Market Hall gun show

[Fishhog]

Yesterday I made the decision that I have attended my last Market Hall gun show. I have a little over an hour drive to get there and what a waste! They have dwindled down to one hall and it has a lot of empty tables. Once you figure in the percentages of people selling cheap imported knives and all the jerky and stuff like that you normally find at a show....there just isn't much left.
I took a friend with me yesterday that is visiting from Washington state and we were both very disappointed. I told him that a bunch of horny old guys were manning the tables that were there as they were trying to screw everyone that wanted to buy from them as well.
I enjoy shows like Mesquite, Tyler, etc.....but Market Hall is down and out for me !

 

[Dawico]

That sucks. I never attended that show but hate to hear of any gun show going down hill.

 

[Moonpie]

These days gun shows are mostly for entertainment.
Like a big dummy, later today I’m going to go over to the Pasadena show. It will suck but that is a known going in.
Its sorta fun to laugh at the $2400 1911’s(that you can get for $1000 on-line) or the $4000 Python’s.
The $350 beat to shot Marlin model 60’s are a riot as well. Lets not forget the $3200 S&W pre locks.
LMAO.

 

[Fishhog]

I sorta got a kick out of Beretta 950's I saw there. I saw 3 of them in .22 short starting at 199.00 and topping off at 340.00.....all well used. I wasn't looking for one, but just noticed this.

 

[vmax]

I have been with a group of guys from Abilene who drives up to Market Hall
I never went more than twice in a year, but the group didn’t go this time due to what we have all seen as a dying event. It used to be awesome. Three or 4 of the big distributors would be there but the last time only one was there.
They had did tricky things to take up spaces and rows to make it look full, but the show is just not worth the drive any more.

 

[Darkpriest667]

Yesterday I made the decision that I have attended my last Market Hall gun show. I have a little over an hour drive to get there and what a waste! They have dwindled down to one hall and it has a lot of empty tables. Once you figure in the percentages of people selling cheap imported knives and all the jerky and stuff like that you normally find at a show....there just isn't much left.
I took a friend with me yesterday that is visiting from Washington state and we were both very disappointed. I told him that a bunch of horny old guys were manning the tables that were there as they were trying to screw everyone that wanted to buy from them as well.
I enjoy shows like Mesquite, Tyler, etc.....but Market Hall is down and out for me !

I went last year with two former students, one of them bought a Ruger 10-22 we could have gotten on gunbroker for less. Honestly I wasn't that impressed.. The Fort Worth Premier gun show is about the only one worth going to from what I've seen. I had to also drive over an hour to get there and I just was not that impressed with Market Hall.

 

[Kar98]

I enjoy shows like Mesquite, Tyler, etc.....but Market Hall is down and out for me !

Mesquite was just as disappointing a couple of weeks ago. Not even S.A.W. nor the Nazi stuff guys showed up.
The prices on some mildly interesting stuff were hilarious, and the rest was the usual Walmart grade crap. Sellers also don't know jack about guns anymore.

 

[dessl]

Do you mean the As seen on TV and craft show? Lol
There’s been a steady decline of dealers for the last 10yrs in the DFW area. I took my 7yo son to his first gun show at Market Hall last year. We were very disappointed in the attendance for a gun and knife show. My son said “Dad this sucks let’s go to Cabela’s.”
It would be nice to see a mega gun and knife show at AT&T stadium once a year.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ole Cowboy]

I have been attending gun shows since the 50's and I rarely go anymore. Guns are priced over retail, they don't want to deal, most of them look like they sell used cars at the Bring Your Own Towrope dealer and you really have to separate the wheat from the chafe.

Last time I went I stood watching a sale go down to a clearly unknowledgeable buyer. The dealer had marked the gun WAY over MSRP, the offered up a discount to MSRP for an all cash sale, then he hit the guy for 8.24% sales tax. I also noticed there was no paperwork done and the guy did not get an itemized receipt showing sales tax paid. That told me that he kept the money and does not send in the sales tax to the state of Tx.

TIP: Any time you buy for cash and the seller collects sales tax, then he must provide you with a itemized receipt or he is prob pocketing the 8.25%....


Knives: I am awake a lot of the night, max sleep for me is about 6 hrs and that is dead tired, most nights I get about 4 but its sporadic. Somewhere around 2 am there is a show on TV that sells knives, I watch it sometimes. They don't sell 1 or 2 or even 3, but rather the group will consist of about 100 or more, sometimes 300. What I find interesting is they these knife packages come out to about a buck and change per knife and they clearly are selling to people that are reselling them...all from China of course...

 

[RevolverGuy]

Gun shows died decades ago.

 

[hoghunting]

Market Hall used to be a pretty decent show but as soon as Trump was elected, the violation of our gun rights were greatly diminished, and dealers aren't interested in the shows anymore. It's a shame as I made some good deals at Market Hall years ago.

I sometimes attend now to extend my NRA membership as you get a $10 discount and free admission to the show.

 

[Kar98]

Gun shows died decades ago.

Gun shows used to be a lot more fun when you could run into Randy Weaver, Bo Gritz, "Boston T. Party", "John Ross", Bob Glass etc...

 

[Moonpie]

Just back from the Pasadena show.
Lame.
Overpriced like usual.
I swear, I saw a Model 28 S&W for $1700!
Beat up Beretta 21A for $500.
Plenty of $3000+ Pythons. Do people really buy these?
One gun that did look like it might be fun was a 10mm Hi-Point carbine. $350'ish.
Went home with one 1911 mag is all.

 

[Dawico]

Just back from the Pasadena show.
Lame.
Overpriced like usual.
I swear, I saw a Model 28 S&W for $1700!
Beat up Beretta 21A for $500.
Plenty of $3000+ Pythons. Do people really buy these?
One gun that did look like it might be fun was a 10mm Hi-Point carbine. $350'ish.
Went home with one 1911 mag is all.

You went home with the most worthless item there.......

 

[Moonpie]

You went home with the most worthless item there.......

Don't be a hater.

 

[Kar98]

Just back from the Pasadena show.
Lame.
Overpriced like usual.
I swear, I saw a Model 28 S&W for $1700!
Beat up Beretta 21A for $500.
Plenty of $3000+ Pythons. Do people really buy these?
One gun that did look like it might be fun was a 10mm Hi-Point carbine. $350'ish.
Went home with one 1911 mag is all.

Saw a beat up, Smith and Wesson made nickel PPK/S priced at $999 at the Mesquite show the other day. WTF, was all I could stop myself from saying out loud.

 

[Dawico]

Don't be a hater.

I just try to open people's eyes to the truth. Some just squint harder.

 

[deemus]

Pretty disappointing. I've gone to MH fir over 20 years. I remember the good ol days when they had tanks and helicopters in there. And $60 SKS rifles.

My favorite memory was when my son ambled up to this smoking hot blond and slid his hand up her leg, and into her crotch. She spun around ready to slap the jerk.

But when you are 3, you get by with crap like that. She smiled and picked him up and hugged him. "Oh my god! You are the cutest kid ever!" He was.

The guy next to me says, "that kid is my hero." Hero indeed.

 

[Darkpriest667]

You went home with the most worthless item there.......

I laughed

 

[toddnjoyce]

Gun shows have been declining since ATF clamped down on home -based FFLs.

Used to be a guy could have a C&R or FFL and support his hobby that way.

There was a ton of full tables and lots of unique stuff back then.

It's all ball bearings and polymer nowadays.