Posted: 9/21/2014 6:41:57 PM EDT
| How was the Columbia gun show this weekend ? |
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About the same as when I last went earlier this year. No big deals that I saw, although i was pleased to see some new vendors. Picked up a couple of ammo cans, and a plastic Plano box for $6.
At least rkshows.com now has a $2 off coupon to soften the blow of the entry. Sometimes I get the feeling people are there to fondle stuff, then go home and buy it $70 cheaper online. Easier window shopping compared to other gun stores. It's a nice location, but the lack of air movement makes the place stuffy - and this was by 11am... |
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I went Sunday morning. Complete waste of time and gasoline. I didn't go, and I haven't been to a lot of shows, but I was just curious as to what made it a waste. Not enough stuff? Too expensive? Too crowded (and stuffy)? And I'm wondering if gun shows in general are getting this kind of response, or maybe ones like the KCI show a few months ago was thought of as better. When I get to go, I usually am just a browser. My budget never corresponds to when a show is, so I'll sometimes just go and look at cool stuff and wish I had a pocket full of cash. I usually come away pretty indifferent and figure that it was a chance to get out of the house (but I usually wish I went to the range with what I already have instead  ).
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I didn't go, and I haven't been to a lot of shows, but I was just curious as to what made it a waste. Not enough stuff? Too expensive? Too crowded (and stuffy)? . . . Quoted:
Quoted:
I went Sunday morning. Complete waste of time and gasoline. I didn't go, and I haven't been to a lot of shows, but I was just curious as to what made it a waste. Not enough stuff? Too expensive? Too crowded (and stuffy)? . . . Well, I'm an FFL so I had no interest in anything NIB that I can buy so that eliminates about half the tables. If it had new stuff I just kept walking. I also wasn't interested in wristbands that give you super human strength, camo clothing, military surplus crap, knives, or any other non-gun product. That eliminated another bunch of tables. When I go to a gun show, I'm looking for interesting used guns of quality and/or distinction . . . read: Fudd guns . . . I want blued steel and wood. I can't say I saw anything that was truly interesting. What I did see was a bunch of overpriced (ridiculously overpriced in many cases) rifles, used handguns tagged higher than new and very few shotguns. My primary interest is shotguns and there just wasn't anything there. Come on fellas, in what universe is a fixed choke Remington 1100 worth $700? Do these guys seriously think anyone is going to pay them $1,000 for a 26" barrel SKB 500 over/under (again fixed choke)? That's a gun you buy on Gunbroker for $600 any day of the week. I mean we're talking just stupid prices . . . kicked in the head by a horse prices . . . So, your mileage may vary, but you can buy new handguns anywhere. AR-15s are so 2013. Where are the guns? I mean the real guns? They just weren't there and what few old school guns they had were way overpriced. To make matters worse, I found out later in the day that the Stover show was going on the same time. That would have been a lot better show. |
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Interesting. Thanks.
I'm not very knowledgeable overall (like most of the guys here), but I guess I would find what you were looking for more interesting as well. I like hearing the stories of older stuff with character. Ok. I'd like a new AR-15 or a Sig P226, but I don't expect a story with those. I really slow down when there's WWII stuff, like a 03 A3, or something along those lines. Even if no one knows a story, they still have one. But it also depresses me because I can't walk away with any of them... |
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I went Sunday. I saw some people I know. They made it worth going just to raz them for a bit. I am sure they will be back around Christmas and I will try one last time as there are usually more tables. If they can't do any better, I will probably stop going.
There used to be some neat stuff to look at and occasionally buy. I was sort of watching for a S&W Model 19-4 in stainless. No luck. As far as prices, for me I thought there were a couple of "ok" deals. I am not an FFL. I also passed on the super human strength bands. I mean, when I'm already Iron Man why would I need it. 
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Interesting. Thanks. I'm not very knowledgeable overall (like most of the guys here), but I guess I would find what you were looking for more interesting as well. I like hearing the stories of older stuff with character. Ok. I'd like a new AR-15 or a Sig P226, but I don't expect a story with those. I really slow down when there's WWII stuff, like a 03 A3, or something along those lines. Even if no one knows a story, they still have one. But it also depresses me because I can't walk away with any of them... HEY!! We resemble that remark! 
