Sunday, October 14, 2007

The Super Bowl of gun shows didn't happen overnight

"If you like guns, you've been to the Wanenmacher gun show.

And if you like guns and haven't been, well, you don't like guns as much as you think.

The Wanenmacher Arms Show in Tulsa is the Super Bowl of gun shows. It is the largest in the world, with 4,000 tables and six miles of exhibitors.

If a collector can't find a gun at the Wanenmacher show, it probably can't be found. Not only do collectors and gun enthusiasts from across the country travel to Tulsa for the show, they also come from across the globe, as do exhibitors.

The two-day show, which begins Saturday, will have gun exhibitors from Australia, New Zealand, England, France, Belgium and Holland in addition to the United States.

The gun show has been a staple in Tulsa for more than 50 years, but few know about Wanenmacher or how Oklahoma became the home of the biggest gun show in the world.

"It didn't happen overnight,” said 70-year-old Joe Wanenmacher, the show's producer and the man responsible for bringing 11 acres of guns to the Tulsa fairgrounds twice a year."

All well and good. Collectors need a venue and so do those with more money than toys. For me, I'd love to see a show where A.) There were more gun tables than Beef Jerky ones. B.) More than 1 person was selling things people actually wanted and could afford.

Before concealed carry you couldn't give away a beat up old Kel-Tec that fed every other round and was minute of elephant. Now they try tossing in a cheap holster, an extra mag with shot springs, and ask for the sun and the moon in return.

Sure, I like to gawk but like to BUY even better but won't be hornswagled. Thats pretty much why I pass on most shows as of late.

Thanks to The War on Guns.

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