"gun" show rant

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I think it's time the show promotors do one of two things.

1) If they're gonna call these events gun shows, get rid of the people selling other crap. no more cheap, junk knives, and non-firearms items. Get rid of the Nazi crap, the jerky guys and the metal polish people. It's a gun show - sell guns!

2) If they're gonna allow these vendors to sell thier non-fireams wares, stop calling it a gun show. I, and most others I' guessing, attend these shows to view firearms and firearms related accessories. Start calling these things a better description of what is actually inside.
 
BlkHawk73 said:
I think it's time the show promotors do one of two things.

1) If they're gonna call these events gun shows, get rid of the people selling other crap. no more cheap, junk knives, and non-firearms items. Get rid of the Nazi crap, the jerky guys and the metal polish people. It's a gun show - sell guns!

2) If they're gonna allow these vendors to sell thier non-fireams wares, stop calling it a gun show. I, and most others I' guessing, attend these shows to view firearms and firearms related accessories. Start calling these things a better description of what is actually inside.

Yup. I was so disapinted. I saw ONE guy selling Sig's, and maybe 5 selling Glocks. There was a half dozen guys selling AR's at crazy prices.

And the attitudes. I talked to probably 50 dealers. There was only two that were remotely close to decent. a) the guy selling surefire lights on the far right near the Ammo door. b) the guy right up the middle row on the right selling a lot of M1 stuff and military issue books on long-guns....

The guy selling knives against the back wall near the metal pollish was a looser and didnt wanna spend 2 minutes with me so I could purchase a 100$ knife. I put it back down and left. The A-Hole in the front endcap, far left near the Safes selling cleaning products. He outta be brought out back and slaughtered.

Oh yea, that lady that was only selling books, about 1/4 the way from the right wall, she was realy nice. Just didnt have what I needed.


And I thought they were going to be checking firearms and stuff entereing the show. I walked right in with my 229 and empty mag installed, but nothing would have stopped me from going in with a loaded mag though....
And their sign "its a fellony to not declare any live ammo when entering"? Really? Anyone got the cite for that law?
 
I predict gun shows will go the same way computer shows did back in the mid to late 90"s.

Once people that went to computer shows figured out you can get stuff on the web for cheaper,they stopped going.Same thing will happen with gun shows,they are catering to the prospective customers that don't know any better.

My last gun show was the one in NH in Concord ( I might be wrong about Concord) but,it was in NH during that big ass snow storm.I was looking at a pre-ban AR (there is no AWB in NH!) OLYarms for $1800.I was totally disgusted and swore then I would never go to another show unless it's 5 minutes from my house.The Marlboro show is the only show I would go to,even though I still have reservations about paying $8.00 to browse through over-priced gun stuff.

you will always see the off the wall stuff at gun shows.Simply because they pay the same amount for a table as gun dealers do,the promoter wants to make cash and he/she would rent table space to a beanie baby dealer(seen one of these at a show as well)

I love gun show rants!
 
greg: saw that same guy with the Oly Ar's at the Manchester show. Yeah, prices were stupid and the guys at the table spouted off thier sales pitches like everyone is an idiot. Gun shows are become are palce that dealers hope to sucker in the impulse buyer. The educated buyers know what they can buy for elsewhere. I'll go on occasion to a few shows but never again to others, and then only if there's nothing else to do that day.

In my opinion...

Good: Lewiston, Manchester, Concord, Augusta

Bad: Biddeford, Waterville, and most any in MA


Sanford is iffy, different sellers with different stuff but just really small.
 
Jack at Collector's Guns told me that he does brisk business on days when gun shows are going on. He figures that people get primed to buy a new firearm, then become disgusted when they see the crappy availability and prices at shows, then they go to a REAL gun shop to scratch their itch.

I've never been to one but since the Marlborough venue is only 5 minutes from my house I'll probably check it out in September.
 
Gun Show

Forget Seabrook, NH.

The show is very small. The biggest table was the Oly guy selling AR's. Not much in ammo sales. Reloading prices the same as my local dealer.
 
More of thee Same Opinion

Interesting thread. Glad I am not the only one to notice that in recent years the events advertised as "Gun Shows" should certainly not be called Gun Shows any longer, appears they are becoming pretty much a waste of time and money to attend if a person is going expecting to see firearms, firearms accessories and ammo. Think I will be very selective / careful before attending any others, if I go to any more, probably better as someone else here mentioned to just go to a reputable shop and on-line to look around. The range / shop i shoot at in Manchester always has a larger and more diverse assortment of firearms, accessories and ammo, then all the tables put together at the Salem show this last weekend (felt like asking for my $8 back but did not want to create a scene).
 
I work at Gun Shows, selling ammo.

I can tell you that some are good, some are terrible, and a few are great.

I would not overgeneralize about prices, though.

Some are terribly high, yes. Forget those idiot dealers. If they've still got a NIB pre-94 (definition of Pre Ban) AR, they are obviously too stupid to ever sell it. I could tell you stories about pricing that would boggle your mind.

But, that being said, I've bought an M24 Finnish Mosin Nagant for $25 at a gun show (private sale, later found it's a 1895 receiver). My M14 was $800, TE's later at ZERO, probably had less than a box or two of ammo run through it before I bought it (also private sale). Bought my 1917 Colt earlier this year from another dealer (a friend) for a decent price.

So, there are some deals out there. Just make sure you do your homework BEFORE you go, and know what you're buying. I also suggest the bigger shows, since there's more competition and more to choose from.

And I don't care about the "other stuff" being sold, as long as it compliments shooting, collecting or hunting.
 
I have made several nice buys at gun shows. And I could have made a few more this past Dec 10-11 Big E gun show if I was in the market. From what I have heard, and a very few I have seen, the Big E, although not as big as in past years, is still better than many others.

Prices, well those are still a problem but I blame the AG more thn anything else.
 
What's on the Schedule

Nickle,
I know you can not predict the future, but sounds like you know a bit about these shows, where/when do you think the next gun show will be that will be worth going to, not worth going to? Any show promoters better than others for organizing real gun shows not flea markets, which is what the Salem 'show' was?
 
Of the shows I do, here's what I think.

NEACA shows, put on by Dave Petronis:

Lake George, small show, 1 day, sometimes a good buy available, frequently not good.

Saratoga, big show, lots to look over.

Other shows north of Saratoga, very iffy, I wouldn't recommend them.

DiPrete shows, usually not bad, the ones I've been to. Moderate size, usually some good buys available.

I usually make it to the Rutland show, some times have a table there. Went to their Manchester show this fall, it was a good one.

Barre Gun Show, Barre, VT, early February. Good show, usually some decent deals available. Put on by a gun club.

Morrisville Gun Show, Morrisville, VT, early March. Another good show, with some decent deals, also by a gun club.

In late February, IIRC, there is a nice set up. DiPrete has a gun show in West Lebanon, NH and Harris has a gun show in Hartford, VT, just outside White River Junction. We're always at the Harris show, and there's the occasional decent deal.
 
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