What Gun-Related Stuff is there to do in Des Moines, IA?

[Spreadfire Arms]

going there for a few weeks for training, and ill have the weekend (and evenings) off to do whatever. i heard there is a gunshow somewhere in that area next weekend. i also found a few gun ranges in that area (ill be bringing some guns so i may get some trigger time in).

anything else there to do that is gun-related (or not gun-related, but fun?) i see on ARFCOM there is a hometown dinner gathering for the folks on that page. thanks in advance.

 

[Rembrandt]

- Gun Show starts on Friday evening (?5-9), Saturday 9-4, Sunday 9-4.
Sept 21-23, 2007: Des Moines, Iowa State Fair Grounds (1-888-552-1486)
Google Iowa State Fair grounds for a map.


- IDPA pistol shoots and Trap & Skeet on Wednesday evenings at Ames Izaak Walton League. About 30 minutes north of DSM, just off I-35. Check their web site for a map.
Weekly Steel Matches – Wed. evenings 5:30pm to 8pm - Aug 8th - Sept 26th ****
IDPA – Sept 9th 9am - 1pm
John Garand Rifle Match – Sat. Sept 22nd 9am (Rain Date Sun Sept 23rd)
http://www.amesikes.org/

- Trap shooting at Ankeny Izaak Walton League on Tuesday evenings at the Chapter Facilities 4857 NE 110th St, Elkhart. Web site may have a map. http://dragoonikes.to.net/

- Scheels in the Jordan Creek Shopping Center, West Des Moines, is a must see....great gun selections.

- Sportsmans Warehouse....Ankeny, just off I-35 next to the Chevrolet dealership.

- Big Creek Shooting Range (also known as the Butch Olofson Range). http://www.olofsonrange.com/ Map and directions are on their web site.

Hope that helps....

 

[Rembrandt]

"Living History Farms" in West Des Moines is well worth the visit. http://www.lhf.org/

If you don't mind a little driving.....go south there's Cabela's in Kansas City, Ks (2 hrs), go north to Cabela's in Owatonna, Minn, (2 hrs). Both are well worth the drive. Go west (about 2 hrs) to Omaha, new Cabela's opened last year. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...outus/retail-stores.jsp?cm_re=store*topnav*rs

Plus a huge Bass Pro Shop in Council Bluffs....all on I-80. 2901 Bass Pro Drive
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Phone: 712-325-6000
GPS Coordinates:
41.2348ºN, 95.8914ºW (WGS84/NAD83)

Scheels in Omaha....great gun selections. (2 hrs west of DSM)

Scheels in Iowa City.....about 1.5 hrs east of DSM


If you have the time check out Guns Unlimited in Omaha. http://www.gunsunlimitedomaha.com/

If you do go to Omaha, check out the SAC Air Museum. http://www.strategicairandspace.com/
Great selection of old War Birds...
A-26B "Invader"
B-1A "Lancer"
B-17G "Flying Fortress"
B-25N "Mitchell"
B-29TB "Superfortress"
B-36J "Peacemaker
B-47E "Stratojet"
B-52B "Stratofortress"
B-57E "Intruder"
B-58A "Hustler"
C-47A "Skytrain"
C-54D "Skymaster"
C-119G "Flying Boxcar"
CH-21B "Work Horse"
EC-135 "Looking Glass"
F-84F "Thunderstreak"
F-86H "Sabre"
F-101B "Voodoo"
F-102A "Delta Dagger"
FB-111A "Aardvark"
H-19B "Whirlwind"
HU-16B "Albatross"
KC-97G "Stratofreighter"
MiG-21F "Fishbed-C"
SR-71A "Blackbird"
RB-45C "Tornado"
T-29A "Flying Classroom"
T-33A "T-Bird"
T-39A "Sabreliner"
U-2C "Dragon Lady"
XF-85 "Goblin"
Avro Hawker "Vulcan"

 

[Spreadfire Arms]

thanks for the info. i wouldnt drive that far to Cabelas, since we have one here in Austin. but the rest sounds good, especially the museum!

 

[lee n. field]

Isn't Brownell's somewhere not too far away?

 

[jaholder1971]

Check out Camp Dodge in Johnson city, it's a Des Moines suburb. Dodge is the Iowa ARNG training site and home of the Iowa Gold Star museum. They also have a large military vehicle display outside.

A couple hours to the East is the Quad Cities and Rock Island Arsenal. The museum there has a boatload of small arms as well as a tank and artillery park.

 

[Halo is for Kids]

Great to have another Texan in Des Moines. I'm originally from Houston and I lived in Austin for a year. Anyway, I just moved to Des Moines in June and have yet to really search for gun related things to do here. I'm glad to hear ideas from all of you Iowa THR members, keep’em coming.

For Shopping:
-Sportsman’s Warehouse is just north of Des Moines in Ankeny.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/store.cfm?storeNum=120&Submit=Go
They've got a good selection of gun and outdoor accessories for fairly good prices.

-Also check out Scheels in West Des Moines.
http://www.scheelssports.com/webapp...gId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&storeLoc=DM
Great selection of rifles and shotguns in a pull it off the shelf and look at it yourself format.