Gun Show Pricing - Too High?

[DR505]

I just got back from a gun and knife show in Albuquerque. I think the prices here are way too high.

Example:

• Brand New Jerry Miculek 625 going for $975.00
• Used Model 57-5 .41 Magnum 4" Mountain Gun (has lock) $900.00
• Used Model 29-3 .44 Magnum 6" for $925.00

Those are a representative sample and seemed quite high to me. Is this typical pricing at shows?

 

[usm1rifle]

Yes, normally most gun show dealers ask way too much IMHO.

Watch the for sale ads here and pay note to what sells.

 

[murphydog]

Also, you never know if the sellers want to haggle on their stated prices. If you have the patience and time to do so you may find the prices negotiable, but I have neither so usually find very little at shows.

If you can get in during "dealer"/setup time or just before closing, however, apparently that is a different story...

 

[nipster]

The 29-3 price seems way high...

The other 2, I am not sure what they go for, you can still buy them.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I check the local Iwanta & trader papers. Have found several deals this way. Sadly our news papers stopped carrying gun ads several years ago. If you have the time flea markets and yard sales will turn up a good deal occasionally.
GS's are usuallly too high.

 

[panamajack310]

DR505, I think if you took a survey from everyone that has been to a gunshow lately, you will find that the prices really suc. Everything seems to be over market price and to top it off there is more arts and crafts at the gunshows here in NC than I have ever seen.

 

[jughed440]

Today at a gun show i saw a $500+ price difference in two of the very same guns (6" Model 57s)...granted, one was a nice shooter grade and priced at $400, the other was in slightly better shape and priced at $935, it sat on the table of a dealer known to usually want more than what S&Ws are worth.
I did see a LNIB 4" 625-3 priced slightly below what they seem to go for these days

 

[MichiganScott]

The gun show cowboys typically hope to snag a sucker. We need to realize that those of us that are enthusiastic enough about firearms to frequent the S&W Forums are negligible compared to the total number of shooters.

I'm surprised that jughed440 found such a difference in prices. It's been my experience at gunshows that there appears to almost be price fixing, particularly with anything in demand.

 

[RussellD]

gun shows are interesting events. if you are selling those guns would be worth half, if you are buying...they are the last specimens in existence and command a premium..LOL

 

[BCDWYO]

I listed a excellent condition 6" 29-3 with original box on here in the past year for $725 and it didn't get a bite. It finally sold when I dropped it under $700 as I recall. So yeah, $925 definitely seems high for that one!

 

[nipster]

gun shows are interesting events. if you are selling those guns would be worth half, if you are buying...they are the last specimens in existence and command a premium..LOL

That's exactly right.

It's especially fun to find a guy with a table full of overpriced stuff when you are trying to sell something.

It goes like this: you present the gun, he lowballs you for more than half of what he is selling the exact same gun on his table for. You present this fact, and he is speechless. Gun show people are not like gun stores and cant use the "overhead" excuse.

 

[DMSC]

I went to my first show in a couple of years, today. I have to agree with previous comments...about 40% of the vendors weren't even selling gun-related items...much less guns!

I agree that for the most part, prices were ridiculous at the show.

Having said that, I found a nice 66-4 with box/manual for a good price. Yes...it followed me home.

 

[AveragEd]

Most of the gun shows in this area are way too heavy on the side of black guns and survival gear for me. Accordingly, it often takes me only as long as a lap around the room(s) requires before my curiosity is satisfied and I'm on my way home.

There are two shows that I enjoy and from which I almost always come home with something. They are at a small gun club and a small local fire company; both seem to draw at least as many collectors selling their duplicates as dealers selling their inventories.

Maryland must be heaven for gun show dealers. I know a Pennsylvania dealer who specializes in Rugers - he will not set up his display at shows here in Pennsylvania but never misses one in Maryland. He says we are too cheap to pay a fair price for his goods.

