Gun Show Blues

I took my trip Friday over to the Dallas area, more specifically to Addison, TX to my hotel, then to Mesquite to attend the Mesquite Rodeo Gun Show on Saturday, and finally a stop at Costco on my way home. The Hampton Inn at Addison was a surprise. It had very small room (I heard the desk clerk explaining to someone the reason being it is a very old property). Most Hampton Inns have generously sized rooms but this one's while small were sufficient. I just wish they had had enough room for an armchair. Anyway, it was clean, the A/C worked well, my room was on the shadier and quieter side of the hotel and the staff was excellent - especially the desk clerk on check-in and (the same clerk) on checkout. What made her probably the best among any hotel desk clerks with whom I have ever dealt, besides her charming personality, was that she owns a Colt Python inherited from her dad which she intends to keep and which she evidently cherishes. That wound up becoming a topic of conversation after she saw me on the guest computer while I was viewing the Hessney auction site for their upcoming Early Gun & Military Auction this coming weekend.

While at the hotel, I went literally down the block (maybe two at most) to the Londoner - a local pub. To say their selection of beers/ales and booze was impressive would be an understatement. The service was also excellent. About the only thing that was mediocre was the Steak & Mushroom Pie I had for dinner. Don't get me wrong - there was nothing bad at all about it and I guess it would rate a low end good - it was just not up to snuff with the rest of what was offered there and could have been a lot better. Being I expected mashed with the meal and not the fries they served it with might have colored my view and effected my taste. Anyway, I had a good time there and left a generous and well deserved tip for the bartenders.

Om Saturday, I had my free breakfast at the hotel, had another excellent and pleasant conversation with the front desk clerk and was on my way to the gun show. It took maybe a half hour at most to get there. I had chosen the Hampton Inn in Addison because I was paying with points and they charged only 18K points while closer Hilton hotels were charging as many as anywhere from 24K to 30K for a one night stay. The one right at the venue was charging 30K and I'd much rather conserve my points than waste them because of a mere 24 mile drive.

When I got to the parking lot, I threw what I call a NY Sling In A Minute onto my WASR 10. Basically, that was just some poly chord I had purchased at Homer's Despot Home Depot just for that purpose - a sling for my rifles & shotguns when selling them at gun shows. I wound up selling it at 83% of my asking price which was exactly at the lowest I would accept for it. I had one guy offer me my asking price who pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket as if he could not pay quickly enough while his pal who was already holding two AKs stood next to him. As soon as I said I wanted to fill out a bill of sale, he said he needed to hit the ATM. He never came back but a dealer at the tale we were in front of told me to come back to seem him if it did not sell. He offered quite a bit less than my low-ball price but we met exactly in the middle and I got the minimum I had been after.

Next up, I went out to y car ad grabbed my Mossberg 185 K-A 20 gauge bolt actio gun. I walked around until my stomach protested and left for lunch with the Mossberg still tagging along. When I got back to the show venue, I also took out the Winchester 290 I also wanted to sell and decided to sling one over each shoulder. It's normally what I would do - that is to carry two of them when selling more than one at a show - but my one shoulder had been acting up earlier in the day having been visited by Arthur I. Tis for a spell. After lunch though, I felt all the better and slung both of them over my shoulders with my In A NY Minute slings.

I sold the Winchester to a dealer maybe 20 feet from the entrance within a half minute of walking back into the show. I got the same percentage for it, of my asking price, as I did for the WASR 10. That was also my low-ball acceptable price. I walked around for a couple of few more hours before one old geezer yes even older than me) asked to see the shotgun. He liked it even though he grumbled about this or that and how long it would take him to sell it, he mentioned about a year. He made me an offer of only 56% of what I was asking for it and I just said no thanks and walked away. He prefaced that offer by saying he was sure I'd never accept it. he was right but that made me think he'd go up some if I danced with him. I said thanks but no thanks and walked away. Maybe ten minutes later, I went back and asked if he'd give me X-amount, which was about 67% of my asking price. He looked it over and did so all the while trying to make it seem like I was getting a good deal. In fact, I got a good deal making a small profit over and above the price I paid for the shotgun, shipping it and to the FFL to do the transfer. I had asked a lot more for it than I had been willing to accept and thus made out on the deal to my satisfaction.

