Anyone been to Springfield Armory?

[Norton]

We're going off on our trip to New England next week and as we were working over the maps I noticed that our route would take us near the Springfield Armory National Park.

So I said to myself, "self....that might make a worthwhile stop while on the road through Massachussets."

Anyone been to the park....is it worthwhile?

Anything else that would make a good stop, not necessarily firearms related, in the New England area?

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I didn't get a chance to stop there.

However, S&W is also just down the street. I went there. Wasn't a big thrill.

I'm hoping to actually get to go to Springfield Armory next time. From the literature I saw it looked great!

 

[bobs1066]

A couple of weeks ago, I got the the Armory just 10 minutes before it closed for the day. Based on a very quick look around, I would say it is very much worth checking out.
They had the best looking Colt Walker I'd ever seen.

 

[Praxis]

I visited the Armory last month on the way home from a business trip. It is definitely worth a visit, plan an hour at least. The museum is split between the history of the armory from the Post-Revolutionary Era through the 1960s and the history of firearms. They have an excellent collection of small arms, both American and European, from muskets to M16s, etc. Lots of odd pieces I've never seen anywhere else. The also have a new exhibit on the 1903 Springfield.

If you can't tell, I had a great time. Also, the gift shop has a very good selection of firearms related books and other things.

 

[AZ Jeff]

An hour would hardly scratch the surface of that place. Plan on SEVERAL HOURS, if you are a serious student of small arms. I don't know what the exact process is to do this, but ask to see the "upstairs", where some of the more esoteric stuff is available for viewing.

I was there about 15 years ago, and the NPS person in charge told me they had a total collection of small arms in excess of 10,000 pieces. They regularly share their collection with the Royal Small Arms collection at Enfield Lock in England, and vice-versa.

Just how much of the 10,000 can be actually viewed, I am not sure, but it's got to be the biggest gun collection I have ever heard of in this country.

 

[Trebor]

My wife and I were there last week. We lucked out and visited on one of the four days of the month that the give tours of the second floor firearms storage room. I thought the exhibits downstairs were great, but once I got upstairs, man, I was in heaven! They had everything from Rev War Brown Bess muskets to M-14's and U.S. built FN FAL's.

If you are planning a trip, call ahead and see if you can schedule your visit on one of the days they offer the 2nd floor tour. Admisstion to the museum is free but the tour costs $12, but it's worth it.

 

[4v50 Gary]

It must be close to 5 years since I've been there but it is well worth seeing. Drop into their website and sign up for the monthly "behind the scenes" tour where they take you upstairs to the storage room. Hit it on Sat or Sun & the rangers do a firing demonstration (I declined as I have replicas that I shoot).

Other sights is S&W. It is a big deal and you meet at the Co. Store to wait for the tour. It's worth while to see how guns are built. Don't forget to visit the S&W Academy. They have few guns on display but there's an additional site to visit. Right down the street is the Indian Motorcycle Museum and one of the employees/docents/volunteers is a retired lady who knew John Garand. She worked as a gubmint employee during the War.

Final sight which I didn't see is the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Dun like b-ball. It's a game for tall peepul.