONE table, half of it was coins & knives. This lasted about a year. Then he went to 2-3 tables & opened his own shop. Things exploded, sales wise.

Then he too became THE dealer at TN shows. He specialized in guns that no one else carried. CZ's, Baer's, B&T, upper tier Colt semi's, etc. But his trick was he got great deals from the wholesalers & didn't try to make a house payment on each gun. He sold them at a moderate price. Customers told their buddies & so forth. We treated customers like WE liked to be treated when we were on the other side of the table. It worked well.

Today that FFL still has customers coming to see him from 20 years ago. There's 4-5 times more gun shops in the Nashville area than when he started. But they know he has the best prices, so that's where they go.

Point is, one can't paint all shows or all dealers with the same broad brush, IMO. Yes, there's sorry shows & sorry dealers. Avoid those, IMO. Buyers can help themselves by doing their homework beforehand. Know the pricing of what they're looking for.

But big box stores & shops can't carry everything. Gun shows are a wonderful way to check out a new gun or a hard to find one.

My claim to fame is I once sold a Sig 210 (the reissued one) to Taylor Swift's dad. Her brother bought one as well, can't remember what.

Neither would I, you can always find a set that is either correct for the gun or suits your grip if you're less particular about correctness or originality. When I found my S prefix M57, I had to make a choice between a completely correct 4" M29-2 and the M57, which didn't have factory stocks at all and had an accessory vented rib on the barrel. I chose the M57 because it was the less common gun, prices and conditions were the same for both.

Agreed. I looked at a really nice 4" M27 once in a gun store that sells a lot of vintage guns. Price was what you'd expect and I'd come looking for something else, so I handed it back to the sales person saying I'd probably get it after looking some more. It was less than ten minutes and I saw the clerk filling out paperwork at the counter with that M27 lying next to him.
I make sure the sales person knows I am buying the gun and I hand it back to them and drag out my wallet immediately. Make it clear to everybody standing next to you that you found what you wanted.

Polite discussion period will open doors that might have been a problem otherwise. I've related this story before, but I was almost through all the tables at a show one day, just looking for a deal but not precisely for what I found. One guy, sitting alone at a small table with one 3x4 foot glass covered display case full of folding knives and a few Bowie's......and one blued revolver. From ten feet away I immediately knew what it was and approached the guy, said howdy and politely asked if I could take a look at the revolver. I could hardly contain my excitement. He looked at me and said, I'm not taking it out of the case if all you want to do is handle it. I replied, "No, I'll probably buy it because I've been looking for one of those for several years. It's a S&W M520, only 3000 made, etc., etc.. How much are you asking? " He laughed and said "Well, it's obvious you know your S&W's, I just didn't want a lot of yo-yo's getting fingerprints on it that weren't going to buy it anyway". He took it out of the case and handed it to me. He'd bought it at an estate sale several years before (original owner) and it had been in his safe ever since. We talked about revolvers in general and he said he had several more S&W's at his house, he just brought that one to show off but didn't expect to sell it. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have enough cash for his asking price and he wasn't coming down, and he wouldn't take a check or card. I asked if he'd hold it for me til I could go to a nearby ATM and get some more money. He said he was getting ready to leave but would be willing to hold the gun and we could meet later if I really wanted it. This is where miracles happen and the stars aligned. He lived less than 5 miles from me and it turned out we knew a lot of the same people. I met him later that afternoon at his house and bought the M520. It had been my Grail gun for 5-6 years, and this one was unfired and in the box with all the other stuff. It also came with a Letter, written in 1980 and signed by Roy Jinks. Price was reasonable to me (any gun is worth what you're willing to pay if you want it bad enough) and now I have a gun I've wanted for a long time. He did have several other nice S&W's that I would have bought had I a bigger budget, like a M65-1 and a like new nickel M36. I was happy to have been lucky enough to have seen his display when I otherwise would have passed it by.

I had to quit going to gun shows. It’s like being an alcoholic at the bar. I’m gonna feed my addiction.

Phfffftttt.

