I was just wondering if you can buy AR-15's cheaper at a gunshow new?

Thanks

Welcome to the madness...

My experience has been that under most circumstances the words 'gun show' and 'cheaper' won't be found in the same sentence.  You can occasionally find a deal, usually from a private seller, but by and large the gun shows are populated with second rate or imported AR parts being passed off as 'FN' with prices that are way above top tier manufacturer levels...

Shop the Equipment Exchange if you want to find some decent equipment...

The ones I've seen I thought were maybe a little more. But mabe if the guy is hard up and needs the money.

Depends on the quality of your gun show. Yes in Texas though.

Buyer beware is the best thing to remember when you go to a gunshow.  I would check around and see if the prices are comparable.  If the choice is an out of area seller, or a local dealer and the prices are close I will take the local dealer anytime.  

Occasionally, or so I hear, I've never seen a good price on an AR at a show. I did however, pick up a walther P99 for a killer price once...

in california you will buy all guns at MSRP. And you can buy all the guns in a gun shop for $100 bucks under MSRP. fuct up or what? why pay 7 bucks to get into a gunshow, when you can walk into a gun shop?

I will buy ammo, and sometimes mags at gunshows. I have never purchased a firearm at one. I have been going through the same dealer for 11 years. Everytime I see a sale, or something that seems like a good deal I call my dealer and he can always get it to me for less. Just my experience you will have to check around before buying at a show.
Later

As someone said above, it depends on the location and quality of the show.  In states where private party transfers are legal, there are occasional bargains to be had on used AR's, many of which have only a few rounds.  You have to be patient and do your homework.  At shows here in Georgia, I've found some good prices from some of the high volume dealers.  Bought my first AR, an Oly 20 inch A2 for $699 including tax compared to $850 at my usual gun shop.  Also, at larger shows, J&T and other distributors show up on occasion.  

Overall, you can shop carefully in stores or shop carefully at shows and probably come out close on new items.  

Do not forget to ask for the lowest price from the dealer of the weapon. It is like buying a car you can haggle with the seller.

Not in SE Michigan.  The gun shows absolutely suck and there is so little competition that the vendors ask top dollar for everything they have.  There isn't much AR stuff either.  Alot of surplus and used stuff.  Some new ARs are there, but they generally aren't cheap.

I haven't found too many 'deals' at the area shows around here. There are generally a handful of reputable dealers attending (Mark Buda from TripleBreakProducts comes to mind), and a lot of worthless lying shitbags selling outright trash at confiscatory prices. Despite the AWB being over in free states there are still plenty of people who harbor a fairytale, drug induced, self masturbatory Alice in Wonderland fantasy of what their 'preban' rifle is worth. Many of these people are the same morons trying to sell used Thermolds for $30ea, because they're "almost impossible to get" One of the few pleasures I get from attending a gunshow is prying these assclowns off the ceiling with a spatula when they go ballistic after I've 'gently' suggested that their beat to shit blue label Colt complete with a mismatched upper isn't worth $2500 anymore.

If you are buying a rifle at a gunshow you need to know full well what you're looking at. If a seller is advertising a Bushmaster or Colt for example, make damn sure it has all of the proper proof marks. I've seen scores of "part guns" being advertised as factory built weapons. I've seen steel USA mags advertised as USGI, Airsoft crap being sold as the real thing-the list goes on and on.

Quoted: I haven't found too many 'deals' at the area shows around here.

Here either. New from reputable dealers, yes, but used ARs, rarely.

I've been trying to remember when the last, good gun show was that I attended and IIRC, it was in Hampton Roads, VA in 1994.  Alot of tables, alot of guns, alot of good deals.  Haven't seen anything like that anywhere since.

Hey Harley72,  I'm in Indiana too.  If you haven't been to the Indy 1500 you should check it out.  It's at the state fairgounds this weekend.  It's by far the best show in Indiana.

There will be some reputable AR dealers there along with about anything else you need including deals on ammo.

Several of the best local general gun shops set up at the show and bring most of their inventory.

