What do you look for at gun shows?

[bobanddog]

The annual Flathead Valley gun show starts this weekend (we have others, but this is the 'big' one).  Of course I'll be going to have a look, and while I rarely buy anything expensive at a show, I like to keep my eyes open for items of interest, talk to folks about interesting firearms and such, and maybe, just maybe, make a purchase.
Occasionally find something I've been looking for, from a vintage rear sight for my Dad's old rifle (you know those get removed to mount scopes and then misplaced over the years), to a nice rifle or shotgun that needs a good home.  I try to resist impulse buys, by limiting myself to things I already have a predisposition towards and some knowledge about, and over the years have found a few goodies such as: a CZ 452 Ultra Lux, an Ithaca Model 37 with the straight grip 'English' stock, and my wife's Ruger 77/22.  All for good prices.  I've stumbled across other treasures that I was either not quick enough to jump on, or I was simply too 'horse poor' at the time, as Katie Elder would have phrased it. 
This time around, it will probably be the same; no real shopping list, but certain CZs, Ithaca M37s, certain single-shot rifles (Browning/Winchester high-walls and low-walls, etc) , and possibly a varmint rifle for the wife are on the radar...  Oh yeah, some reloading supplies too; such as hard cast bullets for my .45/70.

The question is, what do you look for at gun shows?  Do you have specific wants, are you impulse buyers ('magpies' as some say), or just looky-loos?

[bang bang]

i look at everything since you really dont know what deals are out there.

i will also look at any hot babes in addtion to any guns i may think i cant do without.

[IronicTwitch]

I try to find some primers or powder that at least offset some of the cost of entry!  Other than that, I tend to be a couch buyer but I use the shows to handle a larger variety of items in a short time than I could driving around to the 4-5 LGS's in town.  If I see something I know my LGS can get (if they aren't at the show), I may pick it up...but I try not to be implusive unless it's a rare, custom shop type item.

[MontanaCZ]

Primers, Primers, Primers!!  I will browse some of the antique stuff, but that is usually because my wife and boys are.  I keep trying to find that under priced beat up old Auto 5 that I can get and fix up.. and I have yet to find one.  Overall, I find that Montana gun shows are the most over priced place for buying guns and accessories.  They keep proving me right too.

[M1A4ME]

I'm on the cheap side.  So I do a lot of looking. 

I look at handguns.  I notice the 1911's, nice S&W revolvers, the occasional Dan Wesson revolver.  I ignore the Glocks, XDMs (I have 2 and one of them is a keeper, but they don't "speak" to me) and I'm no longer looking at the M&Ps (I had been thinking of a compact, but not after all my full size 9MM problems).  Right now (tomorrow - Richmond, VA gun show) I'm planning on walking out with either a P07 in .40 S&W or a P09 in 9MM (there are some deeper reasons for those choices).  While I'm not really looking to buy other guns I have picked up one Series 70 Colt awhile back.  Nice looking satin nickel gun with the contrasting blue pieces and a trigger that begged me to buy it and take it to the range.  It was less than half the cost of a new one and I couldn't pass it up.  Gave it to my youngest son who foolishly decided he wanted a Beretta 90-Two.  So I bought one and traded him for the Colt Series 70 (I told you he was foolish) and I'm keeping it.

I look at rifles.  Usually the old GI rifles like 03's, 03A3's, M1917's, M1 Garands.  Not interested in foreign rifles or M1 carbines, etc.  Just the ass kickers like my grandpa and great uncles carried in WW1, WW2 and Korea.  I did run across a SIG 556R and a great price about a year and half ago and got it.  Nice rifle.

I don't really look at shotguns much.  Not interested in double barrels, I look at the Ithaca M37's (don't need anymore), the M97 and M12 Winchesters.  I was never interested in the Browning Auto 5's and then I ran across a poor looking (and old) specimen about 2 years ago and had to rescue it.  Bought it to strip, paint, do a barrel chop and extended mag. tube install on and after cleaning it up I just couldn't bring myself to do it more harm.  Its a mid 30's Auto 5 with the safety in the trigger guard like an M1 Garand.  It only had one place it was pitted after I got the surface rust cleaned up and is still blue looking in places.  I probably wouldn't buy another one, but that old gun sure does work like a champ.

I do look at the parts and the reloading stuff.  I chuckle over the ammo prices - especially the .22 rimfire ammo.  Right now all I need is some IMR4895 for the M1s and M1A.  I'm set for the handguns and the mousegun.

