Indy 1500

More people means more vendors. If you want dead and lifeless with desperate vendors selling the dregs of last years stuff, come in June. Of course I thought that was going to happen last time and it was packed.

March will be a good show it's the time just before the weather changes, people want to prepair for the coming summer months.

Deals will be there as will people.

I'll be helping a fellow THR member with their sales table. Knives and accessories only but some interesting guns will be on display.

Overcrowding? No, that just means you are among more friends.

If you don't go, how will you know if it was a good show or not?

Good luck finding the AK. I was there last time (and yes, it was very crowded!), but there was quite a shortage of AKs. I saw more hanging from the backs of private sellers than on the dealers' racks. And not for great prices...on the dealers' racks anyway. I didn't catch prices for the private sales.

You shouldn't have a problem with finding an SKS. Heck, if you do, come to the gun shop in Camby. Bradis ALWAYS has a bunch of SKSs.

As for prices, gun shows are no different than anywhere else. They do not, inherently, have better prices (except for Sunday afternoon). You still have to look around and comparison shop.

I was looking for a 4" 1911 last time and was very surprised at the lack of 1911s available. Even the table with the green table cloth didn't have what I expected.

Romanian AKs were going for $300 a pop, less if you purchased multiple copies, at the show in January.

However, you don't want to buy an AK. Don't you want to buy something off Smilin' El Tejon?

I thought about going to it Saturday. Still debating on whether I want to drive all the way up to Indy or just go to Whittakers since it's a bit closer.

Somehow guys think that just because it's a gun show, stuff is gonna be 1/2 the price of normal retail. You gotta go thru a lot of chaff to find the wheat

I bought a $575 scope for $275 at the 1500, but you've gotta pass up 1,000 crap deals for the one good one...but when you find it, it's good. Not everything is the screaming deal of a lifetime right up front

I usually only go to gun shows when I'm looking for a specific gun. As it's a bit easier to find there, instead of the crap gun shops down here.

Both Bradis and KS-E have Ak's in stock

I may be going. If not I'll probably be shooting.

I'll be there, selling a bunch of guns.

Oh, really, what ya got? *hands in pockets, swinging foot* Not that I'm interested in buying, but, um, what are you selling . . . asking for a friend.

Depending upon when the wife's flight back from Orlando actually gets in, I'll likely go. I've got a couple of unusual special-interest items and some more prosaic stuff I'm not using, so I might as well see if I can turn any of it into cash or wish list guns.

Dittoes on the price structure, etc. IME the prices are generally competitive with well-stocked shops, but don't expect to beat them by much. The main attraction is that they're there . Even the best shop can't have everything, so you're more liable to see something you've been interested in and unable to check out locally at a big show like this.

KS&E on the east side has done me very well. I haven't found anyone able to come close to their prices.
I went to the gun show in January and was a little disappointed. The number of food booths seems to increase every time. Maybe it's just me, but I don't go there to eat.

KS-E is near I465 and Pnedleton Pike exit - Northeast side of Indy. Exit Pendleton pike NE and it on the left before Post Road

duplicate

Bradis is the one I always go to look around and it's the one I just bought a very nice Schmidt Rubin from. The rest they had would not be collectible but very good shooters.

At one Indy 1500 I made probably the best deal I've ever had. An Ishapore Enfield 2A1 and a Vzor70 both in very good shape. The Ishapore needed the degraded arsenal paint removed, it had flaked and mixed into the grease in the trigger group. It has a much better trigger pull than a friends No1 MKIII, very crisp. It also needed the magazine shaped so it fed correctly and is a very reliable 12 shot bolt action 308. The Vzor70 is a nice pocket pistol and it has been reliable though it's still pretty rough.

My next was selling a Bradis 'wall hanger" Yugo I got from them for 55 for 80 at the 1500, buyer knew the score, and buying a better Yugo for 115.00. That Yugo now has a Murray firing pin and a stock hand rubbed in BLO.

My goal is to own any allied firearm my parents could have used in war back as far as I can go and afford.

I want from either my C&R later or from this show a Webley WWII pistol,
preferably the one in .455. Webley's own government raped them, it's the least I can do and I like showing the British I can own what they can only drool at. It's a pity terrorist cowards are the only credible threat, a good foreign invasion would do wonders for the British firearms laws.
:headbang:
Yea I know, the .38 was chose over the WWI .455 but it's such a wimpy thing. :lol:

Enfield Revolvers,
Model 1903 rifle
Enfield No1 MkIII but I'll get a Mk4 and Mk5 as well.
Moison Nagant
Nagant revolver
1911A1
Every bolt action or semi-auto rifle that might have ended up in theater and in used by the allies in WWII, I especially would like the free guns we gave the British BACK.
And every pistol or revolver of course.

I'm not partial to the Nazi guns but would consider any that had a history of allied use as a matter of policy or necessity if documentation is available.

My grandfather, a German immigrant hated the Kaiser, but really hated the Nazi's. Fought in both wars.

Down here in Evansville. Before I make the trek, can anyone give me the likelyhood of finding a M-1 Garand or one of the newer Springfield M-1A's? Also the availability of a Remington 700 LTR? The LTR is a rarity down here and i've yet to see one besides my buddies'. Thanx in advance.

Exar, have you taken the trip down to Whittakers? Last time I went a buddy of mine got an M1 from him and I saw a couple of the new Springfield M-1's. He had the White Feather special edition one and the small Socom 16. He's only an hour away as opposed the the 4 hour trip up to Indy.

