MrsMac saw an ad in the local paper advertising for a gun show Saturday and Sunday at a small town’s volunteer fire department. She brought it up often throughout the week so I knew she really wanted to go. I guess February cabin fever was setting in.
We go out to breakfast each Sunday and while we were lingering over a cup of coffee I asked, “Well the gun show is about 90 miles away. Do you want to drive to it after breakfast?” MrsMac thought that was a great idea!
After a snowy two hour ride we arrived at the fire hall. Here are my thoughts and observations.
There was a big sign on the entry door that stated
No loaded firearms allowed in the fire hall - Yes even if you have a CC (Conceal Carry Permit). Well that wasn’t going to happen after all CC means nobody should know you are carrying. We paid our $5.00 and entered the hall and emptied garage of the firehouse to about 60 exhibitor tables – Both private and business. MrsMac went her way and I went mine.
MrsMac went to the tables that had camouflaged do-dads like clothing, jewelry, scarfs, etc. I went on my quest to find a pre1960’s Savage model 99 chambered in .308 Winchester –
Cheap! I also like picking up Army & Navy surplus gear for
Cheap! The firearms that were for sale were either AR/AK related, pre-1930 bolt action rifles, new & used shotguns of all descriptions and used & new handguns. The other tables had ammo and assorted firearm related goods and MrsMacs do-dads
The ammo was overpriced. I buy 5.56x45 from Freedom Ammo for 34¢ a round while the average at the show was 60¢ a round. Yes down from $1.00 a round post last years gun drama - But still?
Many of the ammo boxes had several prices on them starting at a higher price and consequently getting lower to about 50% less of the original price. Some ammo like .22LR was still pretty high by my account. The average brick of .22LR was $45- or 12¢ a round. The last brick of 22LR I bought was $18- or 3¢ a round. Spam cans of qty 440, 7.62x54R were going for $185- or 42¢ a round. The last time I bought a 440 round spam can it was like $75- or 17¢ a round.
Many of the AR and AK’s for sale had marked down stickers too. One Rock River Entry AR had the original price at $1,799- but was now marked at $1,199-. I saw several SKS’s in the $325- to $400- range.
Mosin Nagant’s were going for $325-. I bought mine for $99- each, preObama.
There is usually a few tables selling Army & Navy surplus gear. There was only one table and their prices were through the roof. An example was a .45 ACP double web mag holder was $35-. I can pick up the exact same mag holder for $15- at my local A&N store.
If a table was not busy I started up conversations with the owner (s). I learned that Saturday was busier than Sunday. Several of the table owners I spoke to expressed their disgust in lack of sales. One table who had several nice antique lever action rifles told me that they hadn’t sold one rifle over the weekend. I pointed to a Savage model 99 in .300 Savage that was marked at $895- and said, “Nice rifle but a bit on the steep side don’t you think?” Now a NRA 95%, 99 in .300 Savage should go in the $450- to $600- range; he replied, “I took that 99 in trade on another rifle and I gave the guy $895- towards the trade. Just trying to get my investment back.”
In conclusion: It was obvious that prices were coming down post the Obama-gun-ban drama last year. New rifle and handgun prices were only coming down though to MRP (Manufactures Recommended Price) – No deals. Some calibers of ammo were coming down to MRP but others were remaining high. Used antique rifle & handgun prices remained very high.
We had been there an hour and there was no Savage model 99 in .308Win and nothing that I had to have from the Army & Navy surplus tables - It was time to go. Knowing where MrsMac would be I went to the volunteer fire hall’s kitchen. Yup there she was standing with a cup of coffee in her hand and paying for a paper bag full of baking goods made there by the ladies auxiliary. We slip and slided our way to the truck and started our two hour trek north to the cabin in a heavy at times, snow storm.
What have you observed at your local gun shows?
