How many members of this board were there? What did you think of it?

I was there and found a nice NID 20 gauge Field Grade with all the options, e.g. ejectors, SST, vent rib, BTFE. A rather rare configuration! Made my day.

Walt- I saw you there and was pleased to meet you. The only gun that really got my attention was a 20 gage EE Lefever (Syracuse) the young lady with me found. When she saw the price tag she knew why I don't have one. All in all a great show. Wonderful people, beautiful guns and pretty country.

As an aside, the young lady accompanying me had been warned a gunshow was not the place a black girl should go. Too many racsist red necks. After a short while, she was right at home and can't stop talking about how nice everyone was to her. Says a whole lot for the folks in attendance.

I was there along with my friend Claudio Opacak. We just arrived home about two hours ago. Both of us had a grand time and are looking forward to next year. I particularly enjoyed the double rifle "FUN" shoot which is why I took three of mine with me. We who brought rifles brought enough ammo to allow anyone with interest to shoot them. We had a great turnout on Saturday and I'm sure more than a few converts to this "addiction". I particularly relished the oportunity to shoot a Verney-Carron .577 NE, a Watson .577 BPE, an Alexander Henry .450-400 BPE hammer gun, etc. You just can't have that much fun legally anywhere else. Oh yeah, and a lot of great folks and new friends.

I was there most of the day on Saturday. I didn't shoot but really enjoyed looking a lots of fine guns that I couldn't afford. Parker and A.H. Fox guns were well represented. I saw an 8 bore Purdey double rifle that I would love to had. "SO MANY GUNS, SO LITTLE MONEY" OH WELL!

Best Regards, George

Ron,
No wonder I couldn't get a hold of Claudio. I hope you two had a great time.
So who won this year, Smiths again?
Chris

Well my wife and I are back from the Southern sxs shoot in Sanford, NC. The Deep River Sporting Clays Course is about 25 miles south of Raleigh just off US Route 1. Very pretty and rural country, lots of pine and oak woods with a little roll to the ground. We stayed the first night in Apex, NC a suburb of Raleigh, tons of great restaurants, we ate at a place named Peak City Tavern, great steaks. We stayed at the Quality Inn in Sanford with the Virginia Vintagers and LC Smith group. The hotel was in need of a remodel, if I go again I think the Comfort Inn looked better.
The Southern has grown as large if not larger than the Vintagers, I couldn't believe it. Every major dealer was in attendance, more than the Vintagers. John Allen told me there were 70 vendors. Think of any major dealer including the west coast folks and they were there. The facility is very nice set on 40 acres. They had two great five stands, $15.00 for 30 targets (I think that's half the price of Pintail). The sporting clays course was set in the woods and very nice and little wait all weekend. The LC Smith/Parker Challenge was great fun. You would love the shooting set up, you can shoot your brains out without long waits and the courses are very close to the parking. Another neat aspect is everyone is southern friendly. Most folks set up a tent cover at the back of their car with a cooler and chairs, people just stop in for a beer and a chat about guns. It's kind of like a Southern front porch in a small town.
The food was good at the shoot, not to expensive, prepared by a bunch of cute southern bells. My wife and I attended the Saturday night Pig roast, it was nice since you didn't have to dress up and go some place else.
Tons of guns, complete overload. Tons of great Parkers and more mint LC field guns than I have ever seen. No Foxes hit my fancy but I did buy a LC Smith Grade 1 10ga that is in well used condition but all original. I can't pass up the old duck guns, I am sick. Anyhow I shot it and did very well, the girl pulling the targets at the 5 stand couldn't believe what it did to clay birds, it has .050" and .055" chokes!! The boys down south call it a boat gun, we would call it a shooter!
I think you guys should think about putting it on your schedule one of these years, I believe you would all enjoy the weekend. Craig Larter AHFCA

Anyone see any straight-gripped Smiths or Parkers? Maybe in 16g?

Any good English stuff or special American guns?

Thanks

OWD

I finally met my new friends Claudio Opacek and Ron Vella, both serious gun guys and very nice fellows, although Canadians. Claudio and I traded Canuck ten gauge shells and Parker skeleton buttplates. I hope they can make it to the Vintagers. Bill Murphy

Is it true that the side lock guys put it on the box lock guys for the second year in a row?
bill

Yep, they did. But since my only American SxS is a 20 gauge Fox Sterlingworth I just had to watch them do it again this year.

The shooting was great but I did a bunch of missing.

More vendors than I've seen before and lots of great fun - my wife enjoyed watching so much that she may now be looking for a 28 gauge SxS to go with the 20 gauge Beretta 303 that she's just learning to shoot.

Life is good - hope to see y'all there next year. In the meantime we'll see you at Pintal Point in September.

I attended for the first time and had a blast. Met a lot of guys I'd only known by email/phone plus many more for the first time. Next year I will be back.

Mike Covington

Cary,

I spotted your companion. The only comment that popped in my native North Carolinian brain was, wrong shoes girl. Open strapped platform shoes just don't work on gravel drives very well. I am glad she had fun.

