Yes....I gave up on gun shows long ago. Internet killed them. But I do like to go and walk all the isles and look at everything (everybody). $600 Mosin Nagants. $80 bricks of Aguilla .22LR.
So this morning I went to the San Antonio Gun Show. They have it once a month but I only go once a year. Same old fat, hairy guys selling (I swear) the same boxes of tattered, sun bleached boxes of ammo. $600 ar15 upper they bought from Palmetto State Armory for $199. Chinese red dots, Military Surplus junk marked up 300% from the Army-Navy Store down the road.
I pay the $3 for parking in the mud in my just washed Chevy Silverado. Wearing my tennis shoes I just bought I slosh through said mud to the "show. Pay the nice fat lady $5 to get in. Nice fat man stamps my hand and I am in. I wonder if you have to be obese to work at a gun show? Oh well.....
I always start the same place and walk each isle. Nobody has moved an inch since last year. Far wall begins with the folks selling Blow Me Liberal Bumper Stickers and Rebel Flags. Lots of survivalist books. All worn and tattered from being for sale for 15 years straight. Guy is asleep. Keep moving baby.....around the lady with the candy almonds and up the isle with mountains of MilSurp paints, backpacks and canvas "things" I have no idea what they are for. Everything appears to be $7. Giant table of new pistols. All heavily overpriced....I guess the guy never heard of SlickGuns before. Taurus .38 revolver for $350? Seriously? Oh well...I say nothing to anybody. Keep moving. Ammo. No kidding double what you can get it for on the internet. I buy a cup of coffee. Bathrooms are next to the refreshment stand. If anybody would have lit a candle the entire building would have exploded from all the methane gas being produced on the other side of the wall.
I guess smoked turkey legs produce more gas than all of Saudi Arabia. I dry my eyes and keep moving.Isle after isle of overpriced, dirty, worn out, worthless junk.Some 80 year old lady has on hot paints from he 60's. I throw up a lil bit in my mouth. Finish my coffee and spot the nice lady who sews quilts. I bought a few from her a few years back and they were a big hit for Christmas presents. I buy one I think my wife would like. Very nice Christian lady and she sells quality hand sewed quilts for $40. If that guy in the booth next to her with the [censored] little remote control helicopters dont stop buzzing me he is going to go home with one less remote control helicopter.
My day is complete. Got Mama a quilt. Got my new tennis shoes all muddy. Truck is covered in mud.
I slosh back through the mud heading for the car wash.
Total cost of day....$48 bucks.
Seeing the old lady in hotpaints.
Priceless.
My Once a Year Gun Show Experiance
- Thread starter TheOnlySarge
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Hotpaints ??
LOL....I'll edit that 
Guess I cant? Oh well.....The image is burned into my brain. I'll pour some Amsoil Engine Flush in my ear and see if that'll work.
Guess I cant? Oh well.....The image is burned into my brain. I'll pour some Amsoil Engine Flush in my ear and see if that'll work.
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Don't tell me you missed all the "art work"? Velvet Elvis paintings, along with the dogs playing pool? And the guy with the steamer selling anti fog for eyeglasses?
I'm guessing some the same people that will pay double for ammo or over MSRP for a gun are the same people who can't use Internet
I rarely go the shows any more.I am usually
working and my buddy
That usually goes with me is in Afghanistan.
But I have noticed that the variety of vendors is not as good as it once was..
The local show used to have vendors of various camo patterns .No more just a few ratty surplus items here and there.
As the OP pointed out usually your best deals are the non gun vendors.I have bought my wife several nice things...jewelry and purses.
Wow! It sounds like gun shows in Texas are the same as in Canada.
Here, camo is a fashion statement in 5XL.
I should take Confederate money for tables displaying the Rebel flag.
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
Wow! It sounds like gun shows in Texas are the same as in Canada.
Here, camo is a fashion statement in 5XL.
I should take Confederate money for tables displaying the Rebel flag.
Never been to a gun show. I just bought my first real gun about 2 years ago. It's a Ruger LCP .38 So maybe to a lot of you that's a sissy gun..... For conceal carry.
Anywho...... I got a few chuckles reading it, Maybe if I don't ever go to one I won't miss anything after all.
Nice writing style.
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: userfriendly
I should take Confederate money for tables displaying the Rebel flag.
Why I hate gun shows?
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When customers come to your shop/booth/buisness use words like, SOCOM, JSOC, SEAL, Team n [censored], Sniper, Frogman, these are all sure to impress your intended target. When pressed for details like how long did you serve the best way to respond is 8 years. Do not talk about BUDS, if you do make them watch BUDS class 234 on the Discovery Channel. Tell them you were not picked to be on camera because you were such a stud that you were pre-selected for classified programs, so your identity couldn’t be compromised. Never and I mean never say SEAL Team 6, or DEVGRU. This is an elite unit within the teams and there is no way in [censored] anyone would ever believe you had the wherewithal, intestinal fortitude, commitment and courage to go to that level (better to just avoid that altogether). When asked about being a SEAL, be sure to name drop people like Marcus Luttrell, Chris Kyle, Mark Owen, Chris Heban, Chris Osman, guys who have been in the public eye, yet have zero chance of ever talking to someone you personally know. Make sure you say stuff like “when I was down range”, “before I came home”, “last time I was at the VA they said”, and my personal favorite “man, I just wish my ex didn’t throw my stuff out during my last deployment, I would love to show you my pictures.” Make sure you buy our books and wait in line for hours at the SHOT show for an autograph and picture, if you do there is no way they won't think you know and served with all of us. If you talk about your “service”, remember to never commit too much into the lie.
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I wrote a similar piece on my forum a few years ago. What's up with all the smelly people and BO? Sad but true.
I was a vendor with all custom stuff I make. I do not resell other peoples wares as you can't earn a living on that. Plus you're a gun show favorite only once or twice at a venue. After that you gain loser status.
But in the end it's a big hassle. It takes months to build things and prepare, The cost of travel, and hotels are very expensive. And you get wore out repeating the same answers to stupid questions over and over again.
And there are always your competitors watching your every move and people sneaking pictures or recording your every word. I quit years ago. It really stinks to be honest.
And every show has that group of big mouths that think everybody wants to hear their stupid stories and hunting tales and how they shocked the world.
Well written and true!
And two weeks before every show my competitors would call me up to see if I was going to attend. For years I said yes just to foil their plans. When I said yes they would get upset. Its all about $$$$$$$$$$$$..... And the businesses that don't show up get ragged on. The same old foolishness...........
I want to buy a loophole next time I go.
I've never been to a gun show, having just gotten into firearms in the last couple years. My wife and I have talked about going to check things out, but maybe not...
AZjeff
$50 Site Donor 2023
I go to gun shows with no expectation of buying anything. Usually I see a gun or 2 I've been interested in and get to handle it. They aren't what they once were but what is? If things go wrong in November we may think of this as the good old days.
There are good people at every show and interesting things to look at. Cheap entertainment for me.
I went to an arts and crafts preppers extravaganza and a gun show broke out... 
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