gun shows

[sheriff john]

I rent one, sometimes two tables at gunshows - mostly St. Louis area. My focus is on divesting myself of a lifetime accumulation of things that I will never use, "projects" I'll never finish, and items my kids don't want. My goal is to go home with less than I carry in, not cheat folks.

Problem is not only have "gunshows" morphed into flea markets but also the arrival of easily-identifiable gang bangers and thugs. Last three shows - thief grabbed two pistols, ran for the door and tackled in the lobby. One bought an "AR", shot himself in the leg trying to load it in his car. Six got into a fist fight in the middle of the main show room. Stealing from tables has happened at each show and vendor's trailers were broken into overnight. I take no modern pistols nor "black rifles" any more - don't ever want something I've sold used in a crime or to hurt anyone.

1,800 paying attendees is normal for that show, so it's always a good one for my purpose. Several vendors have told me my prices are too cheap. I sell out and they're packing out what they brought in. Thugs don't stop at my table, but lots of "good ol' boys" do. Anyway ....

 

[IronHand]

I have been a gun show promoter for 37 years. I hear these same complaints every year.

The simple fact is that gun shows are businesses. The dealers are not in this as a charity. They have costs to cover.
Yes, there are a few jerks but the vast majority are just good people enjoying their hobby and trying to make a little money.

Like any business they try to set prices for maximum profit at sale. The price is the best they think they can make and still sell the product. So if they have sold a product for $700, that is the price. If you "know" it's not worth the price don't blame the seller, blame the buyers who think it is.

As to the availability of BP guns. If you are on this list you are in the minority among shooters. This is especially true for traditional BP guns. Why would you expect the average dealer to cater to such a small market? The reason they carry "black guns" is that they sell.

There are deals out there, you just have to hunt for them.

Getting off my soap box now.
IronHand

 

[sheriff john]

Ironhand, let me be the first to say "Thank You" for what you do. Without promoters, there'd be no gunshows. Without gunshows, my pile of stuff'd be picked over by green-toothed idiots at my estate sale. Thanks again and keep on doing what you do.

 

[hanshi]

It really doesn't matter in my case, I'm always broke when I go to one.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Very, very little in the way of muzzle loaders at our little show. I occasionally do snag an unmentionable and very rarely, a muzzle loader. Many years ago I walked up on a private seller I happened to already know with a very lightly used .32 Crockett on his table at a very fair price. I had kinda been thinking about one so it went home with me. Show or two later, same exact thing, a private seller had another .32 Crockett, and for the same price! That is how I ended up with two very lightly used Crocketts for far less than one cost new (even back then). For a short time we had a competing show and I bought my “Round Ball Twist” .54 Renegade from a guy walking the floor with it. So, that is why I go to the gun shows, just in case..............

 

[Johnny Tremain]

The day of good deals is long gone. They sell used stuff for new stuff prices.
I did find 70 loaded 45/70 rounds for $20. That was last year. Nothing this year.

 

[Flint.]

Sometimes you get lucky…. A couple of friends and myself went to a gun show for “unmentionables”. We saw a few high priced TC’s among the regular modern guns and then came to a booth with a nice long rifle in SMR style. It was a .32 flintlock and had great wood, engraving on the metal, and appeared to never have been fired. As I was handling it thinking that it was another beautiful gun that I probably can’t afford, I asked “how much?” I almost dropped it when the guy said $500! It turns out that he had bought it at an estate auction with some other guns in the lot. He didn’t know what he had.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Those "black powder only" show, esp. the high-end custom muzzleloading long rifles, are in a class by themselves.

You are right. They are waaaay out of my league too.
I've heard some vendors complain because shooters won't pick up their guns to look at them.
Since they look like museum pieces, I won't either.
Regardless.....Kibler has put the hurting on some of them though.
I see shooters ignoring those expensive custom guns for Kibler kits lately.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Several vendors have told me my prices are too cheap. I sell out and they're packing out what they brought in.

You are a true vendor, I can tell from the post.
I understand profit. I also understand the vendors too. Some won't bend at all on price, so, they get to carry their guns home. That's OK, I can always look. Its easy to carry my Bens home too.
I think it is much easier to carry Bens out of a show verses packing guns, etc. out.


If I ever get to a show in St Louis, you would be the 1st vendor I would hunt down.

 

[2 shots]

Does anyone know if the Great Baltimore Antique Gun is still going at the fair grounds ?? Haven't been to it since some time in the 1980's.

hi, yes. was there 2 weeks ago . still a great show in my book. still found some great deals. ie. cva derringer kit $20.00, an old snake eyes kit $10.00, unfired 1777 french flintlock pistol 200.00 and [ my fav ] an old curly , north star trade gun .62 42 inch barrel in v/g shape $550.0 im thinking these are great deals these days. cant wait till next year.

 

[oldwood]

Thanks 2 shots......We had some guys back in the 1980's that would attend that Md. show. I'm about the only guy left alive that went to it. Thanks again.........oldwood

 

[2 shots]

my pleasure oldwood

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

unfired 1777 french flintlock pistol 200.00 and [ my fav ] an old curly , north star trade gun .62 42 inch barrel in v/g shape $550.0 im thinking these are great deals these days. cant wait till next year.

