Gun Show Ethics - What Would You Do?

"Hey, cool tifle! You guys gonna buy it? Oh, I thought it was a real one, not a reproduction. Still pretty cool I guess...."

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I must say I really like this approach. Passive-aggressively slipping in beside them and acting like you're dumber than dog shyte saying something like that,then just walking away would certainly do the trick. That's actually something I might try,although,some would argue I come by it naturally. LOL
 
I must say I really like this approach. Passive-aggressively slipping in beside them and acting like you're dumber than dog shyte saying something like that,then just walking away would certainly do the trick. That's actually something I might try,although,some would argue I come by it naturally. LOL

I think it's a good approach. Nobody gets "called out" really.

I believe in minding your own business as long as nobody is getting hurt. I would tell the dealer if someone was stealing something off his table, too. Getting ripped off comes in many forms.
 
It's proper etiquette everywhere not just gun shows. MYOFB.

But who knew there were so many Social Justice Warrior Super Heroes patrolling guns shows ready to right every wrong, protect the innocent and defend the hapless know-nothings?

Put on your cape and tights for the next show so vendors know who to ask for permission on the prices they should change. :rolleyes:

Laugh2 What can I say, I can't help myself...I figure I'm going to be murdered in a line confronting a queue jumper.
 
MYOFB...nice...
You going help teach the Grand-kids that in their formative years too? This must be something that should be passed on...core values and all.
Me...I'm a Superhero. The days are long and the nights are lonely...but you have to remain true to your calling. And I look good in tights too:cool:
And pray tell, I have no problems looking at that guy in the mirror in the morning(Better not; 'cause I'm a Straight razor fan...telling you that takes time...oy).
How does one do that when your motto is MYOFB? Quick glance's; like one does when they look at a Dog? Not too long lest they sense a challenge?
 
MYOFB...nice...
You going help teach the Grand-kids that in their formative years too? This must be something that should be passed on...core values and all.
Me...I'm a Superhero. The days are long and the nights are lonely...but you have to remain true to your calling. And I look good in tights too:cool:
And pray tell, I have no problems looking at that guy in the mirror in the morning(Better not; 'cause I'm a Straight razor fan...telling you that takes time...oy).
How does one do that when your motto is MYOFB? Quick glance's; like one does when they look at a Dog? Not too long lest they sense a challenge?

I'm trying the old straight razor too!!! I'm not very good at it.....

Perhaps you and I should team up for some social justice fighting???

I'm guessing Mr. MYOFB doesn't have the circuit in his brain that prompts one to question the actions man in the mirror.....
 
Of course the same people would step in if an item was listed for far less than it was worth, to save the vendor from being fleeced.

We used to call these people "busy bodies".

I once pointed out to a seller that he was listing a rare cap badge for the common version price.
 
Bad men triumph when good men do nothing.

Nobody "deserves" to get ripped off. This is not a situation where someone slightly over pays for something, it's blatant fraud.

How on earth does it serve the greater good of the gun owning community to allow scammers to operate with impunity?

Haleluyah !!
 
MYOFB...nice...
You going help teach the Grand-kids that in their formative years too? This must be something that should be passed on...core values and all.
Me...I'm a Superhero. The days are long and the nights are lonely...but you have to remain true to your calling. And I look good in tights too:cool:
And pray tell, I have no problems looking at that guy in the mirror in the morning(Better not; 'cause I'm a Straight razor fan...telling you that takes time...oy).
How does one do that when your motto is MYOFB? Quick glance's; like one does when they look at a Dog? Not too long lest they sense a challenge?

Who's being fraudulent now hmmmmmm? :p {joke}
 
It's proper etiquette everywhere not just gun shows. MYOFB.

But who knew there were so many Social Justice Warrior Super Heroes patrolling guns shows ready to right every wrong, protect the innocent and defend the hapless know-nothings?

Put on your cape and tights for the next show so vendors know who to ask for permission on the prices they should change. :rolleyes:

i agree.
 

Another Villain!!!

This is gonna be a good movie. Might even be worth a sequel. Maybe Bruce Willis is free?? He's always not MHOFB, stopping attacks on the power grid and gold heists. I'm sure he'd wanna help prevent someone innocent dude from getting ripped off by a snakey doucher.
 
It's a Buyer Beware World with all the Fakery and Humping of Guns and Militaria that goes on.
Even Walt Disney, as a soldier in WW1, faked the Camo Paint on WW1 German Helmets to earn 20X the money of a regular helmet as it could be pawned off as a sniper helmet!
Educate yourself before you buy because the Fairy God Mother will not always be there to save you from being screwed over and over again by a dealer or seller!
 
Op; excellent subject that goes well beyond a gun show really, I've found the responses very interesting and telling on both ends of the spectrum thus far...thank you.

