Hello Jim,
I suspect lots of lugers continue to trade hands on the dealer-only day of the show, Friday. What is left on the tables on Saturday and Sunday are the lugers that the dealers passed up; probably due to the owner's asking prices and condition.
There were a couple of dozen or so small tables, probably private guys selling off their weapons. On these you might find a shooter luger or two at such tables. I think I saw up to 10-14 lugers as such; all over-priced.
I did not see any folks walking the floor trying to sell a luger; but I could have easily missed them amongst the hoard of folks at the show.
I did see a couple of walk-ins that headed right for a dealer's table to sell...
Sunday was really disappointing at Tusla as well. I would guess that up to 10% of the tables were evacuated before the show opened on Sunday morning. I did not think the show promoter allowed dealers/sellers to leave the show early, but many left...
At dinner, both Ron Wood and George Anderson mentioned, when I asked them, that it has been a couple of years when they were able to buy collector-lugers from private guys. They felt such pistols were drying up.
I overheard a conversation with Chris Clark (of FSG) and he mentioned that they are having difficulty finding lugers as well and is planning a Europeon trip soon to re-stock.
I might not attend Tulsa next year, unless I happen to be at a client site nearby...sounds like that Louisville, KY show was the luger show to go to this year !
I have heard from a nice nambu and luger dealer (named Wally S.) who lives in Las Vegas that that show is really a good pistol show. He said there are more pistols than long guns. Tulsa seems to be predominantly a long gun show.
I will attend the Las Vegas show in a couple of weeks and will post a report, then...
Regards,
Pete... <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />