Just got back from the 1500

[Winamac]

Well it was the first time I have been since 2011. Had a good time all in all. Got there about 2:20PM. The line was around the building but moved fast. Maybe spent 15 minutes in line? Picked up some 17hmr ammo for a reasonable price. There are still some vendors trying to sell .22 ammo for crazy prices. I guess they still think it is a year ago or so? Picked up some paper targets for cheap. The booth selling the Dewey cleaning rods and accessories for them were selling everything at 50% off. So I stocked up on Dewey rod tip cleaning jags and such and I got a new 17HMR Dewey rod normally $32.00 for $15.00. Pretty happy there with that. Stopped at the INGO booth and met"Fenway", great guy. Got some INGO swag as well. On the way out as a "peace offering" I stopped and bought the wife some milk chocolate turtles from the candy folks. Crowd was actually not to crazy inside. All in all I had a good time, enjoyed the experience.

 

[Fenway]

Thanks for stopping by. Great to meet you!

 

[gregkl]

I looked all over for the INGO booth and missed it. I saw one guy wearing an INGO black t-shirt at Alan's booth when I was buying a scope. But he moved on before I could introduce myself.

I bought two Dewey rods and some patches from the same guy. His "regular" price was a couple dollars higher than Midway but with the 50% off and no shipping, it was a good deal for sure! Plus he didn't tack on tax!

Also bought two 1lb cans of HP-38 powder and a low profile gas block for my AR.

 

[Dirtebiker]

Well it was the first time I have been since 2011. Had a good time all in all. Got there about 2:20PM. The line was around the building but moved fast. Maybe spent 15 minutes in line? Picked up some 17hmr ammo for a reasonable price. There are still some vendors trying to sell .22 ammo for crazy prices. I guess they still think it is a year ago or so? Picked up some paper targets for cheap. The booth selling the Dewey cleaning rods and accessories for them were selling everything at 50% off. So I stocked up on Dewey rod tip cleaning jags and such and I got a new 17HMR Dewey rod normally $32.00 for $15.00. Pretty happy there with that. Stopped at the INGO booth and met"Fenway", great guy. Got some INGO swag as well. On the way out as a "peace offering" I stopped and bought the wife some milk chocolate turtles from the candy folks. Crowd was actually not to crazy inside. All in all I had a good time, enjoyed the experience.

Are you sure you met Fenway?

 

[Enkrypter]

I met the one called "Fenway", he who pays the bills.

Picked up a LOOOONG overdue INGO Hoodie and some stickers. Scored some 5.56 and .22LR Cheaper than anywhere I could find online or off. I also got an OTF knife and when I got home I had money left over to give back to the wife. WIN!

 

[Sniper 79]

Any standard pistol powder to be had.

 

[jwh20]

Any standard pistol powder to be had.

I was there Friday afternoon and I saw lots of vendors with lots of powder in both 1# and 8# containers. First time in a while I saw so much powder on display. I'm sure you'll find what you need.

 

[gregkl]

Saw titegroup, hp38,power pistol some others that people use for pistol.

 

[churchmouse]

Are you sure you met Fenway?

Doppelganger.........

 

[cobber]

I am sooo tempted to drive down from Lafayette, but I suspect the moment I walk through the door all the good deals will be gone. Adding up time+gas+parking+admission, it has to be pretty awesome to justify the trip.

Guess I'll wait for the next Lafayette show and the same 25 vendors...

 

[gregkl]

I am sooo tempted to drive down from Lafayette, but I suspect the moment I walk through the door all the good deals will be gone. Adding up time+gas+parking+admission, it has to be pretty awesome to justify the trip.

Guess I'll wait for the next Lafayette show and the same 25 vendors...

FWIW, I went to most of the shows in Lafayette when I lived there. As you say, it's the same vendors with the same stuff every show. I finally figured out that if I didn't find it already, I probably wasn't going to find it there.

I swore off going to the 1500 a few years ago, but went this time so I could look at a bunch of scopes and figure out what I wanted. It was a side benefit that I scored some deals.

Overall though, it's a typical gun show. A lot of overpriced stuff with a few nuggets if you dig deep enough.

Online it still the way to buy firearm stuff as long as these gun show guys keep the prices where they are.

