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Forums10
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 331 Likes: 6
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 331 Likes: 6 |
Back from the Vintagers.
It was HOT and being surrounded by the bay, well, humid too. Thur, Fri and Sat all hit 90+. Vintage attire was quickly shed in favor of heat survival clothing of shorts, open shoes and cotton shirts. Sunday a cool front moved in and made for a nice day for the main event.
The targets were excellent. Shooters moved through the course without much delay. I shot one event Friday afternoon and that was enough due to the heat. Saturday I shot early and got in 2 prelim rounds. Had the weather been nicer, I would have gotten the Carte Blanc and shot till I dropped, in the heat 3 events was enough.
I noticed a few vendors I patronize, did not make it. Some dealers were having a good show, others reported it slow. When I queried the dealers, it seemed everyone was shopping for "a small gauge ____" and you fill in the blank. I sold 2 guns and traded 1 towards a dent raising kit. I have some "project guns" (read wall hangers), with more than enough dents to get me up to speed before I tackle any nice gun.
It was also my wife's first trip. She enjoyed the entire event. We ate Maryland crabs every evening at different venues. She is ready to go back next year (except for the drive from NC).
Except for the flat tire, 9pm, on RTE 50, limping into a Subway parking lot to unload everything into the parking lot, to reach the spare, to change the tire, to reload the car and then dinner. At least that nice pub in Easton was open late with lots of cold beer and good crab soup.
Joe
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,831 Likes: 13
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,831 Likes: 13 |
Just posted pics of the event to my blog: http://www.dogsanddoubles.comPics of the Manufrances are in there. OWD
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198 |
Joe, can you tell us what restaurants you visited? You seem to be happy with the ones you patronized.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 580
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 580 |
Anybody happen to see a Lefever 16 G Optimus there? I heard a rumor.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 14,122 Likes: 198 |
Nope, however, there may have been two or three under tables to be offered to the elite. There usually are. More Optimus grade Lefevers seem to come out every year.
Last edited by eightbore; 09/28/10 06:33 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 79
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 79 |
Bill, I'm not Joe, but regarding restaurants, our group went to Washington St. Pub in downtown Easton--pub fare and good beer--great for the first night, and Harris' Crab House on Kent Island, which had a quite remarkable "all you can eat" crab, shrimp and corn feast, finished rather excessively with their home-made nutty buddy desserts. The latter place is a favorite and I always try to dine there-although after the big feast I was rather ashamed of myself for excess gluttony. Others went to the Crab Claw in St. Michaels and reported favorably. Keith L.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,642 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,642 Likes: 1 |
Hello Joe, Good report. Next trip pick one . JC
"...it is always advisable to perceive clearly our ignorance."ť Charles Darwin
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,271 Likes: 202
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,271 Likes: 202 |
Dr. Bob, the Optimus was supposed to have been viewed by several Lefever Arms Collectors Assoc. members and "given the stamp of approval" according to the seller. I wonder if these members will come forth with their views. Hmmmmmm????
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 355 Likes: 9
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 355 Likes: 9 |
There were fewer dealers again this year. Long time dealers like Holland & Holland, FAMARS, and Mid South (all of whom were at the Southern this year) weren't there. Dealer attendance at the Vintage Cup continues in the opposite direction of the Southern SXS shoot which has been growing fast and is now much bigger than the Vintagers.
Dealers point to tables at the Vintage Cup costing a lot more than at the Southern as the main reason the two events are going in the opposite direction. Also, the Vintagers $20 daily admission for visitors discourages new people from coming to out to learn about the sport and visit the vendor tents. Neither the Southern nor Great Northeast SXS shoots charge a gate fee for visitors.
Hopefully, the organizers will make the event more affordable for vendors and visitors, as its the vendors and curious vistitors that really bring in new people into the sport.
The Southern and Great Northeast SXS have been growning rapidly of late, it would be nice to see the same thing happening to the Vintage Cup.
"When you have to shoot, Shoot! Don't talk." - Tuco
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 318
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 318 |
DGM: You sum up my take on the event exactly. My son and I drove over from Nokesville VA on Saturday. For me it was to see lots of people I've known for a long time...and the same-old same-old guns and stuff in the game fair tents. Paying $40 for the two of us after driving around D.C. to one of the remotest and hard to get to venues would be a deal breaker for all but the most motivated, and it was reflected in the scaled-down dealer presence and, I suspect, a dramatically lower paid attendance. There just weren't that many people around, and I knew too many of the familiar faces...few if any newbies or anyone under 55...alas!
Everything appeared pretty thin. The food tent went inside this year. At 2:00 p.m. Saturday, all they had were crab cakes and veggie burgers (crab cakes were good!). I have attended about 9 or 10 of the Vintage Cups, including the first in RI in 1997. I am sure a good time was had by all, and I found it worth my trip and my $20 share of the admit fee, but I doubt that new double-gun prospects like my son (in his mid-30s with one Trojan 12-bore) will ever be attracted to the situation as it now exists: A virtual private party for the dyed-in-the-wool double-gunners, like myself...alas! EDM
EDM
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