xl_target wrote:TC,
It looks like you had a blast at that show.
Love the AR type SBR's. Tell us more TC.
Thanks for posting them
pistolero wrote: I see you holding the USAS 12 Daewoo, did you get a chance to shoot it?
Unless i'm missing a photo I don't see the USAS12.
The rifles that TC is holding look like regular AR type rifles with a BetaMag type drum.
Thanks XL.
Yes I did have a blast, literally, at the temporary firing range set up behind the pavilion. Dealers and customers could test fire weapons of their choice. But I could not ask anyone to take snaps of me. Photography was not allowed because I guess they did not want people to use flash in that indoor range.
Basically the exhibition is an annual affair in Philippines where gun culture is quite similar to the US. They told me distributors and country representatives of all big companies had set up stalls at the pavilion. Here's another photo. There were a few more but I cant find them. In fact I had lost these pics we well.
I don't know how things are now but when I visited people in Philippines took pride in gun ownership and they loved to talk and discuss guns,something I didn't see during my visits to other countries in the region. On the night I landed in Manila, it was pretty late when I reached the business school. The restaurant had closed. So I walked over to a McDonalds outlet across the street. It was not very crowded and I saw a security guard standing at the door. The first thing I noticed was the Smith and Wesson revolver on his leather holster. The gun was shining and so was the leather. The man was in his 50s. The way he wore his uniform, the way he stood and looked around and the angle at which the holster was positioned made made it apparent that this man knew his business. I could literally feel that he could teach a few things to me.
Philippines was fun. The Geepneys, small and medium taxis and buses made out of old WWII jeeps and trucks left behind by the Allies at bases in Asia, are national symbols of Philippines. The karaoke bars used to be the most popular night destinations for the young and old alike. Philippinos love Rock, Pop, Jazz and Blues and most people I met at one of these bars one evening sang unbelievably well against the tracks.
Coming back to the gun show... I shot an M16 A2 sporter that a military officer was firing in front of me. He seemed to like the rifle very much so although I was not a buyer (
) I tried half a mag in it. It was simply fantastic. It was the first time I fired an M16.
After this, a dealer who had become a friend almost instantly insisted that I try out an Daewoo 5.56 mm rifle and an Israeli 9 mm pistol, a clone of the Tanfoglio. Both weapons felt good, well-balanced and had easy to reach controls. When I did a two inch group with the pistol at 20 mts my new friend was ecstatic. "Why cant you take this with you?" he asked thrice. And I almost broke down in tears... well almost
He gave me a nice parting gift. A baseball cap from the Israeli Military Industries (IMI) official merchandise. He is a great guy, and so are all the others you see in the pics.
TC
... Are you sure this was 2001 ? or 1981 really 
- Good one!