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Posted: 11/9/2012 9:09:29 PM EDT
| Going shopping for a build tomorrow and was wondering should i expect the same prices i am seeing online or should i try to haggle and get a little bit of a better deal (GOING TO ANYWAY) or are they about equal to what you can find online surfing around? I know that i wouldn't be paying shipping and FFL fees are excluded for me because my pops friend has a license and wouldn't charge a fee. Any input appreciated thanks guys |
| You should haggle with them unless they are selling them like hot cakes at the marked prices. If something is just sitting their for a while I go back and offer them something reasonable and they usually jump at it. I bought an older semi rifle that was marked 600, I got it 500 out the door tax and everything. Not a huge deal but a deal non the less and a penny saved is a penny earned. |
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Ok, well I'm still annoyed with another post I just read so let me vent please. Sorry.
There is no way to tell what you will find price wise at the gun show, so no one can really give you advice that would really be helpful. Now, around here the guys that sells stripped AR parts charge roughly the same price if not a little more that what I can get from Brownells with my account. That is of course after I do a quick search to see if it is anywhere else cheaper. I would say that for the most part, around here, guys don't like haggling, the price is the price. Unless it is something that is already built and just trying to get rid of, that is a different story. Now of course, if you've dealt with online places before and know their usual average shipping charges you could possibly know where you can and can't save a few bucks. For me, I know the average shipping from the main places I order from so it's easier at shows. FFL fees only occur when having a receiver shipped to the dealer to transfer to you, if they already have it and you buy it straight from them, no transfer fees. |
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But now I will give you a nice piece of advice.
Make a list of the things you are specifically looking for, find prices from a couple online sources, if possible find shipping quote while there. ETA: Doing this will let you know if the person is asking way too much, just the right amount to by it online instead, or cheap enough to buy it from them. After making that list, look at the items you're wanting and make notes to where you are open to possible changes. Doing this has saved me almost an entire paycheck at one gun show because I was seeing all kinds of items I would have really liked, but was there only for the things I needed and not wanted. Kinda like grocery shopping, you make a list, stick to that list and avoid the places not marked on that list (for me it's the sporting goods and electronics sections in Walmart  )
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Quoted:
Ok, well I'm still annoyed with another post I just read so let me vent please. Sorry. There is no way to tell what you will find price wise at the gun show, What kind of venting was that was weak J/K Guess I'll just have to see when I get there ,and the dude i know with the ffl isn't really a dealer he's actually a pharmacist that has his FFL license on the side so he doesn't really have any extra lowers or completes laying around around for sell. And I deff going there with a list thanks for your input, but with my luck I'll start to compare prices and i wont get an internet signal or my battery will be dead.
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I decided to keep it low profile .
On the fees, I meant from like dealers at the show or going around local shops that possibly sells AR receivers (UNLIKE AROUND HERE, UGHH). I am lucky enough though to be within 20 miles of a pawn shop that doesn't charge to do firearms transfers. |
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Quoted:
what kind of fees will the dealers charge? Oh, none if you're buying a receiver they already have. I should have added when getting it shipped to them when buying it online. It is obviously showing that my ass should be in bed instead on here. ETA: Medal of Honor Warfighter probably isn't helping the situation either. |
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Couple things I noticed at the last 2 gun shows I went to - Internet and EE prices are just as good - don't go expecting to find a lot of the quality brand stuff you see around here. Aside from Magpul (as trendy as Hello Kitty in Japan) I mostly see cheap no name shit. This is especially true with optics. Almost all NCStar. It's as if they all buy crap buy the pallet load figuring most people going to shows don't know or do their homework. - bring cash. Most will charge extra for credit card if they even take it. - most of the nylon stuff (packs, rigs, etc) is also mostly non-name trash. - if the local NIC system goes down you're not buying a gun - bring a small foldable 2-wheel cart for dragging bulk ammo - been seeing a ton of HK and S&W .22LR AR rifles. It's annoying as hell. - I see a lot of LWRCs on the tables. - AR 30rnd mags are pretty well priced these days. - good place to check out a type of rifle you're eyeing. I went to one 100% committed to the idea of a FN FS2000. Handled it and didn't feel as good. Then removed the mag and realized I didn't like it. If you're high on the IDE of something because of pictures it might be a good place to test drive something.
