Huntsville Ala Show?

[PBI]

Not trying to be harsh but people can spin anything to make their point. I am concerned with the turnout. If I preach to the Dallas Arms Collectors that a display will be beneficial for them at the gate it needs to be. They can't spend $4000 dollars to bring me out there and not justify the expense. The first year that I put on the show in Birmingham I spent $7400 out of my pocket. Yes $7400 dollars and I can document it. So my point is if someone spends lets say $500 to attend a display seems real cheap to me. Back when I use to go to the Great Western in Pamona I spent that plus some. Again if you can't make it I understand but I can't guarantee that DACA will foot the bills if there is not a return of investment. Can anyone guarantee that the gate will increase in Dallas? Again I understand economics real well but excuses are real cheap.

[Tired Retired]

I think I am starting to take in a totally different viewpoint of this whole thing. In the excitement of seeing alot of carbine-minded people getting together and drooling over alot of different carbines, I had forgotten the cost involved with traveling and transporting firearms just to show them.

My view point to travel and seeing things has always been:
1) Do my family responsibilities allow me to travel?
2) Do I have the time available?
3) Can I reasonably drive there [I hate flying to vacation events]
4) is the trip within my budget [gas, room, food, ticket cost, etc]
5) how much spare cash to I have to buy the items on my "to-buy priority list"?

Now, I realize that these events offer unique opportunities for trading and purchasing for those interested, but I do also know, based on growing up with parents that did lapidary (rock & jem) shows, that the vast majority of people who attend shows actually buy very little. While a few people will spend alot, most people just look.

So Paul, I assume that the show organizers are counting on a large increase in door ticket sales to off-set the cost of the carbine showing? Having attended numerous gun shows in this area (Ft Worth, Waco, Denton, but NOT Dallas) I'm honestly not sure that just showing the carbines will bring a door increase. The attendance around here at regular gun shows has actually started decreasing from "totally packed with frantic buying" after the Nov elections to "ok attendance with high prices" the last few months. At $8 per head, you need to pull in 500 more people. With this (strange) limit to advertising, I can only tell you that 20 or so local area forum members will show up. The economy is down and people are starting to slow their firearms and ammo purchases.

How do you get more people in? Well, here are a couple of questions for you:
1) are you the only collector who will be showing?
2) can you coordinate with others who have LEGITIMATE parts to bring them (and their samples) in such as stocks or USGI parts?
3) do you have access to other items which will add something for the non-carbine collector (ex. cheap ammo to sell or an old veteran for autographs)?

All I know is that there are ALOT of gunshows here in the DFW area on a regular basis - someone must be making money at the them or people would not keep having them.

I'm not going to give you cheap excuses as to why I can not come to Huntsville in January - I just know that I have responsibilities and limitations beyond my control. Either respect that statement or you don't. Heck, it was the perfect chance for me to go to the South store!

Look, its your guns, its your money and its choice. If you come to Dallas, I will make it a point to I come up and introduce myself to you. If you don't, well, I guess it will be at a show that my responsibilties allow me to travel to.

This dead horse has been kicked enough.

Ed

[painter777]

I passed along a E-mail to Eddy Yuja to see if he might be in Dallas in 2010.

Charlie-painter777

[Harlan (Deceased)]

So Paul, I assume that the show organizers are counting on a large increase in door ticket sales to off-set the cost of the carbine showing? Having attended numerous gun shows in this area (Ft Worth, Waco, Denton, but NOT Dallas) The attendance around here at regular gun shows has actually started decreasing from "totally packed with frantic buying" after the Nov elections to "ok attendance with high prices" the last few months. I can only tell you that 20 or so local area forum members will show up. The economy is down and people are starting to slow their firearms and ammo purchases.


1) are you the only collector who will be showing?
2) can you coordinate with others who have LEGITIMATE parts to bring them (and their samples) in such as stocks or USGI parts?
3) do you have access to other items which will add something for the non-carbine collector (ex. cheap ammo to sell or an old veteran for autographs)?

