# I just HATE IT when..............



## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

........... I go to the gun show with a fistful of dollars, and come home empty-handed.

My _backpack_, however, was a bit heavy!

Picked up a case of 7.62 for the AK, two boxes of 44.40 for the 1873 and some laser boresights. Not shown is some 9 I picked up for a buddy.

Hmmmm. There was something else I bought. Let's see.... what was it?

Oh.... yeah. Now I remember: A Walther P22. :devil:

.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Most gun shows are a joke anymore. But roll the years back a bit. There was a time going to a good gun show and coming home empty handed proved a few things.
1. You most likely had been doing a good job already and had most of what you looked at.
2. You were growing up and were learning to meter your impulse to buying
3. Goes back to number 1 you had already done most of the impulse buying and were now focused on filling identified needs and purpose purchases.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Smitty901 said:


> Most gun shows are a joke anymore..............


Maybe where you are, but not in these parts. Got the Walther for $130 less than the local sporting goods store sell 'em. Yes, it's new. There was a used on that was $50 less, but it only had one mag.

Ammo is creeping up due to the election gun-grabbing rhetoric, but it will in the stores as well.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Most gun shows are a joke anymore. But roll the years back a bit. There was a time going to a good gun show and coming home empty handed proved a few things.
> 1. You most likely had been doing a good job already and had most of what you looked at.
> 2. You were growing up and were learning to meter your impulse to buying
> 3. Goes back to number 1 you had already done most of the impulse buying and were now focused on filling identified needs and purpose purchases.


The last few times I have walked into a gun shop I have come away empty handed. I think I am at number one. I have most of what I need and some I don't. Now, something has to really jump out at me. That's OK, the money goes into the gun safe in cash in a separate envelope from the cash on hand envelope. It's getting fat, just waiting. :vs_smile:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I have not been to a gun show for at least 10 years.

And many of those previous years were behind the table.

Back in the 80's I use to travel on overnight trips to various shows around New England.

Best time to buy was after table setup and you could brows other dealer's items, almost always at a price lower than tag.

Several dealers I know usually let me have whatever for what it cost them, a professional working relationship.

Today they have degenerated into Chinese junk shops, lots of counterfeit US militaria, and the dealer swear it is authentic stuff.

One of the best I went to was the Forks of the Delaware in PA, day out and a day back, but worth it.

Half the shows today are filled with non gun related crap, half the dealers I know have stopped doing them.

There is nothing from them anymore.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Agree 100% with the shows being a joke. Local show only 5 miles away and it still wasn't worth the trip. Most things trying to be sold at at high Gunbroker prices but are beat up junk. Total waste of time and 5 bucks. Love the guys with the 5 year old gun blue books trying to set used gun prices based off MSRP. With no idea of wholesale and actual cost. Could buy most guns new cheaper vs paying their used trashed gun prices.

Every time I promise never to return. Kind of like saying "I'll have one more and I have to go" at the bar.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Now I remember: A Walther P22.


Great minds think alike. I just bought a Ruger SR22.

My wife and I go to the mall a lot and I peruse the motorcycle and knife magazines. If the bangers descend on the coffee cafe' I'll be able to return fire and not disturb anyone who is also reading.

BTW, when I first opened your thread, I thought you bought an SR22, as well. _I thought they looked the same--until I woke up and saw you bought a bigger pistol..._


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

SOCOM42 said:


> I have not been to a gun show for at least 10 years.
> 
> And many of those previous years were behind the table.
> 
> ...


I'll agree with SOCOM but never attended as a dealer.

Surplus USA ammo was plentiful and cheap, as was genuine military surplus items. Not knockoff and Chi-Com stuff. Get good 06 or 308 ammo cheap

The food was better. Never saw vegan chit either.

The same has happened to "sportsman shows".


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I agree with both of you, but consider the reason I might go to one here locally.

Lots of my pistols have been with me for years. While I take good care of my stuff, I might need a certain manufacturer's magazine (or spring and follower), and even screws and factory grips.

I've been packing a stainless .38 SPL snubbie SW. If memory serves me (which it seldom does anymore) this revolver is a 642. The reason is quite simple. I have two pairs of jeans--the P238 is holstered to the 'good' jeans and the Smith is anchored to the 'tattered' pair...


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

Back Pack Hack said:


> ........... I go to the gun show with a fistful of dollars, and come home empty-handed.
> 
> My _backpack_, however, was a bit heavy!
> 
> ...


