re: What is the purpose of gun shows?

If you like guns, it's a fun thing to do if you're bored on a Saturday and want to get out of the house for a few hours. You can see and handle a lot of cool guns. Sometimes the shows around here will have a group set up a few themed tables, like guns of the west or civil war stuff. It can be fun to people watch, too. You'll definitely see some weirdos.

My experience in the Houston, TX area is that they're useless (the last 10-15 years). Prices are too high, and minimal room for haggling.

Once upon a time, when there would only be one gun show a year and no internet, THAT is when the deals were really good...especially the last hours of the last day of the show.