"Discount" Gun Show Prices

[Nova]

It's disheartening to walk in around 5pm on Friday (the show opened at 3pm), pay $18 for a weekend pass to the gun show, and see the following:

-No .45ACP cases left except for a no-name brand that is priced at $360/case. $18/box for sub-par FMJ ammo is a ripoff. I paid $15/box for better ammo not a few months ago.

-.45ACP JHP boxes selling for $40. I paid $25 for a better box a few months ago.

I understand supply and demand and gun store owners need to make a living. That's why they are in business. But demand has been decreasing.

I can't accept the fact that they are charging so much, months after Obama was elected. Prices have only increased at the gun show. They market the gun show as a "discount" event. That's a blatant lie, and the FTC should charge them with false advertising (I'm only half kidding).

Frankly, if some gun stores go out of business because of Obama, it will be bittersweet to me. Bitter because the 2nd amendment is being destroyed - sweet because the profiteers will be out of business.

You might pay $12 for a one day pass and you get awful prices, attitude, and shoving. No thanks. I'll keep looking at Wal-Mart and pass up the gun show baloney.

Am I wrong?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JustInCase]

It's disheartening to walk in around 5pm on Friday (the show opened at 3pm), pay $18 for a weekend pass to the gun show, and see the following:

-No .45ACP cases left except for a no-name brand that is priced at $360/case. $18/box for sub-par FMJ ammo is a ripoff. I paid $15/box for better ammo not a few months ago.

-.45ACP JHP boxes selling for $40. I paid $25 for a better box a few months ago.

I understand supply and demand and gun store owners need to make a living. That's why they are in business. But demand has been decreasing.

I can't accept the fact that they are charging so much, months after Obama was elected. Prices have only increased at the gun show. They market the gun show as a "discount" event. That's a blatant lie, and the FTC should charge them with false advertising (I'm only half kidding).

Frankly, if some gun stores go out of business because of Obama, it will be bittersweet to me. Bitter because the 2nd amendment is being destroyed - sweet because the profiteers will be out of business.

You might pay $12 for a one day pass and you get awful prices, attitude, and shoving. No thanks. I'll keep looking at Wal-Mart and pass up the gun show baloney.

Am I wrong?

that's where most of the gun show crooks got there ammo...

[Nova]

that's where most of the gun show crooks got there ammo...

They buy up Wal-Mart's stock and re-sell it at a markup?

Some of these gun stores are so different from the people they purportedly serve. You'd think they support the 2nd amendment, and then some of them tell you that you can't carry in their store.

[Ram Rod]

Sort of a disturbing trend concerning bargains these days. Not just at gun shows where we used to find bargains, or pawn shops, or wherever. Obviously a lot of folks just aint living in reality according to the economy now. Wife and I have been looking at houses on the market lately and we're quite surprised that for the most part, prices are not following the trend they should be. Still a capitalistic society we live in understandably, but in my view, most of your fellow man is out to screw you at the first opportunity. This means above and beyond a 'reasonable' profit that would be justifiable for any vendor offering products or services. Two reminders here............when you leave this world, you can't take your money with you and...........Wal Mart still has discount prices and seems to stick with the real economic situation. Right now, I'd rather buy a few two dollar scratch off lottery tickets than pay to enter a local gun show.

[justherenow]

I have only been to one gun show in my life, that was back about 10 years ago, and I did not see good prices or even nice guns there, it was more of a junk show.

I will continue to buy my ammo at Wal-Mart or the one local shop that I tend to buy everything from. They always have the ammo I want at fair market prices. The gun shop, like all others was running very dry after Obama came into office, but about April or May they started to get a good stock and you can get about anything, they even have a good supply of .380

[retsupt99]

I attended my last gun show about 6 years ago in Orlando...never again!

[varob]

Good deals at gun shows are a thing of the past.

[Nova]

I'm relieved that more experienced folks avoid these gun shows...I was thinking there was something wrong with me.

[tflhndn]

While I am the first to agree that the days of really good deals at gun shows are gone, I still find that the local guns shows have better prices than most of the local gun stores, and certainly there is a wider selection not only of guns, but of pieces, parts, holsters, belts, etc.....

[jwhite75]

I basically go just to handle what I am looking for and compare. Then buy somewhere I CAN actually get a deal.

[tapout1003]

The only reason I go to a gun show is to buy from other guys walking around just like me.

[mr surveyor]

the only good "deals" at gun shows in my neck of the woods are the ones that walk into the show in individual's hands or on slings on their shoulders. Lots of good finds can be had before a lot of them even get through the front doors. Face to face deals in Texas can be great..... as long as certain issues are properly scrutinized.

surv

[Faitmaker]

I like to buy my reload stuff there. Last month, I paid my $7 and walked in. I got my reload stuff from my normal "gun show" vendor who's there every month and walked right out. Took about $15 minutes. The money I save in not paying shipping prices, hazmat, or Gander Mountain prices is worth it.

[EAJ]

I haven’t been to one in a few years, but I like to go periodically if for no other reason then to handle a firearm that may not be available locally. That said, I make few purchases there unless I’m familiar with the firearm and have previously shopped it.

[Squawker]

RamRod- If you want a good deal on houses, consider moving here. Vegas housing prices have dropped like a stone. There was a big bid up for several years, and the prices today are at the 2003 level. We lead the country on repossessions, so with so many bank owned homes, they'll make great deals just to get them off of their hands. We would consider moving to areas with a better employment picture, but we would lose $100K or more selling our house. Renting it would be better, but not by much. We live in the far northwest of Vegas so most renters don't want to live this far out.

As far as gun show ammo prices, while over all prices have come down, and availability has picked up, the vendors charging high prices are banking that you aren't aware that you can get a better deal online. In 6 months to a year, things will be back to normal.