I'm so exhausted, I don't know where to begin. After a week of getting up at O'Dark Thirty, the crowd was almost too much. A mass of humanity and yet, maybe half a dozen FFL's and of course the owner, Shoot Straight.
There were lines to get in, lines to buy ammo, lines for the CWP class, lines to do 4473's.
Prices were stratospheric, never mind the roof. $800 S&W 649's, which seemed most popular by availability. 642/637 were $499+. Walther Creed $600, 6 months ago they sat at $300. Desirable handguns were $4digits, but .40 Shields (1.0) could be had @$450. Took me a couple weeks to sell one for $250 in the Spring. Bargains? Khaled won that title-S&W 4046 "Tactical" DAO police trades were $329, take your pick. I might have weakened had the 4473 process not been measured in days instead of minutes.
Only one other bargain was a new S&W 686-? with lock of course @$679.
AR's were simply ridiculous, guns that sat @ $500 mere months ago were $900-$1500 and were moving.
Ammo? Sure, plenty Wolf 7.62x39 steel case $400/500 rds. 7.62x51 Chilean was over $1K/ 1,000. 5.7 ammo that was $15/box 50 last Spring was $75 today. 9mm aluminum case Federal was a "bargain" @ $299/ 1K.
No place to sit to eat but no chili-cheese-fries either. For the "crusty" attendee (of which me and the doc are) not much "get" for $12/ a head.
Doc spent a hundred on a holster, a "political" coffee mug and lunch. I spent $10 on "nothing."
Oh yeah, a disconcerting moment: While doc was buying a mug I spied a live, Federal 9mm ball round in the middle of the aisle. I snatched it up and ran it over to the "admission control" guy at the main door and you'd think I gave him a bar of gold. Looking back, I wonder if'n someone with "nefarious intent" had it and got wise/chickened out. Hate to have to think about it. Joe
There were lines to get in, lines to buy ammo, lines for the CWP class, lines to do 4473's.
Prices were stratospheric, never mind the roof. $800 S&W 649's, which seemed most popular by availability. 642/637 were $499+. Walther Creed $600, 6 months ago they sat at $300. Desirable handguns were $4digits, but .40 Shields (1.0) could be had @$450. Took me a couple weeks to sell one for $250 in the Spring. Bargains? Khaled won that title-S&W 4046 "Tactical" DAO police trades were $329, take your pick. I might have weakened had the 4473 process not been measured in days instead of minutes.
Only one other bargain was a new S&W 686-? with lock of course @$679.
AR's were simply ridiculous, guns that sat @ $500 mere months ago were $900-$1500 and were moving.
Ammo? Sure, plenty Wolf 7.62x39 steel case $400/500 rds. 7.62x51 Chilean was over $1K/ 1,000. 5.7 ammo that was $15/box 50 last Spring was $75 today. 9mm aluminum case Federal was a "bargain" @ $299/ 1K.
No place to sit to eat but no chili-cheese-fries either. For the "crusty" attendee (of which me and the doc are) not much "get" for $12/ a head.
Doc spent a hundred on a holster, a "political" coffee mug and lunch. I spent $10 on "nothing."
Oh yeah, a disconcerting moment: While doc was buying a mug I spied a live, Federal 9mm ball round in the middle of the aisle. I snatched it up and ran it over to the "admission control" guy at the main door and you'd think I gave him a bar of gold. Looking back, I wonder if'n someone with "nefarious intent" had it and got wise/chickened out. Hate to have to think about it. Joe