You found 2 GREAT deals!
WOW...that's the type shows I enjoy visiting!

 

[sheriff john]

Sometimes it's that small local show put on by a Lion's Club, VFW, or similar that yields the best stuff - especially that which is carried in by an individual. The vendors who rent a dozen tables at large shows rarely bother and Church Ladies' Food can be reason enough to go.

Took a close friend (wheelchair bound) to one b/c it was easier to get around in. Bobby bought what he thought was an M-1 carbine, I bought a Belgian percussion shotgun. Got home. No doubt about the M/L shotgun. His "M-1" turned out to be a full-auto M-2 without a few parts. Hard tellin' what's out there in the sticks.

 

[Coinneach]

As far as rifles I seem to be blessed or maybe cursed in receiving vibes from good deals. Picked up 6 rifles in a year. Average cost per, 350. Last one a Mowrey for 3 worth 7-8. One at a very small gun show that landed a Navy Arms 58 Buffalo Hunter. One rock lock from individual. The rest were resale shop but mostly pawn shop.
Got to stay home more.

Sometimes you must feel like you've been touched by the mantle of God.

 

[Coinneach]

A general comment on gun shows. I started going in the 1970s and they were a flea market of firearms and related stuff and there was always a couple collectors showing their collections. That part was hands off, lookie only. Two collections that still stick in my mind years later, one was a collection of a number of original Sharps rifles from percussion all the way through the days of the buffalo hunters. The other was a collection of Thompson sub machine guns. Even back then, you could get muzzleloaders and Civil War surplus that escaped Bannerman.

Fast forward to now, it's Chinese knock off garbage, jerky, and black rifles. There are still a few vendors worth seeing but they generally are at the collector type shows. Muzzleloaders can be found and some deals can be had. Most of the vendors I've seen recently aren't that informed on the current values and having a bore light is a plus. Just shine that light down the bore and offer half the asking. Works most of the time. If the dealer objects, point out that the gun will have to be rerifled to be useful, never mind the fact that even a "bad" bore can be made to shoot surprisingly well.

When I do go to shows these days, I'm looking for that "diamond in the rough" muzzleloader or the small private vendor with a table full of old stuff like molds and reloading gear. I recently scored an original Ohaus beam powder scale from the early 1970s still in it's original box for $75. That's less than current production RCBS and it's a scale from the days when the engineers designed the product and not the accountants. I've also gotten a couple single stage presses that I use for bullet sizing. Everybody knows about RCBS, but not everybody knows Bonanza and some of the other older brands. They still work fine but because they look old, the millenials don't want them so they're usually cheap.

WISDOM

 

[Coinneach]

Ironhand, let me be the first to say "Thank You" for what you do. Without promoters, there'd be no gunshows. Without gunshows, my pile of stuff'd be picked over by green-toothed idiots at my estate sale. Thanks again and keep on doing what you do.

"Green toothed idiots" I like that ! LOL

 

[Rifleman1776]

it's hit or miss but mainly miss.

Right on, Bro. Today's gun shows are different than some years back. Prices are premium, bargains are few. So called "private sellers" are putting our right to these shows at risk. Some are big time dealers who never registered as dealers. They will, and do, sell anything to anyone. Some shows are theme specific. I attended one in Cincinnati that was very much Nazi/Hitler orientated. Most of the crowd and vendors were a disgusting bunch. Enuf said.

 

[rickystl]

It really doesn't matter in my case, I'm always broke when I go to one.

One year at the Baltimore Antique Arms Show a guy walked out carrying a great condition, original Martini-Henry rifle. He said: "This is why I will never be rich". LOL

 

[springfield art]

I rent one, sometimes two tables at gunshows - mostly St. Louis area. My focus is on divesting myself of a lifetime accumulation of things that I will never use, "projects" I'll never finish, and items my kids don't want. My goal is to go home with less than I carry in, not cheat folks.

Problem is not only have "gunshows" morphed into flea markets but also the arrival of easily-identifiable gang bangers and thugs. Last three shows - thief grabbed two pistols, ran for the door and tackled in the lobby. One bought an "AR", shot himself in the leg trying to load it in his car. Six got into a fist fight in the middle of the main show room. Stealing from tables has happened at each show and vendor's trailers were broken into overnight. I take no modern pistols nor "black rifles" any more - don't ever want something I've sold used in a crime or to hurt anyone.

1,800 paying attendees is normal for that show, so it's always a good one for my purpose. Several vendors have told me my prices are too cheap. I sell out and they're packing out what they brought in. Thugs don't stop at my table, but lots of "good ol' boys" do. Anyway ....

Huge show at Oaks, PA., Eagle Shows. You can find in addition to guns-n-ammo, socks, T-shirts, etc. But some people like that; small shows are good for finding bargains; but the nature of all of them has changed since the 1960's; prior to 1968, could get nice minty surplus pistols for $20/, no paperwork; remember you could have things sent to your house from Hunter's Lodge...Lugers, $39. bucks! Whew.