5 Things NOT to Do at a Gunshow 

I like to browse around with an ATF cap and jacket on, while carrying a clip board. I'll stop at various booths and start writing stuff down, making sure I never make eye contact with the booth attendant.

As a dealer at shows here are my tips for buyers: 1. Don’t ask “what’s your best price?” That pisses off dealers. Of course prices are negotiable. Instead, make an offer. He’ll either counter or say price is firm. Don’t haggle over items less than $20. 2. Don’t socialize with dealers you know. They are there to work and you’re taking up valuable customer time and attention and blocking their table. 3. Don’t pickup guns without asking the seller first. Same goes for opening actions and dry firing. 4. Don’t make an offer if you don’t have the money. 5. Don’t put your stuff on their table, especially food and drinks. Just some more info to think about.

Re #5: I took my wife to a gun show, and wound up having to wait on HER. She's a writer; I finished my business and went looking for her, found her sitting on the floor going through a box of US Army field manuals. "This is GREAT source material!!" I wasn't even surprised, and patiently waited for her; it's called a relationship.

Most things I've seen at gun shows seems overpriced. But it's still fun to go and look.

how about useful tips like: ask before touching, don't dry fire, keep oily ass hands off barrel's , keep finger off trigger, dont dress all tacticool

Every gun show I’ve been too in the last few years has been a horrible fudd convention of over priced garbage, political ranting, and cringie mall ninja, BS.

Years ago I went to a show in Grand Rapids, MI, looking for a single shot .22 for my daughter. Found a couple that were more expensive than new ones and the last booth I went to a guy and his young boys had a rack of .22s. I asked the father if he would consider less than his asking price as I was looking for a starter rifle for my daughter. He smiled and said, sure, knocked it down to $130 and it went home with me. One of the most accurate rifles I own. Daughter got interested in boys instead of shooting and now it is mine. Great for squirrel hunting, light, short and accurate. So, sometimes there are good deals at these shows.

Don't fart at gun shows! Especially in crowded aisles. Which brings me to another pet peeve of mine. The family reunion in the thin asles. If you meet a friend at a gun show find a wide out of the way spot to catch up on all the latest gossip. No need to clog up an aisle in conversation with someone. Some of those aisle are thin enough already.

Average person buys “the deal” at first table. 6 tables later you see same for cheaper.

The last gun show I was at a gentleman had a poster on a stick on his backpack saying what gun he had for sale...didn't take long for some random person asking to look at it and after it was sold he threw the sign away. Seemed like a good strategy to me :)

If I go to a gun show looking for "X" I won't find it, a month later I will be looking for "Y" and there will be zero of "Y" but half a dozen of "X"! It drives me crazy.

To keep from insulting the seller and put him on the offensive, I ask " Is this price firm or negotiable" That way if he says firm you know that there's no dickering. If he says negotiable, then it is game on 👍

Back in the day when I 1st started collecting guns you could get a pretty good deal here and there at a gun show Now everybody is out to straight rob you

I go to gun shows to update my Elvis art dish collection....

I have come to hate gun shows. The ones in my area are over priced and the sellers won't budge on the price. Example: I saw a used glock 19 with two magazines and the guy wanted $550 for it. I looked at it and said would you take $525? He asked me if I go to academy and try to negotiate their prices? I just laughed and said no but I don't have to because they reasonable and told him that's where I would get the glock I want. That's just one example. I even had a vendor ask me to leave his table because I asked him if he was firm on the price of a used marlin rifle.

You're right about the haggling, my buddy's dad when around the show and after many vendors found one and haggled 10 boxes of MREs for half the normal asking price. Last day of show can have deals too.

I’m gonna pick up that boomer’s MP40 with the sign that says “DO NOT TOUCH” and start doing combat rolls

I always attend a gun show "solo" so that I can get in and out as soon as possible without having to wait for a friend or co-worker to catch up. Another thing I do when selling a long gun is to avoid eye contact with the vendors. There's "no meat on the bones" for them and my target is the patrons so that I get what the rifle is actually worth to me. If hounded by a vendor, I throw such a ridiculous high price at them that they'll leave me alone.

The worst thing when you bring a friend is if they ask a really dumb question that shows they have no idea about guns, that they should have asked you but instead said it to a vendor.

“What’s the least you’ll take for it?” has to be the LAZIEST way to negotiate. As a seller, I rarely take these people seriously. My answer often is, “I don’t know. What’s the MOST you’ll give me for it.

