Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

Well, with my plans awry, The Woman decided to call in a favor, and have someone mind the chirren, and go up to Doswell with me for the gunshow...

(shakes head) You know, as many people come up there, you'd figure they'd have MORE dealers!

It was JAM PACKED Saturday afternoon!

But the Woman, and I walked around, and I didn't find one thing I needed except a can of bacon. (Yoders! For the survivalist NOT worrying about his Cholesterol! YODERS!)

We walked about Green Top as well... They were PACKED! And had a couple "Gee Whiz" things.

I did find one thing, every one of the dealers at the show was WAY over priced (Um! I can buy this except same rifle online for about 30% less, and pay Sonny for the FFL transfer.) Note to dealers! You're not gonna make up what you spent after Newtown! Take the hit, move along! I ain't paying $900 for a $600 AK, or $1400 for a $900 AR...

No one has anything that made me say "I GOTTA HAVE IT!" So, there ya' go. I'm either picky, or I own everything I want.

The only things off the top of my head I really want, a .357 lever action, and a .308 PTR HK clone. Everything else? Kinda just getting it to get it.

I heard stories of how overpriced ammo was at Doswell. Had one guy tell me that the 100-count box of CCI .22 that usually costs $10 was $25+ at the show.

I'll sell my .22 guns (if I had any ) before I'd pay that much.

Honestly, most of the gun shows I have been to, the ammo prices at at retail or higher. Except for looking for ideas on any potential new toys or if I am completely bored on a Saturday, I really gave up on them.

The few I have been to (including the NRA show when they had it at Charlotte, NC about 12-15 years ago) pretty much left me wondering why I bothered. It's all overpriced. What little there is that is really interesting is MOBBED with curious idiots and you can't even get close enough for a good look. Must be a LOT of folks out there who have seen/touched so few firearms they're willing to put up with that ordeal to get to do it. The thing that really ticked me off at the NRA show was that not hardly anybody would let you touch anything, and they'd get right hateful real fast if you even acted like you wanted to. Heck, if I'd wanted to be smacked out of stuff like I was a rowdy 4-year-old, I could have stood at home.

The problem for gun shows is that in the modern world you can find things you want more easily and at better prices through the various forums without standing in line and paying an admission fee. I haven't been to a show in nearly two years because they are a waste of time. gas and money. I'd go to a big one, or a specialty one, for the entertainment value, but I would not expect to find much of anything to buy.

I have to say, that I have been a little disappointed in the gun shows I have attended the last couple of years.

No more gun shows for me. Besides, my local gun shop can get pretty much anything I might want.

I'd rather support the local shops any way.

I like the locals better, but with nothing better to do? (shrugs) For the price of a movie, The Woman and I can kill about the same amount of time talking to folks we know, seeing the occasional cool thing, and sometimes getting something interesting (IE: Yoder's Bacon in a can! Nu-CLEAR option for BREAKFAST! YODERS!).

At this point? I'll work the gunshows when needed. The RIR show DOES have ONE guy who is selling ammo for about regular inturwebz prices, but it's a hassle to get to him.

I would love a gunshow like they had in the 80's! DEAR GAWD! Those were HEADY DAYS MY FRIENDS! HEADY DAYS!

HK's for about $400 USED, AK's for $188 (Donny's Guns, and Knives, still remember him saying "Comes with a bay-o-net, oil bottle, and cleanin' kit!"), and AR's were about $500... you know what's screwy? Inflation wise? AR's are still a good buy.

I remember going to my first gun show in Manassas. It was pretty lame. Then I went to one in Dale City around 1992 or 1993 and bought a Gen II G17, which I still have. I probably paid about $350 for it. I went to that show, and the Bealeton show, many times after that, but then I stopped going for a while. I went back to the Dale City show last year, and thought it was a waste of time and money.

People watching is more fun than shopping; a gun show gets ALL types.

People watching is generally entertaining, regardless of where you are.

When I lived in a camper parked in Walmart parking lot, I had 24 hour people watching, right out of my window. Didn't have to pay an access fee, either.

I get all kinds of opportunity to people watch, now, too. Fun stuff.

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