Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Gun shows suck

Candy, coins, jewelry, donation seekers, cheap knives......

Next [bleep] that zaps one of those tasers when I walk by his booth is getting punched in the [bleep] throat. Nine bucks and 60 min. of my life I'll never get back.

I wonder if any gun show will ever be the same after obamas executive BS.

That was most certainly his intent.

Don't know how much of a difference it'll make though.

I said the same a decade ago for the same reasons.

We're reconsidering our annual trip to tulsa, as I don't think the collectors will be there like they were. I also can't see investing in something we will lose if a democrat is elected.

Salem today I'm betting.

The gunshows in WA state were great with 10,000 people showing up.
I would post pics of guns I got with the price.
I would get reactions like, "I hate you. There are no deals like that in MY state."

Of course there are deals to be made everywhere. It is like going fishing in a big lake. Most guys will get skunked, but there is some guy who can catch a boatload.

Now WA state requires background checks and I have not been to a gun show in 14 months.

My brother in MT talks about gun shows where there are less than 100 guns for sale. More of a local social event.



This Mauser cost me $180. The bore is not good, but it shoots.

If it looks like a democrat will be elected, do you figure gun prices to go up or down?

Once a democrat is elected, will prices go up or down?

Will collector grade guns be worth more or less than newer stuff?

Well gun shows in our area have been just junk shows for a while, so I don't see much of a change, everyone is walking around with junk and a lot of money on it, I have not seen a lot of buying, or wanting to trade and if you have a good gun they don't want to give you anything for it, just my 2 cents.

"Good afternoon, Sir! Have you ever had a Grill'd Per'fect hamburger?"



The bane of all gun shows......

The promoters are the ones to blame, not requiring the vendors wares to be gun related. Some don't care, money is money no matter if you're selling guns & ammo or cookware and cheap knives. With table rent being what it is I can't see how some of the junk merchants are making any money. Some gun shows are starting to look more like flea markets and attract that kind of crowd.

At a DFW gun show it would be $5,000 and come with a "provenance" to prove that it once belonged to one of Hitler's generals.

Yeah it's been that way for decades up here. Junk shows.

Last time I took a rifle I wanted to sell, slung it over my shoulder w/ Dowel down the tube & banner advertising reasonable asking price. Nothing. Need swastika patches, "memerobelia", to sell apparently?

Hey gun show vendors have ta eat ya know.

Gun shows can be good for odd ammo or brass, bullets, weird gun related stuff. Sometimes an old timer will show up and sell off his collection of reloading supplies, or like me a few weeks ago I helped a friend sell off his guns and ammo because he's got cancer. You just never know. I can always find something.

I went to the Rochester, MN show today (first time). Show was fair, some decent buys on ammo.

Actually saw several very nice knives. Don't know a whole lot about knives, but recognized some names that Vince sells on here. Saw a nice little set of bird/trout knives with a nice sheath for 220.00. Wasn't sure if that was a deal or not, but I was tempted.

Few fair buys on some various guns if they were what someone wanted. Lots of over priced stuff and the AR stuff was priced fair as well.

Overall, can't complain about the 5 bucks I spent.


Brookings, SD is my favorite show and Watertown, SD isn't terrible but the space is tight. Sioux Falls, SD I won't waste my time. Way to crowded and over priced.

I was considering going to Rochester to find a butt plate for a restoration I'm doing.
Decided not to.

IMHO, two things have ruined gunshows. First is besides all the non gun related junk, is the outrageous prices that people think are reasonable for run of the mill well used firearms. These people are stupid or think the buyers are. Second, is the internet. You can buy virtually anything you want from gunbroker and similar=r sites.
I go to 6-8 gunshows a year and cant remember the last time I bought anything except the occasional small lot of bress or other small lots of reloading components.
Not sure why I keep going.

I'm not paying $8 to park, and another $15 to get into the local shows. Not when I can go to the excellent local gunshops, or take a two-hour drive to Whittaker's or Bud's (other direction) or to Kentucky Gun Co, or Knob Creek, which is only 20 minutes away.

I used to go to the shows, to buy powder, primers, etc. that I couldn't find locally. When those supplies dried up, there was no point in going to the shows. I can buy used guns at pawnshops, or buy used guns at a gunshow for "new gun" prices, eff that, or just go buy a new gun at one of those shops mentioned, and pay no parking or entry fees, either.

Gun shows have lost their appeal to me, due to my location amongst all those great shops, and because of the fees involved. Why friggin' bother?

I quit going to them. Junk for a new price and a entry fee. No thanks.

Sioux Falls show in March is the better one. Not as crowded as February and some high quality stuff.