First gun show, for me, since March and it was such a welcome experience…………

Five bucks to get in the door, masks optional (yay!), and they were temperature scanning everyone who came in the door.

Lotsa tables, big crowd, zero bargains. People see where the money is at and the usual assortment of plinkers and hunting guns was severely outnumbered by the ‘assualt weapons’. Apparently, Black Rifles Matter. Saw a lot of stuff that I don’t normally see at shows including Uzi, Valmet, DSA Fal, HK, PTR, Arsenal, Sig, and pretty much every other outfit that ever made something that took a 30-round mag. Come to think of it, the only thing I didn’t see were Mini-14’s. Although I did find a Mini trigger assembly that mysteriously seemed to have had its disconnect sear ground off. Funny that.

Ammo was plentiful if you had the money. A lot of money. Same for mags.

And, for the first time in several years, I ran into Johnny Trochman..he of Militia Of Montana fame. I think I spoke to him for about ten seconds before he started in with New World Order plans that were being leaked. Whatever. We both wear tinfoil hats, it’s just a matter of whose got the shiny side in and who has the shiny side out. But, he thinks of me as a like-minded soul so he gave me a double handful of parachute flares to tkae with me after I bought some smoke cannisters and other goodies from him.

Things I almost bought? Blued 4″ GP100 for $500, looked hard at the Valmet in .223 but figured logistics would be easier with a 7.62×39, another Ruger PC Charger came close to coming back with me but I managed to keep my resolve. I discovered MagPul is making polymer replacement lowers for the Hk-series ‘Navy’ (plastic) lowers and came close to getting one but, again, managed to keep a cool head.

Also ran into a few people I knew, which is always fun.

All in all, a really good show….a lot of tables, good turnout.

Hamilton gun show this weekend.

Came >this< close to picking up an Arsenal SLR-95 for……$650. In fact, I’m kinda tempted to go back and get it. But, no, instead I consoled myself with picking some magnificent Hensley & Gibbs bullet moulds (four- and six-cavity) for the .38, .44, and .45 Keith bullets. Oy, the quality….oy, the craftsmanship….oy, the wieght! But, seriously, wonderful moulds.

Went looking for a holster for the Ruger 5058 and brought it with so I could try on holsters. I had at least three people ask me what the gun was, marvel at how it was ‘perfect’ with it’s round butt and full underlug, and did I want to sell it. Uhm..no…finding it was kind of a bigfoot-riding-a-unicorn event to begin with, so I’m not terribly likely to sell it.

Also picked up some reloading dies and that was about it. AR’s were well represented at the show, but the AK selection was a little thin. Found an M1 Garand for $750 which is the cheapest I’ve seen one in probably ten years but while they are a fun gun to shoot I think they are stupidly impractical for my needs when there are 20-rd detachable mag .308 rifles all over the place. “But..but…walnut! Steel! Iwo Jima!” Yeah, so what? You dont think every one of those guys in WW2 would have pitched their 8-shot, ten pound Garands into the ocean to get a gun that was about a pound lighter, held 2.5x the ammo, had better ergonomics, and could mount an optic?

Most interesting thing at the gun show? I ran into the folks from Blue Line Coatings and said hello. They were talking to some people and mentioned “Oh, this is the guy who had that HiPower we told you about”. I had the Watergun with me so I let them hold onto it to show people while I walked the floor. Again, if youre in the region and want some coatings on your gun, give ’em a holler.

Only other gun I saw that tempted me was a Ruger Scout rifle that had been coated to ‘coyote’ and had its Scout rail replaced with a full length rail from XS. Was really tempted to pick that thing up. But….I’ll instead just order the rail for my current Scout.

And that was about it. Gun show, fun show.

I’m a cheap bastard. But, I’m also a dude who likes certain things a particular way. And, once in a while, I’m a dude who will pay the extra coin for something that is literally no better than a similar item at half price simply because of the brand (‘goodwill’). I was walking through the gun show today and found this:

What is it, you may reasonably ask? Why, it is a tanker holster that is made to fit a 9/40-frame Glock. A regular GI tanker holster ain’t gonna fit a bulky gun like the Glock. Who made it? Thats the nice part….

The fine folks at one of my favorite I-wish-I-could-afford-it leathergear makers. This was virtually new and cost me sixty bucks. I am pleased.

The other deal I found was the classic “My buddy died and Im selling off this stuff for his wife” deal. Federal and CCI large pistol and large pistol mag primers…$13.33 per brick. Or, put another way, $160 for twelve thousand pistol primers. And I didn’t even buy them all…there were still about 20k left. And recent-production 1# cans of Bullseye for $15. So much stockable reloading supplies, so little cash.

But…I’m feeling pretty smug on the holster.

Oh…and I ran into the guncoating people from when I had the Watergun done. They didn’t remember me but they sure remembered the gun. They apparently talk it up to customers. I need to send them some really good images for their advertising.

Oh, it’s bloody hot.

This weekend is the Missoula Gun Show which is, as I understand it, the oldest and largest gun show int he state. And it happens darn near in my backyard. Or, at least, it used to. This year, for the first time since I’ve been attending it (30 years), they have changed the venue. Why? Mmmm. Not sure. I’ve heard two competing rumours and both probably have some merit. The first is that our illustrious alcoholic, obese, philandering, statist mayor’s (“The Biggest Boozer”) pet project – a “no private gun sales w/o background check” law – would make the gun show impossible and the University, who hosts the show, didn’t want to get caught up in that potentially legal morass. The other rumour I heard was something about the University charging exorbitant fees for air conditioning. The reality? Who knows? Maybe both. Eithe way, it’s going to be at the Hilton Garden Inn up on Reserve St.

I keep saying Im going to try not to spend money at these things and every bloody time I wind up ….spending money.

And, of course, the gun show is an opportunity to catch up and visit with people I almost never see except at these sorts of things…so thats pretty cool.

Speaking of cool, when the end of the world gets here I a going to have a heck of a time putting up with summer heat without an air conditioner.