Pops and I Had A Good Time At Our First Gun Show

Lurking around the forums over the past year plus, I'd read that gun shows ain't what they used to be, and I could see where one could get his fill of it eventually. But dad and I are pretty much new to shooting and we were like 2 kids on Christmas morning. We were near giddy being surrounded by all of these guns we hear and read about, but dont get much of a chance to see, much less handle, it was a hoot. (He's going back tmrw for that sr22 he couldnt quit fondling).

Giggling and joking around with my dad has pretty much become a thing of the past until today- we had an absolute ball, laughing at him try on WW2 helmets and old armor plates, and finally having a chance to handle all the firearms we wanted without having a huffy LGS employee rolling his eyes at a couple newbs.. Old hat for a lot of folks, I know, but we had a ball.

He doubles as my boss and the hours are few and far between that we're not talking (stressing) about work. Usually our conversations revolve around which customers are pissed off at us, or how we screwed this or that order up and what can we do to improve..but nary a work word was spoken on the way, while we were there, or on the way back.

Their were some decent deals to be had (cci spp 29$ for 1000), along with some not so good deals (AutoComp 39$ 1LB), but more importantly it felt, we were hanging out and having a darned good time together..

This kind of feels like a "what did you do this summer" back to school essay, and probably a little corny- but who cares, my oldest daughter tells me I must've left "cool" back in the 90s when I left anyways..

I'm glad pops and I (finally) found something that we could do together besides work and I'm hopeful I can connect with my daughters in such a way in the future.

Feel free to talk about your "good" gun show or shooting experiences, or if nobody has any, maybe this can help brighten someone's day. Have a great weekend everyone. -PH

 

Nothing beats "bonding" with your dad.

 

My dad was sworn for a few years before I was born. He never had much to do with guns that I can remember. At one point the only gun in our house was a 9mm handgun.

He eventually got his Browning Sweet Sixteen and two childhood .22 rim fires (a mossberg 351kb and a winchester 250) from his mom's house. One day when I was about 12 I convinced him to go the store and get some ammo so I could shoot a .22. He let me shoot the 250, a lever action. He told me:
-The gun is always loaded
-Never point it at anything you don't want to kill/destroy
-Get a good sight picture
-When you put your finger on the trigger, squeeze your whole hand to shoot, it should be a surprise shot

Until just a couple of weeks ago, we hadn't shot together since. I had come to acquire a 1944 M91/30 and had just gotten a new mossberg 500. I asked him to go the range with me and he was delighted. We had a lot of fun. He mainly just watched me shoot but since we live 2300 miles apart and only see each other at Christmas I think thats all he wanted to do.

I always thought he must have gotten into some negative situations when he was a National Park Ranger and then a Sheriff's Deputy and didn't want me messing around with guns. I have never asked him. He's been a doctor all of my life. Always given me wisdom. Good man. Thanks for the chance to post this!

Ben

 

Yea. He's had a rough go over the last year or two too, lots of trouble with another family member, and the stress just seemed to disappear today.

 

Thanks for the post BigSky.

 

Wish I could take my dad to a gun show, that would be worth price of admission a thousand times. Glad you can. I've moved to the country, so the gun shows are fewer, smaller, friendlier, and I look forward to them like never before. Far less new guns, but far more old guns in perfect condition.

 

That's pretty much the exact opposite of everything I've always been taught about marksmanship.

 

good surprise shot, bullseye every time. Maybe different for handguns 45_auto.

 

C'mon 45, I doubt that was the point of BigSky's post, to tell you how to shoot.

 

And thanks for saying that ^^ BigSky, because I felt pretty goofy posting this thread..

 

I mean... You know. It's not like my dad graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement Academy.

 

I'm glad you and your Pops had a good time at the gun show. I hope you enjoyed the experience and got a good laugh at the sake of the vendors. The gun shows around me seem stuck in 1994 or 2013 and didn't get the memo. It's especially hard that it's held at a place that has a huge outdoors store 5 minutes a way that beats almost all the prices at the gun show.

