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Gun Show 'Stealer 'Hawk'

Guns & Glass
Recently at a gun show, and watched a guy keep hanging around inside the enterance looking for quality steals on desireable guns.
Literally followed attendees down isles.
Would interupt...yes, butt in on converstations to work his deal.
One dealer who had a sellers gun in hand was talking to the seller, and the 'stealer hawk' stuck money out at the seller, and took the sale away from the dealer.
Some dealers who must of known the 'stealer hawk' started to openly talk about him, and watch him. He then went outside looking for guns in the parking lot!
IMHO, he should be told to stop, if he doesn't stop....be thrown out, and maybe bannned if he keesp it up.
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60 comments

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  • dcon12
    quote:Originally posted by Guns & Glass
    Recently at a gun show, and watched a guy keep hanging around inside the enterance looking for quality steals on desireable guns.
    Literally followed attendees down isles.
    Would interupt...yes, butt in on converstations to work his deal.
    One dealer who had a sellers gun in hand was talking to the seller, and the 'stealer hawk' stuck money out at the seller, and took the sale away from the dealer.
    Some dealers who must of known the 'stealer hawk' started to openly talk about him, and watch him. He then went outside looking for guns in the parking lot!
    IMHO, he should be told to stop, if he doesn't stop....be thrown out, and maybe bannned if he keesp it up.





    Or you could just eliminate him. Don
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  • HeavyBarrel
    ?
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  • dlrjj
    The guy may be obnoxious, but he must be paying more than the dealer, or the dealer would get the gun. Highest bidder wins.[:)]
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  • Permanently deleted user
    We have them at our shows also. My take is if you go to buy, trade, then you deal with the dealers who paid to be there as long as your in the building. At our shows the parking lot is fair game because usually the stuff in the parking lot isnt worth bringing into the show and some one is trying to dump it..[8D]
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  • kristov
    quote:Originally posted by dlrjj
    The guy may be obnoxious, but he must be paying more than the dealer, or the dealer would get the gun. Highest bidder wins.[:)]


    We read here on Gun Broker quite often about dealers at gun shows paying/offering next to nothing for good guns at the shows.
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  • 11b6r
    1. Some folks have no manners- at gun shows or elsewhere. Some shows I attend he would be told "Rent a table or leave"
    2. If it is a STEAL, some of the exhibitors would outbid him
    3. Parking lot deals do go on. Me- I would like to have someone to go back to if there is a problem, other than an empty parking lot.
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  • bpost
    quote:Originally posted by Guns & Glass
    Recently at a gun show, and watched a guy keep hanging around inside the enterance looking for quality steals on desireable guns.
    Literally followed attendees down isles.
    Would interupt...yes, butt in on converstations to work his deal.
    One dealer who had a sellers gun in hand was talking to the seller, and the 'stealer hawk' stuck money out at the seller, and took the sale away from the dealer.
    Some dealers who must of known the 'stealer hawk' started to openly talk about him, and watch him. He then went outside looking for guns in the parking lot!
    IMHO, he should be told to stop, if he doesn't stop....be thrown out, and maybe bannned if he keesp it up.





    Why the hell for????? This is America, if you want to buy what somebody has for sale its up to you to put the cash up or shut up. If I'm selling I will take the first money out of a wallet.

    If somebody else is trying to squeeze a few more bucks out of the seller and loses the deal; tough sheep dip. It's business, nothing personal. The dealer with the gun in his hand should have offered a few more bucks to keep it. He was obviously too busy flapping his jaws to get his cash out for the seller.

