Guns shows becoming No shows

[dlm37015]

well this past weekend I bought 7.62 x 39 for 185.00 per case  that's cheaper than I can buy it wholesale

[JohnC]

I used to go to Bill Goodmans at the fair grounds all the way back to the early 80's as a kid with my Dad, but we stopped going when it started looking more like a flea market than a gun show.

The one down in Hendersonville (forget the name) looked good the one time I went. I need to go back next time they have one.

[hipower]

At a guess, I'd say the 'boro show would be 4 times the size of Goodmans, at least. Or so it was the last time I was there.

 

Guess I really will have to go to the next one, just to see what I've been missing. I don't think I've been to one in over a year. Wow. Withdrawal pains setting in.

[Hershmeister]

[quote name="dlm37015" post="1135416" timestamp="1396922648"]well this past weekend I bought 7.62 x 39 for 185.00 per case that's cheaper than I can buy it wholesale[/quote] Wow! Private sale or a dealer table?

[gregintenn]

well this past weekend I bought 7.62 x 39 for 185.00 per case  that's cheaper than I can buy it wholesale

:o Did you buy a tractor trailer load of it?

[dlm37015]

some big ammo dealer from ca was there with it I bought 2 skids

[Blitzen]

The two 2014 shows I have attended thus far were the Goodman show in Nashville and a Jackson show. The Jackson show was 10 bucks to get in. To small of show for that price of admission imo. The Goodman show was fair with a price of 8 bucks. One dealer was asking $35 for some older metal Chinese AK mags. Wait till Magpul comes out with their Gen2 AK mags and the steel foreign stuff will be very hard to sell at inflated prices. Don't know why the left is so up in arms over gun shows. The gun culture will take them out with high pricing eventually. I'm getting close to cutting out gun show attendance altogether.

[tnguy]

Don't know why the left is so up in arms over gun shows.

 

It's not about gun shows. It's about being able to track private sales. Don't let yourself be misled.

[Oh Shoot]

It's not about gun shows. It's about being able to track private sales. Don't let yourself be misled.

 

Yep, the "gun show loophole", the same "loophole" that exists everywhere else in the freer states.

 

- OS

Edited April 9, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[tnhawk]

I stopped going to the memphis gun shows after getting emails with discount admissions that they didn't want to honor when I got to the door.

[tnguy]

What kind of reason did they give for that?

[BigK]

$2 off coupon for RzK Shows here:

 

http://www.cjlenterprize.com/images/fad63ca21fa09098578d463341d7f9d9.png

 

Thanks!

[Will]

My take on it from going to many and talking to the dealers and promoters is the promoter is only making money on Oct-Nov-Dec Shows unless something

has happened (election,shootings) but they have to run them every month under contract to keep the building. The vendors buy tables when the newest

item comes out then is out when competition gets cutthroat.  There are also a few older vendors doing it as a hobby.  Like any business somebody is

making money or they would have been over years ago and that is @$60 per table+gas+food+hotel  as some people quit going a lot of new ones take their place. They will be around  unless something Federal put them out.

[Guest rockytopgunshows]

I think the lack of competition may have something to do with it. You have the same promoters all over the state every month. They have a list of vendors they use who constantly want to come back, so they don't do anything to get new vendors to come. This means the June show is the exact same as the May show and if you go in October it will be the exact same as both the others you went to. I can't blame these established promoters. That's just common business sense. If you have people coming to you begging for show space, why would you go out and seek new vendors. I think some friendly competition might just be a cure. Isn't that the American way? Of course I may be slightly biased seeing how as I am trying to promote a show this October lol 

[dwatts1984]

You know its funny... Things are much different down here (Pensacola Florida) Gun shows used to be the place to go to see all kinds of great firearms... and also a great place to get a DEAL on something. Now what they have seems to be way over priced, if they have anything at all. Its a damn shame. Gun shows used to be like an early Christmas for me. I had it written on the calender Id wait so long for um, wouldn't be able to sleep the night before. Now i see the billboards and just look away.

 

Its a dang shame

[Luke E.]

 I NEVER go to shows to buy a firearm, ever. I go to get supplies from David if he's in the boro when i'm needing something to save me a trip to his place and every now and then I will pick up accessory items if one of the vendors happens to have a killer deal on something that I might have a use for. I didn't even need supplies this weekend but was in the area and had a bit of time to kill so went in to say hello to David and cruise through the rows real quick. I think the biggest reasons for the decline have already been touched on in this thread but I see it as being a combination of to many shows in the same area, mostly new firearms (can find new arms anywhere) and FFL's can only sell them so cheap therefore the only super deals to be had would be on used arms and lastly with food, gas and other "must buys" being more expensive than ever and good paying jobs being at a premium there just isn't as much money in the "gun funds" of a lot of the past buyers.

[TNMTBik3r]

This Mboro show is my last. Not worth going to for any reason anymore unless I just need to kill a few hours.

I picked up a few items but nothing was a deal (except the ammo cans 3 for $25 and not paying hazmat on a couple pounds of powder).

[Ray Z]

The vendors that sell at the shows are either master dealers or should be. They make more on a gun sale than most gun stores. Unless we're talking about Benton's. Those folks have a huge inventory but they love what they've got. Prices are usually at or above retail. If the dealers at the shows were willing to cut their prices, they could sell a lot more stock and will make up for the difference in price.

[Hershmeister]

I maintain that the TMCA shows are the last decent gun show around. I usually find something worth buying there - yes some tables have stupid prices, but generally there are well priced items, as well as interesting pieces which walk in the door

[LowBb]

I like them cause I like looking at guns. See what's new and where prices are compared to online prices. I like taking my son too. He doesn't know anything about the prices, only that the machine guns are cool, brass knuckles are neat (all boys love brass knuckles, plus it's fun to say), knives are cool and fun to look at and point at, and we like the culture and the vibe. Been going to them since I was little with my dad. I remember them being fun. If there's a deal there than great, if not then great too.

Some folks, both old and new, may buy something, get into shooting, and keep it all going. They are what they are.

[Guest sigequinox]

The shows get worse and worse every year. At least up here, even before the [increased] bans. I swear, every year a table that used to sell guns and ammo at a good "gun show" price has been replaced by someone selling guns at HIGHER than retail price or by a table full of a bunch of stupid azz nazi knock-off memorabilia. I have no idea what the connection between con artists and nazi's are to gun shows, but apparently they are greasing each others pockets.

[Luke E.]

 Is it just me or is anyone else tired of the tasers/rambo knife/flashlight combos? Maybe it has to do with my years of tending bar and being around security playing with them but any time I hear one fire up I want to take it away from the person playing with it and zap them. I think it would help if the promoters would cull some of the chinese garbage dealer out of the lineup.

[Guest glock2723@gmail.com]

I get better deals going to local gun stores. I use to go to every gun show within 100 miles but in last 10 years just not worth it. Prices too high and 1911s scarce Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[railfancwb]

Last Goodman show I went to was several years ago (100 mile round trip for me). Anyway I had been there on a Saturday ($10 no coupons offered) and - since I was in town anyway Sunday - decided to go back for some ammunition. They would not honor the Saturday stamp. Previously that had been no issue, and the price notice on the booth did not mention that detail. Didn't pay again to get in and marked them off my list. Probably a year since I've been to a show in the 'Boro. As someone mentioned, the non-inflation the government says we have is taking its toll. (They took energy and food out of the CPI so less inflation would be reported.)

[tnhawk]

In past years I went to every gun show within 2 hours driving time of me.  Now I drive past them to go to local gun dealers.  I haven't been to a gun show in about two years, as the last few I attended were a waste of time.