Seems like the last several guns shows...

[jjones33]

They've all gone pretty much like this. 7 bucks in the door with a pocket of cash. Make one good sweep and everything is junk beyond reason with high prices and a few decent things with obscene prices. I go home, as I did yesterday, dig around on the internet and buy a couple of guns on my C&R. Way, way cheaper.

This will continue until those of us that are in the market for the non-evil looking guns stop buying. I don't care how trusted, honorable or any other thing that can be said about a dealer their prices won't come down until we stop buying. Free market yes but stupid buying is our fault. I'm going to be happy with what I have and stop buying from the folks that think they can get "pay off the farm" prices for their guns. Dealers that try to justify those prices only dig themselves deeper into greedy practices. Only the buyers can set the market and not the gougers. Don't begrudge a profit but seeing the same guns, the very same guns, almost double in price in two months! Hey, they've got to be buying them from somewhere a lot cheaper than they are selling them so why not dig a little deeper past the first watering hole?

A short rant.

 

[jjones33]

They've all gone pretty much like this. 7 bucks in the door with a pocket of cash. Make one good sweep and everything is junk beyond reason with high prices and a few decent things with obscene prices. I go home, as I did yesterday, dig around on the internet and buy a couple of guns on my C&R. Way, way cheaper.

This will continue until those of us that are in the market for the non-evil looking guns stop buying. I don't care how trusted, honorable or any other thing that can be said about a dealer their prices won't come down until we stop buying. Free market yes but stupid buying is our fault. I'm going to be happy with what I have and stop buying from the folks that think they can get "pay off the farm" prices for their guns. Dealers that try to justify those prices only dig themselves deeper into greedy practices. Only the buyers can set the market and not the gougers. Don't begrudge a profit but seeing the same guns, the very same guns, almost double in price in two months! Hey, they've got to be buying them from somewhere a lot cheaper than they are selling them so why not dig a little deeper past the first watering hole?

A short rant.

 

[kdm2]

You must have been at the Chisholm Trail show in Wichita. Exactly what I experienced.

 

[Slim Chance]

Gotta watch the people walking in. Last show here in Rome a man walked in with a M57 for $450. I caught a man coming out with a Springfield Armory factory comp 1911 and bought it for $475. Too many people looking for EBRs overlooked some deals. Sadly, a dealer caught the M57 before I could buy it.

 

[mississippi revolverman]

I agree on the gun shows. Here add $5 for parking

 

[doublesharp]

Yeah, some stuff is overpriced and a small show may be a waste of time but I've never been to a gunshow that I couldn't make up the cost of admission with savings or by finding something not readily available that I needed.

With a dealer, the key is having cash and being forthcoming with an offer. If he's way high just walk on by. Used to be you could find a vendor that didn't know what he had but the internet has made that hard to do.

If you want to play the game watch what comes through the door and speak up. Again cash rules.

I go to gunshows because I like gun people and, as gunowners, the promoters are our friends and we need to support them.

 

[Denver Dick]

I generally agree, but I've found some nice stuff at the last 3 out of 4 Ventura County gunshows I've attended. The key to finding the good stuff, if any is to be found, is getting there early on Saturday and walking through, look at every table, but not getting side tracked by interesting gear and accessories. Stay focused.

At the Jun '08 show I found this little guy as new in the box with all paperwork, including the original receipt, for $540, tax, license, out the door.

The next show I attended was in November '08. Interestingly, since I had a 1006 and 1076, I had told my brother before we left for the show that I was going to save my money for a 1066. Since I knew I would not find one at the gunshow either in the condition I wanted or at a price I was willing to pay, that meant I would only be buying ammo and primers at the show. Well, in the 3rd room of a 3 room show, I found, of all things, a 1066 big boy in 99%+ condition with two magazines marked at $700. After jawing with the guy for a few minutes, I ended up buying it for $525, tax, license, out the door.

Then, at the next show in January '09, in the 1st of 3 rooms, I spotted a 3913 (I already had two) in 99% condition with two magazines. Given what I've been seeing here in Southern California lately, I figured he would be asking at least $550. I simply asked over my shoulder as I was walking by, "How much for the 3913?" He said, $400 . . . well, I immediately stopped, turned back around, asked to see it, field stripped it, closely examined it and took it for $435, tax, license, out the door. That made three for me, but I'm a sucker for a 3913 from the early '90s.

At the show earlier this month, I struck out, but my brother scored a Pre-Model 10 M&P (1948) transitional with short-action in 98-99% condition for $475, tax, license, out the door. I understand that's a great deal. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of it . . . yet.

 

[crofoot629]

$134.70 for 5500 rounds of Federal .22 rimfire at Wally’s yesterday, and free parking! The only way I can figure out to get my gun related fix lately.

Called Brownell’s this morning, AR lower still backordered, it’s been months. I’m way stocked up and don’t need it, suppose I’m part of the problem.

I’m not going anywhere near a gun show until the climate changes.

Emory

 

[rburg]

Originally posted by Denver Dick:
for $540, tax, license, out the door.

What are these "tax, license" things you speak of? These are gunshows. The tax is a strange thing, the license is on your car. What have I missed?

 

[No30]

The tax is a strange thing, the license is on your car. What have I missed?

Maybe Kentucky is just backward and uncivilized. I think I'll stay.

Todd

 

[TOM BECKWITH]

JJONES - you didn't look hard enough at the Columbia show. Missed a low SN S&W 41 for $600 range and a cased Marlin 39M 20" special bbl for $300. Or the Win 75 sporter with a Weaver 330 scope in about 98% for under $1000, and some others. Got to work a gunshow like an old F-86 pilot - cruise and pick targets-of-opportunity.

 

[Denver Dick]

Hey, Dick:

Well, the "tax" is California Sales Tax, unless it's a private party transfer, the tax is charged. The "license" is a euphemism for Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) fee required by the state which is around $35. "Out the Door" really means pick it up after a 10 day waiting period required by the state. When I lived in Texas for three years, it was just plain old . . . out the door!

 

[jjones33]

Originally posted by TOM BECKWITH:
JJONES - you didn't look hard enough at the Columbia show. Missed a low SN S&W 41 for $600 range and a cased Marlin 39M 20" special bbl for $300. Or the Win 75 sporter with a Weaver 330 scope in about 98% for under $1000, and some others. Got to work a gunshow like an old F-86 pilot - cruise and pick targets-of-opportunity.

I guess what got to me was I cruised the show and spotted a couple things I wanted. Went to lunch and came back. Both were gone, no big deal, I made my decision to take a break. The kicker for me was one WW2 rifle (my thing as well as pre-81 Smith wheelguns) was sitting on a dealers table where he bought it from an individuals table at almost 3Xs the price. Even one of my old friends apologized to me and said he was embarrassed to tell me the prices he had on a couple old Smiths. It has just gotten out of hand and WE have let it. The sellers don't set the market the buyers do and if we don't have enough discipline to bring these prices into reality (that is reality pre-O'WhatsHisName) then our, or at least my, days of collecting are over. I don't buy these things to see the market go up, I buy them because I like them. They give me pleasure in my old age.

Let the nincompoops pay what they want for the forbidden Pelosi fruit but the guns that count shouldn't, as you put it, rise with the water as all boats. Doesn't have to be.