Looking to start a "master thread" for the NRA Annual Meeting.
I can't get to everything but I'll post about everything I do here. If others will do the same, we'll have a go-to thread for impressions, neat new products, and everything else.
The events have been ongoing at different levels for a couple of days. I'm not on staff or a bigwig with the NRA so I didn't go to those.
NSSF Annual Meeting
The NSSF had their annual meeting in the Hilton today. Did anybody go? I'd love to hear about it.
Antique Guns and Gold
The first event in the Convention Center was the Antique Guns and Gold event. It's like Antiques Roadshow for guns and gold. The procedure was pretty simple, at least, it was simple the way I approached it. First, go to the spot where it was supposed to be held (Hall E, second floor) early to get in line. Be subjected to Convention Security telling you to get lost and come back at 2PM.
Second, notice that they've moved the "Guns and Gold" sign sometime about noon to the front of Hall C. Head over there and stand in line outside for 2 hours. Be subjected to a Convention staffer coming outside to scream at the crowd (in his "command voice") about the rules (guns must be cased, something that was quite clear from the web site instructions) and the time frames. At 2PM, go into the Convention Center, up the escalator, and walk to the area above Hall A, the exact opposite end from where the event was originally scheduled.
Get in another line to have your gun checked for safety and zip tied.
Get in another line to wait for entrance to the appraisal area.
Get in another line at the entrance to the appraisal area. Be assigned to an appraiser.
Those last three lines were no big deal. By the time you got there, you were being handled by folks from the show or Brownells or the NRA or some combination of the three. They were all courteous and competent. Extra points for providing the stunning young ladies to hand out Brownells swag bags.
I got my old target pistol appraised by S. P. Fjestad, the man who authors/compiles The Blue Book of Gun Values. Suffice it to say, he knows his stuff and is the only person I've ever met who had previously seen the type of pistol I brought. He appraised it for roughly three times what I paid and I was a happy camper.
I didn't get invited to be filmed. I imagine the lady and her daughter two spots behind me probably did, though. She had not only a Gyrojet carbine (the only one I've ever seen) but also a Gyrojet pistol or two and lots of accessories.
Book Signings
Book signings will be done (mostly) in the middle of the second floor. Oliver North has an area set aside just for him. Ted Nugent will be signing elsewhere.
Guns on the second-floor concourse
Some guns were already on display. There was the "Wall of Guns" with all the tags attached, for those of you familiar with that. It was long and there were a bunch of very nice firearms of every sort.
I got to handle a Heiser, something I've been wanting to do for a long time. It was chambered in .45LC/.410. First, I didn't know they made such a thing. The extra cartridge storage in the butt, one of the big features of the pistol, looked too small for .45LC cartridges and I know that even a single .410 shell wouldn't fit. Second, it was the aluminum (not titanium) version. Third, the bore was absolutely filthy. They couldn't run a bore snake through it before putting it on display? Finally, it fits my hand pretty much wrong in every dimension. The butt is just long enough that I can firmly get just one finger around it and the bottom, rear corner of the gun protrudes uncomfortably into the palm of my hand while I'm just holding the gun. I really don't think I want to fire this thing. I wouldn't turn down a chance but, for now, color me underwhelmed with the ergonomics. That said, the design is clever and the workmanship appeared to be quite good...but, boy, was it dirty.
I headed home early and tentatively plan to attend the breakfast fundraiser tomorrow to hear Mr. Heller speak.
I'll report back with more info every evening and I'll try to post all the pictures I can.
I hope others will do the same.
I can't get to everything but I'll post about everything I do here. If others will do the same, we'll have a go-to thread for impressions, neat new products, and everything else.
The events have been ongoing at different levels for a couple of days. I'm not on staff or a bigwig with the NRA so I didn't go to those.
NSSF Annual Meeting
The NSSF had their annual meeting in the Hilton today. Did anybody go? I'd love to hear about it.
Antique Guns and Gold
The first event in the Convention Center was the Antique Guns and Gold event. It's like Antiques Roadshow for guns and gold. The procedure was pretty simple, at least, it was simple the way I approached it. First, go to the spot where it was supposed to be held (Hall E, second floor) early to get in line. Be subjected to Convention Security telling you to get lost and come back at 2PM.
Second, notice that they've moved the "Guns and Gold" sign sometime about noon to the front of Hall C. Head over there and stand in line outside for 2 hours. Be subjected to a Convention staffer coming outside to scream at the crowd (in his "command voice") about the rules (guns must be cased, something that was quite clear from the web site instructions) and the time frames. At 2PM, go into the Convention Center, up the escalator, and walk to the area above Hall A, the exact opposite end from where the event was originally scheduled.
Get in another line to have your gun checked for safety and zip tied.
Get in another line to wait for entrance to the appraisal area.
Get in another line at the entrance to the appraisal area. Be assigned to an appraiser.
Those last three lines were no big deal. By the time you got there, you were being handled by folks from the show or Brownells or the NRA or some combination of the three. They were all courteous and competent. Extra points for providing the stunning young ladies to hand out Brownells swag bags.
I got my old target pistol appraised by S. P. Fjestad, the man who authors/compiles The Blue Book of Gun Values. Suffice it to say, he knows his stuff and is the only person I've ever met who had previously seen the type of pistol I brought. He appraised it for roughly three times what I paid and I was a happy camper.
I didn't get invited to be filmed. I imagine the lady and her daughter two spots behind me probably did, though. She had not only a Gyrojet carbine (the only one I've ever seen) but also a Gyrojet pistol or two and lots of accessories.
Book Signings
Book signings will be done (mostly) in the middle of the second floor. Oliver North has an area set aside just for him. Ted Nugent will be signing elsewhere.
Guns on the second-floor concourse
Some guns were already on display. There was the "Wall of Guns" with all the tags attached, for those of you familiar with that. It was long and there were a bunch of very nice firearms of every sort.
I got to handle a Heiser, something I've been wanting to do for a long time. It was chambered in .45LC/.410. First, I didn't know they made such a thing. The extra cartridge storage in the butt, one of the big features of the pistol, looked too small for .45LC cartridges and I know that even a single .410 shell wouldn't fit. Second, it was the aluminum (not titanium) version. Third, the bore was absolutely filthy. They couldn't run a bore snake through it before putting it on display? Finally, it fits my hand pretty much wrong in every dimension. The butt is just long enough that I can firmly get just one finger around it and the bottom, rear corner of the gun protrudes uncomfortably into the palm of my hand while I'm just holding the gun. I really don't think I want to fire this thing. I wouldn't turn down a chance but, for now, color me underwhelmed with the ergonomics. That said, the design is clever and the workmanship appeared to be quite good...but, boy, was it dirty.
I headed home early and tentatively plan to attend the breakfast fundraiser tomorrow to hear Mr. Heller speak.
I'll report back with more info every evening and I'll try to post all the pictures I can.
I hope others will do the same.
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