Phoenix area gun shows (Chandler, Flagstaff: appointed, rent, transfer)

[jnojr]

So, as a recent California transplant, I went to the Crossroads gun show at the fairgrounds yesterday. And I gotta say, I was kind of disappointed. Everyone had the same stuff. I wanted to grab an AR-15, but my choices were pretty much the low end (everyone and their brother had S&W and Ruger for $500ish) or these 1337 operator "custom" builds that I don't need and have no way of trusting. I would have grabbed an AK, but everyone had century builds. I saw one CETME for a decent price, but it was CAI too. Where were the FALs, aside from the guy selling the neat parts kits?

Is that really the best the Valley has to offer? Are there bigger shows, or shows that are maybe aimed towards a different group than the go-out-in-the-desert-and-blaze-away crowd? That was kind of the feeling I got.

[Slater]

Crossroads is the biggest show in the Valley, although the three-day December show (Small Arms Review show) usually draws more vendors.

If you want the best prices and selection, online ordering is the way to go. Just need to find an FFL that will do the transfer for a reasonable fee. $25 is about average, and my dealer up here in Flagstaff only charges $15. By way of example, I just ordered this Windham Weaponry AR-15 rifle. Price is hard to beat, and with free shipping and no tax I'm saving anywhere from $200-300 over a local shop:

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst....cfm/ID/141298

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by Slater

Crossroads is the biggest show in the Valley, although the three-day December show (Small Arms Review show) usually draws more vendors.

Thanks for that! I did overhear a couple of comments about how this show was much less crowded.

If you want the best prices and selection, online ordering is the way to go. Just need to find an FFL that will do the transfer for a reasonable fee. $25 is about average, and my dealer up here in Flagstaff only charges $15. By way of example, I just ordered this Windham Weaponry AR-15 rifle. Price is hard to beat, and with free shipping and no tax I'm saving anywhere from $200-300 over a local shop:

https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperst....cfm/ID/141298

Yeah, I'm considering that... I would like a middie, and I may just order one, or even get a PSA parts kit as I found a lower in a box I was unpacking I did like the idea of picking it up and going, but the selection just wasn't there.

[Zippyman]

You go to gun shows for the beef jerky, not the guns.

Buy what you want online.. If you're on the northside, bell rd pawn does $15 transfers..

[Bondurant]

December is the big Crossroads show. January is probably a bit stale. There's so many gun shops here and with the internet you can find whatever you're looking for. Crossroads brings in a lot of people from California.

Go another time and see if there's new inventory or vendors.

[manchurainprez]

Originally Posted by jnojr

So, as a recent California transplant, I went to the Crossroads gun show at the fairgrounds yesterday. And I gotta say, I was kind of disappointed. Everyone had the same stuff. I wanted to grab an AR-15, but my choices were pretty much the low end (everyone and their brother had S&W and Ruger for $500ish) or these 1337 operator "custom" builds that I don't need and have no way of trusting. I would have grabbed an AK, but everyone had century builds. I saw one CETME for a decent price, but it was CAI too. Where were the FALs, aside from the guy selling the neat parts kits?

Is that really the best the Valley has to offer? Are there bigger shows, or shows that are maybe aimed towards a different group than the go-out-in-the-desert-and-blaze-away crowd? That was kind of the feeling I got.

why go to a show at all? There are plenty of nice stores with anything you want and basically no rules for purchasing like you have in Cali

[jnojr]

Originally Posted by manchurainprez

why go to a show at all? There are plenty of nice stores with anything you want and basically no rules for purchasing like you have in Cali

Sometimes, it's nice to browse a bunch of stuff all in one place. I always loved going to the Nations Gun Show in Dulles... NFA stuff, a really wide variety, all sorts of interesting things.

I do need to take a tour of gun stores near me. I've found a bunch by Googling. Can anyone recommend anything in particular near Chandler? I like real old-school gun stores run by real old-school gun guys. I've seen too many that are dedicated to tricked-out "race guns" for people who want to look cool. I'm not a 1337 Operator, I don't want a rifle covered with rails and bling.

[AzScorpion12]

Gun shows use to be fun years ago,there seemed to be better quality stuff there too. Now with everything available online most gun shows are way overpriced and just not worth my time going to. Like you I moved here from a Commie state (MA) and thought the shows here would be much better, but they're not. I buy/build a lot of mine from PSA,you just cannot beat their email deals and customer service!

Now if you want to see some really cool stuff like cannons and full autos,take a trip up to Wikieup,AZ. Twice a year they have the Big Sandy Shoot where people from all around bring out the big guns,literally! You can even rent (supervised) machine guns and .50 cal and a lot of others.

The Big Sandy Shoot

[gsc3zny]

Im going to go look at safes, hopefully a good selection

[banger]

I come from the Eastern Occupied Zone.... So I get the desire for the AR type rifles.

However, I kind of like the "crossroads show", for the more mundane items...

Old Smith and Wesson revolvers, finding difficult to locate magazines and parts. Browning rifles and pistols. etc..

One of the problems i see with the industry in general is that there is a bewildering number of manufacturers making basically the same items. AR rifles and 1911 pistols.

How do you know which one is worth the money.

Consider..... off the top of my head in the amount of time it takes to type this...

AR's are currently or recently been manufactured by..... Colt, Bushmaster, Windham Armory, Armalite, Ruger, Smith and Wesson, Rock River, Daniels Defense, Fulton, Brownells, Remington... I know there is more, but this is simply off the top of my head...

The worst part is, those I have named are largely producing virtually identical products.

Who is good... Who is bad... Who's to tell.... The market is way too crowded.