Got my double action .45 ACP...

[Mike Irwin]

I've wanted one for a long time.

I had it narrowed down to a PX4 Storm by Beretta or a Ruger P345.

Headed to the Dulles Gun Show today to see if I could find one.

Found a table with GREAT prices on both...

PX4 for $525, and a P345 for $429.

But....

Those were the cash prices.

Credit card?

Just shy of $600 for the Storm, and nearly $470 for the Ruger.

Thanks, but no thanks. No way I'm going to carry around that much cash in such a crowded gunshow (literally wall to wall people).

You want me to pay the 3% that Visa charges you? Fine, tack it on. I'd even pay that in cash.

But don't tell me that it's going to be an extra $75 for the Beretta and $40 for the Ruger.

I've done these kinds of shows before (rare and antique books) and I know what that means... That means that the cash price is the "I'm not going to report this sale for tax purposes" price.

Thanks, but no thanks.

So, I ended up with a used, but mechanically nice condition Smith & Wesson 4506-1 made around 1990.

It's a former police gun, and is stamped HPD. I don't know if that means Harrisburg Police Department (Pennsylvania) but if it does that would be neat, because I grew up near there.

It's absolutely FILTHY. Almost looks like someone was shooting black powder with the thing.

But, the trigger pull is SWEET.

I can't wait to get it out to the range.

 

[natjohnb]

Nice!

I think I may pick up a used third-gen Smith sometime this year while they are still plentiful and reasonably priced.

Let us know how she shoots!

 

[chris in va]

Been to that show many times. Every ATM within a two mile radius is usually cashed out, and they have *one* lonely little ATM at the show.

Last purchase I made there was my Saiga two years ago. I always brought cash as the dealers love to jack up the price on credit purchases.

Hey Mike, was it seriously that crowded? Every time I went it was casual strolling through the aisles, not really fighting the hordes. I guess people are scared with the new administration in place.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Was it seriously that crowded?

Yes. Every parking space in the main lot was filled. I talked to one guy who parked at a business and walked nearly half a mile to get to the show because that's the closest spot he could find.

I got there at 10. Probably 250 people in line to get in.

When I went out for a smoke at 12:30, there were probably 250 people in line.

When I finally left at 3 p.m. there were probably still better than 100 people in line waiting to get in.

I talked to one dealer I know who sold nearly 200 guns just Friday and Saturday alone.

One of the large ammo dealers said he brought a box of 5,000 business cards, and between Friday and Saturday afternoon it was gone and he was well into his second box of 5,000.

I would not at all be surprised to find out that yesterday's attendance topped 15,000.

That show is always a bit on the crowded side, but it has NEVER been like it was yesterday.

Quite literally, the last time I saw crowds like that was at JFK airport in the departures area.

 

[varoadking]

I was there at 3:00 on Friday...the place was slammed...looked like the crowd trying to get into the Superbowl.

I picked up some Georgia Arms canned heat and got out of Dodge...

 

[AZGlock13]

Congrats on the S&W 4506! I like the looks of those all metal semi-autos of theirs. I have three Smith revolvers and two Smith M&Ps, but none of their older all metal autos. Like natjohnb said, I may need to pick one of them up sometime this year as well.

As to crowded gun shows, it is the same way here out west in Arizona. I went to my first gun show last month since the November elections and let me tell you, I been to a lot of gun shows in the Tucson, AZ area over the years, but that one took the cake on being way over crowded. Luckly, I got there around when they opened and like you said a huge line of people already waiting to get in. After about a hour or so into the show, elbow to elbow in there. The gun shows last year before the election were nowhere near this bad. The crowds around the MIWALL ammo tables was horrendous. Took me awhile to get a MIWALL worker's attention (those guys and gals were BUSSSYYYYY) to take my money for the ammo I was buying. Big crowds around one of the big DPMS/RRA AR distributor tables as well. Ammo, ARs, AKs and hi-capacity semi-autos were the big sellers that weekend for sure. Pump shotguns, revolvers and 1911s were probably the worst sellers, since most people are not worried with these types of firearms being targeted by the anti-gunners in the White House and Congress anytime soon. Did I mention I get grumpy when gun stores and gun shows get crowded?