Thoughts on the Big E show 3/11

[SKS Ray]

Well I just got home from the Big E show. Its a beautiful day outside and I thought about shooting today, but after getting up early and the almost 2 hour drive from New Bedford to Springfield has me pretty tired, plus the range I belong to is guaranteed packed today.
No Russian SVT40 for me. I didn't see a single one. A few nice German G43s but with no tags I knew they were well over a thousand dollars. Plenty of SKS rifles and M44s at Jimmy Squib's table. (think thats his name) But i'm all set on those for now. Saw a nice Persian Mauser at the Powder Keg table while I was talking to C-Pher but it would've dented my wallet and got in the way of a future SVT40 purchase.
I did come home with a Chinese M44 Mosin for only $75.
Overall the show was pretty good with the usual stuff for sale.

 

[FPrice]

Jimmy Squib's table

Actually it's Jimmy Squid. He's a pretty nice guy to deal with but I think he cut back on his hours a while ago due to his daytime job. He helped transfer a nice Mossberg 44US(a) for me a number of shows back from a private seller from New York.

I didn't make the show today due to lots of things going on so I'll get there tomorrow. How was the ammo tent? Some of my friends were looking for 7.62x39.

 

[SKS Ray]

Actually it's Jimmy Squid. He's a pretty nice guy to deal with but I think he cut back on his hours a while ago due to his daytime job. He helped transfer a nice Mossberg 44US(a) for me a number of shows back from a private seller from New York.

I didn't make the show today due to lots of things going on so I'll get there tomorrow. How was the ammo tent? Some of my friends were looking for 7.62x39.

Ammo tent was busy as the NY guys are the only ones selling except for the guy that deals in reloading stuff. 7.62x39 sold out about an hour after the show opened. The talkative brother was telling me horror stories about ammo coming in and countries getting out of using 7.62x39, etc. He talks fast and is all over the place helping people so its kind fo hard to get a straight conversation with him but I heard him say the future price of $200 a case for ammo, and that was refering to the cheap Yugo corrosive stuff.
Wilmington last month was the show for ammo with the other NY ammo vendor that works only that show I think, selling Golden Tiger, Wolf, and Cheetah for reasonable prices.

 

[Len-2A Training]

There is another Marlboro show in April (8 & 9) and they allow any/all ammo dealers to setup in the building. There should be some competition and maybe some decent deals.

 

[JonJ]

There is another Marlboro show in April (8 & 9) and they allow any/all ammo dealers to setup in the building. There should be some competition and maybe some decent deals.

Already talked Barb into going!

 

[C-pher]

This show was SLOW!! I can't believe how slow it was. We were talking to a lot of dealers and they were all complaining that it was really slow.

I made out pretty good. I picked up my Delta Elite and then walked around for a bit looking for Colt 10mm mags. I was able to fine two of the only three that were at the show. One Colt, one knockoff. The other was a knockoff that he wanted 20 bucks for, but that one was all rusted out. So I passed.

Then, I picked up a matching pair of Stainless Ruger Vaquero's that are EXACTLY 100 numbers apart on the serial.

I also picked up a GOAL t-shirt and 6 entries into GOAL's raffle.

GPK came by the table and we were talking about the Delta...and one of people checking out ZHA's table loaned me his tool to help us fix the trigger on a Sharps that we had.

Had some of the Jerky, and that's about it.

I just think that it was too nice out there for people to come out to the show. I guess that we'll see how it is tomorrow.

FPrice...you'll have to stop by and say hi.

 

[FPrice]

FPrice...you'll have to stop by and say hi.

I plan on it. Don't really need anything...but you can't rule out an impulse buy.

Wonder if I should bring my WWII Mauser HSc to see if anyone is interested?

 

[C-pher]

If you do, you can talk to Greg about it...you never know what he'll buy.

 

[USMA-82]

C-pher - good to see you and Greg today. Sorry I didn't stop by again, but my friend made a score and was ready to head out.

He found a Remington Model 1903 a3 for $295 - believe it or not! The story is the dealer got it from an estate sale. It had been sitting in an attic for 8 years. The Stock is mismatched, and there is some surface rusting on the receiver - but the bore is shiny and muzzle wear minimal.

When I first saw the price, I had to ask if the barrel actually had a hole running through it, or was this just for training?!!!

Pretty anxious to see how it shoots. Didn't see another there today for under $625.

