Baltimore Antique Arms Show - Who's going?

[jmiller320]

If you want to save money on Parking at the Farm Show complex in Harrisburg, just park on the side of the road that goes up hill across the street. There is a tunnel under Camron Street and the walking distance is about the same.

 

[12a10]

Antique Arms Show---same vendors in the same places with the same guns year after year. If you go, take a look at the guns on the racks and you will
see tags and stickers that are typically yellowed with age and curling at the edges. These guys tend to trade "one old dog for two old cats".

One other characteristic of this show is that the vendors tend to be a way older crowd. More 70-80 year olds than is typical of other shows. They are the guys with the money and the old collections who are more interested in
"being there" than selling. Have been going to this show since the mid 60's
when it was held in the 5th Regiment Armory and have only found a few
bargains. However, it is a treasure trove of parts and maybe some antique
"fixer uppers".

Just my two centavos...

 

[mawkie]

Antique Arms Show---same vendors in the same places with the same guns year after year. If you go, take a look at the guns on the racks and you will
see tags and stickers that are typically yellowed with age and curling at the edges. These guys tend to trade "one old dog for two old cats".

One other characteristic of this show is that the vendors tend to be a way older crowd. More 70-80 year olds than is typical of other shows. They are the guys with the money and the old collections who are more interested in
"being there" than selling. Have been going to this show since the mid 60's
when it was held in the 5th Regiment Armory and have only found a few
bargains. However, it is a treasure trove of parts and maybe some antique
"fixer uppers".

Just my two centavos...

Yes, mostly older collectors w. money. I see more Italian leather shoes and Mercedes than at any other show I've ever been to. They can be a stuck-up crowd. I always feel like an outsider at their private party.
Here's something funny...
Two yrs ago I stopped to chat with Joel Black, who was watching a table for a friend while he did walkabout on the show. Both Joel and his buddy are serious Webley collectors and Joel is the author of a fantastic reference book on early solid frame Webley revolvers (he's working on a new book on break-open Webleys, yay!). Anyway, I look down at what's on the table and there's a pre-WWI leather holster for a Webley Model 1910 automatic in .38 acp. It's in like new condition and marked at $125 which is a steal as these are as rare as rocking horse poop. I've got one of these pistols and WANT this holster big time. Of course I only have $100 in cash (dumb ass me, that'll never happen again) and I ask Joel if his friend would take a personal check. Joel calls his buddy on his cell phone and this guy arrives a couple of minutes later. He looks me up and down in my jeans and t-shirt and says "no" to my check. Slightly pi**ed but determined to not let a good opportunity go I left the hall, went to a local gas station ATM, withdrew the cash and came back. I showed Joel my ATM receipt and said "Tell your friend not to judge everyone by appearance". I had an obscene amount of cash in the account at that time, well into five figures, which would have let me purchase damned near anything in that hall that day. But he dismissed me because I wasn't wearing leather loafers and Brooks Bros. attire.

 

[trickg]

Just walk softly and carry a rare antique Winchester - that's my motto. (keeping in mind of course that I own this rifle out of pure dumb luck that my father purchased it on the cheap 60 years ago and hung onto it - but they don't know that.) The first time I went to that show I could have been walking around in women's underwear and it wouldn't have mattered - I had something they wanted.

 

[hodgepodge]

The first time I went to that show I could have been walking around in women's underwear and it wouldn't have mattered - I had something they wanted.

This thread is useless without pictures!

 

[trickg]

This thread is useless without pictures!

I didn't say I WAS walking around in women's underwear, I said I could have been.

How's this?

 

[Fushigi Ojisan]

Yeah, I'm going.

The way I describe this show is like "Its like an arms museum threw up" You are going to find a little bit of everything from medieval poleaxes to the Second World War. However, you will NOT find post-antique handguns or shooter-grade ammo.

Over the years I've managed to pick up small bargains here and there, and also paid a pretty penny for some nice examples of things I was looking for. Expect to see a fair amount of Springfield Trapdoors and Old West Winchesters, and varying amounts of other stuff.

Its worth the price of admission to walk around the place and take it all in.