I have slowed down going to them because quite frankly it angers me.

When I do go, it seems that it's some sort of sick and twisted form of self punishment on my part. I usually have zero intent on buying, unless the vendor is fair in price, which is rare.

I take my anger out on only the most unreasonable of table vendors.

"Oh, you want $9.00 for a 50 box of Remington thunderbolt .22? Good luck buddy"

"You really want $2700 for that colt python? Do I pay extra because it looks like you put it through a woodchipper?"

"$650 for that dinged up Makarov...seems slightly overpriced, boss?"

"You really can't drop the price on that smith and wesson m&p 15? I think $1450 is a little high and I'll pay cash $1100, which is still too much...not even $10?? It isn't 2013 ya know..."

"I'm thirsty, but not $3.00 for a bottle of water-thirsty"

"You really can't knock a few dollars off?"

"What exactly are you saying that "they" don't make 5.56 ammo anymore, I think your bluffing old man."

"What did you do? Go to Fin Feather and Fur, snagged a bunch of ammo and try to double your money? Genius manuever by the way."

"I don't have to "shop it around" I'm not paying 65 cents a round for 5.56."

Gotta love a free market.

 

When my son was little I would take him to the Reno show. He was always asking about this and that. I was the Shell answer man. Now, he is in his twenties with a young family of his own, I am the Bank! It is still worth it, His son is 3, he will end up with all of it!

 

Thanks for posting fellas.

Sol, their was definitely some gouging going on. To be fair, we did see some ok prices also. But I almost vomited when the guy told me 39$ for Auto Comp. For the non handloaders among us, 30-32$ is plenty high and about as much as I will pay (if I need it). Interestingly, that powder table had no prices that I could see, you had to ask the guy and he would come over with his little whiz bang doo hickey that was hooked to his computer and scan it, and then he'd tell you the price.

Maybe they were ashamed to post the prices.

 

Glad you & dad enjoyed it so much. Never had the chance with mine as he passed when I was 8, but went to many a show with my younger brother and/or best friend over the years. Now both live a good ways out of town and it's been quite some time since we got to spend time doing that & I miss it. The shows may not be as good as the once were,but it's still an enjoyable way to spend an hour or three. Just not as fun alone.

 

Great story. My dad and I have a lot in common such as political views, guns, etc. we hadn't done much together in a long time though. A while back we took our conceal carry classes together. It was a great time. To top it off we had the best qualifying targets in the class. He sent the pics to everyone he knew and bragged about us.

It was great.

 

That's awesome ljnowell...

LOL I dont think we'll see our scores being at the top of any class at this point! Thats pretty cool.

 

Definitely. Its also nice to see in person all of these guns we talk about in the forums all the time. Its funny, we're walkin around and im thinking out loud, using forum names, "walkalong has one of those pistols but with a scope on it" or "1KperDay says this one chokes on cheap ammo". Dads like "huh? Who's that"?

 

Have to ask which show did you go to? I know about the one at the VBCC in two weeks but didn't see anything about one this past weekend.

 

It was at the old cahaba shrine where Winchester rd dead ends at Pulaski pike. My uncle,an old Leo forwarded me the email about it, but im not sure who put it on, if that's how that works. Quite a few people there, 5$ cover.

Looking forward to the one at VBC this wknd but I sure don't need to spend any cheese. It's weird, our area goes a long time without any shows and then 2 back to back. No time to let the funds build back up.

 

Should have know that's where it was at. I drive by there two or three times a week and never seem to know about them until after they are over with. Oh well maybe next time.

 

Warmed my heart,,,

I lost my Pop about two years ago,,,
We had many days like you described.

That's why even though I miss him a lot,,,
I do not have the "I never told him I loved him" regrets.

Days like the one you wrote about,,,
Will comfort you when he's gone.

I wish you many more days with him.

Aarond

.

 

Favorite customer scenario!

Father and son. History lessons, they actually buy something, swappin' lies... doesn't much matter - father son customer interactions are my favorite.

After that, I love selling old pocket knives to mothers taking their sons out for their first knives.