Midland Gun Show - Michigan

Michigan Gunner · 03-28-2004, 08:22 PM

One of the larger gun shows in Michigan will be held next weekend, April 3 and 4. It is in Midland, at least 500 tables or more.
I have attended in the past and plan to go. Come early, parking fills up fast. We'll be driving five hours to get there.

I'll be looking at Lugers this time!

Lock and Load!

Big Norm · 04-01-2004, 02:23 AM

Michigan Gunner,
The Midland show used to be pretty good even with the bad parking and the difficulty in finding the place. But the last time that I went to the show, there were no tables to eat the food at. These table used to be a good place to show off guns that I wanted to sell or to talk to friends about guns that were being sold at the show. The room is just too small. Many of the tables there are occupied by arts and crafts people and not gun people. Quite a few cattle horns on planks and such. Good food though, if you can find a place to eat it.The police at the enterance table were not very friendly. When I tried to joke with them, they gave me that "I'm going to give you a ticket" attitude. I tried showing some guns to a collector that I knew and I had to go outside to show him what I had and I was worried about the legality of that. But you never know where a treasure might show up or where you might get a lead on something.
Big Norm

Michigan Gunner · 04-04-2004, 09:22 AM

Well, we are back from the show. Not much in the way of Lugers but there were two worth looking at

The first was a DWM Commercial. All exterior numbers were matching. It had a unnumbered wooden buttom mag, the grips looked new. Contdition was very good, I suspected that it was a reblue but the owner didn't know (maybe).
He was asking $750.00. You probably could have gotten it for somewhat less but I passed.

The other was a DWM Military, date stamped 1911.
All exterior numbers matched. It had a unmatching WW II period aluminum bottom mag with it. Condition was only fair. About 75% finish with some scratches. Asking price was $650.00. Again, seller would deal but still wanted around $600.00
I thought about it but decided to pass. Now, if the price had been $400.00 or so............

Anyway, we had a very fun day. I wound up selling a 1897 Winchester and buying another better one and came out $100.00 ahead.

Some days you eat the bear!

Lock and Load!

Big Norm · 04-06-2004, 05:48 AM

MG,
I went to the show but I forgot my eye glasses so I could not look as close at Lugers as I wanted.

You missed a Simpson/Suhl in aisle "A". Not bad original blue, good grips and all matching ex mag. The locking bolt was ground flat on the surface, but the serial number was still visible. Good proof marks. Possible for me to think about it. At $1300, I thought the price was too high. I am still thinking about it but I will probably pass. I saw about 5-7 Lugers and it was the best of the lot.

I had to laugh at one Luger labeled as a 1900, 30 cal commercial. The gun did not have a grip safety but did have a stock lug. The only thing that was from a 1900 was the barrel which looked like a 1900 replacement on a 1923 Luger. I didn't bother to look too close at it.

The was a table with 2-3 Lugers on it. But the seller was so skitterish that I thought he might have a heart attack if I looked too close. He had one WW1 luger that could have been alright but he was asking too much money for the condition and his nervousness made me nervous. He told me to only handle the gun by the grips. Geez, the gun has been through two world wars and definitely was not mint. The serial numbers on the barrel did not quite look right.

The show was better than I expected and the food was as good as I expected. I had an excellent Polish sausage and, later, a Brat. I parked a long way from the center but the weather was good and I didn't mind the walk. There seemed to be as many police there as customers. Next time I will take a few of my Lugers there that I have for sale.
Big Norm

unspellable · 04-06-2004, 06:22 PM

I am originally from Mount Pleasant, about 20 miles or so west of Midland. Too bad to hear the police at the show were the way they were. here in Iowa they have a pretty relaxed attitude at the gun shows. One deputy told me it was the quietist job they had, nothing ever happened.

Michigan Gunner · 04-06-2004, 08:12 PM

You are right Norm, I missed those, nothing new for me. I thought I hit all the tables....so it goes. Would not of payed top dollar anyway. I tried to keep a eye out for you but there were so many people, wall to wall.

I had a guy try to sell me a 1906 Winchester .22 but the bore was BAD. Shows you have to look.

If it was not so far, I might of made some offers on day two. Sometimes folks will deal on the last day.

Still a good time!

Lock and Load!

Big Norm · 04-06-2004, 11:56 PM

MG,
Yah, I looked for someone with a blue baseball cap but there were too many of them around. I went through the show twice with my Michigan State sweatshirt hoping that you would see me. I needed an excuse to buy another Brat.

unspellable,
normally, gun shows in Michigan and Ohio are pretty relaxed too. But at this show they had a lot of rookie cops out there. A lot of trainees. I talked to one experienced dealer and he was happy that they were there. This particular show has a lot of exits and a lot of people coming and going. So he liked the idea that they were all covered by cops to prevent theft.

At the Ohio Gun Collectors Assn, the police start out being business like and end the day being real nice guys that you can joke with. But the OGCA shows are six times a year so the police may be more used to gun people than the Midland police who only cover one show a year.
Big Norm

03-28-2004, 08:22 PM	#1
Michigan Gunner User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Michigan, on the border Posts: 75 Thanks: 2 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	Midland Gun Show - Michigan One of the larger gun shows in Michigan will be held next weekend, April 3 and 4. It is in Midland, at least 500 tables or more. I have attended in the past and plan to go. Come early, parking fills up fast. We'll be driving five hours to get there. I'll be looking at Lugers this time! Lock and Load!

