The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Curios and Relics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 23, 2013, 08:19 PM   #1
sixteenacrewood
Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2013
Posts: 35
gun show strategy

I am thinking of hitting the next gun show and see if I can find another Carcano model 38 that has not been sporterized (i hate that word). I also want a carbine as well.

do you go early the first day or late the second day? Do you have a stratigy or just go when ever you have the time.

I can't go both days and my work load means I need to think in advance and schedule an optimum time to increase my odds of finding what I want and get as good a deal as possable. I know I should wait till the latest panic is over or at least subsided a bit.
there is one coming up in March I may go to.

or do you thing the online gun auctions offer better deals than a gun show.
sixteenacrewood is offline  
Old January 23, 2013, 09:10 PM   #2
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
good deals rarely happen at the tables, they happen at the guys roaming around with a gun on their shoulders, they will be the heaviest about midmorning on the first day, the best time to catch the tables is about noon on the second day when people are starting to pack up and you give them the choice of a good deal or packing it back up and taking the chance of being stuck with it for a few more months.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin
tahunua001 is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:09 AM   #3
Keg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2011
Location: Freestone County, Texas
Posts: 1,133
I have been going to gun shows since my early 20's..and this is longer ago than I wanna admit....There are always deals from folks bringing in guns and carrying em around....Many dealers hit them up shortly sfter they come in the door....I like to be there the first day..early....I wanna see everything....I hate it when stuff is picked over....I have been to gun shows and felt like it was a total bust..other times I loaded up....New guns at wholesale is good....Accessories are good....Found deals on knives and such too.....
__________________
Hog Hunters never die........They just reload.........
Keg is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 12:16 AM   #4
shootniron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,599
We have a show close by this Sat...but I don't think that I am up to fighting the crowd this time. However, I normally like to arrive early to see what is there before it is picked over.
shootniron is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 07:29 AM   #5
jonnyc
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 20, 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 1,731
I like to get there early and stay as long as possible. Don't count on anything worth getting being around at the end of the show.
__________________
2024 PA Cartridge Collector Show; Aug. 16-17, 2024!!!
Buy...Sell...Trade All Types of Ammunition & Ordnance
PM or email me for 2024 show details.
jonnyc is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 01:16 PM   #6
PetahW
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 19, 2008
Posts: 4,678
I've even made a few decent buys via working the waiting line, outside the door.



.
PetahW is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 01:55 PM   #7
leadchucker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 5, 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 252
Finding what you want, and getting as good a deal as possible, are pretty much mutually exclusive.

If you are there early on the first day, you'll have the best selection, and you can grab anything you're after before someone else snags it, but you likely won't have much bargaining power.

If you are there late on the last day, you'll have the best bargaining power, but the selection won't be very good, and what you're looking for has probably already been snatched up.

If there is something specific I'm looking for, I go early.
If I am just looking for a bargain, I go late.
__________________
JOIN THE NRA!
leadchucker is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 02:18 PM   #8
Scorch
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2006
Location: Washington state
Posts: 15,247
My gun show strategy: get there early the first day, find what you are looking for, then leave. Most of the good stuff is gone by lunch the first day.
__________________
Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs.
But what do I know?
Summit Arms Services
Scorch is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 02:54 PM   #9
mapsjanhere
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 6, 2009
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,832
My strategy: Have a table, get a look at everything before the crowd comes in.
__________________
I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.
mapsjanhere is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 08:35 PM   #10
chiefr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: AR
Posts: 1,401
Since this forum relates to C&Rs, you will find used foreign military rifles are slow sellers. Having said that, I want to make a clear distinction between foreign and US military C&R rifles, which can have a more robust sales. I have been to gunshows in quite a few states and this seems to be the general trend. You can find some great prices on milsurps, much better deals for the most part than the auction sites. Carcanos especially.
chiefr is offline  
Old January 24, 2013, 09:22 PM   #11
Keg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2011
Location: Freestone County, Texas
Posts: 1,133
Quote:
My gun show strategy: get there early the first day, find what you are looking for, then leave. Most of the good stuff is gone by lunch the first day.
__________________
This.....
__________________
Hog Hunters never die........They just reload.........
Keg is offline  
Old January 25, 2013, 08:14 AM   #12
sixteenacrewood
Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2013
Posts: 35
Good advise, Thanks
I havn't been to a gun show before, besides living out in the middle of nowhere, my taste in firearms has been basic and utilitarian until getting this little Carcano. I did not expect to get so hooked on these older eu rifles.
This is like combining a love of hot rods, antique furniture, woodworking, and hunting, all my favorite things!