All I know is that there are ALOT of gunshows here in the DFW area on a regular basis - someone must be making money at the them or people would not keep having them.


Ed

Ed,

As your nieghbor here in the DFW area, I'm telling you you've done yourself a disservice by not attending the Dallas Market Hall shows. (Even if it's in Dallas!)
I used to attend a show almost every weekend in the DFW area and surrounding cities before I became disabled and on a fixed income, and nothing touched the Dallas DACA (Dallas Arms Collectors Assoc) show as far as usually seeing far more milsurps and other military collectibles than any other venue in the Metroplex and surrounding cities. The shows there are MUCH larger than most. I've been to all the venues in Ft. Worth many times and some have been very poor with little turnout of dealers and visitors. I've been to a few at Will Rogers and didn't see more than two or three millsurps of any kind. Just the same large dealers selling tables and tables of new glocks, etc for retail prices. Not putting Ft Worth down in any way, OK? I'm from the mid-cities between Dallas and Ft. Worth.

The DACA shows are well advertised and I think full sized billboards all over the metroplex saying 'M1 Carbine Show' would bring in a lot of extra people. At regular shows there's usually a very long line anyway just trying to get in if you don't get there early.

The DACA has a large membership of 'collectors' - That's what the club is all about. Many or most collect old guns and they have tables set up.

The Carbine Show -
Ed, I think you have the wrong idea what this show is like. I don't know how many carbines would be at the show, but if it's half as good as the one Carbine show I drove to in Birmingham, it will be nothing like anything you've EVER seen. They had an area set up for the carbine competitions and I was able to view many, many, pristine original carbines that were unbelievable.
There were also wonderful private displays everyplace of rare carbines and many other people were selling carbines, carbine parts, tools, etc.

I had 'Carbine Overload' for days!

PS - I grew up near Birmingham (Hoover) and Birmingham has changed into a different city over the past 30 years. It was a dirty industrial city when I was a kid with palls of smoke coming out of the many steel factory smoke stacks and such, but it's a modern state-of-the-art city now, and very clean by most city standards.

On top of that, the majority of people there are nicer than about any city I've ever visited. (JMO)

Paul emailed me several times before I drove there and gave me directions and updates. I'm sure he probably doesn't remember me, but I met him briefly at the first show he had and he's very nice in person. He was busy beyond belief but took the time to stop all he was doing and was very cordial to my wife and me. I really hope things turn out well for the Huntsville show. Paul does so much for so many and I know it's a thankless undertaking a lot of the time.

~ Harlan

[Hooks]

I think I must be missing the point some are trying to make with the Alabama and Texas GET-TOGETHERS (please excuse the southern redneck slang which might not measure up to some parts of the country elite). From what I remember this all started with some of us talking about meeting in the Dallas area where we could put a name with a face and share lies with each other and have dinner somewhere. (I remember a place called The Bounty, early 60’s). Seems to me the first meeting could be held in a Wal-Mart parking lot if necessary. Why all the fuss over reasons to or not to come. Like most things in America it is all about choices. I for one would like to make the trip to Dallas because it is where my wife finished college and also worked at Parkland Hospital when Kennedy was shot. She still has friends in the area. JYTCW
BB

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

The Carbine Show -
Ed, I think you have the wrong idea what this show is like. I don't know how many carbines would be at the show, but if it's half as good as the one Carbine show I drove to in Birmingham, it will be nothing like anything you've EVER seen. They had an area set up for the carbine competitions and I was able to view many, many, pristine original carbines that were unbelievable.
There were also wonderful private displays everyplace of rare carbines and many other people were selling carbines, carbine parts, tools, etc.

I had 'Carbine Overload' for days!