No one is making you as much as speak with dealers who ask ridiculous prices for their guns and gear, so where's the foul? I go to shows more for the little things - new brass and factory loads for cartridges no longer in production, for example. Several years ago, I was having a custom varmint rifle built in .243 Ackley Improved. I was prepared to handload and fire-form 100 pieces of brass until I came across six boxes of Remington .243WIN factory loads for $15 each at one of those two shows I mentioned. I bought all six boxes for $60 and had my new barrel broken in and 120 fire-formed cases made and ready to load with test recipes in a few hours.

Even if I strike out, I can always think of times when I wasted a lot more than the usual five to eight dollar admission fee.

Ed

 

[Backlighting]

Re: Gun shows-The idea of me, a potential customer, being charged an admission fee for the privilege of seeing what's for sale, I find outrageous. The vendors should pick up the fees.

 

[crazyponie]

I have talked with a number of local gun store clerks about this very thing. They all with out a doubt love gun shows. Everyone goes to the shows, see the stupid prices and go directly from the show to a local store and purchase the same gun for a lot less. Around here a number of stores have flyers for the gun show for this very reason.

 

[BUFF]

"Gun show people are not like gun stores and cant use the "overhead" excuse."

Many of the vendors and table holders at gun shows are also brick-and-mortar shops and many of the others are home-based dealers.

I do find it interesting that, if you attend any particular show for a number of shows, you will see the same guns and same other merchandise on the same tables being offered by the same folks for the same, too-high prices. It makes you wonder if they really want to sell anything.

 

[exdetsgt]

My experience here in Arizona is that, in many cases, the gun-show price for Pistol A and Revolver B is higher that what you could buy them for at most local gun shops. Or on line, for that matter. Other posters have noted that gun shows may be worth a visit if you are looking for something other than a gun.

 

[nipster]

Many of the vendors and table holders at gun shows are also brick-and-mortar shops

That is very true at most of gun shows in my area. There is a handfull however that are real "old school" type gun shows. Using the one I was at today as an example, small venue, only 2 dealers / FFL's at the entire show, the rest were individuals. Cash ruled, no call-in. Cash and carry like the old days.

and many of the others are home-based dealers.

I will tend to agree with this. The same faces at these shows tends to tell me that these people are "wanna-be" dealers, probably making more money than they should selling guns outside the "legal mechanism" of the ATF as non-FFL's. Some may in fact even be C&R's walking the fine line of the restrictions of that framework. But these people, technically dont have overhead, unless you consider their living expenses. But if they are doing this for a living, to get technical, they are breaking the law. I am not going to get into that ethical or legal debate. So long as they dont sell illegal guns, I dont really care how they make their money.

I do find it interesting that, if you attend any particular show for a number of shows, you will see the same guns and same other merchandise on the same tables being offered by the same folks for the same, too-high prices. It makes you wonder if they really want to sell anything.

I agree with that 100%. I guess you figure, if they sell at least 1 or 2 guns, they pay for the table, so even if they make SOME money, it's money nonetheless.

 

[chud333]

What i have observed;
On some of the more popular stuff dealers are competitive.
Rarer and older hard to find guns/items are priced too high.
As stated though, don't be hesitant to try and haggle with
the seller. Most always, i can get a guy to come off his listed
price on an older model. The newer stuff he probably does'nt
have the wiggle room to come down much. But he might cut
you a small price break anyways if approached at the right time.
Never hurts to try. Be friendly and courteous. Ask to handle,
before you handle his wares. Don't come off with an (i know it all
attitude), and most guys will work with you some.
I also agree with the member who stated that when you have
something to sell or trade it instantly becomes a piece of ****,
unless it's NIB and rare, and everything the dealer has is ultracool gotta have stuff. Be prepared for this also. Reverse-Haggling....

Chuck

 

[ma deuce]

>
>
Maryland must be heaven for gun show dealers. I know a Pennsylvania dealer who specializes in Rugers - he will not set up his display at shows here in Pennsylvania but never misses one in Maryland. He says we are too cheap to pay a fair price for his goods.
>
>

Here's one Marylander who's pretty much stopped going to Maryland shows. There's no bargains to be found, and too much space taken up with non-gun related items. I'd rather deal with the handful of LGS where I can expect to be treated fairly. I do like the York, PA show for the inverse reason as that dealer you cite - some good deals to be had.