Protip: to avoid a lot of parking headaches, take the Padonia Road exit, hang a right onto Deerco Road, and park in the Light Rail lot.

 

[Cochise]

I will be there tomorrow morning when it opens. Carrying an Ithaca double that I am trying to sell. White guy in a Khaki jacket...say hi.

 

[WeaponsCollector]

I will be there tomorrow morning when it opens. Carrying an Ithaca double that I am trying to sell. White guy in a Khaki jacket...say hi.

I'll be there too with my MDShooter's hat and driving this:

 

[bbrown]

I picked up an Eddystone P1917 (in .30-06) with barrel date 12/17 (overstamped with 01/18), in VG+ condition. Was also going to get a British P14 (in .303, also made by Eddystone) but ran out of disposable money. Such is life with a C&R: too little disposable income.

The show seemed much less crowded this Saturday AM than in previous years.

Bryan

 

[Redcobra]

Worth trying to find a Garand there? Think I can find a decent one for a grand?
Or, better off getting from CMP?

 

[bbrown]

Yes, there here were many Garands available, and at least 2 Johnson's (the rifle, that is). I, OTOH, went with the CMP both times, knowing that I'd get good specimens, and I did. I didn't / don't know enough to make snap decisions about Garands on the spot. My trust in the CMP paid off.

Here are some pictures of the P1917 I got today (taken with my cell phone camera).

Bryan

 

[screamingeagle]

I bought a really nice all matching DOU 43 K98 today pics coming soon.

 

[mawkie]

No firearm purchases for me as I've been busy on the auction circuit as of late (more suff inbound!). But I did find a nice original T99 cleaning rod for $35. And I picked up a copy of Jon Speed's Mauser Smallbores from Rutger Books for $44.00.
Agree that it wasn't as busy as last year.
Redcobra, the fellow I bought the cleaning rod from had a decent looking H&R M1 that was priced at $650 (and he kept reminding me he was very flexible on pricing). He was in the A or B row of the main hall. There were plenty of Garands to chose from.
bbrown, nice Model 1917! Love shooting these. I've got a Canadian marked lend lease Remington. Glad I bought mine eons ago, before US martial collectors started paying attention to them and drove prices up. They used to be treated as the red-headed step child to the Model 1903s and Garands. Not anymore! And as it should be.

 

[Mdeng]

I will be there Sunday morning with LowOnCash. We have a mutual friend that is a committee member at the show. If your not into Mil Surps or antique firearms this is not the show for you. Most of the tables have high end firearms with the occasional steal.

Last year I found a 1943 dated M44 in 60% condition. They are hard to find but to find one for under $200 with a good bore is nearly impossible. Mdeng

 

[Cochise]

I scored a 10 gauge Pieper damascus hammer gun as well as some odd odds and ends. I also sold a 12 gauge Ithaca double.
As usual it was a brain overload so much cool stuff. A half dozen Unertyl scopes, 4 Darne shotguns, more Parkers than I would be able to fit in my truck. A Dead mint in the box Winchester 1895 lever gun....just wow as usual.
Next week is the Northern Virginia Gun Collectors Show at the Manassas Fair Grounds. Modern pistols are allowed at this one but it is still more collectors and small shops than the usual dealers so bargains do happen.

 

[stevekaw]

Went on Saturday afternoon. Show was so large that my feet ended up hurting. Only bought a couple of parts I needed, but I LEARNED a lot!

 

[jodavk]

Never been, thinkin of going in a little bit. Lookin for US Mosin Nagants. Do you pay to park there?

 

[WeaponsCollector]

Never been, thinkin of going in a little bit. Lookin for US Mosin Nagants. Do you pay to park there?

There's plenty of free parking there.
Good luck if you go.

 

[Redcobra]

Went today, Sunday, and it's an amazing show if you are into antiques. Need 2 days to see it all. lots of muskets, flintlocks, old lever actions and much more. However, I was looking for a Garand and struck out. There were a few but all priced very high. Most of them were collectors with matching numbers, original stuff etc. I was just looking for a shooter. Found none below $1k. Think I'll just order from CMP.
My girlfriend who collects cans (go figure) did find a Dupont Gun Powder can that she bought.