Let me know what you think of the p22. I picked one up from my sister but haven't shot it yet. Range has been a little "wet" lately.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I've stopped going to gun shows. Rude people, way over priced ammo and firearms. It seems vendors look at prices on line and then add 25%. I sold my M1 Carbine to a friend but everything I look at is pretty much worn out garbage.


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

The P22 is a fun little gun to shoot. Word of caution though, it doesnt like after market mags. I seem to always get jams when I use them. With the factory mags it never has a problem. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

The Tourist said:


> ...............I've been packing a stainless .38 SPL snubbie SW......


That's my EDC as well.



The Tourist said:


> ......If memory serves me (which it seldom does anymore) this revolver is a 642. .....


Yep. You got it 'membered right.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

*@BPH*, I don't even know why I pack the snubbie, anyway. I'm more dangerous with a knife, and it's a lot quieter. I think the idea of "age" has crept into my Lexicon, and a 'blast' seems more authoritarian than a 'slash.'

But I must admit, as I move around in the world I've found that parts of Madison are getting a lot more creepy than when I first moved here. If you would have told me 20 years ago that it might be a good idea to carry a switchblade and a SW 642 just to buy a cup of coffee I would have disowned you as paranoid.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

The Tourist said:


> *@BPH*, I don't even know why I pack the snubbie, anyway.......


I carry because I'm too old to run and too young to die.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

The Tourist said:


> *@BPH*, I don't even know why I pack the snubbie, anyway. I'm more dangerous with a knife, and it's a lot quieter. I think the idea of "age" has crept into my Lexicon, and a 'blast' seems more authoritarian than a 'slash.'
> 
> But I must admit, as I move around in the world I've found that parts of Madison are getting a lot more creepy than when I first moved here. If you would have told me 20 years ago that it might be a good idea to carry a switchblade and a SW 642 just to buy a cup of coffee I would have disowned you as paranoid.


 Getting harder for Madison area to ship it's problems to Milwaukee now


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

The gun shows around here aren't too bad. You always see the same vendors, but if you have a keen eye and a specific item in mind, you can find a deal.
The 43x I picked up was $80 less than the local gun shops were asking for a base model, and the one I bought had factory installed night sights!

The impulse buy *IS* a thing, and I've had to catch myself a few times. Generally speaking, there is always more than one table with a similar price, and it's never truly their "last one".


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

I don't impulse buy. Gun show, grocery store, house of ill repute, gas station,......... I just don't.

I go in with a list of what I want. If they don't have it, I don't spend my scratch on something else. I just do without for a bit more. I also have a budget. If it's too expensive, I pass. Yeah, I may really really really really want it, but if I know that train will come back through with a lower ticket price, I'll wait.

A story about a show last year: I wanted to get an AK. Went in with the cash and a model in mind. Even knew who would have it. Turned out I found the Norinco Mac-90 for $175 less. Knew it was a keeper for that price. Filled out the 4473, pulled out my bucks and............... no dice. My ID had expired 3 days earlier. So the dealer tried to get me to drive 350 miles to his shop next week for it. Nope, I ain't gonna do that. Well, he'll be at another show nearby 6 months from now. Nope, I ain't gonna wait that long. If he would just SHUT UP I would tell him how we can do this.

I went to another table (the same dealer I bought the Walther from, plus 10 or 12 other toys over the years), asked if they'd accept a transfer and bring it back the next weekend at another show. Sure... no problem. So I go back to the first dealer, he trots it down to the other dealer, they trade FFL info, and I come back to the next gun show 6 days later (renewed ID in hand) and pick it up. 

What did it cost me? $10 for a transfer fee.



Try that at a gun store!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I went to a gun show once, about 35 years ago.


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## Grinch2 (Sep 12, 2016)

When I go to gun shows my main focus is walking out with a heavy backpack of ammo, very rarely do any of the firearms interests me and if they do I have those numbers to call to get whatever for X-amount less. Because what I love finding is ' Dad's old ammo box ' type of stuff, even if the box is not in the greatest condition, for me being as young as I am I feel as though the ammo currently on the ' New ' market is unappealing for the most part. Maybe I'm the only one; but there's almost something sexually arousing about those grey and blue or red and white Federal boxes from the 70's, 80's and even the 90's some. I feel as though that was truly the golden age of modern firearms, when these experimental companies were coming up with their own wacky rendition of this or that and it was something actually unique and individualized. Anymore everything is so cookie-cutter it's disgusting, no one wants to really push the boundaries like their fathers and or grandfather's did. 

