York, PA Gun Show

[PAshooter]

Just a short "report" from the York Gun Show today... not a bad collection of hardware on display. Yours truly finally gave in to the allure of the Swiss K31 and came home with a fairly nice example in exchange for the princely sum of $100 (which included a box of ammo). Pic attached.

You meet the nicest people at gun shows, BTW. I ran into members LeadPumper and Soloman Short and it occurred to us that it's been much too long since we've had a THR MD shoot. The last time I saw these characters was at Continental Arms in Timonium back in January of '04... info here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=61405

We definitely need to organize another get-together in the days ahead. I keep meaning to check out the new indoor range in Glen Rock, PA (operated by Freedom Armory, formerly of Shrewsbury)... perhaps once I've done that I'll try to set something up here in my neck of the woods.

If anybody's on the fence about visiting the York show tomorrow it's probably worth the trip.

 

[deker]

Figures....there would be a show in my back yard the weekend I have to work...

I'll agree on a THR MD shoot...I haven't been to one in a LONG time.

-d

 

[45Badger]

Pretty good show. Best deals I saw were a Kimber Custom for $575, a 6" 686 for $389, and a nice beater 870 for $175. Self discipline kept me from bringing the 870 and the 686 home. Got a match at the gun club in the morning, and if I'm still itchy, I'll go back to pick one up.

I was disappointed at the lack of good ammo deals. Top Hat had .45 acp Federal AE for 3/$30, but everything else was pricey.

 

[offthepaper]

PAshooter:
Nice looking K31, box of ammo, for a good price. Sounds like you had a good day. Were there anymore 31 left at that price? Where in York is the show?

 

[45Badger]

Fairgrounds, Toyota building.

 

[yhtomit]

Details on location / times?

I thought the York show was *last* weekend, or I would have tried to locate it today. I'll do some googling, too, but I'd sure appreciate a tip on where / when this show is; I have a morning committment, but if it lasts into the afternoon / evening, I'd enjoy getting to it.

timothy

 

[PAshooter]

Show is at the York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Ave, York, PA - in the Toyota Building as 45Badger stated. Hours tomorrow (Sunday) are 9-3.

offthepaper: the K31 I bought was the last one the seller had. He had two when I first passed his table and while I thought about it and wandered around a bit one of them sold. They were marked $125, but the seller said it was the "deal of the day" - $100 with a box of ammo. I couldn't say no.

I saw at least one other K31 in similar shape at another vendor's table, marked $129... might be able to swing a deal there.

Agree on ammo deals 45B... I was hoping to find some 5.45x39 but all I saw was some overpriced 7N6... I know that some Wolf Military Classic in that caliber has entered the country; guess it hasn't made it down to the little guys yet.

 

[offthepaper]

45Badger:

Mucho thanks.

 

[Glockman17366]

Freedom Armory has a really nice indoor range. the owner, Scott Morris, is a Class 3 dealer and as strong a 2nd Amendment proponent as you'll ever find!

I've bought a few guns from Freedom Armory. Thier prices are fair, but perhaps not the lowest one would find.

BTW, you can rent Class 3 weapons if youwant to try selective fire guns.

 

[Norton]

Glad to hear that it was a good show and congrats on your find. I've always fancied a K31 but don't want to add another rifle caliber.

I almost considered driving up, but opted for the Frederick, MD show today. Not too many guns (considering it was a gun show), but there were some good prices on some things and the typical MD prices on everything else. Ended up splitting a case of Lake City .45acp with Spot77 and grabbing a few odds and ends.

I agree on the need for another gathering for the MD THR area folks.....even if another social gathering just to chew the fat.

 

[PAshooter]

A gathering of some sort would definitely be cool.

I debated picking up the Swiss for the same reason, Norton, but I'm pretty well provisioned on ammo for everything I already own(ed) - except for the aformentioned 5.45x39 for my recently tricked out SAR-2 (see pic). Now I've got an excuse to add to the stockpile

Can't wait to fire the K31... as I understand it, these things tend to be quite accurate out of the box... 1 m.o.a. is not unusual from an as-issued rifle. That's better than I can shoot - not bad for a 60 year old war horse (the gun... not me... yet).

Let's keep in touch an see if we can't cook up some kind of a meet.

 

[offthepaper]

Thanks all for the info. After debating overnight I opted to drive up this morning (my first time there, York FG). It was a good afternoon, an enjoyable show. Much better than the Fredrick show I visited Saturday, which was really a disappointment (as already stated, not many guns). The prices were pretty steep on everything I saw, never really saw anything I would consider a bargin. Meanwhile at the York show, I never found any more K31's, but I did find what may prove to be a keeper. I picked up a Russian M44 that was the dirtiest gun I ever bought. The price was cheap ($60), but the gun was smeared in cosmoline (you know the look) but also had all this straw and dirt, and what looked like sawdust stuck all over it. But aside from the cosmetics, the wood wqas very good, and the metal / bluing looked OK from what I could tell in that state, Bought it, brought it home stipped it down and the more I cleaned, the better the condition I realized it was in. after cleaning and reassembling this old soldier, it looks great, bore looks great also, can't wait to put it to the final test (range). Hoping for the diamond in the rough.

 

[PAshooter]

Glad to hear your trip up the road was worthwhile, otp. I saw those Russians, and briefly thought of picking one up, but the call of the Swiss was too powerful so I moved along. Also saw a good number of Yugo 59/66's but since I currently have one of those spread all over my shop in mid-degunking I wasn't really in the market for another. I also saw a couple of nice Yugo 59's and thought seriously about picking one of those up, but the second one I ran across seemed a little overpriced... and having once passed by the first one I could never seem to relocate it. The memory not being what it once was, I guess I need to take notes next time

 

[RobG]

Heya, PAshooter. I changed my name a while back from Solomon Short, I started feeling silly. It was nice to run into you at the show, an unexpected surprise. LeadPumper and I decided to go to the York show, not the Frederick Show, since it's only a little further away, twice the size, and in PA. We were able to walk out of there without spending much, but ohhhh the temptation was there.

That K31 is a beaut, I also saw one that had the rear sight replaced with a scope mount and scope. Looked purdy.

After the show, LP and I spent about 3 hours at the range. The three members that were there when we arrived were packing up and left. 3 hours without anyone else there. Took a time out during the hardest showers, but kept right on shooting.

Good times.

 

[PAshooter]

Hey Rob, good to know about the name change - I don't follow the boards as closely as I used to, so it had escaped my notice. As I'm sure you noticed, I changed mine as well... but that was driven by my escape from the Socialist Workers Paradise of Maryland and relocation to the United States

Where do you guys shoot?

 

[RobG]

LP is a member of one of the local Game and Fish Assocs., so he's able to take me as a guest occasionally. Otherwise, Hap Baker's or Elk Neck for rifles, a couple local and Eastern Shore places for clays, and Continental for pistol, still. It's been a while since I was able to shoot anything, so I was happy to get in the trigger time.

My arms are sore from using the sling. I'm still not used to using one - guess it just means I need to practice more.

I too have stayed quiet and have just read these past few months. Most folks post what I would've said anyway, so I saw no point in duplicating comments.

Another soggy day in the Mid Atlantic. Oh well, New England, California, and Tejas got theirs, our turn.