1

Collectors Row at the 146th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits By Dennis Sandoz

The 2017 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Atlanta included a group of collectors gathered on Collectors Row on the show floor. Eighteen gun collector clubs presented fascinating collections that are one of the high points of attending the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits. The exhibits that really caught my eye are described in the balance of this article. I also attended the National Gun Collector Awards Ceremony to better appreciate this important area of interest.

The Kentucky Rifle Association received a silver medal - Best Arms Award 2017 for their

Gamecock Rifle, attributed to Georgia gunsmith, Wiley G. Higgins.

2

American Society of Arms Collectors and Maryland Arms Collector Association display.

American Society of Arms Collectors and Maryland Arms Collectors Association display.

3

American Society of Arms Collectors and Maryland Arms Collectors Association received four silver medals - Best Arms Awards 2017 for their Thomas W. Cofer Type II percussion cartridge revolver; LeMat Percussion revolver, s/n 715, with its original Richmond Depot holster and lanyard; Cook & Brother bayonet alternation of a Belgian Cape Gun with a saber bayonet; and their cased 2nd Model LeMat percussion revolver, s/n 1432, with accoutrements. American Society of Arms Collectors and Maryland Arms Collectors Association also received a Best Educational Display Award in the Antique Arms Category for their display “Civil War Small Arms Technology”. They also received two Certificates of Recognition for their original Confederate patent documents issued to Thomas W. Cofer, and their Richmond Depot lanyard and holster for a LeMat revolver.

Oregon Arms Collectors Association received a silver medal - Best Arms Award 2017 for their

Model 1780 Girardoni repeating air rifle.

4

The Oregon Arms Collectors Association also received a Certificate of Recognition for their leather Girardoni canister cover.

Michael Carrick of Oregon Arms Collectors Association with their Model 1780 Girardoni

repeating air rifle.

5

Jennifer and Gary Gole created the display, “Youth Marksmanship & Gun Safety Program, 1917 to 1925”, for the Winchester Arms Collectors Association - Winner of the 57th Annual NRA Gun

Collectors Committee Trophy. The Winchester Arms Collectors Association also received a silver medal - Best Arms Award 2017 for their Junior Trapshooting Kit, complete with the original shipping crate. They also received Certificates of Recognition for their Winchester youth posters and Winchester Model 02 picture box. Jennifer and Gary have been collectors for more than 25 years. They have a passion for anything Winchester but focus in particular on guns and accoutrements related to the Winchester Junior Rifle Corps program.

6

Winchester Arms Collectors Association exhibit, “Youth Marksmanship & Gun Safety Program,

1917 to 1925”. In April, 1917, Winchester introduced a new program, Winchester Junior Rifle Corps (WJRC). This program was built on the foundation of The NRA Youth Shooting Program founded in 1903. The new program went a significant step further by promoting youth gun safety and marksmanship catering to boys and girls alike. After learning about the WJRC program, the Boys Scouts of America and WJRC worked together to promote gun safety and marksmanship. The WJRC program was very popular when taken over by the National Rifle Association in 1925. Winchester .22 caliber rifles promoted for use with the WJRC program included M-01 Thumb Trigger, M-1902, M-1903, M-1904, M-1906, M-1890, M-1885, M-1885 Winder Musket and M-52.

7

Left side of Winchester Arms Collectors Association exhibit, “Youth Marksmanship & Gun Safety

Program, 1917 to 1925”.

8

Right side of Winchester Arms Collectors Association exhibit, “Youth Marksmanship & Gun

Safety Program, 1917 to 1925”.

9

Featured section of Winchester Arms Collectors Association exhibit, “Youth Marksmanship &

Gun Safety Program, 1917 to 1925”.

10

Junior Rifle Corps Award Medals presented by the Winchester Arms Collectors Association in

their exhibit “Youth Marksmanship & Gun Safety Program, 1917 to 1925”.

11

The Colt Collectors Association received a silver medal - Best Arms Award 2017 for their pair of

Colt Single Action Army revolvers, s/n EAST1 and WEST 1, engraved by Leonard Francolini. The craftsmanship of these two revolvers is exquisite and the engraving is a true work of art. You should visit www.francoline.com where you can see 300 pictures of the engraving of these revolvers. The techniques and craftsmanship as shown in the pictures are fantastic.

12

Diane and Ken Leonard of Ohio Gun Collectors Association, winner of a Best Educational Display

Award – Antique Arms Category for their display “Family -The Search for David Leonard”.

13

The Ohio Gun Collectors Association also received a Certificate of Recognition for their reproduction Leonard rifle barrel exhibit railing. The journey to collect artifacts crafted by Ohio Gunsmith David Leonard has special meaning for Diane and Ken Leonard because David Leonard is their ancestor. During their research to create the Leonard family history they discovered that David Leonard was Ken’s great-great grandfather and amazingly, a first cousin, four times removed on Diane’s side of the family. Diane and Ken’s efforts assure that David Leonard will no longer be just an entry in early Mahoning County census records or merely a footnote in an obscure book of early rifles. You need to visit www.davidleonardgunsmith.com to learn more about this very talented man who with rudimentary tools made long rifles that were both functional and works of art. You will find many photographs of the rifle parts that provide insight into how David Leonard designed and built his rifles in the mid to late 1800’s.

David Leonard rifles.

14

David Leonard long guns and tools.

15

Missouri Valley Vigilantes and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association display was awarded

a Best Educational Display Award – Classic Arms Category.

Missouri Valley Vigilantes and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association.

16

The Missouri Valley Vigilantes and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association received a Best Educational Display Award in the Classic Arms Category for their display “The Short Magazine Lee Enfield: Into the Trenches with the British Empire”. A Certificated of Recognition was awarded to Missouri Valley Vigilantes and Missouri Valley Arms Collectors Association for their saddle bucket scabbard and belt.

Smith & Wesson Collectors Association display “Early Single-Actions, 1857-1891” won

The National Firearms Museum Spirit of the Game award.

17

L-R: J. David Lortscher, Steve Fjestad and Mike Kamler. Steve is presenting the plaque to David

and Mike of the Ruger Owners and Collectors Association.

18

Ruger Owners and Collectors Society display “Sturm, Ruger & Co. Milestones & Anniversaries”

created by David Lortscher and Mike Kamler, won a Best Education Display Award – Contemporary Arms Category.

Ruger Owners and Collectors Society also received a Certificate of Recognition for their 1949 FFL, which was the first one issued to Sturm, Ruger & Co.

19

Ruger Collectors Association “Sturm, Ruger & Co: Early Pistols & Revolvers, Prototype, Samples,

Special Order, Sundry Related Items” won a Best Educational Display Award – Classic Arms Category.

Ruger Collectors Association displayed an experimental HAWKEYE revolver chambered for the

.221 Remington Fireball cartridge.

20

L-R: Dudley Brown and Bill Crawley of The Dallas Arms Collectors Association.

Photo courtesy of Phil Schreier. The Dallas Arms Collectors Association Inc. display, “Weapons of the Soviet-Afghan War, 1979-1989” won a Best Educational Display Award – Combined Arms Category. A very nice booklet by Martin Ivie was available as a handout that provided background and history of each item in the display. A separate handout provided a guide to the display.

21

“John Dahlgren and the Plymouth Rifle” display by Marc Gorelick of the

Virginia Gun Collectors Association. The 147th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held May 4-6, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. I strongly encourage all NRA members to attend this most enjoyable and memorable event whenever possible.