[1SOW]

I haven't been to our 2/month (?) gun shows in quite a while.
Like others,  I "look" at the pistols,  some rifles and shotguns.  I have bought a couple of pistol mags at decent prices.
I have also found some good prices on pocket knives and have bought some I like. 
Basically,  I find ours just a good place to browse and get a chance to pick up and hold pistols I haven't shot.

[cntrydawwwg]

  Overall, I find that Montana gun shows are the most over priced place for buying guns and accessories.  They keep proving me right too.

Amen
I just go to see what they've got. Every once in awhile you find that diamond in the rough. About the only thing I always look for is some .303 savage ammo. My dad has an old model 99 that he hardly shoots but likes to have a few rounds on hand just to plunk with.

[Firemanjones]

I look at pistols and whatever catches my eye.

[Wobbly]

I'm always looking for deals on reloading supplies.

 

[bobanddog]

Well we got lucky on one count, came up empty on others and saw some real gems.

One of the things I said we'd be looking for was a varmint gun for my wife, and there it was on my second 'lap' (I usually walk through once sort of skimming, then take a second go-'round looking deeper).  I spotted a what at first I thought was a Weatherby Vanguard, in a nice stock with a bipod on it.  It turned out to be Howa 1500 (the identical gun under the real maker's name) 'Ranchland' Compact in .204 Ruger, glass bedded in a Boyd's walnut stock.  It had a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 Ballistic Plex mounted with Burris Zee rings on an EGW scope rail and a Harris bipod.  The tag said comes with extras.  I asked, and got the rifle as described, with the original Hogue stock as well, plus a set of RCBS dies, over 200 rounds of loaded ammunition in three MCN plastic cases (clearly labeled with load data), a box of 250 Hornady V-Max bullets, and thirty more spent cases, for $650.  Over priced?  Add everything up and just the extras, not including the rifle itself, come out to more than the asking price.   
We brought it home, I cleaned and inspected it, changed to different height scope rings for her, and took it shooting this morning.  After zeroing in, she was shooting consistent 3/4" groups at 100 yards.

Back to the show; there was a table with four vintage BRNOs on it, two ZG47s in .30-06, a Model 21 in 7x57 and a Model 22 in 6.5x57, all in excellent condition.  I had to pass on those at over $1K each, but it was nice to meet my gun's ancestors.
There was a nice .17 HMR 452 full stock for $450, a Safari Classic in .375 H&H that had a couple minor scratches on the stock but was only $750, and several vintage Sako rifles, some dating back to the Bofors era. 
A couple of local collectors were there just exhibiting their guns, and a couple high-end gunsmiths were displaying their craftsmanship.

As for the rest of the show, it ranged from run of the mill gun over priced show junk and gougers to some real finds waiting for the right somebody.  I passed on every Model 37 Ithaca I saw, it seemed like each seller thought pricing should begin around $400...  Way too much for the state of the guns I saw.

Oh well, overall, we came home winners.  At least my wife did, and I can't complain about that!

[DenStinett]

We have three different Gun Show Companies here
Given that, we have a gun Show about every two months
We go to about half or 2/3s of those
Here's what's on my shopping list:
Accurate 2520 or Hodgdon BL-C2
Winchester Large Rifle and Large Pistol Primers
ProLix
And anything that will work as a Christmas Gift

[Hautedawg]

I go looking for nothing,  maybe some jsck jawwing with an older American, maybe a 22lr rifle to set by the back door ti chase the garden varmints away, but mostky I go to show mh support and bull shirt with good ol' boys. Learn a lot like that7.

[Towns]

Went to a gun show 2 months ago.  They had a new PCR for $519.  Didn't think I could afford a new gun at the time, so didn't get it.  But I kept thinking about it and thinking about it and thinking about it.  I should have grabbed it.

[Birds Away]

I like to go and look at everything.  Every once in awhile I run into a dealer who has an older CZ but doesn't really know what it is or what it should be priced at.  I have come across a good deal every now and then.  Those guys are getting pretty rare though.

[jameslovesjammie]

I look mostly for older books and casting supplies.  The gun shows around here are mostly overpriced junk and gougers.  Every old, beat up gun is a "collectible" and new guns are priced higher than MSRP.

There are a few decent displays and actual collections on display usually.  And the old Military vehicles are usually there.