If it wasn’t for the door fee, I would attend a show.  Their business model is screwed up.

Awesome.  You people who feel that way, please continue to do such so I can continue to get things like this (whopping $750 for it last fall).

You don’t go to gun shows because you see overpriced stuff?

That’s like not going to the liquor store because they might have an overpriced bottle of champagne.

They are a waste of time and money.

And that right there is why people hit up walmarts etc. Im all for supporting a local shop, but sometimes you cant.

Have not been to one in 10 years; I can't tolerate the sloth pace and crowdedness.

I hate to say it, but 450 for a keg of Varget is pretty good. Single pounders are averaging 60-80.00.

I would’ve bought that, actually.

Who was selling that tony at the bloomsburg show?

I quit going 20 years ago.

Someone coined the phrase. The Golden Crap rule.

Everything for sale by vendors is golden. Anything you bring to sell or trade is crap.

A friend continues to set up a table monthly at the local show. He may or may not cover the fee to be there. Not making bank in any case.

I think it's a good excuse to get away from his old lady.

My most recent show was about six months ago…actually found two rifles I was looking for, and bought at what I felt was a decent price (versus what was available online + shipping + transfer fees).  That said, every other comment in the thread is spot-on.  The fee for entry, the smell, the bullshit for sale that has nothing to do with firearms…hell, this place had a pickle vendor in addition to the two jerky sellers.  

Prior to this trip, it had been a decade since my last show.  I wasn’t missing anything.  It was a good day to waste a few hours, nothing more.

They're 95% garbage, but still a good place to walk around with a rifle and a sale sign.

The amount of Chinese bullshit is annoying.


And that bitch with the stun gun manages to teleport to every gun show across the country.  

Pre-Panic would be $200-250 for that eight pound jug.

That powder has been expensive and hard to find for a couple of years now.

Cabelas?

Don't get me wrong:   I'll still go with friends if they want to, but if I'm flying solo there's nothing I need that I can't get somewhere else.

Let me tell you what a great gun show was:

I think it was 1993 and 1994.  Russian SKS's had starting coming into the country and could be had for $250-ish in fantastic condition.  My dad and I attended some gun shows at the convention center in El Paso, Texas.  They had Russki SKS's covering cafeteria-sized tables and stacked five or six deep.  You could literally buy some of each blued original condition, painted refurb with laminated stock, near mint condition unissued, good shooter grade, and everything in-between.  People were walking out with two or three under each arm.  On top of that there were Russian Makarovs, even an SVT40 or two, surplus handguns of every stripe and ilk,  1951 surplus Beretta contract Helwan Brigadiers, Tokarev pistols in both 9mm and 7.62, Czech VZ52's, Norinco 1911's, and every surplus bolt and manually-operated re-import from Russia and Eastern Europe you could imagine. One of those gun shows was the first place I saw a Bulgarian SA93 AK.  Not that a thumbhole stocked AK would appeal to anybody now, but in the days before 922-compliant AK's, those were the best.  There were also overpriced AR's since everyone knew a ban was coming, but you could have AR15A2's, XM177 lookalikes, SP1 carbine lookalikes, and other variants just because dealers stocked them and collectors tried to get what they could for them. Then of course there were dealers who actually stocked expensive guns like Springfield M1A's instead of telling you "we can order you one."  There were pre-bans of all kinds (at premium prices of course), like HK's, FAL's, even a Daewoo and a Galil or two.  I even saw the only stamped M76 Valmet that I've ever encountered, for fuck's sake.

By the end of the decade you couldn't find any of that anymore unless it was a collector selling one second-hand.  Tables that had been so full of the same type of gun  that you could pick and choose turned into tables where there might be one of something.  Prices that had been $250, $300, or $400 in 1994 were already double that.  I paid $239.95 for my first Bulgarian SLR-95 in 1997.  A few months later they were literally $600 because importation stopped.  I could tell that same story across a dozen or so other firearms.

Yes, unfortunately, the glory days of good gun shows are long gone.  I sometimes fantasize about those gun shows from the mid-1990's.

I realize that it's GD and a tough crowd, but I feel sorry for many of you. If you go to a show you might actually have to walk past a lot of things that don't interest you - shocking!

And your blinders are so narrow that it seems you have interest in very little at all. I went to my first show in about 1965, and still go to any that I can reach. I nearly always find something new to learn about. Yes, most of the tables are of scant interest to me, but all it takes is one display of something unique to make the show worthwhile.

Last year I went to a show which turned out to be very small and not in line with my interests, but there was a fellow with a truly fine display of Sharps rifles. Heck, I know Sharps pretty well, but he had factory loading tools of an interesting style I had never seen, and some unusual rifle variations. He was very knowledgeable, and I enjoyed a good long chat with him.

