Dangers and pitfalls of attending SCI

[skydiver386]

As much fun as it can be to attend large Convention's and Gun Shows, there are some inherently dangerous aspects. Temptation must be resisted at every turn, and even the slightest lapse in concentration can lead to large credit card statements.

I find myself especially drawn to gunmakers like Holland & Holland, Beretta and Jerrett. Now I need a new 30 cal hunting rifle like I need a hole in the foot, but that never stopped one from following me home from such an event.

Any booth that has free samples made with the BBQ spices and an expensive smoker that they are selling is a Danger Zone. With the small portions, small plates and toothpicks, it often takes 45 minutes before I'm full enough to walk out with my new smoker. About the time I'm in the parking lot, I remember I'm kinda tight on room in my shed because of the Blackstone and Big Green Egg I bought at the last 2 shows.

Then there are some people who just don't play fair. One particular guide has even stated that he will be located in the Rigby booth. This is akin to telling a group of 10 year olds "I'll be in the chocolate ice cream booth next to the cherries and strawberries"!

Tina recently purchased a small wooden dowel rod about a foot and a half in length. Never gave it a second though until I noticed she packed it in her suitcase for our trip to Nashville. I asked what it was for and she replied "It's for you".

I'm thoroughly ashamed to report to you gentlemen that while you are at the show you may hear a loud WHACK, and see me grasping my hand in pain followed by a female voice whispering No No No.

What are you shopping for at the SCI Convention?

BTW, Tina bought tickets for the Grand Ol Opry on Saturday night, but since I'll be sitting in one place with my hands in my lap, I feel pretty safe.

 

[RyanPalmer]

Rigby is my top stop. I’ve marked out a bunch of other stops using that SCI app. The wife is after more hunt’s than me believe it or not.

 

[skydiver386]

Oh I'm there with you. Last year I was oogling a beautiful .416 Rigby, and if it had been a .450 it would have walked out with me.

 

[Scott CWO]

I went a little crazy last year booking LDE, roan and kob in Cameroon and darted rhino in SA for 2025; polar bear in April 2026; and mountain nyala and melenik bushbuck in Ethiopia for 2027 so this year I didn’t book anything.

I was given a sweet offer for leopard, buffalo and PG in Botswana for 2025 or 2026 in an area that was previously only open for elephant and leopard. There are some really big buffalo and PG there that have not been hunted in years so that makes it very tempting! Still mulling it over for my son.

Instead of booking anything for myself, I concentrated on helping friends book some great hunts. I helped them book four brown bear hunts, a moose hunt, an elephant hunt in the Naye Naye Conservancy in Bushmanland in Namibia and a bongo hunt in a newer camp in Cameroon where a friend killed a huge bongo last year. I am going along as an observer on the elephant hunt so that should be fun!

 

[Altitude sickness]

Good Luck on the LDE hunt Scott

 

[Brod]

Funny stuff @skydiver386. I know the feeling as well. I've lost track on the number of "must have" purchases I've made and rediscovered at home 2-3 years later.

 

[Brod]

I went a little crazy last year booking LDE, roan and kob in Cameroon and darted rhino in SA for 2025; polar bear in April 2026; and mountain nyala and melenik bushbuck in Ethiopia for 2027 so this year I didn’t book anything.

I was given a sweet offer for leopard, buffalo and PG in Botswana for 2025 or 2026 in an area that was previously only open for elephant and leopard. There are some really big buffalo and PG there that have not been hunted in years so that makes it very tempting! Still mulling it over for my son.

Instead of booking anything for myself, I concentrated on helping friends book some great hunts. I helped them book four brown bear hunts, a moose hunt, an elephant hunt in the Naye Naye Conservancy in Bushmanland in Namibia and a bongo hunt in a newer camp in Cameroon where a friend killed a huge bongo last year. I am going along as an observer on the elephant hunt so that should be fun!

Wow! Do you need another friend?

 

[Bandera]

I was saved from buying a 450-400 NE double rifle it was already sold.
There was the massage chair guy. That thing was amazing.
Then there was the Rigby booth.
The painter at that booth does amazing work.
There where quite a few amazing artists there

 

[Scott CWO]

Wow! Do you need another friend?

