Gun Show Characters

[JAKIII]

i fully understand the prices on new . but our local shops burn people on used or offers . offer like 400 for 3 guns . a remington 572 , an ithaca 37 and a waffle top marlin 32special all in good condition . that isnt meat on the bone. thats just plain ? while i know our area is alot of ballers , who accept them offers ? i know those same guns would have commanded top dollar on their shelves . yes majority of people will try to buy local , but when the locals try to milk them on every deal ?this same shop was also caught buying cases of 22s , at the other stores and selling them in baggies of 50pcs at triple the price in 2020 .

Taking what the market will bear is capitalism, right? Obama sold more guns & ammo than any president in history. Idiots permit themselves to be burned though.

If/when enough cost savvy buyers walk away (decreased demand), I presume the shops will have to adjust their pricing.

[fritz1255]

Mr. Rusty Junk: His table is full of old military rifles from last century and earlier that look as though they were buried in a dump for decades. Stocks are rotten, and you can barely see down the barrels for the rust. For a Chinese copy of a Gew 88 without a bolt or any rifling in the bore, he wants $350, oh, and another $15 for a transfer! Kind of like seeing the shelter animal that is days away from being euthanized, I'd love to give one a good home, but I'm not really sure what I would do with it. They're almost too ugly to be wallhangers, and making a "project" gun out of it would require a gallon of epoxy filler for the stock, and a small fortune in parts. I can only hope they find a good home with some gullible individual who will spend that kind of money on something to hang over his fireplace.

[Daycrawler]

I've never been to a gun show. I apparently need to check one out for the laughs.

Having been to a gun show should be a pre-requisite to being a member here.

You don't need to, apparently they're full of judgemental people.

It's not so much judgmental as visual and audible entertainment. Except those who assault the olfactory senses.

[fritz1255]

The Obama/Biden Hysteric: He runs around the show, frantically looking for guns at any price. Better get 'em now cause "they" are gonna ban 'em all! Fortunately our system of governmental checks and balances will almost certainly prevent this outcome, but he doesn't know that. Unfortunately some dealers at shows are all too willing to take advantage of this guy, feeding on his fear. It's not just gun shows, this guy buys any and every conceivable mail order gun-related item, expecting that prices will appreciate drastically when "the ban" comes. Can't find any 303 British reloading dies? Ask him, he's got ten sets in his basement. Shortly after the Newtown shooting, I saw three rather large bearded guys gathered around a table at Oaks where a dealer was making AR-15 upper receivers to order. I am pretty sure from the conversation that they thought they were going to get complete rifles with no background check for their $500 apiece instead of just uppers. They left the table saying "make three". I didn't stick around to see what happened when they got back, but I'm guessing the dealer got stuck with three uppers.

[Bellerophon]

And on the other side of the aisle: The “I Gotta Have” Dealer: Old guy walks up to a dealer’s table to sell a gun. The dealer tells him the gun is essentially worthless, but he’ll give him $50 out of the goodness of his heart. The old guy says “My daughter won’t let me give it to my grandson, so okay I might as well get rid of it”. A few minutes later, you walk up to his table, pick up the same gun, and ask how much. The answer is “I gotta have $250 or I’m losin’ money”. One thing you don’t gotta have is any of my money, pal. I didn’t make this up, I saw it.

Yep. I’ve seen a lot of dealer grifting over the years. I listened to a dealer a few years ago try to explain to an elderly gentleman that his late ‘40s Smith and Wesson Model 27 with all the police paperwork and factory letter would only be worth about $100 cash or $125 in trade due to its “condition” - it looked in near perfect shape for a former police issue.

Luckily he didn’t go for it. I’ve seen that dealer several times since then (not recently) and I avoid his table all together. Nice guys might finish last; but @$$holes get reputations.

[DukeConnor]

M27 didn't appear until mid 50's.

[Bang]

Several years ago friends in Florida found themselves named executor in a friend's will. A very nice circa 1972 S&W model 10, with original sale paperwork, resided in his safety deposit box. They took it to a gun dealer/shooting range to sell it to them. The counter person apologetically offered $300 "due to its condition". They called me and asked if I'd be interested in it for three hundred bucks. I considered it for two nanoseconds and affirmed YES!

[R L Suehr]

Several years ago friends in Florida found themselves named executor in a friend's will. A very nice circa 1972 S&W model 10, with original sale paperwork, resided in his safety deposit box. They took it to a gun dealer/shooting range to sell it to them. The counter person apologetically offered $300 "due to its condition". They called me and asked if I'd be interested in it for three hundred bucks. I considered it for two nanoseconds and affirmed YES!

That's probably not out of line several years ago. I paid $275 for one about 5 years ago in fairy beat up shape that was mid 70's vintage. If they were offering 300, they probably considered it a 4-450 gun.

[Bellerophon]

M27 didn't appear until mid 50's.

That’s not true at all. They were first produced in 1935 - they didn’t start adding model numbers to their production line until the mid 50’s.

It would have previously been known as a “Registered Magnum” and was basically a custom order gun for anyone, including lot orders for police departments.

I referred to it as a Model 27 as that’s really what it is. I’d refer you to any number of gun forums or even the Wikipedia article to verify this.

[ScotsGuards]

One of the more recent types: The Weed Reeker- These odiferous morons show up at shows giving of so much residual marijuana fumes you almost get high being near them. They invariably want to inspect your guns, expecting to buy something. When we tell them we can't sell them anything as they obviously are using they either: 1. Nervously deny they are dope smokers or; 2. Try to explain that "Man, it's legal now. I have a Medical Marijuana Card." We then inform them that no matter what you think your weed card can do for you using cannabis is a Federal prohibitor regardless of the state or local status of said substance.