Old Fart Gunshow Dealers....

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

He asked, "Is it safe to shoot +P in this?"

I quoted, to the best of my remembrance, Saxon Pig's advice; " . . . . if it says .38 special on the gun, and if it sys .38 special on the ammo, then it is probably safe."

"My grandfather carried this in WWII...how much is it worth?"

Cheers;
Lefty

 

[rburg]

At what age does one pass from young whippersnapper to old fart????

To your face, or behind your back?

You've got to remember there's lots of stuff we do at gun shows fer fun. Remember, a bunch of us old guys are retired (and livin' off social security). So we enjoy cheap amusement. Cheatin' the promoter is a big one we do for cost savings.

One of our cohorts is so cheap he's actually perfected the game. He used to drive to the big Louisville show in his van, then sleep overnight in the Executive Inn's parking lot overnight. He used their bathroom in the morning. Sure, he'd bring his own breakfast along. Then he'd leave the van right were he'd parked it and walk the distance to the front gate and then inside, saving the then $5 (maybe it was $4) parking. He'd discovered that if he stood out back with the guy smoking, he could walk right inside with them when the cigarettes were done. Half the time the "guard" would stand there with them! Inside with a duffel or rolling suitcase was good. Then he'd find and open table and set up. If the embarrassing happened, like the paying table holder showed up, he'd just move. Even the few times he paid and the promoter stuck him over the Panama border, he'd just find a better unoccupied table and use it.

Those were the tricks we disapproved of. Can't tell the ones we use.

Bettis explained the idea of a table as a place to sit and call home. For years one of our table pards used a wheel chair. He'd had an unfortunate accident when he was 14, trying to hop a freight train. Fell under it and lost an arm and a leg. So we really needed the table. Then we got used to having one. Our other partner, Joe, often brought along a full picnic lunch. Sometimes including beer. We discovered how easy it was to get 3 people (vendors) into the show for the price of the table. The smaller and better shows the parking was free. Sneaking another person in was as much fun as sneaking into the county fair. Sure we had stuff to sell. Most of it pristine examples, and if you don't believe us, just ask.

We were always willing to buy a prime piece. Just no off brand, plastic, or long guns (they're too hard to lug around.) Call us cranky if you want, we're just experienced. You think we're impoverished (we think that, too). Now that Glenn has passed on, we can tell Y'all that he never came to a gun show with under $10,000. Just in case. But just because he had it on him doesn't mean he'd spend it.

Regardless, we had fun. Being a professional crank is fun all by itself. We'd even take turns being crankier than the other, then laugh about it.

'Course I've got to be careful what I post here. At one tiny show a while back, we'd spotted a really pretty lookin' young girl (they're all young when you're our age). I posted how good she looked and the next thing ya know, we found out they read the forum here! Lucky my comments weren't off color.

We don't mind the expense, its just not an issue. Ever go out to a bar or restaurant and have a few drinks, then supper? Remember how much you spent? Bet it was a bunch more than it costs us to go to a gun show.

 

[Stu1205]

I am at a gun show every weekend selling holsters, and I can relate to everything Lee posted.

A few years ago, two guys walked by my table. One of them stopped to look at my holsters.

His know-it-all buddy said, "You don't want to carry like that."

I said to the know-it-all, "Are you buying this holster?"

He said, "No."

I said to him, "Then why don't you just stand over there and mind your own business while I show your friend the holster."

He was so stunned he couldn't even respond.

Does that make me a cranky old fart?

 

[bettis1]

Yeah...probably, Stu.

Justified?...Maybe, but still cranky

Bob

 

[doublesharp]

I am at a gun show every weekend selling holsters, and I can relate to everything Lee posted.

A few years ago, two guys walked by my table. One of them stopped to look at my holsters.

His know-it-all buddy said, "You don't want to carry like that."

I said to the know-it-all, "Are you buying this holster?"

He said, "No."

I said to him, "Then why don't you just stand over there and mind your own business while I show your friend the holster."

He was so stunned he couldn't even respond.

Does that make me a cranky old fart?

Hell yes! Wanna share a table with me? We'd get along.

 

[Magnumdood]

I am at a gun show every weekend selling holsters, and I can relate to everything Lee posted.

A few years ago, two guys walked by my table. One of them stopped to look at my holsters.

His know-it-all buddy said, "You don't want to carry like that."

I said to the know-it-all, "Are you buying this holster?"

He said, "No."

I said to him, "Then why don't you just stand over there and mind your own business while I show your friend the holster."
He was so stunned he couldn't even respond.

Does that make me a cranky old fart?

I've been to a lot of gun shows as a patron, and I believe that is the crankiest (but well-deserved) thing I have ever heard at a gun show.

Bravo!

 

[jframe]

There is NO need for a gun show dealer to get cranky. Gun shows are fun.
When I don't go for a week or two, I REALLY miss:

People eating popcorn and peanuts over my guns.

People setting their spit cups on my showcases.

People flipping their 6 inch folder open as they ask if we can cut the tie.

People setting their 40 pound satchels down on pre-war boxed guns to pull out a Makarov and ask me what it's worth. If you have a metal tool box, use it instead of the satchel. If possible, set the metal toolbox on glass showcases.

People showing me how fast they can flip a cylinder closed with my gun.

People showing me how smart they are because they have learned that an S&W revolver can be put on "half-cock" if you do it just right.

People thumbing the hammer back a little and giving the cylinder a good hard spin so we can hear the ratchet go ziiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng.

