The Nation's Gun Show is going to take place this coming Friday through Sunday at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. If you've never been before, I would encourage you. Even if you're not looking to buy a firearm or ammo, there's all kinds of WWII stuff there too. Guns are not the only thing there, but they're definitely the theme and major product of the show (duh).
A few tips:
1) If you've never owned one before, decide what type of gun you are looking for (rifle, shotgun, pistol, etc.)
2) If you know exactly what you want (i.e.: Make and model) go to www.gunbroker.com to get an idea of what the average market price is for that weapon.
3) Be certain to have two forms of ID on you. One must be government issued and have a photo of you on it (i.e.: Driver's License) and another must have your name and address on it. **The addresses on both forms of ID must be identical**
4) Dealers are usually willing to haggle on price if you buy more than one item. For example, when I was last there I bought a shotgun and a second (different type of) barrel for the shotgun. On their own, it would have cost me about $600. Buying it as a package deal, I got them to knock it down to $500.
5) Dealers are also willing to knock down the initial asking price if you pay them in cash.
Hours are:
Friday 3 - 8 PM
Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM
Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM
Admission cost is:
$15.00 for a 3 day pass
or
$10.00 each day for adults
$5.00 for teenagers 12-17
Children under 12 are free with a paying adult.
For more information, here's the website:
http://www.thenationsgunshow.com/
If you plan on going and want to save $1 on admission, here's a coupon to print out and hand in at the entrance:
http://www.cegunshows.com/coupon.htm
I'll keep an eye on this post in case anyone has any questions.