    Money talks; BS walks.
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  • HeavyBarrel
    I find most of the stuff you say to be dead on, but this post is just goofy.
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  • JamesRK
    If the man is going to conduct business in the building, he should rent a table. If I were providing the building, that's the way I would look at it.
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  • wizard78
    In most shows I attend, the dealers are doing more cruising in the isles than behind their tables. Most times, the price of admission allows you to buy AND sell in the isles. This isn't limited to just the dealers. It's rude to butt into someones deal but finding your own in the isles, is just plain good common sense. If you consider that the dealers want to give you peanuts for your guns and charge a fortune for their stuff, why shouldn't we take advantage of private deals, in the isles? All I ever hear is how everybody hates to go to shows because the wares are over priced and now you're complaining of an individual who found a way to get some great deals? You can't have it both ways! Quite your whining.
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  • dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by tsavo303
    why do you give a rats ass, crybaby?
    offer more money that he does and you can buy every gun in the show


    Heh heh heh,
    You obvoiusly have never worked the dealers side of the table. A lot of dealers rely on trades and good buys coming in the door to make a buck, (and most dealers are in it to make a buck)
    A lot of sellers will take first cash offered, and are not going to walk around to your promoter assigned table, if any $$ is offered at the door.
    The pratice G & G is refering to is not the normal asile / snack bar exchange, I don't know of any dealer who cares about that.
    Ask some of the shop owners here how they would react to someone making offers in their parking lots
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  • sothere
    quote:Originally posted by wizard78
    In most shows I attend, the dealers are doing more cruising in the isles than behind their tables. Most times, the price of admission allows you to buy AND sell in the isles. This isn't limited to just the dealers. It's rude to butt into someones deal but finding your own in the isles, is just plain good common sense. If you consider that the dealers want to give you peanuts for your guns and charge a fortune for their stuff, why shouldn't we take advantage of private deals, in the isles? All I ever hear is how everybody hates to go to shows because the wares are over priced and now you're complaining of an individual who found a way to get some great deals? You can't have it both ways! Quite your whining.

    Thanks for typing that for me.+1[8D]
    Ask some of the shop owners here how they would react to someone making offers in their parking lots
    Private propety little different scenario.Public forum eliminates your point
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  • dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by sothere
    quote:Originally posted by wizard78
    In most shows I attend, the dealers are doing more cruising in the isles than behind their tables. Most times, the price of admission allows you to buy AND sell in the isles. This isn't limited to just the dealers. It's rude to butt into someones deal but finding your own in the isles, is just plain good common sense. If you consider that the dealers want to give you peanuts for your guns and charge a fortune for their stuff, why shouldn't we take advantage of private deals, in the isles? All I ever hear is how everybody hates to go to shows because the wares are over priced and now you're complaining of an individual who found a way to get some great deals? You can't have it both ways! Quite your whining.

    Thanks for typing that for me.+1[8D]
    Ask some of the shop owners here how they would react to someone making offers in their parking lots
    Private propety little different scenario.Public forum eliminates your point

    Not really, according to the batfe, your rented table is a extension of your licensed premises.
    Don
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  • sothere
    quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by sothere
    quote:Originally posted by wizard78
    In most shows I attend, the dealers are doing more cruising in the isles than behind their tables. Most times, the price of admission allows you to buy AND sell in the isles. This isn't limited to just the dealers. It's rude to butt into someones deal but finding your own in the isles, is just plain good common sense. If you consider that the dealers want to give you peanuts for your guns and charge a fortune for their stuff, why shouldn't we take advantage of private deals, in the isles? All I ever hear is how everybody hates to go to shows because the wares are over priced and now you're complaining of an individual who found a way to get some great deals? You can't have it both ways! Quite your whining.

    Thanks for typing that for me.+1[8D]
    Ask some of the shop owners here how they would react to someone making offers in their parking lots
    Private propety little different scenario.Public forum eliminates your point

    Not really, according to the batfe, your rented table is a extension of your licensed premises.
    Don

    No problem.I'll just do business on the other side of the asile
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  • chuck
    I took a Revolver to a gun show one time to sell, the dealer's offered such a low price that I took it back to my truck and brought it back home.
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  • dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by chuck
    I took a Revolver to a gun show one time to sell, the dealer's offered such a low price that I took it back to my truch and brought it back home.

