Forks of the Delaware Historical Arms Society Gun Show

[MarkV]

The FDHAS show opens this morning at 9AM to non-members. Normally 700+ tables on primarily historical arms/items but also a good mix of newer weapons, ammo, etc.

Band of Brothers member Bill Guarnere will be there today signing autographs.

A great show - I'm about to leave to be there when the doors open!

http://www.allentownshow.net/gunshow_schedule.htm

[Noah_Zark]

Got there at 0820 this morning, and inside at 0835. Made a low pass through the whole show in about 90 mins; it was really easy because it's always the same show, different date. Same bunch of Harpers Ferry muskets and parts, and Springfield muskets and parts, and Trapdoor muskets and parts, and $1200-$2000 M1 Rifles that were $600 from the CMP, and the same Nazi daggers, flags, uniforms, insignia, etc. Don't get me wrong; to each his own. But I've seen many of the same guns show after show for a few years now and I think some of the dealers just like the social aspect of the show as opposed to actually selling something. And I admit that I'm a cynic, but that's what 55 years on the planet have done to me.

Checked out the Charles Daly Little Sharps in 45 Colt in the back of the small room, but the triggerguard is too small for double set triggers and my medium-sized trigger finger so I passed. Got three SIG 229 12-rd mags from Vicky Kennedy and a few 1911 parts from Bill Ricca and was out the door by 10:20 to go visit my daughter at college and haul some of her stuff back before the big move-out next weekend after finals. She has one more year, which means I'll renew my FOTDHAS membership for another year. Once the daughter's moved on to grad school, the membership will lapse.

Just the grousings of an old fart that's halfway to 110. YMMV.

Noah

[ungawa]

Checked out the Charles Daly Little Sharps in 45 Colt in the back of the small room, but the triggerguard is too small for double set triggers and my medium-sized trigger finger so I passed. Got three SIG 229 12-rd mags from Vicky Kennedy and a few 1911 parts from Bill Ricca and was out the door by 10:20 to go visit my daughter at college and haul some of her stuff back before the big move-out next weekend after finals. She has one more year, which means I'll renew my FOTDHAS membership for another year. Once the daughter's moved on to grad school, the membership will lapse.

I could never figure out why you drive all the way out here to our little rinky-dink gun shows. I guess I know now

[MarkV]

Well, I'm 55, too, and on the "glass is half full" side.

We got there just ahead of you and were in just after 8:30. Made a pass of the tables - and agree that you see much of the same stuff. But, to me the fun is finding the new items or in finding the few thing that I might need. We found a few nice - and underpriced - C&R rifles and some excellently priced C&R pistols.

We wewre pretty much window shopping, though, this time. I did get a great deal on an Imperial M4 bayonet in an unconverted M8A1 scabbard - for the price of the M4 alone. Mark Jr gets the M4 and the M3 I picked up awhile ago in a damaged scabbard goes in the scabbard.

We talked to Bill for awhile, made several trips through and then headed down to the newly opened IMA retail store in Easton - spent a long time looking over maybe 50 Martini Henrys that have 100 years worth of dirt and grime on them. It was a blast.

Mark and I have lots of fun roaming the shows together and hunting down bargains and oddities.

[ungawa]

Well, I'm 55, too, and on the "glass is half full" side.

Well, I'm an Engineer, and the glass is twice as big as what we actually needed to get the job done.

It's an old Engineer joke, but was never more appropriate than it is when describing the Forks show

[Noah_Zark]

Admittedly I've become jaded with guns shows because I remember what they were like in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and into the 90s. The past 10 years, and especially the past five years gun shows have become mini versions of eBay, IMO -- nearly anything and everything is "Rare!," "Scarce!", etc., and is priced for that special sucker, er, excuse me, buyer to come along and buy the story along with the item.

When I see the same rusty, er, patinia-covered Trapdoor carbine on the same dealer's rack for the third year, he's either ever-hopeful or just doesn't care if it sells or not and operates under the high margin, glacial-speed turnover business model. I'm an engineer by training and businessman by profession and live by the time value of money, fair margin, and fast turnover.

It's not fair to gun show dealers for me to assign my business model and values to them, I admit. It is there inventory and they can use it for a weekly or twice-monthly physical exercise regimen if they so choose. However, one definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results. Thus, for most of the FOTDHAS dealers, setting up at a show is a social thing, not a business thing.

Still, it beats cleaning out the garage. YMMV.

Noah

[93-2.3]

I saw the chrome 91/30 there again I want it but don't think 115 is worth it when there were nice ones there for 99 that someone didn't bubba lol. Apparently others feel the same way considering it is still there. I'm a sucker for mosins one day ill but another beater for another project. I'm thinking bull pup just need one ratty non collectible Mosin cheap lol. Show was ok for me though

[Story]

to the newly opened IMA retail store in Easton

Ok, I had to look that one up. For everyone else who scratched their heads, here it is ->
http://www.ima-usa.com/info_pages.php/info_id/27