Always! Happy to help friends find good hunts, spend their money and go along!

 

[Fixfire]

lol, funny thread. Yeah, I purchased another custom Rand hat. Barely wear my other 3!!

 

[Fatback]

I already had hunts booked for this year and 2027 and my plan was to sit out 2026 as far as traveling to hunt. Well…. Now I am considering a couple of great offers for buffalo for me and my son in law for 2026. I want to take my daughter and her husband to Africa for the first time and some of the offers I got may make me reconsider my “sit it out year” in 2026. What’s a fella to do?? I did get a new pair of Kenetrek boots I was needing and a couple of hats and a shirt from Tag Safari so not too bad on the gear front. I did have to remove myself from the ParkWest Arms booth as I was getting uncomfortably close to pulling the trigger on a build. I think only the indecision on caliber saved me from buying I rifle I certainly don’t need right now.

 

[skydiver386]

I already had hunts booked for this year and 2027 and my plan was to sit out 2026 as far as traveling to hunt. Well…. Now I am considering a couple of great offers for buffalo for me and my son in law for 2026. I want to take my daughter and her husband to Africa for the first time and some of the offers I got may make me reconsider my “sit it out year” in 2026. What’s a fella to do?? I did get a new pair of Kenetrek boots I was needing and a couple of hats and a shirt from Tag Safari so not too bad on the gear front. I did have to remove myself from the ParkWest Arms booth as I was getting uncomfortably close to pulling the trigger on a build. I think only the indecision on caliber saved me from buying I rifle I certainly don’t need right now.

Did you see the rimfire rifles that ParkWest is building? Every bit as beautiful as the old Kimber Super America rifles out of the Oregon factory.

 

[jimbo1972]

Rigby is my top stop. I’ve marked out a bunch of other stops using that SCI app. The wife is after more hunt’s than me believe it or not.

You sir are a lucky man

 

[skydiver386]

Truth be told, Tina and I weren't in the show 10 minutes and we were filling out Trust forms at Silencer Central. Bought 2 Banish supressors and considering a few more for rimfire rifles.

Looked at the Leica Colorinox and will probably bite off on one fairly soon.

When visiting my friends at Jerrett Rifles I found out my .450 Rigby rifle is nearly complete and they will do some load development for it before shipping it to me.

Talked with one of the Chamois and Ibex guides at FN Hunting of Austria and was very favorably impressed. Tina and I both like the idea of Europe one year, Africa the next.

Bought some clothing at TAG Safari, but passed on the Jim Green boots for this year.

Saturday night we went to see Pam Tillis, John Conlee, The Oak Ridge Boys and Ricky Skaggs at the Grand Ole Opry.

SCI made the right choice with Nashville.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

As much fun as it can be to attend large Convention's and Gun Shows, there are some inherently dangerous aspects. Temptation must be resisted at every turn, and even the slightest lapse in concentration can lead to large credit card statements.

I find myself especially drawn to gunmakers like Holland & Holland, Beretta and Jerrett. Now I need a new 30 cal hunting rifle like I need a hole in the foot, but that never stopped one from following me home from such an event.

Any booth that has free samples made with the BBQ spices and an expensive smoker that they are selling is a Danger Zone. With the small portions, small plates and toothpicks, it often takes 45 minutes before I'm full enough to walk out with my new smoker. About the time I'm in the parking lot, I remember I'm kinda tight on room in my shed because of the Blackstone and Big Green Egg I bought at the last 2 shows.

Then there are some people who just don't play fair. One particular guide has even stated that he will be located in the Rigby booth. This is akin to telling a group of 10 year olds "I'll be in the chocolate ice cream booth next to the cherries and strawberries"!

Tina recently purchased a small wooden dowel rod about a foot and a half in length. Never gave it a second though until I noticed she packed it in her suitcase for our trip to Nashville. I asked what it was for and she replied "It's for you".

I'm thoroughly ashamed to report to you gentlemen that while you are at the show you may hear a loud WHACK, and see me grasping my hand in pain followed by a female voice whispering No No No.