    You should have listed it on GB[:D]
    The dealers at shows are the same as in shops, they are there to make a profit.
    quote:No problem.I'll just do business on the other side of the asile
    Good luck with that, When you have ran all the reputable dealers out of a show, you will be doing business with the guy selling blowguns and the
    beef jerky guy, thats all that will be there.[}:)][;)][:0]
    Don
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  • David Nunn
    I have seen this fellow work at a number of shows. He is rude and obnoxious, and in 99.999% of the cases, he is an "unlicensed dealer." He buys and sells and never checks ID or state of residency, never writes a receipt, never has the buyer complete a 4473 and never runs a NICS check. When he rents a table at the show, and sometimes he does, he will post big signs on his table:

    "GUN BUYER--CASH PAID"

    "NO PAPERWORK--NO SALES TAX--NO WAITING"

    "PERSONAL COLLECTION FOR SALE--NO PAPERWORK"

    Now, if you just stole a gun out of a truck in the parking lot, and brought it in to sell, wouldn't you rather sell it to this guy than a dealer who is going to ask to see your ID and record all the information from it in his bound book?

    I love it when the Comptroller and/or the BATFE send their people into the shows and jack this guy up. I've seen it happen, but it doesn't happen often enough.
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  • mrseatle
    [8D]
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  • sothere
    quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by chuck
    I took a Revolver to a gun show one time to sell, the dealer's offered such a low price that I took it back to my truch and brought it back home.

    You should have listed it on GB[:D]
    The dealers at shows are the same as in shops, they are there to make a profit.
    quote:No problem.I'll just do business on the other side of the asile
    Good luck with that, When you have ran all the reputable dealers out of a show, you will be doing business with the guy selling blowguns and the
    beef jerky guy, thats all that will be there.[}:)][;)][:0]
    Don
    I don't spend alot of time at the carnival you describe.You do it your way and I'll do it mine.If I take some of the gravy from a"reputable dealer" so be it.I'll be taking it from those that are'nt as well.Those reputable dealers are usually to busy minding the store to notice what the whiners are doing.Don't worry you're govt.and freinds at the atf will take care of folks like me,Just like Nunn say's.You folks crack me up
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  • The Patriot
    quote:You folks crack me up

    Yup!
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  • dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by sothere
    I don't spend alot of time at the carnival you describe.You do it your way and I'll do it mine.If I take some of the gravy from a"reputable dealer" so be it.I'll be taking it from those that are'nt as well.Those reputable dealers are usually to busy minding the store to notice what the whiners are doing.Don't worry you're govt.and freinds at the atf will take care of folks like me,Just like Nunn say's.You folks crack me up

    Hehhehheh,
    BTW, the jerky guy's kid picks his nose and then plays with the jerky[xx(][xx(][:0][}:)]
    Don
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  • The Patriot
    quote:BTW, the jerky guy's kid picks his nose and then plays with the jerky


    Hmmm...Good seasonin' though...
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  • sweaver
    quote:the guy selling blowguns and the
    beef jerky guy

    lol, not THAT guy!

    dont forget the purse lady


    oh, just a note on this for the heck of it...I've only tried selling one gun at a show, not a good experience. It was a tactical shotgun and had a decent value. Every table I walked by, the dealers approached me wanting to buy it, I never asked first. Best offer of the day? $150. One dealer had one identical to it on his table asking $650...offered me $75. I laid mine by his and asked what the difference was then got the whole "gotta make a profit blah de blah". So as I was leaving a random Joe approached me and I sold it to him right there at the door...for $550. I understand needing to make a profit, I'm thinking of getting into it a bit myself but dont be an arse and try and low-ball everyone..those not desperate for money do get insulted. That dealer that offered me $75 wouldnt want to deal with me if I offered him 20% of what he was asking for his stuff.