I also go to the Chantilly, VA show which, BTW, is close to NRA headquarters and its museum, something no shooter or collector should miss. Few bargains to be found at the show, except usually on ammo, but a great selection.

 

[JoeGun]

Yep Those Gun Show Price's Are Just Too High

And That's Why I Rarely Buy a Gun at a GunShow.

Why Do I Go?

Because at at Gun Show,, they'll have way more of a selection than at One GunShop,, and They'll usually have the latest New Gun that's came out.

On the otherhand,, I also look at the used Gun's,, and if I find what I'm looking for at a Negotiable Good Price,, then it may very well find a New Home at my House.

They also have Leather Good's,, that I like to look at, knive's,, and usually some food,, cause it take's me a long time,, and I get hungry.

For me ,, It's not for Buy'n Though,, more for just Look'n Thru,,

Joe

 

[Backlighting]

30 minutes before closing, on the last day of the show, is a good time to negotiate on what's in front of you. Sellers are more apt to reduce prices then, since the show is ending.

 

[rburg]

I read these posts and conclude most of the above posters don't go to shows, have no clue as to what guns actually are selling for, and live in a fantasy world where the LGS has stock on hand. Reality is much different that that postulated by the above folks.

We went to a fairly large gun show in Louisville, Kentucky today. There were dozens of tables with more old S&Ws than any gun shop I've been in since the turn of the century. Some of the items were so scarce I was shocked they were up for sale. The only guns that appear in gun shops with an regularity are current production items. I have little interest in those, but you do see them. There were literally hundreds of tables selling ammo. Most at prices you can't dream about in an LGS. Reloading components from current production to some bullets in boxes that I'm sure predate me. Last time I priced .30 cal bullets in an LGS, they were asking $35 or more a box. At today's show, I was seeing them for $20 a box of 100. Brand name like Speer and Sierra.

I don't live in a region rich in gun shops. Sure, if I want to drive 50 miles I can take in one or two. But at the gun show I can see many offerings of dozens and dozens of local stores (many of them travel hundreds of miles). We also have the ripest of them all, the private vendors. Those are guys like me or you who want to raise some cash for a new gun or whatever. Stuff being sold at 1970s prices.

The gun shops I visit, and its becoming less frequent, have shocking prices (to me).

I do understand the feelings of people who don't visit shows wanting to bad mouth them. But the comments those posters make are just untrue. When was the last time you saw vintage K22s in a glass case at a shop? Today I could have purchased (if I had the funds) a few dozen of them, dating from the late 1940s up to the 1980s. You can visit local stores for the next year and not see more than one or two.

I have my facts straight. I'd suggest the nay-sayers actually visit a few shows before they come up with the bunk I'm reading.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I just got back from a gun and knife show in Albuquerque. I think the prices here are way too high.

Example:

• Brand New Jerry Miculek 625 going for $975.00
• Used Model 57-5 .41 Magnum 4" Mountain Gun (has lock) $900.00
• Used Model 29-3 .44 Magnum 6" for $925.00

Those are a representative sample and seemed quite high to me. Is this typical pricing at shows?

Don't forget, though, you pay extra at gun shows for the gossip, innuendo and outright lies of the "cheeseburger fragment spewing"* guy behind the table selling the "story" that undoubtedly goes with each of those good deals!

* Skeeter Skelton's description of fat gun dealer at table who sold him "rare" Colt Model P Single Action Army, which turned out to be forgery, from one of his entertaining tales.

 

[M3Stuart]

To Rburg's point;

There's different types of sellers;
Some are just people like us that are 'thinning the collection'.
There are non-FFLs selling AKs, ARs, 9s, 40s etc at above market prices (draw your own conclusions).
There are the brick-and-mortar stores with 'average' prices.
There are people with junk guns at high prices, good guns at higher-than-forum prices, the 'ammo' guys, the survival-stuff guys, people selling nazi stuff, WWII (Japanese and American)....am I even scratching the surface....

