Crossroads of the West Gun Show… We had a great time at the Crusader Weaponry table. We really did. Sold a ton of Slipstream, which was great. Interestingly, one of the biggest draws was the Sterling.
Walking around the Gun Show, I found that half of it was total bullshit. Fake indian jewelry, Jerky, a freaking bakery, china, and assorted flea market crap that in my opinion should all be boosted out of the gun show. The gun show promoters, the Crossroads of the West group – they themselves are ruining the ancient tradition of the gun show. I know the show has to fill the tables, but they need to outreach to the dealers and guys actually in the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors Trade. And don’t let in anyone else. No Beef Jerky, no jewelry… No Fuzzy Slippers. Yes, there was fuzzy slippers. WTF?
The other thing ruining the gun show are the old standby grouches. “Look but don’t touch” grumps that come out to every gun show and have tables full of crap. I saw several SMLE Enfields… Classic .303 British rifles. All in the same condition, but prices going from 79.99 to 380 bucks. One .303 for 380 bucks was totally ruined by a 12 year old’s attempt at Sporterizing it. Okay, I don’t know if a 12 year old did it – but it looked like it. I looked at it, and said “Are you serious?” The guy grumbled, “Price is negotiable.” “Really? I’ll give you fifty bucks.” The man didn’t answer, but he knew that I knew that I should have wrapped that barrel around his neck. The gun was just flat ruined and he wanted a beyond what a collector condition rifle would have been worth. These guys… they are killing the gun show. The fastest way to clear out a 50 foot radius in a Gun Show is to throw down a copy of an gun values Blue Book. All those dealers would scramble to get away from it.
I watched people get totally taken… Yet I saw a couple guys get some real steal deals… Like a Winchester shotgun for 60 bucks. Read that again. A Gem. It’s kinda like Gold Panning… lots of dirt with an occasional nugget in there.
We need a new gun show promoter in Utah. Because there were people there walking around that should have had booths. Fitzen Knives, Jager from Ops Gear. They were browsing… they saw it. Yet they wouldn’t be bothered putting up a booth at the current gun show. We need a gun show that has these guys saying “We’re Not Missing It.”
Admit it… you bought some Fuzzy Slippers.
Ogres are supposed to have fuzzy feet.
Or was that Hobbits…
Jim
I saw some kids with them… They liked them. Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade… that’s what it should be all about. Where was a Primos rep showing his calls? I know a few in Utah. Where was Barnes, and NAA? Utah companies… But they don’t go to gun shows because they can’t really be taken seriously anymore.
Yea, I dont understand it.
I have had people tell me that it is for the wives, but usually I see the wives shadowing the husband to make sure he doesnt enjoy himself… while looking like she is about to get teeth pulled herself.
If they ARE there for “the wives”, then unless they like firearms, hunting, and/or outdoor sports… “the wives” need to stay home and let these events grow to their full potential.
I will admit to buying jerky a couple of times tho.
But I lump the jerky into the food category.
Jim
That Sterling is looking gorgeous with the new finish and optic. I have a serious weakness for green carbines.
I love it. I need to order 1000 rounds from Ammo Man, and make some videos of it.
I absolutely agree with you regarding the non-gun crap at the shows. Crossroads is the main sponsor here in Phoenix and it would sure be nice to limit the show to only relevant merchandise. If that meant a smaller venue, so be it.
Of course, I do love some of the jerky, and one could make the argument that it’s great to bring on hunting or other outdoor related trips.
And admit it, wearing fuzzy slippers around the campfire….
🙂
I have to agree with you; I saw a lot of junk there that was a waste of space. The Slipstream I bought at your table was only one of two things I bought there.
My beef is the folks that don’t have any price tags on their guns.
It is like that in Alabama as well. I stopped going to gun shows a couple of years ago.
I loathe them. I got a good deal at the last one I went to, but bought a 130lbs or so of clean linotype from a guy really looking to move it. Aside from that, the same old crap. Indian princess plates, the Nazi tables, goofballs from the MI Militias walking around with enormous patches on their jackets that say something silly like “Level 1 Rifleman”, guys that buy CMP Garands and price them well into the $2k range, etc.
I just don’t have the tolerance for the stupidity to be able to hang about for very long at one.
NC Gun shows aren’t bad.. but you have to REALLY look for a good deal. I still prefer buying my bulk ammo there and maybe even a knife or two.. The beef jerky is spectacular as well.
I go there for a few things:
1. Surplus ammo cans.
2. Bulk ammo.
3. See if I’m lucky enough to make a checkmark on my firearm bucket list.
4. Magazines, if the price is right.
The obky show I’ll go to anymore is Wanemachers here in Tulsa,ok. Supposed to be one of the biggest in the nation, they don’t let any of the bullshit in, the worst you see is war memorabilia and a little gun/outdoor/wester related art. But like you say, it’s full of plenty of old fogie jackasses selling stupid shit at stupid prices and dudes hawking UTG and Tapco crap at the few AR specialty booths that there are. I usually just end up speeding my way through the isles until I hit an AR or pistol booth since I don’t care much about old bolt actions, but I’ll stop and look and Garands and stuff like that. They have it twice a year and I go but mostly just to gawk and pick up a few magpul bits and bobs and the like. Seems the best part of the gun show anymore besides picking up odds and ends and the occasional deal is that I can go around and point at half the shit and say “yeah, that price is just plain retarded. I know for a fact you can vet it online for 30% less.”.
Makes me feel all smart and supperior.
I think the smaller shows in Wichita are actually better than the giant Tulsa show. Usually at a Wichita show, I usually see several tables with a decent deal on something I’d be willing to buy.
At the Tulsa show, it is heavily tilted in favor of cowboy stuff and older deer rifles and shotguns. Also, if there is newer stuff it is mainly limited to AR’s. Sure those are ok, but I like having a little variety. Where are the AK’s, M1A’s, FAL’s, HK’s, etc.?
When you add that to the fact that I have to drive 2 miles to get to the Wichita show compared to nearly 200 miles for Tulsa, it is pretty easy to see why I haven’t been to Tulsa in almost a decade.
Forget gunshows, check this out! it’s like a craigslist just for firearms.
http://bit.ly/v7GDm6
It’s pretty great if you like guns, or appalling if you’re for gun control.