Three down, one more to go but I decided against selling the Hopkins & Allen 16 gauge single that was still in my trunk out in the parking lot. I moseyed (note the use of that word instead of walked or sauntered now that I am living in TX) around the sow for another hour or two looking at this that and the other guns and things that caught my eye. I was tempted, very tempted to make an offer on either of two Remington Model 81 rifles, both in 300 Savage, that the same dealer had for sale but decided to hold off and continue my already years long search for either a nice Model 8 or 81 in 35 REM. I gotta say, damn they are getting more and more expensive as my search continues so the temptation was strong within me.

The only things I bought at the show were two show themed T-shirts - one for me the other for Brendan, two Magpul MOE magazines for my AK and a Triple-K brand magazine, in 22 Short, for a Beretta 950 Minx. I am hoping it will work in my Beretta 950 BS and that it will feed ammo reliably. A range trip or two should let me know. Shortly after buying those things, I headed out the door to my car and off to Costco. I dropped about 3 bills there to stock up on some things for a month or so and to pick up some things Brendan wanted. Of curse, they did not have the things I or Brendan wanted most - I guess because they sell some different brands regionally - but I made due. I am figuring on making the 150 mile or so drive to Costco once a month or so and doing so will be so much the easier in the future because of what a clerk there told me about Total Wine having several stores in the Dallas area. Now, none were within 20 miles or so of that particular Costco and I was not about to drive 20 miles there in the opposite direction of home and then back again to visit one but I will plan for a stop at one on y next trip. If they stock Kirschwasser and Obstwasser in the brand I used to get at their store in NY, I will be a happy man.

All in all an excellent trip - I can't wait for the next gun show I attend thereabouts. So why did I call this post the Gun Show Blues - no reason except sooner or later I am almost sure to have seller's remorse over selling the WASR 10 which was my first AK.

All the best,
Glenn B

If We Nuked Yemen Would Iran Behave Itself?

My guess is that nuking Yemen would not be a tactical mistake if some country decided to nuke that country in response the recent drone attacks on Saudi Oil Fields. Houthi forces, established and working out of Yemen, have claimed responsibility for the attacks which have resulted in Saudi Arabia shutting down 1/2 of its oil production! More at the source.

Losing 1/2 of the oil produced by Saudi Arabia is going to have widely resounding consequences around the world, especially if it lasts any prolonged amount of time. Being that the Iranian backed Houthis have promised more attacks, my guess is the results will be long lasting. One way to put an end to it all would be a swift and devastating attack on the Houthi strongholds within Yemen  - maybe with tactical nuclear weapons. Not many would mourn the loss of the Houthis and any collateral damage will only make for political ammo because in truth there are not many in the world who even have a clue where Yemen is located let alone give a damn about its people. All that is even more likely true especially when the world's oil supply is at risk.

Mind you, lesser things have started world wars. I do not mean a nuclear attack on Yemen when I say that. I do mean a shortage of resources such as is going to be caused by the loss of oil in what would otherwise have been available had the Iranian backed Houthis not attacked the Saudi oil fields. It may also cause a worldwide economic collapses which almost certainly would have the planet on the brink of another world war. 

My guess is that a country thinking strategically, tactically and diplomatically could come to an agreement with other nations around the world that would result in a unanimous decision to destroy the Houthis with overwhelming force. Truthfully, I believe almost no one would give a damn about the destruction of this terrorist group once and for all other than to ultimately agree it was the right decision (expected oil prices of as high as $100 per barrel and the resultant price increases in everything from butter to arse wipes, if this goes long term, will help that decision to look very good). My guess also is also that Iran will have learned a valuable lesson. If not they could be targeted next and that is exactly why I'd be willing to bet they would learn the intended lesson. They almost certainly would, as a result of such an attack, drastically better their behavior on the world stage. 

Iran claims they were not behind this attack (source) but that claim is extremely doubtful as the Houthis long have been supported by Iran regarding their terrorist activities. Regardless, the Houthis have already claimed responsibility and maybe they well deserve whatever comes there way - be it the wrath of God in the form of plague and pestilence or the wrath of Man in the form of utter nuclear destruction.

All the best,
Glenn B

Damn, I Can't Find My Wallet Anywhere

I've looked everywhere for it but it is nowhere to be found. I've been scratching my head all morning wondering where it could be and hoping I did not leave it in my other car.

The Brewster County Sheriff's Office, working with the U.S. Border Patrol, in Texas seized a vehicle loaded 1,127 pounds of bales of marijuana in Texas but did not find the driver as he had apparently fled. Chances are they may find him soon enough though - he left behind his wallet. More at the source.

Of course, it could be someone else's wallet but my guess is that whomever it belongs to is going to be getting a visit from the local constabulary real soon.

All the best,
Glenn B