doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com State of Gun Collector Shows

Happened on a flyer in an antique store which led to the unexpected privilege yesterday of attending the semiannual show of the Missouri Arms Collectors. I’ve quit going to “gun shows” after the last big one in the Denver area, gun wise, was 95% black rifles and plastic pistols. (Nothing wrong with them and lots of folks were there for that reason just not of interest to me.). There was lots of other “stuff” for sale.

This show was largely arms with a nice mix of knives, ammo, reloading, and related gun parts. There were a handful of AR’s and some scattered modern pistols and revolvers. I didn’t see any jerky or junk. I talked with various vendors to get an idea of the direction their shows were going and it wasn’t encouraging. One Illinois based dealer had been forced out of business and is liquidating and planning a “move across the river.” I.e. to Missouri. Another old timer who goes back to the founding of the Missouri group said the shows have stabilized at about 200 tables but it seems attendance is declining while average age is increasing. I saw about a dozen and a half SxS’s. One nice DHE at $5500 and a couple of basic Elsies around $1400. I was looking for powder and there wasn’t much. I saw one jar of shotgun powder - Longshot - at $30.

The Kansas City side of the state used to have a large annual show hosted by the Missouri Valley men. Perhaps one of KC guys here can weigh in on the health of that show.

It’s been years since I’ve gone to the incredible national gun shows in northern Virginia. I wonder how that multi-building show is faring. And I’ve read here that the Las Vegas show has slipped a lot.

What’s the story in your area?

Gun shows have been legislated out of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Feel free to read that again-they are forbidden. Even if a facility that was paid for with everybody’s tax dollars wanted to host one, it is no longer permitted.

Couple little shows on the perimeter of the cities, but, that is it. The big Weapons Collector club shows take place in St. Cloud, Rochester, Mankato, etc.

Best,
Ted

here in the ne, the annual Baltimore show in March, is about it these days...

damn shame...

Great shows in Amarillo, Texas
About one every three months

My son and I had tables at the Vegas show in January. Last year there were fewer good exhibits than the year before, and this year was markedly worse. Also, there were few spectators. Some dealers did business, but overall I'd say it's a dying institution. Las Vegas may be one factor. It's hard to enjoy a stay where a cup of coffee or a beer costs $8. We had "dinner" one night in the sports bar in the Westgate. Two beers, a Philly sandwich, and a plate of nachos came to $62. We don't plan to return, and that's too bad; we've enjoyed it now for nearly thirty years.
t

The "Nations Gun Show" in Chantilly, Virginia is over 1000 tables of black guns, fudge, jerky, and I don't really know what else. Our group gave up our tables about two years ago. I would go to look, but admission is very unfriendly.

See you in May at the best little collectors show West of the Mississippi Randy

However if you like to see lots of tats and China made knives its a great show. It was lots better in the old days as Eightbore remembers.

Saw this beautiful double for sale over the weekend. Perfect bores, great wood

I know what you guys are saying...... The only decent shows around me anymore are The National Gun Day Gun Show in Louisville- And I also go to an organization's shows that I belong to near me. They both have a few Model 21 style guns. And they usually have 1950s-1970s type guns also. No t-shirts, jewelery or junk like that. It is hard to keep away from stores and shows that have assault type guns because that is what most people want now days- new carry conceal and assault weapons. Stores have to supply what is popular. I understand that. That's why it is so hard to find decent side by sides.

Tut, the knives at the Nation's Gun Show are from Pakistan, not China. And the fudge is domestic, I think, and the jerky is overpriced. I used to enjoy flying into the Louisville show, renting a car at the airport, driving the rental across the highway and using it as a meeting place and gun storage. When we returned the car to Hertz, it would have about one mile on it. Loved those pork chop sandwiches in the lobby of the show. My couple of trips to Winter Vegas are another story, too long to tell here. The highlights were the Crash Bar and the dollar lunches at the Marilyn Monroe cafe at the Riviera. Bought cheap wood from Pete Hiatt. He wrote my name and address on the wood and mailed it, sans box. It arrived safe and sound and is now the back end of my prewar 32" Midas trap. Bought a Super Fox with Tom Kidd standing behind me. Probably getting too old for the Vegas trip.

National gun show in Louisville coming up. Wonder if any here will attend? Most of my Best Buy’s there have been from people walking around rather than table setups. Best or favorite buy was a 20 & 16 A grade Fox bought from a gentleman looking to sell his 20. Best offer he got from the dealers was about what a Sterlingworth beater would be worth. I ended up with both the 16&20. Cleaned out the gun fund but he got about five times his best offer on the 20 alone.

