OK, so I went to the gun show

And couldn’t find a freaking gun to buy.

This isn’t really a knock on this weekend’s Dixie Gun and Knife Show in Charlotte. It’s a good show, and I actually saw some very good deals. If I’d been looking for a Springfield XD-45 I could have brought one home for $500. I saw evil black rifles, good brands, for as low as $600. I saw a Smith and Wesson that just begged to come home with me. I regretfully told it “no” and left it whimpering on the table.

I also saw MREs with pack dates 2 years past for full price and guys with thousand round boxes of .223 ammo for the bargain price of only $50 over what I could buy it on the net for including shipping. You have to love optimists, I suppose.

But I couldn’t find one freaking over and under shotgun that pointed well for me, in 20 gauge, with screw-in chokes with extractors to buy. Not new and not used.

I did find several nice used ones that were close. There was the Browning Citori with the nasty stock ding that was $200 overpriced. Everything I wanted except it had ejectors. The stock ding could have been repaired and the ejectors lived with, but an arrogant dealer who ignores potential customers and overprices the stock simply isn’t someone I typically want to do business with. When I finally got someone’s attention, he couldn’t talk business and I had to wait for Her Majesty The Owner to tell him what it could sell for. After causing her the inconvenience of actually having to calculate a price, she was willing to knock off $50. No thanks, sis.

Then there was the very nice gentleman who was willing to talk both business and guns, with an Italian gun from a maker I’ve never heard of and can’t Google up. The price was good, but ejectors and fixed chokes (improved cylinder and modified). I know I haven’t heard of all good shotgun brands, but I’ve heard of most of them, and the unrecognized name and fixed chokes killed that one for me.

Then there is the one that I’m sure I’ll be told I foolishly let get away. Nice older gentleman and his wife with a great selection of both shotguns and rifles. A very nice older Ruger Red Label at a very nice price, but again with fixed chokes and ejectors. I stopped by that table three times. I mounted that gun probably 30 times. Every time, the thing was right where it should be. I really though hard about it. He gave every indication of being willing to bargain, but I decided to pass.

After returning to Daughter’s dorm room for a break and a short rest before supper, I did some Intertubz research, and found at that there is an easy way to change Citori ejectors to extractors. I have to wonder if something similar could be done with the Red Label.

I was able to buy 4# of Hogdon International Clays powder for reloading. And Daughter and I were able to enjoy the day together. I shouldn’t complain.

But I’m still frustrated.