Marlborough show

[C-pher]

I tried to find C-Pher since I've chatted with him on Ham Radio topics here, but he was like the invisible man.

What time did you go there? I have to admit...I snuck out with Radio to go to Framingham to the Ham Radio Flee Market. I picked up a LDG DTS-4 for 40 bucks...and a few jumpers for 12 bucks. So, if you came before 11 am, I wasn't there.

Only thing i saw that tempted me was a 4 digit 10/22,, a decent deal at $165. I think it was at the "powder Keg " table, but it was gone later in the day. just as well, being a NH resident it would have been a pain in the ass for the paperwork crap and cost more to do transfers etc. just to get the damn thing home. The jerky guy got a few bucks out of me, as usual,,,,

Yes, that was us. We've been known to walk it over to a NH dealer and do the transfer at the show. You just pick it up in NH at the dealer's shop. But, I was going to buy the damn thing if someone didn't pick it up by the end of the day. So they saved me money anyway...it's not like I needed a fifth 10/22.

 

[50 BMG]

I was at the show too, saw the GOAL table and DID not renew my membership.

 

[50 BMG]

Or better yet, if you happen to have a smart phone, have two browser windows open... one with gunbroker completed sales, and one with some benchmark for new price... and check it on the phone while you're wandering around.

I keep a third browser window open to google reviews/opinions on various firearms as well.
What the heck did we ever do before the internet?

Using Gunbroker as a guide for firearm process is IMO no way to gauge prices. Example, CZ52 $400 yeah that's a really good lead.Spend a few bucks and buy a gun buyers price guide. I love guys who bring their Iphones etc and show me the price from a shop in Ohio.. I then tell them gas up ya truck and have a nice ride. If you going to look up prices on your fancy new phones at least don't stand in front of the tables where other folk are trying to look at stuff while you are surfing the net. Buy the blue book, its far better than Auction arms or gunbroker IMO.

 

[50 BMG]

If anyone wants to say Hi. I'll be working the show all weekend. Just stop by the Poweder Keg table and give me a hollar.

I'm going to try to wear my NES Polo shirt...so I should be easy to spot.

Oh and you looked so cute in your polo shirt

 

[USMA-82]

Hey Fred - sorry I missed you at the show. Any vendor-to-vendor scores like last time?

 

[mikefmcnally]

I was there for a couple hours. Didn't spend a dime. Left there and went to Four Seasons and bought Sig p229 E2. Can't wait to shoot it!

 

[50 BMG]

Got to meet a few NESers...but a lot of you didn't say HI. What's up with that?? LOL!

Take the hint

 

[50 BMG]

Hey Fred - sorry I missed you at the show. Any vendor-to-vendor scores like last time?

Yes I posted it in the Collectors forum, I need your help, its a new one on me

 

[n1oty]

What time did you go there? I have to admit...I snuck out with Radio to go to Framingham to the Ham Radio Flee Market. I picked up a LDG DTS-4 for 40 bucks...and a few jumpers for 12 bucks. So, if you came before 11 am, I wasn't there.




Yes, that was us. We've been known to walk it over to a NH dealer and do the transfer at the show. You just pick it up in NH at the dealer's shop. But, I was going to buy the damn thing if someone didn't pick it up by the end of the day. So they saved me money anyway...it's not like I needed a fifth 10/22.

I got there shortly after 10 and left after two hours.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

was a lot more chinese LEDs than ever before

My guess is that this is the one product that vendors can "direct import" and sell at decent margins with no licensing or insurance hassles. The problem is when there are few barriers to entry to any business, lots of people go for it.

Volume is all about pricing. Some friends had a table from their shop at the previous Marlborough show, and when I spoke to them on Sunday AM, they had already sold over 25 guns. Their trick was offering prices comparable to Four Seasons shop prices, rather than figuring "with all the people here, someone will pay $500 for a bodyguard 380".

 

[MisterHappy]

The people with tables are there to make $.

Some will do it by volume, some by trying to hit one out of the park. This is why you need to know before you go.

