Log In
May 26, 2017
Offline
Hello all,
We are about 6 weeks away from the Midwest WACA show! Now I know it’s not the Cody show,but it’s still a chance for you to meet up with old friends, meet new ones, and possibly find something you have been looking for. Trade and display tables are still available. Located in Wellington Ohio, which located about an hour southwest of Cleveland.
It’s being held at:
https://www.loraincountygrounds.com
Its a beautiful facility, well lit, and plenty of parking- heck it’s only a year old!
Hotel nearby would be The Hotel at Oberlin, 440-775-7001. OGCA rate good through8/19/26
Holiday inn express Medina, 330-722-6006 OGCA group ID also.
any questions please call the OGCA business office at 330-467-5733, you also welcome to post or PM me.
thanks for your time!
November 5, 2014
Offline
Hi Bill-
I’m planning to be there with another WACA/OGCA member who’s going to put me up (or put up with me) for the visit… Sadly I’ll be broke (as usual), but I look forward to seeing many of the WACA members who are also active in OGCA…
See Ya’
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
August 8, 2024
Offline
Bill, Planning on being there with my Son. Being my 39th Wedding anniversary. I plan on taking my Wife out the night before. So, hopefully I will stay there longer this time!
February 17, 2026
Offline
I am planning on going. I am about 200 miles (about 3 hours) away, so I will have to leave early in the morning to get there. I had been planning on going to the Cody Show, but decided it was too far. I will have to stick with the shows closer to home. And like always, I will be checking out the 21s.
May 26, 2017
Offline
Great on all the above!
February 17, 2026
Offline
I think JWA and tionesta1 said they were going to go, also in the other thread.
December 9, 2002
Online
Bill,
Thanks for posting this.
I also am looking forward to the show in September. Hopefully no schedule changes will occur. A few other WACA members, that have contacted me, are also planning on attending.
It will be good to see many of the members and some others who are regulars at the show.
Tony
December 21, 2006
Offline
I am going to tentatively be there, hopefully.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
July 17, 2012
Offline
James W said
I think JWA and tionesta1 said they were going to go, also in the other thread.
Yes, I am probably going to be there and trying to make the travel reservations now. I will likely also stay at a friend’s house and probably have to share a bed with Lou.
I am trying to coordinate the trip with the RV show in Hershey PA the weekend prior so I have not bought the airline tickets yet.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
July 8, 2012
Online
I’ll be there with my son, and a friend of mine. We have two tables reserved in the WACA section. Hope to see you guys there.
Al
February 26, 2021
Offline
Dad and I will be there 😁
Looking forward to seeing everyone.
September 13, 2020
Offline
I am planning (hoping) to be there. I need to find someone to stay witn my wife, but I should have time to do that. Long drive for me (Athens), so I’ll plan to stay Saturday at a local hotel. Fred
WACA member 11821, NRA Endowment member, OGCA member
particularly interested in John M. Browning-designed Winchester lever-actions
February 17, 2026
Offline
Well, I went to the Wellington show Saturday (only). I ran into Bo Rich. Wonderful gentleman. I looked for the rest of you. Sorry I didn’t run into you. I met the president, Vinny. and Jesi at the Cody table. A lot of Winchester rifles. I only saw two Model 21s. 
But overall it was a great show. I came home Saturday afternoon. Sorry I missed the rest of you who went. I hope to hear from the rest of you on your experiences. Take care.
December 9, 2002
Online
James Sorry we missed each other as there was no shortage of running into people and swapping stories and even completing a few deals that I had in the works. Sold some and traded for some and even picked up a few more that I didn’t need! LOL! Gotta keep the wheels turning and keep from allowing the rust to, slowing us down!
It was a pleasure to talk to so many collectors and meet all the collectors that I haven’t in the past!
I’m hoping that Lou will share a great story and find here at the show, as this is the second year in a row that I saw him find something interesting! IMHO!
Bill and the OGCA gang, along with Vinny and the WACA Forces, did a great job once again.
Thanks to all who had a hand in it!
