SAXET gun show - review - is asking how many guns you sold a rude question?

[innominate]

You obviously didn't try the Kettle Korn and a glass of hot dog water.
It's the reason the parking lots are always full.

Hot dog water. Lol. That makes me think of the Lucky Dog hot dog carts in Nola. I could eat a dog with mustard and onions right now.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Tables haven't been $40.00 for some time now.......

Don't argue w/him - he's got everything figured out. Just ask him.

 

[alterspaces]

4 generations of independent businessmen would disagree with you, but whatever. Without an entry fee, you'll have all kinds wandering through the show. You also have things like rent, security, insurance, transporting the various and sundry accessories needed for the show setup, etc. Do you know what it costs them to rent the facility?
Either way, it doesn't matter - either spend the money or not. Just stop whining, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nah, you still got it mixed up. My understanding of "cost of doing business" is a price that is paid in order to go try to do business/make money.

This stuff you mentioned: rent, security, insurance, transport... These are the costs of doing business (for the gunshow). NOT the entrance fee charged to the patrons.

The entrance fee IS the actual business (well part of it, the rest are the table fees) that is expected to cover the costs of doing business (by definition). This is the money the gunshow hopes to collect. It is NOT the "cost of doing business", which is the rent, security, etc...

The other party doing business are the vendors, and their cost of doing business is the table fee. Their actual business are the gun sales.

The patrons are not doing any business there, they don't hope to make any money. They just feed the business by buying a gun (to the vendor) and paying an entrance fee (to the gunshow).

I think I'm starting understand what you meant though - you responded to my question of why the entrance fee had to be $20. What you really meant to say was the rent and all those other things you mentioned are high, and you're suggesting that it's higher in San Marcos than it is in Robstown (entry fee is only $8, must mean rent is cheaper in Robstown then). In that case, this is what you should've said, rather than use terms you didn't actually know the meaning of ("cost of doing business"). The only reason why I'm taking issue with your confusing word choice is that you tried to sound smart, and it's frustrating when you don't even get your terms right.

I also don't know what you're talking about regarding "whining". I whined in the first post, but where after? Where's the repeated whining that elicits your response of "stop whining" as if it's ongoing? Is 1 too many for you? Look at how many other people are also whining in this thread. I'd like to see you go after them too. I think you're letting me take way too much control over your life and mental health tbh... get some rest bro.

 

[alterspaces]

Tables haven't been $40.00 for some time now.......

Right, I just guessed, they're actually $85. That's what got me curious enough to ask "how many guns you sold" in the first place. It's a pretty steep price and I sure hope everyone is selling enough to cover that cost.

 

[V-Tach]

@TexasRedneck gittin skooled...........lol....

How have you ever made it in business?

 

[glenbo]

@TexasRedneck gittin skooled...........lol....

How have you ever made it in business?

Must have been pure luck. He's obviously not nearly as smart as our newest know-it-all. Probably the rest of us aren't either. How wonderful some Cali transplant comes here to teach us redneck dimwits.

 

[Lead Belly]

So, what are gun shows like in California?

 

[alterspaces]

So, what are gun shows like in California?

Never been man, SAXET was my first ever. But I have read about them in the CA equivalent to TGT and they're really bad. The entry fee is much higher and I heard sometimes there are only like 10 tables.

I don't think you should misjudge the gunshow vendors in CA though, they're no diff from you guys, 2A gun lovers. I'm sure only the patrons would be wearing masks and doing all the liberal sh*x.

 

[TexasRedneck]

@TexasRedneck gittin skooled...........lol....

How have you ever made it in business?

I know, right? After all, some of the fellers around here got it all figgered out.

 

[Tnhawk]

Nah, you still got it mixed up. My understanding of "cost of doing business" is a price that is paid in order to go try to do business/make money.

This stuff you mentioned: rent, security, insurance, transport... These are the costs of doing business (for the gunshow). NOT the entrance fee charged to the patrons.

The entrance fee IS the actual business (well part of it, the rest are the table fees) that is expected to cover the costs of doing business (by definition). This is the money the gunshow hopes to collect. It is NOT the "cost of doing business", which is the rent, security, etc...

The other party doing business are the vendors, and their cost of doing business is the table fee. Their actual business are the gun sales.

The patrons are not doing any business there, they don't hope to make any money. They just feed the business by buying a gun (to the vendor) and paying an entrance fee (to the gunshow).

I think I'm starting understand what you meant though - you responded to my question of why the entrance fee had to be $20. What you really meant to say was the rent and all those other things you mentioned are high, and you're suggesting that it's higher in San Marcos than it is in Robstown (entry fee is only $8, must mean rent is cheaper in Robstown then). In that case, this is what you should've said, rather than use terms you didn't actually know the meaning of ("cost of doing business"). The only reason why I'm taking issue with your confusing word choice is that you tried to sound smart, and it's frustrating when you don't even get your terms right.

