Gun Show

[imjin138]

I went to the waukesha gunshow yesterday, it was ok I took 2 guns with me that I really didn't want to sell but just in case I ran into a Smith I couldn't pass up.

one was the new RIA tactical 1911 in nickel and th eother was a Ruger Blackhawk in 357.

As soon as I told people it was a Rock Island gun you would have thought I brought in a dog turd, and the Ruger got an offer of 150 so they both came home with me and no new Smiths but I will speak to John at the December show if he still has that 31-1 and buy it from him.


I did see a decent 2nd model HE in 44 for about 1600 and one guy had really nice S&W's but he was over priced, saw one 28 only a few J frames one was a nice flat latch 37. Saw a beat up regulation police.

I did see two other M 36 but both were almost 700 and just a plain jane model. saw lots of N frames at one table no lock some P&R some not.

 

[Gary]

I went to a show here in Houston yesterday with about the same results. There were very few S&Ws. None at decent prices. It is getting harder and harder to talk myself into going to a show.

 

[gunnut44]

IMO gun shows have gone down the tube. I don't mind paying good money for a good gun but most are beaters at nib prices. I want to go to a gun show that has tables of old smith's colts and rugers that are actually worthy of buying regardless of price. The internet auction sites ruined gun shows most dealers bring their beaters and have the nice ones online. As for selling I too sometimes bring one or two with just in case I need some extra trading cash and every dealer wants to know "watcha got in the case for sale son, buddie, friend" and I usually say nothing because what I bring is usually a couple nice pieces from my collection that I know what they are worth and it's just a waste of time to show it to every dealer just to get lowballed by hundreds of dollars. Alot of the dealers remind me of used car salesmen with their cheap suit jackets and pinkey rings just waiting to rip someone off.

 

[m1gunner]

Dealers will offer maybe 50 cent on the dollar (almost always better than a pawn shop). Sell what you have to others walking around.

That said, the last 2 guns I sold were to guys with tables. Got what I wanted both times, no hard feelings on either side of the table.

 

[rburg]

I want to go to a gun show that has tables of old smith's colts and rugers that are actually worthy of buying regardless of price.

Do you have that dream often? Ever considered seeking professional help for that delusion? There really are tables at some gun shows where you see the good old Smiths. David Carroll often buys 8 or 10 tables and covers it with first rate guns. And he both asks and gets top dollar. But no one with first rate guns sells them cheap. If the prices are what most call reasonable, the guns are gone during the setup period before the general public is allowed in to look. Other dealers or scrounges (like me) cherry pick the goodies fast.

There are tricks to gunshowing. One of them is to always get a table and be there at the opening gun. Watch the good tables develop as the guns are taken out of the rugs and put on the tables. Pay particular attention to the private tables, the one run by good ole boys (like me) who are just weeding out their collections. Sometimes you can score a pretty rare piece at reasonable prices. But usually they're not perfect. In my situation, I'm probably selling something because I've bought something better and the one for sale is the lesser of the two.