People showing me how good they can twirl my guns.

People dropping one of my guns. (this goes best if you drop it on another gun or glass showcase.

People spilling cokes on my table, hopefully on a boxed gun or showcase full.

People letting Jr clank guns together while they look.

People leaving their trash on my table. I enjoy keeping it for them.


and then, the questions.......

I've never had a gun before. How far will this one shoot? How far can I hit a man in the shoulder with it?

I've never had a gun before, but I think I need one. What is the most powerful gun in the world?

Why is your gun so high? I bought one like it 22 years ago for less than that.

Your guns are really old- shouldn't they be cheaper than new guns?

Where's the beef jerky guy this time?

What's my Daddy's gun worth? (What is it?) I think it's a Colt, but it might be a Winchester...........

(93 S&W's laid out on three table with SWCA table cloths) - Got any Glocks? (No, Sir). How much they goin' for? (Sorry, don't know) Who's sellin' 'em?

____________________________
Gotta go- I need to book some tables!

Lee, your gunshow customers sound like my Ford customers. I'm the parts guy, but I'm supposed to know how to tell them (over the phone I might add, and to their wife, who is relaying what I'm saying out to the zipperhead, I mean, CUSTOMER out in the garage working under the hood) EXACTLY what is wrong with the vehicle, what part they will need, and the fact that I should be sorry that it wasn't in stock yesterday before they knew they needed it. Since I don't happen to carry that particular part on that thirty-five year old vehicle, I should be able to also, more or less, defecate one for them on command, and deliver it to their work area, all at thirty-five year old prices. Yep, gunshow folks really ARE similar to do it yourself mechanics!

 

[kscardsfan]

I'm kinda looking forward to getting old lol

 

[Frizzman]

I guess I'm officially a cranky old fart...I've been going to gun shows for over 40 years and have had some good and some bad experiences. I have also worked in retail part-time as a retirement job. It was in a motorcycle shop. Talk about dealing with some ignorant hammerheads!

I have gotten down to maybe going to one or two shows a year if they are close by. I rarely see bargains anymore. I suspect most of the good stuff winds up on the internet. The rudeness of other attendees has gotten worse and the level of personal sanitiation has declined. It has become just more irritiating to deal with the herds.

Some of the dealers/sellers are less than stimulating. Last time I took a pistol to a show with some idea of trading...Although I know better than to think I will get a good trade from a dealer(I know, I know they've got to pay for their gas and hot dogs, etc). I saw something on a table for "sale/trade" and asked about some trade deal with my gun for that one. This was another old fart like me. He looked at my pistol and started with this, "Well, those don't sell that well you know." I just told him to hand my pistol back and left. I hate it when I am treated like I haven't learned anything in my many years above ground.

So, there is a show coming this weekend near me. Should I go? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results...Well, maybe I'm insane...We'll see.

 

[smithman 10]

Gun shows

If there's a gun show in my area and I've got the time I almost always go, mostly because I usually run into some buddies there to shoot the breeze with.

Sure, we stop and stand in the aisles and talk but every once in awhile I'll buy or trade a gun too. I don't mind answering silly questions myself when someone asks about an item I might be carrying around so I'd think the dealers wouldn't mind either. It's called educating the public.

But lately the prices do seem high. Still, sometimes you find a deal and anyway spending a couple hours looking at firearms beats watching football any day in my book!

Now that I'm getting older the idea of renting a table is starting to sound more appealing, gives you a chance to sit down and take a break from roaming the aisles.

And damn, those chili dogs are good!

 

[David LaPell]

My favorite thing to hear from anyone who has ever been in sales has said is that "The customer is always right." (pffftttt!)

If that were true no one would still be in business because we would have given everything away. While I believe in being good to customers, there is a difference between that and bending over and grabbing your ankles. I've have been on both sides of the table at gun shows, and I have seen old farts on both sides. I can tell you that there are some customers that have decided to make it their mission in lives to ask dumb (and I mean really stupid) questions or do things with a gun that doesn't belong to them. Even when I was in my 20's I knew when I wanted to see a gun to ask permission first and to always make sure it was unloaded, I never take anyone's word. When I am handed a pistol if the action isn't locked open then I drop the mag and check the chamber, a revolver gets the cylinder open. There is nothing more disconcerting that handing some guy a gun and then having him point it right at you while looking at it or pointing it at someone else.
One of the dumbest things I recall was when I was helping a buddy out at his table, we were both talking to customers when we noticed a guy completely taking apart one of the shotguns on the rack. This included whipping out a screwdriver and starting to take parts off. This was a nice Winchester 37 single barrel. We stopped him, and my friend asked him who said he could field strip his shotgun. The guy looks at us and says "Don't worry, I know how to put it back together." As if that was the point. The guy ended up leaving in a hurry after some words were spoken. We have had a couple of times where some guy thought it was ok to take apart a gun right in front of us.

Gun shows are fun, but there are idiots on both sides of the tables, and there are some who will gauge you and then there are cheapskates too.

Just remember, some of those chili dogs are as old as some of the guys manning the tables.

 

[blujax01]

There are not many deals on truly valuable vintage guns like you high rollers are wanting but sometimes you can find a diamond in the rough or a run-of-the-mill gun worth a second look-see.
I find my deals on the reloading side - projectiles, powders and such - about make up for the price of admission.
And there are some things (T-Shirts and Targets come to mind) you are not ever going to see displayed at Bass Pro Shop!