It's worth the $7.00

The last show I went to was a hoot.  I had taken a Glock to trade and I was asked by about 25 dealers "Whatcha want fer it?".  When I reply "What do you have that I want?" they reply with "all kinds of stuff."  Sorry, milsurp ammo from the 70's and a $600 1911 that looked like it had been dragged behind the car don't count.  I asked about 2 guns the whole time I was there.  What a waste of time.

Seems like I always see deals when I'm not going to buy a rifle, but when I want to buy a rifle, I never find any good deals.  There are some out there though.

BIG +1 on knowing exactly what you want, and being able to tell if it's genuine...I see sooooo much cheap crap being posed as quality.

just make sure you take a tube of lube with you when you go to a gun show looking for an AR15....  it helps also if you practice bending over, before you walk in the door....

Mostly, I buy milsurps.  At the last show I went to, things like Garands and '03 Springfields were, as usual, way overpriced.  On the other hand I got a nice Russian Mosin Nagant 91/59 for a great price and passed on a Russian MN M38 for an even better price because I alread have one.  Stupid move on my part.  I also got an Olympic K3B for $679,  1400 rounds of ammo and a few books.  

I get milsurps because they are inexpensive, especialy the Mosin Nagants, and a lot of fun to shoot.  Where else can you get a rifle that will hold 2" groups at 100 meters that cost you as little as  $75.00.  

Another reason I like milsurps is that  they are pieces of history.   Whenever I take my Garand to the range I always offer the old timers at the range a chance to shoot it.    When you hand the Garand, old long dormant habits kick in and they are young again.   They automatically inspect it and tell me to watch my thumbs.  None of them ever shoot it while sitting at the bench.  Thay always stand or kneel when they shoot it.    

What is really humbling is to see one of these old timers with rock steady hands out shoot you offhand.  I put some clays out at 50 yards.  Tell them to shoot at the six o'clock position and they promptly go 8 for 8 in about 15 to 20 seconds.  They carried thes rifles so long it is like an extension of their arm.    Many of them never thought they would never shoot one again.    This is a great hobby we have.  When it is good, it is very good indeed.  

I would tell anyone to avoid gunshow AR-15's unless you have some inside information on the gun or the seller.  I picked up a gun show "parts-gun" built on an Essential Arms lower a few years ago.  It was cheap at $500, so I figured it was worth that in parts.  I still had to put another $300 into it to make it work right, so it didn't work out so well as I had hoped.  Anyway, gunshows have become nothing more than havens for charlatains and sellers so proud of what they have that they price themselves out of the market, IMHO.  Is it just me, or do the crooks seem to specialize in the AR-15?  

Gunshow folk prey on the ignorant, can't blame em though, everyone's gotta make a buck

Depends on how much they want to move their stuff.  If you want something, do your homework and negotiate.  But you won't see a seller at a show go out of his way to make sure you get a product 5% over his cost.

Quoted: I would tell anyone to avoid gunshow AR-15's unless you have some inside information on the gun or the seller.  I picked up a gun show "parts-gun" built on an Essential Arms lower a few years ago.  It was cheap at $500, so I figured it was worth that in parts.  I still had to put another $300 into it to make it work right, so it didn't work out so well as I had hoped.  Anyway, gunshows have become nothing more than havens for charlatains and sellers so proud of what they have that they price themselves out of the market, IMHO.  Is it just me, or do the crooks seem to specialize in the AR-15?

Yeah, I think so....at least around here. I've bought some other guns at gun shows and came out pretty good on them. I've also done pretty good just randomly dropping in one pawn shops, a lot of the time the guys either don't know what they have or don't have much in a gun to begin with. I've bought 2 Ruger M77 MkII's (stainless on syn. one in .308 the other in '06) for $300 each out of pawn shops. Say what you want about those rifles but I still think I did ok.

