When Did Gun Shows Start to Become A Little Bad?

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

I am only 21 so I have no idea as to how good gun shows were until about 3 years ago. It seemed that until 2011 or last year I was always looking forward to gun shows. Recently it seems that most sellers at gun shows are ffl's and the number of private sellers is dwindling. I love going to the 1500, but I am really not looking forward to any other gun shows than that. How good were the shows in the past?

 

[LadyBearPaws]

gun show dwindling

I used to be a vendor at the Indy 1500. Most of the vendors are FFL's because small time (private) can't afford the tables. When I quit setting up there 2 1/2 years ago; the tables were $100 each. When you add in the cost of gas, motels & food...

 

[STEEL CORE]

You would have loved the early 1990's shows, plenty of everything, since we moved here in 1992, I cant say anything about the shows before then, but the 1500, Holt Road, and even Tipton and Greenfield were worth it.

 

[12bee]

Prior to 1986 FFL's were not allowed to sell guns at gunshows, only their place of business. Some dealers at shows now act as if non ffls shouldn't be allowed at the shows unless we do transfers thru them. It used to mostly be hobbyist and collectors in the past trading to upgrade or selling no longer needed items. That's what I sell, no longer needed stuff, so I can buy more stuff.

 

[dsol]

I remember going with my dad to Louisville gun shows in the late 70's and early 80's. Those were great, all kinds of hobbyists and collectors, lots of neat off the wall things. If you were there looking for a new Model 19, you were out of luck, go to your LGS kinda show. They started changing in the 90's and more dealers started showing up. Those years were the best mix of private and FFL tables in my opinion. And the good old days of walking out with an SKS and case of ammo for a $100 bill...

 

[dusterboy49]

I went to the gun shows in Fort Wayne at the Coliseum during the 90's.
Always had plenty of guns and lots of surplus ammo.
Also drew big crowds.
Now I hear it is very poor. Too bad.

 

[LarryC]

I really don't think the gun shows have changed much in the last 15 - 20 years. Sure prices are higher, so many people are buying for the first time and between that and the speculators the prices are higher for ammo and shortages exist on both firearms and ammo (surprise).

Prices have been higher for the last 5 years due to Commiebomma.(gun salesman of the century). Also some imports have been stopped - (Korea M1 ). Guns shows are in my opinion just a little lower priced than the same merchandise in GS's.

IF we get rid of the Libs control of the senate and executive branches of the Government. I think the prices and supplies will return to normal. I still enjoy going and will continue to do so - still buy a little. Don't really "need" ammo or reloading supplies - though always on the lookout for a "buy". (usually Mil surplus)

 

[seedubs1]

It used to be the place to find deals.

Now, it's $10 to get in, and something like $5 to park. So going through the door, I'm already $15 in the hole. And now it seems like mostly dealers selling for just a bit cheaper than their typical lgs prices. So if that's all you're looking for, then it's great.

But the Internet is killing it for me. Why would I pay to go to the gun show and end up paying almost full lgs prices when I can get the same thing on the Internet for hundreds less?

Although, sometimes I do go with no intention to buy anything just to check out stuff, look around, and see some cool stuff. To me, that's about all the shows are worth these days.

 

[echoagain]

I'm always pretty skeptical when people start talking about how good things 'used to be'. Yes, most things used to be cheaper 'back in the day', but I made a lot less money back then as well, so that's how it goes (I bought one of those $75 dollar SKS's at the 1500 about 15 or 20 years ago). Gun shows have changed, but today we have countless on-line retailers, Gunbroker, etc available at our fingertips. THESE are the good-ole-days. One day your grandkids will reminisce about 'back in the day' when you could by mosin-nagants dirt cheap.

 

[Sfrandolph]

There is no such thing as a bad gun show.

 

[churchmouse]

The gun shows have went the way of the hot Rod and motorcycle swap meets. Most sellers are doing it for a living and deals are few and far between. They are in it to win it and have pushed the folks that started doing this for fun and a bit of profit out the door.
Mid 90's was the peak of it IMHO.

 

[traderdan]

Myself and some other honest hobby shooters started a swap meet at my house about 4 years ago.We are not dealers,rather gun enthusiasts who mostly cannot afford to just go buy new firearms.The second year of these get-togethers we had to start renting a larger building...and it keeps on growing and trying to turn into a "Gun Show". Really,we mayhave to formalize this swap meet if the UBC legislation is passed.That would be a shame,because we have managed to stay mainly a group of friends just trading!

 

[Hookeye]

Shows seemed to turn into flea markets and tacticool stuff around '95.
I liked the Bill Goodman shows.

BTW my dad was a dealer for many years, small time. He had his group of customers/friends and made a little $ here and there (sometimes not).

He just recently stopped, in his 70's, lugging stuff around..........he said he could just go as a customer and still chat, look around, buy what he wanted and not have to stay all day, load/unload/setup.

He changed due to convenience.

Used to be a regular group of "gun people", at least from my perspective. You knew the good from the bad too. Some customers could be jerks but there was a bit of a code.

That too changed around mid 90's IMHO.

 

[NHT3]

You need to show up at one of the Pocket Trader events. Dan's event seems to me much like Gun Shows used to be. It's not all guns, may be some pocket knives, coins and fishing poles but still very affordable and enjoyable. I've managed to sell most of my gun related stuff that I wanted to move and had fun doing it. Just my .02
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]

 

[TopDog]

2008

The shows went to crap the same year the fear mongering started.

 

[Irukanji]

Mid-90s for small gun shows, but the 1500, Louisville, Knob Creek and other special shows are better than ever...

 

[manygunsmike]

When dealers started showing up


manygunsmike

 

[DoggyDaddy]

You need to show up at one of the Pocket Trader events. Dan's event seems to me much like Gun Shows used to be. It's not all guns, may be some pocket knives, coins and fishing poles but still very affordable and enjoyable. I've managed to sell most of my gun related stuff that I wanted to move and had fun doing it. Just my .02
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life member [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GSSF member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
Gunsite graduate Certified Glock armorer[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1911 Mechanic[/FONT]

^^^THIS^^^ I love going to Pocket Traders. Even if I don't buy anything, how can you go wrong eating (free!) biscuits and gravy while walking around looking at guns 'n stuff?

Heading to Stout Field this morning. I was going to go to Knob Creek, but haven't heard anything to convince me this time around. May go in October. Probably won't find any great deals at Stout either, but it's a good way to kill a couple of hours on a Saturday morning.

 

[inlineman]

Is there a gunshow at stout this weekend.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Is there a gunshow at stout this weekend.

Yep... Tri-State Gun Shows