You wont have any trouble finding lodging near the gun show in Denver Aaron, if you get it in the next month or so. Might even find rooms still available in the motel connected to the show, so you don't need a shuttle to the show.
Info here:
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Comfort Inn is the on site hotel.

Gunfunpow wrote on Jan 4^th, 2019 at 11:53pm:


I couldn't have put it better myself! Although I stopped going to our local commercial gun shows a decade ago because it just seemed a waste of time and money to keep looking there.
It's always exciting to find something you've always wanted, or a real bargain at a gun show. I still occasionally find a great deal on something at our monthly Sunday morning collector gun show. Not always something big and breathtaking, but sometimes some little accessory I'm really tickled with.
The older we get, the more history we have with guns, and that usually means we remember the deals from decades ago. Tough to swallow newer price levels when you recall what they sold for 3-4 decades ago!

Having sold at guns shows I learned early on that dealers make the rounds on Thursday to cherry pick any thing close to a bargain and it is no different at swap meets. The only thing I was able to buy at the last few shows I attended was something to eat.

I have been on both sides of the table for most of my gun collecting life. I have two tables at our monthly OAC collector shows for a couple decades now, and have a table at Denver CGCA show also. 
I usually only display guns at our local show, and I do so to encourage other's interest in single shot rifles. It's been a wonderful experience over the years, and I've made some good friends doing so. I've probably only bought a couple guns offered me during these years of displaying, so it's never been done to bring in guns to me. 
I've gotten to know who is a good buyer, and who isn't. I've also gotten many folk's input on what they think of certain table holders, and it's either bad news, or good news. Some have a reputation for not being fair when they  make offers, or buy. Others get great responses when their name comes up. It's a small world in gun collecting, buying, and selling. It's amazing how one dirty deal will come back to bite you, or how being fair will make you a guy people want to deal with.
I've always tried to be as helpful as possible when someone approaches me with questions about what their gun might be, and it's value. It often ends with the question of what I'd pay for it, vs. what it's worth. You can lie abut it's value, and have the person tell everyone what a thief you are, or you can be honest and maybe have the person walk away. But if you're honest he'll walk away and tell people you were honest, instead of telling them you're a thief. I like hearing people tell me they trust my opinion.

As for buying guns early before shows open. I've never found that works for me. Can't say I've ever bought a gun before a show opened, and I think it happens, but not nearly as much as people think. Most sellers wont sell cheap before the show when they know they've got plenty of people coming later who will pay their price.
Most of the good buys I've gotten were well into the show, and sometimes even a couple days into the shows. Plenty of people had time to buy the same guns, and I'm always amazed when I see a fantastic price on a gun and it's still there 1-2 days into the show.

When the seller tells me " it should clean up", that drives me wild. You should not remove patina but for pete's sake clean the bore a little and I may be willing to meet your price. 
Kurt

Kurt_701 wrote on Jan 6^th, 2019 at 4:06pm:


Wilder than "I've got more than that in it," after you've made a fair offer.   

When I said in my post that dealers at gun shows make the rounds before the show opens trying to grab anything that is under priced and on which he can turn a quick profit. I was not referring to guns. I never sold a gun at a show or bought one for that matter. I was talking about the seller who is either wants to get rid of surplus reloading gear or is getting out of it altogether. At the Pomona gun show the dealers set up on Thursday and the doors opened noon Friday. My wife and I were set up by noon Thursday and I believe most of the dealers made it by our table by mid afternoon. If they met my price, they bought it. I can't believe this doesn't happen at all shows no matter where they are held.

Aaron, if you come to Denver you can see Clive Cussler's car collection, too.