GUN SHOWS and SMARTPHONES

Just a few weekends ago I went to a Saxet Gun Show here in Corpus Christi, TX. This is probably the biggest show that comes around this area since “The Real Gun Show” stopped coming here.The Saxet Show is quite large, to my amazement. I thought The Real Gun Show was big. It’s been several years since I been to a gun show after my injury. Whats amazing though is the Gun Shows from late 80’s and 90’s you buy and sell with little knowledge of prices. As I worked my way around to sell a rifle that I had 2 of , I couldn’t get even close to what I wanted for it. Everyone there is walking around with their “SMARTPHONES” bumping into each other looking at prices or pricing of what they were wanting.
I finally ran into this table of an older gentlemen and his wife and he was telling me he decided to retire and invest quite a bit of there retiement to start getting into the firearm business. He ask me if he can look over my rifle and offered X amount dollars then someone came to his table to sell his gun and I over heard him asking a ridiculous price. I ask the gentleman right next to his table to help out this guy and his wife was listening to what I was saying and she asked me “you think this is too much” ? I responded “ask this guy” the one I was talking to. I didn’t want to start anything with this person trying to rip off this man. Then she told him that’s too much even in the condition it was in. Then he decided not to buy this gun. I mentioned to her do you have a “SMARTPHONE” she said yeah my daughter bought us one when we started to travel with Saxet.
I showed her where to download the gun blue book app, showed her how to use it. Then they were looking at this app like they discovered the Holy Grail. Anyway, he said I want to thank you. This is our 3rd show and we were investing some of our money to do this, but I have to retract the offer and I said, “That’s okay, just happy to help” and I was about to zip up my rifle bag he said, “Look you saved me a x, or x hundred dollars from that guy, but all I can do is give you X amount for it , I then ask him are you sure that’s xx more dollars than everyone else has offered” and then he said, “Yeah, just this one time.”
So is this the way Gun Shows are now ? Does it help the buyer ? Cause these sellers aren’t budging but will overprice just like car dealers do so when you buy it, you think you got a great deal, but I don’t see people walking around with 2 or 3 thousand dollar Rifles, Shotguns or Handguns anymore. Who do you think it benefits?
Frank R.

Moderator Edit: Frank, removed your publicly posted email. Not a good idea from a personal security and privacy point of view. Spammers and "phishing" virus types will scrape it from the screen and then use it for "bad" purposes. ;)

I put a price on and go from there. If they don't want to pay it then bugger off. I'm not going to play their game. I'll keep it until I can do a deal at some future time...and no, I don't have a smart phone...

Well there you go...if i also had money invested in it i would to...but if the seller has way overpriced his rifle he shouldnt look at the gbbk and offer almost nothing for yours...its not a 1 way street anymore..now the buyer can walk off and get it cheaper from another seller who has the same rifle...whats that going to do with the sellers reputation in the next 2 or 3 guns show bringing the same rifles.

Zactly, price your stuff reasonably but don't give it away. The over priced stuff stays put. Cheapskates however, can move along.

I agree...the only thing nowadays. ..is that people are always going to want a better price....have you ever bought a car.....you didnt pay sticker....i would take what i knew what i could sell and make money....now with this app and its the same as the sellers book. How is everyone going to be happpy...you should of seen these sellers...just sitting there now, not like the past.

No response to the topic... But glad to see another corpus member!

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Originally Posted by imntxs564

How is everyone going to be happy

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I find the best of the deals take place before the doors open anywayzzz...

Your right. You always see alot of people outside buying, selling and trading

In Canada it's usually the dealers that get the best deals. People are too paranoid for the most part to be horsetrading outside. It does happen though, out of trunks and such...

Ive always heard that in Canada there is a mountain of paperwork to fill out to own a weapon....is this true ?

Not really, I have the required license so if it's a long gun, I just buy it. A handgun needs a transfer done so that needs a phone call to enable...if the authorities are present at the gun show, it can be done at once.

Re: gunshows and smartphones.

This is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it can provide a world of research and market data at your fingertips, if you're smart enough to use it well. OTOH, it makes everyone an "expert". I have found that, with the occasional exception, if I have to break out the smartphone AFTER I've seen the gun, I'm not going to be as successful as if I've already had my homework done beforehand. NOTHING can replace knowledge gained beforehand.

The game is still the same. Caveat emptor. Buy the gun, not the story, and know what you are looking at before you shake hands and pass funding. If it isn't something you are happy with, don't do it.

