Just got back from the Tampa gun show and after wading through the mass of BDU's and body odor, here are some of the highlights:

* 200rd battlepack of 7.62: $150
* Beat to hell Mosin Nagants: $130
* HUGE crowd around the jerky table
* No Romanian Tokarevs to be found
* Most common rifle on the tables: AR-15
* Only Presidential candidate with a table: Fred Thompson
* FS2000 "Gun Show Special" $2995

At least I didn't walk out empty handed like previous times, got a ceiner kit with 3 Black Dog mags for $259.
How was YOUR fun show experience?

I gots to get me one of thse ceiner 22lr kits

Quoted: got a ceiner kit with 3 Black Dog mags for $259.

You'll love it!

Quoted: I gots to get me one of thse ceiner 22lr kits

Same here. Any Pmags floating around? I want one to try out before ordering a bunch.

Quoted: Quoted: I gots to get me one of thse ceiner 22lr kits Same here. Any Pmags floating around? I want one to try out before ordering a bunch.

Yeah, they have some green and black for $15.

Quoted: Just got back from the Tampa gun show and after wading through the mass of BDU's and body odor, here are some of the highlights: * FS2000 "Gun Show Special" $2995

Didn't go, but let me guess...
Shoot Straight?

Quoted: Quoted: Just got back from the Tampa gun show and after wading through the mass of BDU's and body odor, here are some of the highlights: * FS2000 "Gun Show Special" $2995 Didn't go, but let me guess... Shoot Straight?

That wouldnt suprise me one bit...

I bought my first gun from them though in '91 A nice BHP...not knowing any better I'm sure I paid thru the nose for it

Went to a gun show in Slidell, LA yesterday since I was out there for range time. I was hoping that some dealers may not venture to NOLA and it would be bigger/better - no such luck. All the usual suspects but fewer thug buyers. It's saddening how small the local shows have become. About 120 tables in all with no guns on about half.

I had a friend with me who's after an ar and 1911 and I've been looking for a small 9mm for the gf, and I would pay too much for a decent mauser red 9. In standard form, I looked over every table and spent some time looking over all the ar15s and 1911s for my friend.

A few ARs, but none of the "builds" had chrome bbls. and the factory guns ranged from Colt 6920s at $1500 (looked used - not in the box) to Olys at $800. One vendor had DPMS complete lowers at $250, another had non-chrome RRA A2 uppers and Doublestar flattops for $480, IIRC. One vendor had a XM style build on a pre-ban cast EA lower for $675 that caught my eye. Nothing for my buddy to get excited over.

Normally hardly any 1911s but it seems to have picked up. Springfield GIs and Mil-Specs for $500, stainless/black Loaded for $800 and one guy had pretty close to every Kimber offered. We ff'd a really nice full size (can't remember the model - custom shop) with a 30 lpi checkered front strap that was setup really nice at almost $1200. A couple new Colt reissues at almost a grand, a few 80s, less than nice vintage 70s and parts guns for almost as much. My buddy was not amused and asked about an RIA priced at $385. It's been about 3 years since I looked at one close and it appears that quality of workmanship has drastically improved in that time. There may have been 2 dozen 1911s in all.

I had a preference for nice classic pre-owned stuff before I adopted a flexible 2 caliber rule that pretty much negates revolvers. A matched set of S&W magnums (-3s tho) and more Pythons than I've seen in years got me thinking - but just for a second. I want a C96 red 9 bad but the only broomhandles to be had were a gold plated/engraved bolo at $5k and a very nice reworked 30 cal. at $1200.

One vendor had a large custom-made 4 tier high plexglas display case that was at least 2 tables and appeared to hold every high polish nickel Colt ever made - not just one of each model but several. Not a fingerprint on one. Detectives, Pythons, 1911s, SAAs, you name it. All new, no prices and I was afraid to ask how much - they had to be his children.

Couple of crap nagants, lots of old crap shotguns and lots of new retro reproductions like lever, db coach, m97 shotties - I guess all chinese.

The only money I really expected to spend was on ammo and it almost didn't happen. It was a sad state of affairs. 4 vendors and 2 had no .38 spl.! The one guy I usually buy a little ammo from only had +p gold dots. The gf had shot all 5 rounds she had at the range so I had to buy something - $12.95/25. Standard .45 acp ball at $15/50, I didn't buy any but will have to keep an eye open to replenish the practice stuff.

So I usually buy some .223/5.56 from this guy when I hit the show. His prices haven't been great but he usually has 8-10 different loads and breaks up cans of bandos. So I usually pick up several boxes of stuff like UMC, S&B & Federal xm193 for practice and a bando each of LC m193 and m855 to stash. This time no cans of bandos, no UMC, no S&B, no Fed/LC 193. He had cases of Privi, Radway, Wolf, a few boxes of Fed Tru, LC m855 on clips he was selling by the 30/sleeve and 3 360 battlepacks of Igman Lot 1. So I'm running all the calculations in my head but I was only interested in the m855 and the guat. The LC was 15.95/sleeve and I'm just not ready to pay over .50 per round yet. The battlepacks were $130 ea. but with the gf's gold dots I was short of buying 2 and the damn place didn't have an atm. These guys need to take plastic.

Since I had people with me, I didn't pay much attention to the crowd, no eavsedropping and no bs-ing with the vendors. What I did overhear was alot of moaning that no one was buying.

I started going to gunshows in the early 80's and attended every show within 2 hours of me until 1991 when my interest in firearms changed. They were truly funshows with all sorts of great deals for under $500 (my cash limit on a gun purchase then). Everyone seemed to have a good time and alot of wheeling and dealing got done. There were more vendors and more inventory. People always had guns to trade. I'd always take a couple guns for trade if I found something over my budget. I can only imagine that it must have been heaven in the 50's & 60's before the gun control act of 1968.

I started hitting the shows again in '02 looking for another vintage Colt 1911. After a year it was obvious I needed to expand my search somehow and a simple Google showed how small my local market was. I want to support my local dealers but my tastes in firearms are exclusively vintage and custom guns. Small dealers in new firearms are at a disadvantage as the Cabela's and Ganders and Sportsman's move in. Small shops get pissed at customers who ask for transfers after shopping with online dealers to save a couple bucks.

I hear alot of bitchin' about gunshows here and I don't think they're going to get better - the squeeze on these characters is too much. I'm going to keep going as long as they sell guns and ammo. In my region at least - the trail of the dinosaur.

Quoted: Just got back from the Tampa gun show and after wading through the mass of BDU's and body odor, here are some of the highlights: * 200rd battlepack of 7.62: $150

7.62 X ? and whatever it was thats about three times the price at Acadamy right? Guy needed to be punched in the cock.

Quoted: Quoted: Just got back from the Tampa gun show and after wading through the mass of BDU's and body odor, here are some of the highlights: * 200rd battlepack of 7.62: $150 7.62 X ? and whatever it was thats about three times the price at Acadamy right? Guy needed to be punched in the cock.

it's gotta be 7.62 NATO.

you'd have to be insane to ask $0.75 a round for x39.