Every once in a while, I’ll mention a Smith and Wesson and say it is a J-frame or a K-frame or some other letter-frame.
Generally, I try to provide some context, for the benefit of the non-Smith and Wesson fans who make up part of my audience. However, I am not always successful at that.
I’ll add this to the “reference” section on the sidebar, too. Come to think of it…
No, no, don’t thank me: I run a full service blog here.
Last week, I was in Concord, North Carolina (a little outside of Charlotte).
Why?
The Smith and Wesson Collectors Association symposium, of course.
Yes, I did have a great time, thank you very much. No, I can’t talk a lot about what went on at the Symposium, since it is a closed meeting. I don’t think I’m revealing too much by saying there was an interesting presentation on a very early production S&W (serial number five) and another presentation on tracking down old NYPD guns. Not just “was this a NYPD gun?” but who carried it, when they carried it, and even background about the person who carried it.
(Fun fact: at least for the period of time under discussion, there was no such thing as a NYPD “issue” gun. Police officers were responsible for purchasing and providing their own firearms, based on what the department approved. There are some very limited exceptions: the department did have some “loaner” guns for officers whose weapons were being repaired, and some “specialty” guns for certain situations. But generally, if you were a NYPD officer, you bought your gun, it had your shield number engraved on it, and the NYPD kept track of what type of gun and what serial number was used by the officer with that shield number.)
I picked up some paper (S&W instruction sheets and promotional items). I didn’t buy any guns (which legally would have to be shipped to my FFL anyway), though there were a couple that tempted me. Bones, one of my friends in the association had a 638 that he offered me at what I think is a fairly good price. If I hadn’t already bought that Model 38…also, there’s another gun that I have my eye on.
(I’ve been telling people “I have Smith and Wesson tastes, but a Jennings Firearms budget.” I used to say “…a Taurus budget”, but someone pointed out to me that Taurus firearms are getting expensive.)
There are always some folks selling books as well. Generally, it isn’t their main focus, but incidental to the guns/parts/accessories on their table. Another one of my good friends had two Julian Hatcher books on his table that I think were original Samworths. But when I went back, he’d sold both of them to someone else. We did end up having a nice conversation about the Samworths, though: both of us were happy to find another SATPCO fan. (And he’s offered to sell me some of his surplus Samworths.)
Someone else was selling a copy of Elmer Keith’s Safari. For $1,000. But: this copy wasn’t just signed by Elmer Keith, it was signed by Elmer Keith to Bill Jordan, and included letters between the two of them. I can see the associational value justifying the extra $600 or so, if you’re a serious gun book crank.
(The same guy has another book I want, but the price is giving me the leaping fantods. And they weren’t on sale, but there was a guy there who had a couple of books on H.M. Pope to accompany his display: S&W target pistols that had been re-barrelled by Pope. Since I’m already interested in barrel making, that’s another rabbit hole to go down. Fortunately, those prices are more reasonable. Relatively speaking.)
I did get some good barbecue at Jim ‘N Nick’s in Concord. Thing is, it seems like it was more Alabama ‘que instead of Carolina ‘que. But it was still good. As was the chocolate cream pie. And the cheese biscuits were excellent: I’d buy a package of the mix, except shipping costs more than the mix itself. (I didn’t bring any back with me because I wasn’t sure I could fit it in my bags.)
Other than that, food was iffy. The hotel had an excellent free breakfast. Not a “continental breakfast”, but a real hot breakfast with an omelet and waffle station, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and etcetera. The hotel restaurant, on the other hand, didn’t have any wait staff: you had to order at the bar and a runner would bring the food out to you. And it honestly was not very good food.
Traditionally, there’s a “cocktail party” (which is really more like a full-blown dinner buffet, complete with prime rib carving station) and a sit-down banquet two nights during the symposium, so I didn’t go out those nights. My other meal out was at a Jason’s Deli with a bunch of my friends from the S&WCA so we could talk shop about some projects we’re working on.
I really didn’t do any touristy stuff. The convention runs Thursday through Saturday, and I spent all of that time gawking at guns and catching up with my friends. Sometimes there’s an excursion arranged as part of the Symposium, if there’s a point of interest nearby, but not in this case. Sunday was the only day I had free to explore. And I didn’t have a car. I looked into renting one just for Sunday, but that was so difficult I gave up the idea.
As it turns out, the hotel in Concord was almost right on top of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Apple Maps has it as two minutes (.5 miles) by car, and I could see the lights of the speedway from my (second floor) room. There is a tour offered, but it wasn’t available on that Sunday. Hendrick Motorsports is big in the area (the hotel is almost literally surrounded by various Hendrik auto dealerships). Their facility was also close to the hotel, and apparently used to offer tours: “Campus remains temporarily closed to the public.”
(It isn’t that I’m a huge NASCAR fan: I try to keep up with the sport as a background process, but not seeing the speedway or the Hendrik campus didn’t break my heart. On the other hand, I really enjoy going to obscure places even if they may not line up with my current interests: you never know when you’ll come out of a new place with another rabbit hole to go down.)
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long Smith and Wesson related to-do list to work on. Only 363 days until the next Symposium.
