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Are Gun Shows worth your time?

PieterCoetzee said:
The internet ruined the gun industry. Shotgun News was bad enough; but on line sales cut the bottom out of local shops. It used to be back in the day that dealers would throw in a box of ammo or a cleaning kit because they could build in the profit. So today you might seem like your getting your gun cheaper; but at what cost long term. Gunshows were where dealers could drop prices on the stuff not seling fast in their shop but not anymore
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It's ruined so much more as well. Look what Amazon has done to brick and mortar stores. And finding a "good deal" on just about anything is obsolete, when the seller can look at its value on a phone or laptop in a heartbeat. It's obvious when the object you see in a private sale matches the value found on the internet most every time.
 
Buying guns on the internet, which I've been doing excessively lately, leaves out the interaction with a face to face dealer that could advise me. I'm not a gunsmith, I just load'em and shoot'em and sometimes clean'em. My guns have to be shipped to an FFL, I use a pawnshop dealer because he is knowledgeable and she is hot!

When I go in to pick up my order, I make a point of buying something else, usually under $50.00 and pay the $20 fee (which they waive sometimes).
 
Funny...people crowding one another to view new guns like King Tut was under the glass.
I've seen one very cool large display of WW2 German rifles and pistols, including machineguns. I was careful not to drool on them.
 
Another thing about the interweb...it has added money to the hobby. Just like cars and vintage motorcycles, before the internet, stuff for classics ( ) fill in the blank, cars guns, motorcycles, everything else in the world, was very time intensive. Had to go to shows to find what you are looking for or knowledge by seeking out others that shared your interests. Now you don't have to spend every weekend going to a gunshow to build your collection, just sit at the computer and hit "Buy it now". Guys that have more money than free time drove all the prices up for everybody. So now everybody just sits at home and looks at a screen. Sad. I limit my screen time. I spend a lot of it at this forum! But life is too short to just sit inside with a computer. Get outside. Go shooting or riding with your buddies. They, or you, will be gone before you know it!
 
Grayfox said:
Gun shows sure ain't what they used to be. Now its mostly a sea of plastic pistols and ARs. I'm much more interested in blue steel and nice wood. Most of the time all I buy is a Dr. Pepper. :rolleyes:
I do go to most of them in the area. It gets me out of the house for a while and you do get to keep up with the latest models and trends. Maybe run into an old friend you haven't seen in a while.
But every once in a while you just might run into that rare gem that you want to add to your collection. Hope springs eternal. ;)
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Amen. Your post reminded me the coffee seems to be getting worse but lunch is $5 for a bbq sandwich and bag of chips and ice-cold Dr Pepper - ain’t too bad!

Although last gun show had a dang food truck out front that wasn’t cheap.
 
Ozarker said:
Buying guns on the internet, which I've been doing excessively lately, leaves out the interaction with a face to face dealer that could advise me. I'm not a gunsmith, I just load'em and shoot'em and sometimes clean'em. My guns have to be shipped to an FFL, I use a pawnshop dealer because he is knowledgeable and she is hot!

When I go in to pick up my order, I make a point of buying something else, usually under $50.00 and pay the $20 fee (which they waive sometimes).
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Nice. My FFL charges $40! WIth the amount of guns I've purchased on the net lately, you'd think he'd give me a discount.
 
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