If they would learn to become a little better business people and bone up on their sales, they could really generate some cash flow and not have keep schlepping the stuff in and out of the shows year after year. There are some good dealers there and you can tell who they are. They have the people handing over money and filling out forms for new guns.

Remember: Nothing has "value" unless you are using it or converting it to cash by selling it.

 

[cobber]

Freeman always seems to find good deals. I suspect it has something to do with his 'verbal waterboarding' kung fu skills in breaking down sellers' resolve...

 

[bob_dolemite]

Anyone happen to see Vitavouri (N320)? That and maybe a Canik Stingray are the only two things which would tempt me to go.

 

[Winamac]

FWIW, I went to most of the shows in Lafayette when I lived there. As you say, it's the same vendors with the same stuff every show. I finally figured out that if I didn't find it already, I probably wasn't going to find it there.

I swore off going to the 1500 a few years ago, but went this time so I could look at a bunch of scopes and figure out what I wanted. It was a side benefit that I scored some deals.

Overall though, it's a typical gun show. A lot of overpriced stuff with a few nuggets if you dig deep enough.

Online it still the way to buy firearm stuff as long as these gun show guys keep the prices where they are.

If they would learn to become a little better business people and bone up on their sales, they could really generate some cash flow and not have keep schlepping the stuff in and out of the shows year after year. There are some good dealers there and you can tell who they are. They have the people handing over money and filling out forms for new guns.

Remember: Nothing has "value" unless you are using it or converting it to cash by selling it.

What you say makes a lot of sense. What I forgot to mention in my original post, that was annoying to me.There did seem to be a lot more "flea market" vendors there selling stuff that had absolutely nothing to do with guns or knifes? The candy/nut vendors have always been there, in my opinion they are kind of "grandfathered" in. In-fact they have been there as long as I have been going (20+yrs) I would kind of miss them because they help make the place smell kind of good, but a acupuncture and jewelry booths...REALLY...at a gun & knife show? Guess I just do not see the correlation? Anyway... aside from that I went with the mindset that the prices would be high, and it would be nothing more than entertainment and time spent with my son and son-in-law and that it was. Except for a few "small nuggets". As "gregkl" mentioned on-line is pretty hard to beat and slowly becoming "king". Hate to admit it but the days of these shows being the only way to find things are drawing to a close.

 

[HiRoller]

I've been saving these last 3 pickled eggs and drank a few Wee Mac's late last night..........I'll be there in force.

 

[NyleRN]

I've been saving these last 3 pickled eggs and drank a few Wee Mac's late last night..........I'll be there in force.

Might as well grab some white castles on your way there

 

[Woobie]

Anyone happen to see Vitavouri (N320)? That and maybe a Canik Stingray are the only two things which would tempt me to go.

I saw no Vihtavuori powder at all. There was a good selection of powders, overall. More Alliant than I expected, and of course Hodgdon, IMR and Winchester. The one booth that had RE-15 was asking $36.99. Umm, yeah. They were about 4-5 cents higher on plated bullets than everyone else too. They had my 178 gn A-max's too....for $39.99/100. The rest of the reloading vendors had decent prices though.

 

[churchmouse]

Spent some time with R-Maq at the Ingo booth talking to folks. Interesting observing human social behavior.

 

[nad63]

Went yesterday and got taken. Bought a magpul MS4 QD. Sling which ended up being a counterfeit. Took it back today and enlightened the vendor.
Met more 'nice' folks today than usual, Vendors and customers alike, which really turned this 1500 around for me. Unexpectadly I ended up geting a set of custom ear plugs at Shooters Ear. You can't get that service online. Checked out Bobcat Steels stuff for a possible future purchase and got very nice service by the lady there (Kelly?).
Saw the INGO stand but did not stop as they were busy. I will stop by tomorrow though (yeah I got the 3 day pass). I did see the INGO lime green stickers in the men's room. Also saw the "four rules" fliers that INGO put out and got a couple to pass on. Nice touch.
There was also a kydex while you wait guy there which was missing in the past.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

It saddens me to inform all members that we are out of the tactical snickers bars. We apologize, but the demand is just way higher than the supply.
These things don't just grow on trees... it takes time to groom them properly. Hopefully we will have a fresh batch at the next 1500