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I did spy an FAL type rifle that looked interesting. I didn't actually handle the gun. I just saw the tag, which said "FN FAL $999." If it really was an FN it might have been a decent buy if you could talk the guy down some. I looked for it on my second lap through but couldn't remember where it was.
Mostly I just saw wildly optimistic prices. I saw three or four Marlin 39a rifles (.22 lever action). All of them were priced $150-$200 above market and condition. I saw a stainless Mark II Target bull barrel .22 pistol priced at $600 . . . I wouldn't expect to get more than $400 for that gun in my shop. I swear a lot of these guys have no intention of selling anything. They just haul overpriced common guns from town to town because they like watching people finger fuck their collection. |
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HEY!! We resemble that remark! Quoted:
Quoted:
Interesting. Thanks. I'm not very knowledgeable overall (like most of the guys here), but I guess I would find what you were looking for more interesting as well. I like hearing the stories of older stuff with character. Ok. I'd like a new AR-15 or a Sig P226, but I don't expect a story with those. I really slow down when there's WWII stuff, like a 03 A3, or something along those lines. Even if no one knows a story, they still have one. But it also depresses me because I can't walk away with any of them... HEY!! We resemble that remark! HA! My communication skills are lacking as well. unlike most of the guys here So to try and be clear this time, I was trying to say: You guys smart. Me dumb. 
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I went for my first and likely last time on Sunday. Lots of overpriced crap, I didn't want any superhuman wrist bands for $60. I laughed at the Mosins there, they were all well over $200 and the M1 with a split handguard for $1000. I usually go for the surplus guns, of which there were some but none for anywhere near what they should be going for. Some of the milsurps I saw were sporterized and nearly double what a non-molested one costs; for me, a sporterized milsurp is instantly worth half of what an original goes for because I have to switch it back to original.
I did finally remember to look for 7.62x39 blanks for practice grenade launching goodness for my Yugo SKS, and found a box of 15 for around $8; they'll probably last me a very long time. Like some others here said, I am convinced no one actually goes to these things to sell anything. I would think they'd get tired of dragging the shit in and out and setting it up, etc....but the prices certainly don't reflect that. |
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Snip. I swear a lot of these guys have no intention of selling anything. They just haul overpriced common guns from town to town because they like watching people finger fuck their collection. This same thought has crossed my mind. I just can't understand why anyone would bother packing their shit up and setting up a table time after time? I guess maybe they just have nothing better to do and are betting on hitting one or two homeruns on folks that don't know any better, or just don't care what the price is. I guess if it works for them, more power to 'um. |
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Quoted: This same thought has crossed my mind. I just can't understand why anyone would bother packing their shit up and setting up a table time after time? I guess maybe they just have nothing better to do and are betting on hitting one or two homeruns on folks that don't know any better, or just don't care what the price is. I guess if it works for them, more power to 'um. Quoted: Quoted: Snip. I swear a lot of these guys have no intention of selling anything. They just haul overpriced common guns from town to town because they like watching people finger fuck their collection. This same thought has crossed my mind. I just can't understand why anyone would bother packing their shit up and setting up a table time after time? I guess maybe they just have nothing better to do and are betting on hitting one or two homeruns on folks that don't know any better, or just don't care what the price is. I guess if it works for them, more power to 'um. I believe that in a time before Al Gore invented the internet these guys might've made some money on the unsuspecting buyer but in today's world who doesn't have access to Gunbroker, Armslist and countless daily special emails from distributors around the globe to compare prices? The only other thing I can think of is that they are targeting the guys that won't or can't do paperwork on a firearm. Either way I agree it has to be a huge waste of time setting up at each & every show waited for that one guy that will pay their stupid prices. I've always said that someday I'd like to grab a couple old guns to "trade" and go troll those types of tables claiming my Marlin 22 was in mint condition & used by Carlos Hathcock in the jungle. Or...........it could be "Honestly, Sweetheart. I'm trying to sell them!"  |