Update: New promoter steps in! Gun shows in MA are Back on!

It’s been ~ 12 years since I went to Marlboro. I had just bought my first overpriced new Glock in MA but I found a mag for it on the cheap and some reloading stuff. After that show I went a couple of times mostly to sell a gun in parking lot. It totally was not worth the money or the sensory overload to my nose.
 
track65 said:
I did not see any light at the end of the tunnel. Got out of the gun business 15 years ago.
Click to expand...

Yeah it’s getting tough to stay in the gun business. I still have my 07 FFL and SOT, but had to give up my MA FFL Licenses when I was priced out of the Mill in Littleton. I’ve been looking for a place to set up shop on the Cape, but with the way prices are going and the reduction in gun sales I’m not sure it’s still worth it. Though not ready to give up my FFL just yet
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Yeah, I always liked going late on Sunday to try and haggle a last minute deal. Dealers hate to bring back stock and most were more apt to come down on price some at the end.
Click to expand...
Considering Millenials don't talk to people...haggling is not a thing anymore......

Realistically......now that I actually have money.....and access to the internet.......I find haggling a waste of time as well. I mean really, Im wasting my time and someone elses trying to haggle 20 bucks off a 500 dollar gun. Ill just go online and find it 20 bucks cheaper.

Like Pat said some people are yard sale people.....my wife does this haggling thing on facebook marketplace and probably saved me a grand on furnishing this whole place down in FL. The only thing we bought new was a two mattresses for the bedrooms and a couch. Down in Naples people put nice shit to the curb all the time as well. I just picked up an umbrella and stand on our walk yesterday.
 
Dench said:
I dont think ive ever been to a gun show worth attending. Strikes me as odd but that seems to be the consensus
Click to expand...
Same here....tried the one in FT Myers in February .....not really worth it. There were some Aero uppers that ended up being good deals as they were throwing in BCG's as well. But I didn't check prices......otherwise I probably would have walked out with a 10" 300 BLK and a 16" 350 Legend uppers.

As far as old guns and stuff, very little, everything was overpriced. And Im not buying old guns anymore, Im selling them is more like it.

BO and Jerky was strong.....a summer show could be deadly down here.
 
"PULL OUT PULL OUT" - that's what my wife said to me. '

Lank said:
Where will I find another table full of dreamcatchers?
Click to expand...

Better than the guy with a bunch of clearly Nazi/skinhead material about a decade ago in Marlboro. Not just some a-hole selling repro nazi daggers. Like "No N-word allowed" coins and such. Like WTF????

I haven't gone since 2019. The saddest thing is the loss of a trip to Linguine's. But my buddy Chuck passed away last year so that was off the table anyhow.
 
Mark from ? said:
Considering Millenials don't talk to people...haggling is not a thing anymore......

Realistically......now that I actually have money.....and access to the internet.......I find haggling a waste of time as well. I mean really, Im wasting my time and someone elses trying to haggle 20 bucks off a 500 dollar gun. Ill just go online and find it 20 bucks cheaper.

Like Pat said some people are yard sale people.....my wife does this haggling thing on facebook marketplace and probably saved me a grand on furnishing this whole place down in FL. The only thing we bought new was a two mattresses for the bedrooms and a couch. Down in Naples people put nice shit to the curb all the time as well. I just picked up an umbrella and stand on our walk yesterday.
Click to expand...

Yeah this may be true for everyday guns you can get anywhere but when I did go to gun shows that wasn’t what I was looking for. Id be looking for harder to find older guns.

I love haggling and many dealers will. A few years back I got a nice S&W Nickeled M19 for less than $400 with 10 minutes left before the show closed. It was a score. Some will some won’t. I’ve saved a good amount of money that way.

Honestly I’m a car salesman’s worst nightmare.
 
Mark from ? said:
Same here....tried the one in FT Myers in February .....not really worth it. There were some Aero uppers that ended up being good deals as they were throwing in BCG's as well. But I didn't check prices......otherwise I probably would have walked out with a 10" 300 BLK and a 16" 350 Legend uppers.

As far as old guns and stuff, very little, everything was overpriced. And Im not buying old guns anymore, Im selling them is more like it.

