Since I was trapped in CA over the weekend I attended the Del Mar CA gun show. This is my report.
Arrived about 10:00am, probably 700 people outside in line, I was maybe 2-3 long guns being carried for sale. Evidently since personal sales must go through dealer, and subject to 10 day wait, no one brings guns to a show for sale. First off inside the door they moved the line quickly 4 rows of ticket takers. Outside food vendors, one large ammo/componant vendor, just in the door, 3-4 large ammo vendors, cases of ammo stacked to the roof, prices about what mail order costs are before shipping. So my first surprise was stacks and stacks piles and piles of what appeared to be high capacity magazines, from surplus sten/sterling and other SMG mags, to modern high cap pistol magazines and the new Ruger 10-22 25rnd magazines. I thought What the Hell, upon closer inspection all these magazines were removed from their packageing taken apart and re-packaged with a sticker saying this was a high capacity magazine rebuild kit and that it was illegal in the state of CA to assemble this magazine. Plenty of new handguns of all types. Every type/configuration of AR type weapon, somehow modified so that it requires a tool to remove the magazine. This was as simple as a .223 cartridge tip to push a below flush mag retainer, to more elaborate systems that released in the presence of a magnet. Minimal amount of used guns at dealer's tables, only black powder type guns are cash and carry, all others "not sure of C&R" were buy it, ship it to your dealer or pick it up 10 days later. BATFE had a booth there. the agent at the booth told me 10yrs ago the show was 4 times as large. It was in one large building, maybe 4times the size of Christiensen Field in Fremont.
Same sad amount of flea market crap as our gun shows. Way too much cheap knockoff AR type accy, and cheap Chi-Com optics, bags, etc. Very little high end gear, While I could have bought a gun, usually at gun shows I only buy things not available from wholesalers. Since the used gun market was almost nil there was no gun shopping needed by me as I can order wholesale. So I bought some flea market stuff, I bought a 10-22 magazine release from CA Competition Specialties, There was one rifle company set up that caught my eye of a takedown bolt gun, but $5000.00 was not in my budget for this trip.
