Fairgrounds Show this Weekend

[woodsy85]

The local gun shows are a joke and getting worse. They are full of retailers selling at their normal shop prices or some guy wanting to sharpen your knife or sell you beef jerky. I have found that the only good shows are Birmingham, Tulsa, Reno, or Louisville.

This past weekend I was in Orlando and was leaving the area on Saturday. There was a gun show on the way to the turnpike so I decided to check it out. I read the reviews and people was dog cussing it for all sorts of reasons. Nonetheless I stopped in.

First off the fee was $15. The GF was with me and because the area was VERY sketchy I paid for her to also go in (she wanted to stay in the car), First mistake! Second, This show will not allow any private sellers! All sales must go through an FFL. I have an 01 FFL so no biggie for me. HOWEVER, due to their policy there were ZERO private sellers! Meaning everything was retail, overpriced and wall to wall AR15 and Glocks with a large assortment of other plastic fantastic guns. The show flyers also said only guns and gun related stuff but of course there was jewelry, paintings, beef jerky and toys. If I lived down there I would start my own gun show and only allow private sellers selling or enhancing their collection. Maybe I should do that here....hmmmm

Oh, and on the same note the "show promoter" had his own section of wares as large as the FWB gun show. So, it made sense that he wanted to limit competition from people selling Glocks $100 less than his new shit. I have grown up on gun shows from the early 80's on, I hate to see this being the future trend. I was living the good ole days and didn't even know it.

That was a Florida Gun Shows show AKA shoot straight sports. Google the owner and his policies, vendors exclusivity agreement, can’t do any other shows but his. Pretty much “employees” Guy has a bad wrap.


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[FNHman]

Not to bash all the guys complaining about the shows but..... I lived through the late 80's early 90's gun shows and dont remember them being the holy grail hay days of shows with rock bottom prices that blew your mind. What I do remember is I was making $4 an hour and I believe the show price was more than that. I remember a case of AK ammo was only $79 but that was 20x's my wage. I remember $250 AK47's that were 62.5x's my wage and SKS at $89 which was 22x's my wage.

The way I see things is the prices are WAY lower than they have ever been for me now.

Even if its $20 more than retail, its still cheaper for me now than I use to pay!

There I said it. Maybe you guys need a raise at work or stop buying beer and smokes so you got some money?

 

[chip5244]

Over time all prices are relative...wages/earnings go up, prices go up. Bread, Milk, Gas, Rent..inflation. But over time the quality and workmanship goes down. A Colt python back in the 80's was $500, but hand fitted. A Python now is $1200 but mostly machine made and fitted. I could have bought one then and I certainly could buy a dozed now, but the quality is not the same. Also, a show 30 years ago was full of your choice of Military WWII and some WWI weapons. Nowadays a show is full of newly made, polymer injected, machine made crap. Its all about profits over craftsmanship. I'm painting with a big brush, I know there are exceptions. In my previous post I was never complaining about prices, I was bitching about the direction of the local shows...Away from individuals selling collections or trading to upgrade their collection and more about "brick and mortar" stores just basically opening their doors at a gun show instead of at their regular retail establishment. But if your looking for a glock or a "I shoot looters sign" then today's gun shows are just want you're looking for.

 

[Bodhi]

There I said it. Maybe you guys need a raise at work or stop buying beer and smokes so you got some money?

You likely won't find any gubmnet stats or data that says it, but I believe there is enough nominal data out there that would support that wages, on whole, have been stagnant for at least a generation. Take the autoworkers that went on strike earlier this year....they couldn't afford the very vehicles that they were building....something to think about. (rant off)

 

[woodsy85]

You likely won't find any gubmnet stats or data that says it, but I believe there is enough nominal data out there that would support that wages, on whole, have been stagnant for at least a generation. Take the autoworkers that went on strike earlier this year....they couldn't afford the very vehicles that they were building....something to think about. (rant off)

Yeah, I make almost double my hourly wage that I started at over a decade ago, but I’m just as strapped and not much better off than I was then. Cost of living expenses has more than doubled since then.


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[Raven]

Yeah, I make almost double my hourly wage that I started at over a decade ago, but I’m just as strapped and not much better off than I was then. Cost of living expenses has more than doubled since then.


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I literally make double what I did beginning of last year. You need to upgrade to a new job. Hit up Indeed. Move from the country to the beach where there's more money. That's what I did

 

[woodsy85]

I literally make double what I did beginning of last year. You need to upgrade to a new job. Hit up Indeed. Move from the country to the beach where there's more money. That's what I did

lol I’m a union railroader, I ain’t going anywhere. I said no better off, but I’m still pretty well off, considering. Benefits can’t be beat and full retirement at 60 unlike social insecurity that would have me work till I die.