Information is power. As people, we exercise this fact every day of our lives almost unconsciously. However, every now and again we witness something that has us check our moral direction. Ask yourself; when you were younger, did you not see one of your buddies about to engage in something that was clearly not going to end well? Did you interrupt/intervene...or, did you pop corn, take a seat, and await the spectacle to unfold for the sheer entertainment factor? :popCorn:

In the situation the OP witnessed, I think it would be pertinent to prove the suspicion that the vendor is deliberately misleading a potential buyer (Perhaps the vendor is misinformed himself to give him the benefit of the doubt. :rolleyes:). A few pointed questions would clear the field..."Rarest of the rare, how so? I thought the Russians made 100,000's of these under extreme war time conditions?" or a simple question on mismatched parts/ referb stamps will resolve the question. Then; armed with verified information, you have to ask yourself do you share the truth of the matter with the potential young customer? Would it even be appreciated? The young couple may misinterpret your actions as trying to undermine their "find/purchase" and would therefore treat your "help" as intrusive. And; if they do, at what cost to yourself could there be to point them to the light in any regard? Walking away from a situation knowing you did the right thing can be very self satisfying, (I'm not even going to address the ridiculous social justice warrior nonsense) in the alternative, rolling around in a parking lot with a vendor or the male aspect of the young couple is a real and unintended consequence for "getting involved"...I suppose you should be prepared to deal with any and all outcomes whether you become involved or not.

In short, I think I know what I would do. I believe I'm a "moral" person, but I'm no different than the next guy when I say I'm complicated. On the turn of a particular, my actions would also most likely "turn". :p

Hello plinker 777

Thank you for your well thought out response to my question. So far it has been one of the best replies posted..

This was not my first rodeo, but for some reason witnessing this particular 'transaction' really bothered me. I know suckers get what suckers pay for, but the vendor was really piling it on to this young couple (looked like mid to late 20's) and they were enthusiastically soaking it up. They did not look like 'gun show people' at all, just a young couple who decided to go to the event and see what it was all about, but she was just as hooked by the story as he was, and he had his PAL and wallet out ready to go.

I've seen bad deals go down before and minded my own business, I've also been on the receiving end a time or two, but this one was different - he was flat out lying to them just to make a dollar and they were naively hanging on every word, taking it as gospel.

I hope they walked away, but honestly I felt bad after seeing this and left the show so I'll never know. What bugs me is that I witnessed something dishonest taking place that I knew was wrong, but due to the show environment and not wanting to make a scene in something I was not involved with, I walked away.

Thanks to your and most everyone else's advice, I know what to do if it happens again.

Brookwood
 
They were soaking it in because, for the most part, most people have faith in other people doing "good" on life.

It's the select few sociopaths who prey on that faith for profit.
 
Yup, definitely Bruno. He was one row from the back at the Saskatoon gunshow, and man was he smiling B. S. I stood around looking over his crap for a bit. Checked out his Springfields he had marked on the table (Norc's). And listened to him pitch the Yugo sniper, and a sniper repro mosin. The guy is a total clown, after about 5-10 minutes I had to walk away.

Co-incidentally there is a fellow by the same name who is banned from the Calgary show for similar practices. He reportedly sold a fake to the wrong person and refused to make it right when called on it.
 
It's a Buyer Beware World with all the Fakery and Humping of Guns and Militaria that goes on.
Even Walt Disney, as a soldier in WW1, faked the Camo Paint on WW1 German Helmets to earn 20X the money of a regular helmet as it could be pawned off as a sniper helmet!
Educate yourself before you buy because the Fairy God Mother will not always be there to save you from being screwed over and over again by a dealer or seller!
Yes, it's called personal responsibility. It seems to be all the rage on this site except when Social Justice Warrior Super Heroes go to gun shows.

But for all their internet bluster I've yet to see one actually butt into a transaction at a gun show. Perhaps they're more like imaginary comic book heroes than they realize.
 
Yes, it's called personal responsibility. It seems to be all the rage on this site except when Social Justice Warrior Super Heroes go to gun shows.

But for all their internet bluster I've yet to see one actually butt into a transaction at a gun show. Perhaps they're more like imaginary comic book heroes than they realize.

Or maybe they have better things to do than wander around a room that smells like mothballs and cosmoline, sipping sh!te coffee, eating cheese slice sandwiches, and reminiscing about the days when men were men, phones had dials, and women hadn't discovered razors.

If I want to see some quality hardware, I'll go to the ATRS shop, or Wolverine, or Pdent, preloaded with knowledge gleaned from my new-fangled iPhone about cost, quality, and options.

Plus, it gives me/us more time to work on our shiny capes, and spend time with the women in our lives who have discovered razors.

God I hope you need a pull out of the ditch one day. I'll be the guy in the 1 ton diesel 4x4, with the tow rope under the back seat, that drives right past. You'll know me by my "social justice league" window sticker.
 
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