doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Gunshow Etiquette:

The lure of gun shows used to be the possibility of finding something rare or unusual. Now days everyone is the expert 'cause..."I saw it on the internet". I haven't been to a show in several years.

Well, I have to say, just what I have learned on just this one forum in the past 12 months, far, far exceeds EVERYTHING I ever learned at a gunshow.

Just sayin' (is the saying that applies),

"The lure of gun shows used to be the possibility of finding something rare or unusual."

I think it's still that way at the bigger shows like Vegas, Denver, Tulsa and others. I can tell when a big show is on because the phone starts ringing. A lot of treasures have come to light in the last few years.

The local shows...not so much.

Not necessarily. I was at small show in Pennsylvania a few years ago wherein an old guy in his late 80's had a table full of delectable '03's and accouterments- 20's vintage arsenal target rifles, NRA Sporters, USMC Unertl scope, and the like. He stated that he was a bachelor and that these were his 'kids', and was starting the process of finding new homes for them before they were orphaned. Money was tight , so all I was able to buy was a P.J.O'Hare sight adjusting tool for the '03.

I should have continued with "I saw in on the internet and there selling for (add a substantial price here") : No intent on discounting the knowledge available on the net.

That Wurfflein is in beautiful shape but as Brent mentioned, that must have kicked!
To change the conversation a bit, what are a couple of rifles that you saw at gunshows and then passed up only regretting it later?? Mine were both at Sioux Falls at their February show. (a good one if you're into older guns) The first was about 10 years ago, when I saw a Hawken style rifle on a table. Not knowing much about Hawkens, I said is that a Hawken? His comment was "I think some of it is but it has Gibbon on the lock". It was marked J&S Hawken St Louis. It had a neatly inlaid piece of tin on the bottom of the forearm and I said well somebody did a nice job of patching that up. $1200. Went home and bought Baird's book and found it was all original. The tin was inlet to prevent saddle wear through to the ramrod channel. The other was a very nice shortrange Borchardt that the guy had just bought from a walk through. I could have purchased it at a nice price but then asked myself "what would you do with that?" Passed on it and have regretted it ever since. Dumb on my part.

Mine was a fully factory engraved slant breech sharps, mint, at a gunshow here in the twin cities around 1973/74. Seller wanted $600 and I offered a little bit less. As he considered the price I turned away and the guy in back of me said I'll pay the $600 and he walked away with it. Oh, live and learn.

Now the question could be discussed about the pros and cons of the etiquette involved. By the way the guy who bought it was a friend when it happened and still is today. Old Vern has one of the largest gun collections here in Minnesota.

Bob I think you know who I mean.

My big regret was not buying a cased Springfield Armory star gauge device which was for sale at an Ohio Gun Collectors Association show in Columbus years ago. It was at the first table I saw when I went in the door, and if I had bought it, that would have been the end of my buying at that particular show. I passed it by, and by the end of the show I was so dazzled that I forgot all about it until I was some 200 miles down the road on the way home.

OH BROTHER DO I HAVE 2 THAT STILL KILL ME!!! The first was in 1974 and I had just graduated from college after having returned from 2 tours in Vietnam. I was at all things a Flea Market with a girlfriend when a 40ish dealer said to me "You look like you appreciate fine weapons" He pulled a Banner Mauser in 7X57 from under the table in the original box with all the papers with hanging tag and it was a short Mannlicher made in the 30's before they were even drilled and tapped. It was literally N.O.S. I asked him what he had to have...$500 firm...beautiful pre war blue, great wood, light maybe 6lbs. and I thought and said "I need the money for Law School" and PASSED! The second was 13 years ago at the Bozeman Gun Show, my youngest daughter was 3, a toddler, tired, hungry and fussy and so was my wife and 13 year old. I looked and saw what I THOUGHT WAS A MODEL 70 WIN. SHORT RIFLE IN 7X57, NEW UNFIRED IN THE BOX WITH ALL PAPERS. I checked to make sure it was authentic [integral front sight ramp turned onto barrel] and everything checked out. The old man who had it wanted $2200 and would accept only cash. I ASKED HIM TO HOLD IT WHILE I WENT TO GET CASH. We left and could not find a bank open or anywhere to get that much cash. Try as I might I could not get the cash. When I went back, the man had sold it to another dealer. AAAAGGGHHHH! I remember my DAD always saying, no matter how many wonderful guns you will own, none will stir your emotions like the ones that got away!!!!

My most stupid move was at a Wisconsin Gun Collectors Show in 1965. I saw a mint Model 720 Remington in .257 Robert at a very fair price. I knew Carl Moldenauer was out of town, so I figured it was safe for me to check out the rest of the show before buying it. It was of course gone when I did go back. The good thing is that in the ensuing years I never made a mistake like that again.