What are you shopping for at the SCI Convention?

BTW, Tina bought tickets for the Grand Ol Opry on Saturday night, but since I'll be sitting in one place with my hands in my lap, I feel pretty safe.

I had my feelers out for a whitetail hunt as well as planning next trip to Africa. Nothing firm yet, but that is likely to change.

What was on the list was after ordering a Rand hat last year for myself, the wife proclaimed she wanted one too. I was in no position to say no, so a few months from now she'll have one.

I'm not a big country music fan by any stretch. But I thought Ricky Skaggs and his band were awesome, I do appreciate great musicianship regardless of genre. And hearing the Oak Ridge Boys sing Elvira live was a throw back to my teenage years.

 

[skydiver386]

One disappointment was asking Bill at Swift Bullets about A-Frames in .458 500 grain. He said they sold out early Wednesday morning. No more till this September.

Barnes had piles of .458 500 grain X bullets, so I bought 4 boxes.

 

[Scott CWO]

I got the last box of 300 grain Swift A-Frame bullets at the Swift booth. 225 grain in .338 were already gone.

Dirks Bentley was amazing Saturday night.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I went a little crazy last year booking LDE, roan and kob in Cameroon and darted rhino in SA for 2025; polar bear in April 2026; and mountain nyala and melenik bushbuck in Ethiopia for 2027 so this year I didn’t book anything.

I was given a sweet offer for leopard, buffalo and PG in Botswana for 2025 or 2026 in an area that was previously only open for elephant and leopard. There are some really big buffalo and PG there that have not been hunted in years so that makes it very tempting! Still mulling it over for my son.

Instead of booking anything for myself, I concentrated on helping friends book some great hunts. I helped them book four brown bear hunts, a moose hunt, an elephant hunt in the Naye Naye Conservancy in Bushmanland in Namibia and a bongo hunt in a newer camp in Cameroon where a friend killed a huge bongo last year. I am going along as an observer on the elephant hunt so that should be fun!

@Scott CWO should the conversation come up, remind me not to tag around with you at SCI. Helping your friends book those nice hunts. As an enabler you will have me booked for more hunts and adventures than I have time to go on.

 

[Philip Glass]

As much fun as it can be to attend large Convention's and Gun Shows, there are some inherently dangerous aspects. Temptation must be resisted at every turn, and even the slightest lapse in concentration can lead to large credit card statements.

I find myself especially drawn to gunmakers like Holland & Holland, Beretta and Jerrett. Now I need a new 30 cal hunting rifle like I need a hole in the foot, but that never stopped one from following me home from such an event.

Any booth that has free samples made with the BBQ spices and an expensive smoker that they are selling is a Danger Zone. With the small portions, small plates and toothpicks, it often takes 45 minutes before I'm full enough to walk out with my new smoker. About the time I'm in the parking lot, I remember I'm kinda tight on room in my shed because of the Blackstone and Big Green Egg I bought at the last 2 shows.

Then there are some people who just don't play fair. One particular guide has even stated that he will be located in the Rigby booth. This is akin to telling a group of 10 year olds "I'll be in the chocolate ice cream booth next to the cherries and strawberries"!

Tina recently purchased a small wooden dowel rod about a foot and a half in length. Never gave it a second though until I noticed she packed it in her suitcase for our trip to Nashville. I asked what it was for and she replied "It's for you".

I'm thoroughly ashamed to report to you gentlemen that while you are at the show you may hear a loud WHACK, and see me grasping my hand in pain followed by a female voice whispering No No No.

What are you shopping for at the SCI Convention?

BTW, Tina bought tickets for the Grand Ol Opry on Saturday night, but since I'll be sitting in one place with my hands in my lap, I feel pretty safe.

So true. It's dangerous!

 

[Fatback]

Did you see the rimfire rifles that ParkWest is building? Every bit as beautiful as the old Kimber Super America rifles out of the Oregon factory.

I didn’t notice them. I was too busy ogling the bigger stuff. Thinking about a pair of the synthetic stocked for around the world hunting. Maybe 416 Rem and 300 Win??