ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

If it doesn't fit the topic in any of the other forums, and is firearm-related, put it here!
User avatar
muta4warrior
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 231
Joined: May 19th, 2018, 9:25 am
Reputation: 11
Location: East Mesa

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#16

Post by muta4warrior »

Pretty much there was a quick "meeting" before the show opened on Saturday about there MAY be some undercover ATF agents trying some shenanigans and to conduct ourselves accordingly when selling guns.

I managed to pick up some really good deals on things I had on my wish list (only had 2 things that I could not find, a black CMMG 5" Banshee in 45 ACP and grips for a Colt Police Positive revolver but didn't have high hopes of finding those at the show) plus some things that were just too good of a price to pass up.

Was looking for some reloading dies for a Thompson Encore in 22-250 Rem that I had picked up at the Mesa show a couple weeks ago. Scored a new Redding Competition Bullet Seater die, a new Redding 3-die set and 150 pieces of once fired brass all for $85. Brownell's lists the seater die for $130 and the 3-die set for $106 plus shipping and tax on top of that, so I think I did good there.

I got a box of CCI 41 primers for $50 and a shooter grade 1910 manufactured Winchester 1892 in 32-20 with 90 rounds of loaded ammo for $800, been wanting one for a while.

Got a Sig Romeo Zero for my P365 .380 for just a couple bucks over the best price I could find shipped online, I had it right then and there plus supported a local vendor.

Met up with Tim McBride and company that had a couple tables in the center area, snagged some good stuff they were selling.

This was probably one of the better buying shows I've had in a while.


User avatar
samnev
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 718
Joined: May 15th, 2018, 8:27 am
Reputation: 4
Location: Surprise, AZ

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#17

Post by samnev »

Yes you did very well.
User avatar
That Guy
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 205
Joined: August 1st, 2021, 9:28 am
Reputation: -5
Location: MB38S

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#18

Post by That Guy »

QuietM4 wrote: July 10th, 2022, 2:37 pm There are usually plain clothes ATF at every gun show…this is nothing new. A couple of years ago I saw two of them badge a private seller with a Barret 50bmg and talk to him for a little bit. I’ve seen the same two agents at every gun show I’ve been to since.
Haven’t been to a Crossroads gunshow since before Covid but at every show there were always two different guys selling guns (a lotta guns) who had tables and both were private sellers who had been doing Crossroads and Ter-Matk forever. I avoided both of them like a radioactive zombies with overbites cuz’ the word around the campfire was these guys were allowed to stay in business due to being snitches. I believed the rumor cuz’ at one show I had a table across from one of them and he moved a lotta triggers.
User avatar
That Guy
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 205
Joined: August 1st, 2021, 9:28 am
Reputation: -5
Location: MB38S

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#19

Post by That Guy »

That Guy wrote: July 11th, 2022, 11:05 am
QuietM4 wrote: July 10th, 2022, 2:37 pm There are usually plain clothes ATF at every gun show…this is nothing new. A couple of years ago I saw two of them badge a private seller with a Barret 50bmg and talk to him for a little bit. I’ve seen the same two agents at every gun show I’ve been to since.
Haven’t been to a Crossroads gunshow since before Covid but at every show there were always two different guys selling guns (a lotta guns) who had tables and both were private sellers who had been doing Crossroads and Ter-Matk forever. I avoided both of them like a radioactive zombies with overbites cuz’ the word around the campfire was these guys were allowed to stay in business due to being snitches. I believed the rumor cuz’ at one show I had a table across from one of them and he bought and sold a lotta triggers.

IMO ATF sending obvious agents to a gun show is just “showing the flag”. If they really wanted to gather intel and nail people all they’d need to do is set up a table selling paramilitary sh!t and then wait for the goofballs to come up and run their mouths. Or plant somebody behind a counter at an LGS. Or put an informant at a shooting range. Fr’instance one time (and I witnessed this) a GOB showed up at Rio Salado with his unregistered saw-off shotgun. The RSO’s discovered it was illegal and shooed him away but one of them coulda made a note of his vehicle plate and called the Po Po.

Having worked at a couple of AZ gun shops it’s amazing what stupid scheiss people tell you because they think it’s a “safe space”. And that’s EXACTLY how the ATF rolled up those “Viper Militia” clowns in the late 90’s. The ATF made a deal with a large LGS in Phoenix to put an informant behind the counter and a couple of their idjits thought he’d make a good member and “recruited” him. Believe it or not capping off HME and videoing the launching of a rifle grenade ain’t the smartest thing to do in the presence of a gubment informant.

User avatar
Cubiclerevolt
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1113
Joined: April 12th, 2020, 8:31 pm
Reputation: 2
Location: Glendale, AZ

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#20

Post by Cubiclerevolt »

Manitu wrote: July 10th, 2022, 4:15 pm Last gun show purchase in Mesa around 2009 got some nice priced self defense ammo. Then whenever the helicopter lady incident same purchase, dont see much there cant be seen elsewhere. So I suppose guys with a sign on their back selling whatever are why ATF joins in nowadays?
WHY YOU KILL MEEEEEEEEEEE!?!?!?!?!?!
User avatar
xerts1191
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 12215
Joined: May 28th, 2018, 7:25 pm
Reputation: 5
Location: Arizona

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#21

Post by xerts1191 »

B8C4515C-E908-40A1-9B78-98DC3566D2DE.jpeg
User avatar
deadshot556
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 223
Joined: June 7th, 2018, 10:15 am
Reputation: 1
Location: phoenix

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#22

Post by deadshot556 »

Rock Hardson wrote: July 10th, 2022, 3:34 pm Who still has a desire to go to these shows?

