Have you ever been to a meager gun show?

[NinnJinn]

or shall I say an EXTREMELY meager gun show?

My Uncle and I went to the Bedford gun show today. WOW!! it wasn't even worth the $5 we each paid to get in!!!

There was 15 or 16 vendors there. One vendor had what I call his private collection maybe? a 1911 dated in 1913 for $10,000 a couple S&W 6in 357mag ranging from $900-1700.

One vendor was doing Arizona t-shirts and stickers only. Another was doing custom vinyl window clings only.

Shotguns galore, geez I have never seen so many shotguns!!!! one vendor had Wolf .223 for $5/20rd box Another vendor had a couple boxes of Hydro shock ammo.

One vendor had 1 parts kit for ar15, the rest of the place was filled with shot guns, over priced .22 rifles. cheapest I saw was a ak47 in a .22 for $450 even the ruger .22's I saw were running around $449

No other ammo, or reloading equipment, which is why we went, wanted to get 40sw dies, powder, primers and a 10mm mold. There were several vendors selling hand guns as well, however, I could save at least $35+ by driving an extra 2-3miles and going to Cosner's gun shop. $485 for an SR9C, $470 for a used and dirty SR40



One vendor my Uncle spoke to said he hadn't seen very many sales at all from the entire place the whole day the food stand was the only thing making money that he could see, And was really tempted to just pack up and go home.

I will definitely put this gun show on my list of gun shows NOT to go to...

 

[superjoe76]

Sounds pretty boring! Sucks when that happens.

 

[mkelsey]

It was a pretty lame show but you can only expect so much from the Lawrence county fairgrounds. Went with my Dad and we wondered around for about an hour, that was more then enough time to look at everything twice and a couple tables a third time.

 

[NinnJinn]

It was a pretty lame show but you can only expect so much from the Lawrence county fairgrounds. Went with my Dad and we wondered around for about an hour, that was more then enough time to look at everything twice and a couple tables a third time.

We pretty much did the same thing!!!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Yeah, I went to a hamfest down there one time. Looked like a lot of it was people selling the parts they had from taking apart old TVs. Too much of a drive for that.

 

[casper975]

I went to one when I lived in florida it was $5 to get in and it was the size of a walgreens

 

[Suprtek]

Wow, that's pretty sad. We probably have lots of members who could put on a better show just by opening their safes.

 

[! twitty]

Yeah, we have went to one in Anderson at teh national guard armory that is easily as bad, if not worse.

 

[snapping turtle]

I go to them anyway. Heck 5 dollars.

That armory show in Anderson netted me a nice savage 24 that walked in the door for 200.

 

[littletommy]

My experience at the last few gun shows I went to were, well, my LAST experiences at gun shows. I have been to a few that were really small, like you said, but I just find myself feeling insulted walking around looking at stuff I could buy locally or on the internet for half of what these vendors are asking. It's just not worth it to me anymore. Yeah I know, you can find some good deals, but I can do that cruising the LGS and looking on the web.

 

[Constructionist]

When I lived in the PRB I'd drive to the Indy 1500 shows all the time. That spoiled me. As happy as I am to be in Evansville now, the show at the armory here was disappointing in size and scope. Having said that, it was still fun to browse. I saw some interesting things, but as was mentioned before, the smaller shows have guns and some ammo. All the supplies, gear, kit, etc. is sorely lacking and conspicuously absent.

No matter what though, gun show food is always wonderfully greasy, unhealthy, and completely delicious.

 

[jeremy]

I have been to far more mediocre shows than any other type...

 

[Spanky46151]

Sounds like it might be the same promoter who does them at the Martinsville Armory...**yawn**

 

[Titanium Man]

The one at the Holt Road National Guard Armory in Indy is really disappointing, so I learned my lesson on "little" gun shows.

 

[Constructionist]

Even though I complained about the little shows earlier, I'll always check them out no matter how small. You never know when you will stumble upon a great private purchase.

 

[Bshaw]

Gun Shows

I went to a show in Northern Ind. a few years back and I swear I have more guns than they had at the show.
2 tables of Beanie Babies one old guy selling rusted tools and a chinese guy selling nylon holsters. I never went back.

 

[Fullmag]

The one in Tipton is a good one and those guys turned the Muncie gun show around. Even the 1500 is a crap shoot at $20+ entry fee.

 

[billybob44]

We did our own..

Wow, that's pretty sad. We probably have lots of members who could put on a better show just by opening their safes.

More or less what we did at RedNeckMedic's last Sat.
It was a good time+ONLY $3.00 door fee=to cover the "Porter Pottie"!
Yes that's the right term for rest room--ask RedNeckMedic..Bill.

 

[Leo]

I think the problem is just plain too many promoters and too many shows. Also, no one denys that there just is not a lot of loose cash in the pockets of most of the attendees. In Indiana there are 3 or 4 shows every month within driving distance. That really spreads the cash thin. Many people just kind of go for a cheap event, looking around and meeting friends. The promoters get their money from the vendors up front, I don't know if they make any money, maybe one will chime in. The cost of setting up at a gun show is getting crazy. That has to be absorbed some how. Now add these factors up, thin crowds, thin wallets, high expenses. By the time that totals, it is a pretty hard game for a vendor to play. Vendors that cannot pay the expenses, and maybe eek out a little money for their time, cannot keep coming back. That makes higher prices which the customers will not/cannot pay and less variety. I predict that 10 years from now we'll look back at 2011 as "the good old days" when there were lots of gun shows" and brag to out kids how cheap everything was in the "good old days"

 

[r6vr6]

Gun shows are pretty lame to me in general now. Pay to get in\ park, mostly junky old shotguns, overpriced decent guns, many rude pushy attendees. I don't ever plan on attending one again. I can get the odds in ends stuff online and I have 2 of the best guns stores within 15 min of my home maybe I'm just spoiled by them.