Disappointing Bill Goodman Gun Show

[farrar]

Was I the only one disappointed in the gun show last week?

The only decent booth for handguns that I saw was from a local gun shop not five miles from my house. I told him if I wanted to look at his guns I could have just stayed home.

I probably will not be back to another Bill Goodman show.

Just my opinion.

[creeky]

My kids have been wanting to go, but they are not the same as when I was a kid. Yeah... I know I sound like an old man.

I remember tons of used rifles and shotguns, raffles and one time a "fast draw" demonstration.

Now I just take them once a year to Knob Creek.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Goodman shows are hit or miss. Glad I didn't go. For that matter they are all hit or miss.

[Guest Straight Shooter]

I just flat quit going. They arent what they used to be. You can find anything at a show cheaper online, even with shipping. Were I to go to another, it would only be to just kill time outside of the house.

[DaveTN]

They are all that way. Used prices on guns are crazy everywhere. Unless I’m buying a collector or surplus I might as well buy new, and the collector and surplus guns I’ll find on the net. It appears to me that most of the dealers bump their prices up on new to bring them to the show. I can usually get them for less from the forum dealers I use.

I went to the one a month ago to check out the Remington R1, but no one had it.

Unless some dealers start showing some gun show discounts I think the net will kill gun shows.

I would be curious to hear from some of our forum dealers. Since I haven’t seen them at gun shows I would guess it’s because the business they get doesn’t justify the cost.

[Guest HvyMtl]

I think it would be a good question to post in its own thread. Are gun shows worth going to any more?

the last Goodman show I went to was, well, not really worth it either. Did get some Albanian 7.62x54r, but the pricing for ammo, and guns were high.

I did get a decent deal at a Murfreesboro RK show on a 91/30 in excellent arsenal refurb condition. (120 OTD including the $10 background)

I also noticed in the thread I started with the new guys coming in Aug 21-22, a fellow posted he had a table at the last 4 shows that group did and lost $ at all 4...

IMHO, I think it is partly due to the boom / bust we have recently had with gun sales. When O came into office, firearm purchases went through the roof, so the vendors could charge $650+ for a firearm which would have gone for $450 months before... Now the toll of the economy plus the fact the Democrats have not tried, at all, to pass any new bans, have led to a huge drop in sales. Now, you can actually pay and walk right in, instead of wait in line for hours to get into a show... And yet, the perception one can sell stuff at higher prices at a show seems to still be in effect.

In the past, the shows were for getting rid of overstock, used firearms, and drumming up business for your shop. Now, its focus seems on getting the less informed to buy at a higher price...

Sad.

[BigK]

My LGS was at the last RK show I went to in Murfreesboro. I had been eyeing a new S&W M&P 15-22. They were marked down by about 10% to sell at the show. Same on several handguns too. Maybe that just means their everyday price is too high, I'm not sure. I do know that NOBODY else at the show was selling 15-22's cheaper, b/c I looked at EVERY table b/f I bought one.