Gun Show Prices Are Reasonable

[hiredhand]

I know that I am going to be pillered for saying this, but complaining about gun show prices just does not make sense. Prices are not out of line based on the averaged gross family income.
As an example ........... today, the average combined family income is around $52,000 a year. History shows that a good quality hand gun has equaled about a week's pay. So using the latest average, 52000 divided by 52 equals $1000 for the common quality handgun. Colts have always been a little higher, and low production, most wanted guns have been much higher.
If you doubt my example, go back as far as you have catalogues / annual income charts, and see for yourself. In some cases the costs of handguns today is cheaper than 20 or 25 years ago.
You just have to adjust your paradigm.
Many years ago I too encountered the "so called" high prices until I figured out the ugly truth about inflation. And what I learned is that it is better to buy now because gun prices are not going down. EVER!
And yes, I have been on both sides of the table over the intervening years.
So next time the price seems too high, ask yourself what it will be in 5 or 10 years.

 

[BaldEagle1313]

I know that I am going to be pillered for saying this,

Actually, I was going to take you to task on something else.

If you are going to use a fancy word like "pilloried" in a sentence you should make sure you spell it correctly...

But I'm the grammar cop. What can I say, old habits are hard to break.

But thank you for your post. I hadn't done the math. I will say the average combined salary in my house has never been anywhere near 52K. I think the issue a lot of people here have is that they don't think the average new gun is anywhere near the quality of the older ones, hence the older ones commanding a higher price.

 

[rburg]

You say "gun show prices are reasonable". Like they exist as a single entity. You ain't been where I've been.

Yes, I've seen some reasonable gun show prices, and even some very good prices. And wow have I seen the opposite.

 

[Moonman]

Plastic is cheap, and many firearms newcomers are not really interested in steel revolvers that are new or old and do not hold MEGA ROUNDS of ammo. They mostly consider the people who are "DATED".

They want CHEAP (cheaper because of polymer construction and offshore labor) ACCURATE (because of CNC Machining) HIGH CAPACITY (Because it can be).

Here's a scenario, Go to a street rod meet, beautiful machinery, check out their GREY HAIRED OWNERS, the market has shifted and today our YOUTH wants SLEEK-FAST-TURBO EQUIPPED-SUPER MEGA SOUND STEREO MACHINERY. The values of the street rods will continue to diminish as the grey hairs pass on.

 

[redlevel]

I can buy quality S&Ws from the S&S on this forum, on a local forum, and from my local gun store for less than I can from the gun show I attended today. I saw 75% model 10s priced at $400. Refinished (badly) Victory Models at the same price. Pre Model 14s with soldered on ramp sights for $500.

Inflation isn't the only factor. Supply and demand is also a factor. I saw a fair 2.5" Model 19 P&R for $625 at the show. They were bringing that 24-36 months ago, but they ain't now. I couldn't buy a good Model 19 from my local dealer 2 years ago, because I just wasn't going to pay those prices. Those prices have come down $100 at least. I bought a nice one earlier this year (May?), better than the one I saw today, for $399 plus tax from that same store. He keeps up with prices, and adjusts his accordingly. He (my local dealer) sells a lot of guns through gunbroker, and he knows what they will bring in the real world.

I believe a lot of folks at those shows have stock they paid the high prices for 2-3 years ago, and are trying to recoup their investment.

 

[gunlovingirl]

You should run for office!

 

[feralmerril]

I feel like rip van winkle. I doubt I know anyone makeing a $1,000 a week in my neck of the woods.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I was telling a friend I paid to much for a S&W M13. It was in really nice shape and I wanted it. He said I didn't pay to much I just bought it to soon. Don

 

[Fishslayer]

So next time the price seems too high, ask yourself what it will be in 5 or 10 years.

Not moving much inventory, huh? Times are tough.

The o'bama panic is over. Some people just haven't gotten the memo yet.

 

[quneur]

Sign of the times. People are watching the media reports and what's being reported are crimes; home invasions, gang/immigrant violence, mass shootings, etc. So, they go out and buy CC guns. Here in WA, record number of CC licenses. Lots of new smaller plastic guns coming on the market. Lots of peoples' attitude are changing concerning guns. Now dealers want to cash in on this wave.

 

[vista461]

Some prices are reasonable, but for the most part they are no better and in some cases higher than the regular gunstores. You see the same guys hauling the same over priced guns with dog eared tags on them for years.

 

[otis24]

Don't care what prices will be in ten years. Today, gun show prices are too darned high. Too many people hoping some moron with no knowledge will pay double retail for a used piece of ****. But if you think prices are low, I' ve got a couple of revolvers I would like to unload. Can you use a good shooter grade Model 10. Only $650 shipped (lol). In ten years, that will sound like one heck of a bargain!

 

[Duke426]

"Gun show prices are reasonable." I think this is too broad a statement.

Depends on what you are looking for, condition of said item, your location, etc. Deals can be had but I tend to find those deals on the forums, in my local shops and through contacts at our sportsmen club. The prices at our shows in PA (York and Harrisburg) are not reasonable for anything other than the latest fantastic plastic.

When the used Colts, S&Ws, Winchesters, etc are priced higher than current MSRP and look like they spent the last 100 years at the bottom of the north Atlantic, that isn't reasonable IMHO.