My wife usually goes with me, she's my enabler.

Vendors can't stop you. You decide to stop, or you don't.

My European ancestors are Bulgarians and they have a great bargaining culture. My old grandfather came to the states and went to a show with me and bargained the man on a 400 makarov to 260. He knows alot about makarovs

#1 Don't get into conversations with the "friendly" guys who can get you "special stuff". Unless you want to get on a list.

Most people I know that take a gun to sell at a show are there to sell it to another show goer not a guy at a table.

In my experience I feel kinda weird asking for someone's bottom dollar, I prefer to ask if they have wiggle room and then make a reasonable offer maybe $25-$50 less than I want to pay, and they'll either counter offer under the asking price or accept my offer.

Video killed the radio star, and Vendors killed gun shows and flea markets. If someone looks like they make a living with their booth, I rarely give them a second look. As time goes on, I find myself at fewer shows and markets. Just not worth arguing with a person who wants 600 bucks for a 300 dollar item.

On a more firearm specific note, a bonus rule... Don't always write off guns that haven't been cleaned to be made presentable. Most dealers are in the buying and selling business just as you mentioned, and what the gun looks like doesn't usually matter to them. For you as the buyer, you might inspect the bore and it looks like absolute junk... but really it just needs a scrub and a couple patches to reveal that it's actually superb. Had some great deals that people over look because the bore appeared to be terrible.

Never assume that: almost every firearm is not overpriced, that it is really "unfired", that the bluing is not just spray paint, that the vendor is not actually some dude trying to avoid wage garnishment by running a shady cash business. What you are really looking at is a large highly refined collection of rejected firearms that have been messed with and passed around by a series of Barney Fife's. Bring a small light to see detail on the firearm in poor lighting. Better yet, think of it as a museum of dressed up junk and go see it while leaving your money at home.

The same rule applies to ANY hobby show. Decide as much as you can, what your goal is. Stay focused, carry cash, don't be afraid to deal, and DO no be afraid to walk away if you feel anything wrong. Carry cash, the ATM at a display show is there to make a profit as well. I do the same thing with online sales as well.

My wife, thankfully, LOVES going to the gunshow with me...she buys more than I do.

Totally agree with not making contact with non gun vendors. I made this mistake last gun show I went to. The guy was selling those electronic hand massagers (I got back issues so I checked it out plus he had no business and I felt sorry for him.) Once I asked the guy if he had a business card he copped a total attitude cause he realized I was not gonna buy it right then and there. Than another guy walked up and he completely disregarded me in the middle of us talking and moved onto them. Which I was thankful for but the way he did it was very rude.

Whenever I get flagged down by an non firearm vendor, I ask if I buy their product, which firearm comes with it.

My first exposure to milsurp firearms was through gunshows, however, once I realized I wanted to build a collection I obtained a C&R firearms license and purchased direct from wholesalers. That worked out well.

#1 don’t go to gun show

Good advice. I've gone to many gun shows over the past 30 years. Your observations are very consistent with my own observations and experience.

As a Brit a few years back I found a gun show while in Florida. While viewing all these items that we are not allowed to buy a guy walks past with so many weapons he looks likely to drop something. The stall owner I was chatting to calls out “hey sure you’ve got enough there” guy scurries past saying “no” I enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot everybody was very friendly and didn’t mind my stupid questions.

I'm always lured away by the beef jerky. Lol 🤗😋😁

Pretty well stated. I definitely move a lot faster solo. You can scan both sides of an aisle and bypass the bullshit by going down the center. I don't hit the opening bell anymore, but wait until about 10:30. The early birds have started leaving, and I get much better parking. Most of the good deals these days get snatched up Friday night during set up, so I don't sweat it. Now I just look for the stuff hidden in the corners that the pros have missed. That seems to be fairly rare these days, as the pros with storefronts have taken over from the regular folks.

Number six: don't bring toddlers or dogs to a gun show. Especially if you're pulling them around in a wagon.

I'm confused...went to a gun show just yesterday, passed about 6 signs leading up to the door saying NO ccw or loaded magazines permitted. Somebody please explain!

The t-shirts are great, I got one that said Body Piercing by Springfield Armory.