Oh, and there's tons of people selling beef jerky for some reason.

The people I spend the most time haggling with are the people that appear to be trying to make a dent in their addiction to S&W's, Rugers, pocket knives, reloading gear, holsters, etc. Those people usually want to move their gear and know what the REAL market prices are.

 

[mbliss57]

I agree with the last post almost verbatim. I love to go to gun shows. I almost always find a deal. It's the fun of the hunt that makes it fun. There are usually a lot of nice S&W's. The adventure is finding the table/vendor that wants to sell at a reasonable price something that I really want.
When it comes to selling a gun I don't ever take a gun that isn't very marketable and I always take a S&W in it's box. The box is the intrigue. I have sold several this year (more than 6) for the price I wanted to both vendors and attenders. Usually I sell them to vendors for my price. That may explain the high prices. Because I believe I am getting market value. So if they buy from me at that price they have to mark it up above market value.
Another true story this year.. my LGS had a new Colt Mustang 380 Pocket Lite that he said he would sell me at $700 OTD. I said I would think on it. (A so so price) I went to the gun show that weekend and he had it sitting in his case at $925
I asked him later what was up with that and his response was..you never know what someone will pay.

 

[petepeterson]

I think the availability of things on the internet has really changed the look of gun shows. I used to go to look for holsters, mags, grips...that sort of thing. Doesn't seem to be much of that anymore. Unless you want AR mags. Those, they have. In spades!

I still go to one or two a year, as I still remember scoring my 4" 19-3 with the dinged-up stocks for $300 on a Sunday afternoon. But my percentage in buying a gun compared o the times I've gone is about 2%.

 

[CALREB]

Shawn, thats one of my favorite stories, from way over 20 years ago, carrying around his "bait" gun in a paper sack, then wrecking his car trying to get back after finding the guns a fake. Man, gotta find that mag and read it again, Thanks Bob

 

[ken158]

Gun shows here in VA are turning into indoor flea markets. No honor among the promoters as they will rent a table to anyone with the bucks. Lots of jewelry, candy, coins, and junk. Some storefronts will bring things they cant sell across the counter hoping for a sucker or a trade... Prices on identical items have wide margins. Face it - a Glock is a Glock. Not a $5 difference between any model of which most are available pretty much all the time. Any collector S&W one may spot has a price that will have you running to the snack bar to purchase a $5 bottle of water just to get your heartburn in check... We all know the guy that has a friend whose uncle's cousin had one "just like that" and got big bucks.... And of course, there are the guys that bring a table full of stuff priced to "show" and prove they got it rather than sell it. I guess any excuse to get out of the house for a weekend is good!

 

[AveragEd]

30 minutes before closing, on the last day of the show, is a good time to negotiate on what's in front of you. Sellers are more apt to reduce prices then, since the show is ending.

I have to admit that tactic worked for me once four years ago, although strictly by accident. I had gone to one of those two shows I mentioned in my post above during a Saturday morning and noticed but did not buy a can of RE19 powder. That afternoon, I was reading some loading data and saw that RE19 was highly recommended for the cartridge I was going to load but by then, the local gun shop I patronize was closed. So I went back to the show just a few minutes before closing to buy that can of powder (still sealed, by the way, for $15).

As I turned away from that table, I spotted a rifle on the table across the aisle that either was not there in the morning or I just didn't see it. It was a brand new Remington Model 700VLS, a varmint rifle in a brown laminated beavertail stock and it was chambered in 6mmREM, one of my favorite cartridges and one that is no longer offered in a production rifle. Rifles in 6mm are bringing premium prices and the seller was asking $700 for it, which really isn't hateful if you are a 6mm junkie. I jokingly said, "I guess you wouldn't take $600 for it, would you?" He replied, "I ordered it in for a guy three years ago and he never came back for it. I'm so damned tired of hearing, 'If only it was a .243' that I'll take your offer."

When I looked around his table while he was putting it in its box, I noticed every other rifle he had was a Winchester - he obviously didn't deal in Remingtons often and didn't know what he had.

Sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good...

Ed