Shriner's Gunshow - Wilmington, MA - March 7,8

Laryk and I just got back from the show and the range.

I saw a guy trying to sell 30rd Cproducts mags with a tag that said they were pre-ban at $30.00 each. Hope no one fell for that.

I saw two blue GP100's that were ridiculously over priced and I still had to be dragged away from them.

The popcorn was delicious!
 
shriners show

got there @9:30, thought id be in line forever ,but it moved very fast -picked up a mint 586 long bbl.-very happy-price was more than fair-bought my dog some bones@jerky stand(boy was he psyched) -had some breakfast sandwiches,not the greatest idea, barely made it home,almost had to pull over but had no moon floss-still think marlboro show was a little better,but i got what i wanted@shriners so it was worth the trip
 
That place was a mob scene today. Talked to StoneyPete and met Becka, by accident, as she was reading the back of my Appleseed T-Shirt. Came in with some cash, left will all my cash. Nothing was catching my fancy this time around. Plus didn't get there until around 1pm or so. Most of the good deals were gone at that point. Did see a guy selling a decent Russian Mak for $225, but passed.

Bad news for anyone going tomorrow looking to get ammo. The NY guys weren't there and the other large ammo vendor from VT was almost completely wiped out by the time I left. It was like vultures picking over a dead carcase at his tables. Geez.

Wasn't a complete waste of a trip. The weather was great, the sun roof was wide open and seeing it was on the way home. I stopped at Colt_Fan's bike shop to check out some of his bikes. All in all, a great day.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Bad news for anyone going tomorrow looking to get ammo. The NY guys weren't there and the other large ammo vendor from VT was almost completely wiped out by the time I left. It was like vultures picking over a dead carcase at his tables. Geez.
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The guy from Yonkers was there, he just had only a few tables set up instead of the usual 10 or so. I noticed when his sons aren't with him he sets up small.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
That place was a mob scene today.
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You think so?
I was able to navigate the place pretty easy without having to elbow my way through. Marlboro was MUCH more crowded.

Bad news for anyone going tomorrow looking to get ammo. The NY guys weren't there and the other large ammo vendor from VT was almost completely wiped out by the time I left. It was like vultures picking over a dead carcase at his tables. Geez.
Click to expand...

That table was a mob scene. I can't believe the prices. 1000 round cases of 7.62x39 was $300. The last time I bought that stuff it was only $85 a case. Thankfully I don't shoot it much and still have a good supply left. Even at those prices, he had no shortage of takers.
 
Rockrivr1 said:
Wasn't a complete waste of a trip. The weather was great, the sun roof was wide open and seeing it was on the way home. I stopped at Colt_Fan's bike shop to check out some of his bikes. All in all, a great day.
Click to expand...

How was it? Did you check out the Z25?
 
Picked up reloading stuff but their were no real bargains to be had. Prices I saw on 30.06, 270 and 243 were mostly higher than the local shops. Bullets about the same and if you wanted to scope a deal you really had to take your time through the mob scene. I really hate some of those funking people that have to have to share their limited knowledge with with the newbees at every gun table and buy little to nothing. One guy had to have a social event at every table and I seemed to be right behind him the whole afternoon.
 
Damn, I think I was behind the same guy at one point. He was showing his buddy the "grenade launcher" on a chinese SKS (gas tube) and then couldnt figure out what the 30 cal carbine in a tapco stock was even though there was an unmolested one right above it.

I also saw the CProducts mags being sold, guy next to me was buying them when I asked if he was from MA, and then told him the company didnt exist before 94. He still walked away with the mags.
 
Got there around 1300. Parked practically at the front door. Strolled around at my leisure. I think the biggest crowds hit it in the morning.

Pete's Gun Shop had a Walther PPS selling for $529.00 and that's the cheapest I've seen so far. I like that gun! Nice guy behind the counter, had a major cast on his hand but I didn't get his name.

Is anyone familiar with Pete's Gun Shop in Adams, MA and if so, do you think I stand a chance of getting the same deal in about two week's time?
 
Waited in line trying to spot NES folks. Went in when the doors opened and left around 11:30. Only thing I bought (thanks to a heads up from Whitey) was a nice 5.11 rifle case for $45.00. A good deal I think. Not as many rude old guys there but one guy did put his cane on my foot while cutting in front of me at a table...


Chris
 
OK... I have a confession to make. I'm not proud of this. I don't completely understand it. Maybe it is a sign I'm in need of professional help. Perhaps it is premature senility?

So I'm perusing the show today... and I see a preban Tec-9. There is not a single, reasonable, rational reason in the world for me to buy this. It makes no sense. I'm too old to be a "gangsta", and should be old enough to know better.

I am weak... it is in the safe now. God... what was I thinking???

Has anyone else been through this type of experience?

DOH!

Rich

P.S. Really... I am completely, totally confused by this purchase. I'll probably try shooting it and put it in the safe.
 
richc said:
OK... I have a confession to make. I'm not proud of this. I don't completely understand it. Maybe it is a sign I'm in need of professional help. Perhaps it is premature senility?

So I'm perusing the show today... and I see a preban Tec-9. There is not a single, reasonable, rational reason in the world for me to buy this. It makes no sense. I'm too old to be a "gangsta", and should be old enough to know better.

I am weak... it is in the safe now. God... what was I thinking???

Has anyone else been through this type of experience?

DOH!

Rich

P.S. Really... I am completely, totally confused by this purchase. I'll probably try shooting it and put it in the safe.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine who is only a few years younger (36 maybe) and also an NES member :::cough::: Ripach :::cough:::, said one thing to me regarding buying a similar gun and I always remembered it because its the same way I feel.

