The Spokane Gun Show

General non-specific firearm talk...
User avatar
BC38
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 2128
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:12 pm
City: Spokane Valley, WA
Favorite Firearm: The one I have on me
Next Firearm: We'll see

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by BC38 » Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:04 pm

ron wrote: It's never bothered me that people displayed crap or that some of them were grumpy old men who talked to their buddies all day. There's always been good stuff for sale mixed in with the overpriced whatever but too many people are so completely focused on the "injustice" of the lousy deals that they miss the good deals. Also I've always enjoyed the shows and considered the cost of admission the cost of an afternoon's entertainment, better and less expensive than going to a movie.
Well said.
Doug Helton wrote:Ron , the cost of the tables is the cost of the venue spread over fewer table rents . I understand some people will never be happy and so be it but it seems to me if the majority of the people who complain would get one table a year it would be a move in the right direction of getting in some fresh blood and better pricing etc. At the rate we are going the show will not be able to remain at the fairgrounds due to cost and may cease to exist all together , it's all up to us if we want it to continue or not .
Nah, it's easier to just complain and do all your buying over the internet. No need to even meet other gun enthusiasts.
ron wrote:
Doug Helton wrote:Ron , the cost of the tables is the cost of the venue spread over fewer table rents . .
Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn't considered that. I was thinking that the cost increases came first and then fewer people rented tables and then the shows started getting smaller rather than the other way around. but this is the first time I've heard of it and so my immediate reaction was to blame the organizers.

So maybe I-594 is actually what caused fewer people to attend these shows and that cause the price of the tables to go up. And that means more of us need to go to the shows unless we want to see them become something of the past when we had more freedom in this country and guns weren't blamed for crime. And like I said before, I like going to the shows better than going to a movie and the gun show still costs less.
Exactly. The Gates/Allen/Bloomberg cabal is winning because we as a community are too short-sighted to oppose them by supporting each other IN SPITE of them.
ron wrote:Oh well. I guess some people would rather see fake guns in movies than real guns in real life and that's why the shows are dying. :|
Yup, and saving a couple of bucks is WAY more important than supporting a gathering of a bunch of "gun guys".
IMO, even the "old farts" can probably teach people something if you just take the time to talk to them a little.

FWIW, I have also found that MOST posted prices on anything but ammo are negotiable if you just ask. For the most part people in this kind of venue EXPECT people to haggle them down and price things accordingly. It's part of the game, always has been. If your plan is to comparison shop the POSTED prices against the internet, you'll end up with your nose your nose out of joint at the "ridiculous" prices. BUT if you haggle your best price with a vendor FIRST you'll probably find that you can meet or beat an internet price. If not, fine, then move on.
Last edited by BC38 on Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Always looking for a deal on more ammo and reloading components.
I've tried to see things from the liberal point of view - but I'm just not flexible enough to get my head up my ...

User avatar
thumpar
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 5118
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 11:40 am
City: Spokane
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: All of them
Next Firearm: The next good deal.
SGT Supporter: Yes
Location: Whitworth

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by thumpar » Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:06 pm

I don't go to movies. The admission is better spent in the boat gas tank.
Why is there never enough time to do it right the first time, But always enough time to do it again? - Don S RIP
2/3rds of the worlds surface would be wasted if it wasn't for boating.

User avatar
edzz
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 1834
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2012 6:36 pm
City: Hayden
State: ID
Favorite Firearm: M-14
Next Firearm: TBD
SGT Supporter: Yes
Location: North of CDA

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by edzz » Mon Jul 18, 2016 9:48 pm

ron wrote:Oh well. I guess some people would rather see fake guns in movies than real guns in real life and that's why the shows are dying. :|

Your always correct Ron... :roll:

Gun shows I've been to with in the last year

CDA, ID - Post Falls, ID - Sand Point, ID - Ponderay, ID - Lewiston, ID - Saint Marries, ID - Bonners Ferry, ID - Missoula, MT - Spokane, WA.

