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Gun Show Etiquette

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thomas89

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Cheyenne had a tiny little gunshow the other weekend. Needing to get out of the house for a bit I spent the $5 door fee to check it out.

I've had some time to reflect.

I'm not a regular goer to gun shows, just never interested me so much, but I just don't remember them being like this one.

-Tables of new firearms at full retail
-Old, worn out trinkets
-Brass at 10% off new (who knows how many times fired...I could tell at least once with the dented case mouths and scratches)
-Used guns barely below new prices

Is this the norm? The new-norm? How much haggling do people do at these things?

Was looking for an T/C Encore barrel for fun, the one guy who had a few...prices above the cost of a new barrel, albeit maybe the new ones have a bit more lead time. I'm thinking I would pay MAYBE 50% for a used barrel at a gunshow, where the guy is going to be off to the next town by Monday. How do you lead with an offer of 50% off what he's asking?

Just curious as to everyones experiences.
 
Some are better than others.
Who ran the show, Sportsman's or the other group?

I had a rifle to sell one time and took it to the show in Laramie, had a guy tell me it wasn't a legal caliber for elk hunting, 270wsm, and low balled me on an offer. I laughed and told him he was BSing the wrong person and walked away.
Sometimes we find good deals and something not available in the stores but lately not so much.
 
I went to some gun shows in California that were pretty legit. Some great deals on new and used guns to be had. Been to a couple in Montana, the one in Bozeman can be ok to lame depending on the year. The one in Billings is sketch asf. Pretty sure some of the sellers are either on the watch list or terribly acting undercover atf. Lol. Probably won’t go to one again unless I’m looking for something to decorate a fireplace mantle with. Probably spent less than 100 bucks total at the last 3 I went to.
 
I would agree with @thomas89, they are not really a place to get the deals we used to be able to get. I think with all of us being able to look on the web and find anything and everything we want, gun shows aren't as beneficial. I rarely have found the gun that I am ever looking for at a gun show. I find accessories, sometimes ammo that I cannot find locally, but usually not a tremendous selection. Our area usually has them every 3 months.
 
The one that is in town here every year is a joke. Like you said, a bunch of over priced pieces of junk and tables full of trinkets and antiques and military surplus items selling for more than what you can get them for anywhere else.
 
thomas89 said:
Cheyenne had a tiny little gunshow the other weekend. Needing to get out of the house for a bit I spent the $5 door fee to check it out.

I've had some time to reflect.

I'm not a regular goer to gun shows, just never interested me so much, but I just don't remember them being like this one.

-Tables of new firearms at full retail
-Old, worn out trinkets
-Brass at 10% off new (who knows how many times fired...I could tell at least once with the dented case mouths and scratches)
-Used guns barely below new prices

Is this the norm? The new-norm? How much haggling do people do at these things?

Was looking for an T/C Encore barrel for fun, the one guy who had a few...prices above the cost of a new barrel, albeit maybe the new ones have a bit more lead time. I'm thinking I would pay MAYBE 50% for a used barrel at a gunshow, where the guy is going to be off to the next town by Monday. How do you lead with an offer of 50% off what he's asking?

Just curious as to everyones experiences.
Click to expand...
Gun Shows? Love'em!

@thomas89, With S&W dropping T/C and then T/C then dropping the Encore line, the days of picking up a cheap barrel are in the rear view mirror. Anything Encore or Contender related will now command a premium price. I've bought a pile of barrels off of Ebay over the years for south of $200. Do a quick Ebay search now and that will give you a good indication of what the real market commands. There is also various custom T/C barrel manufacturing companies but their prices have also increased dramatically.

....and yes, haggling is allowed but usually on the last day of the show.... the closer to closing time, the better!!
 
@Mtnhunter1 my thought was there might not be as much of a call for them with all the new hunting rifles hitting the market. Understand why it swung the other way a bit though. Have kept my eyes on eBay a bit, nothing jumping out at me. I’ll know the right one when I see it I reckon.

Glad I’m not losing my mind that in general gunshows are on the downhill slide.
 
thomas89 said:
@Mtnhunter1 my thought was there might not be as much of a call for them with all the new hunting rifles hitting the market. Understand why it swung the other way a bit though. Have kept my eyes on eBay a bit, nothing jumping out at me. I’ll know the right one when I see it I reckon.

Glad I’m not losing my mind that in general gunshows are on the downhill slide.
Click to expand...
What encore barrel are you looking for? I might have one!
 
I usually go to our local gun shows that are sponsored by the two rifle clubs. Proceeds go to youth clubs. The guns are mostly junk. Very few new ones. The only local retailer never has a table which is odd because their store inventory of used and new guns is quite extensive. Some politics involved there I'm sure. If actually shopping for a gun, gun shows are usually hit or miss ... mostly the latter. I agree, best time is Sunday morning just before noon when vendors are starting to pack up. If you have something to sell or trade, obviously best to show up when the doors open the first day. I have bought a fair amount of stuff at the shows but only one gun during this lifetime: the magnum Browning A-5 I shoot everything with today. Twelve years ago I think. Sunday after church and vendor was from out of town. He had it tagged at $500 but I got it for $400. He was aware it was a pieced together frankengun. Actually pointed it out. That impressed me. He made me a HELLUVA deal on an essentially new in-the-box Browning Synergy O/U but I needed an auto for my delicate retinas. He could see I was interested in the A5 and I told him why. No secrets on either part. I put it back on the rack and he dropped the price. It was a fair price ($500 was not unfair) and he was a fair guy so I didn't insult him by haggling. He even accepted my cheque! Wow!

Last gun show before the pandemic I showed up again on Sunday. I bought a recently deceased skeet club buddy's progressive shotshell loader. Another club member was liquidating stuff for his widow. The tag said $125. I paid him $150. Bruce's widow had a grown Down syndrome boy to care for. I also stumbled onto a used plastic stock set for Remington 760 ... or so the vendor thought. He wasn't sure (and no, 7600 stock will NOT fit a 760). Back in the 60s Dad cut off the stock of mine way too short for Mom and I've been looking to replace it. The guy asked if I'd give him fifteen bucks and take a chance. Sure. I could always eBay it for more than that. It fit.

I quit going to the gun shows in Montana forty years ago. The survivalist and vigilante kooks just got to be too much. I have heard privately from one prominent gun editor that SHOT Show in Vegas is ridiculous with that crap. He hates going.
 
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One would do better at either a garage or estate sale than at a local gun show. I did attend one in Reno that honestly took 2 days to look things over.
 
Hem said:
Gun shows are overrated, in my mind for the very reasons you expressed. I stopped going 25 years ago.
All the posturing annoys me too.😁
Click to expand...
Basically my thoughts as well. I bought a couple of my first guns at shows for really good, fair deals. Then the local shows basically devolved into a place for people to seek things over retail, sell conspiracy materials and lots of knock off garbage
 
There are a few gun shows in my area from time to time. And a big one annually at the farm show complex in Harrisburg. I went there once and bought some .38 specials FMJ. I have frequented the local ones for five bucks. But I am really not in the market for anymore guns right now. At one I bought a .38 special snubby, used but shoots good, and a brand new .357 magnum at another, not overpriced so I thought. The used .38 was probably overpriced but they say these vendors have to make up for what it costs them to have a table there. I never asked one.
 
I've been to the Tanner gun shows twice, maybe 10 years ago in Denver and then maybe 5 years ago in Pueblo. There were no deals to be had and lots of junk for sale. I don't have the need to go to another one. However, if you do go, understand that the real "show" at a gun show is the people-watching, that alone may be worth the entry fee...
 
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