Max,
1. Here is the link to the show info.
http://www.tulsaarmsshow.com/frames.html
2. Friday is only "open" to folks that are table-holders. Sat. and Sun are the "public" days...but you have to pay admission for each day on Sat. and Sun...never liked that about this show...they do not offer a weekend price.
3. Bring your most comfortable walking shoes and plenty of ibuprofen or aspirin...you feet, calves, legs will ache...
The exhibit hall was originally built to showcase heavy-duty industrial equipment used in oil drilling, etc. They have concrete slab floor rated at 6,000 psi mix which is quite hard and unforgiving when it comes to pain.
4. The show is good place for a beginning collector to see the wide ranges of guns offered (Lugers in my case...). BUT...lots of "boosted" Lugers are offered for sale as "orginal" by some dealers with big names and reputations...so leave your cash at home if you are just starting out. It is very educational to see such "minty" Lugers offered for sale...you have to ask yourself...how can a gun that is 60-100 years old look that good...?
5. The gun show is crowded and jam packed...you need 2 full days to see it all.
6. At the lower exhibit floor you will see nice displays of guns in the "display" competion...do not miss that area.
7. Take the time to "hunt" for smaller parts such as Luger parts, holsters, grips, magazines...it has been worthwhile for me to do so the last few times I attended...my last two times to Tulsa I have not purchased a gun, but alway managed to find the other items to round out a rig in my collection.
8. When you enter the show, get a copy of the free locator map at the info. booth. When you walk around and spot an item but do not want to buy it just then, mark its location on your map so you can go back and find it again when you have convinced yourself you need to buy that item.
You can also mark-up your map with the table locations of the big Luger dealers that are listed on the vendor's list at the info. booth. I usually will visit all of those tables first...and then start over again walking the floor, aisle-by-aisle, table-by-table.
9. There are many non-gun and non-knife tables with the regular beef jerky, arts & crafts, jewelry, etc. I think the show promoter limits those to under 20% of the total tables...but since the show has 4,000+ tables, you will see plenty of those "junk" tables...as many as 800 of them...
I know a few older, advanced collectors whom remember the Tulsa show of years ago and have now stopped going as they say it has become too much of a "flea market" and way too many boosted guns in all collecting areas are offered for sale to the unsuspecting.