Probably a couple I'm forgetting just now. Over the past 40 years I've attended a lot of shows, unfortunately other than the CDA show the one I have come to find the most unimpressive is Spokane, my wife refuses to go to it with me. The same promoter seems to be able to put on a better show in Lewston.

Being as my primary reason for attending these shows is for entertainment and hunting that elusive item I just have to have I find it disappointing to watch the Spokane show going down hill.

A question to those who attended this show, did the lights in the side room seem dimmer than usual.
Ed

The Few
The Proud

Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt.

User avatar
ron
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 8835
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:31 pm
City: Cheney
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: G20SF
Next Firearm: Flintlock Rifle
Location: Cheney

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by ron » Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:36 pm

edzz wrote:
ron wrote:Oh well. I guess some people would rather see fake guns in movies than real guns in real life and that's why the shows are dying. :|

Your always correct Ron... :roll:

Gun shows I've been to with in the last year

CDA, ID - Post Falls, ID - Sand Point, ID - Ponderay, ID - Lewiston, ID - Saint Marries, ID - Bonners Ferry, ID - Missoula, MT - Spokane, WA.

Probably a couple I'm forgetting just now. Over the past 40 years I've attended a lot of shows, unfortunately other than the CDA show the one I have come to find the most unimpressive is Spokane, my wife refuses to go to it with me. The same promoter seems to be able to put on a better show in Lewston.

Being as my primary reason for attending these shows is for entertainment and hunting that elusive item I just have to have I find it disappointing to watch the Spokane show going down hill.

A question to those who attended this show, did the lights in the side room seem dimmer than usual.
I agree that it's disappointing to see the Spokane gun shows go downhill and I can appreciate your frustration since you sound like as big a fan of gun shows as I am, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. And maybe my continued support won't save the shows but not attending will definitely not help.
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force. Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

seekers
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:00 pm
City: Newman Lake, WA
Favorite Firearm: Seekins SP10 308
Next Firearm: Thinking...
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by seekers » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:01 am

I've had a table at the Spokane gun show every year going back 5 or 6, only missed 3-4 shows at most. This last show that didn't use the big room was the second time,as they had one last summer too but they came back filling most of the big room after that.

I know at least 10 regular vendors that quit doing shows after I-594, they only did some guns but it was enough that it just didn't pay to keep coming. And those are just the one's I knew.

There was just a ton more buying and selling before, I could throw out a gun occasionally or buy a gun, and sell it the same day. A high percentage of tables had signs that said "We buy guns", that's stopped for a large portion of the vendors now. It's shut down a revenue stream that may or may not be replaced. Some vendors have drifted away, some may have lost interest, and just don't care any more. You see it in the reduced vendors and we vendors see it in reduced customers.

The last two shows I got two tables to try and put out some more variety but I just ended up filling it with Steel I've mostly had for years.

The July show was better than the bigger June show for us, I was unable to make it Sat (health) and my wife and son watched the tables. Thanks to all who made it to the show and continue to support them.

Seekers
May God Bless America in these times of recovery.

For Evil to Prevail, it needs only for Good Men to do Nothing!
By Edmund Burke

User avatar
RLHas
Local SGT Sponsor
Posts: 4694
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:04 am
City: Medical Lake
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: Springfield EMP .40
Next Firearm: AR 10 or Bolt action
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by RLHas » Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:22 am

Anyone know anything about the guy selling locally machined Glock Slides trying to pass them off as ZEVtech?
My Glock Doc
509-869-2754
Call for appointment

"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." - George Washington

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

NRA Member

User avatar
Tier 1
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 804
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:03 am
City: Spokane
Favorite Firearm: Glock
Next Firearm: M134
SGT Supporter: Yes
Location: Suncrest/Nine Mile Falls

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by Tier 1 » Fri Jul 22, 2016 9:14 am

WestSpokaneguy wrote: ...you might get one person to pay 50$ for a brick of .22 but why not sell it at 30$ and sell every box that you have on hand

I want to know where everyone is getting $30 bricks of 22! Our cost on a brick of CCI standard velocity is $32 if we can even find it.

Call Turner
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 2408
Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 9:13 am
City: Nine Mile Falls
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: All of them!!
Next Firearm: Browning Hells Canyo

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by Call Turner » Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:11 pm

I got a bulk box of Remington for $32., a brick of Rem Thunderbolts for $28. And a 330 rnd bulk box of Federals for $17.99 all at SW.
" Having you around is like losing 2 good men."

seekers
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:00 pm
City: Newman Lake, WA
Favorite Firearm: Seekins SP10 308
Next Firearm: Thinking...
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by seekers » Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:22 pm

Tier 1 wrote:
WestSpokaneguy wrote: ...you might get one person to pay 50$ for a brick of .22 but why not sell it at 30$ and sell every box that you have on hand

I want to know where everyone is getting $30 bricks of 22! Our cost on a brick of CCI standard velocity is $32 if we can even find it.
there was a guy on here selling 250K rounds of Federal JHP, 525 round cartons for $22 about 1-2 weeks ago but it didn't last.
As you can imagine, he said someone was coming out to take it all.
May God Bless America in these times of recovery.

For Evil to Prevail, it needs only for Good Men to do Nothing!
By Edmund Burke

User avatar
italydad
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:16 am
City: Spokane
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: Gen 3 Glock 34
Next Firearm: Manurhin GIGN MR73
SGT Supporter: Yes
Contact:

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by italydad » Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:07 pm

Rick- there was no Zev anything at the show, I would have bought it.
Rules of War-
#1 Good Men will Die.
#2 Not even Doc can change Rule #1.
#3 For his Brothers, Doc will die trying to change Rules #1 and #2.

Semper Gumby - Always Flexible

User avatar
RLHas
Local SGT Sponsor
Posts: 4694
Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:04 am
City: Medical Lake
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: Springfield EMP .40
Next Firearm: AR 10 or Bolt action
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by RLHas » Fri Jul 22, 2016 6:25 pm

italydad wrote:Rick- there was no Zev anything at the show, I would have bought it.
You don't read too well do you?
My Glock Doc
509-869-2754
Call for appointment

"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." - George Washington

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

NRA Member

User avatar
italydad
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 772
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:16 am
City: Spokane
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: Gen 3 Glock 34
Next Firearm: Manurhin GIGN MR73
SGT Supporter: Yes
Contact:

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by italydad » Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:33 pm

I do Rick, and if there was Zev, or someone claiming to have Zev, or someone named Zev, or ants forming the words Zev, fake or not, I would have been on that like a fat kid on an ice-cream cone.
Rules of War-
#1 Good Men will Die.
#2 Not even Doc can change Rule #1.
#3 For his Brothers, Doc will die trying to change Rules #1 and #2.

Semper Gumby - Always Flexible

User avatar
BT!
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 741
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 7:09 am
City: Hunter
State: Wa
Favorite Firearm: Combat Commander
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by BT! » Sat Jul 23, 2016 6:58 am

I've done gun shows for over 35 years. For what it's worth...I always set up at Spokane, WAC in Puyallup, the August Missoula show and some of the Sports Connection shows in Yakima & Tri- Cities. And for the last 1o years I've set up at every Wanenmacher gun show in Tulsa, the Colorado Gun Collector Show in Denver, Bienfields shows in Las Vegas & the Big Gun Show in Reno. I did Ohio Collector show in Louisville a couple times too... Over the last year they have all slid in table numbers. For example, the April Tulsa show was under 3500 tables (normal 4000-5000), the gate was down significantly too. The Big Show Reno in April had more than 75 empty tables... The Denver Colorado Gun Collector show in May had over 50 empty tables... The June Puyallup WAC show was down to under 250 tables, they used the smaller Pavillion building and the aisles were 20' wide. There were actually more tables with purses, jewelry, beef jerky and ammo than guns! Interestingly, WAC has also begun to offer tables at their Monroe show for $35. and are giving club members one table free! Some of the pressure on WAC is from Big Top gunshows, they started doing gunshows last year to compete with WAC... they only have 40-50 table shows, but they do them every weekend and it takes away from the main show. I will admit that I-594 has had a negative effect, but I think the main issue is from all the "panic" buying over the last 7 years created a false normal... that is, throwing anything on the table, at whatever price imagined and expecting people to pull money out of their wallet. Things seem to have gone back to the way they were in the 1980's & 90's... buyers looking for specific items and when they find them, they are willing to pay a fair price.

