I attended the Mesquite, Texas Gun Show today. It was held at the Mesquite Rodeo Exhibition Center.
I dragged my Transitional M&P around for a bit and had some nibbles on it. Once again, no one disputed the asking price as it was fair for that gun. Finally found and old gent that apparently had a twinkle in his eye for a beautiful 1946 S&W M&P revolver. He got the gun and the letter from Roy. I got my cash money. Great day in Texas.

This was my fourth show this year.
One per weekend.
1. Big Town Exhibit Hall, Mesquite, Texas
2. Market Hall, Dallas, Texas
3. Irving Convention Center, Irving, Texas
4. Mesquite Rodeo Exhibition Center, Mesquite, Texas

I hope to be able to attend some shows in Texas that I have never been to before. I have the locations and dates and will try and make a different show every week. That's my intended goal.

So far the shows have been typical of the past. A lot of full-up tables in a row with hundreds of brand new guns cabled to each other. I don't give them much attention. Little to none actually.

Peoples attitudes seem the same. Some nice, some disconnected from reality and others that should have stayed home.
First of all, I don't sell guns. This was the first sale of a gun in quite some time and I am still suffering from some separation anxiety. But, point being, I can't believe how many 'experts' come out of the woodwork when they are examining your gun for sale. I just stand there quietly. Really... They are either going to spring for it or they ain't.

I like the shows. Always have. I have been going to North Texas shows since the mid 70's. Each one seems to have at least one notable occurrence or event that is memorable. Suffice to say not all of those notable occurences were a positive event.

Anyway, the 1946 'S' series M&P is gone. I will close my eyes and pull another one out from under the bed and head for Lake Pointe Event Center in Lewisville, Texas next weekend.

Maybe I will see you there.
I will be the kinda tall guy, a bit overweight, and have a fair share of gray hair. That will be me..

Oh, I did buy something today. It was just a box. An all blue, unmarked, non numbered box. It was cheap and in like new condition. It is for a six inch barrelled gun with target stocks. I should be able to find something to nest in there.

bdGreen

bruce, glad you had a good time and made some room under the bed for another one. we only have three shows a year in this area and they sound much like yours. lots of new guns cabled together and many, many over priced other guns. good luck next weekend. lee

Oh NO! the thing that lives under the bed has guns ?
Now I really am afraid !

Good evening Lee.

We actually have many shows each weekend around the North Texas area. Most are withing 25 miles of the house. I am trying to hit some that I have never attended. Of course they will be on the small side. Go, spend a coupled of hours, then go home again. Not like Tulsa.

bdGreen

B DGreen; How many tables at the Mesquite shows? If large enough, it mightg be worth the trip from El Paso. I have been fairly regular at the Dallas, Ft Worth, Houston and San Antonio shows.

bruce, in NE and KS the best shows were the smaller ones. you never knew what someone was going to drag out of the closet to sell. like you said, spend a couple hours and still get to go fishing on a saturday. lee

Cyrano,
I have tried on a number of occasions to get the table count of some of the smaller shows. I don't think they publish that number. People in the know will pass judgement on the relative size.

I wandered through the show in about an hour and a half. Sold my gun and mindlessly wandered around for another fifteen minutes. Then I left.

I would not make the trip from El Paso for this particular show. It, like the Irving Convention center show, is not big enough to draw or support die hard collectors. I didn't see anything at either show that would make me anxious to leave without it.
There is a Midland, Texas show on the 4th and 5th of February. I have never attended that show so I can't give you a table count on it either.

bdGreen

Thanks bdGreen. I was at Odessa two weeks ago and while there was told the Midland show is a good one. I may try to make it.

Go to premiergunshows.com, it will tell you the number of tables available at each show.

I lived in the DFW area in the 90's. Back then I thought the Big Town in Mesquite was the best. Market Hall was populated by mostly new gun dealers, but there were some good finds there. You are in the heart of Cash America pawn shops and First Cash. I would take a day off in midweek and make the round at those shops, finding a lot of good stuff. It's good to know the managers and their code: marylouise. 1=m, 2=a, etc. They also put the date they received the gun on the tag. It's good to know how long they have been sitting on a piece for barganing leverage.

I haven't attended any gun shows so far this year but in the past I've had fairly good luck at the shows I attended here in Arkansas especially the Springdale gun show. Over the past three years I've added several great S&W revolvers at that show and I will probably try to hit it again this year.