Toby Barclay, Heritage Guns, was very happy with the show. He has a lot less luggage to return to the UK.

I did quite a bit of talking, trading and buying. I bought a nearly new Cogswell & Harrison 20 BLE Konor that sports stunning case color and delicate engraving. I also picked up an Alex Martin 12 BLE a W&S made screw grip gun for flurry shooting at the Vintage Cup this fall.

Our Carolina Vintager group is meeting at my house soon for our 2nd annual Frying and Lying dinner. The Frying is cooking up any remaining game you'd like to donate to the meal. The Lying is showing any gun you have purchased since the last event. We vote on the Best of Show. The winner gets bragging rights till next year. I suspect I'll get to see what everyone else bought at the Southern. I know there was a lot of purchasing going on, so I can't wait to see what the others picked up.

The only event that had me wondering was the CSMC 20 hammer event for American made guns. I can't recall ever seeing an America 20 hammer out playing.

Joe

I had a great time as usual.Many fine guns to admire, Lots of Fun at the practice 5 stands. There was good fellowship and food at the VA Vintager’s dinner.
Jent and his gracious wife Annie were Wonderful hosts At the Flame Restaurant. Only drawback for me was my new RBL 28 ga. was delivered on Friday while I was down there!

You're right about the shoes Joe. I'd guess she was the most unlikely person at the shoot to have loved it. She already asked me about Pintail Point and has been eyeing my gun cabinet suspiciously. I think I'm about to lose a 16ga.

At this point I have, as have a few others, become a "fixture" at the Southern; but of all the years I've attended, I enjoyed this year the most. I recall attending the very first Southern in 2001; at which time Bill's dealer/exhibitor area consisted of a single 40' tent set up beside the clubhouse that contained about as many empty booths as were occupied. This year the entire area around, behind, and below the clubhouse was covered with tents and filled with dealers from all over the entire country; plus representatives from across the big pond. It is absolutely amazing to see how this thing has grown so large from its humble beginning, and just how well it is being supported. At this point in time I'm just a red-necked southern boy who has yet to experience the glamor and glitz of the Vintagers event; yet I can't count the numbers of Southern Side x Side attendees who have attended both events and commented to me how much more they enjoy the Southern. This year there were many folks who even commented that they beleive the Sputhern Side x Side may now be as large, or perhaps even larger than the Vintagers event. I certainly don't know, and don't really care; all I can tell anyone is that the Southern Side x Side can only be appreciated when it is attended. For those of us connected with the LCSCA and PGCA this event is equivalent to the annual "family reunion"; and the friendships and fellowship that have evolved as a result of the Challenge Event is truly unbelieveable. And we've always had some women attendees; but we had more women this year than in all the other years combbined it seemed; and they even had their own tent called "GRITS", Girls Really In To Shooting, and believe me when I tell you that these gals were there to have fun! We also had a fair number of young shooters in atttendance this year, to include several young women; and the kid on Team Parker was an absolute joy to watch! Without a doubt times are a bit tough for all of us these days, and attending events like the Southern can stress an already tight budget; but if there is only one shooting event each year that a guy and his family can attend, perhaps the Southern should be first on the list. So good shooting and we'll see ya'll there next April!

Went down from DC on a day trip, primarily to pick up my Darne 10 gauge from Geoffroy Gournet. It was back from the Bruchet shop with a new buttstock and St. Etienne proofmarks on the replacement barrels that Kirk Merrington fitted some years ago.

Will post photos and a report on shooting/handling once I get to the Prince Georges County range. Good news is that on mounting the gun I no longer see the entire length of barrel -- promising...

Found a nice atmosphere at Deep River with many, many serious dealers, including in accessories and footwear. Ordered a pair of digital ears. Saw many fine guns including two small bore Darnes. Lots of Parkers on display, and many English guns, not surprisingly mostly boxlocks. Only found RST selling ammunition. Had a good enough, quick lunch and a brief chat about African hunting. Then five hours drive back. Think next year I'll go for the whole thing.

Regards

I'm with you TOPGUN --- just another Carolina redneck and proud of it !

I'm glad Ron pushed me to get all the paperwork in order for the trip to allow me to bring my guns across, I had a great time. I met a lot of good people and made some new friends,.... saw and handled many great guns and even shot the big rifles, the .577 was quite exhilarating (I think I have a new found love).......had some good food , good scotch, and great weather, but first and foremost got to see first hand what southern hospitality is all about.

I took some time to go around Sunday morning and say goodbye but I notice that some had already left. So... Doug Mann, Glenn Fewless and Dennis Potter..It was my pleasure to finally meet ya'll

Murphy,..don't get caught with those shells in a duck blind!

Look forward to next year

All best

CJ

OWD
Don't know about Smiths or Parkers but here is a straight hand 5E 20 ga. Ithaca that sold.

Walt-

What a pretty gun. Did you take it home?

Must be pretty rare set up.

OWD

It is passing from my stewardship to another, tears, tears. It is a rare configuration.