Saxet show in San Antonio this weekend - other SA places??

[dwsUSA]

I'll be headed down to San Antonio this weekend to check out the Saxet gun show there. Anyone know if the Saxet show in San Antonio is better/bigger than the one in Austin? Are there any other gun places worth checking out there?

[JRH]

I've driven down to the show in San Antonio a couple of times and it seemed to me that there were many more vendors with a much bigger variety of items. I haven't been since they moved so that may have changed.

[dwsUSA]

I hope that is still the case. If I were to drive form somewhere else to Austin to go to the Austin show I would be disappointed with how few vendors there are that have a decent selection. I can only recall about 3 vendors at the Austin show that seem to have very much.

[ELB]

I've gone to the San Antonio SAXET gunshow a number of times, both at the old Airport Convention Center, and at the Al Zafar sp?) Shrine Temple. I haven't been to other gun shows in Texas, but the San Antonio SAXET one seems to generally scratch my itch.

As far as I can remember, there's usually two or three vendors who have major amounts/types of ammo, quite of number a vendors who have a decent spread of new and or used firearms, normally several "specialists" in single actions, or M-1s, or M-1 Carbine parts, militaria, and the like. Don't know much about knives, but lots of knife vendors, including one who does sharpening on the spot, one who sells knife "parts" (blades, wood to make handles, etc). Lots of gun safes. Always see a vendor who has hundreds of pistol and revolver grips (or stocks,if you prefer). Also big magazine vendor. Lots of "other" stuff, like book vendors, patches, hunting/tactical clothing, Airsoft, etc.

Usually couple or three jerky and sausage vendors. Go visit Arrowhead Smoked Sausage -- he's a neighbor of mine, sometimes I help him stuff sausages!

As far as other gun places in San Antonio:

Not so far from the Shrine place on 410 is a Sportsman's WareHouse. BassPro out on I-10 towards Kerrville. (Since you state you are going "down" to San Antonio, if you come down I-35 thru Buda, there is a Cabela's there, exit 220 I think).

As for local gunstores, there's Texas Guns on Bandera (northwest side of SA) http://texasgunssa.com/ . Jerry (the proprietor) has a lot of stuff there, usually decent selection, but I think he is pricier than some of the other places. Has an indoor range next to his shop, last time I looked. http://www.texasthunderrange.com/

Nagel's http://www.nagelsguns.net/is definitely worth a look. It's an old gunshop, on San Pedro inside the 410 loop, 6200 block. Must be the biggest gun store in San Antonio, I'm sure more guns than BassPro or Sportsmans. Way more than any of the other local gunstores. Lots of hunting stuff, reloading stuff, more guns, safes, knives, clothing, more guns, etc. Hard to move around inside, there's so much stuff.

Dury's http://www.durysguns.com/ (southeast side on 281, I think it is the Hotwells exit, northeast corner) is worth a look. Seems to cater to the local police market. Advertises lifetime warranty on new and used guns. Discounts for LEOs, military.

Powder Horn (Day Arms) is on the southwest side, along the 410 loop frontage road on the inside. Bob Day ran it, former USAF pistol team guy, ran it for long time until he was killed in a plane crash going to the big airshow in Oshkosh. His son now runs it, I bought a few guns in there, good place. Hmmm, its website seems to be defunct, don't know what that means.

There's some smaller places, but if it were me driving in from out of town, I wouldn't spend the time to drive to them.

As an interesting cultural/historical (?) notes

Alex Hamilton, noted gunsmith who owns Ten-Ring Precision, lives here. He writes a monthly column for one of the gunzines, I forget which one. He once put together some 1911 flintlock pistols. No, really. I read it in his column, and when I took him one of my guns, he showed me one them. Said they were very accurate. He doesn't have a retail store, just works out his garage/shop next to the house, but he usually has some interesting stuff for sale on his website: http://tenring.com/stuff.html

The Bullet Hole shooting range http://www.bullethole.com is on the westside of SA, outside the1604 loop. You can rent machine guns there, if you are so inclined and have the $$. I believe I saw a Sten submachine gun there, the one with the sidefeeding magazine, plus I guess they have others.

Enjoy your stay in San Antonio.

elb

[dwsUSA]

Hi Elb,

Thanks for all the info. If I have time I will certainly try to check a few other places out.