Maryland Arm’s Collector’s Gun Show Timonium 3/18-3/19, 2023

[Fushigi Ojisan]

MACA myths and realities, and thoughts. I am a new member as of last year.
Getting into the show early and free is nice, not having to wait in the line is awesome.
First it isn't that hard to join.
It isn't expensive.
You do need to attend meetings (you do not need perfect attendance - I missed most of hunting season.) and depending on where you live that can be hard. It is about an hour ride for me.
It is important for us to get new members, especially younger ones. Demographically, the club wont exist in 15 years if we don't.
It is important to get to the meetings as if you don't what kind of community is it, how do we plan for the show? The show takes a lot of planning and volunteers to run, it also makes the club the money the club needs to continue to exist.
The meetings are fun, usually a good speaker on an obscure but interesting topic, also some buy sell and door prizes. I have made money and found bargains. Also when people know what you are looking for chances are they have one or know where one is....
The show does need to change, probably not to plastic EBR's but to allow C&R handguns, not just pre-1898.
Just some quick morning thoughts the day after.
Feel free to reach out if you want to join. Meetings are the 2nd Friday of every month at a Knights of Columbus Hall in Catonsville. There is free beer too...

I'm always amazed that even in my 50s, I'm still one of the youngest people there. I've done volunteer work for an educational nonprofit with relatively younger people that also had a problem bringing in new members.

What are the plans to recruit and bring in new members? Would they consider online attendance as a solution to growing membership?

So if curious MDS members were to roll by the KoC Hall in Catonsville on April 14th. Whats a good time to show up? What should they do when they get there?

 

[Cochise]

I'm always amazed that even in my 50s, I'm still one of the youngest people there. I've done volunteer work for an educational nonprofit with relatively younger people that also had a problem bringing in new members.

What are the plans to recruit and bring in new members? Would they consider online attendance as a solution to growing membership?

So if curious MDS members were to roll by the KoC Hall in Catonsville on April 14th. Whats a good time to show up? What should they do when they get there?

I try to get there about 6:45 or so, with cash in my pocket because you never know what is there. The actual meeting is at 7:30 and over by 9ish
I doubt that virtual or online would work but....
And yeah, I am also a Rotarian which I used to call my old guys meeting but this trends older...
I turn 60 later this year and i am on the younger end for sure.

 

[Cochise]

Oh, and if you want to drop in....there are actually two Knights of Columbus Halls in Catonsville... go to this one 2021 Frederick Rd, Catonsville, MD 21228. It is just outside Ellicott City.

 

[Bob A]

Used to be that prospective members needed to be invited to the meeting to gain entrance. Possibly still the case.

No doubt members of MACA on MDS would stand you an invitation, unless you're repellant trolls.

 

[dist1646]

Is that pre approved or not dissaproved ?

Since the CPRM is not involved, it's pre-approved. I'm still in shock over that one. Lol!

 

[smdub]

I'm always
amazed that even in my 50s, I'm still one of the youngest people there.

^This. I'm 50. Was my first MACA show and *WOW* it was the oldest group of dudes I think I've even been around.

The only way to bring new people into any club is to make it interesting for them. If you can't find (and convince) younger people to be interested in your product then the club will die out. Just the way it goes. The HAM guys got a fresh injection of young blood from the prepper crowd. The RC flight guys attract some youngsters but embracing drones and other electric / Ready To Fly setups really helped. We've reached out to some STEM clubs. The machining clubs do CNC. Once new people get their foot in the door you can pull some of them all the way through Without those first critical contacts, all is lost.

So how do you get younger people in the door for old, often expensive, guns? Really young folks often don't have disposable income yet and the vast majority won't initially be interested in the history part. They want everything online (and rightfully so.) Middle aged folks have kids and no time for long meetings but start to have some income. To reach more people there is no easier way than going online Have someone stream the meetings (I'd suggest a Discord group.) Any detailed presentation on a specific subject, record the stream, trim it down, and post to youtube/vimeo/rumble. That reaches an enormous audience. I'd watch them. You have to figure out how to reach interested folks.

For example, I'd like to buy a nice old SXS shotgun. Maybe a higher grade Fox? But I don't know squat about them. I won't buy one w/o doing research and understanding the pricing. For many types of guns 'I know a guy' (several of them) who I can ask questions. W/ the old shotgun stuff I don't run in any of those circles. I don't really know anyone who knows squat about black powder / antiques. So the barrier to entry (knowledge) for a newcomer is high.