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| I think the best part of buying gun show items is you get to actually see & handle what you are buying. Example, I bought a DTI lower for half price because it was a blem.I looked through several boxes and found one that didn't have a mark on it. The guy then sold me a GMMC LPK for 10% off to go with it. Saved myself about $100 for a $5 admission. |
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Quoted:
Couple things I noticed at the last 2 gun shows I went to - Internet and EE prices are just as good - don't go expecting to find a lot of the quality brand stuff you see around here. Aside from Magpul (as trendy as Hello Kitty in Japan) I mostly see cheap no name shit. This is especially true with optics. Almost all NCStar. It's as if they all buy crap buy the pallet load figuring most people going to shows don't know or do their homework. - bring cash. Most will charge extra for credit card if they even take it. - most of the nylon stuff (packs, rigs, etc) is also mostly non-name trash. - if the local NIC system goes down you're not buying a gun - bring a small foldable 2-wheel cart for dragging bulk ammo - been seeing a ton of HK and S&W .22LR AR rifles. It's annoying as hell. - I see a lot of LWRCs on the tables. - AR 30rnd mags are pretty well priced these days. - good place to check out a type of rifle you're eyeing. I went to one 100% committed to the idea of a FN FS2000. Handled it and didn't feel as good. Then removed the mag and realized I didn't like it. If you're high on the IDE of something because of pictures it might be a good place to test drive something. This is a very good point. I had the opportunity to get my hands on a Keltec KSG at a show and it changed my mind, at least for now, on getting one. Also had hands on with a few other guns I was interested in to confirm if they fit me and my needs. |
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You'll find no good deals at a gun show this close to post election. You'll be guaranteed to find inflated price gouging directed at the scared to death sheeple.
Most gun shows lately are Chinese knockoffs, Nazi paraphanalia, and over priced ammo with the added aroma of stale basement and cat piss thrown in. If your experienced with an AR or other guns finding a deal will be next to impossible. Buy online from the numerous ARFCOM Industry Partners. 
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Quoted: This is a very good point. I had the opportunity to get my hands on a Keltec KSG at a show and it changed my mind, at least for now, on getting one. Also had hands on with a few other guns I was interested in to confirm if they fit me and my needs. Did that with the KSG too. But I liked it. Didn't have a lot of fondle time but liked the feel of it. |
| I absolutely hate gun shows. Been to ones in Virginia and Colorado and they all suck. There are more vendors selling toys/jerky/t-shirts/50 year old mil surplus/shit they found in their local k-marts dumpster than there are quality firearms vendors....anyway I digress. I find the majority of the time the vendors are not willing to deal and the parts selection (for ARs at least) is slim and over priced. Do yourself a favor, save gas, time, and the entrance fee and buy online. /rant |
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Quoted:
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This is a very good point. I had the opportunity to get my hands on a Keltec KSG at a show and it changed my mind, at least for now, on getting one. Also had hands on with a few other guns I was interested in to confirm if they fit me and my needs. Did that with the KSG too. But I liked it. Didn't have a lot of fondle time but liked the feel of it. I think the main reason I didn't like it at the time was because the guy selling it was kinda like staring me down and made me uncomfortable as if I was gonna take off with it or drop it. I'm sure if I had another chance and a few minutes to mess around with it uninterrupted I'd like it more. I do definitely like it due to length and shell capacity, current selling prices not so much. |
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Quoted: I think the main reason I didn't like it at the time was because the guy selling it was kinda like staring me down and made me uncomfortable as if I was gonna take off with it or drop it. I'm sure if I had another chance and a few minutes to mess around with it uninterrupted I'd like it more. I do definitely like it due to length and shell capacity, current selling prices not so much. I liked the weight and definitely capacity. Heard its a bitch to load and The toque from using a VFG to rack it has cause it to break.
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Buying reloads at a gun show is a ticking time bomb. You know absolutely nothing about the competence of the reloader and what he's actually putting in that brass case that explodes
just inches from your face.Saving pennies per round in this way is not only foolish but can be outright dangerous. No way, no thanks!!! I'd rather take my chances with the homemade beef jerky. |
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+1
I only buy ammo from known manufacturers, period. In addition to the safety issue, they're probably crap. The last time I bought a bag of reloads was over twenty years ago. I couldn't hit a 2'x2' piece of cardboard from 15 yards. At 10 yards I managed to get a few hits and every round was key holing. Total waste of money. All they did was confirm my Beretta would cycle almost anything. |
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