Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Wanenmacher

Thinking about going to the Wanenmacher gun show in Tulsa this April 6 and 7th. Bout a 15 hour drive for me. Any advice on parking, hotels, prices, what to expect would be appreciated. Not really looking for anything specific, just a good deal. Wondering if that can be had there. Thanks in advance.

It's a huge show in an 11 acre building. The building will be full of tables (over 4,000). If you haven't made hotel reservations yet, get on it. Don't stay on the north side of the city. You'll want to be south of 21st street. Lots of eateries and some nice restaurants. If you can buy entry tickets early, do it. Otherwise you'll be in line for a couple of hours.
As far as good deals go, you'll have to decide if something is a good deal. One bit of advice; If you find something you are looking for, get it. If you don't you will either not be able to remember where it was or someone else will have bought it.
If you have more specific questions, pm me. I've had tables at this show since about 1986.

Thanks. Just the type of info I was looking for.

This is all good advice. I took a tour bus there last year and had a blast! They have all the logistics taken care of, lodging, meals, tables, etc. I am super excited to go again this year.

OSU Sig I have a feeling you aren't telling me everything you know.

When I went the only place we could find to eat was the same place all the exhibitors and attendees were at. We waited probably 45 mts to get seated. It’s a great show. The isles were narrow and there’s an old woman running around there willing to run over you if she can. I saw some of the best exhibits of fine firearms I’ve seen. Parker shotguns and Winchester rifles. Many other makes. I had a friend Kim with a table there and I never was able to find him.
Bring good shoes.

Where did the bus depart from? Minnesota I guess. It sounds like it is worth the trip.

I like Revolvers and it seems it is mostly pistols in your run of the mill gun shops nowadays. So I was thinking I could find a few revolvers in Tulsa.

OSU Sig pretty much nailed it. Maybe not a two hour wait to get a ticket but there will be a line for sure. Best deals are from people walking the floor. If you find someone needing to sell something so they can buy something else is where the deals are at. The dealer tables are getting so expensive the dealers are hard to deal with. If you find a single table with three -four people setting there, its just some guys trying to sell some personal stuff and get in the show cheap, and have a place to set when they get tired. By the way, that isn't a bad idea. Me and a friend did the same a few years ago. Even made a little money doing it. Its a great show, have fun.

I've been several times on the dealer and the visitor end .. if you've never been it's damn sure worth the trip.. if you're driving that far you want to stay all night and go both days. but you better look outside the immediate Tulsa area a bit for a hotel room by now because it will be booked up..

I will be there. Would be interested in meeting up with other fire members.

Marten trapper, I will definitely reach out if I get to go. I agree it would be good to meet up with other fire members. In a place like the Wanenmacher I suspect it is sometimes not what you know but who you know.
If I go back a second time I will look into getting a table.

I have a bunch on NIB (old) Smith's I may bring with this year. My J frame collection has gotten out of control.

Anyone know the details on the bus from Mn to Tulsa and back?

If you see 3 or 4 guys that are at a Table that will be me and 3 of my friends. I'm not a dealer. This will be our 4th consecutive April show. Learned after the first year of standing outside in line with cold temperatures and blowing wind not to do it again. The regular dealers come to us fast before the patrons come in as half the items appearantly priced to cheap. I'm an avid collector and I'm steadily upgrading. I'll kiss and tell early what some are but won't mention prices as that's for the classifieds. I'm not trying to sell and have to ship. I've actually never shipped a firearm but I've had probably close to 60 shipped to me that I've found on multiple forums. As I've aged (52) my interest have become more defined. Items I'm selling may be:
S&W 31-1 mint in box, Para LDA 12.45 in box, Para Expert 14.45 with multiple extended Canadian mags, Remington 200th Anniversary 1100 Sporting 12ga double boxed, Ithaca M37 Upland 12ga, two dressed out S&W 1911TA stainless & black immaculate 1987 Browning hi power target sight, S&W 442-2, original Ruger mark iii 22/45 LITE, S&W PC EZ380, Ruger LCR 38+P, various firearm miscellaneous items, and maybe some scope. All my items are in mint condition, the only thing with a little wear is the Ithaca. I want to come back home with nothing. My prices won't be give aways but they'll be lower than any other table in the building. I've been 3 times before. I know how to price to sell.
For those who've never been you don't have to leave with anything. The experience is worth the money and time spent. Please introduce yourself to me. I'll be swapping seats with the other men as I'm looking for 3 sought after items myself. I'll be on the upper level by the end wall roll up door table location 37B tables 4&5. On the tables there will be what appears a yellow curtain with black Ruger insignias all over it.

I leave in a week. I am pumped.

According to the thread in the classifieds, look closely at Leupolds. Guess there's a bunch of fakes out there.

How do you go about buying a handgun there if you live in another state?

also if you see something you're kind of interested in and do not want to purchase at the moment you need to write down the table aisle number and location because you may never find it again..

Last year was my first time but if I saw something I was thinking about, by the time I got back it was gone. I am hoping to buy a truckload of factory wood while I am there.