    Shane
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  • The Patriot
    quote:dont forget the purse lady

    Actually...she usually has some pretty good deals...Dang hard ta find a purse ta match my shoes...
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  • wundudnee
    I go to nearly every show in my area and I have been known to buy a gun ocasionally from an individual carrying it around. I've also bought a lot from dealers and even out in the parking lot. I don't butt into anybody's deal going on, or stand in front of anybody's table if I can help it when looking at a possible purchase. I gave up trying to carry anything around to sell. That just makes your arms tired. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I really don't see any big moral problem with selling "a" personal gun at a show.

    However I have seen some people pulling two wheelers and golf carts around with enough guns for sale to arm a small nation. I would run them off if I was the promoter.
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  • Highball
    quote:Recently at a gun show, and watched a guy keep hanging around inside the enterance looking for quality steals on desireable guns.
    There is the crux of the matter...the only people allowed to steal being the dealers, I assume...

    I pay my ten bucks at the door...and I will buy from whom I please..thank you very much.
    Don't like it..? I suggest you stay within the walls of your shop and do business....and leave the shows for people that view guns as something other then a profit.

    The ugly truth is...in a free country, most of the dealers left in business today would be selling hot cakes somewhere, if guns were freely traded as they were 30-40 years ago...the arrogant, smug, know-nothings tending most gun shops today being good at book-keeping...and not much else.
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  • bpost
    quote:Originally posted by Highball
    quote:Recently at a gun show, and watched a guy keep hanging around inside the enterance looking for quality steals on desireable guns.
    There is the crux of the matter...the only people allowed to steal being the dealers, I assume...

    I pay my ten bucks at the door...and I will buy from whom I please..thank you very much.
    Don't like it..? I suggest you stay within the walls of your shop and do business....and leave the shows for people that view guns as something other then a profit.

    The ugly truth is...in a free country, most of the dealers left in business today would be selling hot cakes somewhere, if guns were freely traded as they were 30-40 years ago...the arrogant, smug, know-nothings tending most gun shops today being good at book-keeping...and not much else.


    That is my take on it... If you paid to get in you paid the fee to deal. These dealings should remain within the law. A cash purchase of a firearm at a great price are not reserved for dealers only IMO. I want a good deal as much as the next guy.
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  • Captplaid
    quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
    quote:Originally posted by sothere
    I don't spend alot of time at the carnival you describe.You do it your way and I'll do it mine.If I take some of the gravy from a"reputable dealer" so be it.I'll be taking it from those that are'nt as well.Those reputable dealers are usually to busy minding the store to notice what the whiners are doing.Don't worry you're govt.and freinds at the atf will take care of folks like me,Just like Nunn say's.You folks crack me up

    Hehhehheh,
    BTW, the jerky guy's kid picks his nose and then plays with the jerky[xx(][xx(][:0][}:)]

    Damn! I used to like that jerky. You ruined it for me![xx(]
    Don
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  • dakotashooter2
    If this guy is making a business of it then somebody should probably call the BATF when he shows up. If he is just buying guns for a fair price then have at it though his tactics are out of line. When I bring a gun to a show I won't even talk to a dealer about it any more. I got so tired of being lowballed I just tell them it is more than what they want to spend and walk away. I realize they have to make a profit but I need to at least break even and taking a 50% hit on a 2 year old quality gun doesn't appeal to me. Most times I can get what I want for the gun and the buyer will get at least a 15-20% break over what the dealer will settle for. I think a lot of dealers think they can get away will jacking up their prices at shows because of the volume of traffic. Bbut the guys I see that use the same trading practice as they do at their business place tend to do the most business. Some seem to have to "justify" their being at the show by increasing prices another 10% or more. I guess if the chance for additional sales isn't enough maybe they just shouldn't come.
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  • Captplaid
    As an innocent bystander I see both points.
    Yes, it's wrong for Mr. Dealer wanna-be to do business in the isle. Get a booth.

    Yes, it is acceptable for John Q. Public to make an offer.

    I think wandering the isles has also been suggested and recommended here at GB's forums for the guy looking to sell one gun. Now I understand why.

    Thanks for the education.
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