I attend the C & E Gun Show when it comes to Hickory NC because it's the closest gun show to my house, but even then it's a 45 minute drive one way. I've noticed over the past three shows I've attended that prices have risen to the point of being ridiculous. For example, a vendor had a Taurus GX4 XL for $481.50 with tax and that's if you pay cash. Using your credit or debit card will add another 4% to that bringing the total to a little over $500. I went home and bought the exact same GX4 XL online for $305 total including insured 2 day shipping and my FFL holder's transfer fee. That's a huge savings of between $176.50 and $201!! So that tells you how high prices have gotten when you can order on line, pay an additional $45 for shipping and a FFL transfer fee and still save between $176 & $201 over gun show prices. And most vendors are not willing to negotiate prices or if they do, it's only for a very small amount off of their already high prices. I had one vendor only willing to come down $5 off the price of a gun and he acted like doing that was going to bankrupt him! SMFH! Also if you want to sell or trade a gun you get offered an insultingly low price for it. Ammo prices are just as bad. I saw 9mm range ammo in 50 count boxes for as high as $35 a box when my local gun store has boxes of 100 count 9mm range ammo for just shy of $29 with tax. Same for .45 ACP I saw 50 count boxes of range ammo for as high as $45 a box when I can buy 50 count boxes of .45 ACP range ammo for around $25 elsewhere. Prices on .22's are beyond high. I saw 50 count boxes of basic .22 long rifle as high as $10 a box. Really?? $10 a box for .22 long rifle?? I went to Rural King and bought 50 count boxes of .22 hollow points for just $3 per box. I suspect that these much higher prices have something to do with C & E raising the prices of vendor tables from $60 to $75 each. On top of that admission prices have gone up to $12 per person after just going up to $10 per person not that long ago. I'm going to have to reevaluate if driving 1.5 hours round trip and paying a $12 admission fee is worth it to attend a C & E gun show if I know I'm not going to buy anything because prices on both guns and ammo have become so ridiculously high and especially knowing I can buy guns and ammo far cheaper online or in stores locally. read more