After going to the Ft Worth at Ammon Carter show a few times anything smaller than 5 acres doesn't seem worth it. Mostly gun stuff, lower ratio of new gun sales than Mesquite. Still got you oddball venders, scented candles, end of the world equipment and fishing guides. Last time I went there must have been 10 jerky booths giving out samples. You want to face downwind while browsing.

__________________
>>ARMED LIBERAL>>

Bruce,

Sorry I missed you again. I also walked around the Mesquite show on Saturday. I thought they had a good crowd.

I saw a guy walking around with an unfired M34 2", no box. He was a little high I thought and since I had just gotten there and didn't know what else I might find, I didn't make him an offer. Later when I didn't find anything to spend my money on, I started looking for the guy again. Just as I found him, he was in the process of trading it even to a table holder for some no-name little mouse-gun auto. I talked to the new owner who said that he had a friend who would be there on Sunday and probably would want it. He obviously had very little in the gun he traded since he told me he would have to get an amount for the M34 that was $50 less than the original owner had quoted me earlier. I offered him cash on the spot, but then both he and I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and we didn't want to risk the wrath of AG Holder so we parted.

I was hoping that you were the "friend" that he was referring to and you would report on your new little .22.

Bob

Good morning Bob,
No, I wasn't the 'friend' that he was saving it for.
I was at the show on Sunday. It was pretty slow when I got there. Had a lot of dialogue with a couple of guys that saw my M&P at the Irving show. They still wanted it, but, they wouldn't pony up. That's the difference between a collector and a flipper.
The show started picking up a bit after the noon hour.

I am heading to the Lewisville show this weekend. It's another one I have yet to attend. Anxious to see the Event Center and what it has to offer.

Might see you there.

Bruce

Bruce,

Your post reminded me of the Lewisville show and I put it on my calendar. Haven't been to that one in a long time so I am shooting for it on Saturday. Hope to see you there.

Bob

Bruce:

Are you going to make Tulsa in April? I will bring a scratched up Model 35 if you are.

Bob

When is the next big show at Market Hall in Dallas? I missed the last.

James,

I show it as April 14-15.

Bob

I suggest Ft. Worth Original Gun Show at Amon Carter at the Stock Yards. It's always been a favorite of mine. Probably 1200 tables. I think it's only a week or two away.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Bruce: I looked for you Saturday at the Rodeo show. All I got were a couple of 2 piece blue boxes... for for my 63 ND (will all papers and tools) and one for a 19-3 which I don't have but needed the tools for another gun (28), I'll probably post the 19 box and instruction sheet on the "Accessories" area. Did see more old Smiths there. I was about to buy a pre 36 nickel until I turned it over... big chunk of nickel gone.

As you can see, I got my SWCA card--thanks to your referral.

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Randy
Provenance nerd

The Original Ft. Worth Gun Show is worth the drive across the Trinity. My favorites are:

1. Market Hall (the biggest and best)
2. Original Ft. Worth Gun Show (almost as good)
3. Big Town (getting smaller and smaller)
4. Classic Ft. Worth Show (too much non-gun stuff)
5. Lewisville (very disappointing)

Bob B.,
I plan to be at the Lewisville show. I haven't figured out which day yet. I am shooting for Saturday in the a.m.


Bob R.,
It is my full intent to make the Tulsa show. I am on a roll here in Texas and plan to expand my horizons. Will that Model 35 start out scratched up or will it get that way on the road trip?


wbraswell,

I used to attend that show religiously many moons ago. Got away from going to it and really don't know why. I plan to put it back into my schedule this year. I bought a lot of stuff at that show in the earlier days of my youth.

Randy,
Welcome aboard. Glad to see you got in the door.
I attended the show on Sunday. I bought one of the non marked two piece boxes. Probably from the same guy you purchased yours from.


I will be at the Lewisville show this weekend and will be dragging around a couple of Smiths that will help in reducing my inventory.
I am going to part with my Brazilian marked .45 a.c.p. revolver and maybe a pencil barreled early Model 64 with the four inch barrel.

I can't keep 'em all.

bdGreen

Randy and Bruce,

Those two piece blue boxes were on the table of the guy who traded for the unfired M34 that I spoke of. He had it in his coat pocket when I left.

Bob

This is a good website depicting NTX gun show scedule
aubreyturner.org: Dallas/Ft. Worth Gun Shows

Bob-

Thanks!

Bob, I am surprised you didn't buy the non marked boxes. One was for an 8 inch barreled gun the other for a six incher. I left the longer box with him. Funny thing, I also bought a white grease pencil from him...

Really? No, not really.

bdGreen