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Originally Posted by sovblocgunfan

The game is still the same. Caveat emptor.

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I agree sir.

I miss those gunshows on the bayfront. That is a neat coliseum complex. Moved from CC 14 years ago, and I miss the place.

I buy what I want, and price isn't always the decider. If I pay too much, big deal. Guns and women are a lot alike, and I go for what I want most of all and damn the price.

jt

The Gun Shows on the Bayfront were awesome....That was the last year "The Real Gun Show' stop coming here. Now there Saxet Gun Shows on 77 on the right side of Robstown.

Frank

While standing in line outside a show waiting to get with everyone exchanging ideas and BS I had to ask. "Remember when we came to shows to find a deal?" Very few deals anymore. I asked my gunsmith at one of the shows he was working where some of these people come up with these ridiculous prices. He laughed and said he wished he knew. I've seen people asking $600 to $700 for a post war Walther P1. I have a '43 P38 that has a post war slide and been beautifully reparked that I had been asking $450 for and no one wanted it because it had been worked on. Beautiful pistol great shooter but the collector value isn't there anymore. Go figure.

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Originally Posted by sovblocgunfan

This is a double edged sword. On the one hand, it can provide a world of research and market data at your fingertips, if you're smart enough to use it well. OTOH, it makes everyone an "expert".

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I agree, although it's the internet in general rather than just smartphones. The thing is, there's just so many variations on even the most commonly encountered of military surplus rifles as to require considerable research to be able to make a properly informed purchase.

Take the SMLE Mk III* - there's no way you're going to be able to get enough information off a quick internet search from a smartphone at a gunshow to ascertain if the rifle you're interested in is a fairly standard, run of the mill piece or a rare example which was recovered from Gallipoli by retreating Anzac forces and "upgraded" to Mk III* configuration when it was pulled out of the armoury for WWII (for example).

Unfortunately, while the internet has made it much, much easier to properly research historic arms (especially though excellent forums like this one and informative web sites), it also seems to have collectively convinced everyone that ALL milsurp rifles are valuable collector's items worth ever-increasing sums of money simply because they're old military rifles (albeit ones manufactured literally in the millions and which are by no means rare today).

When i posted this thread, i didnt really mean that before your going to buy, search the internet sites to see what prices or information on different sites to come up with what should be paid, if i like something and its reasonable im going to get it, actually its the Apps on the Smartphone, i assumed they where called Smarphones cause of the ability to download Apps and by that i meant buyers and sellers are using "Blue Book of Gun Values" the one book in hard copy that they were using to tell me what my rifle was worth, but when looking at something he was selling he would say that "BBGV" didn't matter and it was the same book, but those Smartphones that have the capability to download the app is what i was referring to. Thanks

Frank

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're referring to?

A smartphone is basically any mobile (cellular) phone with the ability to run "apps", surf the internet, take photos & videos using a fairly good in-built camera, and play music as well. The most common type of smartphone is the iPhone; there are also similar phones made by companies like Samsung which use a different operating system (known as Android) but are fundamentally the same thing.

I'm not familiar with the Blue Book of Gun Values of which you speak; I'm guessing it's a semi-official "price list" of what various guns are worth? It sounds like you're saying people are using this particular book sometimes, but other times they're using a smartphone app you're unfamiliar with, depending on what will get them the best price - is that correct?

You are right sir. BBGV is a book of stated gun values, with different numbers based on conditions. They are perceived and I am unsure about what real data the actual prices in the book are based on.

I have never seen BBGV be the primary driver behind a gun transaction, but the upshot is simple. The seller sets the price based entirely on whatever he deems important. Example: One gun dealer had several decent Auto 5's on his table and one miserable old Savage 720. Very clear that gun did NOT fit his business model. I knew he wanted it gone, and he told me so. I bought it cheap, and we didn't dicker around the BBGV.

As a buyer, I would ignore a dealer who publicly held BBGV up as his "bible" and would personally not use it as a basis for any of my own transactions. And I don't sell in public venues.

I would have my own homework done up front, especially if I am on the hunt for something specific. Using BBGV as my primary "source" would influence my sense of what would be "agreeable" in a negotiation, and would inhibit my ability to focus on the gun itself, as opposed to the story.

There is a vendor I have gotten to know that deals mostly in WW1, WW2, and Korean vintage US gear that has a sign on his table

How come all of your stuff is perfect and
all my stuff is junk