Warden Callaway Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Mary and I have a trip to Des Moines, IA planned this weekend coming up - April 1, no foolin'. We are always foraging for old guns of interest. Anyone got suggestions on gun or gun and pawn shops to hit? We'll be coming straight shot from Missouri from the south. So any where on that north-south direction would be on our way. So many of the gun shops only carry tactical and concealed carry guns and maybe a few modern guns. Pawn and gun shops tend to have a few old guns. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Sandor, SASS #74075 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Warden:Graf's is located in Mexico, MO. Excellent source for reloading supplies, including BP. Not sure about variety of guns they carry. If there's any chance you'd be interested in shooting this weekend, the Fort Des Moines Rangers monthly match is scheduled for Sunday, April 3. They are located at Indianola, IA, just south of Des Moines. Web site is: http://www.fortdesmoinesrangers.com/ CS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 We go by Grafs twice a week getting groceries - once going and on return. I buy most of my reloading stuff from them. They seldom have any used guns. But I'll pencil in a visit to the match on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Sandor, SASS #74075 Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Excellent! Unless the weather goes terrible, I plan to be there - if you do make it over, I'd be pleased if you'd look me up, be glad to meet you! CS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 No gun/gun and pawn shops around and south of Des Moines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 You have a Bass Pro in Altoona, just outside of Des Moines, by Adventure Land Park, you have a Sportsmans Warehouse in Ankeny just north of Des Moines, you have Jack Smith Gun Shop in Des Moines on Hubbell Av, you have Shields in West Des Moines on Jordan Creed Parkway, also have JLM shooters supply on Douglas Av, these are the ones off the top of my head. All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 You have a Bass Pro in Altoona, just outside of Des Moines, by Adventure Land Park, you have a Sportsmans Warehouse in Ankeny just north of Des Moines, you have Jack Smith Gun Shop in Des Moines on Hubbell Av, you have Shields in West Des Moines on Jordan Creed Parkway, also have JLM shooters supply on Douglas Av, these are the ones off the top of my head. All for now JD Trampas Thanks, We have the Mother of all Bass Pros in Springfield, Mo and one in Columbia that's in our neighborhood. Would Jack Smith, Shield, etc, likely have old/used guns? Also, I see that Brownells is supposed to have their retail store open today. Is there any conformation that has happened? We've stopped there two years in a row and been told "soon". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Yes, Jack Smith gun shop and Shield's have used guns, JLM shooters also would have used guns too.. Now Jack Smith and JLM are not opened on Sunday. I don't know anything about Brownells and their retail shop, have heard the same as you, guess you could always call them I guess. But Brownells is not in Des Moines as you know since you have been there before. All for now JD Trampas P.S. There is a gun show this week-end at Seven Flags event center if I remember right, never have been to one of these gun shows there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Yes, Jack Smith gun shop and Shield's have used guns, JLM shooters also would have used guns too.. Now Jack Smith and JLM are not opened on Sunday. I don't know anything about Brownells and their retail shop, have heard the same as you, guess you could always call them I guess. But Brownells is not in Des Moines as you know since you have been there before. All for now JD Trampas P.S. There is a gun show this week-end at Seven Flags event center if I remember right, never have been to one of these gun shows there Actually, the gun show is our reason for the trip. We could make a loop to the gun show rather than a straight shot there and back. Is Scheels just a big sporting goods store? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Yes Scheels is a sporting goods store, but they have nice gun room, reloading room, the guns and reloading are on the 2nd floor, haven't been there for over a year, but sure they haven't changed that much they even have a gunsmith on site. Good luck on whatever you do here. All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Pepper Kid, SASS #60463 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 JD has given ya the low down on the gun shops in the Des Moines area. Hope ta see ya at the Fort Des Moines shoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 JD has given ya the low down on the gun shops in the Des Moines area. Hope ta see ya at the Fort Des Moines shoot.I'm looking forward to it. We have a son a daughter-in-law in Minneapolis area we visit now and then. Or chosen route is through Ottumwa and Oskaloosa then to Newton on I80. We've cut straight on up to Grinnell to Brownells twice now to be disappointed. I'll call first this time. We hit a lot of the gun shows in our area but they tend to be the same vendors with the same stuff. We're wanting to see some new old stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 So far we've not found any neat old guns to bring back to Missouri. Our first stop was at the Fox Hole in Ottumwa. All modern guns. Next was Swim Gunshop in Oskaloosa, nice folks, good assortment of modern guns. They had two old guns, one a 30/40 Kreg with a few major cracks in stock but complete and matching. It was on consignment but he didn't know the price. Another was a small pocket pistol he couldn't identify. I'd say it was an Iver Johnson early model. It had a crack in the barrel. He didn't have a price on it either. Went on to Brownells big retail showroom. Lots of guns, ammo, and shooting stuff. Very few used guns and they were all modern. The store help was trying to be very helpful. When I told them I was looking for old guns, more than one took me to the display of new replica guns. Went on to Jack Smith Gun Sales. Locked up dispite sign saying they were open. Went on to JLM. My style of gunshop. Table with ol' curmudgeons hanging out, kind of crusty and cluttered. Lots of stuff but nothing jumped out at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Howdy, Great info, thanks. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Sorry Warden that you are not finding what you want but that sometimes happens. All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 Happens often. About once a week Mary and I take a road trip - stopping at gun and pawn shops. We have found a few shops that have old guns and will deal. One guy buys estates so he may or may not get a bunch of old guns. Many are not repairable, but once in a while there is a great old gun that needs a repair I can do. Also, once in a while a shop has a gun priced well below market value because they are not up on guns other than tacticool. We had a long but great day. We're sure to find something at the gun show tomorrow. Then Sunday we may stop in and offer to help at the match at Fort Des Moines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted April 2, 2016 Author Share Posted April 2, 2016 Road trip over. Got to gun show in Des Moines before doors opened and waited until line outside doors cleared. We made three trips around. Vast majority was as expected, tacticool, polimer, and concealed carry. We found a couple of guns of interest but prices were too high to even make an offer. We did buy two soft handgun cases and a small bag of 38 S&W brass. The wind was blowing so hard on exit of the show, we got on I35 south and we just kept going. I regret we won't make the match tomorrow but it looks like the wind is going to suck the fun right out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Sorry you didn't find what you were looking for and what you did was to high, that is to be expected. Never have been to that gun show you went to, from what I read it was more like the one at adventure land, knives and things that people really don't want. I know they have another gun show coming up April 15-17 and the 4-H building at the fairgrounds, that is the one I usually go to but haven't been to that one in 3 years, seems like every time I go to that one I buy a gun which I don't need, so I quit going, the prices are lower at this one compared to adventure land, not sure why same vendors or at least most of them are at both. We have local cowboys that usually vend at the 4-H one at the fairgrounds. Yes it was really windy yesterday, today is windy also but not as bad and the temps are going to be in the 70's, the cowboy shoot today at the FDMR's sit down in a valley so the wind won't be as bad as it would be on the top of the hill, I know during the heat of summer you wished you could have some wind down there to help you At least you had a good road trip and seen some sites and visiting gun shops that you haven't been to, better luck next time if you do it again. At least you now know that Brownells' is open now, they had it on the news here locally that it was open. All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 We've quit going to the large gun shows in our area because they have little to offer the cowboy shooter or those looking for old guns. There are a number of local shows that attract local guys. The ratio of old to new is much better. And a lot of gun related small items. Except for the wind, it was a great adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Sloe Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Warden, The next time you pass thru Grinnell check out Pagliai's Pizza. Excellent food! I'm not biased ... they're relatives on my wife's side. But they do put out a good pizza. BS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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