 

[michael thornton]

there are some fair deals, but most are just plane stupid! $1300 for n frame smiths ? i just cant see it, 27-2 29-2 and the likes? i think they just want people to see them , they are not realy trying to sell them.

 

[williamlayton]

In my part of the world gunshow admissions are even out of whack---much less what most tables think of the worth of their guns.
Blessings

 

[rburg]

i think they just want people to see them , they are not realy trying to sell them.

Well, they do call them shows ya know. The gun I sold yesterday I've been dragging all over creation for the last couple of years. The reason I sold it was a member here noticed it and liked it at one of those shows. So he sent me a PM asking what it was. I PM'd him back and brought it along, just for grins and giggles. He was under no obligation to buy it. So I made him a pretty good price for a gun in that condition with hammer mounted firing pin and no real indications of it being fired (but some shop wear and tear.)

We show our guns and keep shipping them from show to show. People look at them. Others keep on walking because we don't have or own a single plastic framed auto. They wonder why the old men keep hauling that ancient technology around when we should know better.

I have some trouble keeping up with prices on guns. I go to a lot of shows, and prices are moving to say the least. Many prices I see seem too high, but I keep my mouth shut about those, at least to the crazy vendor. We may joke about it back at our table. Then again the vendor selling may know something we don't.

I feel pretty certain that for anyone to purchase one of my low # K22s, they'd be shocked at how much I wanted for a run of the mill revolver, even with some visible wear. Ya ain't gettin' it any lower, sorry.

Occasionally a common looking revolver sits on a table with an outrageous price tag. When you look at it you discover some oddity that makes it a lot more reasonably priced. One of our members here has a couple of 4" prewar 3rd Model 44s. Way too high, I guess. If you looked real hard, you might even find a well worn M24 in the $500-600 range, less than half as much.

 

[Fishslayer]

Sign of the times. People are watching the media reports and what's being reported are crimes; home invasions, gang/immigrant violence, mass shootings, etc. So, they go out and buy CC guns. Here in WA, record number of CC licenses. Lots of new smaller plastic guns coming on the market. Lots of peoples' attitude are changing concerning guns. Now dealers want to cash in on this wave.

A gunshop guy summed it up pretty well.

"Once you have one, the NEED is gone."

And that's a good point. Lots of people saw the need for a gun in the house. So they went out & got one. They probably aren't hanging around on gun forums, since they're not "gun nuts." I'm sure that many caught the bug, but most probably have their handgun/rifle/shotgun at home & that's fine for them.

I'm sure that a lot of people like me were gun nuts earlier in life, and decided they should get back into it around, oh.. say November 2008. While I'm always looking for something interesting I feel no sense of urgency anymore. I have more than I need & I'm not going to pay exorbitant prices anymore.

IMO the wave is over.

Well, I live in Kalifornistan, so I'm ALWAYS gonna pay more...

 

[growr]

You don't HAVE to buy the guns that seem to be over priced. At all of the shows here in Montana the pricing is certainly negotiable. If I don't like the price I can either negotiate or move on.

To me the asking price has always been part of the entertainment factor of a show. If we didn't have over priced guns on the show circuit what would we have left to talk about?

Randy

 

[fyimo]

I go to two or 3 shows a year and I have bought some really nice guns at reasonable prices at these gun shows. I've also looked a large number of guns that were way over priced and just moved on to the next table. I've also made offers lower than the asking price on S&W revolvers and had them accepted and I bought them. Other times they just said no and I moved on.

I also see some vendors that ask incredible prices for grips and I just walk on bye also. One dealer had about twenty sets of K/L frame S&W combat grips and the lowest priced set was $200 and some of the really pretty sets he was asking $300 for them. I guess he must sell a few sets or he would drop his prices as to me these were out of line.

I believe also that the post election surge is over and that prices have softened on shooter grade S&W revolvers. I also think pristine S&W revolvers hold their prices better then the shooter grade revolvers and the prices have softened less if at all. Of course the sickness this group has also fuels the prices because we know how hard it is to find really a high grade older S&W revolver that we want for our collection.

 

[doublesharp]

At this past w-end's Nat Gun Day show in Louisville there were numerous decent shooter mod 10s with 325 ask which means 275-300 buy. Could have had a 90% 17-3 with diamond high horn magnas off an earlier gun for $550. A walkin offered up a hopkins allen 9 shot 22lr in a very nice basketweave holster at an ask of $200. lnib Browning blr 22 lever gun for $425 and a good shooter blr 22 for 350 ask. there were 2 Ruger sp101 .22 4" revolvers, one of them being the coveted 1/2 lug model and it was in orig box. Ask was $625. A well worn mod 15 shooter had an ask of 350 and he was begging for an offer. lnib pre lock 342ti had a 550 firm price but it had shipping sleeve and would pass close inspection. There was a Colt Trooper .22lr with the full checkered target grips in a one piece brown box/pw, an early gun dating to 1954/55 and a strong 98%. Ask was $1000 and he turned down my offer of $800. Could have had a 5 screw 6 1/2" .357 with orig diamond magnas for $1200 ask. I'm pretty sure all those guns went back home unsold.