Tony
November 5, 2014
Offline
OK Tony… This was a weird story…
I had another great time at the OGCA/WACA show. Spent a couple days at RatRodMac’s house and bummed a ride with him to/from the show. Got to meet up with many of the WACA members I’d come to talk to. Didn’t intend to buy anything. I’m just not looking for much these days, in fact I’ve only added one gun to the collection in the past year…
But after spending the first couple hours of the show in the WACA section talking to people, I did walk around. One table on the far side of the room had a pre-64 Model 70 Target Rifle shipping crate. Because of their weight, Model 70 Target rifles and Bull Guns were shipped individually in wood crates, not boxes. I have two of these crates… The end label on the one at the show is a little rough, but you could clearly see that it was a Model 70 30-06 Target rifle (G7044C) and the partial serial number was “x3625x”. It had penciled on To/From addresses written on the box and an (undated) Railway Express Agency label for COD shipping.
At Tony’s urging we went back and I bought the crate… It wasn’t until we got back to RatRodMac’s house that I even thought to turn the lid over. Well it turned out that someone at some point had reused the crate and that the original addressee was stenciled on the other side of the lid:
For those who don’t know, Evaluators Ltd. was the name of the business George Van Orden USMC Brig Gen (ret) started in Triangle VA (just outside the gate to Quantico USMC base) when he retired after Korea. Evaluators Ltd as the source of Van Orden Sniper and Special Target rifles. The serial number of the gun inside was 336250.
So this crate originally contained a 30-06 Target Rifle sent to Evaluators Ltd. Ironically, s/ns 336245, 246, 248 and 249 are on the list of Van Orden serial numbers published in Chandler’s “Death from Afar Vol 1”. FWIW 336250 (while consecutive with known VO Snipers and shipped to Evaluators Ltd.) is not on Chandler’s list. So is this a genuine Van Orden Sniper crate or by coincidence did Winchester happen to ship a regular G7044C to Evaluators Ltd. at the same time they were shipping a bunch of VO Snipers. I don’t know…
But it’s kind of cool…
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
April 15, 2005
Offline
Lou,
I would say that you are understating the “kind of cool” factor. In my not so humble opinion, the odds are extremely high that s/n 336250 was indeed a Van Orden Sniper rifle, and it was simply missed being entered on Chandler’s list.
Good to hear you had a good time at the show, and did not leave “empty handed”.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 5, 2014
Offline
Hi Bert-
I tend to agree… Chandler’s list is the only thing we have to go on insofar as “verifying” a M70 30-06 Target rifle as a VO Sniper/Special Target. The information there reportedly came from shop records, since there’s nothing at Winchester. There’s no way of being sure that the list is 100% complete (or even 100% accurate).
But I’m inclined to think this is a VO Sniper crate. Too bad it isn’t “my” VO Sniper’s crate (mine is s/n 351439 sold the Victor Dawson of Silver Spring MD). That would have REALLY been a coincidence!!! The other rifles consecutive to 336250 went to the US Army Philadelphia PA for Marksmanship Team use.
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
July 17, 2012
Offline
Lou, it was great seeing you, Bill, Tony, Al, Scott, George and everyone else at the show (too numerous to mention).
As usual, I cannot believe your luck in finding treasure, I need to get you out here to Las Vegas so I can bet your numbers on Craps.
Best Regards,
Jeff
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
August 27, 2014
Offline
Good stuff Lou, not many would have realized the significance of that crate…
Finds like that are good for one’s soul
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
December 9, 2002
Online
Lou,
I’m in agreement with Bert and the fellas this was not only a great find but I want to believe it’s definitely tied into the VO, serial numbered examples. I’m also glad that you shared the story as watching you at the show, and listening to you, is an experience I enjoy. I really feel that box was a wonderful find, and with you’re experience and knowledge, you surly proved that a keen eye can always find a treasure!
I also echo Jeff’s mention and sentiments as there we’re too many too mention, but a really nice group of collectors sharing stories and helping each other out.
Thanks for the great memories guy’s!
Tony
