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I went to the gun show today in Dallas. I have a few things that I have been looking for. I know the prices from the internet & other places that I get stuff. I noticed that the cash price of these items at the gun show is higher. Some of them a lot higher prices. I have not bought a firearm at the gun show before just knives & other stuff. Do the vendors usually charge more & then you negotiate with them? I would think if they accept CC, there is a 2-3% charge, then there would be taxes. I am just wondering if there are deals but you have to have cash & negotiate over the items, etc. Also, most of the ammo prices were higher, $21-25 for WWB 9MM that Wal-Mart sells for $20.

You can always try to negotiate. Make sure that you know what you want and the going price. This is nothing new. Gun show dealers can not get the same wholesale prices as stores such as Walmart.

I don't know what promoter is putting on the Dallas show, but at some of the Houston shows I go to there is a cash price and CC adds 2-3% +tax. I usually negotiate an out the door cash price I can live with. If they are asking $450 +tax cash price then I will ask them to do the deal for $425OTD. It is incredibly hard to haggle wen you want to pay with a card. They would almost rather not make the sale and wait for a sucker to pay the asking price. Cash is king for sure. If the price is way out in left field and its not made of gold or something you HAVE to have then walk on and find another deal.

Another note...people are much more willing to haggle on used goods as opposed to new product. More mark up/wiggle room in used obviously...

In order to get a good deal at a gun show . . .

1. Know what the item is worth . . . to you!
2. Negotiating is easiest when you have cash in hand.
3. The worst that the seller can do is be rude when he turns you down.
4. Be willing to walk away.

I've gotten a few good deals at gun shows, but more often than not, #4 comes into play . . . and that's OK. Better to walk away than overpay. (And it warms my heart when the same vendor still has the same item at the same price six months, a year, or even longer at another gun show.)

I have found that for some items, like new Glocks and some other mass produced guns, gun shows are the best deal around... even better than internet prices.

But for other things like ammo, they are a RIP OFF.

I like to go in order to see so many options under one roof. Also, there's the 'treasure hunt' feeling of looking for something unique or the off-chance that you'll find someone who doesn't know what they have.

I hate the crowds, and the amount of know-it-alls and mall-ninjas you hear there. Wow, I've heard some dumb things.
The latest: "With a .45 ACP, you don't have to hit your target all the time. If there's something near-by, you'll get shrapnel from the large bullet impacting it which can hurt the bad guy."

G192627 wrote:But for other things like ammo, they are a RIP OFF.

I have found some good reloads at gun shows.

G192627 wrote:Wow, I've heard some dumb things. The latest: "With a .45 ACP, you don't have to hit your target all the time. If there's something near-by, you'll get shrapnel from the large bullet impacting it which can hurt the bad guy."

Some people go to gun shows for the entertainment value.

WildBill wrote:Some people go to gun shows for the entertainment value.

Sometimes even better than Walmart.

C-dub wrote:

WildBill wrote:Some people go to gun shows for the entertainment value.

Sometimes even better than Walmart.

Except WalMart doesn't charge admission.

WildBill wrote:

C-dub wrote:

WildBill wrote:Some people go to gun shows for the entertainment value.

Sometimes even better than Walmart.

Except WalMart doesn't charge admission.

And many are open 24/7 and they let us carry in their stores. You're right. I knew there was a reason I liked Walmart better than gun shows. Thanks for reminding me.

HankB wrote:In order to get a good deal at a gun show . . .

1. Know what the item is worth . . . to you!
2. Negotiating is easiest when you have cash in hand.
3. The worst that the seller can do is be rude when he turns you down.
4. Be willing to walk away.

I've gotten a few good deals at gun shows, but more often than not, #4 comes into play . . . and that's OK. Better to walk away than overpay. (And it warms my heart when the same vendor still has the same item at the same price six months, a year, or even longer at another gun show.)

I think this is the best advise one could give. If it doesn't feel right walk on.

AndyC wrote:And when it comes to used guns, "buy the gun, not the story"

"Yep, this hyere's Saddam Hussein's personal Walther PPK which I brung back from I-raq..."

So funny but so true.

C-dub wrote:

WildBill wrote:Except WalMart doesn't charge admission.

And many are open 24/7 and they let us carry in their stores. You're right. I knew there was a reason I liked Walmart better than gun shows. Thanks for reminding me.

Parking is free too!

WALMART