Posted: 8/31/2009 6:59:07 AM EDT
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I was thinking of heading to my 1st gun show this weekend. What should I expect? Can i expect good deals on ammo or AR's or is it hit and miss?
Sep 4-6 Allentown, Days Inn Conference Center 250 Tables Eagle Arms 610-398-2650 |
I'm going to say skip it and go to the valley forge show , your more likely to find what your looking for there . On the other hand if your close by check out , the smaller show won't be such and overload on your senses .  Then go to VF and compare the two . Good luck and have fun .
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^^ Agree, VF would be a much better option. I think there is also a MAAC show at the Farm Complex in Harrisburg this month so if you're closer to HBG then go there; it's slightly bigger than VF and you'll pay for parking but still a worthwhile show.
Edit: as for whether you will find good deals on ammo, I'd say hit or miss. It has been a while since "good deals" have been found in ammo. As for ARs, I think things are slowing down from the panic so you can find some good buys if you look for them. |
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First show huh. I remember my first show. It was in a hotel in the Poconos about 28yrs ago. I was very overwhelmed because of everything I had never seen before. That is where I fell in love with Ruger 10/22's. I have 15 of them now all in different configurations including one full auto.
Advice: cash is king so bring cash and don't be afraid to make a reasonable offer on anything that you see for sale. Bring something to write with and mark down the prices and table locations of what you just can't live without before you buy. You will get the best price that way. If you find something that you have been looking for forever and it is priced right, just buy it and never look back. Have fun! |
| Might as well go to both. Like others have said, it won't be the largest show, but I tend to go to the small shows, if for nothing else its a good way to spend a sat or sunday. Might see something I can't live with out that I didn't even know I wanted. Cash is king. Alot of dealers don't take CC. Good luck, and have fun. |
| If you want a Garand, buy one through the CMP instead. You can buy Garands at gunshows but most of them are former CMP guns anyway and you'll pay a big markup. There are quite a few CMP affiliated clubs in PA (I belong to one, the Atglen Sportsmen's Association) so you have a lot of options. |
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I went today, and it was IMHO HORRIBLE.
This was my first gun show and i arrived 5 minutes after it started, i looked at everything, and there were only two things i thought were actually good deals. A taurus M92FS 9mm used, but in VERY good condition for $270, and 5.56 blanks which i bought 3/4 boxes for $10 total for the three. Also windowed P mags and lancer L5's for $15 a piece. Everything else was rediculous. Dont get me wrong the AR pices were on par with standard prices, and tere were some XDM's for $570, but go on gunbroker and you can get better deals. The reason i say it was horrible was because there are small gun stores around me that have much better prices. Here are a couple rediculous things. MBUS rear sight $90 20rd XM856 $20 Beat to shit M1 carbines $800+ Beat to shit M44's $200+ SKS's in "ok" condition $300+ Prvi Partizan .380 and .32 ammo $25 for 50rds I could sit here all day and name horrid prices. Yes i asked them to go lower on the MBUS and $70 was as low as i could get him to go. Also i thought at gun shows you just give them cash and buy a gun, every stand there needed you to go through the EXACT same process as a gun store |
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Also i thought at gun shows you just give them cash and buy a gun, every stand there needed you to go through the EXACT same process as a gun store Why would you think that? I saw a 60 minutes story, where they gave a guy $5000 and he went and bought 15+ guns without any ID or anything. |
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Also i thought at gun shows you just give them cash and buy a gun, every stand there needed you to go through the EXACT same process as a gun store Why would you think that? I saw a 60 minutes story, where they gave a guy $5000 and he went and bought 15+ guns without any ID or anything. Ah hah....the gunshow loophole....sorry, we don't have that in PA |
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Also i thought at gun shows you just give them cash and buy a gun, every stand there needed you to go through the EXACT same process as a gun store Why would you think that? I saw a 60 minutes story, where they gave a guy $5000 and he went and bought 15+ guns without any ID or anything. Ah hah....the gunshow loophole....sorry, we don't have that in PA Unless your are dealing with non-FFL holders and long guns. 39 |
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I hit the Allentown show last month I think or month before and I was loving it. I really wasn't looking to buy (low $$), but the amount of old collectable stuff was astounding. As far as AR stuff it was ridiculous as far as pricing for some stuff went like mags and AR's because the vendors know many Jerseyans are coming over the bridge to shop.
As far as my first gun show exp went I had a blast. One vendor had a box of misc junk. I walked out with an old (1960's era) SUN Tachometer in great cond for $5. |
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I hit the Days Inn A-town show a bunch of years ago and was sorry I wasted the gas to drive up there.
You can see the whole show in about 10 minutes... most of which is old antique crap. For a 1st gun show, I highly recommend the Harrisburg or Valley Forge shows. Those are the two best shows in the state... pretty much any time of year they have them. The York Fairgrounds show is pretty decent too. I hit that one last Summer and dumped a grand or two in less than an hour. Stay away from the shows at the NG Armory... the crowd it attracts is just a bunch of ghetto thugs from Philly, sprinkled with a few out of towners that didn't know any better. The Leesport shows are a waste of time too... very small and poor selection. Back in the day, Fort Washington had some nice shows. I haven't been to any of the Reading / Sovereign Center shows yet, but hope to hit one next time they are in town. Unfortunately I've been out of town the last couple times they were here. |