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Old April 12, 2008, 06:53 PM   #1
TexasSeaRay
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Just got back from the Dallas Gun Show

Whew.

Surprisingly, saw a number of really good deals on firearms. As usual, the gougers and rip-offs were also out in force. And as usual, the people P.T. Barnum prophesized about were there with wallets and credit cards in hand.

I guess every group has their snakes.

So that (all the good deals on guns to be had) was the good news.

Bad news was that reloading components were freaking out of sight, price-wise. Good news is that I didn't see ANY of it selling. The lone exception was the Southwest Ammo Supply booth--a respected company in Mesquite (suburb of Dallas) who always has very good, honest prices and one helluva good reputation.

They had a line.

I saw yankoffs asking $20 for 100 pieces of once-fired .38 Spcl brass. I saw one group asking $30 for unfired 40 S&W brass. Another group was selling IMR4350 for, get this, $39 a pound. His powder containers all had a good collection of dust on the lids and shoulders.

Stopped at one table that had "junk" trays of various loose and miscellaneous stuff in them. I picked up a Lee case length trim guide--no shellholder with it--that was rusted to the point that you almost couldn't see the .308 on it. Figured I might offer him a quarter or four bits for it, take it home, soak it and put it on the bench grinder's polishing wheel. If I could bring it back, great. If not, I was only out a quarter.

The alpha hotel wanted, get this again, FIVE BUCKS for it. I told him NEW ones WITH A SHELLHOLDER were only four bucks. He shrugged and replied, "Then don't buy it."

Funniest--or maybe the saddest--thing was I saw reloaded ammo, all nice and shiny, selling at factory or higher prices. I saw bags of 45 230 FMJ going for $50/100 rounds. .223 going for almost that much.

I did see some much better deals on reloaded ammo, but there were some real hucksters out there.

Now I know why it's been ten years since I was last at a gun show. Figure it'll be at least ten more years before I go again.

In the meantime, thank God I reload and know where to get the good deals.

Jeff
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Old April 12, 2008, 07:27 PM   #2
CryingWolf
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Quote:
The alpha hotel wanted, get this again, FIVE BUCKS for it. I told him NEW ones WITH A SHELLHOLDER were only four bucks. He shrugged and replied, "Then don't buy it."
Funny thing is the guy won't sell much then blame the lack of sales on the promoter.

Quote:
Funniest--or maybe the saddest--thing was I saw reloaded ammo, all nice and shiny, selling at factory or higher prices. I saw bags of 45 230 FMJ going for $50/100 rounds. .223 going for almost that much.
Makes me want to run out to Walmart pick up WWB repackage it as reloads and make $20 bucks a box.

Just doesn't make sense.
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Old April 14, 2008, 04:37 PM   #3
TexasSeaRay
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Also forgot to mention a guy selling "experienced" reloading equipment.

Experienced, hell. This stuff looked like it had been run over by a fleet of Peterbilts.

I quit rummaging when he told me all "experienced" Lee three-die sets were $35, and all "experienced" RCBS two-die rifle sets were $40.

On my way away from his little area, I remarked to him that there didn't seem to be a whole lot of reloaders beating a path to his cubbyhold.

He just shrugged.

I think I've probably gone to my last gun show.

Jeff
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If every single gun owner belonged to the NRA as well as their respective state rifle/gun association, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

So to those of you who are members of neither, thanks for nothing.
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Old April 14, 2008, 08:24 PM   #4
BigJakeJ1s
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I stopped by the booth with all the new Lee merchandise to pick up a collet die set in 8x57 (since Cabella's does not carry it in their store). The guy wanted $41.99 for the two die set! I thought I mis-heard him, but he confirmed the price. I set it down and walked off. They are $21-$23 online, and if Cabella's actually stocked it, it would be about the same. (BTW, their reloading and ammo stocks are shrinking every time I go in there.)

There were some sweet deals on guns, and more BLRs than I've seen in a long time, but the prices on those seemed a little high. I even saw TWO in 358 win.

One dealer had ruger' new P3AT clone, but it was more expensive than I expected (don't recall the price off the top of my head). Did seem to be well put together.

Andy
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Old April 14, 2008, 09:27 PM   #5
live24wheel
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After my last incident at a gun show, I dont beleive I will return either... Nice to say at 20 years old right.

Stopped by a guys booth, selling all kinds of various ammunition and different things. He had 2 boxes of 45-70 for a pretty decent price. Asked him if all were factory loads, he replied, "Yes they are." My father asked if he could open the box and look. He said yeah. We opened them, just grabbed a round from the end of the box, looked like factory loads, so we bought them.

Got home and the next day, last day of the show, he opened them to find one of the boxes had what appeared to be 2 factory loads on each end of the box. All the middle rounds were loaded with **** poor lead bullets.

If only we had opened them that night I would have been glad to drive back out there and ram em up his you know what. Either way, I know he pulled the bullets on all the obvious reloads, wouldnt surprise me if he just dismantled them all to make sure they didnt get fired just in case....

It just amazes me that someone could even try to rip someone in a way like that. I guess its all about learning from your mistakes.
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Old April 14, 2008, 11:47 PM   #6
TexasSeaRay
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigJakeJ1s
I stopped by the booth with all the new Lee merchandise
Andy, I must've missed that--where was that booth at?

Hell, I thought I'd covered the whole show. Guess I didn't.

Jeff
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If every single gun owner belonged to the NRA as well as their respective state rifle/gun association, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

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Old April 15, 2008, 08:35 PM   #7
BigJakeJ1s
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SeaRay,

IIRC, he was about 1/3 - 1/2 the way back, maybe three -four rows from the left side when you walk in the door. You didn't miss much at his prices. I think he's the same dealer I've seen at Big Town, but I didn't remember his prices being that bad. Come to think of it, I did take note that his price on a classic cast was pretty high a while back. I've bought a few small things from him in the past, and didn't think he was too far out of line.

I was at the Dallas show Sunday morning.

Andy
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Old April 15, 2008, 09:43 PM   #8
TexasSeaRay
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Hmmm. Must've missed him.

I was there Saturday at noon. I saw Southwest Ammo (out of Mesquite) there--they had the longest lines of reloaders waiting to buy powder and primers and components.

But Southwest Ammo is a good bunch to begin with--just one helluva long drive from where I'm at in the northern part of the metroplex.

Jeff
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If every single gun owner belonged to the NRA as well as their respective state rifle/gun association, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in today.

So to those of you who are members of neither, thanks for nothing.
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