Indy 1500 Gunshow why you are or are not going.

[Tactically Fat]

I'm not averse to paying $20 for several hours of entertainment...

But I won't be spending my $ on THAT kind of entertainment.

Also beware: The Indy Monumental Marathon is this weekend (Saturday). There will be a TON of road closures in Indy from 0530 to 1630 hours or so. You're warned.

Oh, and Kirk - please yell at the Sig rep for me, too, please. He owes me a muzzle device. I've been waiting for a year to get it.

 

[Winamac]

I usually only go once a year and it is usually just the winter shows as they tend to be larger. I find it interesting to just look around and I usually find a few small items I need/want. I agree with what others on here have said in that the show is starting to resemble a flea market and I do not care for that. All in all though... it is good entertainment for $20.00, but that is just my thoughts. It is definitely not what it used to be back in the day.

 

[ACC]

As this one is the biggest of the year, I may go on Sunday and see if anyone has a plate rack for sale that they REALLY do not want to lug home. I will offer them a low but reasonable price and hopefully leave with it in the back of my truck.

 

[7.62]

Overpriced entry. Paid parking. Constant smell of unhygienic people. Smell of nasty fried food mixed in with the other unhygienic smells. 99% chance of getting crop dusted, at least once. Flea market purses, jewelry, etc. Most guns/ammo not a good deal especially when you consider the fees to get in and drive there. I'll just stay home.

The only reason I would go now is to see Brad if I'm in the market for a new knife.

 

[Flash-hider]

Indy show is around a 330 mile round trip for me. When my cousin lived in Indy, I would go see her and her family about once a year and on a weekend the show was going on. Since then they have moved I haven't been to a Indy show in about 6 years. The itch is there to go but not the motivation.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Same as others, times have changed.

Back in the 90's it was the place to go.

By 2019, on line is the place to shop.

 

[indykid]

Like STEEL CORE said, those of us who remember the good old days have a hard time going now. Back when parking was free and entry was $4 or $5 and there were enough ammo sellers that you could always buy a case of ammo cheaper than online to make up the entry fee. The variety of AKs was huge, with Norincos and the SAR series in many places and at reasonable prices even for the day. Dealers for the most part were willing to deal as they knew there were enough sellers there that the buyer didn't have to buy from them.

The last show I went to was so disappointing, with my daughter saying there was more "and" than their was guns or knives. With a year later finding the entry fee going up along with the fee to park, and as STEEL CORE said, buying online so much easier. While I would rather support my local dealer, with the prices MSRP on new firearms and used items not much if any less, add to that the fees to get in, as much as I enjoyed the experience, a few key clicks and a friendly FFL made me really lazy.

 

[Ammo Dump]

I went and wished I hadn’t wasted my $18 ($2 discount from postcard they send). Same stale inventories, no deals on ammo, was parked by the stables along Fall Creek so had to walk 1/2 mile to get to the show.
Like others have posted, beware of the marathon road closures along with the interstate closures if you’re traveling in from outside of Indy.

 

[Haven]

I’m going to be in the area anyway, so I might swing by this afternoon. I’m looking for some bits and pieces so it might be worth it to swing by this afternoon.


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[STEEL CORE]

Yep as my old friend the INDYKID recalled back in the day it want anything to load up on cheap 7.62x39 and the guns they went in and then go out and shoot two or three hundred rounds.
Anybody remember STAR reloads?

 

[Trapper Jim]

I find it interesting that of the thousands of peeps buying stuff at this show most will not thoroughly test the product but will defend their choice on their last breath. They see it in an ad or drink the coolness kool aid served up by the masses and go home to defend their lives with what they think is best. Entertaining. Never gets old.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

What great deals. I went there with a mission and I got everything done, that's a good show for me. Buy it cheap and stack it deep.

Sold guns, traded magazines and bought ammo.

 

[doublesharp]

I skipped Indy but did go to Big George's show at the Salem Nat'l Guard Armory. Good small show with a lot of walk-ins carrying trade/sale merch. Several vendors selling junk silver at good prices. 90% coins = $12.50 x face. Lots of knives, some high end custom makers present. Few flea mkt items unless you count the table in the back selling homemade baked goods for $1 or $2. Good crowd. Free parking and $6 admission.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

The show was great back in the late 90's. They kept raising table prices so I cut back on tables, and eventually quit going. Tables went up, sales went down. When tables were $45 it was worth it. When they were $55 it was marginal. When they went to $65, I went elsewhere. I can't justify spending $3,000 on table rent when I can do a show like Crown Point for less than half that and sell more in 2 days than I would in Indy in 3 days. I do miss doing that show 20 years ago and I miss many of the vendors and customers from that era. Now, I can't imagine going back though.

 

[Trigger Time]

The admission is getting too high. Charge the dealers more for booth rental if they are that greedy. Keep admission to paying customers low around $5.

 

[OurDee]

Nope.

 

[Ghostface]

Not going and I haven’t been since about 2005, there is not many deals to warrant the cost of parking and admission.

 

[bwframe]

LMW's and I used to have a pretty large time chatting with INGOers, selling INGO stuff and dragging new members to the site.

 

[chuckp]

I only go to see friends that set up there to pick up things. Otherwise for me the gun show is online.

 

[Indyal]

I haven’t been in years. I find the smaller shows tend to be more friendly. Usually only $5 admission