I never had a problem going with anyone to a gun show. We will tag along together for a few minutes and then simply split up and meet back, at a certain location, at a certain time. Now with cell phones, you can make contact with each other at any time. As for my significant other, she will tag along for a little while and then go sit down and read a book. She'll call me when she is ready to find me again.

I've been going to gun shows since the early seventies. This video was a great surprise to me. I was expecting the usual "don't show off your loaded conceal carry gun to a vendor", etc etc. Everything this guy said is spot on! Especially the part about not making eye contact with the people selling "assault perfume." The best "don't do" at a gun show video yet.

I like to goof around with the non-gun show vendors. They have no business being there, so I see them as a target of opportunity. They kinda wish they'd never approached me by the time I walk away.

After the last 2 gun shows I went to (over 7 yrs. ago), I learned the main thing to not do. Do not go to a gun show. Years ago, gun shows were just that. Gun related items. And, occasionally, you could get a pretty good deal. I bought my wife's BLR in the 7mm-08 at a gun show back in the late 80's. NIB, and $50 less than I ever found at a store. But now? Now about half of the booths are firearm related and the other half is totally unrelated B.S. And the cost just to get in the door has gone up and up. Personally, I have found that if you visit a few gun dealers on a fairly regular basis, and get to know them, you can often get a better deal than you ever find at a gun show. Where I live, I frequent 2 dealers and have always been able to get better service, better information, and better prices than I could get anywhere else...including chain stores that advertise lower prices.

I haven't been to a gun show in years. When I used to go, I mostly bought reloaded ammunition. Guys who had a progressive press would put out hundreds of rounds and package them for sale at the gun show. I'd get an occasional dud, and I'm sure that they weren't the most accurate. For practice with a .38 Special or .357 Magnum, they were good enough and cost much less than the commercially-manufactured ammunition. Sometimes, I would run into people who had a very small, local shop that I hadn't known existed. I usually wouldn't buy from them at the show, but I would get something from them later at their shop if we got along well and their prices were good. Around that time and a little later, I was involved in some reptile shows. At the reptile shows, sometimes the best deals could be found in the last two hours of the show but before the last thirty minutes. People who hadn't had a good show and were looking for any sale would be willing to let go of something for much less than they normally would. People who were thinking about how much work they'd have to do to pack up everything, take it home, and unpack it would make great deals just to avoid having one more animal to unpack. I doubt that a person would have much luck getting new guns this way at a gun show, but I wonder whether the same tactic could work with used guns. A vendor who's had a rough show and has barely made enough to pay table fees might be willing to dump something for just $20 more than he has in it so that he'll have a little more cash in his wallet when he stops at a restaurant on the drive home. If he has a bunch of surplus pistols that he got for $80 a piece and hoped to sell for $150 each, he might let one go for $100 in cash just to have money in his pocket on the way home. Alternately, if he's had a good show and sold all but one of those pistols for $150 each and wants to close the book on the purchase of those models, he might let the last one go just to avoid having to keep up with the last one in inventory.

Got a 1918 DWM Luger all matching except for the grips and magazine for $800 recently, I got there as soon as the show opened and bought it as soon as I saw it like you said :)

Good tips. I’ve been on both sides of the table. One thing I’ve noticed, as soon as I pick up something, and start asking the seller about it, buyers will listen in or stop behind me. As soon as I put whatever it is down, someone will buy it. Lots of people at gun shows that have no clue what they are looking at. But they pretend they know and copy what they think are more knowledgeable gun buyers. As a seller, I see lots of guys who are scared to tell their wives that they want to buy or have bought a gun. Lots of men are married and are afraid to tell their wives what they have done. Pretty pathetic the majority have married the wrong woman.

I just sold a long gun at a gun show by carrying it around with a MAKE OFFER sticker on it. Only 4 people asked about it and I went back to the first vendor because he made the best offer. Also, I've gotten great deals in the final hour of the last 3 gun shows I went to. The sellers were willing to take a lowball, rather than pay the fees and not make the sale.

I got sick of the bottom dollar question , so now when i am asked i add a couple hundred dollars and they always get indignant ,,,lol

The spouse thing is making me think of say... them dragging you around the clothing store. ‘Oh look at this, isn’t this cute? Isn’t this nice?’ Same thing.

I picked up a Star 9mm for $300 with 5 mags and a holster. It was like new and the asking price was $500. Last day of the show and the last 2 hours.

