Gun show prices

[Bob Riebe]

I should put this in the firearms area but more traffic here, and there is not a non specific potbelly-stove area in the firearms area.
Anyway:
Sadly, very sadly, I used to venture to three to five gun shows a year, year after year after year....
Now I have not been to one in at least five years.

Are gun show prices, on average , for non-foo-foo level firearms, as horribly high as they are now on Gunbroker, Auctionarms and such places?

Old Steven Model 620s and and 77s, for which 125 bucs was once high are now twice that.

[DDZ]

Days of cheaper gun show prices are past us. Gun show prices are as expensive as online prices or most other places. Even prices at local gun shops are high. For instance I called a place that sells muzzle-loader supplies. I asked how much a pound of black powder was. (Schuetzen) He said $45.  That cost is mostly because its hard to get. Just like reloading supplies are. I tried to find some IMR4350 around here, but no one had any or even had much of any kind of powder, and forget about finding primers in this area. 

[TrumpWon]

Embarrassed to say what I just paid for a Winchester  9422. But I had to have it! 

[orerancher]

I've gotten  a couple of good deals at gun shows this year...

[Ranger99]

I haven't been to a gun show
in years.  I started going regularly
in the early 80's and would always
buy or sell something every trip.
At the biggest show here, I would
walk up and down the line and sometimes
buy from people waiting in line with
a gun in hand. Sometimes several.
Used to be a real great thing and really
great weekend deal. You could buy
handmade cigars and smoke them as
you made your way through the aisle.
Plenty of wild game sausage and jerky
to sample along with chips and salsas
and cheeses. And there was a regular
snack bar also. Lots of parts and fixer
uppers and knives of every condition
and price. It gradually went to crap.
More crafty knick knacks and candles
and potpourri and costume jewelry
and such. At first, such things were
only allowed in the far end of the building,
and the main area had to be 90% guns
or knives or related items only.
I guess the prospect of making extra
got the best of the promoters and they
started allowing whatever wherever and
you'd have to look at a dozen tables
to see a selection of knives, or find
someone with reloading tools, etc.
Then it got to where it was mainly dealers
selling new items at retail, and the
elderly men that always sold used guns
and knives were fewer and farther between
if at all. Nowadays it's mainly internet yuppie
looky loos pushing a stroller with a shrieking
toddler, or several web commandos decked
out in their operator gear.  Last time I remember
going to a show, one of the 22 "shortages "
was in swing and people were lined up to
pay $89.99 for a $20.00 brick of promo 22.
Everybody was talking about how the gubmint
was buying up all the 22 shells and storing
them in the secret indiana jones warehouse
alongside the ark of the covenant etc.

Too old now to put up with the aggravation
involved with attending a gun show in this area

[Mule 11]

I on the other hand like the gun shows, with fuel prices now I only venture locally, I enjoy commiserating with others and don’t mind the asking prices of others. Some people are realistic and some are not... With the inflated prices on everything, what do you expect?

[gypsyman]

One of the main reasons gun show price's have gone up so much, expenses have gone up so much. Started setting up at show's in 1985. Gas was under $1/gallon, table rent rent was $20-$35 per table. Gas has tripled, table rent at a show now now runs between $50 to $100 a table. If a dealer had to drive a distance, motel's went from $30 a night to now $75 to well over $100 a night. Gun price's have gone threw the roof. A GP-100 that sold for $350 is now $700 or more. I've seen powder and primer price's almost triple in the last couple years, IF the dealer can get them. Use to sell a 4oz bottle of Hoppe's for $3.95. And make a little over a $1. Now it cost's me almost $7 a bottle. An M-1 carbine I bought in the late '90's for $250 now sells for $1200 or more. I've set up at Tulsa, Dallas, W.Springfield,Mass., and hundreds of shows in between. Not any more. When you can order somethings online from Amazon, for almost what I pay for them, why bother.

