The Countertop Chronicles

So, as Bitter pointed out yesterday I did my part for the 2nd Amendment, local grassroots politics, and my own pleasure - and did it all for free by volunteering to help Ken Cuccinelli’s campaign out.

Now, with the hunting season fast approaching and a relatively new Kel Tec P11 in my possession I had some things I was on the hunt for and thought the Nation’s Gun Show at the Dulles Expo Center might be the best bet locally. Didn’t even mind the high prices, cause each was something I wanted to see and hold and/or cheap enough that to have it shipped would have substantially increased its underlying price.

Imagine my thrill, then, when I saw in the Cuccinelli Compass that they needed workers for their table at the show. Well, thats a no brainer. Ken’s a great guy, and a staunch supporter of the 2nd Amendment, and well . . . it was a no brainer.

Here’s a bit of a summary before I get to the heart of the matter

This was the single busiest and biggest and crowded gun show I’ve ever been too. I’ve attended in the past (has it really been 4 years since gun shows returned to Fairfax - what a struggle THAT fight was) but my general disdain for the high prices and lack of selection kept me from going for the last few years.

I had no idea what I was missing. Where those first few shows were largely filled with overpriced crap and lots of filler, little reloading or ammo supplies, a dearth of class III dealers, and paltry crowds, this weekends show had everything a gunnie could want (including plenty of women in revealing clothes!!)

But alas, I didn’t get what I wanted.

I had 4 targets I was shooting for.

1) I was hoping to get a belt clip for the Kel Tec. I found one guy who had one for the little .380 Kel Tec, but no one selling anything for the P11

2) Grips for my S&W Model 66. I actually saw some gorgeous grips there, and had a good discussion with a guy, but he was selling Nill grips and frankly I didn’t have $175 to pay for them (though if I did, I would have). What I wanted was a reasonably priced pair of Hogues, but didn’t find any for a square butt K Framed S&W.

3) Reloading equipment - I wanted a case trimmer. They run, new, somewhere between $60 and $70
online. I also need a tumbler to clean rifle brass. They generally are in the same price range. I was hoping I might find a deal on one or the other, or even a decent used one. What I found was a new Lyman case trimmer for $80 and a beat up trumbler for $60. Looks like I’ll just get them off of midway.

4) Reasonably priced 7mm bullets. Nope. There is no such thing as reasonably priced ammo any more. At least in Northern Virginia. Luckily, I’ll be heading down south next month to the beach and have a decent source for (reasonably priced) ammo in Georgia.

The Good

Lots and lots of class 3 stuff. Huge displays by 3 or 4 different vendors including an attorney, Lenden Eakin from Roanoke who runs a fantastic web page Class 3 Only.com.

In addition, to the class 3 goodness, while I didn’t find a clip for the Kel Tec, I did stop by the booth for the guys at Universal Holsters. They’ve developed an incredible deep concealed carry holster. Very much worth checking out!

The Bad

Well, I’ll just quote from the emails I sent Bitter.

Aaaaaah

Save me from GOA Shall Not Be infringed guy

Ken doesn’t need guys at his table spouting Mike V revolutionary crap

Followed by this

Mr Shall Not Be Infringed started spewing anti GOA stuff, ATTACKING
MCCAIN FOR SUPPORTING RESTRICTIONS ON FELONS POSSESSING GUNS.

When I tried to explain that’s not a good thing to be spewing at the table of a candidate for AG, he threatened that the folks at AR15.com will cut him down if they see him as supporting McCain.

And folks wonder why I get disillusioned with the GAOers.

And The Ugly

WTF. Seriously. Some one has to tell these guys to cut this shit out. They can sell it, if they want, but they don’t have to fucking flaunt it. Showmasters and C&E need to do a better job of communicating and policing the message.