I agree, recently there have been a lot more milsurps and memorabilia for sale at most gun shows.
The really good stuff gets squirreled away by younger folks now, that used to complain about the same issues.
Casual observers don't spend money, if they do, it's only if they find something at yard sale prices.
I see a hundred "casuals" often with a wife in tow who make scowling faces or hold onto the fellow's wallet and sometimes embarrass the hell out of him in front of a few dozen of his friends or people who know him if he even "casually" asks about or shows interest in a firearm, etc.
Most of the Lee Enfields we see at the shows these days are desporterised or well worn. That's life on the gun show circuit.
Why so many people get all snively because the show isn't full of their particular wants, often unobtainable or very expensive, is beyond me.
Gun shows are like the flavor of the day, but a day behind.
If you're looking for used firearms to be new in box condition and priced 50% below what it can be purchased for at the show?????????? If there ever was one, it was scooped up by another vendor and priced accordingly.
If you're going to gunshows expecting to find something specific, cheap, you have high expectations.
The fellows selling off their collections of military medals and badges put a lot of time and effort into those displays, some of which have very significant value.
I guess if you like to throw money in the garbage after someone passes because you can't be bothered to check out what's there??????
You can't take gunshows personally or believe they're being put on to meet your expectations.
Vendors only have to sell what they have.
They can't conjure up cheap primers, bullets, powder or ammo, because it's what you want.
They will sell what's available or in demand.
There was a time, only a few years ago, if you had a BSA CF2 chambered for the 7mm Rem Magnum, it wouldn't have stayed on the table longer than an hour after the show opened. Now, people want noisy, plastic stocks instead of wood and they can show up at different shows with the same vendor regularly.
The same goes for Remington ADL rifles. I now purchase these cheap, pick up some trigger guards with folding btm plates and add a couple of hundred to my overall costs. It takes an hour with a milling machine to open up the bottom of the stock, so not a bad return.
Then, there is the cost for the vendor to attend a gun show, accommodations, fuel, food, and time. It all has to be covered or there's no point in getting tables.
Some people are getting out of the game. You see them at many shows. They look online to price their stuff, then add their sentimental value. They learn soon enough no one cares if they shot their first gopher with that 60 year old Cooey and no one considers it to be an "antique".
It's a learning game on both sides of the table and the game is constantly changing