My home state doesn't have gun shows. The two neighboring states with draconian gun laws have them and they are a joke of overpriced pre-ban AR's for $2000 over msrp. The last one I went to a vendor asked if I was interested and I laughed in his face and told him I can go back to my home state and buy 3 of them for that price.

Great vid and accurate. I actually found myself laughing at the part where if you see something don't walk away. I'm laughing at myself because experienced buyers will remember those times when you walked away from something you regret later on.

This is my experience as well at gun shows. The reason I would go primarily was to find a good deal. It used to be different years ago. But seems now all vendors are trying to get top dollar and where you used to be able to find deals, now they are very few and far between. But still can be fun. Guns are beautiful machines and fun to look at and see operations of some especially the milsurps.

I have a tactic. I have my wife following behind me a few tables. If I see something, but I want to keep moving, I text or call her. Got some sweet FN 5.7 ammo because I was considering the price and saw what everyone else was marking their ammo at. Texted her to grab it.

My rule #1. Just don't go. I'm tired of the spec ops cosplay crowd, faux tactical garbage and grifters of all types.

You made some good valid points here. The first one about not walking away when you see a really good deal, I've done. I still grumble years after the fact about the one that got away. It took only 15min. or so & it was gone!

The gun show is $8 worth of entertainment for me. And a chance I might find something unique for my mouse gun collection. :)

Sounds like a lot of gun dealers are like used car salesmen. Great tips, thanks!

Before my father passed away, he would have a table at Fishing Flea Markets and he would sell lures that he made and miscellaneous rods & reels. I would help him work the table. Some of your suggestions would be applicable to these shows as well as all flea markets. Here is the thing that I noticed. The vendors get in to set up 2 hours before the doors open. The savvy vendors get there early and set up in a half hour. Then they walk around and buy up all the really great bargains from the less experienced vendors and bring the goods back to their table to mark up and sell. I got many great deals on my fishing equipment helping dad and he would add about many items to his tables doing the same. That is why there are not very many great deals when the public is let in. My dad always said the people who come in before noon are buyers and those that come in after noon are lookers. Very little is sold in the afternoon. The vendors will be there because the people who run the shows want your table to be open when paying customers come in. However, there are no good deals available at that time. Pretty much everything is the same as buying at a local store.

Most gun shows I've been to there are no good deals, high priced.

1) Don't wear a "Vote for Biden" t-shirt. 2) Don't ask if guns are a substitute for manhood. 3) Don't try to burn an American flag. 4) Don't proclaim the Second Amendment applies only to "militias" 5) Don't ask if Antifa has a booth.

Best thing I have learned is always bring a backpack to a show. Makes carrying purchases far easier especially if you buy something early at the show.

Remember: go alone, bring cash, and most of all : don't bring babies to the gun show.

I use it as a show room to go look at things in person and see if I like it as as well in person as I do in paper

I learned my lesson a long time ago from buying at a gun show. I bought an Aero Precision upper from a dealer, thought I was getting a good deal. Found out later that they switched out the barrel for a cheaper one. Have never been to another gun show again.

I haven't had much luck at gun shows. I bought some ammo and accessories, but never bought a gun. Taking my wife worked out good because she likes guns also. We met up with another couple we know at one gun show, but they went at a much faster pace and we ended up not spending much time with them anyway.

Gun shows are very fun, I've learned that usually the more niche they are the better the vendors will be.

I am a phenomenal Haggler I never pay full price at gun shows, swap meets, or flea markets. BRING CASH! MONEY TALKS!

I've also been to a lot of gun shows, I Have counterpoint to everything you just said. Learn to say no. Grow a set. You make the deal at the gun show, Always be willing to walk away. That's how you get a good deal.

Yell out loud, “Over here Joe and Beto!”

In regards to non gun vendors - I’m still looking for the flux capacitor to install on my time machine to go back and negotiate a cash deal on the firearm that I passed up on. Thanks for the intel.

thank youu!! i’m going to a gun show today and wanted to get a feeling of how it’s going to be 😊

I began carrying a shoulder bag or brief case in order to have a place to put and carry any little items that I might buy while at a gun show. When I'd do this I'd get stopped far more than on the occasions that I had taken a rifle to a gun show to sell or trade. I thought, if carrying a case or bag about was going to send this many dealers into a frenzy, I would have begun doing this long ago.

w o w , dude has 2' WW-2' strumgerwar 43's on the right side of his pig board , nice

Rember to look around the gunshow if you are looking for a specific gun. You may find the same gun for a better price two tables over.

