Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Tulsa Advice for Newbie

About a week ago, my brother and I, after about a 2 minute discussion, decided we should make the 1000 mile one-way trip to Tulsa to attend the gun show. This will be the first time for both of us, and I'm wondering if any of you Tulsa veterans have any advice besides "bring lots of money." We'll leave here Thursday morning and stop for the night and should get into Tulsa in pretty good time on Friday. Is there anything that goes on at the Expo Center on Friday or is that just for set-up for those with tables at the show? Maybe I'll just chill at the hotel and rest up for Saturday, or better yet, maybe we can find a couple of gun shops.

Friday is just for setup, no public allowed. Bring your best walking shoes, it's huge.

There is a cool gun museum not far away, look up JM Davis Museum. It's worth a few hours of your time.

I'll be there, I think about half a dozen other Campfire Savage guys also. Look for Fug's Savage display on the upper level, about halfway or so between lower level and the back wall. He's sending some cool stuff.

-It is 11 acres under one roof. The only roof supports are towards the edge of the room. About 1/3 of the building is on the lower level, east end and 2/3's one lever up on the west.
-I think it opens at 8 AM on Saturday.
-Be early as the lines get long and the parking lots fill up.
-There is a shuttle that goes to distant parking lots. Might try the far West end of the building for parking.
-Public entrance (2) are at the west end of the south side and east end of the north side.
-I hope you have a place to stay reserved.
-Depending on where you are staying...try to access the area (building is on south side of the area) from the west, southwest or northwest. Southeast is the worst.
-Bring a pen and pad and learn how the number and letters work for table locations. If you don't write it down you will never find it again. If it is a good buy and you don't buy it it will be gone when you get back.
-If you are only interested in Savage (or whatever) then just look for that. You will not finish if you look at everything and talk to everyone.
-By the time you are done everything will just be a blur.
-Some type of an over-the-shoulder bag to put things in, bottle of water, small energy snack...
-Weather is hard to guess. Probably cool to cold waiting in line but it will not be long till you will be wishing for fewer cloths once inside so keep to a minimum that you can put in you carry bag.
-Many years ago when I was in better shape it took me from 8 AM till around 2 or 3 PM to run the show just looking for Savage items. It's not you normal one or two hour local show.
-If you buy a gun the dealer must put a sticker on it in order for you to get out. I would usually leave it with the dealer along with my name and cell phone in case I forgot to go back. And don't forget to write down the table location so you can find it again!!!
-If there were any great buys Ralph found them on Friday.
- Will you be there on Sunday, also?

You can or used to could buy a 3-day ticket which will get you in on Friday. That's when most of the real deals or bought and sold. Bring lots of cash & your best walking shoes! Have fun & good luck!

Tickets can be purchased in advance so you can avoid the longest lines, click on the box in the upper right for info - http://www.tulsaarmsshow.com/frames.html

I know I could count on some tips from you guys. Thanks!!! We are staying at the Wyndham Tulsa, so we'll be coming in from the southwest. I'm bringing a small backpack to carry any handguns or small items I may purchase, along with my FFL license and pen and paper and reference books I may want to lug around. I've already faced up to the fact that we won't see everything and that if I find a good deal, I'll snap it up because like Rick said, either I won't be able to find it again or it won't be there if I go back, and if I spend all my money on the good deals within the first few hours, there will be other deals I'll just have to let go. After all, I can't buy everything!!!! I think we plan on being there Sunday morning and then start back home, but we'll know more after the trip down as far as what kind of a time table we'll be on for the return trip. Thanks again and any other advice will be appreciated.

Buy it when you see it if you like it.

tjw

Truer words were never spoken. There are a few here that fight that tooth and nail. If you want something and are not willing to spend what it takes to get it, than you do NOT want it in the first place.