My son and I were at the Murphy's Gun Show in Texarkana, AR yesterday
and today. The promoter had a last minute cancellation and Brendan and I got a table.
It was in a lousy spot though in a room that ran around half the outer
perimeter of the main hall and while right at one of the two entrances, we did not see much in the way of potential customers - not like we would have inside the main hall.
Then at the end of the day yesterday, Mr. Murphy came by and asked if we wanted two tables inside the main hall since a dealer would be unable to return for today. We jumped at it. So today, we wound up just across the aisle from another private seller who was showing a gun to some potential customers when Brendan and I were served up a bit of heart beat stimulating action from maybe 5 to 10 (at most) yards away when that dealer cranked one off into the floor. Thank goodness he had the pistol pointed down at the time. He had been showing it to a man and woman who had a young child or two with them.
When I heard the shot I took a knee and placed my hand at the ready on my pistol (which of course was unloaded as per gun show rules) and I did a quick scan hoping it was not a lunatic (as in a leftist loon) going berserk. I also told Brendan to get down but he assured me it was the dealer who fired one off. Our hearts were pounding away nonetheless and my mongrel Skye Knucklehead had quite the scare as well (she looked terrified, I guess because it was very loud and so close).
That was maybe half an hour ago and about 5 minutes ago (both times relative to when this was written initially on my phone) it appeared the dealer was told to vacate the premises (as in get his arse outta there pronto). I found out later from one of the show promoters that dealer has been banned from their shows for the next year. I wonder whether the Convention Center at the Holiday Inn, in Texarkana, AR, is going to be quite as welcoming of gun shows in the future!
I have always been somewhat put off when someone points a gun at me while in a gun show or in a gun store or anywhere for that matter. The few or maybe several times that I have said something to the jerk doing so at a show or in a gun store, I was told 'the gun's not loaded'. I suppose it was the same story today - the seller knew the gun he was trying to sell, that he had been showing off to potential buyers, was not loaded. Yeah okay!
As she was departing right after the shot was fired, I spoke to the woman to whom he had been showing it. I asked her if it was the dealer's gun that had gone off. She replied 'it was his' and if I heard her right that he had essentially explained to her 'if you did not remove one thing and did not pull another thing back it could not fire'. I guess he removed it (the zip tie maybe) and he pulled it (the trigger most likely) - whoopsie.
My ears are ringing loudly, much louder than usual and that shot was fired early this afternoon! I guess that is a small worry considering we our table change could have wound a fatal mistake had we been shot. Happily, it appeared that, no one was hurt except maybe for damaged hearing.
All the best,
Glenn B
Then at the end of the day yesterday, Mr. Murphy came by and asked if we wanted two tables inside the main hall since a dealer would be unable to return for today. We jumped at it. So today, we wound up just across the aisle from another private seller who was showing a gun to some potential customers when Brendan and I were served up a bit of heart beat stimulating action from maybe 5 to 10 (at most) yards away when that dealer cranked one off into the floor. Thank goodness he had the pistol pointed down at the time. He had been showing it to a man and woman who had a young child or two with them.
When I heard the shot I took a knee and placed my hand at the ready on my pistol (which of course was unloaded as per gun show rules) and I did a quick scan hoping it was not a lunatic (as in a leftist loon) going berserk. I also told Brendan to get down but he assured me it was the dealer who fired one off. Our hearts were pounding away nonetheless and my mongrel Skye Knucklehead had quite the scare as well (she looked terrified, I guess because it was very loud and so close).
That was maybe half an hour ago and about 5 minutes ago (both times relative to when this was written initially on my phone) it appeared the dealer was told to vacate the premises (as in get his arse outta there pronto). I found out later from one of the show promoters that dealer has been banned from their shows for the next year. I wonder whether the Convention Center at the Holiday Inn, in Texarkana, AR, is going to be quite as welcoming of gun shows in the future!
I have always been somewhat put off when someone points a gun at me while in a gun show or in a gun store or anywhere for that matter. The few or maybe several times that I have said something to the jerk doing so at a show or in a gun store, I was told 'the gun's not loaded'. I suppose it was the same story today - the seller knew the gun he was trying to sell, that he had been showing off to potential buyers, was not loaded. Yeah okay!
As she was departing right after the shot was fired, I spoke to the woman to whom he had been showing it. I asked her if it was the dealer's gun that had gone off. She replied 'it was his' and if I heard her right that he had essentially explained to her 'if you did not remove one thing and did not pull another thing back it could not fire'. I guess he removed it (the zip tie maybe) and he pulled it (the trigger most likely) - whoopsie.
My ears are ringing loudly, much louder than usual and that shot was fired early this afternoon! I guess that is a small worry considering we our table change could have wound a fatal mistake had we been shot. Happily, it appeared that, no one was hurt except maybe for damaged hearing.
All the best,
Glenn B