 

[C-pher]

Ken, that's a great buy. It was good to see you as well. Congrats on the find.

 

[SKS Ray]

He found a Remington Model 1903 a3 for $295 - believe it or not! The story is the dealer got it from an estate sale. It had been sitting in an attic for 8 years. The Stock is mismatched, and there is some surface rusting on the receiver - but the bore is shiny and muzzle wear minimal.

When I first saw the price, I had to ask if the barrel actually had a hole running through it, or was this just for training?!!!

Pretty anxious to see how it shoots. Didn't see another there today for under $625.

Deal of a lifetime there. Wish I had seen it. I usually have an eye for stuff like that but was scanning for an SVT40 too hard I guess. Was it the table with a handful of CMP 03s? I saw that table and glanced at the double what I paid from CMP price and moved on.

 

[USMA-82]

Milsurps:

This was the guy near the rear of the hall, to the left (as you came through the door). He only had a few items on display, including an older M1A that was from the same attic that he wanted $1895 for.

Believe me, there were a few folks who simultaneously spotted this rifle. As they were milling around looking at it, I asked the dealer if I could pick it up and examine it. From that point on, I didn't let go! There were at least 2 guys who were hoping I'd put it back down, if only for a second or two...

Ken

 

[FPrice]

It was kind of a smaller show this time. Of course, holding it in that big hall just accentuates the lack of vendors. However did get by the Powder Keg table and met C-pher. Not much that interested me this time. And the few small things I wanted I could not find. So, to keep it from being a total waste I bought a Maxpedition Jumbo Versipack. Listening to the guy in the ammo tent I guess I am glad that I sold my SAR-1. Does not sound good for 7.62x39 in the future.

 

[Nickle]

C-Pher, we've also noticed that sales are down this year. The one show where sales were up was Lake George, and the "crowd" was about double or triple the usual "crowd".

Frosty, 7.62x39 will rebound. It's coming back, just taking a little time. The shortage is a good wake up call for folks to smarten up and stock up when it's available.

 

[C-pher]

Yea, I got to meet Frosty, and he was great to talk with. I also met another guy, and for the life of me, I can't remember his screen name. But he was really nice as well. I want to say that it was jshooter. The three of us talked for some time.


Yea Nickle, Marlboro and Wilmington was really good. This one was really slow. We were talking to one dealer that said that he didn't sell one gun the whole show.

I guess that Greg's not going to do this show next year. He said that he would do the Christmas Springfield show, but not this one next year.

Everyone was saying how much smaller this show was from all the others in Springfield. It's almost like every show, it's getting smaller and smaller.

 

[Moderator]

I was talking to one of the distributors that we go through and he was saying that they plan on getting some in in a week or two. Lets hope the come through.

 

[Len-2A Training]

C-pher,

I think that the $5 parking is a big turn-off for Springfield. $12 (w/card or ad) or $13 to get in the door plus a lot of folks travel (at $2.15-2.29/gal avg) to get there is killing the place.

As I stated earlier, many dealers are upset with Carole, and generally their reasons are valid, and choosing to go elsewhere.

I expect Marlboro to be another excellent show!

 

[Nickle]

Damn that's steep. Hell of a way to kill a show. Normal up here (and NH) is about $5 to get in, and free parking.

That being said, we're considering doing NH shows again, possibly Concord or Manchester.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Nickle, it is $8 admission ($1 off coupon/card possible) + $5 parking to get in the door.

Up until a few years ago, the cards could be used for up to 2 admissions with $1 off, then it went to 1 card/ad = 1 discount. It cost me $20 in the door last year at Big E when my Wife decided to go too (only 1 discount).

Parking was free until 2-3 years ago at Big E, then went to $3, OK. Next year it jumped to $5 for parking!

Many of us kill any "discounts" from a gun show just getting into the place! I look at it as "entertainment costs" but have cut my trips to Springfield down to 1 or 2/year from 3 each year.

 

[Nickle]

I've been to it once. Columbus Day Weekend in 2004. We were on our way back from CT, and stopped in on Sunday. The guy we went to visit is a fellow shooter. I'm going to have to get him to join in here.

 

[C-pher]

Len you're right, they are getting upset with her. And it's not only 5 bucks parking for people coming. They charge the dealers 5 bucks a day as well. And I think that that's pissing off a lot of the dealers.