Do you purchase your rifles in that condition or do you get them refurbished? I have two Springfield 1903's and want to get them total refurbished, furniture, brass cleaned up like new but cannot find a pro to do i any help is appreciated.

I've been looking to buy a mosin nagant and I want to buy it in person so I can check it out myself does anyone have any suggestions as to where?

Also, if you bring a gun friend, odds are they won't know when to keep their mouth shut and will interfere with your negotiations.

Don't bring your wives or girlfriends, most shows are very crowded.

I’ve made all of these mistakes at one point haha. Great video.

I stay overnight at the hotel where we have our gun show. If you ask around at the bar sometimes you get a guy who calls a guy who might have something you were looking for for cheap. The worst thing that happened at a hotel was when a guy jumped off a balcony and offed himself. I woke up to the thud.

#6, it is OK if U don't know something. I've been into guns for decades and I am still learning. If you don't know, ask!

Sorry for another comment, but bring a good sized carry bag. Anecdote: my wife and I were at a show in Lexington, and I got 2 deals on Glocks. I bought them and were carrying them in their boxes...must have gotten asked 20 times if I was selling them. My wife had the backpack with the ammo cans.

I've never been to a gun show and I'm thinking about going to one. I'm looking for a good EDC. I'm leaning strongly towards a Sig 365. Are there good deals to be found at gun shows. Are there areas that let you test out the gun to make sure it works properly?

#1 if you're a veteran wear your hat or ask for a veteran's discount. Last gunshow I wore my AF service hat and right off I got a 10% discount offer just looking at .243 ammo. And I didn't even ask, the gal just thanked me for my service and said she'd knock off the price. #2 having actually been "behind the table" years ago, nobody really likes packing up stuff at the end of the day or event. Sometimes you just get tired of lugging somethings around and just want to dump it. #3 bring cash as it's cheaper than paying "fees" such as taxes when you use a card...saw a few people layout a grand in cash buying that AR they had their eye on.

Good video, I agree with all of it. It’s funny, I’ve noticed we have very similar strategies and views on gun shows. And yes, always awkwardly looking the other way or “checking my phone” while walking past the non gun related vendors. Lol

I like WAC show in Wa state. They have some vendors that do really good reloads and sell unique bulk ammo. I buy my range 9mm there in bulk. Its pricey now, but everything is. If you want used parts/holsters etc, gun show is where to go.

Caution on buying reloads: Serious Reloaders have a rule-Never buy/use someone else's reloads- Sure,a short/no powder charge gets you a squib-a minor annoyance.It gets more serious if one has been included in the magazine or belt of a full-auto... Now ,the old double-charge ,in, say...a .357 Magnum- may score you a hearing aid. With prices at the current high, it's a good time to get your own press...and don't give away or sell any, it's not worth the liability issues.

I would like to say that as a vendor, a pet peeve of my son's (it's his business that he runs and has been doing it since the age of 21) is to ask what the price of something is, knowing for damn sure they will just gawk at the price and not buy it, even if it is at a great deal. Trust me.

Years ago I went to a lot of shows and got great deals on Guns I wanted. Now days there is nothing I want or can't get on-line , it's just junk. I'm also afraid one of the many EXPERTS who always shows up might shot me in a accidental discharge incident in the parking lot.

Gun show, what's a gun show...? Oh, sorry, I live in California.

The last two gun shows I was at there were NO deals. FIrm asking prices were at least $100 over suggested retail price. I hope some day things get back to normal. I've gotten a lot of deals in the past.

Mostly I get loading supplies, some parts. My lgs gets anything I want at prices that usually beat online prices

Rule #1 at a gun show, asking's free.. You figure your price and work from there because rarely ( I'm talking straight run production stuff), is there only one of an item at a show. Granted, there are times to pounce on a deal, but deal before ya pounce,,, because,,, asking is free!

I always negotiate. Learned the skill while touring a souk in the Middle East. 😏

As for the non-gun vendors, especially the pushy ones. I'll blatantly say, "When I go to a gun show, it's to buy guns and gun related items, have a good day," as I keep walking.

last 2 gun shows i went to, there were more non gun related vendors than gun tables. NOTHING was negotiable, prices were insane, eg rossi single shot 410 for 350.00. a single box of winchester white box 9mm for 75.00. a box of low brass 12 ga #8's for 30.00. total waste of time