I also don't know what you're talking about regarding "whining". I whined in the first post, but where after? Where's the repeated whining that elicits your response of "stop whining" as if it's ongoing? Is 1 too many for you? Look at how many other people are also whining in this thread. I'd like to see you go after them too. I think you're letting me take way too much control over your life and mental health tbh... get some rest bro.

Why the word salad?

 

[roadkill]

He needs to go the Al Amin Shriners gun show and review the value that one provides.

 

[Coyote9]

Heard stories of getting cheap guns at a gun show, so I finally decided to check one out last year. I went to the SAXET gun show with the backwards Texas sign because the name is spelled backwards TEXAS.

$8 admission

Well, when I got there, it really was quite the show! So many guns, prob nothing new to you guys, but it was pretty awesome to see. All of them had an anti-theft wire running through them. I tripped one to see what would happen and an alarm rings as soon as the wire loop is opened. But I didn't see anything I wanted, and most was overpriced. I tried haggling twice and was shot down immediately. The one thing I really took note of was how expensive everything was. The cheapest thing I saw was some vintage single shot that was $150, but online I saw it going for $60. I saw Tokarev TAR tacticool shotguns that I had considered getting, but they were more expensive ($290) than online MSRP ($250 last year) and they were USED! That's pretty egregious in my opinion.

I saw a multitude of non-gun tables selling holsters, knives, hunting equipment, ammo only, fishing equipment, and homemade mini bow and arrow trinkets. There was even someone selling homemade cans, that just lacked the barrel hole so he said a gun smith or a machinist would have to bore through to the desired caliber for them to work. There were also random tables selling popcorn, jerky, candy, bags, all sorts of interesting stuff. As expected, everything was super expensive. The toothpick shooting crossbows were super cool, but they were like $30. I found a pocket holster I liked, but didn't have my carry piece with me to try it out and there was another guy melting custom holsters for your gun.

So I spent the rest of the time asking a question I was genuinely curious about - how many guns have you sold? I was not trying to tick anybody off, I was really curious about this, because tables weren't cheap, and they gotta consider their profit margins don't they? Well, very few wanted to answer me. The biggest table Americana Arms just said I don't have time to answer your question, and the small private tables would say, "no comment or something of that sort." Out of the 7 or so tables I asked, only 3 answered, which leads me to believe that:
small private tables should expect to sell 0-2 per weekend
mid-size tables with 20-30 guns may expect to sell 0-5 per weekend
large tables of gun stores expect to sell 50-100 per weekend
That being said, the only ones making a killing are the actual gun stores, like Americana Arms. Now this leads me to two questions: Why do people go to gun shows to buy guns? Why don't they go to the store directly? There's no deal or discount here. If they just went to the store, they wouldn't have to pay the $8 entrance fee, and they wouldn't have to wait until the gun show. Why are the private sellers selling at such steep prices? It seems like a waste of 2 days and table fees. Are they even trying to sell or just show off? The second time I went I saw a Kimber solo for $800 at one of the private vendors! You can easily get them on gunbroker for <$450 easily and in better condition.

So question of the day - was asking people "how many guns did you sell?" a touchy subject? Was it rude like asking a woman's age? Please educate me on this social norm, my autism may be getting the better of me. Why did people often refuse to answer?

All in all, the SAXET gunshow was a great place to take a girl on a date, but not really to buy anything.

Trip 2:
A couple months later, I went again to buy the pocket holster I liked and some ammo.

When I walked in, I presented my unloaded carry (Kimber Solo) and they zip-tied it for me. Immediately asked me - "hey are you selling?" I said maybe, and he just left off with saying: "oh that's gonna sell for sure." Maybe he was right because while walking around with the gun case, I was approached by two others asking if I were selling. Maybe Kimbers were in demand? Then I saw the $800 Kimber on someone's table and I got this idea - how about I buy a bunch of these for $400 on gunbroker and sell them at the gunshow for $600?

I found the holster table, everyone, all the same sellers were in the same exact position as last time, they seem to have all found their groove by now, must be the same sellers each and every time. He let me try all the holsters in my pocket and I finally picked one out. I asked for $5 off so he gave it to me for $20, prob still overpriced, but I needed a holster to carry.