[gene_225]

Haven't been to a gun show for a number of years now myself. Do miss going, but since I retired, there isn't as much $ around to spend of "hobbies". I haven't even seen an ad for a gun show.

[Dee]

Last couple a  gun shows I went to were more like flea markets. No many guns, but a lotta fleas.

[Mule 11]

Again I disagree. Those with inflated prices may sell to the low information all hat texan, butt will sit on most items...

[Ranger99]

. . . Not any more. When you can order somethings online from Amazon, for almost what I pay for them, why bother.

That very thing ^ ^ ^ has killed many institutions,
not just gun shows.

[Dee]

Again I disagree. Those with inflated prices may sell to the low information all hat texan, butt will sit on most items...

Picayune 

[Bob Riebe]

I did a check on gunshows in Minn.; now 20 years ago, I used to go to  two every year and another three to four every two  to three years.
There used to be, at the Minn. State Fair grounds, two Minnesota Weapons Collector Shows every year, I would try to get to one, plus another MWCS show in St. Paul or one in Minneapolis every year. (I was member twenty years ago)

The St. Paul one ended about ten years ago, and the Minneapolis one about few years earlier.  St. Paul was the last MWCS show I went to.

 The Fair grounds ones I would go to, were on every year, for decades and were the best ones in the State, one was , quite brilliantly, held at the same time as the Spring Flea Market show was held also  at the Fair Grounds,
The wives goe to one, the husbands to the other, only 300 feet apart.
Both Fair Ground shows are gone.

Of the numerous ones, put on by any org.,  I knew existed , every year ten years ago, only three are still around
A lot of new, to me, ones, are now in small, small towns literally in the boonies but sadly most are 100 miles away from me.

MWCS is now down to 5 shows from seven or more twenty years ago; one is back at a  place they had not been to for some time while the other four are repeats at two places that are new , to me.
Two are within two miles of me, so , no reason not to go and a good time to rejoin.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota has a good one I went to several time ten years ago, might try that one , depending on weather and money.

[neckisred]

A trip to the show with fuel, admission and maybe a little lunch, has turned into a $40 adventure. Still some bargains to be had, but add in the cost to go, and sometimes those bargains aren't such a bargain.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mule at a local show. Now if I could get him to buy me lunch, I'd feel much better about the admission and fuel cost. 

[ironglow]

  I don't go to any of the big gun shows, but I may make one or two per year, that are sponsored by rural fire departments etc.  I'm not looking for any Foo-Foo guns as Bob calls them.
  But I do go there just to wander..and if I do happen to see a good deal..snatch it up. I have found some important restoration pieces for old .22s that I enjoy refurbishing each winter.

   I have a Stevens 66B that I refurbished..that needed the original rear peep sight.  I expected that if I found one, it would cost more than the rest of the rifle.  Surprisingly, I found what I needed in a dealer's "junk box" that was sitting to the side.  The lady at the table must have liked me ...or felt sorry for me, , because the asking price was $20, but as I dug for my wallet...she said..$15 will be fine.. The sight screwed right in place, just as if it came off that rifle.

    So far as new guns...there is no way the shows can beat what the LGS can do for me.

  The small, local fire dept shows usually charge $5 for admission...and I often buy a snack while there...and am pleased to do both, because it goes to a good cause.

[Mule 11]

A trip to the show with fuel, admission and maybe a little lunch, has turned into a $40 adventure. Still some bargains to be had, but add in the cost to go, and sometimes those bargains aren't such a bargain.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Mule at a local show. Now if I could get him to buy me lunch, I'd feel much better about the admission and fuel cost. 

I don’t even buy myself lunch, I pack a couple sandwiches or wait till I get home and eat. Not that I cant afford it but I have a hard time spending $4 on a sloppy joe... Now if 1 of my kids go I always buy for them.

[scattershot]

I haven’t been to a gun show in 30 years.Once you pick your way through the Beanie Babies and junk jewelry, and actually do find some guns, they are overpriced to the point of being ridiculous. Most of the bargains were sold to other vendors before the show even opens. You see the same stuff, on different tables, at a higher price than when you last saw it. Better things to do with my time now.