As with most other things the gun market has unfortunately fallen into the diversification abyss, where we're standing with open arms these guns and this ammo from this country or that country, which don't get me wrong, there's foreign companies who offer products I not only own but greatly admire. But to me I view it as a statement, those boxes of Remington shells with a printed oil painting on it are of a bygone era, when we were proud to have stuff American made; the American way. Now we have these two or three person operations claiming their ammo is the best there ever was and ever will be packaging it into these flashy plastic covered cardboard boxes which when thrown onto a table fall into the realm of obscurity and commonplace with just about every other box of ammo out there. 

On the same tracks as this heavily derailed thought train of mine, the other day I stopped at a Bass Pro shop and I am not a fan of fishing by many conventional means, but I do like to admire taxidermy and as I aimlessly wandered about I stumbled into the fly fishing section. There above on a stone plate sat a nondescript old desk, something which was overlooked by probably thousands of people, but caught my eye. I must stood there for a good five minutes or so admiring the old world craftsmanship, this was clearly a work piece which someone spent a very long time constructing, something they took pride in. An older gentleman who worked there walks up next to me and stands besides then comments ' they don't make things like they used to '. I turned to him and he kind of smiled, I did not smile I only nodded and asked him " shame ain't it " his smile faded slowly and he nodded, he grew sober and stated ' yes it is '.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

I have been to several lately as my nephew is with a big outfit in West Tenn. that always has a booth. You can pretty much forget anything military surplus anymore. Last time I went I was looking for Delay roller blowback guns and FALs. Not one of either. If you want a new handgun at the regular price or some AR variant that is over market price the gunshows are for you. Loads of leather stuff, pork rinds and beef jerky too. The only way to buy guns for me anymore is online, through my FFL. Armslist and gunbroker for surplus/secondary market. Don't try and sell a gun at a show either. You wasted your time and gas. .25 on the dollar is what I was overhearing. Rip-off heavan.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

csi-tech said:


> ...... Don't try and sell a gun at a show either.........


Wait.............. what? People sell guns? Are they crazy?!?!?!


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Took 'er to the range today and ran about 200 rds through it. Didn't like the cheap Browning 40grain 1255fps plinking stuff my AR-7 chews up and spits out. That was all over the map... I'd be better off with a shotgun and No. 6 birdshot shells. It did fairly well with CCI MiniMag 40gr 1235fps round nose. Absolutely _loved_ the 1260 fps 36 grain Mini-Mag hollow points. After getting the sights zeroed (elevation was fine, just needed to bring the rear sight to the right as it was shooting to the left a bit). At <8 yards, I'd have no problems hitting the thoracic cavity. At 20-25 yards, I'd still draw blood with 11 rounds.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I used to look forward to gun shows, it was great being in a crowd of like-minded people. Then "society" got weird to me.

I've noticed that even for an event I looked forward to, I had agoraphobia about really showing up. To that, more and more public events have lots of police and security. I have all the knives I need. A few days ago I had to clean a small 1911 that was mostly caked with dust. 

Considering crowds and feeling I have all the 'holes' filled, I'm finding less and less urgency to go out into a public event.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Gun shows, for me at least, are a social event. Not only am I recognized by many vendors (that may or may not be a good thing), it's a get-together of my friends. Many a time we'll walk the aisles, point out this and that, ooh and ahh, drool over something.... and walk out totally empty-handed. Of course, there's always breakfast at the cafe across the street beforehand, and lunch afterwards. The meals allow us to exchange ammo samples (Oh, you got a .45? Here... try these). Sometimes will have breakfast with one of the vendors. Of course, our conversations probably unhinge the other customers, but to he11 with them.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

The gun shows in Mi. are a complete waste of time. Last one I went to in Birch run they were selling Walmart WWB FMJ .380 for $100.00 a box with the 30+ dollar Walmart stickers still on the boxes. 

No thanks its nothing but an opportunity for scalpers and ammo hoarders to make large profits. I will spend not one dime in those shows let alone pay 8 bucks to park PFFFFT!


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Havent been to a gun show in 50 years. Last one I went to a pal was trying to sell a guy a chinese machine gun laid out in his trunk. They were both standing around with the trunk open looking at it and fondling. Unbeknownst to them I had snuck up behind and said in a loud voice, "FBI..what are you boys doing?" The potential customer looked like he was startled. My friend tried to convince him I was just teasing..but he decided he didnt want to buy it. I think he eventually sold it so no harm done.lol.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

Friggin internet and instant pricing sources has screwed up all the gun shows.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

One of my Okie chums went a big whow in Dallas a few years back and bought a hefty batch of cheap .40 SW reloads from some guy who was supposed to be the worlds most competent reloading guru. He got a stove pipe each four shots or so. Thats just now right.


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