Another table had a display of 19th century pocket pistols. Not exactly my thing, but he had the finest Remington double derringer I can recall seeing. Those guns are common as dirt, but to find one in 100% condition with perfect original box is hardly common.

The study of guns is the study of history and engineering advancement. Perhaps some day you might go to a show and slow down, appreciate what you may not yet know, and grow in your understanding. But if all you want is to find a "steal" and get back to breaking bottles or ringing steel, that's fine too. I wish you well regardless.

I go to browse stuff I can only see online or rare stuff I never found on the net. I don't buy anything that: 1) I can't verify the value compared to the internet and 2) cheaper than I could buy in straight comparison since I don't mind waiting for shipping.

Last show was over a year ago. I bought a scope $50 cheaper than I could find anywhere on the internet and searched for about 30 min.

I used to go to swap meets with a buddy. He would buy the stupidest shit like a $15 weed eater and would sell it for $40. He almost always made money on shit I wouldn't have taken a second look at.

Sometimes the shows are good for niche things. I’m a casual cartridge collector- it’s fun to dig through the different boxes of random old ammo to see what’s out there. One guy had a pair of Mondragon rounds in a pill bottle right next to the trashed gunsmith special cheap revolver pile.

 U mean u don't like those beat to shit Marlin model 60 the gun shows have for $300 or the Palmetto State Armory $500 rifle for $800

I've been to a few gun shows here in Las Vegas and they all sucked.  Mostly Chinese optics and accessories, bubba's kydex holsters, average and overpriced guns and ammo.  

I used to go to the show at Dallas Market Hall every year after Thanksgiving and they were awesome.  I could spend the whole day wandering around and usually found something that I couldnt live without.

I think it's the same tazer guy at every Indiana gun show...

Conroe?

@nmxdavenn

Literally Walmart.

Just like going to the carnival .   You know what its like .  In most cases a total freak show .

gd

The good days of gun shows were gone when I last went 10+ years ago.

I can only imagine what it is like now. I know the beef jerky can be replenished, but hasn’t all the nazi memorabilia been sold by now?

only reason i go is to try on the grip of a new pistol that a lgs doesnt have. or if im having a female try on different pistols for a carry weapon.

That vendor is pre-adjusting his prices to reflect next years bidenflation.

Gunbroker is basically an online gunshow.  People set in stock notifications, and buy stuff up to hawk it on there for profit.  Anyway, you can still buy an 8lb jug for the current inflated price of around $300...if you can find it.

No such thing as price gouging. You can either pay or don't you are not being gouged.

You can still find a diamond in the rough or two at shows.

Went to one in town at the fairgrounds a couple weeks ago. Was a total joke. Watched som guy tell 2 guys from IL that he cant sell them any guns since they are from out of state but thentold them if they didnt tell him they were from IL he would had sold them the rifle. Someone had a brass 45-70 Henry "NIB" they had marked at $1400. Receiver had some scratches on it.

Our clubs spring show is coming up in a couple weeks. Usually only go so I can renew my membership. Being held at a hotels convention center time instead of the fairgrounds.

I haven't been to one in probably 10 years.

Even then the only reason I went was to look for Colt 20 round mags when we could still own them, they were my favorite mags.

I quit going to gun shows after Obama got elected. After that I realized that gun shows are where dipshits go to get fleeced by ass hats.

It's the smell, if there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste your stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it.

Not sure why these still exist, oh yeah Boomers!

Seriously I have not been to a decent gun show in over 20 years. Made the mistake of going to one a few years ago, never again.

I don't doubt it.  Between people asking tons of really dumb questions, watching to make sure the groups of 20 somethings don't walk off with their shit, and picking up all the items knocked over by jackasses with huge backpacks, many vendors had no time to engage in any real conversations about items.  I got to see a whole box of fake colt receivers, and some asshole selling stake crimped ammo in Federal XM855 Lake City boxes.  That was pretty much the highlights of the day.

Avatar change damnit. Spooked me for a second.

edit:I ment subnet avatar. Didn't quote properly.

So did you buy anything from those two people? They aren't at the gun show for your education.  They are there to sell to customers.

I don't go to gun shows looking for new stuff. Every time I look at some of the prices on most new things it's "WTF?"

They usually have decent used item at the ones I attended years ago in Iowa, last time I went they had a 6ft long table full of older leather sheaths, and holsters.

Cabelas'

Walk through the front door for free as well.

@techsan02

Went to a gun show over the weekend. A buddy wanted to go to one as he'd never been to one (newer gun guy), so I went with. Mind you, I haven't been to one in years.

I actually found a guy selling Colt/Adventureline/Universal GI 20rd mags for $10-15 each. I bought 3, but should have bought all he had.

I normally see these going for $30-40 each online.

Everything else was way overpriced...