I know Flash was saying these are greatest shows on earth, but that was laughable, just as he was....

The only one worth going to was the SAR show, but haven't been in 5 years or so and people were saying even that show sucked ballz even before covid
Its just a smorgasbord of FFL'S and useless Chinese junk. Not many private sellars at the one this past weekend. The SAR wasnt bad for me this past year. YMMV
User avatar
pneuby
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1186
Joined: July 28th, 2018, 10:01 am
Reputation: 8
Location: Phoenix

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#23

Post by pneuby »

...
at every show there (are) always two...guys selling guns ..(with) tables (beside each other) ...both ..private sellers who had been doing (shows) forever. I avoided both of them ... due to being snitches.
Still there, LOL. Still rocking. Since they don't write anything down, I can't see how they would be effective snitches, LOL.
User avatar
That Guy
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 205
Joined: August 1st, 2021, 9:28 am
Reputation: -5
Location: MB38S

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#24

Post by That Guy »

pneuby wrote: July 12th, 2022, 3:49 pm
...
at every show there (are) always two...guys selling guns ..(with) tables (beside each other) ...both ..private sellers who had been doing (shows) forever. I avoided both of them ... due to being snitches.
Still there, LOL. Still rocking. Since they don't write anything down, I can't see how they would be effective snitches, LOL.
Yep, cuz’ everybody knows that all Gubment snitches can’t be informants unless they scribble down information with their GSA supplied number 2 lead pencil on a plain spiral notebook. In fact if you go up and ask them, “Are you a government informant?” it’s in the Constitution they have to tell you. :dance:
User avatar
AZHTfreak
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 192
Joined: January 7th, 2020, 9:55 am
Reputation: 0
Location: NW Phoenix

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#25

Post by AZHTfreak »

QuietM4 wrote: July 10th, 2022, 8:40 pm I've spent more money on beef jerky than anything else at "gun shows" over the past 5 years. I use gun shows to sell personal firearms, rather than buy any. Anyone who is mildly Internet savvy can find much better deals online that at any gun show. Parking, admission, gas, and your time cost more than any transfer fee from your LGS. The only guns show I make a point to attend is the SAR show, and even that is becoming extremely redundant year after year.
THIS...
User avatar
Suck My Glock
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 8825
Joined: May 25th, 2018, 3:01 pm
Reputation: 8
Location: Peoria

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#26

Post by Suck My Glock »

UPDATE:

Well, now we know why Commiefornia agents were there as well.

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/07/12/new-c ... nger-hide/

Governor hairdo just signed into law his new "sue all the gun people" act.

I guarantee you they were there looking to make cases against anyone they could claim knew "or should have known" they were selling to a People's Republic resident, so as to immediately bring charges under this new crap.

Expect someone who was there last weekend to be publicly announced as their first victim very soon.
User avatar
BigNate
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 647
Joined: July 5th, 2020, 5:56 pm
Reputation: 4
Location: Phoenix

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#27

Post by BigNate »

If my old brain is functioning properly I've been to three gun shows over the years (maybe late '90s / early 2000s). Never bought a gun at one. I went to the first one looking for a gun - and found that pricing was really no better than buying at the LGS. The next couple of times it was more like a trip to a museum - oogling interesting historic guns, military memorabilia, etc. After the third trip a combination of "been there - done that" and a little bit of uneasiness being around a few of the crazies (e.g. guys proudly selling Nazi branded stuff) overrode my interest in going to a fourth. The almost certain presence of ATF was not really a deterrent.

I have no clue whether the ATF has overtly broken the law and added my name to an illegal database of all known gun owners - it would not surprise me. However, if they are doing this, there are 1000 ways for them to get this information that are easier than eyeballing me at a gun show.

As to gun shows - maybe they have changed - maybe not - but when I start having trouble finding what I'm looking for at the LGS, I'll be more inclined to try one out - again.
billdeserthills
Banned
Banned
Posts: 74
Joined: June 1st, 2019, 11:18 pm
Reputation: -1

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#28

Post by billdeserthills »

That Guy wrote: July 10th, 2022, 6:26 pm I used to drive to the Great Western (until LA County ended it)and had a table in “Building Four” which was the very best building there-lotsa cool stuff, lotsa cool collectors. IMO gun shows in Phoenix hit the iceberg when Crossroads, like the “Borg” in Star Trek assimilated or drove out all the competing gun shows in the Valley. Arizona Arms Association at Centennial Hall was excellent UNTIL Crossroads moved in. Roadrunner had a nice show in Glendale and the VFW post on Thomas in East Phoenix was small but I often found good deals. Once Crossroads bought out Ter-Mark (and became just as junky as them) it appeared all the other shows folded. Now Crossroads has a de facto monopoly and pretty much do whatever the hell it wants, for as much as it wants.
I 100% agree,
at one time I used to do 3-4 gun shows every month-- then when Crossroads bought the other gun show's out there was no point in doing so many shows because they were all the same. At least at that time there were a few private sale folks still buying tables at the gun shows. Then Crossroads got even greedier & raised the table prices, which shut out most private sale folks
User avatar
oldslurrydog1
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 1240
Joined: February 8th, 2021, 2:32 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: Phoenix

Re: ATF activity at Crossroads show today?

#29

Post by oldslurrydog1 »

billdeserthills wrote: July 23rd, 2022, 10:12 am

I 100% agree,
at one time I used to do 3-4 gun shows every month-- then when Crossroads bought the other gun show's out there was no point in doing so many shows because they were all the same. At least at that time there were a few private sale folks still buying tables at the gun shows. Then Crossroads got even greedier & raised the table prices, which shut out most private sale folks
I had to do a double take. Good to see you back.
Post Reply