contender
Ruger Guru
Not to hijack the thread about why we go to gun shows,,, I wanted to discuss another topic. Flea markets, and even yard sales.
Flea markets, at least the ones I find around here, USED to be swap meets, where the vendors were folks who cleaned out their garage, or closing out an estate, or storage shed etc, to sell unwanted items by them, to folks who may want or use the items. Prices were cheap, and reflected the fact they were not there as a business,,, but instead just trying to sell stuff they know has value & not just dumping it in the trash.
Gun shows used to similar,,, in that the vendors were guys that liked to swap & sell guns they no longer wanted or needed. Or the casual guy who had stuff accumulated he no longer needed, & wanted to move it to be able to buy his newest desires.
Along came the businesses.
Full time dealers. Folks who found they could make a living by selling stuff at gun shows & flea markets. They buy cheap stuff,,,,, often from China,,,, & sell it to the public. They rent "permanent" booths at the flea market, because they have an extremely low overhead expense. They don't own the building & the space rent is CHEAP compared to an actual shop in a strip mall etc.
And since a flea market doesn't have a theme, (like a gun show) they sell just about everything. Locally, the flea markets, have become so full of junk vendors,,, and attended by the lower income people, to the point of being worthless to attend. It used to be free to park,, and now,,, paid parking. And, there have been a steady rash of thefts at these markets,,, usually by illegal invaders, according to my LEO son, who make attending this place undesirable.
And yard sales,,, they are becoming commercial too. There are a few places locally, who,, every season, these folks post a yard sale sign, yet, they have their garage set up to sell a lot of the same junk found at the flea markets. Every weekend.
I think that I, as well as many of us here wish we could find a gun show and flea market of the olden days. Where the tables were full of honest deals, offered by the occasional seller, (not a dealer,) in a venue where parking is free, and admission, (if one is charged,) is very nominal. Where you could enjoy seeing the items you appreciate, w/o some know-it-all trying to blow smoke about what he thinks he knows that you don't.
Sigh,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I do wish I could turn back the clock.
Flea markets, at least the ones I find around here, USED to be swap meets, where the vendors were folks who cleaned out their garage, or closing out an estate, or storage shed etc, to sell unwanted items by them, to folks who may want or use the items. Prices were cheap, and reflected the fact they were not there as a business,,, but instead just trying to sell stuff they know has value & not just dumping it in the trash.
Gun shows used to similar,,, in that the vendors were guys that liked to swap & sell guns they no longer wanted or needed. Or the casual guy who had stuff accumulated he no longer needed, & wanted to move it to be able to buy his newest desires.
Along came the businesses.
Full time dealers. Folks who found they could make a living by selling stuff at gun shows & flea markets. They buy cheap stuff,,,,, often from China,,,, & sell it to the public. They rent "permanent" booths at the flea market, because they have an extremely low overhead expense. They don't own the building & the space rent is CHEAP compared to an actual shop in a strip mall etc.
And since a flea market doesn't have a theme, (like a gun show) they sell just about everything. Locally, the flea markets, have become so full of junk vendors,,, and attended by the lower income people, to the point of being worthless to attend. It used to be free to park,, and now,,, paid parking. And, there have been a steady rash of thefts at these markets,,, usually by illegal invaders, according to my LEO son, who make attending this place undesirable.
And yard sales,,, they are becoming commercial too. There are a few places locally, who,, every season, these folks post a yard sale sign, yet, they have their garage set up to sell a lot of the same junk found at the flea markets. Every weekend.
I think that I, as well as many of us here wish we could find a gun show and flea market of the olden days. Where the tables were full of honest deals, offered by the occasional seller, (not a dealer,) in a venue where parking is free, and admission, (if one is charged,) is very nominal. Where you could enjoy seeing the items you appreciate, w/o some know-it-all trying to blow smoke about what he thinks he knows that you don't.
Sigh,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I do wish I could turn back the clock.
Also paid $2 for a pitchfork head for my collection, $5 for a fencing foil with a fancy handle, and a WWII-era ammo can full of square nails for $10. Last month a dealer sold me 6 boxes of Hornady .300 WSM for $100. Most of my clothes come from the thrift shops, and yes, prices have gone up, but so have new clothes prices. Still a bargain to pay $4 for a like-new brand-name shirt (Van Heusen, Roundtree & York, Christian Dior) in the exact size I need. A nice old single-shot .410 I found at a yard sale went to my great-niece. A hammered dulcimer I bought for $50 at a garage sale netted me $400 from a local musical family. There's one place that has repeat sales, but they're associated with a low-bid moving company, and end up with a lot of junk to sort through.
Is that a record??