"I don't wanna be a gangsta, I just want the gangsta gun."


Works for me.

FWIW... I looked at it too but had already spent cash.[laugh]
 
Milsurps 4 Me said:
FWIW... I looked at it too but had already spent cash.[laugh]
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Milsurps... that's why God gave us credit cards!!!

[smile]

Rich

p.s. also picked a gorgeous S&W 41 with an extra Lou Lombardi custom barrel from the same dealer (who was great BTW). It is like a piece of art. The engineering is brilliant. Now that cost me a lot more than the TEC-9 and makes PERFECT sense!
 
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01SVTvert said:
I also saw the CProducts mags being sold, guy next to me was buying them when I asked if he was from MA, and then told him the company didnt exist before 94. He still walked away with the mags.
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Dammit! I am new to the AR world and took this guy's sign and word for it that they were preban. It's my own fault for not doing my research ahead of time, but still...

I suppose I can put these in my hidey hole in Vermont. Live and learn I guess.
 
scooter said:
not 1 small pistol primer to be had at 2 today.Powder was small selection too.I thought last year was better.
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They must have sold out by the time you got there because there were cases of them when I was there.

Urj said:
I saw a guy trying to sell 30rd Cproducts mags with a tag that said they were pre-ban at $30.00 each. Hope no one fell for that.
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I saw those. I didn't know why but I definitely got suspicious. Now I'm glad I didn't.

He wasn't the only scam artist there. There was some guy selling 100 round bags of "prvi" in 7.62x39 but if you looked at the head stamp, well... I don't know who they were but they weren't prvi
 
After reading some of the posts here about sellers at these shows using deceptive or outright fraudulent descriptions of their wares such as post ban mags,ammo etc., I am surprised that is allowed to take place in this day and age.

I go to a few Indian artifact shows in various states during the year.
Like any collectors market, it is wrought with fraud and fakes.
Most of these shows have a committee that polices the vendors before and during the show. If they are selling fakes or misrepresenting the items they have for sale they are asked to remove those items from their tables and if they refuse they are told to leave.

Another thing that is done is the show's sponsors supply an "information" table.
If you have a question about the authenticity or provenance of an item ,you can bring that item to the information table and get at least one if not two or three opinions concerning the item's legitimacy from respected collectors before you buy it. They also supply stereo microscopes, reference books etc .

Perhaps a bit more oversight would be in order at this point?
 
The gun shows are run as a commercial venture by a husband ans wife team out of NY. There are no committees and they don't cruise the shows to inspect wares, nor do they really know all the stupid MA laws.

If someone brought a particular vendor/issue to Carole's attention, I am sure that she'd do something about it, but that is what it would take to call attention to the problem.

Most gun show attendees are almost totally ignorant of the gun laws and thus easily "suckered" into a felony. Caveat emptor.

Don't know about you, but I have better things to do at a show than police others. I just shake my head and walk away. I will warn a friend, but not interfere with a stranger.

My only exception has been when my club is running the show and I'm working it . . . I don't want to see the club get in trouble. Otherwise, none of my business.

YMMV
 
It was crowded when I went but not so much that you couldn't move around. To the poster looking for the bayonets, there was one dealer that had a ton of them for all different rifles. I spoke with Don and Bob from M&M Reloads (formerly of B&D Reloaders). They were doing a brisk business selling off stuff from the Hyde Park store. I thought the AR and Garand prices were pretty steep. I saw the object of my lust - a tanker Garand for $1195 but it was in .308 instead of '06. I was tempted!
 
LenS said:
Don't know about you, but I have better things to do at a show than police others. I just shake my head and walk away. I will warn a friend, but not interfere with a stranger.

My only exception has been when my club is running the show and I'm working it . . . I don't want to see the club get in trouble. Otherwise, none of my business.

YMMV
Click to expand...

+1 Individuals need to know the laws. Not explain them to strangers. Besides- few of us are REALLY experts anyway- I know I've been wrong in the past. And I don't any more policing than we have in this state.
 
I went this morning after I got out of work. It wasn't very crowded at all when I got there about 10:30.

I thought that some of the firearms prices were very high, but no doubt some people found some bargains. I almost bought an Ithaca Model 37 for under $200.00 but I'm saving money for an AR, so I passed.

Ammo prices were about what I expected them to be, although I did seem some .45 ACP that seemed pretty cheap ($15.00 for 50 rounds). It might have been RNL and I don't know if that's acceptable for most 1911s.

I saw some .38 RNL for $15.00/box, which didn't seem outrageous, but again I passed.

Lot's of $1600.00 1800.00 ARs of various manufacture. Lot's of Garands, from about $800.00 up. Handguns seemed mostly high.

By the time I left around 12:30, it was much more crowded.

The only things I purchased were a rear sling swivel for one of my SKSs and three pre-ban 6906 magazines. I found it interesting, in light of thread on the subject, that the dealer asked to see my LTC, which I showed him. He had one LE only marked magazine and when I pointed it out to him, he took it off the table and put it in a box. He mentioned the "crazy" MA gun laws, and I certainly couldn't disagree with him.

The mags are in very good condition and will be good for range use saving my "good" mags for self defense carry.

Not a bad show, all things considered.
 
Garys said:
I saw some .38 RNL for $15.00/box, which didn't seem outrageous, but again I passed.
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Picked up some of them myself. Haven't used the 686 much and don't have the 38 Special relaoding set up so I figured why not. It will be good brass too. [wink] That's all I got.
 

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