I went to a good sized gunshow yesterday, in Orlando, FL at the Orlando fairgrounds.
A nice show, all things considered, but I have to rant about the best and worst of the show:
THIEVES:
I hate thieves who are disguised as dealers. Here are a few examples of the sort of thievery I saw at the show:
1: Some clown selling an ultra-pimped-out Colt 9mm SMG, class III (full auto), in the most ridiculous multi-colored finish over a PINK base anodize that I've ever seen...and he wants FOURTEEN THOUSAND for it! That's tops on my list for being a thief without actually breaking the law!
I was looking for a decent condition used A2 buttstock to replace an even worse one. I found ONE dealer who had a few in the whole gunshow. They're not 'decent', they're TRASHED. He wants 'only' EIGHTY BUCKS EACH for them. Yes, they're complete with buffer tube, buffer, spring, etc...but a BRAND NEW ONE from Bushmaster RETAILS for $74.95! What's this guy's problem???
Yet another clown is trying to sell old, used, rusty, beat-to-shit .223 stripper clips for sixty cents EACH. I'll pay a nickel each and I could use a few hundred of them if they're in good shape.
Hero of the show: The ammo dealer who's selling Winchester white box (Q3131) 5.56 ammo (WCC01 headstamp) for $3.75 a box. I've paid more than that for PMC .223 when I bought a full case! I bought all that WCC ammo I could afford!
It's amazing how different the prices can be for the same item at different tables. USGI M16 cleaning kits, brand new, as low as 15 bucks and as high as 30. Get a grip, man!
Funniest at show: The people who come in all dressed up in their 'coolest' cammies with their 'coolest' AR-15 with a billion gadgets on it, and aren't there to buy, sell, or trade, but just to look 'cool' and display their toys and actually get to carry their rifle in public for once. Geeks, of a sort.
Scariest at show: The occasional individual who would meet any 'profile' of a gang banger you could come up with, and it doesn't look like he's up to any good. Seems mostly interested in chrome plated, low cost guns that look good when fired with a horizontal grip. Takes pains to avoid looking in the general direction of any police officer or deputy at the show.
Disappointment: I didn't see ONE dealer that was selling individual components of AR's. Uppers, lowers, grips, buttstocks, etc. yes, but no small parts at all. I was hoping to buy a spare set of fire control parts. None there that I saw, though.
Oh well, at least I found somebody selling green AR mag followers for a buck and a half each. I bought enough for all my mags plus spares.
CJ