Eightbore, was it Tom Kidd who at one time was buying a lot of a Winchester model 12’s in 28 gauge?

Tom Kidd is a bit like me and you. He buys what he likes and seldom makes a mistake.

Is the Tulsa show worth attending for DoubleGun fans?

By the way, I am a MACA member and the Baltimore Antique Arms Show this year will be March 16 & 17th at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, MD. 1000 tables all sold with a wait list.
The real news is next year C&R Handguns will be allowed for the first time.
As of now it is still no Post 1898 Handguns.

Gun show are a thing of the past

From my perspective as a dealer it it much easier to put your inventory on the web and sell it from there

John
Quality Arms

Yeah, I think so too.
Collector shows still have an appeal for me, but not so much the local weekend shows.
The internet made every guy with an old shotgun an expert.
The local pawnshop floods the Internet with guns as fast as people bring them in.

I've never bought a gun online. I have seen some there and bought in person though. Also in terms of this group, I am not old.

The spring Tulsa show this year is going to have an interesting display of over a hundred Angelo Bee engraved guns put on by the Browning collectors group as a tribute to Angelo. Angelo will be there & the display will feature all sorts of guns other than Brownings, it should be something to see & will probably be the largest & only gathering of his work like this.

There is still some life left in gun shows!

It is the Shooting Show this weekend in Birmingham UK.
£30 entry plus £12 to park your car .
I understand vendors are being charged £4.000 for a pitch 18feet by 10feet deep !
So in US dollars that is about 40$ entry per person and 5000$ for a sales pitch .
I will NOT be going .

I haven't attended a gunshow in a long time now and, for all the usual reasons. But, I was just dragooned into attending the Colorado Collector's Show here next Spring (it's now held up north in Greeley, CO, well away from !@#*%&! Denver) as a buddy of mine needs some help disbursing a number of inherited guns he's been dealing with. Like me, his tastes have evolved over the years (as well as his needs) and he's got some nicer stuff that he'll likely never use (a lot of WWII stuff IIRC). I suppose that I too should consider my battery and see if I have a few old soldiers that need new homes. I suspect that I'll mostly be there as a "babysitter", but you never know. In Colorado, it's been described as the "last good show".

I guess it depends on what you collect. For me I don't really find much at shows here. The best chance I would have is at the Baltimore show. Almost everything I buy I find online, and primarily at auctions in Europe.

I just went to the Birmingham Antique Arms Fair a week ago and it was pretty good. I would definitely go there again if I were ever in the UK at the time.

I still like the Baltimore show.

The TGCA shows are getting better and better and bigger again but still 75% Colt and Winchester.

The Indian Territory Antique And Collector Arms Show is pretty good.

20% of Tulsa is decent and that 20% is still bigger than most other shows. For me it is not a must-go-to-show though.

Vegas is only ok.

I have been enjoying the American Society of Arms Collectors shows.

And a couple of the Civil War shows like Ohio and Middle Tennessee specifically are decent for even non-Civil-War-related antique guns.

So, how was the Louisville show? Did anybody go? It used to be the biggest show east of the Mississippi River. But I don't know anymore. I was just wondering if anybody went.

The main reason I go to gun shows is to see friends in person. If it were just for shooting, I can do that 10 minutes from my home. If I am looking to buy something, I can do it online from anywhere.

All of you should think positive, as bad as it is for most of you, it's even worse in the Northeast.

CT has had one antique gun show recently, which was mostly Civil War stuff. Only 300-400 tables at most and I was in and out in 30 minutes
RI hasn't had a gun show as long as I can remember.
NY Nearest one is 2 hours and background checks are now required on ammo and antique guns and I doubt they'll sell to out of state residents simply to CYA
MA Same group puts on shows at three or four locations, but's pretty much the same vendors. I know I can't buy loaded ammo or anything made after 1/1/1898 without transferring it to a CT dealer. Even if selling an antique gun to a non-resident of MA, like NY I doubt they'll sell to out of state residents simply to CYA and I can't blame them.

It isn't worth the hassle or money or potential criminal charges to sell to a person if there is even the slightest chance of the state law enforcement agencies or ATF getting involved.

I still attend Gun Shows, but not as often as I once did. There is no question that most have become smaller over time, prices are higher, admission costs are higher, and we see less guns and gun related content. I've only been to a few that restricted content, and kept out the jerky and Indian Jewelery crap.