View attachment 440628 View attachment 440629

Then I went looking for ammo. Cheap ammo was nowhere to be seen, I did not expect it to be so hard to find. Anyway, I found the first table, I was looking for bulk 9mm (1000 rds). This table was selling for $285 cash, and I said, could you do $270, and he said the dumbest thing ever, "Ok, but I'll have to charge tax", to which I countered, but that would make it almost $300, even more than $285. He just said "I know." Next.
Second table I found was selling the cheapest for $255, but with tax would be about $276 so I passed.
Last table was just a random small private table selling some jerky and had a couple boxes of ammo. $280. I asked if we could lower it to $250, and the guy at the table said, "they're not mine, I'm just helping a friend sell." I told him to call his friend. On the phone, he asked for $250, friend said no and then he hung up. Wow what a goof, didn't bother to ask 260 or 270. So he had to call again, and reask, and the friend really didn't want to lower the price. So I asked, "how many boxes have you sold this weekend?" none "There's only 2 hours left until this place closes and it's Sunday." They agreed, and I only got it down to $270. I really didn't want to leave empty-handed because I had no ammo left at home so I took it for $270... $13.50/box, not great, but better than $16/box minimum at any of the gun stores like Sharpshooter or pawn shops.

So I got this homemade bulk ammo that came in a bag and I picked up used boxes at the range to organize them by 50s. I got 500x 115 gr and 500x 124 gr. It was the first time I ever experienced jams haha, Had about 16 jams in 750 rds so far, 10 of them from the jammomatic Kimber solo. I don't think I'll get this again. I'll let them continue failing to sell until they finally lower the price.

View attachment 440627

At the end, I went to get my zip tie cut off and free my gun, and the police officer sitting at that front table noticed my 1000 rds that I just bought. He recommended I check out Nichol's and gave me a 1-hr pass. Maybe paying the $8 entrance fee to get a free coupon to Nichol's each time is not a bad idea!

Takeaways:
-hard (if not impossible) to haggle
-everything overpriced, did not find any slick deals, I think I'd rather just buy online, the FTF is still cheaper.
-cool customized holsters
-people don't like talking about what they've sold
-great place to window shop, not really buy anything

That said, all welcome to check out the SAXET gunshow this weekend on Mar 16-17 in Robstown.

I am selling off a 55 year collection, I have never sold less than 4 guns and several hundred dollars worth of STUFF. I would never tell anyone how many guns I've sold, none of your beeswax! I price my firearms at 15 to 20 percent below what Gunbroker sales show. I don't like dealing with shipping etc. if you don't like my price then don't buy or get your panties in a twist because I won't meet your offer.

 

[Gordo]

Best way to rid myself of the torment of trying to read the new guys crap is to click this button here....

 

[DaBull]

Regarding CA gun shows....I used to go to a gun show in L.A. area that was absolutely enormous. It was held at a county fairgrounds and occupied several buildings that normally houses stock shows or rodeos. Ammo was cheap there...I guess it came of the ship a few miles away in Long Beach. All gone.

 

[Ingramite]

I know I'm excited to see how a gun show looks though the eyes of someone oh so much wiser than me.

That's a pretty low bar setting.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Why the word salad?

To impress us hicks with his superior CA knowledge?

To be an ass?


Pick one.

 

[Tnhawk]

To impress us hicks with his superior CA knowledge?

To be an ass?


Pick one.

C. All of the above.

 

[alterspaces]

I am selling off a 55 year collection, I have never sold less than 4 guns and several hundred dollars worth of STUFF. I would never tell anyone how many guns I've sold, none of your beeswax! I price my firearms at 15 to 20 percent below what Gunbroker sales show. I don't like dealing with shipping etc. if you don't like my price then don't buy or get your panties in a twist because I won't meet your offer.

Well glad to hear, I know it's none of my beeswax, but I still want to know. And thanks for telling me either way. Good info.

To impress us hicks with his superior CA knowledge?

To be an ass?


Pick one.

I don't get it, why do you get to be an ass but I don't? You were clearly wrong and correcting you make me an ass? What's with you guys?

 

[Eastexasrick]

Well glad to hear, I know it's none of my beeswax, but I still want to know. And thanks for telling me either way. Good info.


I don't get it, why do you get to be an ass but I don't? You were clearly wrong and correcting you make me an ass? What's with you guys?

You are welcome to respond in kind, not everyone on any forum is friendly or civil. Or you can rise above it. I don't think they teach this in Kalifornia, get back on the horse and ride.

 

[Txhillbilly]

I am selling off a 55 year collection, I have never sold less than 4 guns and several hundred dollars worth of STUFF. I would never tell anyone how many guns I've sold, none of your beeswax! I price my firearms at 15 to 20 percent below what Gunbroker sales show. I don't like dealing with shipping etc. if you don't like my price then don't buy or get your panties in a twist because I won't meet your offer.

Take a little drive to Ennis, TX. next weekend. The Shilen swap meet is next Saturday from 8am til 2pm. It doesn't cost anything to setup tables, and sell whatever you want.

https://www.shilen.com/swapMeet.html