[Ed Hunter]

TUPELO GUN SHOW – 12/3-5​

Don't see any thread started on this so I'll have a go.

As with Pavlov’s dog (I think I’ve written this somewhere in these forums before) when the Gun Show comes to Tupelo I start to salivate and feel a compulsion. I don’t know why.

Got to talking with one of the old-geezer Poker Crew (if you followed any of my hen-scratchings you'll know what I'm talking about) and he was interested in going. During the conversation somehow we decided to be gentlemanly and invite the ladies along.

Friday was the only day I could go, so that afternoon, late – 3:30, my wife and I took off, picked up the other couple, and tooled our way up to Tupelo. We stopped at the Logan’s up there, had a nice dinner, and then drove over to the gun show arriving around 5:45PM, shortly after the show opened.

The ladies whiled away their time in the attached coffee shop whilst my friend and I, post disarming, began the tour of the show.

One problem with going early is that too often not all the vendors are set up and/or some are set up but covered over (not open for business). And this is what we ran into. I think knives dominated the show this time. And, as I’ve written before, these vendors sure love their ammo. Prices could easily be beat. Interestingly there was a multi-table reloading supply vendor there that I had not seen before. It looked like he had a lot of product but I can not comment on the prices.

While we were walking up one aisle I heard the call behind me, “Granddad”. I turned and there was my granddaughter with a couple of her friends (for reference take a look at: http://www.msgunowners.com/comp-shooting-firearms-training-area-shoots-f34/well-i-survived-t8973.htm posting 10/4/10, "One Tough Chic"). What’s she doing at a gun show? I must be a bad influence on her.

Well we didn’t buy anything. There wasn’t a lot there but, as I wrote above, getting there early on opening night is not the best plan.

So we picked up the ladies and headed back.

It wasn’t a total bust. They had us over for coffee and cake when we got back.

 

[Ed Hunter]

12/6/10

“POST DISARMING”​

This has been going around in my mind since last Friday so I decided to just put it on paper (paper? Rather, put it into the ether) and see if I get any comments.

I wrote above, “The ladies whiled away their time in the attached coffee shop whilst my friend and I, post disarming, began the tour of the show.”

Let’s talk about that.

I’m sure this goes on around the state at all gun shows as it does at the gun shows in Tupelo. A number of attendees bring a gun, or guns, with them for whatever reason. And, as I’m sure most all gun shows do, at the Tupelo shows there is a security desk there manned by one of Tupelo’s finest, off-duty. His job is to ensure each gun is clear and then made “inoperable” using plastic cable ties in one fashion or another. The same clearance/disabling procedures apply if you are “carrying”

In the past what I have routinely done, as I vacate the vehicle and walk through the parking lot up to the exhibit hall door, is to discreetly slip my hand onto the pistol, release the magazine into my palm, and then slip it into a pocket. Then, when I’ve entered and presented myself at the security desk, I withdraw the pistol, lock back the slide and hand it to the security officer. He immobilizes it with the plastic cable tie (typically running through the barrel and out the ejection port), closes the slide (as far as it will go) and then returns it.

These security guys have been very courteous. In fact a show or two ago one asked about the Taurus and I had an opportunity to expound to no end on the relative merits of that pistol.

So that brings us to this past Friday evening. I followed my usual routine. When I got to the security desk (magazine resting now comfortably in my pocket) and handed it to the security office (my opinion – he was hired help, not an off-duty officer), he asked if I had a loaded magazine. I said that I did. He said I had to unload the magazine and leave the rounds with him. Under the circumstances here was no point in arguing with him so I did what he asked. He slid the empty magazine into the pistol and proceeded to “immobilize” the gun. Now get this....he took the plastic cable wrap ran it thorough the trigger guard and up over the slide, leaving beaucoup amounts of slack. The pistol was fully operable.

And get this also....while all this is going on and I’m dutifully thumbing out the Hornady Critical Defense rounds, my friend is there next to me with his S&W J-frame, unloading and pocketing the rounds. Nary a word was said. The security (I now use that term in the broadest sense) guy didn’t bat an eyelash. He just wrapped some cable tie around the J-frame and we were on our way.

Didn’t make a bit of sense to me. And I have such an angelic countenance!

After touring the show, I returned to the “security” guy, retrieved my Hornady Critical Defense rounds, had him snip the cable tie, and, as I walked out the door was reloading the magazine and slipping it back in the pistol.

Any thoughts on that.


An Aside: Can’t let this go by. As I wrote in the original post, we took the ladies to Logan’s for supper. As we were exiting my friend expropriated a handful or two of “souvenir” peanuts which he dutifully put in his pocket. That evenings as I was driving us all home I glanced over and he was reloading his J-frame. It was pretty dark in the vehicle and once or twice I asked, “You’re not putting peanuts in that cylinder, are you?” You see, he’s older’n I am and I gotta watch out he doesn’t mess up.