I don't go specifically to see friends or to visit, but I frequently do see and speak to shooting friends. When I can find and buy a rifle or shotgun at a Gun Show in my own state, I can examine the gun up close and personal. Then I can make my deal and buy it without sales tax or background check fees. (Background Checks are required for handguns in my state, but in neighboring Ohio, legal adult residents only need to show their I.D. to the seller... as it should be) Then I can immediately take my gun home without any shipping costs or fear of shipping loss or damage.

The last gun show I attended a few weeks ago was only around 120 to 150 tables. I didn't buy any guns, but I got some great deals, and was glad I went. I bought a .36 cal 43 inch long octagon barrel in excellent condition for a whole $10.00. I have a small Siler flintlock, and now I am one major step closer to building a .36 cal squirrel rifle. I bought several pounds of powder, Hogdons H 375, Red Dot, and WC 846 for less than half of retail. A brand new S06-A3 Timney Trigger for a whole $5.00. 2 boxes of Hornady and Speer .490" round balls for $4.00 each. A box of .433" Speer round balls for $3.00. 2 tins of # 11 percussion caps for a buck each. 3 muzzleloading short starters for $2.00. A Garmin E-Trex GPS with all manuals and accessories for $15.00.

I also bought a box of .32 S&W Long ammo, and at least 20 pounds of assorted bullets including two boxes of 300 gr. Hornady .45-70 bullets that are no longer available, some .380 pistol bullets, 500 Winchester 55 gr. .224 cal. bullets, and two Saeco bullet sizer dies I needed. I think the cost for almost all of these items was less than I would have paid for shipping alone if I had searched and bought them online. The only non-gun related item I bought was a 3 ton snatch block. At $10.00, it was also cheaper than any online price. While I was carrying a heavy armload of bullets, the .36 cal. barrel, and other items to my truck, I saw a full brick of 209 primers for $45.00 and a large bag that appeared to be around 500 .357" jacketed flat nose pistol bullets for $25.00. Like a fool, I didn't pay for them and ask the vendor to hold them, and they were gone when I got back a few minutes later.

Gun shows aren't what they used to be, but I still manage to find some great buys, especially in these times of ammo and component shortages and Biden-flation. The next Show at this venue will be in April, and I plan to be there to find some more goodies. Much of the increased demand for Black Rifles is due to the well justified fear that anti-gun Democrats will ban them. The additional restrictions, higher costs, and outright bans on Gun Shows are almost universally due to the efforts of anti-gun Democrats, so it continues to amaze me that any gun owner with an ounce of brains would support or vote for them. Biden failed to deliver on his promise of a cure for cancer (Why don't Republicans ever mention that?). We need a cure for cancer, but what we really need most is a cure for Stupidity.

I still go. One never knows what will land on someone's table.
Last week, a 95%+ Weaver K2.5, post-and-crosshair for $30.
A couple weeks ago, at a small (maybe 25 table) gun club gun show I got a factory sealed 14 ounce pound of Clays for $20. 12 ga buckshot shells, .25 each.
A couple weeks before that, factory sealed 1# cans of PB and 800X, $50 the pair. Guy threw in 2 boxes of once-fired 16 ga Federal papers (purple!).
Last year, a Page-Lewis model C "Olympic" .22 in great used-but-not-abused shape for $150. (Looking for their proprietary tang sight, BTW.) Shoots great, looks better.

It's worth it to go, to see friends and acquaintances, to help the small merchants survive (you do realize the last 4 years have been an extended exercise in both de-kulak-ization and creation of a landless proletariat, don't you?), keep the venues open, and stock up.
And I got a nice sheath knife, the kind people would get and give for Christmas years ago, for $9.

I've never been to the Baltimore Antique Arms Show though it is only an hour+ away. I know several posters on this board go there or show there. I think I'll drive up on Saturday the 16th and just wander around; I bought my first SxS at a gun-show at Dulles in 2015. Just want to look and palaver. But, you never know.

I thought about starting my own table and going into the leather covered pad business. I have gotten pretty good at it over the years and I could turn it into a nice hobby. 👍

I use to go to the Vegas show every year, but have not for about 10 years. The guy that I know that still go said not like it was years ago. I was lucky I was going at the right time.


John
Quality Arms

So, Argo44 bought the last side by side to be sold at the Dulles show. He can make the Baltimore Show in a couple of weeks. He will be glad he went.