Just got back from the fairgrounds and the Central Indiana Gun Show being held and overall had a very nice time. I walk the perimeter and aisles the first hour, just to get an overview and perhaps catch a "can't miss" deal should there be one available. Most of the Vendors are helpful and friendly, I especially had a very nice visit with the Applied Ballistics fellas that are located on Concord Road, Lafayette. They give me an overview to the range fees and services and there is a nice display highlighting their store. Very positive experience, I'll be visiting them soon.
I spend the first hour hunting for a deal, specifically, I'm looking for a Kel Tec 32 as a carry for when I wear shorts and walk my dogs. I live in a good neighborhood, but we are on the edge of town. There are foxes in the adjacent fields and more pressing, I occasionally run across large, untethered canines that have no collar or tags. Our dogs are little lap dogs, totalling 20 lbs between the 2 of them, a nice little snack in the fangs of a hungry, Big dog. Anyway, I'm looking for something small to throw in a pocket that will buy me some time/leverage, should I need it.
There is the usual assortment of Saturday Night Specials, Small, generally .25 caliber, very shiny with fake pearl handles. I happen to like these little guns, but that's not what I'm looking for. I find a Kel Tec .380 and it's small, I handle it for a bit, put it in my pocket after receiving permission from the vendor and I'm really almost there. I want to walk and see if I didn't miss a better deal. I hand it back to the vendor and say I will be back. I consider the $250 dollar negotiated price and begin to rationalize.
Now here's where it gets interesting. I brought 240 dollars cash, thinking I'll find a used P32 in the 200 dollar range. I look around again and nothing catches my eye, so I return to said vendor and somehow, I've missed a KelTec 9mm sitting there, NIB, pretty as a peach with a $239 price tag. I'm starting to get a little pumped because with a little negotiation, I'm going home with a new friend who will keep fluffy and foofooo safe on the mean streets of Lafayette.
I ask the fella helping me, "Is this your lowest price?" He looks over to the "owner" of the stand and asks him about a lower price. I hear the magic numbers, $220+tax.. I'm really starting to feel it now, I ask the fella that is helping me to tally it on his calculator and that I want the KelTec.
He informs me that it will be $235.40.
Forty cents! Crap, I'm short. I have $235 even, I gave the gal at the front door 5 bucks to get in. I know, I'll ask the guy if he can take forty cents off of the price, thank him for working with me, explain that is all the cash I have, apologize and get some mercy and then, take this baby home!
Me: Sir, I'm 40 cents short, I only brought 240 dollars looking for a used gun and I don't want to use a credit card. Would 235 dollars be enough to buy this KelTec. You definitely have it priced fair and I appreciate you working with me on the 40 cents.
Vendor: (Insert eery silence for 30 seconds, I thought he didn't hear me) He glares at me and through pursed lips says, "You can leave a deposit on the gun and come back tomorrow" "That way I don't sell it to someone else"
I'm sorting out the response and then it hits me, he's pissed.... I shake off the confusion because in my mind, OF COURSE he will forgive 40 cents. I never lowballed him or even offered a price, it was his negotiation and I agreed to the very first number he offered.
I smile, nod and say "Thank you". Then I walk away.
As I endure the disappointment of emotionally owning the gun and then, not owning it, I slink toward the exit. I've been at the show nearly 3 hours by then and had looked everything over 3-4 times. That 9mm KelTec was the one. I then consider going back to pay with a credit card and just getting it over with, but then that old friend, Mr Principle steps in and says,
no, not only no, but Hell no. That guy's a jerk. Yes, Mr Principle of the matter, you are correct. I won't argue.
As I do the walk of shame toward the exit, a group of 70-ish year old men catches my eye. Hmm, Old men are smart, I wonder what they're doing.
I venture over to the table and the vendor is doing a background check and has a couple of people waiting on him. I happen to catch sight of a Cobra 9mm Derringer, satin finish with Rosewood grips. That's a nice gun, I think to myself, I've always wanted one of these. I spend the next 15 minutes examining the gun and an old salt with steel eyes and a crewcut ask me, "how's that barrell look young fella" (I'm 42) I tell him it looks pretty good and we small talk about the derringer. He asks me what I'm using it for and I told him that it would make a nice card gun. He says " You must play cards with a pretty rough bunch" I smile back and say "Just family sir". We both chuckle and I'm starting to feel very comfortable and about that time the fella behind the table asks if I need any help. I ask if I can put the Derringer in my pocket and he nods and smiles affirmative. I look at the price tag $169 and ask if that is his lowest price. The gentlemen says, "159 and he'll take care of the tax". "DEAL" I smile back.
I tell him about missing out on the KelTec because I was 40 cents short and he laughs and tells me that he bets he even knows who it was. He points to the general direction and said "back there against the wall?" I laugh and confirm his notion. We complete the paperwork and he hands me a card. Now I never got this fellas name, he just seemed like Grandpa to me, but I'm really glad he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
His card read
FRIEND'S FIREARMS
Ridgeville In
765-857-2109
Should you go to the show, he is the very first table on your left, right next to the entrance and exit.
