Attention all Aussies, & Americans Too

[peter richards]

I have put together a second trip to the USA - Gun Trip USA 2014, from the 1st to the 12th April, 2014. We will start in New York at the Intrepid Museum, then up the New Haven, Connecticut, to catch up with Winchester Historian, Author & Engraver Pauline Muerrle at the old Winchester Factory site with some of her old workmates. We will then check out the old Marlin Factory site & the Colt Collection at the museum of Connecticut History.
From there we will head down to Fairfax, Virginia to the NRA Museum, before flying to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Tulsa Gun Show.
We will then go to the JM Davis Gun Museum before heading down to Texas for another Game Ranch hunt with 86er. We will have a machine gun shoot at exploding targets & a visit to the Texas Ranger Museum before heading home.
I have 2 places left for any Aussies that want to join us, cost is $6,999, check out my website http://www.oldwestguns.com.au
If any of you in the states can make any suggestions for things to do along the way, or if we can catch up with any of you over there that would be great also. I got some great suggestions from you all last time, & had a great time with 86er & crs.

[MrMurphy]

Assuming you have the time, if you're down for the Ranger museum, keep following I-35 south another 2-3 hours and hit the Alamo.

[Hawkeye2]

The Marine Corps Museum at Quantico, VA isn't far from the NRA museum and the Udvar-Hazey branch of the Smithsonian Air and Space museum is even closer to the NRA museum. You could easily do 2 of the 3 in a day.

[Streetstar]

Will try to catch up with you folks at the JM Davis museum ----

[jhrosier]

The Springfield Armory in Springfield, MA is not far out of your way & definitely worth a visit.

Jack

[Old Savage]

If you want a slight break from guns, Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Conn. Is an old whaling village set up.

[bigbore442001]

Since you will be in the area, you can drive another hour north to the Springfield Armory Museum in Springfield Massachusetts. I will be honest, it was run better years ago but it still has a good assortment of firearms that were made at the Armory as well as machinery that was used to make them.

[piller]

While you are in Waco, TX at the Texas Ranger Museum, you might as well go a few blocks over and see the Dr. Pepper museum. While there you can see how the oldest carbonated beverage still in production in America got its start.

[Yodar]

You will like the Tulsa gun show. Eleven acres of guns. Plan on spending at least two days. Be sure to drop by the table of my friend Jim Thrash (Sporting Collectables) and say hi. Be sure to admire the nice L.C. Smith Trap Grade he will have on display.

[crs]

Peter,
I hope to see you again in Hondo.

[GoatGuy]

Peter, great trip and itinerary for your group. The Tulsa Gun Show looks like my best opportunity of catching up with you folks. Perhaps I can get my Aussie (Melbourne) son-in-law to drive up from Austin, TX to translate for us. Looking forward to it. - John

[Sixgun]

After you hit the NRA museum, travel north about 75 miles to the "sixgun museum". Entry fee is a case of Fosters Lager. Ahhhh, I quit drinking 20 years ago so forget all that.

A stop in center city Philadelphia is cool and there's lots of history to be seen, like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross house. But you have to stay in center city because if you venture a block out of it, into "Little Africa", you will most likely end up in the city morgue.----6

[GoatGuy]

Dang! That's not encouraging news, Six! That bad, eh?

[Old Ironsights]

Oi!

Hwyissit you don't have the Rocky Mountains (the Constitutional Redoubt) onyer list?

We too cold er what?

Hope you have fun "down south".

[peter richards]

Will try to catch up with you folks at the JM Davis museum ----

Streetstar, that would be great, will PM you closer to the trip.

[peter richards]

While you are in Waco, TX at the Texas Ranger Museum, you might as well go a few blocks over and see the Dr. Pepper museum. While there you can see how the oldest carbonated beverage still in production in America got its start.

Piller
I don't know if we will get time to get to Waco, but we will be staying near San Antonio, what is the Ranger Museum near the Alamo like?

[peter richards]

Peter,
I hope to see you again in Hondo.

Charles,
I look forward to catching up with you as well.

[MrMurphy]

Haven't actually been to the Ranger museum in S.A, only the actual one in Waco.

If you visit the Alamo, step across the street (literally) and go upstairs to the Menger Hotel bar. That's where Teddy Roosevelt recruited the Rough Riders, and also a very long time Texas Ranger hangout over the years. Have a stiff shot and think back to the old days.

[piller]

The one in Waco is the only one I have been to visit. I don't know about the one in San Antonio. It sounds as if your trip will be quite eventful.

[gak]

Another not far at all from NRA/Fairfax (non-objective disclosure, my home 3-8 yrs old and lots of family still close by) and a must-see IMO is the Manassas national battlefield, site of the battle of Bull Run, one (actually two) of the major battles of our Civil War. Hard to believe the close proximity to DC--many stories about DC gentry taking a "Sunday drive" to picnic and watch the battle in progress! ...as well as to think just across the Potomac in Virginia was the Confederate south! Tons of historic (to us) sites to see in Northern Virginia (NOVA) from both the Civil and Revolutionary Wars, as well as early Colonial times especially downstate, such as Williamsburg and Jamestown. On the way south toward those locations is Fredericksburg, also of Civil War fame. Further to the west from those sites, Jefferson's home Monticello. Other worthy states will weigh in on their behalf, but NOVA and all of Virginia has perhaps the greatest concentration of "iconic history" we have from our early developmental days--events, architecture, you name it. Also proximity to Gettysburg, PA, and numerous sites in MD, including Antietam and Annapolis, speaking of just two of those other history-full states. You could easily spend your entire trip in this three state region.

[RKrodle]

While you are in Waco, TX at the Texas Ranger Museum, you might as well go a few blocks over and see the Dr. Pepper museum. While there you can see how the oldest carbonated beverage still in production in America got its start.

Piller
I don't know if we will get time to get to Waco, but we will be staying near San Antonio, what is the Ranger Museum near the Alamo like?

The one in SA is in the Buck Horn Saloon near the Alamo. http://www.buckhornmuseum.com/ I was there a few years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit. Also the Hall of Horns is there and has a lot of great taxidermy mounts.

[peter richards]

Peter, great trip and itinerary for your group. The Tulsa Gun Show looks like my best opportunity of catching up with you folks. Perhaps I can get my Aussie (Melbourne) son-in-law to drive up from Austin, TX to translate for us. Looking forward to it. - John

Goatguy
It would be great to catch up with you at Tulsa, will PM you when it gets closer.