It's one of the biggest gun shows in the nation, and definitely a must-attend for the collector. If your idea of a good show is one where you can find a good deal on a new Taurus or Ruger auto, this isn't the show for you. If, on the other hand, you want to fondle a whole table full of Krags or M1903's before making your selection, however...
It's 2100 tables and not a beanie baby, beef jerky vendor, or table full of Hi-Points in sight. There were StG 44's and FG-42's and more Winchester Trench Guns than you can shake a stick at. I got "Museum Fatigue"; like rounding the corner at the Louvre and sighing, "Ho hum, another DaVinci..." There was an absolutely pristine cased Borchardt with stock and accessories for the low, low asking price of $35,000. I saw my first Webley-Fosbury in the wild. I saw my first Pedersen device, ever. The Pedersen device was in a 1903 on a table that also had a like-new-in-box Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer, as well as a Trapdoor carbine that was quite possibly unfired ($14k if you have to ask...). Registered Magnums and Triple Locks were common enough to be boring. There was a whole table full of M1941 Johnson rifles with a brace of LMG's for bookends.
If you've ever wanted to say "Wow, that's the third-nicest Volcanic pistol I've seen at this show so far," then National Gun Day in Louisville is the show for you...
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14 comments:
You are going to hate me for this but i have fired Two Webley-Fosbury's
one cased one in nickel and the other a small frame but in 455 with seven inch Target barrel and it is the strangest of feeling having a revolver cock itself.
Wanenmacher's in Tulsa totally blew me away. They have a similar policy about things not gun related. You want an AR? Not the best place. How about an 1866? Only about ten or fifteen to choose from. I wasn't sure we found them all, there were only two days to peruse eleven acres.
Damn, I'm jealous. I love the old military stuff, and curious old guns, or elegant designs, interest me most. (like, now, cabelas has a glut of back action underlever Husqvarna shotguns- all beautiful as can be, all under $300.)
Fortunately, for me, gunshows (other than the shot show which doesn't qualify) aren't filled with side by side large bore doubles, which is my specific weakness.
Wow! A Webley-Fosbury! I'm gonna watch The Maltese Falcon right now:
Sam Spade: "Yeah, it's a Webley-Fosbury semi-automatic revolver."
Boy am I jealous. I just went to the gunshow at Glendale CA, at the civic center. It was filled with scraps, california 5 round magazines for AR-15s, only one table of M-1 Garands. More knives than guns.
It was nicer than no gun show at all, but I remember the ones in Houston....(stares dreamily at the back of the monitor...)
did you you see any voere Vec-91's?
thats my favorite modern collectable.
Louisville is a GREAT show!
Don, Houston and Pomona back in the mid-90s we THE shows to hit! I'll be at Tulsa Apr 3-5 for Wachenmakers.
My second of these, truly ama2ing.
Budget all day for this one, no fooling. There were, for example, probably fifty decent Brown Bess scattered through the hall.
A half do2en period Tanegashima. Hundreds of anib and nib pistols of 1880-1940 vintage. Savage .45- yes. Tarn? Aye. A couple of hundred period swords. Three tables full of beautiful miniatures- a Furr Gatling and an RPD, too.
Plenty of plains Indian beadwork, a few 19th century Moose bron2es, six or so separate dealers with tables packed with Marble and Lyman iron sights- museum fatigue is exactly the right term.
Some modern things too- an importer had tables full of greasy Mosins and SIGs, surplus people with boxes of M3 maga2ines.
Submit word binuc- yes, there were several pair of lovely old 2eiss there.
Envy, envy, envy. And I'm going to have to put with nothing but the Springfield Mass Show next weekend, with only 800 tables. 800 tables of quality stuff, but dang, 2,100 tables!
Of course there's the Hartford show the week after that, then Stratford (seriously good show for high end stuff and lots of parts).
I'll see probably 3,000 tables in the next month, but I'll have to drive from Marlboro Mass to almost the New York line, and chew up three weekends.
All in one weekend, and under one roof. Next year fer certain sure. Back to envy mode.
Would simply love to give a Johnson '41 a permanent place in my safe.
That and an FN49 from one of the various countries that fielded it in .30-06 (ever seen one from Luxembourg?), and I'd pretty much have my mid-century MBR fix.
"ever seen one from Luxembourg?"
Yes, today. $1,400. And don't I wish I'd bought it...
Those Winchester Trench Guns are mighty fine, but ya gotta be careful, many old 1897's and Model 12's have been faked with after market stuff, of which you can by here.
http://www.ima-usa.com/product_info.php/products_id/1187
I reach my saturation point real quick with BettyPage gunstuff and money I don't have - I'm trying to zengun the stuff I do have.
"I reach my saturation point real quick with BettyPage gunstuff and money I don't have - I'm trying to zengun the stuff I do have."
I have my hands full taking care of my house cat, too, but that doesn't stop me from going to the zoo to look at the lions and tigers.
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