doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Gunshow Etiquette:

I was asked a question about gunshows by a person who was going to a big show for the first time and asked for some advice. Tough question, about all I can do is share with others how I do things, many will most likely disagree with some of this.

Try to know in advance what you are looking for and learn as much as possible about what interest you ahead of time, if possible.

Have a budget and if possible take cash, cash talks and many folks, unless they know you, will not take a check or a CC.

When you see something you like on a table take a look at everything else on the table. This will give you a good idea about what the person who has the table specializes in.

Gunshows are a great place to learn about the things that you like, there is a lot of knowledge behind those tables. Ask as many questions as you can, most will be happy to share information.

Buy the gun not the story. This has been said a thousand times but keep it in mind. I remember looking at a rifle in Vegas, the dealer started with how it was a Sedgley and was engraved by someone who worked for Smith & Wesson and did work for Sedgley at night. The rifle was by S.R. Griffin and engraved by Kornbrath, as a matter of fact it�s on the cover of my book.

When you see something on a table that you want to handle, ask first, always. If the owner is absent either wait or come back, never touch or pickup anything without asking first. We all carry cell phones, so I write my cell on the back of my business card, with a note telling the owner of my interest. Yes, I realize that many do not follow this rule; I�m just telling you what I do. You will be surprised how many say thank-you for asking.

Do not ever point out anything wrong with the gun, unless asked. IMO this is the wrong way to do business or get it for a lesser price.

If you find something you want to buy then you can start negotiating the price. I think it pure amateur hour to try to get the price down and when you do walk away and say �Thanks I�ll think about it� or �I�ll look around and see what else I like�. For a lot of people I think that it�s hard to bargain with other�s. I always start with something like �I like this rifle a lot, are you firm on the price?� Once I have negotiated the price down there is only one thing left to do..pay him. If you can�t agree on a price that you both like exchange contact information. I normally give them my card and let them know that I have an interest and if they change their mind let me know.

You can have a good time and learn a lot and not buy anything.


Everyone should join in, we have all spent time at gunshows. Besides I�m on light duty and have a lot of computer time ;-).

I have no secrets of any value except that the shows I go to are sparse for interesting, classic rifles. So, I tend to watch the isle walkers. The cool gun may be on someone's shoulder. In fact, I'll watch the entrance line and even the parking lot. I once bought a highwall that never made it out of the parking lot (with cash - good point Michael), and could have sold it three more times before I got in the front entrance.

I never hesitate to ask a dealer or walker if they would be willing to sell a scope or sight that I like w/o the rifle. If they say no, I don't argue, but I've gotten good deals that way on hard to find items.

Excellent advise.....for present time the only thing I would add is to attend on last day that way most "black plastic hi-cap seekers" will be gone and one has lesser chance of being trampled to death by the masses.

I agree with Mr. Petrov's advice. I would add that in addition to the knowledge behind the tables there is sometimes ignorance, arrogance and dishonesty.

I pay good money to host a table and sell things. I also have a sales tax number and have to COLLECT the tax for the state.

The guy that lurks around the parking lot and jumps on a deal before I get the chance, should pay his entrance tabel fee and join the rest of us. He is taking money out of my jpocket and is too cheap to buy a table.

I don't think it is about being too cheap but smart/bold enough to strike first. I hated being tied to the table when there were those not savvy enough to give a good gun a walk around the show before selling it getting out of their cars.

Sorry, Jim, everyone is on his own at a gun show. Sitting at a table doesn't give me any rights to examine every gun that comes in the door. I wish it were that way, but it isn't.

I too have consummated a few deals while waiting in line to get in, or while walking across the parking lot. The HiWall Gebby R2 Lovell from outside the Baltimore show 30 years ago comes to mind. I hated to spend my 'show' money so quickly, but it was on my short list of things to watch for. As I was walking it back to my car, another guy approached me and asked if I wanted a scope to put on it. When told that I did, he invited me to his table inside where he made me a sweet deal on a 20x Unertl. Just one instance where a 'table' guy was savvy enough to expand his horizons.

Whenever I took a gun to a show to sell, I did so knowing that I could only hope to get 'retail' for it from a fellow passerby, and that I should only expect a 'wholesale' offer from a dealer. Anybody not willing to accept that premise had best try to sell it in another venue and not get irritated by the dealer who is but trying to do business.

Regarding asking permission before handling, that is just common courtesy. And if you do pick it up and you do something awkward with it, be man enough to pay for your mistake. I watched my father ask, and be granted, permission to look at a clunker of a double shotgun. Upon picking it up and throwing the lever over to open it, the gun fell apart in his hands and the forend and barrels clattered to the floor. Imagine the embarrassment. My father immediately shoved the cash asking price toward the dealer whilst uttering every apology that came to mind. The guy refused to accept it in the end, saying it was his own fault for not warning Dad about the guns propensity to do that. It was a case of two honorable men doing what was right. (The gun remained on the table.)

Jim, I guess you don't like private individuals selling a gun off their shoulder at a show just because you are renting a table? Well, soon, you shall get your wish as Obama puts the screws to private sales.

I enjoy seeing what walks in with the non-dealers. It's often more interesting, has more history and the non-dealers are generally not such grumps.

I will often do the same, and if someone wants to buy it before I can get in the entrance, that's fine with me. Private gun sales are okay with me, and I'll be sorry to see them go.

Do you hate seeing folks sell guns at garage sales too?

I also like to buy off the floor. The part that ticks me off is the guys who lurk by the door and question every guy that walks in with something, parasites I call them, bottom feeders.