Please Tell me about Gunshows

[OldLincoln]

I've never been to a gunshow and of course the press on them seems to always be negative. I have also heard of folks buying stuff there and I have questions.

1. Generally what are they like?
2. Are they worth going to?
3. What kind of stuff do you buy there?
4. Should I pay with cash, or what?
5. Is there the 10 day CA wait period for firearms?
6. If I buy ammo in a name brand box, is that what I'll get?
7. Can you tell me some sellers that are OK?
8. Can you tell me some sellers to avoid?
9. Can I/Should I CCW there?

I hate feeling like a lamb going to a wolf convention, so please indulge me a little.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bubbiesdad]

I've never been to a gunshow and of course the press on them seems to always be negative. I have also heard of folks buying stuff there and I have questions.

1. Generally what are they like?
2. Are they worth going to?
3. What kind of stuff do you buy there?
4. Should I pay with cash, or what?
5. Is there the 10 day CA wait period for firearms?
6. If I buy ammo in a name brand box, is that what I'll get?
7. Can you tell me some sellers that are OK?
8. Can you tell me some sellers to avoid?
9. Can I/Should I CCW there?

I hate feeling like a lamb going to a wolf convention, so please indulge me a little.

1. They are interesting, you can see a wide variety of firearms, knives and people. Sometimes there is beef jerky, kettle corn, siding salesmen... etc.
2. Yes, if admission isn't too high, you can get quite a bit of entertainment.
3. Guns, ammo, knives, beef jerky, kettle korn, siding.....
4. Some dealers deal in cash, some take credit cards.
5. I don't know on that one, try google, yahoo, bing?
6. If buying from a licensed dealer, I would say yes.
7.IDK in that part of the country.
8. See answer 7
9. If it's not posted, and you are licensed, yes.

[dam294]

I'd say a gun show is a good place to go if you want to see and handle a large variety of weapons under one roof. Most of the vendors at the shows local to me are over priced. I do go to them but only buy ammo occasionally, never guns.

I tend to give my local gun stores my gun business.

[Arko]

You should go for the entertainment if nothing else.
As Bubbie said, too you can see a bigger variety of gun related STUFF than usually at one dealer.

My advice would be go, with some spending money, but don't plan on buying anything big or any firearms until you know what you're looking at. Sometimes there are good deals, but the prices of late (around here anyway) have been similar to or more than local retail.

Be extra careful of used guns until you know what you're doing too.

[Arko]

On the ammo: Re-loaders that sell at gun shows usually either use their own boxes, or will at least have a sign stating that the ammo in the commercial boxes is reloaded.

I haven't seen any misrepresentation with regards to factory ammo.

[retsupt99]

Gun shows?
Anti-gun at the entrance...usually.
Lots of overpriced guns...lots to see.
A large array of Concealed Weapons Badges.
Many strange characters, and I think many of them come right over from shopping at WalMart.

I quit going to gun shows about 7 or 8 years ago...won't be back. I'd rather do business with a gun shop that knows me, treats me fairly, and they can get just about anything I need.

[jrf]

I just went to my first one last week. Like what was posted before, if you want to handle alot of guns just to see what they are like and how they feel then its a nice place to go. If your looking to buy, well at the one I went to most things were WAY over priced and others really close to the prices of my local gun shop. I looked at a Glock 26 at the gun show and they wanted $519, my local gun shop $529 so I bought it from the gun shop. $10 more but I'm supporting my local store.

It's funny to see the prices on some things that they had. A box of 12ga shells that you can get at Wally World for like $11 was selling at the show for $35.

I bought a Saiga AK-47 a few months back and payed $329 at Centerfire. They had one at the show for $599. I put a Tapco stock on mine, about $65 at my local gun shop. At the same spot as the stock Saiga they had one already with the Tapco stock put on and they wanted $800. I have roughly $400 in my gun and they wanted $800 for the exact same thing.

[Ghettokracker71]

I rather enjoy gun shows. Sadly a weekend work schedule keeps me from them. As previously mentioned, alot of crazy looking folks, and alot of getting sweeped by muzzles (unfortunately.) . Some overpriced guns, some REALLY great deals too. Last time my father purchased at a gun show (when I was with him) he literally went back and forth between two booths about 4 times working a better deal. As previously stated, there is usually some crappy/odd/ nicknack sellers, even seem some jewelry sellers (odd?). See ALOT of military collectables(WWII, Nazi Germany, USA, even british stuff?). I usually buy beef jerky there, the local guys stuff is REALLY good. I actually bought my Spyderco at a gun show. I've seen holsters, ammo,...all kinds of stuff.

[bps3040]

I like them. I have purchased 3 guns at the gun show here. Price was always better than local...I did my home work before I went.
With my PM9 I had no choice, I could not find one local and the prices to have them bring on in was $100 more than at the gun show. I refuse to give that much of my hard earned money up for no reason.
They also have better prices on CT lasers. I buy all mine from a guy at the gun show. Nice guy and he gives a better price.
People watching is fun also, lol

[OldLincoln]

Ya know, you guys make it sound better that the circus that's in town. I think I'll give it a try.

[Cold Warrior]

This weekend, at Sharonville, Ohio: Bill Goodman's Gun and Knife Show, tell a buddy and bring a friend...for only $7 each and apiece. Cheap fun and interesting to look at the gun stuff while talking and walking with gun nuts, uh...persons who admire and enjoy firearms but cause our nation no harm. You can look and listen and learn for free, you see. The food is excellent too, fine dining without the lines or high prices or whining. You can have fun by talking loud and proud in the crowd, just in case you are being taped or recorded by Brady Bunch and Bloomturd herd rats and spies, who pester but cannot arrest gun girls and guys, though they would like to try with their dreams, schemes and lies. A bad place to steal, but you may even get some good deals...on that ONE gun that you really, really, really need. You can even bring your girlfriend or wife and ask her for her permission and wise advice.

[SpringerXD]

I bought my PM9 at a recent gun show, from a vendor who's always there. It has been excellent.

Sometimes you run across products you never knew existed, and of course, you're better off NOT knowing about some of them (see Pager Pal). I have a tendency to suddenly realize that I "need" a certain product that I never thought about before, especially if it's cheap.

All in all, they're good for entertainment.

[Ram Rod]

Forget the ten questions....well, okay...nine. Go...just go to the next gun show in your area. For the entry fee, it's going to be well worth it for you. Whole new world. Going to a gun show needs to be on your list of things to do before you're done doing anything.
No matter how jaded I get at times with gun shows, I just can't help myself every now and then. I always come out with something even if it's not tangible.

[Texas Yankee]

Fun to go to once in while. Great place to see and touch guns that you might be interested in. I have found some bargains at gun shows but most of the guns are overpriced.

[Tala]

Fun to go to once in a while yes. Get to see and touch a lot of things. Do your homework on local prices before you go, you might find a deal or you might not. Different vendors were selling the same gun for $495 and $615 on opposite sides of the mall, so if you didn't shop around you could easily get a bad deal.

I went to one the weekend before the 4th. The following weekend, both of my gun friends at work realized that they had missed it. The look on their faces when I told them that "yes, it was last weekend because I went to it" was priceless! I about died laughing!