Overall, I really enjoyed the show, it was a great way to spend the morning and I picked up my dog walking gun.
I spend the first hour hunting for a deal, specifically, I'm looking for a Kel Tec 32 as a carry for when I wear shorts and walk my dogs. I live in a good neighborhood, but we are on the edge of town. There are foxes in the adjacent fields and more pressing, I occasionally run across large, untethered canines that have no collar or tags. Our dogs are little lap dogs, totalling 20 lbs between the 2 of them, a nice little snack in the fangs of a hungry, Big dog. Anyway, I'm looking for something small to throw in a pocket that will buy me some time/leverage, should I need it.
There is the usual assortment of Saturday Night Specials, Small, generally .25 caliber, very shiny with fake pearl handles. I happen to like these little guns, but that's not what I'm looking for. I find a Kel Tec .380 and it's small, I handle it for a bit, put it in my pocket after receiving permission from the vendor and I'm really almost there. I want to walk and see if I didn't miss a better deal. I hand it back to the vendor and say I will be back. I consider the $250 dollar negotiated price and begin to rationalize.
Now here's where it gets interesting. I brought 240 dollars cash, thinking I'll find a used P32 in the 200 dollar range. I look around again and nothing catches my eye, so I return to said vendor and somehow, I've missed a KelTec 9mm sitting there, NIB, pretty as a peach with a $239 price tag. I'm starting to get a little pumped because with a little negotiation, I'm going home with a new friend who will keep fluffy and foofooo safe on the mean streets of Lafayette.
I ask the fella helping me, "Is this your lowest price?" He looks over to the "owner" of the stand and asks him about a lower price. I hear the magic numbers, $220+tax.. I'm really starting to feel it now, I ask the fella that is helping me to tally it on his calculator and that I want the KelTec.
He informs me that it will be $235.40.
Forty cents! Crap, I'm short. I have $235 even, I gave the gal at the front door 5 bucks to get in. I know, I'll ask the guy if he can take forty cents off of the price, thank him for working with me, explain that is all the cash I have, apologize and get some mercy and then, take this baby home!
Me: Sir, I'm 40 cents short, I only brought 240 dollars looking for a used gun and I don't want to use a credit card. Would 235 dollars be enough to buy this KelTec. You definitely have it priced fair and I appreciate you working with me on the 40 cents.
Vendor: (Insert eery silence for 30 seconds, I thought he didn't hear me) He glares at me and through pursed lips says, "You can leave a deposit on the gun and come back tomorrow" "That way I don't sell it to someone else"
I'm sorting out the response and then it hits me, he's pissed.... I shake off the confusion because in my mind, OF COURSE he will forgive 40 cents. I never lowballed him or even offered a price, it was his negotiation and I agreed to the very first number he offered.
I smile, nod and say "Thank you". Then I walk away.
As I endure the disappointment of emotionally owning the gun and then, not owning it, I slink toward the exit. I've been at the show nearly 3 hours by then and had looked everything over 3-4 times. That 9mm KelTec was the one. I then consider going back to pay with a credit card and just getting it over with, but then that old friend, Mr Principle steps in and says,
no, not only no, but Hell no. That guy's a jerk. Yes, Mr Principle of the matter, you are correct. I won't argue.
As I do the walk of shame toward the exit, a group of 70-ish year old men catches my eye. Hmm, Old men are smart, I wonder what they're doing.
I venture over to the table and the vendor is doing a background check and has a couple of people waiting on him. I happen to catch sight of a Cobra 9mm Derringer, satin finish with Rosewood grips. That's a nice gun, I think to myself, I've always wanted one of these. I spend the next 15 minutes examining the gun and an old salt with steel eyes and a crewcut ask me, "how's that barrell look young fella" (I'm 42) I tell him it looks pretty good and we small talk about the derringer. He asks me what I'm using it for and I told him that it would make a nice card gun. He says " You must play cards with a pretty rough bunch" I smile back and say "Just family sir". We both chuckle and I'm starting to feel very comfortable and about that time the fella behind the table asks if I need any help. I ask if I can put the Derringer in my pocket and he nods and smiles affirmative. I look at the price tag $169 and ask if that is his lowest price. The gentlemen says, "159 and he'll take care of the tax". "DEAL" I smile back.
I tell him about missing out on the KelTec because I was 40 cents short and he laughs and tells me that he bets he even knows who it was. He points to the general direction and said "back there against the wall?" I laugh and confirm his notion. We complete the paperwork and he hands me a card. Now I never got this fellas name, he just seemed like Grandpa to me, but I'm really glad he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
His card read
FRIEND'S FIREARMS
Ridgeville In
765-857-2109
Should you go to the show, he is the very first table on your left, right next to the entrance and exit.
Overall, I really enjoyed the show, it was a great way to spend the morning and I picked up my dog walking gun.
