SCI Convention
 

This past week I was able to attend the SCI convention for the first time. About a 4.5 hour drive for me to Nashville. It is quite the sight to see. Might you be interested in planning a trip to just about anywhere for just about anything this would appear to be the place to start.
Large crowd but I still managed to run into a few folks I was acquainted with. I had planned to hook up with PGCA member Gerry Addison at some point but ran right into him first thing Thursday morning, thanks for your help Gerry! Been a number of years since I have seen John Kruger but we bumped into each other and had a nice chat. John is still into the wood working and has purchased some ridiculous number (thousands) of gun stock blanks he was looking to move. Was cruising along one morning when l spied our old friend Ernie Hausmann and his wife, we had a nice long chat. Steve Barnett Fine Firearms was there with the usual nice selection of guns. Sounds like August has his hands full with some young boys that keep him on the move.
Myself and a friend were making our way down one of the rows when we spied our wives sitting at a table drinking a mimosa and just carrying on with a new female acquaintance like they were long lost friends. We approached and chatted a bit and were about to leave when her husband approached and introduced himself as Mark Ouellette. Now there's a name we have not heard for a while. What are the odds?
Go if you ever get the chance, it is quite the sight to see. A few random pics.
One last thing. The large antler chandelier in the last picture, it can be yours for the paltry price of 42K and change. I am of the opinion the owner is negotiable if anyone is interested :eek:

Nice pictures. I have several friends that go every year. They were telling me that the hunt auctions that they run there can go very affordably. I have to make time and go - especially since it is much closer to me than it used to be. I am headed to a local SCI fundraising banquet this Saturday. Good group.

I have heard that as well. They also offer a lot of "show specials" on a variety of items and hunts that can be attractive. What chapter is having the event you referred to this weekend?

Amazing trophy mounts!





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SCI Southwest Ohio. It is in Sharonville. If you want to go, I might have an open seat at our table.

Wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Wish I could Rick as Sharonville is not that far from me. However, the wife has committed us to an event already for that evening. Trust me when I say that I would rather be going with you. Thanks for the offer.

Doesn't that annual convention move every year? I have heard it's amazing. Were there firearm and ammo vendors Randy or just outfitters? I am going to join just to support their mission and goals.

Andy, from what I can see it has been in Nashville since 2023 and will be there again in 2027. No real ammo vendors were present with ammo for sale that I saw. Having said that most of the big name bullet manufacturers such as Hornady, Barnes etc. were present to show off their wares and discuss them. Several firearms manufacturers were present but there were only a handful with guns displayed on their tables for sale like you might see at the Southern. Most were show and tell but not all. I did note that a good deal of the guns displayed by manufacturers like Krieghoff, H&H etc. had sold tags on them. The vast majority of vendors were guides or professional hunters. Take a peek at the attached list, all 964 of them and you will get an idea as to the scope of this event. I had to break the list down into 4 pdfs as the website would not allow me to upload it as one.

O. M. G.

Has anyone been to the Harrisburg Outdoor Show? It's now run by the NRA. It used to be the largest outdoor show in the east or maybe in the USA. Outfitters from all over the country use to book hunting and safari trips. I went to the first NRA show and on the day I went, the cars were lined up waiting to get in all the way onto I-81! Great if you hunt or fish, not so much if you shoot clay targets.

I was supposed to go to DSC convention but stuff came up. Was looking forward to it too. Mills and I went last year and it was amazing.

I hope to attend that one some day.

There was an article today in our local newspaper about John Bollinger, Jr.. John is a local gunsmith that has built rifles sold in the SCI auction. One of his guns sold for a world record auction price of $290,000. His father, now retired, also did well at the auction.

There was an article today in our local newspaper about John Bollinger, Jr.. John is a local gunsmith that has built rifles sold in the SCI auction. One of his guns sold for a world record auction price of $290,000. His father, now retired, also did well at the auction.