Paul emailed me several times before I drove there and gave me directions and updates. I'm sure he probably doesn't remember me, but I met him briefly at the first show he had and he's very nice in person. He was busy beyond belief but took the time to stop all he was doing and was very cordial to my wife and me. I really hope things turn out well for the Huntsville show. Paul does so much for so many and I know it's a thankless undertaking a lot of the time.

~ Harlan

Harlan,

You mentioned a very important fact about the Birmingham shows.

Paul's 06 and 07 shows were " NATIONAL M1 CARBINE DISPLAY & COMPETITION"
As such, they brought people out of the woodwork. Allowing longtime and newer fellow Carbine collectors to meet each other in person. To compare and talk about their collections, ideas, and thoughts about our hobby. Where it started, where it has been, and where it might be going. Who wouldn't want to meet Larry Ruth and get signed copies of his books? I know I would.

From the pictures I saw posted afterwards, folks brought all kinds of items for display. I would have loved to have seen the tool display. To me it looked like Carbine Heaven.

I am waiting and hoping there will be another NATIONAL M1 CARBINE DISPLAY & COMPETITION in the future that will exhibit these kinds of items and bring together such notable people.

Huntsville would be a blast, it just doesn't work out for me at this time of the year. Where as I had already planned for Dallas in the summer to see the display. So I am a bit disappointed that Paul may not be able to display there. Hell, I would go to Huntsville in the summer if he held it there. Everything is timing.

Paul has taken on a big task. It can't be easy for him. He is trying to please the many, so the few of us that can't make it for personal reasons just have to try our best or understand.

Jim

[Tired Retired]

I think we have beaten this horse until there's nothing left to bury. But please allow me to clarify my earlier statements because I think I may have been misunderstood.

First, I was trying to point out that Paul, and many collectors and enthusist like him, put out alot of time and personal money for others to just come and look around. I offer a sincere "thank you" to you and others who do this. Not all of us have the financial means to shell out alot of money on our hobby and it says alot that you will open your purse strings to share things with strangers. Your love of collecting is the real reason why our children will have these weapons as hand-me-downs (with accurate information) when we all pass on.

Second, I was not trying to knock going to Huntsville or recommend that the DFW area is a "better" choice for a showing - just that having a showing in DFW is a different venue which will provide opportunities for ADDITIONAL people to get exposed to "carbine magic".

Third, as is often the case, I have learned things I didn't know before I opened my mouth. Harlan, you are right, I do need to swallow my pride and drive over to Dallas once and a while. (But do you think I should bring a gun or just drive a bullet proof car?)

There will always be a "not-so-good date/place" for any type of gathering of people. And there will always be "this-is-a-better date/place" statement when something is scheduled. The whole point of this is we are a group of people that love our hobby and we want to participate as much as we individually can afford (both money and time-wise). That says alot of the caliber of people in this hobby.

Unfortunately I can not make Huntsville in January for responsibilities that are beyond my control. Yes, I am very disappointed. You guys have fun and PLEASE take alot of pics and post alot of stories. If there is a show in Dallas in the summer, I will make sure that I show up and shake as many hands as I can.

[PBI]

Tired Retired you remind me of an Italian WWII tank. It had 1 gear foward and 6 gears in reverse. The 6 were to get out of trouble faster than it got in to trouble. LOL

[painter777]

If the show ends up in Dallas, Eddy Yuja hopes to be there.
I'm working on him to drag his parts along.

Charlie-painter777

[Tired Retired]

Tired Retired you remind me of an Italian WWII tank. It had 1 gear foward and 6 gears in reverse. The 6 were to get out of trouble faster than it got in to trouble. LOL

Now thats actually funny because I usually refuse to shut-up until I get things my way! I made a career out of being an aggressive a$$ who never let a person's rank hold back what I had to say!!! Once told by a Flag officer that "you have an attitude problem" to which I quickly replied " Yes, sir, I have an attitude - just no problem"... I won that arguement, too...

See you in August, Paul!