Re: Gun shows suck

11 October 2004, 03:35

Cold Bore

Re: Gun shows suck

Quote:

I consider this to be the high water mark in the art of hypocrisy.

Yep, a little contradiction there, but we can't carry in shows here either.

Kind of mixed signals huh?

11 October 2004, 03:47

Bob in TX

I don't know of any gun show where you are allowed to carry?

CB-I agree, they have really gone down hill. The exception may be the big show twice a year up in Tulsa. I just go to the ones here for powder and primers.......

Too bad.......

Bob

11 October 2004, 03:50

Cold Bore

Quote:

...pay attention to the ones running it...

That was one ofthe reasons I was not too up set about the vaunted "gun show loophole". I saw a dying beast and knew it didn't need to waste effort on a process that may have outlived it's usefulness.

RK Shows put this one on. We have two main venues here in Memphis. This location USED to be the good one. If it's this bad, I can't imagine what the other one is like by now...

On your second point... While I oppose gun control of any sort, I almost have to agree here. Efforts could be better spent elsewhere, fighting bigger fights. Some things change over time, and I'm afraid gun shows are one of those things. I won't be surprised if they are gone altogether in the not too distant future. And I think it's not necessarily a result of gun control. There are very few "deals" to be found any more at shows. I doubt a whole lot of money exchanges hands at most shows. Fewer & fewer people are attending. As a result, you see less dealers setting up, seeing it as lost time & money. I think most guys only continue to go as something to get them out of the house, or as an afternoon out with the guys, kinda like a deer camp thing. It looks like a downward spiral. Sad, as I used to look forward to going to a good show for months in advance. I was always scrounging, looking for the "hot deal" that you KNEW was just waiting for you on the next table, or in the next aisle...

Yesterday, all I walked out with were a few of the yellow ribbon magnets to put on the truck. Coulda picked them up anywhere, but I still felt some strange urge to try to support the few guys that still set up at the show...

11 October 2004, 03:53

Cold Bore

Quote:

I just go to the ones here for powder and primers.......

Yep, that's one reason I went yesterday. Like I mentioned above, it used to be a good way to avoid that big haz-mat fee. But the usual reloading supply guy is just about out of business. He had a few old cans of powder that I don't even know what cartridges to use it for...

On another note... how's that AR-15 raffle coming along? I'm ready.

11 October 2004, 04:19

Bobby

I'm sorry you had such a bad time. Here in WV we still love our gun shows and have some pretty good ones. I must tell you that the dealers here who have shops, and I freelance for one of them, carry a poor selection of guns. If it weren't for gun shows, I souldn't have some of the nice guns I've got. I don't feel the need to carry a concealed weapon to a gun show, I haven't wanted to shoot anyone there yet, but the prices sometimes make me wonder if that isn't good enough reason to keep people from packin'. It seems that most guns are a solid $100 higher at the shows. For instance, I was recently looking for a Marlin 39A, older model, in the '70's or '80's, and they were going for $425. At the gun shop, they'd never even take one on trade, because according to them no one wants one, and they's sell one they acquired for $299, so it's a crap shoot, but you can usually find someone who has what you want. The people who have the tables are just trying to make way too much money. They gripe constantly about not selling guns, then they offer you nearly nothing for a trade in and ask whopping prices for their used ones. It's not conducive for sales. Most of these guys are doing it as a hobby to make a few extra bucks and get some nice guns, so I think they can afford to trade a little better. I've become friends with some of the really honest fellows and can tell them what I'm looking for and they'll get it and have it at the next show, so some things work out.
We haven't got into the flea market stuff at the gun shows and that's good too.
So I feel for you guys, and hope things get better.

11 October 2004, 04:26

Paul Barnard

Redhawk, I never thought about it, but you are right.

The gun shows down here really piss me off too, and were it not for a very good reloading supply guy that sets up at all of them, I wouldn't go. Used gun dealers will be selling used guns for more than I can get them at Wal-Mart. WTF? Used scopes for more than mail order. WTF? Used 30-30's that look like they've been dragged behind a truck for $250. WTF?

I have seen the big gun buyers pay half of what a gun is worth then insist they would be losing money if they sold it for $200 more than they paid for it.

I know the local sponsor has seen a precipitous drop in attendance. These guys are cutting their own throats.

11 October 2004, 05:23

Hellrazor

Quote:

I don't know of any gun show where you are allowed to carry?

You cant carry here either, if you enter the show with any firearm it must be unloaded and they put a heavy duty wire tie through the action.

As far as the shows having more tables of crap then gun related things, our one local show banned everything but knives and military clothes. The knife tables had to have a certain % of hunting, skinning or military knives. The show still stank, over priced. The powders were about $1-2 cheaper then Cabelas pricing. Which you can easily match or do better in the local stores.