gun show prices

[dou44]

I went to the Knoxville show today. not much there but way over priced. i saw a 26 tula and the dealer wanted $375 for it and $325 for the round recievers. I also saw afew round receiver rifles for $279-$299. I was looking to sell a k98 and a 25 tula I had and when I priced the tula for $225 no one wanted it .I put them back in the safe.no ammo at all for them there.

[King Johhny]

Seems like all the mosin listings on GB! Sorry you couldn't find a buyer

[ffuries]

Prices at gun shows seem to be high for Mosin Nagants right now. This past week-end at a Dothan, Alabama gun show, they had M91/30's listed in the $300.00 to $400.00 range, I couldn't believe it! I would have scooped up your '25 Tula at your listed price, came home with a Finnish M24 "Lotta" rifle instead at $180.00.

[dou44]

running out of room in the safe and I do not shoot as much as I did.i may get a table in a few months at the next show to see if I can sell a few. I would like to buy another garand before cmp runs out.

[mproko]

running out of room in the safe and I do not shoot as much as I did.i may get a table in a few months at the next show to see if I can sell a few. I would like to buy another garand before cmp runs out.

Have you considered selling anything on here?

[ffuries]

Also with it being just before Christmas, a lot of people are holding onto their money a little bit tighter right now!

[44Nagant]

I tend to shy away from the gun shows here. Seems I can find better deals by word of mouth and I've got a few contacts being ex-military.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Worst time of year to sell anything except new in the box high end electronics. Never sell antiques around the holidays, the money is earmarked for toys for the kiddies and jewels for the ol' lady, even eBay is slow.

[joe7170]

Depends on where you are, yes refurbs are way too high. 91/30's all the way around are hard to come by and high in price. As far as mil-surps not moving, this weekend was very successful for zeebill and I, sold a T53, M38, 2 91/30's a M91, and a chinese 22 single shot trainer. Along with that we sold a couple cans of 54R and numerous single packs of ammo. Just about all were first time buyers, wanting a decently prices shooter to have fun with!!

The key is to price things at market, and they sell themselves, you get greedy they sit.

[zeebill]

Sort of to follow up what Joe stated we had a great Sunday with a horrid Saturday but Joe noted something and that was everybody who said they would be back tomorrow on Saturday did come back on Sunday for a change! Everything we sold was under the $300 level and the pristine M38 was the highest priced one at $300 with a sling included.
Any wise businessman knows you have to price to the market and I have found unless you are dealing with a die heart collector who knows what you have the threshold sits at about $300 or so. Most "dealers" at gunshows do not have good business sense and knowledge of what they buy or are looking at so they end up way over priced and end up eating things at times. I would much rather pass on something because I don't know it's value or just flat don't have the money to spare and lose a chance to make money on it. First off I like many other supposed dealers don't do it for a living but for the love of the hobby and to improve my own collection. These dealers who are selling refurbs at 300+ are showing you prices that reflect their buying prices. It is the same with ammo too!
The Christmas Gun shows are the very best times all year to sell stuff I have found with the period after tax money comes back being a close second! November, December, January, and February are the very best selling months of the year for me. The rest of the year I hit other venues or do other things like music and such. This year being the Presidential election we bombed through November but looking back we should have expected that.
Do I expect the prices to come down? Heck no dealers are trying to recover from when they came home from shows several hundred dollars in debt of late. Plus they are all stocked up with guns they bought at higher prices right now. So you go to gun shows just looking for collectors selling out their collections and if you get lucky you get some buys. Myself I try and keep track of people I know who are collectors in their senior years, like me, wanting to fill holes or trade stuff or sell duplicates.
This pricing glut seems to follow what is available on the commercial market for the most today and that is refurbs. Places like Cabela's may have 10 or 20 refurbs or a local gun store may have a fresh case of refurbs but they are buying at todays prices. How many collectors are selling at those prices unless they are known value guns not available at the above mentioned spots? Selling off a collection like we are is fun because for the most part we give reasonable prices to normal everyday guns equal to or better than a refurb. Yeah we have a $3000 or $4000 collector gun sitting right next to them but you don't have to buy that one!
Frankly I think most people who gripe about prices at gun shows should stay home if they can't afford the prices and whine in the shade of their TV or something. Nothing is cheap these days and it will like as not never come down in our lifetimes. It is what it is! I have missed out on some great guns in my lifetime and I grew up realizing some time I cannot afford to play with the big guys. Live till the next battle is the secret. I have been going since 6 AM this morning and I am dog tired so I will get off my soap box and call it a night. Life is a great battle if you realize you don't win them all and the object is to live to fight another day. Night All! Sweet Dreams of Mosins! Bill

[SA1911a1]

There are still deals to be had at gun shows, but they are commonly found at the tables of the private sellers, or walking in the door on a shoulder. The private sellers are what keep me arriving early on the first day. "Walk-ins" are a crap-shoot. If a commercial seller has something I am interested in, I come back late in the day with an offer. If things aren't moving, many times the urge to "break even" kicks in.

The last show I went to, I bought a gun, late, from a commercial seller, the previous show I bought two walk-ins and one from a private vendor table. Even if I don't buy, it is worth the price of admittance to see what is on the tables and what is happening with the prices.

Before Trump's first term ends I will retire and begin selling around a hundred surplus rifles, it is worthwhile for me to try to keep up with the trends.

[ffuries]

I agree with everything stated so far, I got into the military surplus weapon game late, having bought my first one in January 2011 it was a 1942 K Kale Turkish Mauser for $150.00. Probably overpaid for it, but it lured me in and I still have the Ole Gal. My next military surplus weapon was a 1939 Tula Mosin Nagant and 1943 Izhevsk Mosin Nagant bought in March 2011 for $100.00 each. It has amazed me how the prices have jumped in 5 years. Last year I was seeing M91/30's in the $200.00 + range, and now almost $400.00.

Like everyone else I will always look for the deals, but have paid current fair market values and even overpaid for a couple of rifles, but if it speaks to me and I want it I'll pay for it.