The lens pen was from Trijicon. Yeah, like they need an endorsement from me, but consider this one anyway.
At the weird intersection of SF geekery and gun geekery:
The other thing I wanted from Speer/Federal/CCI, which I did go back and get:
Not that much new to report, really. As I mentioned yesterday, we used today to go back and re-visit various targets of opportunity.
I had a good conversation with the folks at XS Sights: I have ghost ring sights on my Marlin lever gun, and I want to set up my social shotgun the same way.
We also had a nice conversation with the husband and wife who run Gru-Bee scopes. Gru-Bee sells (among other things) a modern version of the old 4X “baby” Redfield scope. These look great on a Browning SA-22, and the eye relief is enough so I can actually get a good sight picture. I sense an order in the near future, good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.
The folks at Elite Tactical Systems are very nice, but I am a little frustrated with them. They make 7, 9, and 12 round magazines for the Glock 42. I thought the 9 and 12 rounders might be worth trying out: they had the 9, but did not have the 12 at the show. They did give me a card with a 20% discount code so I could order one online though. Except: the 7 and 12 round mags are out of stock online. The 9 is the only one that’s available. And the code expires June 1st, and there’s no backorder option. Sigh.
I see that I haven’t said much about food, other than the $14 bagels, coffee, and juice in the lobby. Breakfast has been pretty much catch as catch can. Lunch has been “what’s lunch?”.
We have had very good dinners, though, at all of the following places:
Tonight, since it is traditional as part of these affairs to have a good dinner on Sunday night: Rainbow Lodge.
…I wanted to bookmark this article: “What Ever Happened to Scandium Bike Frames?” which I ran across the other day.
I think it’s a pretty good explanation of why scandium is significant, and the basic metallurgy of the aluminum/scandium mix.
One thing that isn’t mentioned, except in a passing reference in the end-user chart: Scandium is also being used in firearms. Smith and Wesson in particular has built a number of guns using scandium frames, like the 1911 E-Series.
On second impression, while I still like the bag from SAR USA, the Brownells bag was a little more comfortable to use. It has more of a shoulder strap, and proved to be fully capable of carrying the weight.
Best swag of the day: the grips side of Hogue (not to be confused with the knife side, which was across the aisle) was giving away thick heavy rubber gun mats. You know, the kind of thing that your local gunshop puts on top of the glass display case before they get out that vintage Smith and Wesson. Or the kind of thing you put down on the kitchen table at home before you start tinkering with your own gun.
Still haven’t found anything that grabs me, but the Cimarron people let me handle one of their Wyatt Earp Buntline Specials: it is a nice looking gun. Sadly, they did not have a Billy Dixon Sharps reproduction, for reasons related to being unable to secure them at night. However, they are up in Fredericksburg, and have a storefront there…
Something else that makes me go “Hmmmmmm…”: Walther has a new line of auto pistols, the WMP, chambered in .22 Magnum, which has not been a very common auto pistol caliber. And the price does not break the bank.
Guns are not sold at the show. But other items are (or can be) and I have picked up a few things.
Wilson Combat Zippo and Gun Guy from Wilson Combat. CEO from Columbia River Knife and Tool. Coffee mug from Eley.
I also picked up a t-shirt that should make Robert Francis O’Rourke cry.
There seems to be a little less swag this time around, and what there is, is of somewhat lower quality. But I have picked up lots of free hats and bags, some pins, lots of stickers and key chains, a few screwdrivers, and even some lens cleaning cloths. (One vendor was even giving away lens pens, which I thought was nice. Unfortunately, I can’t lay my hands on that item right now, but when I do dig it out, I’ll update.) Eley also let me have several sets of foam earplugs when I bought my mug from them. And, of course, more morale patches than Carter had liver pills.
(Once I sort through everything and take out the stuff I want, the rest of it is going to my brother’s children. Generally, if it’s something I like, and a fairly small and inexpensive give-away item, I try to get at least three of them: one for myself, and two for the nephews and nieces.)
Mike the Musicologist and I actually bailed on the show early today. By 3 PM, we’d seen the entire exhibit floor, and we’d revisited specific vendors we wanted to come back to. The plan for tomorrow is still to use it as a targets of opportunity day. (Speer had something else I want, but didn’t want to try to lug back to the hotel today.) Also, folks may be more willing to make deals if it means not having to lug stuff back with them…
It does seem like a smaller show than the last one we went to. And there were some vendors we would have expected to see that didn’t come: SIG and Crimson Trace being two that we specifically noticed.
We also noticed a very strong law enforcement presence, including a lot of folks running around the exhibit hall in full battle rattle. But I can’t tell if they were supposed to be between us and the protestors, or if they were attending the show on their own time (in full uniform, complete with tactical gear), or if they were there in case we all spontaneously rose up and started a mass insurrection against Brandon.
I report, you decide.
Edited to add: Walking distance today: 4.9 miles.
Not doing the press badge thing this year: I missed the deadline for applying, and it didn’t really buy me anything last time except access to the free drinks and snacks in the press room.
Best swag bag award (so far): SAR USA.
