Largest gun show in the world has humble roots in Tulsa

Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show, the largest of its kind in the world, began with a small group of collectors getting together in the old armory building in Tulsa in 1955.

Joe Wanenmacher spoke with KRMG as some 8,000 vendors and their support staff worked to get the big show ready for this weekend.

An estimated 35,000 attendees will pump some $16 million into Tulsa's economy, Wanenmacher said.

The show began small, 19 tables set up at the old armory as a club project for the Indian Territory Gun Collectors.

When Wanenmacher took over in 1968, he says he had 217 tables.

This year, the show features some 4,000 tables, totaling nearly six miles of exhibits.

Show hours at the Quik Trip Center at Expo Square are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday.

Visit the Tulsa Arms Show website for information about shuttles, parking, and more.