Gun Show Etiquitte

[sideways]

Do you fellows see a problem with asking seller his price while someone else is looking at firearm. I had a gentleman get aggravated that I ask selling price while he was looking at pistol. In my mind if he is not willing to meet asking price and he was not, but still wanting to haggle, I was willing to meet price was it wrong for me to say so. I was on my way out the door and one of the sharks that hang at the door was the guy that I had the words with. I know that this is not just a hobby for some but a business but in my mind this is capitolism and totally above board what are your thoughts.Remember we not at a table but standing near entrance . And by the way Charlie I never hardly made in the door and the Ithica sold I'm sorry I was coming to try and find you.

 

[Quick10]

If I'm a seller then money talks and BS walks. I see no issue with asking.

 

[Texas Star]

I guess it depends on who you ask. Most will probably say to let the shopper finish, even if he's just trying to haggle the price down.

Of course, HE was mad, because he wanted the gun and didn't want to pay the asking price. But he was there first, so had a right to try to bargain, I guess.

What is "right" sometimes depends on whose ox is getting gored.

What was the dealer's attitude?

The general wording of your post, your run-on sentences without punctuation, and your inclusion of a message to another person in it makes me think you may be a little self-oriented, impatient, and not too polished. But I don't know you, and you are trying to discover what's normal procedure.

Basic courtesy is usually a good idea. But it might let that guy buy the gun for less when you were wiiling to pay the listed price. Still, first come, first served, is probably the rule.

The dealer may agree, or he may just tell you the price and tell the other man to put the gun down if he won't pay that price. Some people will try to haggle to the last nickle to get a lower price, then come on a board like this and brag about what they paid. I think they're on a power trip and hate to see those posts.

 

[LVSteve]

Sellers could not care less, especially if you are prepared to pony up the asking price without question. Stepping in with an offer while a buyer is still haggling is sure to get you the stink eye. It would certainly frost my chops.

Mind you, I might be able to step back, hand the interloper the gun and walk saying "Congratulations, you just paid $200 more than the gun is worth, enjoy." That way I get to annoy the interloper and the rip off seller.

 

[hittman77]

I'd wait my turn but ..... wasn't there so the dynamics are lost.

 

[Bullet Bob]

"Mind you, I might be able to step back, hand the interloper the gun and walk saying "Congratulations, you just paid $200 more than the gun is worth, enjoy." That way I get to annoy the interloper and the rip off seller."
__________________________________________________

Seems a little harsh if someone was just asking what the price was, and not saying "I'll buy it for the asking price".

 

[Alpo]

I agree with Texas Star.

It wasn't a gun show, but some years back a co-worker asked me about 257 Roberts caliber. A second co-worker had one for sale. That night both of us went with the third guy to his truck to see the gun. The man quoted a price. I thought it was fair. My friend tried to bargain him down. I stood there and listened. If he could have got the gun cheaper, fine. He was first pig at this trough.

He finally said it was too much - he couldn't pay that much, left and got in his truck and drove home. I pulled money out of my pocket and paid the asking price. My friend was annoyed with me, the next day, when he found out I'd bought "his" 257, but to my mind, when he said it was too much and walked away, he had given up on it. But, if he had stayed there bargaining, I would have kept my mouth shut.

I been on the other side, too. Woman had a captured Luger (not Russian capture - WW2 bring-back) and was wanting 650. I offered 600, and we were discussing it, when this other jerk walked up and said, "I'll give you 650". I wanted to beat the sumbich with a ball bat. If she absolutely would not take my offer, and I gave up, then he was free to make any offer he wanted. But as long as we were negotiating, he should have stayed out of it.

Nothing to do with "gun-show etiquette". It's just common courtesy.

 

[looseman]

So after you sold a gun that you promised to someone else. You then tried to buy one out of another shoppers hands.

Sounds like you need to work on your people skills.

 

[Terry C]

You never step into a ongoing negotiation, ever.

However, once it is passed it is fair game.

 

[Old Corp]

Much of this has to do with how one was raised.
Gentility is definitely in the endangered status these days.

 

[sideways]

So after you sold a gun that you ised to someone else. You then tried to buy one out of another shoppers hands.

Sounds like you need to work on your people skills.

I never promised anything but to talk trade . If there had been an agreement on trade or price you can believe that the deal would have been made. And I did make purchase

 

[pinduck]

You never get involved in someone elses deal, no matter what, wait your turn when the first guy lays the item down or walks off then it is fair game.

 

[H Richard]

I've been in the position of holding a revolver I was interested in and had yet to ask the price, but someone else jumped in and began negotiating a price while I was still holding it. That turned me off real bad, and I just laid it down and walked away. I feel it is out of place to interrupt anyone in the process of discussing a item for sale, once he lays it down or otherwise indicates he is not interested, then it is fair game but not before.

 

[Alnamvet68]

Steer clear of all possible negotiations; hovering over an interested buyer like a helicopter shill makes you, well, a shill. Show your interest once the gun is put down and the buyer walks away.

 

[beemerphile]

Doesn't matter if they were selling guns or miniature poodles. It would be courteous to wait your turn. The seller might just want the most money and he may well be satisfied if you and the other guy have a fist fight over it.

 

[radar1972]

Ever been in the process of being checked out at a department store when the clerk stops working your transaction to answer the phone and spends several minutes helping someone else? Burns you up, doesn't it? This is no different. Wait your turn. Just common courtesy.

 

[moosedog]

I agree with the majority, you don't interupt someone else's negotiations.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

On a different aspect of "Gun Show Etiquette". About 30+ years ago I was walking a OGCA show, and a class 3 dealer had a repoduction cloth belt for a Lewis gun for $5, I was thinking of buying it for a decorator item for the "man cave", I see a man patciently waiting out of the corner of my eye, so I ask him if he owned a Lewis gun he said he did, so I let him buy it. But he had never tried to interupt my transaction. Curtisy should go both ways. Ivan

 

[LittleCooner]

Wait your turn, the other guy was there first, just common sense and southern manners to wait your turn, no matter what takes place between the seller and the guy looking and talking to the seller.

 

[jaykellogg]

The gun shows I go to are very busy and I don't see much evidence of manners. I actually don't see a "problem" inquiring the asking price of a gun someone else is holding.