User avatar
BT!
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 741
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 7:09 am
City: Hunter
State: Wa
Favorite Firearm: Combat Commander
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by BT! » Sun Aug 07, 2016 5:28 pm

update... I just got back from the Missoula show. The same plague has hit there... a once thriving show is now much smaller, only 400 tables (used to be 500) set up with 60-70 empty tables. So 330 tables filled. Some of those were being covered by table holders next door with sheets & a few items tossed to make it not look so bad. Not much of a walk thru crowd... Friday, the show opens to the public at 10am. Usually, there is a line at the door that is 200-300 people long, well, there wasn't a line. I did see Smitty walk by my table and talked for a little while and could only laugh at the "non-event" taking place. Saturday the room was quiet till noon and the "rush" only lasted about 30-45 minutes and then it was quiet again... I ended up leaving at 5. I talked to friends still there Sunday and they said the place was a morgue. So there you have it, I've come to the realization we are witnessing the painfully slow demise of our hobby.

Doug Helton
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 358
Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2013 3:17 pm
City: spokane
Favorite Firearm: side by side shotgun
Next Firearm: any 32

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by Doug Helton » Sun Aug 07, 2016 6:42 pm

We did Missoula for years however old age does not allow me to sit thru three days at that venue any longer , I think the last time we did Missoula was in 2010 . I told Hayes that when he gets a decent loading situation and air conditioning sign me up again

Airon
Accomplished Gun Trader
Posts: 934
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:51 pm
City: Deer Park
State: WA

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by Airon » Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:57 pm

BenTolson wrote:So there you have it, I've come to the realization we are witnessing the painfully slow demise of our hobby.
Considering July was the 15th straight month of record setting NICS checks, there is still a massive market for guns and supporting accessories.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government ... nd-checks/

IMO the gun shows are operating the same as they have since I've been going as a child in the 80s. The difference is that these days and especially in the last 5-7 years, is that every person in the building now has access at their fingertips to instant price comparisons from online vendors.

So I agree we may be witnessing the demise of gun shows, it is simply because they have failed to evolve to compete with modern replacements like online vendors and forums like this for the gun related conversation, enthusiasts used to have.

User avatar
ron
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 8835
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:31 pm
City: Cheney
State: WA
Favorite Firearm: G20SF
Next Firearm: Flintlock Rifle
Location: Cheney

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by ron » Mon Aug 08, 2016 9:06 am

Airon wrote:
BenTolson wrote:So there you have it, I've come to the realization we are witnessing the painfully slow demise of our hobby.
Considering July was the 15th straight month of record setting NICS checks, there is still a massive market for guns and supporting accessories.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government ... nd-checks/

IMO the gun shows are operating the same as they have since I've been going as a child in the 80s. The difference is that these days and especially in the last 5-7 years, is that every person in the building now has access at their fingertips to instant price comparisons from online vendors.

So I agree we may be witnessing the demise of gun shows, it is simply because they have failed to evolve to compete with modern replacements like online vendors and forums like this for the gun related conversation, enthusiasts used to have.