Walking distance today according to my phone: 5.8 miles (including the round trip from the Hyatt Regency in downtown Houston to the convention center).
It seems smaller than Wanenmacher’s, even though the Houston convention center is larger. It feels like the NRA show is more spread out and there’s a lot more space to move around. Mike the Musicologist and I covered a little more than half the exhibit floor today, and expect to finish off tomorrow. Which leaves us Sunday for return visits to targets of opportunity.
Cool stuff seen: well, not a whole lot that has me drooling, and nothing that made me go “ooooh, that’s a cool and clever idea”. Yet. Though I’m becoming more interested in the new Smith and Wesson CSX, and I get the impression some people have made a commitment to 30 Super Carry. I’m waiting for someone I trust to try out the CSX and report.
Encounters with protestors: very few. I didn’t notice any coming in this morning, and while there were some coming out this afternoon, they were all on the other side of the street. And quite frankly, their chanting was so poorly synchronized I couldn’t understand any of what they were yelling.
Price for two bagels, a medium coffee, and a juice at the Einstein Brothers bagels in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency: $14+.
More tomorrow, I hope.
Long delayed BAG Day update:
It took a while to get things lined up (my local gun shop had trouble getting in touch with their S&W rep) but I have my birthday gun on order. Unfortunately, there’s a 60 day lead time from S&W on that gun, so I don’t expect to see it before the end of June.
In the meantime, though, my local gun shop took in a foster Smith and Wesson. It looked so sad and lonely sitting in the display case all by itself. Plus, they had a very reasonable price tag on it, and…well…I adopted it. Details and photos to come eventually. It really isn’t much to write home about. There’s a fair amount of wear, but the trigger feels good, it is something I can easily slip into a pocket or carry inside the waistband, and it was $250+tax out the door (thanks to my local gun shop knocking $50 off the tagged price: yes, this is an endorsement).
Tomorrow, I’m heading down to Houston for the NRA Annual Meeting. Blogging will be catch as catch can, but I’m hoping to get in some reports from the road, and maybe even get a chance to handle a few cool things.
Sorry I didn’t post yesterday. I had time to post in the morning, but honestly, BAG Day got past me, and things got hectic in the afternoon.
As you know, Bob, I generally give folks a couple of days on either side as a fudge factor, especially if BAG Day falls on a holiday or a Sunday, so as far as I’m concerned, you’ve still got time to make your purchase.
I’ve got something to do this morning, but after I get done with that, my plan is to go by my local gun shop and have a chat with them about something I’ve got my eye on. We’ll see what they have to say.
Edited to add: My LGS is going to call on Monday and get back to me on availability, lead time, and price. This is a special order item, not something they have in stock. I’m hopeful they’ll be able to get it, since:
If they can’t get it, I may have to call around to the larger dealers, or I might have to settle. Ruger has something very much like what I’m looking for, at a little cheaper price.
I admit: I am not a NRA certified firearms instructor. Perhaps I should consult Karl of KR Training (official firearms trainer of WCD) before posting this.
Then again, this just seems like common sense to me.
When you’re teaching classes, a little humor is good. It keeps the students alert.
But you might want to avoid the racial jokes. Doesn’t matter if you are a minority, doesn’t matter if you’re an equal opportunity roaster, somebody’s going to run with this and try to make you (and people of the gun in general) look bad.
Again, nothing wrong with jokes: I’m just saying, steer clear of the racial ones. Probably ought to stay clear of sexist ones, too.
As a reminder to everyone, National Buy a Gun Day is Friday.
BAG Day always falls on April 15th (to coincide with another significant date in the United States). Being on Good Friday this year is merely a coincidence. But if you have qualms…
Do I have plans this year? Reply hazy, ask again later. My local gun shop sent out an email a couple of day ago: they’re putting out a bunch of guns they picked up at the latest Wanenmacher’s. If they have anything attractive and reasonably priced…
(No, MtM and I did not go to Tulsa this round. We try to hit every third show, so our next trip will probably be April of 2023.)
I also haven’t been out to my other semi-local gun shop in a while, and need to check their stock. Also, I haven’t been to Cabela’s in a long time, but I’m dubious about them having anything worthwhile. I may go down there anyway, but I’m not sure when.
If I don’t find anything reasonable, I may declare a push again this year. I have a couple of accessories I want to pick up from MidwayUSA anyway.
I feel like most people have abandoned BAG Day, because (as I’ve noted before) it seems like every day since January 20, 2009 has been Buy A Gun Day. However, if you want to play along at home, you’re welcome to brag about your purchase here. I’ll even promise that you can remain anonymous. Or monogamous, if you prefer.
I’m 99 44/100ths percent sure this is the gun I was talking about in yesterday’s post:
GOTD-John Hession's Special Springfield Rifle.This is on exhibit at the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum. Wielded in WWI service and later in competition, this bolt-action.30-06 rifle was donated by Hession to Great Britain when the British Army left much of its arms at Dunkirk. pic.twitter.com/g49OyTbfzd
— NRA Museums (@NRA_museums) August 31, 2019
I’ve been feeling like a little musical interlude is in order. So here you go: