Gun show rant

[Phil Yearout]

Went to the Chisholm Trail show today, which is the largest and ostensibly the best area show. The first thing I saw was a guy manning a booth wearing a t-shirt that said:

G_ F_ck Y_ _rs_lf
Want to buy a vowel?

This guy was at least as old as I am. Now, I suppose I would have thought that was really funny, about 51 years ago, when I was a sophomore in high school. But really? I will say, though, that there were a couple of guys about high school sophomore age taking his picture with their cell phones. He seemed really pleased.

The next thing I saw was a guy probably in his late 20's wearing a t-shirt that said:

F*CK OBAMA

Only with an actual "U" in place of the asterisk. Now, I don't care what your politics are, should you really be allowed to wear a shirt saying that about our president? You might think it, and that's your right, but to wear it on a shirt? Really?

Maybe I really am just getting old, but I was offended by both, and just a little ashamed to be associating with folks who would go out in public like that.

Oh, by the way: the show was a bust. Saw a couple decent Ithaca SBT's but not a single decent Parker or Fox. Came home with the money I left with, except for the $10 to get in.

[B. Dudley]

The big one in my area are the "F Cuomo" shirts with the AR-15s making up the F and K.

Just plain classy in my opinion.

[Mills]

Ours down here is "bring your money and bring your honey, 'cause we got jewelry too" That sounds pretty high class now.

[Kensal Rise]

When I'm REALLY bored, I go to a local "black rifle show" just to get out of the house.

Last one I attended had a sign on the door: "No Offensive T-Shirts or Hats."

At the gate window, I asked what they considered "offensive." They pretty much outlined Mr. Yearout's apparel review. Smugly, I walked in with my slogan-free shirt. And braved the atmosphere inside, filled with free radicals and sophomoric breakfast burritos...

[wayne goerres]

What I cant figure out is why we have remote control helicopters at are gun shows.

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by wayne goerres

What I cant figure out is why we have remote control helicopters at are gun shows.

Targets ?

[Brush Buster]

As far as I am concerned , Our local shows have really gone in the tank In my opinion !! The Pittsburgh Gun Collectors show recently has moved to an awful place which is extremely hard to get to as far as the traffic is concerned and has horrible parking and the Old Monroeville show has turned mostly into a " Black Gun " and Yard Sale Item Show with some Home Made Fudge thrown in , well maybe home made ,I have never bought any of it ,just don't really know where it comes from ! Wish it would go back to the days when the Guys just sort of got together to hang out and talk about our guns and have the possibility of picking up a decent gun walking through the door or maybe a new one ,one of the dealers has picked up along the way , no one seems to really be enjoying themselves these days !I think part of the problem is ,the Older Gentlemen which Truly were Gentlemen have gotten Old and Passed on or just not able to do the show circuit any more ,I know there were two such fellows which come to mind for me ,I would always take my latest Parker and show it to the one fellow as he was a Parker addict and we sure had some good conversations but he is wheel chair bound at this point and the other has passed away , time marches on !

[Richard Flanders]

There are two gunshows here this weekend, one the usual 2x/yr show at the university, the other the subsidiary of an outdoor show and mostly black guns. I went to the university show today and must say I have never seen an offensive Tshirt there in many years of going. I'd be offended by shirts like Phil describes also. Pretty low class in my book. The show was surprisingly well stocked with useful gunpowders for the first time in several years, but all too expensive, the cheapest being $25/#. I came home with a box of standard velocity T-22 that will work safely in my vintage Marlin mod 1892 levergun and a mint box of vintage Super X paper 28ga shells in #6 shot that was a surprise and welcome find. There was a $600 Trojan there in decent condition, but, as usual, not many other guns of interest.

[charlie cleveland]

i too went to a gun show today never seen any offensive t shirts but would have been if i seen any as discribed by others..only seen a hammer lever gun with a busted stock a parker brothers they wanted 550 for it.but it did have nice barrels..seen a rough lc smith for 650..bought a 1943 berretta 9 mm or 380. seen a 1905 made 1892 winchester in 32-20 was the best one i ever seen in unfooled with condition 1950 the price if it had been a carbine i think it would have come home with me...charlie

[Mills]

Best thing to do is save your time and money and come to one of the double gun events. You will need every cent you save too. I have yet to come back without a new (used) gun