Gun are still selling at the gunshows.  Yall need to pay more attention and listen and watch what is going on rather than looking for deals and think you are "more informed" than the vendors.  The people selling their items at the gun shows are not catering to your asses but rather another "target" demographic that will gladly pay the prices for such items (we will just leave it at that).  I had some Bubbas misidentified me and offered to sell a PSA AR for $1000 cash.

Man, y'all's gun shows suck.

https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_8_8/620050_25-27-February-Nacogdoches-Abilene-Bonham-gun-shows.html

Here's North Texas' gun shows through the end of April, and our N Texas gunshow promoters:

25-27 February
Nacogdoches - G&S - they seem to be successful w/ the 2.5 day format
26-27 February
Abilene - Silver Spur
Bonham - AllTex

5-6 March
Bossier City, LA - Classic - note Texas residents may only purchase rifles & shotguns from FFLs at this show.
Buffalo - Buffalo Lion's Club
Tyler - AllTex
Waxahachie - Premier - tacton has a table.

12-13 March
Canton - G&S
Durant, OK - Heartland Militaria - note Texas residents may only purchase rifles & shotguns from FFLs at this show.
Fort Worth Will Rogers - Lone Star - RebleYell & tacton have tables.
Itasca - Whipp Farm
Texarkana, TX - Kerry Murphy

19 March
Poolville - Parker County
19-20 March
Abilene - Texas Gun & Knife
Longview - Classic - jeffb1911 will be sharpening knives.

25-27 March
Palestine - Whipp Farm
26-27 March
Fort Worth TMS - Premier - tacton has a table.
Gilmer - American Legion Post 320
Paris - AllTex

2-3 April
Tulsa - Wanenmacher - the big one.  If you can go, you should go.  You have less than 16 seconds to look @ each table if you go both days. Note Texas residents may only purchase rifles & shotguns from FFLs at this show.

15-17 April
Cleburne - Whipp Farm

23-24 April
Mesquite Rodeo - Premier
Wichita Falls - Platinum 180
Winnsboro - American Legion Post 340

30 April - 1 May
Fort Worth Will Rogers - Premier

North Texas gun show promoters:
All Tex - http://alltexgunshows.com/
American Legion Post 320 - (903) 440-1224
American Legion Post 340 - http://www.alpost340.com/
Audie Murphy Museum - http://www.amacmuseum.com/
Big Mule Guns - https://www.facebook.com/bigmuleguns
Brownwood Gun Show - (405) 223-5657
Buffalo Chamber of Commerce - https://buffalotex.org/reserve-the-civic-center/
Buffalo Lion's Club - (903) 388-1806
Cisco Chamber of Commerce - https://ciscochamberofcommerce.com/
Classic Arms - http://capgunshows.com/shows/
DACA - https://www.dallasarms.com/program-small-with-tab-name/
DSC - https://www.biggame.org/convention/
G&S - http://gandsgunshows.com/
GGA Productions
Heartland Militaria - http://heartlandmilitariashow.com/index.php/
Kerry Murphy - https://www.facebook.com/KerryMurphyPromotions/
Lone Star Antique Arms - (254) 744-4772
Lone Star - https://www.lonestargunshows.com/schedule/
M&M Production - https://mandmproduction.com/
Myrtle Wilks Community Center - https://www.myrtlewilkscenter.com/
New Frontier - https://newfrontiershow.com/index.php/
Parker County Sportsman Club - https://www.parkersportsman.com
Platinum 180 Events - (940) 631-5316
Premier - https://www.premiergunshows.com/show-schedule/
Real Texas - http://www.therealtexasgunshow.com/
Riesel Lions Club - https://www.riesellionsclub.com/
Silver Spur - https://www.silverspurtradeshows.com/shows/
6 Bullets - https://www.sixbulletstx.com/
T&K - https://tandkpromotions.com/show-schedule/
Texas Gun & Knife Association - http://www.texasgunandknifeshows.com/
Texas Gun Collectors Association - https://www.tgca.org/
Tier 1 - http://www.tier1gunshows.com/
USCCA - https://www.usccaexpo.com/
Walt's Outdoor World - https://www.waltsoutdoorworld.com/
Wanenmacher's - http://www.tulsaarmsshow.com/home.html (Not Texas, but you should go to this show.)
Whipp Farm - http://whippfarmproductions.com/events.html
Winnsboro Chamber of Commerce - https://www.winnsboro.com/events/annual-chamber-events.html
YourNewGun - https://www.Facebook.com/yournewgun

Gun show? You mean the jerky-purse-candle-taser-ninja-cringey shirt-ninja-chinesium show?

I did get a Mepright M21 for ~30 bucks about 4 or 5 years back. Tritium was dim but it was just inside the warranty time so I sent it to meprolight and they sent me a refurb for free.