Likelihood of finding the Garand/M1A is high. Finding one in a condition and price you're willing to pay may be lower.

There's usually a table or two of dealers with some Garands, mostly at prices a few hundred higher than you can find with some extra sleuthwork. But, some not so badly priced either.

I've not seen the M1A as often, but you never know what's going to show up.

Same for the Remington. There's usually a good collection of availabe "hunting" rifles, etc.

Have I mentioned I have a Frigidaire range and a Hotpoint refrigerator? Honest!

So, I went to the Indy 1500 today and bought:
Clothing (four tops and a skirt)
A new purse
Girls Scout Cookies
Scissors

.....As the boys all roll their eyes and say, "yeech! Wimmin!" I will admit the clothing is all cammo (okay, some of it is pink cammo), the purse is a Galco carry purse, the scissors are nice folding Gerber almost-tacticool with knife blades and such in the handles and the cookies, well.... I bought the cookies from the very-famous-on-THR Brownie with a pink AR-15! (Mrmeval's daughter, if memory serves). Nice kid, btw, but we'd expect that.

I did buy an AMT Backup in .380 in anticipation of summer, too. Mustn't go the gun show and not buy a gun!

Saw:

• Whitney Wolverine, the newer Olympic Arms version. When there is a range on the Moon, this is what they will use for plinking. I want one!
• M-1s, M-1s, M-1s... I hadn't ever especially looked in the past but there were lots. I don't know rifles well enough to tell a fair price from an inflated one, but the range of prices didn't put 'em out of reach.
• Wather P-1s with aluminum frames! Priced to move in the $260s, too. A lightweight P-38 made in the 60s/70s and refurbed between then and now. I really like these, the weight difference is impressive. Tempted to get one for my purse.
• Those cute .22 pocketknives. Cross a derringer with a big pocketknife; sell it for $500 or so -- and he does, too. Cute as a button. Useful? Maybe.
• Colt Government .380, which isn't all that rare, I just want one...but everyone else does, too, or enough of them to keep the price up. Some day!
• nice-looking (refinished?] Broomhandle Mauser, in .30 or whatever the non-9mm is, $500. Is this a good price? Is ammo affordably available? It's a Broomhandle! (The reader is to imagine suitable cries of frustration at this point).
• Several of the older-type Webley air pistols. There's something about the look of those that attracts me. (Whattaya expect, I like Broomhandle Mausers). If the Brits ever build a shooting range on the Moon, that's what they'll use....

If you were at the Indy 1500 Saturday and saw a tallish, 40ish gal with a distracted expression, wearing a black T-shirt with Japanese writing on it ("Now taking applications for Nipponese boyfriend," -- btw, gaijin may also apply) and a floridly floral hoodie, that was me. Next time, say hi!

--Herself

Yep, Matt and I were there Saturday. Matt's wife tagged along as well. She's not into guns but has her own pistol (they live in the country) and "critter gun" (.22 above the door of kitchen) and encourages my nephews in their shooting (hand that rocks the cradle and all). She picked up a pink camo t-shirt and a gun show possibles bag from my good friends at Gun Farm. http://www.gunfarm.com/ I talked to them about the possibility of allowing some of my gear designs to come into being. I'm thinking of calling the line SAOD, "Smart Alec Office Dweller".

Matt picked up a CKC and a Yugo Mauser, both for songs. I gave him a case of ammo for his birthday (12 ga., #4 buckshot from Federal).

I bought an s-load of G3 mags. $5 a pop and new in wrapper for $10, and the used one look fantastic! Puchased some ammo (.308), some books from the used book dealer guy, a 1st Gen Glock 17 and a NIB Ruger Police Service Six (which I paid too much for but it will be a safe queen). Should have brought more money as there were a couple of long guns I should have picked up.

Did not find: Colt Stagecoach, Ruger Redhawk in .45LC, Smith M25, or many, many other guns I am looking for.

Ken Campbell had a table and I encouraged him and wished him well. Win with Ken!

I thought that gunsmith guy would be there who does the AR work, but he was MIA. I brought along one of my Rock Rivers for a tune up and to put stuff on it. Found another 'smith in Sheridan so I'll check him out.

Solid show, not outstanding but solid. See you big shooters in June.

I just got back from the show myself, and it's definately the best gun show I've been too. Blows the miniature Illinois gun shows out of the water. If it weren't for these stupid IL laws I'd have come home with a pistol or two at the very minium, and I desperately wanted one of those P-1s!

Things I didn't see: CZ's. Did I miss these or what? I saw two 75's and two 52's for $250 a piece

Things I did see: Glocks out the wazoo and a few decent .38 and .357 revolvers from S&W and Ruger for fair prices. Again, one of those Ruger speed or security sixes would be mine were it not for gun laws.

I've been fence sitting on a Steyr M9 and only found one to handle at the show. It fits my hand well but it's a shame I couldn't try much more than holding one. The new S&W MP seems pretty nice too. It ompared well with the SA XD9s I'm feeling out.

All I purchased was a case of Romanian 8mm. Same price as online, but no added fees.

El Tejon - I'm pretty sure I saw one S&W M25.....

You could have paid for the guns and then arrainged shipment to an FFL. Of course that could make that deal much less. There should be a THR friendly IL FFL around.