04-01-2004, 02:23 AM	#2
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Michigan Gunner, The Midland show used to be pretty good even with the bad parking and the difficulty in finding the place. But the last time that I went to the show, there were no tables to eat the food at. These table used to be a good place to show off guns that I wanted to sell or to talk to friends about guns that were being sold at the show. The room is just too small. Many of the tables there are occupied by arts and crafts people and not gun people. Quite a few cattle horns on planks and such. Good food though, if you can find a place to eat it.The police at the enterance table were not very friendly. When I tried to joke with them, they gave me that "I'm going to give you a ticket" attitude. I tried showing some guns to a collector that I knew and I had to go outside to show him what I had and I was worried about the legality of that. But you never know where a treasure might show up or where you might get a lead on something. Big Norm

04-04-2004, 09:22 AM	#3
Michigan Gunner User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Michigan, on the border Posts: 75 Thanks: 2 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	Well, we are back from the show. Not much in the way of Lugers but there were two worth looking at The first was a DWM Commercial. All exterior numbers were matching. It had a unnumbered wooden buttom mag, the grips looked new. Contdition was very good, I suspected that it was a reblue but the owner didn't know (maybe). He was asking $750.00. You probably could have gotten it for somewhat less but I passed. The other was a DWM Military, date stamped 1911. All exterior numbers matched. It had a unmatching WW II period aluminum bottom mag with it. Condition was only fair. About 75% finish with some scratches. Asking price was $650.00. Again, seller would deal but still wanted around $600.00 I thought about it but decided to pass. Now, if the price had been $400.00 or so............ Anyway, we had a very fun day. I wound up selling a 1897 Winchester and buying another better one and came out $100.00 ahead. Some days you eat the bear! Lock and Load!

04-06-2004, 05:48 AM	#4
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	MG, I went to the show but I forgot my eye glasses so I could not look as close at Lugers as I wanted. You missed a Simpson/Suhl in aisle "A". Not bad original blue, good grips and all matching ex mag. The locking bolt was ground flat on the surface, but the serial number was still visible. Good proof marks. Possible for me to think about it. At $1300, I thought the price was too high. I am still thinking about it but I will probably pass. I saw about 5-7 Lugers and it was the best of the lot. I had to laugh at one Luger labeled as a 1900, 30 cal commercial. The gun did not have a grip safety but did have a stock lug. The only thing that was from a 1900 was the barrel which looked like a 1900 replacement on a 1923 Luger. I didn't bother to look too close at it. The was a table with 2-3 Lugers on it. But the seller was so skitterish that I thought he might have a heart attack if I looked too close. He had one WW1 luger that could have been alright but he was asking too much money for the condition and his nervousness made me nervous. He told me to only handle the gun by the grips. Geez, the gun has been through two world wars and definitely was not mint. The serial numbers on the barrel did not quite look right. The show was better than I expected and the food was as good as I expected. I had an excellent Polish sausage and, later, a Brat. I parked a long way from the center but the weather was good and I didn't mind the walk. There seemed to be as many police there as customers. Next time I will take a few of my Lugers there that I have for sale. Big Norm

04-06-2004, 06:22 PM	#5
unspellable User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Iowa Posts: 768 Thanks: 0 Thanked 18 Times in 10 Posts	I am originally from Mount Pleasant, about 20 miles or so west of Midland. Too bad to hear the police at the show were the way they were. here in Iowa they have a pretty relaxed attitude at the gun shows. One deputy told me it was the quietist job they had, nothing ever happened.

04-06-2004, 08:12 PM	#6
Michigan Gunner User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Michigan, on the border Posts: 75 Thanks: 2 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	You are right Norm, I missed those, nothing new for me. I thought I hit all the tables....so it goes. Would not of payed top dollar anyway. I tried to keep a eye out for you but there were so many people, wall to wall. I had a guy try to sell me a 1906 Winchester .22 but the bore was BAD. Shows you have to look. If it was not so far, I might of made some offers on day two. Sometimes folks will deal on the last day. Still a good time! Lock and Load!

04-06-2004, 11:56 PM	#7
Big Norm RIP Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 1,864 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	MG, Yah, I looked for someone with a blue baseball cap but there were too many of them around. I went through the show twice with my Michigan State sweatshirt hoping that you would see me. I needed an excuse to buy another Brat. unspellable, normally, gun shows in Michigan and Ohio are pretty relaxed too. But at this show they had a lot of rookie cops out there. A lot of trainees. I talked to one experienced dealer and he was happy that they were there. This particular show has a lot of exits and a lot of people coming and going. So he liked the idea that they were all covered by cops to prevent theft. At the Ohio Gun Collectors Assn, the police start out being business like and end the day being real nice guys that you can joke with. But the OGCA shows are six times a year so the police may be more used to gun people than the Midland police who only cover one show a year. Big Norm