Fort Worth Gun Show 10 February 2024

[CapnMac]

It's passing popular, here on THR, to read about just how bad many gun shows are. This often gets into regional gripes, and gripes that are more related to the show promoters than the show vendors. That is what it is. "Back in the day" is just that, where it could be worth driving a 110 miles to the AstroHall show, or 200 miles to the Dallas Market Hall show. Those days are gone (and neither venue is used for shows).

Today was a complicated day for a show. For one, it has been raining off and on all day. For another, its the last weekend of the FW Livestock Show & Rodeo, so all parking around Will Rogers is a confusion. Further, I have bids in for next weeks' Bedford RIA auction pending.

But, getting out of the house on a gloomy, rainy day is a positive thing. So, I set out on the twenty mile drive to Will Rogers. Show was packed, with attendees and vendors-- fourteen (14) aisles' worth. A larger show than many Premiere-hosted ones. And the press of vendors meant very few were in their "usual" locations. This made for a lot of walking. Seemed like most for the crowd was leaving grubby fingerprints on ARs and handguns--an equal mix of shiny and plastic ones. But, I found some cool stuff to take home.

My buds over at Plinker's Ammo had really clean ammo cans for nine bux, so that was hard to resist (and the next best show price was $12)

Then, there was a leather vendor who does not come to the show often enough.
Got a 1.5inch suede-lined Ranger Belt for all of $67 OTD (local western shop wanted $75 for unlined; my custom tack shop wanted a c-note)

Buckle is not that much to write home about, but, it's on a Chicago screw if I care to change it.

So, happy with those scores, I was heading out, when I came across a dude moving his personal collection.
In that collection was a 1953 Springfield Garand that gauged very nicely on ME & TE

Stock is very plain with no cartouches, but not horrible, either.

Just a touch of wear on the butt plate.
Dude offered up some extras since he was culling the herd

Ammo in the clip is LC 69. Twelve benjamins after haggling.

So, not a bad show for me. Were they screaming hot deals? Maybe. Perhaps.

I figure I saved enough to pay for my dinner over at Mercado Juarez, which ought to count as some sort of "win."

 

[P Flados]

I probably would have done dinner at Joe T's, but that is mostly because of the meals I ate there with my Mom before she passed. I do not get back to Ft Worth much any more.

 

[AlexanderA]

That looks like a nice Garand. Not a bad price either.

 

[CapnMac]

have done dinner at Joe T's

Was about four, and the Stockyards are still jumping from the Rodeo, which might have meant a long wait. Those meals at Joe T's are way larger than I eat any more, too. That's also why I did not go to Cooper's BBQ in the stockyards. I was so chuffed, I gave thought to hitting Hoffbrau or Bob's Chop house, but I was dressed for a gunshow.
Fort Worth has a number of great, local, eateries. Something the Entertainment District in Arlington is short of (every possible national chain, but locals are thin on the ground).

 

[CapnMac]

looks like a nice Garand

It may be refinished, and the receiver stamp is a bit beat up, but, yeah the price was right for the look and the gauging. For me, it' meant to be as much a shooter as a collectible.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

It's passing popular, here on THR, to read about just how bad many gun shows are. This often gets into regional gripes, and gripes that are more related to the show promoters than the show vendors. That is what it is. "Back in the day" is just that, where it could be worth driving a 110 miles to the AstroHall show, or 200 miles to the Dallas Market Hall show. Those days are gone (and neither venue is used for shows).

Today was a complicated day for a show. For one, it has been raining off and on all day. For another, its the last weekend of the FW Livestock Show & Rodeo, so all parking around Will Rogers is a confusion. Further, I have bids in for next weeks' Bedford RIA auction pending.

But, getting out of the house on a gloomy, rainy day is a positive thing. So, I set out on the twenty mile drive to Will Rogers. Show was packed, with attendees and vendors-- fourteen (14) aisles' worth. A larger show than many Premiere-hosted ones. And the press of vendors meant very few were in their "usual" locations. This made for a lot of walking. Seemed like most for the crowd was leaving grubby fingerprints on ARs and handguns--an equal mix of shiny and plastic ones. But, I found some cool stuff to take home.

My buds over at Plinker's Ammo had really clean ammo cans for nine bux, so that was hard to resist (and the next best show price was $12)
View attachment 1193894
Then, there was a leather vendor who does not come to the show often enough.
Got a 1.5inch suede-lined Ranger Belt for all of $67 OTD (local western shop wanted $75 for unlined; my custom tack shop wanted a c-note)
View attachment 1193896
Buckle is not that much to write home about, but, it's on a Chicago screw if I care to change it.

So, happy with those scores, I was heading out, when I came across a dude moving his personal collection.
In that collection was a 1953 Springfield Garand that gauged very nicely on ME & TE
View attachment 1193898
Stock is very plain with no cartouches, but not horrible, either.
View attachment 1193897
Just a touch of wear on the butt plate.
Dude offered up some extras since he was culling the herd
View attachment 1193895
Ammo in the clip is LC 69. Twelve benjamins after haggling.