Quoted: Mostly, I buy milsurps.  At the last show I went to, things like Garands and '03 Springfields were, as usual, way overpriced.  On the other hand I got a nice Russian Mosin Nagant 91/59 for a great price and passed on a Russian MN M38 for an even better price because I alread have one.  Stupid move on my part.  I also got an Olympic K3B for $679,  1400 rounds of ammo and a few books.   I get milsurps because they are inexpensive, especialy the Mosin Nagants, and a lot of fun to shoot.  Where else can you get a rifle that will hold 2" groups at 100 meters that cost you as little as  $75.00.   Another reason I like milsurps is that  they are pieces of history.   Whenever I take my Garand to the range I always offer the old timers at the range a chance to shoot it.    When you hand the Garand, old long dormant habits kick in and they are young again.   They automatically inspect it and tell me to watch my thumbs.  None of them ever shoot it while sitting at the bench.  Thay always stand or kneel when they shoot it.     What is really humbling is to see one of these old timers with rock steady hands out shoot you offhand.  I put some clays out at 50 yards.  Tell them to shoot at the six o'clock position and they promptly go 8 for 8 in about 15 to 20 seconds.  They carried thes rifles so long it is like an extension of their arm.    Many of them never thought they would never shoot one again.    This is a great hobby we have.  When it is good, it is very good indeed.

I had a vietnam vet over at my house for dinner a few days ago. He absolutely LOVED my m1 garand, even though the recoil probably would have given him a massive MI and blood clot (I think he was almost 70). He had an M16a1 in the army and had handled an m14, which is what he thought my m1 was when he first saw it.

Suprisingly, he also liked the Chicom SKS. He said it apparently was a solid weapon, despite being made in China...


Ben

Good gun shows attract good dealer and competition.  There are some dealers who don't have a storefront and sell exclusively through gun shows.  These guys have no overhead and can offer great prices.
Gun shows are also a great way to see guns that local gun shops don't stock.  It's a good education and a chance to see what's out there.  It's cool to see rare guns at the gun show that small local shops woun't have.  You can also find rare/collectible accessories that your local gun shop don't even know exist.
Local gun shops have their place, but you'll learn more and see more in a day at a good gun show than you will at the gun shop in a year.  Your local FFL is more likely to be accountable if you have any problems.
Most gun show dealers are reputable.  The last time I had a problem was when I bought a P38 clip at my local gun show.  I got home and found out that it was non-functional.  I took the clip back to the dealer at the same gun show A YEAR LATER and he still gave me my money back...he asked me what I paid for it and handed me the cash.  

Quoted: ... If you are buying a rifle at a gunshow you need to know full well what you're looking at. If a seller is advertising a Bushmaster or Colt for example, make damn sure it has all of the proper proof marks. I've seen scores of "part guns" being advertised as factory built weapons. I've seen steel USA mags advertised as USGI, Airsoft crap being sold as the real thing-the list goes on and on.

Anyboy know of a proofmark list, and wher on the parts to look?

You need to camp out at the entrance.
Look for the guy coming in with the AR-15.
He is the one who you will get the best deal with.
But you must have cash in hand $20, $10 and $5.
This type of person is looking to sell and I mean now.

I never would have thought that Id pick up a nice AR at a local gunshow. But Ive spent enough time doing research to know full well what something was worth and how to spot forgeries and to be able to size up the dealer and why they are selling. Countless shows later and then one day.  I must have circled by it several times. After getting enough info about his reason for selling and how much use its seen and confirming all parts on the rifle, I was OTD wo paperwork, no transfer fee or shipping and he waived the tax.

Oh, yeah, it was a very lightly used no ban Bushmaster XM15E2S A3 20" Stainless Barrel. Hardcase, sling, 10 round magazine and he sold me 5 30round Sterling mags at 10$ each. By all
comparisons here and all around the internet, I believe that 699.00 wasnt bad for a gunshow
and I was shooting it the next morning.

Go to enough of them and do your homework and you might do alright. Maybe 1 show out of 6 may have anything new or of any interest and in my experience always go back again the last day because sometimes new items appear and prices do drop on some things.