 

[tsw2005]

First off, +1 for the flashlight guys.
They are just there trying to make a buck selling AFFORDABLE lighting. I understand that surefire makes a good product. But their prices are target specific.
(LEO's Military, SWAT, etc). The average guy (who makes up about 75% of the shows attendees) are looking for some AFFORDABLE toys for their weapons.
More home defense stuff. Surefire has cornered the market for long enough and their prices show it. Surefire "made in USA" is very misleading also. they buy most parts overseas and ASSEMBLE in the USA.
Thats allows you to brand as MADE IN USA. This I know because Im a dealer for surefire as well.
Now there is some junk out there. But most vendors I saw had pretty good prices for the home / range/ plinking user end equipment.

Dont knock a person trying to make an honest living.

I dont see ANYONE knocking the jerky guy....what does he have to do with guns...?LOL

 

[BullieBred]

Couldn't make the show but had a few friends that went. One actually sold his S&W Bodyguard to a dealer there, for $415.00 as the dealer was selling them for $515.00. Another offered to pay a dealer $380.00 apiece for 3 SR9's and that offer was rejected.

 

[z0mbi]

I dont see ANYONE knocking the jerky guy....what does he have to do with guns...?LOL

I think it's because, unlike flashlights, 1/3 of the show floor isn't taken up by people selling jerky.

 

[n1oty]

I think it's because, unlike flashlights, 1/3 of the show floor isn't taken up by people selling jerky.

That is the real issue here. I certainly don't mind a small percentage of a firearms show being taken up with flashlight sales and clothing sales. We are seeing the same issue and the same complaints with many ham radio fleamarkets and ham fests. Those events have devolved into flashlight sales and computer sales more than being a radio event.

 

[drgrant]

First off, +1 for the flashlight guys.
They are just there trying to make a buck selling AFFORDABLE lighting. I understand that surefire makes a good product. But their prices are target specific.
(LEO's Military, SWAT, etc). The average guy (who makes up about 75% of the shows attendees) are looking for some AFFORDABLE toys for their weapons.
More home defense stuff.

Sorry, but 75% of the trash passing for flashlights being sold there is not suitable for "home defense." Maybe suitable for putting next to the toilet in case the lights go out when you are taking a dump or something, but beyond that.... of course it's caveat emptor- at $10 you shouldn't expect much out of a flashlight. FWIW there are a lot of other good mid to high end flashlight brands out there, but none of them were really represented at the show, it was mostly Surefire... or junk.

Dont knock a person trying to make an honest living.

I'm not against capitalism or free markets, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to laugh when i see junk, and see people plunking down lots of cash for it, either. Same thing with "chinese optics guy".

I'll admit to buying crap like that years ago. Every time I bought it I always got punished for it in some way or another, so I go out of my way to not do it. This means doing things like using iron sights until you can afford an aimpoint, etc, then so be it. There is nothing worse than feeling like you got ripped off. Anyone who actually -uses- that kind of junk, will feel ripped off.

I dont see ANYONE knocking the jerky guy....what does he have to do with guns...?LOL

There's 1 Jerky Guy and 35 vendors selling junk flashlights. The Jerky Guy has a quality product....

In fairness, a few of the flashlight vendors had more than one grade of product to choose from, but most of the lights there were junk, as well as most of the optics. Of course, I'm not surprised. It's a gun show, after all

I'll also qualify my statements a bit by saying I own a total of ONE surefire light. The others I have are Inovas, and I think I have one junky $9 LED light that I bought at CVS somewhere, which was basically bought for the "having to use the toilet in the dark" scenario outlined above.

-Mike

 

[Tara]

Nice to meet those of you that stopped by to chat. Many thanks to those of you who renewed/joined while you were there.

 

[n1oty]

Nice to meet those of you that stopped by to chat. Many thanks to those of you who renewed your membership while you were there.

Tara,

It was a pleasure meeting you at the show.

 

[Squished]

Don't knock the jerky guy. You can eat the jerky, you can't eat the cheap Chinese flashlight after it breaks.

 

[shadyduk1979]

Don't knock the jerky guy. You can eat the jerky, you can't eat the cheap Chinese flashlight after it breaks.

LMAO, its bad for me not to buy tons of stuff at the show, My money tents to end up in my belly via the jerky guy

 

[Tara]

Tara,

It was a pleasure meeting you at the show.

