Was up in Kalispell for the gun show today. I don’t know whats going on but there were more FAL’s on dealers tables than I have ever seen before. Mostly DSA’s and STG-58’s, but I must have seen at least a dozen, including a couple para’s. You know what I didn’t see? A whole lot of FAL magazines.
Other things I saw were a couple grossly overpriced Uzi’s. Look, I know they haven’t been imported for darn near 30 years, but a bog-standard 9mm is not worth $4k.
Other notable guns were a couple Steyr .50’s, again at stratospheric prices.
I was pretty pleased with myself because I didn’t buy another gun. I spent a total of $35 on flares and smoke from Johnny Trochman and he even kicked in a 5-pack of 26.5mm flares for my HK P2a1‘s.
Prices for everything, it seemed, were ridiculous. I am rather pleased that, from a realistic standpoint, I have everything I need in large quantity. If there is anything I actually do need, the level of urgency is low enough that I can afford the time to order it online from someplace at a better price.
All in all, though…its always fun to wander the gun show and see stuff. In fact I saw some stuff I have not seen in decades….including one of these rare birds:
Thats an M1 Carbine that has been converted into a mag-fed pump-action .44 Magnum. I last saw one of these in the very early nineties. The guys that put these together also did a .256 Win mag version which was quite interesting. These were NOT the same guys who did the ill-advised .45 Win Mag conversions in about the same time period.
Never know what someone is gonna drag outta the closet and bring to the show………..
I quit going to gun shows after seeing a police car cruising the parking lot while bristling with license plate scanners.
Matt
Following. Concur that it is a very, say again: very comfortable feeling to walk a gun show knowing you are already geared up as well as or better than most of the table merchants. Having much of your life’s enterprise already devoted to gearing up, and using one’s Ferenghi rules of aquisition to get all those right time, right place, right price deals makes those later years of gun show attendance even more pleasurable. The hard work over time allows you more time and focus later on to fill those niche needs of odds and ends. I too usually scout around nowadays just for more 26.5 flares (red rain and parachute flares!) and smokey gernades. It is also a good opportunity in these venues to pick up more what if odd items not on your front radar screen needs. Coils of different colored (reasons) cannon fuses and bags of magnesium shavings come to mind for those magyver kids out there. Places that have concession outlets may have good snacks too, my fave is the giant soft pretzels as a snack between conducting my aisle patrols. Be your own gun show, thus staying frosty out there.
It’s good to hear ‘ol Johnny T. is still around…
I purchased an autographed book from him back in the early “90’s,
at a huge gun show, in Charlotte, N.C.
Our little town has 2-3 local gun shows per year. Since our beloved governor and legislature instituted universal background checks the dealer/private seller ratio shot way up, as one might expect.
That said there are usually still (relatively) lots of private sellers, many with some interesting things, and some chuckles to be had. As Mrs B put it regarding some prices on used rifles, “I’m not paying for his good memories.”
Interesting. Thanks for the data point.
I wonder if the FALs are coming out because their owners died or are old enough to be selling collections? That is the reason more machine guns are for sale now.
While prices are definitely up, I still find deals at the shows I work and they aren’t as crazy as I’ve seen at other promoters shows. I cringe at the big signs claiming “wholesale to the public” for ammo that is nowhere nrar wholesale – I see worse prices, in proportion, for ammo than for guns.
I’ve seen Uzis recently asking $2200 to $2800, depending mostly on accessories and packaging. I’ve been asked to buy some, but they wanted me to pay their idea of retail as a dealer… Sorry, no, that isn’t how that works!
The prices at gun shows and everywhere else are only reflecting the complete loss of faith and value of the federal reserve note. When you find a ‘deal’, that only means the seller doesn’t understand our grave situation and is willing to accept worthless debt for payment. The smart buyers and sellers will trade for tangibles like gold & silver and avoid the paper trap. “Gold and silver is the only money in the world that can’t go bankrupt in a world going bankrupt” ~ Bill Holter
As the national elections loom, I expect prices to rise. Ammunition drought is very likely to occur – make sure your priorities are stepped up. Finding local allies is also worth noting.
I’m surprised ammo prices haven’t started climbing yet. I’ve heard lots of people say they’d like to buy more but can’t afford to because everything costs so much.
If you can, stock up while prices are low.