Gun shows RANT !!

[James Jones]

do any of you guys ever go to gun shows and actualy find a deal ?
I went to a show today and was amazed at some of the crap that people are trying to sell and the crazy prices they are asking for it
Example 1)Rem 700 PSS in 308 , granted it did have a Leo mk4 on it but it was mounted in a set of weaver rings and bases only other thing about it was the owner had put a couple small pieces of scateboard tape on the grip.
Asking price $2400 !!!
he tried to tell me that it was one of the older ones back when Remington used Hart barrels for their PPS rifles? thats a new one on me. The this pecker head tries to tell me its the exact same gun that the US Army uses he knows because he used to be a "sniper". He got the most lost look when I said " I thought the M24 was built on a long action"
Example #2) a guy has a SS rem 700 action with a fluted barrel , has RW Hart on the barrel , he sayes he had it built for a 1000yd deer gun (its a 25-06) and that the barrel alone cost him $600 from Kreiger but it had 8 lands and grooves in it !!(Shilen i think) and the stock was a high end piec from McMillan but it felt and looked like a one of the factory *** tuperware.
Asking price $1200
Example#3)Some of you may have heard that we had a pretty bad Hurricane down here last year and alot of homes were left with standing water for days on end. So now we have a huge market of flooded guns here all kinds , I don't mind buying a flooded gun for the action if it isin't in to bad of shape but one table had dozens of rifles all were pitted still had rust and none had any bluing left , the going price of a Rem700 ADL , rusty and with a baddly warped stock was $350 he also had a Weatherby mkV German built but with the bolt mounted safety , rusted as all hell for $1000!

Anyway , just wondering if any of you guys had as many ******* at you gun shows as we do down here !!

 

[oldfamily]

We have a local one twice a year have not been to it for 12 years. Sign says gun show tables look like a flea market. I just save my money and go to Tulsa.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I go to the shows for someting to do in the winter. Occasionally, I find a good deal on gunpowder. I have yet to see a good deal on a firearm. Most of the stuff is OLD and much of it has been worked on by a "tinkerer". You stand a good chance of getting a piece of crap without much recourse. The newer firearms are usually so expensive that it would be cheaper, and wiser, to just buy a new firearm with a warantee and no wear & tear.

I'm amazed that any of these dealers stay in business. Well..... the beef jerky guy always seems to do OK.

 

[41mag]

I know just what your talking about. I go to one every once in a while just to keep tabs on a fellow who can get me a deal on some bullets or powders sometimes. Other than that, I looked for a donor action for almost a year, then picked up a brand new Rem ADL 7 mag for $325 at the local and generally high priced gun store. Hopefully it will be done with it's transformation shortly and the real fun can begin.

Most of the stuff at the shows, well in fact everything I looked at that might have been considered was selling at higher than new prices. I myself would get tired of loading it all up and unloading it.

Other than that I was looking at a couple of the tables of junk searching for the old Herters type shell holders. Finially just got so disgusted with it all I went out and bought a new RCBS RC Supreme. Figured I had already spent more than it cost just in aggrivation.

 

[Coyboy]

Wisconsin is the gun show capital. I've been to 3 this winter. One guy had a table full of M1 Grands all Winchester made. A fellow asked how much? "there not for sale" Why do you bring them here? "because it's a show" He was at all three of the shows I attended!

Alot of guys bring guns they want to sell and walk around up her during the show. Thats how I picked up a rem sendaro with a 28" douglas barrel in 243AI for $450. The guys dad had passed and he was selling his guns. This one came with 200 cream of wheat improved brass and 78 loaded rounds. He said his dad fired it 22 times. Dies included, Yeah, ear to ear. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Jimm]

JD,

You hit the nail on the head , I mean one shot one kill !

I have been remarking to myself each time I go how overpriced the gus are and how seldom they approach " deal " status . As a result I go to thye local gun shows here for a recreational outing and get to look a t a lot of guns /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif, but, I DO NOT expect to see any bargains there /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif .

Last trip yielded 1. hot dog
2. Kroil
3. mtm h50/h50 mag ammo
boxes
4. the dissatisfaction of looking at a muzzleloader that a friend of mine had bought at an exorbitant price ( one of those weatherby actioned things ) that to this day my Knight disc rifle outshoots pitifully ( his shoots best group of 2" at 100 , mine shoots 2.5 " at 300 )

As I said , you are so right , sfunny , I 've been thinking along these lines for some time .

Jim B.

 

[gonehuntingagain]

Same deal around here. Most guns can be bought cheaper at the local gun shops than at the show. Occasionaly you can find a deal (or make a good trade). About the only reason to go is if you need accessories, ammo, and sometimes there will be killer deals on cases of primers.

 

[James Jones]

Well I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one , I did see some decient prices on powder and buying their saves the $20 shipping fee

It just bugs me that some of these folks treat knowledgable folks like idiots when them selves don't even know what the hell it is their selling.
I honestly saw a price tag on a gun once that said winchester m-700 A-bolt 30-06 $800 , the gun was an Interarms with a 22 cal barrel !!! and the guy got ****ed when I mentioned that he might have it mis marked !!