Same to you!

 

[NFD9]

Anyone know who this dealer was?
If you walked straight back from the entrance, towards the back (north assuming the entrance was on the south) wall. He was on the left side of the isle just before you got to the dealers along the back wall. He was selling AR stuff and handguns from some really tall glass cases on wheels. He had Bushmaster LPK's for $55 and Stag blem lowers for $95.
I'm looking to contact them for more stuff.

 

[el duderino]

Don't knock the jerky guy. You can eat the jerky, you can't eat the cheap Chinese flashlight after it breaks.

Yep, probably has lead in it

 

[Moderator]

Using Gunbroker as a guide for firearm process is IMO no way to gauge prices. Example, CZ52 $400 yeah that's a really good lead.Spend a few bucks and buy a gun buyers price guide. I love guys who bring their Iphones etc and show me the price from a shop in Ohio.. I then tell them gas up ya truck and have a nice ride. If you going to look up prices on your fancy new phones at least don't stand in front of the tables where other folk are trying to look at stuff while you are surfing the net. Buy the blue book, its far better than Auction arms or gunbroker IMO.

I respectfully disagree. Book value is well, book value. Just because a book says it's worth "x" amount doesn't mean you will get it. You could possibly get more or less than that. Using the closed auctions search option on GB shows up to date true market value of what people have bought and sold guns for.

 

[AngelKing]

honestly, gun dealers have to get in line with the times, those fancy new iPhone gizmos are the way of teh future, just like Auto Trader and KBB online are to car sales.

 

[drgrant]

I respectfully disagree. Book value is well, book value. Just because a book says it's worth "x" amount doesn't mean you will get it. You could possibly get more or less than that. Using the closed auctions search option on GB shows up to date true market value of what people have bought and sold guns for.

+1...

I think for milsurps it might be slightly less useful because stuff is all over the map, but for new guns... it's a great sanity check. Even just the buy it now prices, with $35-50 padded on for transfer and shipping, will at least tell you if the dealer is in the ballpark or not on a new gun.

-Mike

 

[KMS]

I respectfully disagree. Book value is well, book value. Just because a book says it's worth "x" amount doesn't mean you will get it. You could possibly get more or less than that. Using the closed auctions search option on GB shows up to date true market value of what people have bought and sold guns for.

+1

This

 

[SKS Ray]

I respectfully disagree. Book value is well, book value. Just because a book says it's worth "x" amount doesn't mean you will get it. You could possibly get more or less than that. Using the closed auctions search option on GB shows up to date true market value of what people have bought and sold guns for.

I have to actually disagree with this because I've seen a lot of stupid people bid on Gun Broker and Auction Arms.

The phrase "There's a sucker born every minute" applies to auction sites. Most over priced auctions end with either the I've got to have it guy or the I have no idea what its worth and I'll pay whatever guy. This notoriously drives up prices every day.

As far as prices at shows, what a lot of people fail to realize is that here in this state you have to pay what I refer to as a Massachusetts fee. That means an extra $100 for that AK47 than what they're selling for in SGN, an extra $75 for that Mosin Nagant because someone doesn't have a C&R license, and ammo... well, thats a different story thanks to the douchebags in the AG's office.

Anyone who doesn't realize gun show prices are higher than what they should be hasn't been in this game long enough because they have no idea what it costs to set up and pay for X number of tables for 2 days, plus cover traveling and usually lodging fees for the show, and hope you make enough it profits to make the show worth working.

There is a reason why most shops such as Four Seasons, Zero Hour, etc. that specialize in modern firearms don't do gun shows. Its just not profitable for them. Hence the reason why you see the same show vendors that have a shop selling a rifle or handgun for more money at the show and less the next day at their shop.

 

[USMA-82]

You da man, Ray.

Of course, I'm usually one of the suckers....

 

[Moderator]

Ray, I still disagree. It doesn't matter why people are paying the price they pay, the fact is that they still pay it. No matter what you're selling a car, baseball card, gun, hookers, whatever, they are only worth what someone is willing to pay. During the Obama scare people were paying $700 and up for wasr-10's, book value was almost half of that. GB had true market value were the book value at the time was null and void.