doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Gun shows

Just returned from the biggest show here in Eastern PA. What a waste of time. A huge bunch of crap. Since the late seventies there has been a steady deterioration. More dealers of jerky and knuckledusters and other junk with zero business at a gun show. Many hundreds of tables loaded down with plastic guns, about two decent doubles and nothing unusual. I think that maybe I�ll save myself the bother in future. Time to hang it up.

I remember when even Allentown was a decent show. Honest original condition stuff has been scarce at gunshows on the east coast since the late '80s, IMO.

A trip to Beinfeld's in January is what you need...

Sorry to hear Allentown has slid so far. I remember getting a pretty darn nice CEO-Grade Remington there that I still heve. And, hard to believe, but the paper dealer that use to be in the first aisle on the left side as one came in had the original hang-tag for a high condition A-Grade Ansley H. Fox I'd bought from Randy Shuman about five years earlier!!

Not an unusual complaint. The promoters commonly hold the shows more and more often reducing the income for the better dealers who leave. They are replaced with beanie baby and beef jerky dealers and things continue to get worse. Portland was a great show when held 3 times a year. Then it was bought out and became a 6 times a year show which was bad enough then the new owners got a divorce and each ran it 6 times a year. Now MUCH smaller, no good dealers and hardly worth attending. The Washington collector's show had internal problems of some sort and now there are NO good shows in the Northwest. It is better now to hit the small, out of the way club shows... 40-60 tables but neat guns and few but serious customers.

The only good close to NW show is the Big Reno Show which is still 3 times a year, closely run for gun related tables and high quality merchandise. I hear the Idaho shows are better than Or/Wa but haven't attended in a while.

Our shop attends Tulsa, Ok., Denver Co collectors show, Reno, and the Beinfeld January show.

The Nations Gun Show held in Chantilly every year used to be really decent. Now it's all black guns, blow guns and jewelry and jerky. They have the show 4 times a year and its pretty much always the same stuff. I pretty much quit going because I don't need anything anyway, and the stuff they have there I have no use for.

What would be my chances of finding the 12 ga., exposed hammer, 32" and tightly choked, fluid steel pigeon gun I've been casting for, at the Vegas show in January?

SRH

Hi Stan,
The Vegas show always has some interesting guns for sale. I found a nice WC Scott Live Pigeon gun there in 2016, and this year a William Evans "Paradox" hammer gun. You will see many major dealers from across the country and probably 300 plus private seller tables. No black guns, or jerky. Definately worth attending if you like vintage/antique guns of all types.

Stan tell me exactly what you are looking for

I'll copy it from my several month old want ad in the for sale forum, and add some more pertinent info:

"On the hunt for a 32" (or longer) 12 ga. hammer gun, with 2 3/4" chambers. Fluid steel barrels preferred. All makes considered. Must have at least 14 1/2" LOP and not be stocked with less than 2 1/2" DAH. Must be tight and very good or better condition. No project guns please. Prefer a true pigeon gun configuration with tight chokes and weighing at least 8 lbs., or a bit over.

I can be contacted by p.m. or at stanhillis@gmail.com"

I have found several that met most of the criteria except for the chokes. It's a crying shame how many have had all the choke reamed out.

Thanks all, SRH

Stan, if you find a "good" gun in all respects except choke have you considered having permanent choke tubes put in the gun? Mike O can do this if there is decent wall thickness. Your gun might be out there but finding it is going to be hard. Too many guns have been opened up, barrels bobbed, abused and neglected along the way.


You might be better off searching web site in GB for what you are looking for. Then just have it imported. Several dealers who post here could handle the importation for you. A few of our British posters might even be able to suggest where to look.

We have three companies running them: Gun-Knives, C&E shows and Showmasters. The C&E and Showmasters are only good if you want to buy a sermi-auto that resembles an assault rifle or modern handgun and a holster for it. Not sure about Gun-Knives.com but I suspect it is much the same. I don't bothering going to them because it is complete waste of time. Last good gun show I went to was run by some company from PA and was held at skating rink on route 17 about five miles out of Warrenton Va and that was about 15 years ago.

Thanks for sharing info on that three day event. It is run by one of three companies I listed, therefore, I'm not surprised it being surplus, knife, beef jerky, sun glasses, coin,.....affair. Never been to one and now never will. Thank you for saving me trip and lot of time which I can use for more worthy endeavors that give me pleasure.

I have considered that, Jon. Thanks. But, as I told another friend today by p.m. I have made allowances so many times in the past, for things that weren't quite what I wanted, and been sorry later, that I have about decided to wait until I find the perfect gun this time. I realize the odds are stacked against me, but they are out there. There is one man I can call and locate a very high quality English gun like I want, but it will be very costly. I've got to move a few guns down the road to new homes in the meantime to fund it. If I don't find a bargain in the meantime ........ I'll make the call. Meanwhile, it's fun looking.

SRH

I can remember-- not in the too distant past, that the two Virginia promoters listed above sent postcards to attendees that read "guns and related items only". Now, one has to look hard to find anything of interest.
The result?--attendance is sparse, quality dealers don't show and what they display is largely laughable, entrance fees are up, and the promoters try to make up lost revenue by renting tables to anyone who thinks that their display might sell something. These promoters created their downfall because of greed.

Ahhh, I understand! I'll bet you found out that the vendors don't rent guns or sell them on a Layaway Plan where you can tell us all about your new pump shotgun, and then back out of the deal without ever actually buying the gun. And paying an admission charge would just take all the fun out of drooling and tire-kicking.

Do you own any double guns yet Jagermeister?

I didn't think so.

No, attending shows in my state is complete waste of time. I'm not interested in jewelry, old surplus clothing, dry meats, coins, watches, knives, chinese optics and parts bins for old military clunker firearms. I can get ammo for same or less from places like SGAmmo on line delivered to my door. I have zero reason to attend "flea markets".