No, at least within the past 3 shows.Haven't been in a while, is there usually someone there doing engraving?
Good for you man, love to hear from the gun owners whose footsteps us "younger" guys walk in!I usually go to this show on Sunday after church. This show was no different.
I always enjoy going to this show cause it brings back memories. Back in the 80's Ed and Bill Crafton had this show and me and a buddy used to pretty much take care of a lot of things, might even say we ran the show.
Anyway back in the 80's I would do some wheelin' and dealin' when I had time at the show.
After Ed passed away Bill kept it for awhile, but stopped not long after.
At that point I never bought a gun at a gunshow till today. This walking along one of the tables I picked up an older S&W J frame and realized it was an airweight.
Asked one of the guys to pull off the Pachmayr grips to see if it was a square butt. It was and I asked him their bottom dollar.
So today I bought my first gun at a gunshow since the 1980's. INGO is normally where I do my shopping, but I couldn't pass this up for the price since I had been looking for one.
Who woulda thunk it.
Yea I love the older S&W revolvers. The I and J frames in particular.Most gun shows lately seem to have the same old “dealers” showing the same old guns over and over. The shows I went to quite a while back confirmed this observation. I mean these guys never seem to sell anything and must love packing and unpacking the same guns over and over again. This is especially true of those guys with the S&W collections where I’ve seen the same guns over and over again. They never want to haggle a bit and look down their noses if you even engage them and make a lower than his posted price. It’s ridiculous. That’s why they are not dealers in the true sense of the word. Will it ever substantially change? I doubt it!![]()
Amen to thatAn “Airweight”, nice grab, I used to have one in the mid 80’s.
Traded it and a mdl 29 4 inch on an AR.
Bought my third and last AR, at the SF show about three shows ago.
I had an FFL 92-95, and set up there a lot.
Boy have times changed.
Most dealers I know (who set up for the show) do NOT bring their safe queens for the very reasons you state. I have had success buying 4 rifles and pistols there in the past 3 years. If I am looking for a particular gun and don't see it, I will ask dealers I think may have it, if they have one or know of one for sale. Sometimes I will get lucky as they have it at home and don't want people playing it it at their table. Then I negotiate with them. Plus, even though the place is crowded, I still don't pay for parking and don't walk far to get in.I used to set up at this venue. It was a "good enough" show until about seven or eight years ago when the new owner took it over, then it was a VERY different show. Lots of broke people who looked like they spent their last dime on admission to get into the show, but no money to spend once they got inside. Silly me, I brought OGC quality guns to a show being held on the west side of Indianapolis! I lost count of the times I had to tell guys to "please don't cycle the bolt, you'll will mar the jeweling down" {on a 1950s Browning Safari}. "Please don't turn the cylinder" {2nd generation Colt SAA near mint in the box} and the constant lever workers on my pre 1898 Winchester Models 1876 and 86. Not to mention the place looked like a casting call for a Tarzan movie. I cased up and left early. The promoter saw me and came over and said: "Don't come back". I told him not to do me any favors and laughed.
My take was this: If you have quality, collector grade arms, this is not the place for them. This is for common fare stuff and junk you want to dump. Nobody has any real money at this show, $500-$600 tops {not counting some dealers who do obviously}. I got spoiled doing shows in the south Florida area for twenty years where there is a healthy functioning economy and people have money to spend. Coming back to Indiana was an eye opener into just how bad things have gotten here. All the retirees from the closed down factories are well into their seventies and eighties now, and no longer are buying or even attending shows for the most part. It's sad from what I remember, but it is what it is as they say. I can't speak for the other shows in the area, but the Stout Field show is definitely a no-go for me.
If you have something to sell or trade at a show how do you do that?Indianapolis National Guard Armory
3912 West Minnesota St- Indianapolis, Indiana
EVENT TIMES:
Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-3pm
TICKETS
$6 Admission per day/ Kids 12 & Under are Free
18 & Under must be accompanied by an adult.
FREE Parking
Food available offering breakfast and lunch.
ALL State and Federal Laws apply.
NO LOADED FIREARMS IN THE BUILDING
VENDORS:
8' Tables are $50 each
Electricity Included.
All vendors are required to stay both days of the show.
DATES :
February 10 & 11, 2024
March 23 & 24, 2024
May 11 & 12, 2024
July 6 & 7, 2024
August 24 & 25, 2024
October 12 & 13, 2024
November 30 & 1, 2024
Bring it in, and they will zip tie the action of your unloaded firearm at the door. If you have a bunch of stuff, rent a table.If you have something to sell or trade at a show how do you do that?
Schedule shows August 24th and 25th.When is the next gun show at Stout Field?
Thanks!Schedule shows August 24th and 25th.
I have conversed with a couple of good guys on here, but like any place, there are some real jerks too, That's alright, I'm a big boy. How do I get one of those "site supporter" labels so I have a license to bully the new guys, and they can get threatened to "slow their roll" when they speak up for themselves? Some pretenders on this site I see. Claim to respect the Second Amendment while they dump all over the First.