Well I started out yesterday buy buying a 3 day pass. I was there for almost 6 hours. I couldn`t find the Thompsom Contender I was looking for so I gave up on that and ended up trading my Marlin 336 and a Yugo M48 barreled reciever for a new stainless steel ROSSI M92 44mag. (20" barrel). I went home happy.(I thought). I got up this morning and decided I didn`t really want to go again cause I had what I wanted. I sat around and drank my morning coffee and finally talked myself into going cause there were a couple of small odds and ends I wanted to pick up. I finally got there about 1:10 and by 1:30 I walked up to a table I`d browsed yesterday and what did I find, that wasn`t there yesterday, a T/C 30/30. The price tag was turned over and I figured the price wouldn`t all fit on the price tag so I probable couldn`t afford it because I only went back with $30. I stood there talking to the table owner about it and he said he had missed putting it out yesterday.Just my luck. I finally flipped over the tag and about passed out. $375. I only saw 2 in the whole building yesterday and 1 was $500 and the other was $1400 WITH 2 BARRELS and a scope. I was telling the owner I had been trying to trade a Marlin .35 rem and of course he said "sure I would have traded you straight up" I wanted to cry. Well my mind went into overdrive and stood there and we discussed everything I had that might be tradeable and of course he didn`t want anything I had, except maybe a S&W 686 .357 I had but didn`t really want to trade. I decided to wander around and saulk for awhile. I did for about 5 mins and ended back at his table again. Last ditch offer, I offered him a very good VZ 24 8mm Czech war rifle and my NAA .22mag. (ouch)... No deal, he didn`t want the VZ. he did say he could get rid of the NAA. mag. ( I should have said, earlier when we were talking about the S&W he didn`t know what a 686 was) I was about to turn around and walk away when the conversation came back around to the S & W. He said he might be interested. My hopes were about chrushed. I got the .357 cheap cause it looked liked it had been drug behind someones truck for about 10 miles. I cleaned it up and smoothed it out after I got it so it was good enough for me, it was just a truck gun. I told him about it`s problems and he said he would like to see it and I could bring it in tomorrow. I told him I`d be back in an hour so he put it back under the table and I left. I flew home and grabbed the .357 the VZ 24, a piece of junk Jennings 22 and an antique Iver Johnson top break 32 short and flew back to the show. I got back with my arsenal and went right to his table. Like I said earlier he didn`t know anything about the S&W so he took it to one of his buddies at the other end of the table and they talk for, oh, it must have been 3 or 4 hours it felt like. so I picked up the holster and got ready to leave when he got back and told me no deal. He finally came back to me and said "sure I`ll do it, straight up." I had to turn around and make sure he was talking to me. I couldn`t get the T/C and get outta there fast enough before he changed his mind. So now I`m the proud new father of a Rossi .44 mag and a T/C 30/30. All and all it has been a pretty good 2 days. I have a Ticket left for tomorrow but I think I`m gonna pass unless a buddy of mine decides he wants to go. I think I`m just gonna sit at home and relax...... Gary Lookout Bambi, here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So now that I`m a new Contender I`m gonna need some help and pointers.... Thanks, Gary