Chiefr, thanks for the advise, I am much more interested in the foreign military rifles, and somehow find the Carcanos very appealing. I think it will make a perfect deer/hog gun.

I may risk going late the second day in hopes of finding a decent inexpensive parts gun.

What is another moderate recoil, 100+/- yard, nice style, fun shooter to research? I should probably post this in another thread...

Thanks again
Stephen
sixteenacrewood is offline  
Old January 25, 2013, 03:39 PM   #13
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
most C&R bolt actions are good well past 100 yards. mosin nagants and enfields have the poorest reputation for accuracy but enfields have a great, smooth action and the number 4s are very well balanced. if you can find one for under $300, a enfield number 4(the ones marked us property have a little better reputation for accuracy) or a french MAS36 would be excellent shooters. others that don't have a great repuation for accuracy but are still able to find for under $300 are Japanese arisakas type38(6.5x50mm) and type 99(7.7x58mm), the ammo is harder to find but not impossible, the 7.7 is easier to get but the 6.5 is no harder than 6.5 carcano.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin
tahunua001 is offline  
Old January 26, 2013, 09:04 AM   #14
sixteenacrewood
Member
 
Join Date: January 20, 2013
Posts: 35
that French MAS 36 looks great!! Anyone here shoot them?
off to work!
sixteenacrewood is offline  
Old January 26, 2013, 06:55 PM   #15
Fox84
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2012
Location: Chester Va
Posts: 360
My stratagy is don't go. I've been to two this year. There are no deals on guns or ammo. Most of my favorite vendors are not there because they have no product to sell. There are plenty of belts, jewelry, Tshirts, books and knives.
Fox84 is offline  
Old January 26, 2013, 11:28 PM   #16
kilimanjaro
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2009
Posts: 3,963
At gun show today, small town local show, there were not less than 300 people in line out in the rain, between 9AM and Noon, waiting to get in. The hall held about 400 folks, so I'll bet 1,000 people came and went in the first 3 or 4 hours. There were no deals to be had, a seller's market. The gougers were being left sitting with their goods, but the others were doing well. I don't expect much deal-making on Sunday, they'll just wait for the next show. Demand is tremendously high. Stocks were low, if you wanted an SKS, there were about 5 to choose from, high-cap mags were not plentiful, and surplus ammo was pitiful. AR types were $2000-$2600, a few of them were moving, but not quickly.

I snagged some Garand clips, a Remington Model 700 in left hand action, and several collectible ammo boxes. Milsurps were just a few. Two women bought the only two M1 Carbines in the place, good for them.
kilimanjaro is offline  
Old January 27, 2013, 06:50 PM   #17
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
I do not go to gun shows very often. I know prices will be above market value of most every gun on a dealer's table. I have a rule for myself in that I will not take more money than I can spend. I have paid over market value for a few guns at the shows. Those have been the ones that are hard to find here at local stores.

One thing I do is to check the local stores before going to a show. I get a better idea of what the local market is on items I would be tempted to buy at a show. Most times when I am at a gun show is due to crappy weather so shooting for that day is out, and I am bores so I will go to a show to look around. Once in a blue moon I actualy find a real good deal. Most times I do not.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old January 30, 2013, 11:48 AM   #18
munson1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 25, 2009
Posts: 141
Myself I always liked the smaller shows. Maybe not as many guns on the tables but dealers seemed to deal. Plus always went outside to see what goodies the guys & gals brought to sell.

Ken
munson1 is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 12:10 AM   #19
shootniron
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 16, 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,599
My gun show strategy for the next 6 months is...DON'T GO.
shootniron is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06220 seconds with 10 queries