The next thing is most swap/shows are dying - even if the club learns to thrive. The internet replaced them. Ham meets, RC swaps, car parts, etc are all mere shells of their former selves when they were the ONLY option to find stuff. Its more of a social gathering than anything else now. Why limit yourself to a couple local sellers/buyers when the world is your oyster online. W/ a C&R everything at that show could have been shipped to my door. Even the SAR show and Knob Creek are no longer. (though the latter is probably a victim of its own success.) So even if the club attracts new people (who likely are internet savy) the show will change. Expect it and adapt the business model to survive.

 

[Mike OTDP]

The big problem is that the "Maryland Arms Collector's Association" really should be "Greater Baltimore Arms Collector's Association". For people like me, living in Deep Southern Maryland, trying to get to their meetings would involve four hours of driving.

 

[Cochise]

The big problem is that the "Maryland Arms Collector's Association" really should be "Greater Baltimore Arms Collector's Association". For people like me, living in Deep Southern Maryland, trying to get to their meetings would involve four hours of driving.

I come from Rockville, some folks come from the Eastern shore and West Virginia. Other than rotating the meeting I don't know if there is a better solution on geography

 

[MilsurpDan]

I appreciate everybody’s insights about the club. You are all echoing thoughts and suggestions that I’ve been trying to give the club for the past year and a half or so that I’ve been on the board. I believe slowly but surely Andrew and I are making progress.

I am happy to sponsor anybody to be my guest at the meetings if you would like to attend. I’m sure the other members would be happy to as well…

…Actually I do have one stipulation to be my guest…I will not sponsor leftists or anyone who voted for any politician of the current anti-gun regime.

 

[h2u]

I appreciate everybody’s insights about the club. You are all echoing thoughts and suggestions that I’ve been trying to give the club for the past year and a half or so that I’ve been on the board. I believe slowly but surely Andrew and I are making progress.

I am happy to sponsor anybody to be my guest at the meetings if you would like to attend. I’m sure the other members would be happy to as well…

…Actually I do have one stipulation to be my guest…I will not sponsor leftists or anyone who voted for any politician of the current anti-gun regime.

Teams? Zoom?
I would’ve been a member for the last 25yrs, but for the in-person meeting requirements.
Yes. Only lately has the virtual meeting been easy. Take advantage of that.

Throwing out that it’s just not worth it to spend approx 4hrs to drive/attend a meeting for those of us any distance south of Annapolis.

 

[TheLizardKing]

Was a bit shocked entering the hall, seeing the entire entrance hall without a single vendor and half the number of displays (missed the Luger display, that was always something I looked forward to every year). Hoping that many of the vendors that went AWOL this year make it back for future editions.
Nice hearing that so many here went home happy. The highlight for me was meeting up with Milsurp Dan and his fiancee. Only went with one item in mind, cartridge adapters for a Springfield Hoffer-Thompson. No luck but find them was a long shot so not disappointed. Did get a 1933 Parker-Hale catalog, already found some very interesting things listed there that were unknown to me so it was $50 well spent. Was seriously tempted by an amazing Swiss Schmidt Rubin Cadet but in the end took a pass. Trying to stay focused on an item that I've chased for decades to no avail. Figure it's my best last chance of getting one and don't need anything depleting the fun money account.

That cadet rifle was cool. The K11 .22 trainer above it was awesome too. I ended up buying a muzzle cap for my k31 from that same guy. Besides that I got a k31 cleaning kit, a WWII m43 field jacket and a book of Matthew Brady civil war photos.

 

[Fushigi Ojisan]

That cadet rifle was cool. The K11 .22 trainer above it was awesome too. I ended up buying a muzzle cap for my k31 from that same guy. Besides that I got a k31 cleaning kit, a WWII m43 field jacket and a book of Matthew Brady civil war photos.

Not that it matters now, but what was the price on the K11 .22 trainer?

 

[rseymorejr]

That cadet rifle was cool. The K11 .22 trainer above it was awesome too. I ended up buying a muzzle cap for my k31 from that same guy. Besides that I got a k31 cleaning kit, a WWII m43 field jacket and a book of Matthew Brady civil war photos.

The K31 I bought came with a muzzle cap, I didn't even know they had such a thing. Just hope I don't put a hole in it the first time I shoot it LOL!

 

[smdub]

The K31 I bought came with a muzzle cap, I didn't even know they had such a thing. Just hope I don't put a hole in it the first time I shoot it LOL!

I'm pretty sure that why it covers the front sight
Same w/ biathlon rifles. The snow cover when flipped up blocks the sight.

 

[TheLizardKing]

Not that it matters now, but what was the price on the K11 .22 trainer?

It was over a grand. I think it was around $1300, but in all honesty I can't remember