 

[Black Diamond 408]

Yeah Yeah! I went to one last week in Sioux Falls SD. I dont go very often, i use to spend all day in a gun shop so why go. Any way i needed some FN-FAL 308 magazines for a project im workng on, seems to be bins of these things. Well the second table i looked at had several laying there. I asked the moke, how much, well knowing they are around 5.00 He hemhawed and looked up in the Shotgun news, couldn't make up his mind when an older gentleman walked over and said, "I get 40.00 for them on my table" so the guy says, " i'll give ya a good deal" (i can feel him pulling at my shorts now) 35.00 for ya...um NO! I told the guy, heck they are 5-8 bucks anywhere...he said well you just better go and find them.

My Bro in Law needed a 788 remmy 308 magazine, well we saw several...one guy wanted 150.00 said you can't find them any more and collectors buy them up....another guy wanted 85.00...i had to laugh...i asked him how many did he want to buy...you can get them all day long on Ebay for around 30.00 Just to say, not very often you see any real good deals. You have to want something real bad to pay them prices.

 

[grit]

Hell, Why not?

I've been equally disgusted. There've been a few times I went looking for one or two things in particular. I remember finding one once (don't remember the gun). I looked the gun over, thinking it was in fair condition. A little used, which should knock a few dollars off the price. I waved a salesman over since there wasn't a price tag.

The price he quoted me was an easy 150 over new. I stood quietly for a moment, deciding if it was even worth it. Finally I told him he was asking 150 over new, and I might be willing to pay 150 UNDER new.

So, he waves his buddy over and they try to convince me I'm mistaken. I finally cut 'em off. "I don't buy this B.S. Just tell me your bottom price". He knocks fifty bucks off. I shake my head in disgust, an' turn to walk away. "Hey", he says,"We only gotta sell it once".

I paid attention afterwards. There were a dozen times I'd hear one of these slick bastards tellin' somebody such an such rifle was worth xx new and the scope was worth xx new. The prices were not only high, they were sellin' junk for higher than new prices, everywhere. I told so many people what guns were really worth, at that show, I thought I'd get shot in the parkin' lot.

Most of the booths were pawn shops. Not only do they get the merchandise for pennies on the dollar, they gotta scalp the buyers too. Besides the fact that most of 'em knowingly fence stolen property. I bought two rifles this way which had been reported stolen. In one case, the seller immediately reimbursed me. In the other, I fought for months before getting my money back.

I have found a novelty or a fair deal now and then. Mostly I just get disgusted, and leave feeling vaguely cheated of my admission price.

 

[Centre Punch]

Here in the UK they are called arms fairs, mainly selling military rifles and the British peculiarity....The de-activated firearm!
This is so collectors can collect without a Licence.

I once came across a Union Switch and Signal 1911 A1 De-act, that the vendor was selling for $1200, i said to this guy,
"i cant believe that you are selling a worthless piece of junk ( thats all it is when it has been de-act)for such a high price"
He said to me
"But its a USSC"
Many fine firearms are being destroyed at the hands of the de-activators to meet the demand of the collectors who cannot be bothered to apply for a licence.

I went a bit of track there, most of the guns for sale at UK arms fairs are overpriced junk but there are the occasional gems to be found, so for i have come away with a vintage Puma Skinner for $45 and 2 pots of shooters choice copper remover for $2.

Ian.

 

[Idaho_Elk_Huntr]

When I lived in Virginia I would go to the Show Place in Mechanicsville every gun show and would find a deal on something. Many gun dealers with new guns. I would show up on Sunday a few hours before it was over. I would always have a list of what I was interested in. It was good when 2 or 3 people had the same thing. Someone would always beat the others price.

Here in northern Idaho its a lot different. No gun dealers with new guns. Most everything has dirty barrels. have asked many if I could clean the gun to see what the bore looked like /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Many get insulted. Only deal I have found here in the last few years was a Ruger 338 mag with tank safety for $275. metal was 100% but stock looked like it had gone through a chipper. Most times now I stay at home. Last time I went I was looking for Encore barrels. $260 was the cheapest and they were all used and many were pitted. Cheapest complete Encore was $625 with pitted barrel. Just a waist of time.

 

[Crane]

The only deals I've encountered at a gun show is another person walking around looking to sell his gun. I concur that it's 99% junk or over priced. Like someone said earlier, I just enjoy listening to these guy's making thier sales pitch. It ****es me off to see all of the gang bangers there looking at the AK's, SKS's & Tec-9's.

 

[dparks]

[ QUOTE ]
When I lived in Virginia I would go to the Show Place in Mechanicsville every gun show and would find a deal on something. Many gun dealers with new guns. I would show up on Sunday a few hours before it was over. I would always have a list of what I was interested in. It was good when 2 or 3 people had the same thing. Someone would always beat the others price.

Here in northern Idaho its a lot different. No gun dealers with new guns. Most everything has dirty barrels. have asked many if I could clean the gun to see what the bore looked like /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Many get insulted. Only deal I have found here in the last few years was a Ruger 338 mag with tank safety for $275. metal was 100% but stock looked like it had gone through a chipper. Most times now I stay at home. Last time I went I was looking for Encore barrels. $260 was the cheapest and they were all used and many were pitted. Cheapest complete Encore was $625 with pitted barrel. Just a waist of time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, that is how I found some decent deals. Canvas the entire place, find what I am interested in, and then coming back in the last hour or 2 and bargaining the vendors against each other.