Ping.
Ammo.
With a price limitation of $3-400, I can’t really think of much I’d plan on beforehand. I’d more or less go and see what is available. Historical items if those interest you are the most likely interesting option. Alternatively maybe a cheap AK or SKS, because I rarely see gun shops carry those.
Siaga 12...$600
I’m gonna say decent knives (they are there, if you look), and old battle rifles. I’m always seeing Carcano’s, Steyr 95’s, and, of course, Mosin Nagants at great prices- Mausers, too. Stock up on ammo, appropriate stripper or en-bloc clips, and reloading supplies for these guns, and you are good to go. I’ve also seen water filtration systems and other useful items- you never know what you’re gonna find at a gun show!
I’ve been hankering for a .22 revolver. Something that could be used as a trail/kit gun, and also be used to teach children how to shoot. Something like a Ruger Bearcat or SP 101.
OTOH I dearly miss the Browning Mark III that I sold several years ago. Kind of pricey, but sure was a nice pistol.
Webley mark VI in .45 acp.
I just bought my first Mosin Nagant 91/30. There are many interesting variants out there and I’d look for something that catches my eye and with $3-$400 to spend, maybe a few of them.
Browning A5 Sweet 16 or Light 12. Savage 99 in .300 Savage.
Remington 81 in .300 Savage. Winchester Model 12 in 16 gauge.
Tru-Flite 37mm gas gun, made in the 1930's or 40's. Got it for $500, and the guy threw in half a dozen CS/CN (tear gas) shells. At a show a few years later, someone had another half a dozen more tear shells for $25 a pop...I bought them all.
A few years ago I realized I was never going to use the thing, so I listed it on gunauction.com, listing each shell as a separate auction. Got about $1500 for everything, a tidy profit.
PMR 30
$500.00
(They are so rare, I doubt the seller would take that amount.)
CZ82 Makarov. For that amount of money you may be able to get two.
No. 4 Enfield.
$200 - $300.
You’re not going to get much for 3-4 hundred bucks these days.
Maybe stock up on ammo in difficult-to-find calibers (almost all these days) and you might find spare magazines for your curio/relic items.
Any time a firearms-related thread is created on FreeRepublic, please be sure to add the "banglist" keyword to it so that interested FReepers don't miss it. Just a suggestion.
Let Freedom Ring,
Marlin Camp 9 lever action rifle in 9mm. $500.
IMO, gun shows have turned into ripoffs of late. Unless you found a true deal, I would avoid buying there.
Finn M27
Carcano M91-38 carbine (yes, I'm serious)
Lee-Enfield No 5 Jungle Carbine
As much .30-06 M2 ball as I could carry.
I guess that is it.