Gun Show Doldrums Report

[twyacht]

Well with great enthusiasm, myself and a partner went to the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Laud.

I am starting to think some of these "dealers" are right up there with carnies. Same overpriced stuff, even the used stuff! Ammo was priced the same as the last show. Aguila .380 per 50 was $30.00  That was all the .380 the "big dealer had for target.

GDHP were $32.99 for 20 rds.   With the .380 popularity, the ammo dealers are not coming down on the price one bit.

New Norinco SKS 7.62X29 $400.00 

Some Saiga AK's were not bad around $350+ but NOTHING inspired to me to get a darn thing.

Ar's were plentiful but still wwwwwaaaaaaaayyyyy more than their worth. S&W M+P 15t, it's a ligit AR at less than a thousand bucks, but $1200-$1400???

Sig556 still almost $2000.00, $800 more than I paid. But Geez.... Place was very crowded, but not as many people were buying.
Hopefully, this will start to bring some prices down as demand slows, ever so slightly.

Best deal was 12g rounds, and Remington 30-30 Core-Lokt ammo.

Only found "1" 45-70 non-lever action, a Ruger No. 1, 22 inch barrel. for $700. Slightly Used!!! 

Magazine prices are absurd. Wilson Combat .45ACP 8rd, $32.00.  Even Kel-Tec P3AT mags were over $22.00.

Shotgun prices were fair, the military antiques, except for the M1 Garands were reasonable. So at 12:00 the beer line opened, had lunch and two beers, cost me with admission less than $20.

The West Palm Beach Show is in January, and the NcStar Rep. said he had some new "holgraphic" and red dot optics, smaller than the EOTech stuff with a lifetime warranty, that's less expensive.

If you read this FQ, I hope your there, I'll need your bitching, "negotiating" skills, to help.

Thought there would be some Christmas "deals" to be had, but the carnies,,,,...I mean dealers aren't coming down from the clouds yet.

[Pathfinder]

Sig556 still almost $2000.00, $800 more than I paid. But Geez.... Place was very crowded, but not as many people were buying.

Yeah, but don't it feel good that what you have is worth soooo much more now?   

Magazine prices are absurd. Wilson Combat .45ACP 8rd, $32.00.  Even Kel-Tec P3AT mags were over $22.00.

Same here. Last gun show I went to a few months back and people were still asking $30 for used AR mags as if they were still hard to find. All I could do was snicker and think "MidwayUSA" or "Brownell's".

[twyacht]

Yeah, but don't it feel good that what you have is worth soooo much more now?   

Same here. Last gun show I went to a few months back and people were still asking $30 for used AR mags as if they were still hard to find. All I could do was snicker and think "MidwayUSA" or "Brownell's".

Yes, yes, and hell yes.   Although, I like the "mini" 556 without the stock, and really short barrel. Not for what they want for it but it is pretty slick. The Saiga 12g, semi-auto is impressive.

Since I'm going to win the FN AR, which they wanted $1695 for, I wasn't too worried...

Cheaperthandirt had PMAGS for less than 20 bucks. I just bought 3 more with 9mm WWB for National Ammo Day. Even with shipping I did better than the show prices.

[texcaliber]

just an opinion here but the dealers are not so much to blame for gouging as to not wanting to take a loss when they had to buy high and are now stuck with an inflated price on their products. Not agreeing with it but giving a reason. I know that at our shop there has been many instances where the "boss" has taken a loss on ammo and pre-orders which backed out of the purchase. These are the reasons the shortage was as bad as it was. Many in the bisnuess did not want to get stuck so they just did not order while the prices were climbing.Now that they are falling you can get any ammo and any firearm you want.

As to the gunshows, many dealers use the shows to "get rid" of the inventory and products that have not sold though the shop. Others use internet for this.

[tombogan03884]

The only deals at gun shows nowadays are private sales from some one walking around with a gun with a "For Sale" sign on it, If you go to the same show repeatedly, you will get to know the inventory as well as the people selling it. If you go to that promoters next show, next week end you will see all the same dealers.
I don't bother going any more.   

[Sponsor]

[TAB]

the .380 is all supply and demand.  If I was a dealer i would not drop the price either.

[twyacht]

the .380 is all supply and demand.  If I was a dealer i would not drop the price either.

Your tragically correct, as Barnum famously stated. The "new" shooter, with a .380 will gladly pay $30.00 for target ammo while not even giving the 9mm at $17.00 per 50rds, a second look.

Hopefully, as texcaliber posted, the dealers will eventually be motivated to move their inventory whether at a loss or not, to get the new stuff.

A large portion of gun/ammo buyers are becoming more savvy. They are not "panic" buying anymore, and I heard many folks stating that "Aw, man so-and-so on the web has that much cheaper"....

[bulldog75]

I went to one 6 months ago and will not go back. They had 440 rounds of 7.62X54R ammo for $150. I can order it by myself for $89 and most of the guns I could go to my local gunstore and pick up at 100 to 200 cheaper. No thanks I will stay loyalty to my gun shop.

[twyacht]

I went to one 6 months ago and will not go back. They had 440 rounds of 7.62X54R ammo for $150. I can order it by myself for $89 and most of the guns I could go to my local gunstore and pick up at 100 to 200 cheaper. No thanks I will stay loyalty to my gun shop.

Gun shows "used" to be the place to go to find a deal, that hard to find item,bulk ammo discounts,...etc,.. not so much anymore.

[CJS3]

Looks like the gunshows themselves are doing what the anti's haven't been able to. If they are no longer an attractive place to find bargains, they will disappear.