You may be on to something there, because if the Missoula show or shows in Idaho are also getting smaller than what they used to be, that's not because of 594 which I thought might have been the cause of the decline of our local shows at the fairgrounds where they're charging more for tables because fewer people are renting tables, which feeds an endless downward cycle. But the ammo situation is another matter having to do with not what gun laws have been passed, but the fear of laws that Leftist politicians keep threatening to pass.
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force. Like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

casten_nukes
Serious Gun Trader
Posts: 378
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 11:39 am
City: Coeur d alene
State: Idaho
Favorite Firearm: Sig M18
Next Firearm: GLOCK!!!
Location: Coeur d' alene, Idaho

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by casten_nukes » Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:40 am

I-594 aside, since I'm an idahoian and would have to do a transfer regardless, it comes down to cost for me. I love supporting local guys and moreover I enjoy learning from them. What it boils down to for me is simply cost. I understand the vendors have costs and fees etc but gouging the customers to make up for all your costs is what is loosing business. Buying parts or firearms and then charging an obscene amount for them is ridiculous and in fact insults the intelligence of your customers. Sure I guess if people are gullible enough to to spend 45 extra bucks on a bolt carrier, than charge away. Most of the people going to the shows do so in hopes to find items at a better deal, and the schmoozing is an added bonus. I hope in the future people understand that just because they put an item in their table doesn't mean it has some make believe added value. We should be concerning ourselves more with the road our country is headed and the shape of our leadership therein. We should be gathering more to discuss these issues and do some training instead of sittin here poking and nit picking one another. Just my 2 cents, which really ain't much these days.

User avatar
ghillieinthemist
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 1282
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 9:17 am
City: Post Falls, ID
Favorite Firearm: R25 in .243
Next Firearm: ???????

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by ghillieinthemist » Tue Aug 09, 2016 5:43 pm

The last gun I bought at a "gun Show" was a 22bolt action rifle that needed a lot of work for 60.00 back in say 2013 at the fairgrounds. It cleaned up nice and I sold it to a nice dude for his son. Who wants to buy their sons first 22 at walmart? not me. I bought it, save it. I didn't want to make money off it, just something to do to pass the time I guess. There is a reason they call them gun shows. and not gun lots. When was the last time you bought a car at a car show? It's mostly there to look at people are looking at the short future we have with the 2nd. We want to be well stocked. We don't want old WWI and WWII stuff. We don't want Vietnam era junk. We want to keep our families safe that's pretty much it. When Hiliary becomes president, and she will, that's how the system works. The votes are already counted. The second will go away. Now I go to gun shows for parts or to buy from guys walking around with good deals and common sense. I live near Knoxville now and it's a little different here. The gun shows are like a bunch of stores converging in one spot. Not a lot of "old" stuff. but there are dozens of guys in the lobby or outside with guns ready to sell. In Spokane they pay to get in and walk around in Knoxville they wait outside the paying area. Tennessee don't have that any gun sale FFL bullsh!t.
What I want at a gun show is fair prices, modern options, more private salesman, attention when I need to talk to a guy or make a trade/cash offer. I'll give a guy like 1 min to acknowledge my presence than I move on. I will lowball you. I will expect to get gouged. We will talk about it. We will make a deal or not. I don't really care. I don't know if Spokane ever does survivalist type shows but they need to be incorporated into them. I went to one in Sevierville, TN and they had about 50/50 guns vs survival type gear. It was a nice change of pace and I bought some sh!t. I bought a Damascus knife there, so nice I had to have it. Made an offer and we worked it out. He made a money and I got a knife I didn't need, but wanted.
I could have my own booth at a gun show with all the stuff I have, I don't think I'd be a very good salesman, I'd probably be the d!ck we all hate and I wouldn't make any money. So if you go to a gun show just try to imagine how difficult selling your guns really is.
When I want something specific and I can't find it I will negotiate with someone who's got it. My R25 .243 for example, I paid asking price with no arguments or lowballs. I had to have it.
Do or do not there is no try.

User avatar
BT!
SGT Premium Supporter
Posts: 741
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2010 7:09 am
City: Hunter
State: Wa
Favorite Firearm: Combat Commander
SGT Supporter: Yes

Re: The Spokane Gun Show

Post by BT! » Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:28 pm

Attended the Reno gun show last weekend... same type of results seen in Spokane & the last Missoula show... low buyer turnout... many table holders not covering expenses. Several dealers & collectors from Spokane area there too.... talked to them all, and they echoed what I experienced... guess we'll have to simply work our way through this situation.

Post Reply