GUNS/RLTD Saturday gun show report

[Doc1]

On Saturday, a friend and I attended the state's largest gun show in Laurel, Mississippi. Why Laurel is the state's biggest show has long been a mystery to me, but it is and no one can really explain it to me. You would think that the show at the state capitol of Jackson or perhaps the show near Memphis, TN would be larger but they're not. At any rate, the Laurel show is one of my "must do" gun shows.

I'm probably not going to have any surprises for you in this report, as it mirrors what we've all been reading about other gun shows of late: Everything was expensive. There. I could leave it at that and you would have a good idea of what I encountered, but I will flesh it out a bit.

Guns and ammunition were all very much on the pricey side. I saw some vendors trying to get a Dollar-per-round for cheap, steel-cased 7.62x39, though I did see one guy who was only charging $0.50 per round. He was the exception. Reloading components were scarce on the ground and what was available was sky-high. Cheap pistol and shotgun powders like Red Dot were $45/lb and primers were all $100+ per thousand. Of course in another year, these prices will probably seem cheap. I didn't buy any reloading components as I'm well stocked, but I did buy some reloading equipment.

I picked up a 20GA MEC Super Sizer for $30. These are a high end shot shell resizer and retail for around $200. I found a Hornady vibratory tumbler for $20, that usually retails for around $175. I didn't really need either of these items, but the bargain hunter in me wouldn't let me pass them up! I may flip them or trade for something else.

Another deal I found was a Llama 9mm pistol for $150! It was cheap for two reasons; it's finish was on the rough side and it was missing its magazine. Still, it passed its function checks and when I got it home I fired a single round through it and it worked fine. In any case, it was a steal for $150. If/when I find a mag for it, it will instantly become a $350 truck gun.

I should mention that the aforementioned deals were found on private seller's tables and I saw no bargains at all on any of the FFL dealers' tables. Another thing worth mentioning is something I've explained in these pages previously: Do not be afraid to bargain! I'll use my above-mentioned purchases as examples. The MEC Super Sizer had a tag on it for $100. The seller had scratched through that price and reduced it to $50. I bargained with the seller and got him to reduce it to my $30 buying price. The Hornady tumbler was listed at $75 and I bargained hard with the guy to get it for $20. The Llama seller wanted $200 for his gun and I - with great difficulty, including myself starting to walk away at one point - managed to pick it up for $150.

Do not be afraid to haggle. If you get good at it, you'll eventually come to see it as something of a sport and begin to enjoy it. Do not be rude or insulting with any sellers! Be pleasant, friendly and engage in chit chat, but be very firm with your cash. Also, learn to have a sense about people generally and the sellers particularly. In the case of the tumbler seller(s), they were a younger couple who appeared to be in their thirties. The only things they had on their table were shotgun-related items and I had the sense that they were somewhat desperate for cash. Remember that the vendors have to recoup the cost of their table rental, so they are often motivated to bargain. If you see a private seller with only a few items on their table, they may be more desperate to sell than a person with one or more tables full of items.

In closing I'll add that I didn't see any vendors offering precious metals. That's unusual, but I suspect that those dealers who deal in PMs saw the great price action on Friday and decided to hold their stock to see what happened on Monday.

Best
Doc

 

[zealotbat]

I only go to gun shows to hold and scope in person the guns i am interested in. When I see something, I like...I buy online. And ammo is always cheaper online. I find most that buy at shows are new...and or would rather just get it there because they have the money and its not an issue.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

I only go to gun shows to hold and scope in person the guns i am interested in. When I see something, I like...I buy online. And ammo is always cheaper online. I find most that buy at shows are new...and or would rather just get it there because they have the money and its not an issue.

Convenience is a factor too, I'd say. They can run all the stupid government background checks right there, you can pay and walk out with your new smokepole. Ordering online, you've got to have a gun shop who'll handle the shipments and all of that.

 

[ComCamGuy]

The private sales of older models is the only reason we go to the shows. Found some interesting things here and there, like a real FN Hi-Power for 300 that the guy swore was a fake (it wasn't), a little Colt Mustang that had been completely reworked by a real Wizard of a smith for these little guns (Scott McDougall) for less than the cost of a new base model one, back before the 380s took off in price, knives from small makers that most haven't heard of at the show, and some firearms that just arn't make like that any more, or would be too expensive for me to replicate and justify, like the bull-barrel Palma in 30.06 complete with beautiful micrometer sights for 1200 that I just didn't have the free cash laying around to liberate it.

Wife ended up with a beautiful 1911 Colt 38 Special mid-range target gun for Christmas one year when I found it at a show for 1000 if I remember correctly.

I usually go on Sundays. People will usually give me a better deal rather than packing it up and taking it back home. Sometimes it's about making enough to pay for their table for the weekend when the shows have been too slow.

 

[stop tyranny]

If you want a gun show report that has real world implications you need to know 1. What is actually selling? 2. How much are those items actually selling for? 3. What if anything are attendees bringing in to sell? 4. What are their firearms selling for? 5. And are the attendees and vendors talking about upcoming events.

 

[Reasonable Rascal]

We do what we can. I work the shows so can sometimes take a decent tour and get prices, what is selling, what people are talking about, how much things are being asked of, etc. But as I said, I work. I have my own business to conduct, so my ability to get a really good feel for the arms and ammo vendors can be variable. Some will talk to me freely, others not so much. As it was it took time for them to ghet used to me recording prices, because they were afraid I might be trying to snipe them. Not unless they are selling suture and scalpels.

We have shows the next two week-ends, a week off, then one more before a month's break unless something comes our way. We are looking at shows in Nevada and California this summer but it is too early tell if that will work out. But if we can I'll do my best ti fill your request.

RR

 

[Blacknarwhal]

We do what we can. I work the shows so can sometimes take a decent tour and get prices, what is selling, what people are talking about, how much things are being asked of, etc. But as I said, I work. I have my own business to conduct, so my ability to get a really good feel for the arms and ammo vendors can be variable. Some will talk to me freely, others not so much. As it was it took time for them to ghet used to me recording prices, because they were afraid I might be trying to snipe them. Not unless they are selling suture and scalpels.

We have shows the next two week-ends, a week off, then one more before a month's break unless something comes our way. We are looking at shows in Nevada and California this summer but it is too early tell if that will work out. But if we can I'll do my best ti fill your request.

RR

I only recently got to the point where it seemed like a good idea to take pictures. OPSEC runs deep in these things.