A nice set of guns

Marshall Carroll came to town Friday and brought all of his toys with him. In Building G next to the Ector County Coliseum, the Lubbock man arranged, straightened and then re-arranged dozens of firearms he plans to sell, trade or just plain show off this weekend.

“You work all week and then this is your golf course,” the semi-retired Carroll said. He looked over at his wife, who was setting up her side of the table with clothing and other trinkets. “She’s gotta have something to do while I’m sitting around here playing.”

Dozens of gun dealers and more than a thousand guns arrived in Odessa on Friday in preparation for the Permian Basin Gun Show, a two-day event expected to draw several hundred firearm aficionados this weekend.

The event, which begins today, features about 300 tables displaying all types of guns, knives, ammo and collectibles. The show also is held in March, June and August.

“It’s like a kid at the candy shop — there’s so many different types there that you just don’t walk in and pick out one type,” John Pokorny, who has organized the event for the past three decades, said of the firearms. “You get to look at all of it.”

“It’s like a flea market with guns,” said Jon Thomas, owner of Gun Sport, Ltd. in Odessa, who has attended many gun shows.

Pokorny said he expects ammo to be a hot item this weekend due to industry shortages and gun owners’ tendency to stockpile with a Democrat in the Oval Office.

Carroll, meanwhile, is hoping to meet someone willing to trade for Texas Rangers collectibles.

Many participants are attracted by the element of surprise and the thrill of discovery afforded by the gun show, Pokorny said.

“There’s always something new that’s out,” Pokorny said. “You never know what’s going to come out.”