Dallas Area Gun Shows For a First Timer?

[knotquiteawake]

I've never been to a gun show, I can count on one hand how many gun stores I've ever been into, and I only ever purchased 1 gun in my life.
Now that I've got a couple guns (one was gifted to me) and my CHL is supposedly on its way I want to start buying more guns (I've got "the bug"), but on a budget of course because we've got our first on the way and are saving money in preparation for going down to a single income.
Are Gun Shows around here a good place to get a good deal? I feel like i would be out of place not knowing a whole lot about all the different guns. Any gun show tips for a first timer?

[Munk]

In my opinion, Gun Shows are great at being able to go around and pick up everything you want to touch/see/feel/hold, etc. You may or may not be able to find a deal as I believe it's negligible. The prices on this forum are pretty hard to beat for a "great shape" used gun and of course there is always Academy. I like the gun shows because I can browse at my leisure and get ideas as to what fits me, which helps me decide what I would like to shop for later. Just my .02.

[chasfm11]

While you can go to Academy, you have to have someone help you get the gun that you want to look at out of the case. At the gun shows, I always ask if I can touch a particular gun but they are right there and in a much greater variety than almost any place else.

The show prices are sometimes very good. If nothing else, they give you a baseline for evaluating other prices.

[couzin]

As noted - gun shows are a great place to handle (fondle) stuff. Occasionally a deal is to be had as well. Don't expect the larger dealers to be will to give you much for any trade (if they don't just look at it and hand it back with an "I don't want this!"). IMHO - the best gun shows are the Dallas Market Hall, Irving Convention, Mesquite Rodeo (TSRA etc), and Fort Worth Amon Carter shows (but parking $$s now keeps me outta there). Don't much care for Big Town (although lotta folks go there) nor the outlier shows (Plano, Allen, Denton). However, any show you go to - you gotta search hard for bargains among the jewery, jerky, toy guns, nuts (edible variety), and other 'stuff' somebody is hawking.

[TxRVer]

Just thought I'd mention that the TSRA gun show is at the Mesquite convention center this weekend. You can find information on the TSRA website.

[Rex B]

+1 on the TSRA show. I don't go to as many as I used to, but the TSRA is one I want to support.

Join or renew with TSRA and and you get in free, plus a nice cap.
Everyone on this forum should be a TSRA member.

soapbox /off

[RAM4171]

I go to big town show often,only a mile from my house. I do like the market hall show better though. I have found a few good deals there, picked up my MK9 there for $499 NIB.
Tips
1. Have an idea what you are interested in.
2. Take a note pad to write down gun, price, feature, and dealer.
3. Eat breakfast on the way.
4. Plan on spending half the day there. Walk every isle.
5. Handle as many guns as possible.
6. If you find what you want ask for one that they have in the box not on the table.
7. Inspect the gun thoroughly (learned that lesson the hard way brought home my 92AFS NIB with a scratch on the slide)
8. Have fun.

[BigPa]

Don't go to Big Town in the summer months. Just my opinion, way too hot......

[G26ster]

Don't go to Big Town in the summer months. Just my opinion, way too hot......

Is the A/C broken at the Mesquite Convention Center?

[snatchel]

To add just a couple of things:

Know what you want, and have the notepad. But write down prices from sites like BudsGunShop online, TexasGunTrader, Forums, GT Dist., etc, so you know the cheapest price you can get it for. Keep in mind that anything found at the gunshow +- 25 bucks or so is a good deal, figuring in shipping and FFL for online orders.

Reason I say this is I was recently in the market for a S&W Bodyguard 380, and the gunshow avg price was about 425.00. Convinced myself to walk away and the next week I found one in Academy for something like 350.00. So knowing the prices is a big, big deal. Some gunshow dealers are more reputable than others, im not bashing anyone!!

Eat before you go because your gonna be there a while. Food is notoriously expensive just like a fair, ballgame, etc.

Dont be afraid to ask questions. Most of the dealers are pretty knowledgeable about their firearms. Dont be afraid to try and barter. If they have a gun you like for 400, tell them you have 375 cash, and see what happens.

TAKE CASH. TAKE CASH. TAKE CASH. At least half the price of whatever your looking for, this will give you more room to wiggle in bartering transactions. When I bought my Ruger Mini-14, the dealer had one for sale for 550. I had been looking for this for quite a while, and had been at the table twice to check it out. When I came back to buy it, there was a guy who was trying to barter for 520 and only had a credit card. I mentioned over the mans shoulder to the dealer I would give 520 right there, cash in hand and walked away with the rifle.

Try to keep from impulse buys. You probably have been doing your research already on a few handguns or rifles, so stick to what you know about. Dont let dealers or anyone else talk you into getting something you dont know anything about.

Inspect EVERYTHING before you buy. Get a business card from the dealer when you do buy. If they dont have any, get a name, phone number, company, etc., to contact in case you have questions or problems.

[snatchel]

One more thing. If you think you should walk away, do it. Dont be afraid to lose out on a "deal of a lifetime." Worst case scenario is you order it from an online distributer for about the same price and eat the 25 or 30 bucks for shipping/FFL.
If you have a phone with browser (iphone, android, or whatever) have budsgunshop.com open so you can search weapon prices you aren't sure about.

[knotquiteawake]

Thanks for all the tips, all really really good to know.

[Pawpaw]

Don't go to Big Town in the summer months. Just my opinion, way too hot......

Is the A/C broken at the Mesquite Convention Center?

It worked just fine last summer. I haven't been there this summer.

Edit: I just realized, we're talking about 2 different places. Big Town is not the convention center.