You should try working them. Between taking in trades & the walk-around sellers, I would get drowned in cool guns. Just about any show I worked, there were 2-3 guns I would've loved to have had, sometimes 4-5.

I had never even heard of the 520 until now. I seem to learn something every time I come in here.

Not me but my brother. He sometimes encounters people in his business wanting to trade a firearm for a knockdown on the product his company produces.

A couple came into his showroom looking for his product and had almost enough money for the product but still short some. My brother being a fair person suggested that he was willing to take something in trade. The man said he had a pistol he was wanting to part with if a deal could be worked out. Right into my brother's line of sight. He came back with a Model 57 S&W. R&P with an "S" number. Exactly what I had been looking for. The man made the deal with my brother and went home with 3 hundred off the price, and in his pocket. My brother got his price for the product and I got the 57 for $400.00. The man and his wife were happy, my brother was happy, and I was ecstatic. I had the pairing of a revolver to go with my Marlin carbine. This was before I quit driving a big truck so around 2008.

Llance

I set an excellent 696 back on a gun show table I was perusing that had a $400 price tag on it… Well, a guy standing behind me picked it up and said the magic words - “I’ll take it”. Tough lesson learned that has never been repeated.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

Only have bought 2 guns at gun shows in past ten years since I started going.
1. Bought a new Model 15-22 when they were hard to get after first coming out. Bought from a regular firearms dealer. He had four at regular MSRP on the table and I said I would think about. He said they would be gone in an hour so I got one. He was right.
2. Was looking for a 1970s vintage nickel Model 10 4”. Found one listed @ $400. The dealer specialized in Colt and S&W revolvers. Asked him his best price. $350. Walked around thinking about it and came back shortly and he gave it to me for $300 cash.
3. Passed on first walk through on some red box Sig Sauers (Government trades - factory reconditioned .40). Went back about an hour later to get one and all six were gone.

Yes, sometimes waiting a bit helps but sometimes snoozing loses.

If i was going to a gun show now one priority would be to get there as soon as it opens or a little sooner

If something isn't exactly what you, at the price you're willing to pay--Walk away. Another one will eventually come along. Be smart and don't make an emotional decision. Good luck.

The down side to that, is that the aisles are generally so crowded that you can't see a thing, that's my experience anyway.

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Todd

Sometimes not going to the gun show works out well ....

I headed out to the Reno show yesterday AM. A little bit of snow in the Sierras and typical CA drivers shut down Rte 80. It's snow. It's slippery = it isn't rocket science.

I hit a LGS instead and ended up with a 1967 made Colt Woodsman Match and a 1976 made Colt Python. Got to take the Woodsman with me -

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The Python gets picked up December 24th, I guess that makes it a Christmas present to myself. And ANIB for under $2K.

Why did one stay & not the other?????

I have one of those 4 inch 617s, just mine has the hillary hole - I think mine is 617-6 (but mine has the round butt, so I put the awesome round but combat stocks)...I have put more rounds through that revolver than any other one I own, probably 5-7K rounds in the last 3 years.

I have tried to match its performance with an earlier 617 (no dash) in 6 inch and a new 22 LR Colt King Cobra in 4.25", several model 17s (6 and 8 3/8) and even two 6 inch K-22s. The only other revolver that comes close in terms of shootability from a DA position is one of the K-22s...

Best $475 I spent about 5 years ago on a 'shooter' firearm.

You have the technical pieces above. From a gunshow perspective, I have found that:

1) Best deals (rare finds, good deals, not necessarily the lowest price for the things others did not buy) are early on in the show - perhaps in the first 2 hours.

2) Most of the deals will come from dealers who have gotten somthing cheap and just do not know the rarity of it. Some private sellers may have not kept up with times as well, but most private sellers tend to be collectors, so they know their stuff

3) Cash is king, everything is negotiable.

4) If you see something that looks like a great dal, inspect well and if all looks good - buy it. If you do not, someone else will shortly after you. You just need to know the market well (for what you are looking for)

Hope the above was helpful!

My rule is......Don't walk in expecting miracles! Then IF you find a suitable item you will be surprised & happy!!! Bob