3 day Gun Show, When to go?

[Yendor357]

Gun Show Guys, The Indy 1500 is this coming weekend. They advertise Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

It’s been a lot of years since I’ve gone.
I’ve never gone to a gun show on a Friday afternoon. I’ve always been working. I’m looking to maybe sell a recently acquired 22 pistol. And I’m always on the look out for a cool S&W revolver.

I want to scoop up a bargain before the armatures show up.

When is the best time to go? Is there a best time to go?

 

[pantannojack]

Some sellers may want to unload a piece for buying money on something else, or some buyers may have limited funds early, or some buyers might need to sell something for funds to buy something, or some buyers may be froth at waiting to buy something and missing the deal, be frustrated to buy yours's or may be broke by the time you show up, or...

Check your crystal ball.

 

[Shibadog]

Usually best selection on Friday, best prices late Sunday

 

[swagmeister]

Best selection, highest prices first day (some dealers will negotiate, most won't first day). Possible bargains last day.

 

[ken158]

Best deals are late on Sunday but usually nothing special is left - just stuff that didn't sell. Some savvy guys will go with someone that has tables and help set up and then have the opportunity to preview the goods of others. I have sold lots of stuff before the show opens to the public but you usually won’t get a deal before the paying customers arrive.

 

[robertrwalsh]

There are two schools of thought. One is get their early and maybe snag something good quickly. The other is be a tail-end Charlie and maybe get something that somebody just doesn't feel like packing up and taking back home. Both work. I have done both.

 

[AudieMurphy]

Best deals are late on Sunday but usually nothing special is left - just stuff that didn't sell. Some savvy guys will go with someone that has tables and help set up and then have the opportunity to preview the goods of others. I have sold lots of stuff before the show opens to the public but you usually won’t get a deal before the paying customers arrive.

lots of dealing between sellers BEFORE shows

 

[DHernandez]

First day to buy, last day to sell…

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I’ve never gone to a gun show on a Friday afternoon.

When is the best time to go? Is there a best time to go?

If you are buying Friday afternoon is the best. Better selection and the best items goes first

If you are selling, Sunday after Church. Because people will buy anything on Sunday knowing it is the last chance to buy.

 

[rockquarry]

I've been on both sides of the tables for forty or more years. No firm rules on any of this and Sunday is not necessarily the best time to buy or attempt to buy from a dealer. A lot of those guys like to haul the same guns from one show to the next and keep the same high price tags on them. I've never understood this reasoning, but it's very common.

As for the best deal before the gun shows open, same thing. You might get a good deal, you might not. The conventional wisdom fallacies spread by many aren't something you can depend on.

If you find something you've really been looking for (not some impulse buy), it's in the condition you want, and the price is close to being reasonable (maybe a little high) it's best to buy it. Haggling is usually worth the effort, but don't let a hundred or two hundred dollars on a thousand dollar gun keep you from enjoying something you want. May be a long time before you find another one in such good shape. Of course, if you're a hardcore skinflint, this doesn't apply.

 

[Bald1]

Friday opening doesn’t happen around here. I’d say a lot of people can’t Goethe there on a weekday.

 

[kraynky]

Rule of thumb is; Best selection early - Best deal late. I stopped going to big gun shows 25 years ago. Some small local shows are still worth the price of admission around here.

Hope you find a bargain! And share it here!

 

[pharmer]

......I want to scoop up a bargain before the armatures show up.

Yeah, sometimes they are wound too tight but do have a sort of magnetism. Joe

 

[T44spl]

All of the above comments are true, however are you attending this show as a walk in spectator or a dealer? Do you have a table or share one with someone? Another factor that I use for judgement is are you far from the show? Do you have to travel very far to attend? If this show is local to you and you have trading material or things to sell and maybe a lot of cash go to the first and last days to take in the best of all worlds.
A friend of mine retired in OK and had a table at the Tulsa show. He always did well at those shows. He invited me to visit him many times to attend and help him with those shows. I regret not taking him up on his offer as he's passed on since. A great friend and fellow collector who I really miss.

 

[collectordude]

You should always tell people to go Sunday. So you can go yourself on Friday and get the deals before everyone else.

 

[wproct]

Personally for me arguments can be made for either days. Many say Friday evening when things aren't picked over and you get the best selection. I normally go Sunday morning, normally not so crowded and dealers are more into the gotta get it done mentality and I think I can deal better then, but like I say, valid arguments can be made for any day.

 

[Frailer]

I can’t say I’ve noticed any significant difference in my luck regardless of which day I’ve gone to a 3-day show.

As has already been said, there are sometimes bargains to be found on Sundays, but sometimes dealers leave early. Saturday will be more “picked over” than Friday, but there are sometimes items that dealers picked up on the previous day from walk-in sellers that they are willing to flip quickly for a small profit.

These days I tend to go on Friday. Not so much because I expect to see more, but because the crowd is often a bit smaller.

 

[mtgianni]

Make a list of what you want. I go for entertainment but have a couple of items I am always looking for. If you find a good deal but it isn't on your want list, are you willing to wait the time to flip it? Are you open to adding stuff you really didn't think you needed?

I was really open to adding stuff up to my late 50's, after 70 not so much at all.

 

[StillStanding]

The early bird gets the worm is timely advice whether buying or selling.

 

[LittleAugieMo]

The best selection will be Friday at least from dealers. Sat.will be "overall" best.Sunday you may/may not get any deals kinda depends on location&show size. We don't do to many 3 day shows anymore as there're none in our immediate area. The ither thing we don't do us discount any thing more than normal on the ladt day of the show weather it be Sat/Sun. Particularly while we're trying to pack up & load out.