So, not a bad show for me. Were they screaming hot deals? Maybe. Perhaps.

I figure I saved enough to pay for my dinner over at Mercado Juarez, which ought to count as some sort of "win."

Nice! I paid 750 for my well loved (read, probably has bodies on it and very likely saw action in the tail end of ww2 or in korea) November 1944 Springfield M1 Garand from the cmp in 2021 and to find a nicer condition one (with the oiler, still need to get one for mine) for 1200 private party is not bad!

 

[Ignition Override]

You really know and appreciate character and history.

But many of those Joe Sixpacks could have more easily visited a couple of gun Stores to sample the modern plastic Glocks and ARs.

 

[CapnMac]

could have more easily visited a couple of gun Stores

Possibly, but this size of this show is like being able to browse several dozen shops without having to drive all over DFW to do so.
And with being able to "see" virtually all the compact nines, all the mid-size as well, even the service-sized one--far larger variety than one dealer is like to have in their case.
All manner of finishes, too. I saw many more of the electroless nickle finish RIA handguns in person than even in the online catalogs. About the only Glocks I did not see were the long-slide editions (and wasn't really looking). About the only TISAS I did not see were the Army of the Armed Services versions (and I was looking).

In answer to a different thread, I did see, just the few, used ARs. One caught my eye for looking like an old-school A2, but was actually a Poverty Pony. A couple of DD builds, but, most were PSA. The dealers were not going to take anything in trade they did not think would sell.

And thre were a lot of people sitting down filling out 4473, too. Pretty much everyone with a chair for that task had an occupant.

 

[Charlie98]

One caught my eye for looking like an old-school A2,

Will Rodgers is probably my favorite, it's usually a pretty big showing (vendors) and is run pretty well. I was surprised you hit it with the Rodeo going... I did that one year, an Army brother was visiting and wanted to buy CASES of ammo... he had his VA disability check... and I didn't realize the Rodeo was going at the same time. That was chaos.

A1's and A2's don't get the respect they deserve. Unfortunately, there are not many unmolested ones around, anymore... some of them are pretty beat, and a lot of them were butchered up to make them more Tacticool as the AR concept progressed. I still have my nearly virginal Colt H-Bar A2... and I have to admit, for years the temptation was great to 'do something to it,' but I stayed my hand. The answer, in the end, was to leave it alone... and build another... and another... and another.

 

[CapnMac]

I was surprised you hit it with the Rodeo going..

I was surprised that the venue was available. But, it was the last week of LSS&R, so about 3/4 of the crush is really gone. Two of the Museums were also having events, because of it being the last Rodeo w/e, too.

The next Prenier FW show is in late March, and it's already planned to be smaller, only around 800-900 tables.

 

[Charlie98]

The next Prenier FW show

Was this last one the Dallas Collectors Assn one, or something else? I forget...

 

[CapnMac]

Was this last one the Dallas Collectors Assn one, or something else? I forget.

No, just Premier doing its thing. They often get a 'bigger' show ginned up if they've "been away" a while.

Dallas Arms Collectors has a small show over at Southfork Ranch (not a horrible drive from McKinney, but 50 hard miles from my place in Arlington). Southfork is not really 'near' anything, either. Ok, from my remove, I can justify a trip to Bavarian Grill, maybe.

Premier is going to have an Allen show in like August, IIRC. There's a couple of Frisco shows coming up (but, I can't remember who the promoter is).
There's to be a middling-swank show over at the Gaylord (which may be more "Western" items), and going to GRapevine is a good reason to hit up Tolberts.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I like how you plan and coordinate your gun show attendance with a good meal in the area.

 

[CapnMac]

you plan and coordinate your gun show attendance with a good meal in the area.

Comes from being in a smaller town for a quarter century. If you are driving to another County, and the show is a bit of a bust, having a "something" to show for the effort can make up for the bust.

Ok, the Saxtet show in San Marcos could be full of gems, or of manure. If the latter, going to Snow's or a similar Top Ten BBQ joint could "make up" for it. And, some days, just having a good meal afterwards was frosting on the cake.

This redoubles if you are in a group. Which can be a tough way to hit up a show. Unless you can split up, the group tends to stop only where one person is interested, the the rest are just in the way until the whole clump moves.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

^^^
Oh I totally get it.
I have to go for cancer follow up every six months and always make the appointment around lunchtime.
(The hospital is right near an area of excellent restaurants.)

 

[Insignificant bill]

I should have gone haven't been over to FT Worth in quite awhile.

 

[CapnMac]

haven't been over to FT Worth in quite awhile

Premier is having them March, April, and June, among other dates.
https://www.premiergunshows.com/shows/dfw-original-fort-worth-gun-show/

I miss the days when Defender Outdoors had their downtown range there on University only a couple of miles from Will Rogers.