I don't want to be an alarmist, but....

[Dick Miller]

The promoters of that show have done an admirable job of flushing it down the toilet, as they have successfully done to their other venues.

[Bill Murphy]

But they are multimillionaires several times over. The fudge guy is a great feature, right up there with the jewelry girl.

[Hammer Gun]

Gentlemen, At the last Board meeting we brought up the youth shoot possibility again, and it was decided to go for it I guess it is all right to say a few things about where we are, RST has agreed to furnish all shells, Trophies for different age groups best overall a 16 gauge trojan, redone by Bachelder, At present we are waiting to hear back from Kempler at deep river for our time slot he agreed to do this last year, as soon as the times are decided on it will go to Dean for a full page add for the winter and spring addition, several f us are working to make this happen it will be open to all members and families niece, cousins etc Parkers only this year, we will be asking for help from the membership to get your sons grandsons, nieces, cousins etc to Deep River next spring We can make this happen, details later, Gary

[John Allen]

Jay is totally correct in his analysis of what we are going through now.There are more guns being offered to a smaller market.Economics 101, high supply means lower cost.There is an exception to this that Jay touched on but did not elaborate.The market that is out there has turned into a more pure collector market where mint original guns are bringing more than ever.Hunting guns with even slight wear are dropping in price.Keep your heads up and keep working on the younger folks you know.Things will stabilize and good quality will always be in demand.

[JJ Roberts]

Bill,Annette is the multimillionaire she got the homes the plane and Steve the big bully is out of the picture. J.J.

[Terry Hobson]

I agree that the very high end market for doubles will persist, smaller supply of those guns that the very wealthy can pursue.

I just don't see how the rest of the market can hold steady. Seems to me the the number of bird hunters are dropping for obvious reasons. I am about the last of the Mohicans in my area. Historically many doubles were made and used for upland hunting. I know some doubles were used for waterfowl, I doubt if many are used for this now. The only young wing shooters I know are duck hunters who use plastic guns. Doubles for sure aren't used for clays in any appreciable numbers. I attended the Ronald McDonald House charity shoot this summer in Evansville IN, about 250 shooters---0 side by sides present.

It would by good to be young now and have the next few decades to purchase some guns.

[Hammer Gun]

Sounds like Chantilly has changed a lot since I was there with my P grade steel barrel collection It is the same way here, I was asked to display at a regional show that was supposed to bring a lot of collectors in I had a 4 table display and the guy beside me was selling beef jerky, I only counted 5 or 6 real collector displays It takes a long time to put together a nice display and set up at shows, Gary

[John Allen]

Terry,Just keep shooting and showing your doubles whenever you can.You will be surprised how many younger guys will be drawn to them when they see them in action.I have a small group of serious hunters who are all shooting doubles now.I am the senior at 68,but most of them are in their 40s.They have come to enjoy shooting the classics just by seeing a few of us bringing our guns to clays shoots and dove shoots.

[Big D]

Sorry guys. I think there is a lot of whistling past the graveyard. We can talk about high grade, or small bore, but the answer is that our hobby is dying. No different from hot rods and many other passions from our childhood.

[Kurt Sauers]

Ok,I'll throw my 2 cents worth in here. I haven't owned a shotgun or been hunting in 20 years. Took my daughter's lab pup for some runs and I've got the bug again. I bought 3 guns this years, a 16 vh , 12 ph , and a 16 ghe. The ghe just arrived at Bachelder's today and haven't seem it yet. I think I've got each one at a fair price. I look at GI and GB daily. Compared to the shape mine are in there's a lot of beat up guns listed at 1000 to 1500 more than I paid. There are some dealers out there that are grossly overpriced. In my unlearned opinion the guns here are always fairly priced i wish i could afford collectables but I'll have to stick with shooters. 2 cents is about all I've go left in the budget for this year. There's still a couple I'd like to get just for hunting, a 16, 26" barrels for woodcock and a 12 30" for late season pheasants.


As to younger hunters. My oldest daughter's husband ,out of the blue , said hs wants to go bird hunting. After much internet searching he settled on a gsp. I think he'd be fine just going to pheasant, quail farms. Im going to try to take him to some of the places i used to go woodcock and grouse hunting . The last time i was at their house he showed me a 870 he's got. My god,it felt like a lead pipe filled with cement. I told him i got a couple of sxs's 100 yeras old. Aren't you afraid they're gonna blow up was his response and he's never even heard of Damascus. I think there's a chance i can convert him unlike my youngest daughter who's all camo plastic and ducks. When i get my ghe home I'm ill let him handle his and then mine and tell him if you want to be a upland bird hunter these are the classic upland bird hunting guns. Try it ,you might like it.