BO and Jerky was strong.....a summer show could be deadly down here.
Click to expand...
With online gun sales so easy gun shows dont really have a niche anymore.

We can buy anything online
 
Dench said:
With online gun sales so easy gun shows dont really have a niche anymore.

We can buy anything online
Click to expand...

I'd disagree. The vintage, harder to find guns are very difficult to get online. It's typically not the main vendors at the gun who, but a smaller guy that tend to have things that have been around a while. If you know what you're looking for you can find some gems there. Sometimes you can find things on an Auction site, but those come with a ton of fees that can add up and add a huge load on top of the gavel price. Most times it's not worth it, but I have used them in the past as well.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
I'd disagree. The vintage, harder to find guns are very difficult to get online. It's typically not the main vendors at the gun who, but a smaller guy that tend to have things that have been around a while. If you know what you're looking for you can find some gems there. Sometimes you can find things on an Auction site, but those come with a ton of fees that can add up and add a huge load on top of the gavel price. Most times it's not worth it, but I have used them in the past as well.
Click to expand...
Yeah i can see that. Vintage stuff isnt really in my wheelhouse so i wouldn't even notice it
 
Rockrivr1 said:
I'd disagree. The vintage, harder to find guns are very difficult to get online. It's typically not the main vendors at the gun who, but a smaller guy that tend to have things that have been around a while. If you know what you're looking for you can find some gems there. Sometimes you can find things on an Auction site, but those come with a ton of fees that can add up and add a huge load on top of the gavel price. Most times it's not worth it, but I have used them in the past as well.
Click to expand...
Reality is.......its still limited.....most local FFl's don't go to a gun show. It can be productive for stuff like this though.

But realistically if your looking for a certain old gun....Gunbroker or Gunsamerica is probably the best way, short of going to every local gun shop and burning a bunch of gas and time. I have probably 20 gun shops within 10 miles of my house now, back in the day it would have been great. Now...not so much.

Honestly Im glad Im out of my collecting old guns phase. Shit is expensive and I didn't use nearly anything I bought. Neat to have around, but not worth tying up the coin for me. Id rather spend it on guns or something else I will actually use.
 
drgrant said:
They used to, especially if they were a smaller shop. But the promoter in question in this case eventually even made that untenable.
Click to expand...

I think the end started when the promotors told that one vendor his prices were too low in Marlboro and they we're never allowed back. That pissed off a lot of people and the demise was pretty much solidified at that point.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
I think the end started when the promotors told that one vendor his prices were too low in Marlboro and they we're never allowed back. That pissed off a lot of people and the demise was pretty much solidified at that point.
Click to expand...
That’s what did it for me. Granted, it was pretty well known that the promoter had their “preferred” vendors, but it was tough to ignore the reality that competition is not just discouraged, but prevented.

I haven’t been since.
 
EJFudd said:
People like to make comparisons of the dying/disappearing gun shows to the computer shows of 20 +/- years ago and there are similarities. The Internet played a significant part in killing both. Both also just ran out of steam. They got boring, repetitive and weren't worth the time and money to attend any longer. Dealers were also admitting it just wasn't worth the cost and effort anymore. Plus, you could do just as well or better shopping elsewhere.

Still, I blame Chapter 135 the most for this final collapse of the MA gun shows. Maura and the Legislature got exactly what they wanted... a significant weakening of the current and future MA pro-2A community. Will some new promoter pick-up the baton and run with it? Maybe GOAL or Toby Leary? Will the "core group" of dealers pick-up the pieces and run shows on their own? Will NH shows pick-up the slack?

I'd like to know... what was the last straw that broke the camel's back. That might give us the best clue about the future. 🤔
Click to expand...
Post hoc ergo propter hoc
 

Similar threads

FOPA lives in MA
Replies
4
Views
249
LittleCalm
L
Brief Update on GOAL Litigation
Replies
1
Views
155
jek
jek
Saturday Night Specials in New England?
2
Replies
52
Views
886
greencobra
greencobra
One police officer killed, another injured in Newark, New Jersey shooting
Replies
1
Views
104
ridleyman
R
DMV HORROR Three killed in DMV office shooting in Louisville as two women and man gunned down in broad daylight & suspect on loose
Replies
12
Views
361
NortheastEasy
NortheastEasy
Back
Top Bottom