Saxet gun show coming up in austin.

[bjl95mustang]

If you have read some of my posts you will see that i'm looking for a good handgun. I have looked at a few local shops around and have a good idea on what I want. I have never been to a gun show. What should I expect to pay compared for retail on a new gun? Like a taurus that retailes between $350-400 or an xd thats in the $500 range. And how much should I expect to pay on a used that is pretty much new shape?

Thanks

 

[SIG_Fiend]

Honestly, Saxet is pretty much a disappointment. You know, technically you would think gun shows should have good deals. The fact of the matter is I have almost never seen good deals at Saxet in Austin, and this was as long as at least a year ago (so not just because of the current elections). It has been my experience that almost everyone at Saxet has prices AT LEAST as much as retail, and in some cases higher than retail prices. Hell, about the only thing it's good for is jerky (man that homemade stuff is good!) and some odds and ends. The only deal I ever found there was a CompTac CTAC holster for $35. About the only good thing I can think of about Saxet is there is usually a pretty wide variety of stuff there (more so than an individual gun store of course), and usually some out of the ordinary stuff. It's worth a look there because you just never know what you're going to find, however I wouldn't limit yourself to just Saxet. You'll probably find better deals browsing various forums classifieds, Texas Gun Trader, Gunbroker.com, Gunsamerica.com (they tend to have higher prices), and Auctionarms.com.

 

[CowDog]

S-F is right, in my book. I have been to dozens of the Saxet shows in Austin. There is an occasional deal to be found, but they tend to be rare. (I miss the old gunshows in the quonset hut on S. Lamar, behind the City Auditorium, down by Town Lake...but that just shows how old I am.) The thing that disgusts me with Saxet on N. Lamar, is how much non-gun, non-knife, non-sporting crap is allowed. It is a great place to pick up kid's toys and clothes, candles, jewelry, lamps, candy, cosmetics, and no doubt, coming soon: feminine hygiene products.

Thank goodness, Saxet is getting gunshow competition in San Antonio. I wish they were not so far away. Like their competition suggests, Saxet IS backward.

I have seen an XD-9 for $450 at a show in Dallas over the weekend. About six weeks ago, I saw an XD45 for $450 with tritium sights, but again, that was not an Austin show. Sorry, I have not been to an Austin show lately. Prices are high everywhere, nowadays. Let us know how it goes. I hope you have good luck.</p>
IIRC, the local paper in Austin has some good listings in the classified section, number 6350 (I think it was) and this used to be on the internet on their site. Surprising for such a left-leaning paper.

cd

 

[genieinthelamp]

concur on disappointment

I have to agree with the previous 2 posts. Having visited the last gun show, I was disappointed to find the prices were equal to or higher than many of the prices I was seeing online or via the auction sites. As such, I might recommend accessory purchases at a gun show, but not the purchase of a firearm.

Also, shop around inside the show if you do decide to buy accessories. In the span of 10 feet, I found 3 different prices on the same magazine ($28, $32, $23).

Lastly, I would recommend going on a Sunday afternoon, since you may be able to haggle much better than you would on Saturday morning

 

[Charley]

Thank goodness, Saxet is getting gunshow competition in San Antonio. I wish they were not so far away. Like their competition suggests, Saxet IS backward.

I wouldn't count on that. I went to ONE "Texas" show here in SA. I was lucky enough to find a nice Mossberg M44 US (c), but that was it. A good 60% of the show was costume jewelry, toys, jerky, and other assorted flea market junk. Saxet shows here are not great, but they are a damned sight better than the Texas one I went to. I don't plan on going back.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I think I'm gonna go to the Austin Saxet this coming weekend, with the sole intention of purchasing more of that darn good jerky and spiced cheese and stuff.

 

[rrent]

there is a new gun dealer out of Temple (he's not new --he sells new guns)---Love's Guns ---he's had some pretty good deals ---Taurus OSS (9mm)in the mid to low $400.00's ---XD's (9mm) in the high $400.00's ---Ruger P95's just under $300.00

A couple of shows ago his show prices were better than his store prices. I'm just a buyer, have no connection to this guy other than I work in the Belton/Temple area and have stopped by his store.

 

[Reverendbiker]

I think I'm gonna go to the Austin Saxet this coming weekend, with the sole intention of purchasing more of that darn good jerky and spiced cheese and stuff.

I really got a chuckle out of this one. My sons and I have been attending gun shows since they were little boys (they're now in their 30's). We've been cruising around the Austin Saxet show for a few years now and seldom find anything resembling a good deal unless it's an item brought in by an individual. Last month we bought a couple of ammo boxes and some of that darn good jerky and cheese and stuff. When the jerky lady stops buying a booth it won't even be worth the visit

 

[perdurabo]

The Saxet show hasn't been a place for good deals in many years. Gun shows in Austin generally haven't had decent deals since the Texas Gun and Knife Show was still being held at the old Austin Coliseum back in the 80s and early 90s. Your best bet is to buy your firearms used from individuals online from forums sites like this one, ar15.com, falfiles.com, etc and have it transferred through a an FFL who charges a $20 or less flat transfer fee. Of course, FTF sales are preferable because of the lack of hassle on both ends (and the tinfoil hat brigade types like that there's no paperwork or NICS ckeck involved), but its not always easy to find a buyer/seller within easy driving distance, so always shop around for the best price.

This means doing your best to avoid paying sales tax and high retail markup, which is what youre going to be paying to any dealer at the gun show. Private individuals who bring their guns to sell at the gun show may sometimes have deals, but they are generally picked off pretty early by the vultures waiting by the door or the shark dealers who always have the tables closest to the door so they can lowball grandma out of those guns of her late husband's that she "just wants to get rid of". Also, keep in mind that the majority of listings on gunboker.com are from dealers, and on ly a few of them are big enough and lean enough of an operation to sell you new guns at a thin markup (places like budsgunshop.com or centuryarms.com) so if you absolutely have to buy brand new, buy from someplace like buds that has low prices and cheap shipping that is out of state and doesn't charge sales tax. If you have it transferred by an FFL who charges a small transfer fee, you'll come out a LOT cheaper than if you bought from a local dealer who has a fat markup to cover their overhead and is forced to charge you for sales tax.

 

[Gentoo]

I went to a gun show in San Antonio for the first time last month. What a joke. I went looking for a Mosin 91/30. I found a few that looked like they were dragged to the show behind someones truck for the bargain price of $150.

Everything I saw that I was remotely interested in could be bought online or heck at WAL-MART for less.