First gun show - any advice?

[JohnP]

Never been, but I'm going tomorrow to stock up on ammo for this zombie invasion you guys keep talking about.

Any advice? Particularly regarding getting the best price on ammo? Besides wandering around and haggling, I'm not sure how else to find the best ammo deals.

John

[PRCABR4Christ]

here's a rule of thumb...quality reloaders, especially those selling at gun shows don't put their wares in ziploc baggies

[john.t.singh]

bring cash, and dont be ashamed to ask for a discount. Mention you're paying in cash and if they give you it a little bit cheaper, or that if you pay with cash will they "pay for tax". I find a lot of times I can save tax this way...

If you go early you can pick up some things before they sell out.
If you go later your more likely to get some discounts as vendors just want to move product.

[sprucansailor]

Make a list of what/how much you are looking for and what you are willing to pay for it.

Do not be afraid of a little haggling. Many of the vendors expect it.

[hk91666]

Have a cart as that stuff gets heavy.....

[Zion Lion]

Complete your mission of getting things you went there for in the first place. Then after that is done. Enjoy the rest of the show and browse different vendors and pick up little nick nacks if you wish.

[john.t.singh]

Have a cart as that stuff gets heavy.....

^ this! Ammo gets really heavy! Once I left a can of 12 gauge buck shot on the ground to pick up something to look at and walked off...

The only good news was 15 minutes later I ran back and it was still there!

[morfeeis]

walk around the entire show before you buy anything, i cant tell you how many times i bought something only to find it cheaper two rows down. eat before you go on as some of the food / drinks are way over priced. Bring a cart/bag to carry all your stuff. set a max amount of money you want to spend and know that you'll spend $100 more

Have fun i'm going to one in November in AZ and cant wait.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Know what things cost before you go. Beware of "Gun Show Prices", which can be several times the cost of the same item available online every day. And be aware of what kinds of ammo are available in the cartridges you are looking to buy. Just because the guy tells you it is "new production" or "non-corrosive" isn't a 100% guarantee that it is. Trust but verify. Look at head stamps, and check for corroded cases or bullets if you can. There is nothing worse than getting home and finding out that you "new production" ammo is actually 60 year old corrsively-primed combloc junk that is rusted and/or green. Or finding out that the "deal" you got on pricing is twice as much as it would have cost you to order it directly from one of the online retailers. Caveat emptor, first, foremost and always at these things.

-Mb

[WILDMAN442]

Have fun.

I love gun shows.

If your going to reno, Make sure to stop by Scheels, Cabelas, Sportsmans warehouse, and Bizzare guns

Justin

[CALI SHOT DOC]

Thanks for the advice. For those who have been to crossroads in costa mesa, how long do you think I should plan on staying? all day deal or just a few hours?

i've never been more than 3 hours at a gun show. Depends on how much cool stuff they have that catch your eye.


PS: Bring lots of money lol and a cart to hold all the ammo

[TurboChrisB]

Park out on Arlington and walk in.....it's an extra 5 minutes but will save you $8-10 in parking. Bring a backpack if you are buying much ammo. And go to the website http://www.crossroadsgunshows.com/calendar.php and you can print out a $1 off coupon or buy your tic online for a $1 off and skip the ticket buying line. I usually am there for 2ish hours.....3 at the most. And as someone else said.....walk the entire show.....to find the best deals......then go back and buy.

[hk91666]

^ this! Ammo gets really heavy! Once I left a can of 12 gauge buck shot on the ground to pick up something to look at and walked off...

The only good news was 15 minutes later I ran back and it was still there!

At Sac Expo I bought 1000 rds of 40 and I was glad my friend had parked in the parking lot, I didn't and then it started raining. Even walking to his two his truck, one of my arms grew a little. LOL Glad i didn't get any 7.62x39!

[Spaceghost]

Honestly, if you aren't going to buy a lot of ammo, at least 3 cases or more, it's not worth the time and effort vs. online shopping. Figure the cost of gas, parking, and how much it costs to get in, you will need to find a serious deal to save any real money. Plus, how much is your time worth? Bring a smart phone that has web access so you can compare vendor prices vs. online stores.

Me personally, I just stay home and relax instead of going.

[lgm118icbm]

Buy the tickets online! I have been a few times and the line to buy tickets is crazy long. I would gladly pay the $2 processing fee to buy the tickets online and not stand in line.