Any of us on here that has the extra $ to buy guns and ammo and other fun stuff are doing a lot better than many.


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[Bodhi]

I've got 2 still in college. The cost goes up every year. Every. Year.

 

[chip5244]

Any of us on here that has the extra $ to buy guns and ammo and other fun stuff are doing a lot better than many

That is a very true statement..."gun people" are not your average joe living paycheck to paycheck. We (98% of us anyway) know the govt. is always out to screw us either thru inflation (basically a hidden tax) or thru direct taxation. We know that putting money into guns will usually pay off in the long run. Guns are a savings account that we have direct control over and no bank closure or law will take them away, Except a boating accident

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

I like going. I spend several hours looking and digging. Always seem to find something at a decent price. Gotta dig and look, talk to em.

 

[tros6t]

Not to bash all the guys complaining about the shows but..... I lived through the late 80's early 90's gun shows and dont remember them being the holy grail hay days of shows with rock bottom prices that blew your mind. What I do remember is I was making $4 an hour and I believe the show price was more than that. I remember a case of AK ammo was only $79 but that was 20x's my wage. I remember $250 AK47's that were 62.5x's my wage and SKS at $89 which was 22x's my wage.

The way I see things is the prices are WAY lower than they have ever been for me now.

Even if its $20 more than retail, its still cheaper for me now than I use to pay!

There I said it. Maybe you guys need a raise at work or stop buying beer and smokes so you got some money?

Sort of correct, however 3 years ago I was making about 25% less, income increased for not the usually reasons, and most every thing was considerable cheaper. So now,’I basically have the same buying power but unfortunately for most, this isn’t the case! People that were barely making it aren’t! People that were doing OK, are barely making it! Many are living off credit cards! Inflation is a way to tax people without them really knowing! It’s not a new gov scam!

 

[fl57caveman]

shadowstats.com
for the real rate of inflation

 

[Bodhi]

I like going. I spend several hours looking and digging. Always seem to find something at a decent price. Gotta dig and look, talk to em.

Today's shows are still worth the trip....I find most of the deals I am interested in are just walking around (ie, private contractual sales). I often just want to set up a table, have some coffee and free sandwiches and see what walks by...but the powers in charge won't allow me to serve such horsdoeurvres.

Most vendors are pushing stuff that doesn't interest me (I'm older and set in my ways), but I like to see what deals I can find buried in the smaller tucked away tables that most people pass by.

 

[RidgeRunner]

Not to bash all the guys complaining about the shows but..... I lived through the late 80's early 90's gun shows and dont remember them being the holy grail hay days of shows with rock bottom prices that blew your mind. What I do remember is I was making $4 an hour and I believe the show price was more than that. I remember a case of AK ammo was only $79 but that was 20x's my wage. I remember $250 AK47's that were 62.5x's my wage and SKS at $89 which was 22x's my wage.

The way I see things is the prices are WAY lower than they have ever been for me now.

Even if its $20 more than retail, its still cheaper for me now than I use to pay!

There I said it. Maybe you guys need a raise at work or stop buying beer and smokes so you got some money?

You are correct in my opinion say the same thing every time I hear
"Back in the day this only cost that."" How much did you make way back then 2.50 an hour?

 

[big jon]

Today's shows are still worth the trip....I find most of the deals I am interested in are just walking around (ie, private contractual sales). I often just want to set up a table, have some coffee and free sandwiches and see what walks by...but the powers in charge won't allow me to serve such horsdoeurvres.

Most vendors are pushing stuff that doesn't interest me (I'm older and set in my ways), but I like to see what deals I can find buried in the smaller tucked away tables that most people pass by.

not if i find em first lol

 

[Bamaboy19]

My job has prevented me from attending a show in like 10 years. I would usually rent a table, lay out my collection with (I really don't want to sell it prices, but if you're willing to pay it, I'd let it go) usually did trades with other vendors, and I always have boxes of parts.
I did like buying my reloading powder/primers because I didn't have to pay hazmat shipping. Have they gone crazy on those prices as well??

 

[big jon]

My job has prevented me from attending a show in like 10 years. I would usually rent a table, lay out my collection with (I really don't want to sell it prices, but if you're willing to pay it, I'd let it go) usually did trades with other vendors, and I always have boxes of parts.
I did like buying my reloading powder/primers because I didn't have to pay hazmat shipping. Have they gone crazy on those prices as well??

look up the usa gun shows show in march get you a table they are 65.00 with early reservations see you there

 

[Bamaboy19]

look up the usa gun shows show in march get you a table they are 65.00 with early reservations see you there

I'd love to, I work every weekend, not worth it for me to lose my pay.