And when you're spending 80 bucks a table, and only selling a couple of guns because people don't come, it's not worth it. And I think that that's why every show, there's less and less dealers.

It's not going to be long before people just stop going and the show is shut down. Which is a shame because it's really the only show in Westen MA.

Len, what's also pissing off a lot of people is that they are all coming from CT and NY. And, while they can go to any other state and buy a long gun from anyone, and leave with it. In MA they can't do that. You HAVE to transfer the long gun to a state dealer OUT of MA. So they can't just buy a rifle and walk out with it. So that's pissing off a lot of people.

I talked with a bunch of people that were from CT and I think that 2/3rds of the guns that we sold, we had to walk over to a CT dealer. And on Sunday, the CT State Police call in thing was down, so we had to bring them back and ship them too them.

I think that that's another reason that they are getting upset and not coming to the shows.

 

[FPrice]

My FFL and I have been talking about the problem of declining sales in Western Massachusetts. He feels that higher gun prices, combined with the rising gas/oil costs has deeply cut into the amount of money people have to spend on guns and shooting in general. His distributor seems to be hurting also as they just can't to move the stock they have. Ammo is going up as we speak and the lack of choice among new guns has put many people off.

It looks like Riley and company are slowly winning.

 

[FPrice]

Len you're right, they are getting upset with her. And it's not only 5 bucks parking for people coming. They charge the dealers 5 bucks a day as well. And I think that that's pissing off a lot of the dealers.

I hope that you don't think that the parking fee is Carole's fault. The Big E charges this for all shows. I went to the Outdoor Sports Show two weeks ago and it was the same. The Home Show in two weeks is offering coupons for $6 off two admissions or $3 off one. The plainly say that this will pay for the parking. And both of these shows dwarf the Gun Show by a long shot.

The big problem is that the Big E has no local competition for this sort of show.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Big E issues:

- Greed with parking fees and almost doubling them the year after they were implemented.

- Allegations (by a show dealer to me) that Carole gets hundreds of free parking passes to give out to dealers but refuses to do so. The dealer who told me this alleges that she sells the passes to the dealers for the same $5, so they don't even get a discount. I have NO proof personally if this is true or not but the dealer who told me this stated that he was absolutely positive of this happening. Regardless, dealers aren't happy adding $10 to their tab for the show.

- They do get a big group of CT and NY folks at this venue and legally they can't even buy a box of ammo or a mag (both ignored by all the sellers) and no guns. So why bother attending?

- Every trip there I notice fewer and fewer tables! Last show I attended (a May show, think it was 2005 . . . it's the Militaria show), I did a table count and came up with ~300 tables actually in the hall. Advertised as 600 tables!!

 

[jshooter]

C-Pher, You got my screen name correct, and I probably mumbled my name but it is John. It was nice to meet both of you guys at the show. Its always nice to have a face, or voice to put with a post. I think that will be one of the last shows in Springfield for me and my buddy for awhile. Cost aside it is a long drive (Marshfield for me),the same stuff is at Marlborough for the most part and the ammo deals are a little better in Marlborough. Just a quick thought on attendace, it seems like there are more shows to go to lately and I was talking to the Fobus Holster guy at Wilmington and he thinks that with a Republican in the White House people are a little less apt to spend on guns and ammo. I know if Reilly or Hillary gets ellected I'll stock up just in case.

 

[FPrice]

Big E issues:

You forgot the food. Expensive and

 

[C-pher]

You forgot the food. Expensive and

You got that right...

I packed a cooler with meat, cheese, mayo and mustard and brought a loaf of bread. Then carried in a case of water. No one stopped me, and I save a small fortune in food and drink.

I just picked up some onion on the condiment table for the hotdogs and threw that on my sandwich. I was happy, and we ate what we liked.

 

[Nickle]

High cost, crappy food is the norm for gun shows. I like the ones held at a VFW, Fire Department or American Legion. They usually do a decent job on food, and keep it reasonable.

 

[C-pher]

High cost, crappy food is the norm for gun shows. I like the ones held at a VFW, Fire Department or American Legion. They usually do a decent job on food, and keep it reasonable.

The food at Wilmington isn't that bad. Never saw food at Marlboro. Always ran up to Wendy's.

 

[FPrice]

Never saw food at Marlboro.

They had a small food service area in the far back right corner. Don't know how the food was but it seemed fairly busy.