Breaking a drought

[TXGunNut]

...a gun show drought, that is. Have't been to one in at least ten years but I may go to a couple today. Have a function in a nearby town shortly and there's a small show just down the road. A slightly larger show not too much out of the way on the way home (or to Cabelas) may be worth the stop as well. Limited cash on hand and no glaring holes in my component or tool inventory and not really looking for anything , just looking around.
Guess I'll slip the old green gun case into the trunk just to be safe. :bigsmyl2:

[Nueces]

Wish there were decent shows in this area anymore. Have fun!

The case is a good idea considering the sky water coming through today.

[cbrick]

...a gun show drought, that is. Have't been to one in at least ten years but I may go to a couple today. Have a function in a nearby town shortly and there's a small show just down the road. A slightly larger show not too much out of the way on the way home (or to Cabelas) may be worth the stop as well. Limited cash on hand and no glaring holes in my component or tool inventory and not really looking for anything , just looking around.
Guess I'll slip the old green gun case into the trunk just to be safe. :bigsmyl2:

Now wait a minute, your in Texas. Trunk? Isn't it mandatory for you to have a pick up truck? :mrgreen:

Rick

[TXGunNut]

Don't know if either will be "decent" but I'm willing to give it a try. I generally keep an old case in the car but it's been coming home full all too often lately so I've left it in the closet for the last few weeks.

[TXGunNut]

Now wait a minute, your in Texas. Trunk? Isn't it mandatory for you to have a pick up truck? :mrgreen:

Rick

Not mandatory but yes, I have a perfectly good pickup under the carport. If I need to haul something, work on something or slog thru something nasty I know where the keys are hanging. Plenty of room behind the seat for that old green case there too, right on top of the shotgun case that is almost never empty. ;-)
I prefer to drive my big Mercury geezermobile, nice ride and about 8 better on the all-important mpg score.

[monadnock#5]

The best time to go to a gun show is when you're not looking for anything in particular. The last time I was looking for something special, I actually found two at the same show. Colt Match Targets. At the price they wanted and in the condition they were in however, going home empty handed was the best deal of the day.

[MrWolf]

I leave a gun sock in my car for those just in cases and they don't take up room.

[TXGunNut]

Actually had a good time, saw plenty of powder and primers and even quite a few guns at reasonable prices. Lots of junk too but I was expecting that. Gun case came home empty, just couldn't get interested in anything with all I've been dragging home lately. Only thing I bought besides some Safari Charlie's snake oil was several photos from a guy who makes them from Library of Congress negatives. Awesome quality, nice guy to visit with as well. Can't recall his name but I'd heard about his work. One is a circa 1915 photo of three Indians taking a break while hunting a canyon. One carries an Savage 99, another a 94 and the third is some type of Winchester lever that I haven't identified yet.
One major annoyance was the prohibition against concealed weapons. Really? May be ten years before I go to another show.

[onceabull]

Only time I was inside a gun show in Tx,I sold out B4 the close first day, everything still carrying the same price tags,that were ignored here the w'kend B4.. There was LOTS of loose $ in the Hill Country,as the canucks had not left for home yet...Since then,my local contacts have gone to rest...Onceabull

[TCLouis]

Nashville's and surround area shows are mere shadows of what was once known as a gun show in the area.

I did intend on going back during the rush to convince someone that they needed an 8 mm Hakim. I do have to admit that when I handle it it feels just like an M-14 even though operations are far different. Funny thing I have had it for 15-20 years and have never even put a round in the magazine. Not sure it will even fire!

Still want to make the Wannamaker show in OK once just to see what a GIANT gun show is like.

[cbrick]

Still want to make the Wannamaker show in OK once just to see what a GIANT gun show is like.

What you need to see is the SHOT Show. There is not another show or convention anywhere that can compare. I've been to many of the huge auto shows, SEMA is quite impressive but still doesn't compare with the SHOT Show. The SHOT Show can not be described, it has to be seen to be believed and even then you may not believe it.

Rick

[obssd1958]

Rick,
Isn't the SHOT show a vendor, retailer, media - invitation only - event.
Meaning us poor ordinary folk can't get in??

[cbrick]

Not invitation only but industry yes. There are ways to get a ticket, have any friends that own a gun/sporting goods store, a gunsmith etc., they can get you in under their business name. My gunsmith goes every year under his business name. When I go I get a press pass via my firearm related web site. There are ways and everyone with an interest in anything industry related owes it to themselves to see that show at least once. The only way to describe it is - mind numbing. It is something that you will never forget.

Rick

[gmsharps]

The Tulsa show if great and be done on one complete day if you have your walking shoes on and mission orientated mind. The shot show is fantastic also. In order to see most of the show in a 3 day period you also must be mission oriented or you will not see the best things. Another is the NRA Annual Convention where just about anyone can go and is great to attend if it is reasonably colose to where you are. Washington state in the Seattle area used to have a really large show back in the early 90's that was good to go to.

gmsharps

[cbrick]

Yeah, huge is quite an understatement. For anyone that goes just figure before hand that you will not see the entire show. The only way you could would be to not stop & look at any booths or talk to anyone, just keep walking and looking at what you can see walking by. I can't do that, just way too many toys that beg to be fondled and questions to be asked. You have to get a vendor list and map of the convention center. Go through the entire vendor list making a list of what you want to see and choose the order to see them by their location so that your not kriss crossing back & forth. If you get through your list in the 3 days then you can wander and see what else you can find and there is no shortage for sure. See the whole show? I never have yet.

Wear high quality walking shoes, you will walk miles each day.

Rick

[starmac]

Isn't the shot show all newly manufactured or even some future stuff.

[cbrick]

Isn't the shot show all newly manufactured or even some future stuff.

No, it's that of course but it's most everything mfg.'s, wholesaler's and retailer's of Shooting Hunting Outdoors Trade offer. The whole purpose of the show is big business, mfg.'s, stores, wholesalers etc. go there to sign contracts for how much of whatever the product they want for the next year. Very little retail sales happen at the show, just not the purpose of the show. It's a trade show for the industry. I bought a few things there but mostly things aren't for sale at the show. I got a great deal on all Handloader mags on DVD.

Rick

[williamwaco]

...a gun show drought, that is. Have't been to one in at least ten years but I may go to a couple today. Have a function in a nearby town shortly and there's a small show just down the road. A slightly larger show not too much out of the way on the way home (or to Cabelas) may be worth the stop as well. Limited cash on hand and no glaring holes in my component or tool inventory and not really looking for anything , just looking around.
Guess I'll slip the old green gun case into the trunk just to be safe. :bigsmyl2:


Did you go to the Lewisville show?

Thay lost their facility about a year ago and this is the first show in many months. It was only about half as large as before but I am sure it will gro back.

It was a great show. I have never seen so many primers and one guy even had several types of pistol powder.

I bought a pound of tight group.

[starmac]

That is what I had in my mind the SHOT show was, since I go to gun shows to gawk at the older stuff, the shotshow would be of little interest to me personally. At least not nearly enough interest to get me to go to a crowded venue.