[TrumpWon]

Hell with the guns. The people watching is awesome!

[Bob Riebe]

I don’t even buy myself lunch, I pack a couple sandwiches or wait till I get home and eat. Not that I cant afford it but I have a hard time spending $4 on a sloppy joe... Now if 1 of my kids go I always buy for them.

Now some of the shows up here have/or had some darn good burgers and shredded beef sandwiches that were not over priced.

Like most other things , that is probably history. 

[gene_225]

Hell with the guns. The people watching is awesome!

Not here so much since all transfers have to be checked by the state police. Skin heads, dark skinned, and heavily inked persons don't show up much anymore. Systemic racism struck again.

[GTS225]

So.....it appears that the anti-gun faction in this country are actually having some success at making it too damn expensive for limited/low income folks to get what they need.
Snowball on a hilltop.........

Roger

[Casull]

Embarrassed to say what I just paid for a Winchester  9422. But I had to have it! 

Isn't that on some list of assault weapons put out by your party?

[Bob Riebe]

It is, or was, interesting when I would go to a show up at Sauk Centre , Minn. and there would always be a Amish horse drawn station wagon in the parking lot.

Go inside and there would be numerous Amish youngins with a gun strapped over their shoulders looking for a trade.

[neckisred]

It is, or was, interesting when I would go to a show up at Sauk Centre , Minn. and there would always be a Amish horse drawn station wagon in the parking lot.

Go inside and there would be numerous Amish youngins with a gun strapped over their shoulders looking for a trade.

I've often wondered how Amish purchase firearms. We are required to show photo ID, even in a private party sale. Do Amish have photo ID's?

[Bob Riebe]

Amish children up to age 21 are as free as any one, with some limits if living at home, and can get drivers licenses, and an automobile. (The few very conservative communities do not allow this or that member of the family is ostracized.)

Not sure how Mn works but many states have picture free, legal,  I.D. cards for Amish and Mennonites.

[ironglow]

Amish rules differ by a considerable amount, since the "rules" are made up by the elders of the local community.

  How big are communities?  How far will a horse & buggy comfortably travel in half a day?  I live about center of an Amish community. From where I live I can go east 10 miles into another group or community, then another 10-15 miles into another.
  Each has some differing rules.

[darkgael]

I will be headed to a gun show this coming Saturday in Benton, PA. I will let you all know what it was like.

[oldandslow]

My son-in-law found a couple of bargains on brand new guns at our local small show last fall and bought both. We will have another in March and I intend to go. It's a pretty cheap way to kill time, at least cheaper than continuing on about 2 miles to the gun club range and throwing money at targets, plus it's March so the weather will probably be less than nice. If it is like our last two it will be mostly guns and gun related stuff like sights, etc. but of course there be be some junk jewelry and knives available. Some of the knives might even be of known quality. I am not in the market for anything specific but wouldn't mind finding a rare jewel for a decent price and you never know unless you go look.

There will be another a week later in Carlsbad. It will by another company and somewhat larger. Carlsbad isn't that far away and my S-I-L, oldest grandson, and I may get together and go. It's still March weather and we will have access to some of the best BBQ in this corner of the state as a bonus.

[ironglow]

I don’t even buy myself lunch, I pack a couple sandwiches or wait till I get home and eat. Not that I cant afford it but I have a hard time spending $4 on a sloppy joe... Now if 1 of my kids go I always buy for them.

Now some of the shows up here have/or had some darn good burgers and shredded beef sandwiches that were not over priced.

Like most other things , that is probably history. 

  When I attend any event, if the snacks are much more expensive than they are on Main st., then I figure they are
  ripping us off.  Sure, they don't have as many customers as the guys on Main st., but then they are not maintaining a building, paying high prices for property taxes or rent etc., so they should come out near the same, or just a bit higher.