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Late last year the SAXET gun show returned to Austin, this time at the Travis County Expo Center. Didn't make it until today - here are my impressions:

* Parking isn't free - it's $2 in this venue. Entry to the show is $5. Usual PC30.06 sign out front.
* Venue is basically a small arena - show proper is down on the floor, but there's some overflow at the mezzanine. A bit smaller than the old building on Lamar, but larger than the show at the former Target building off I-35 that was also being held today.
* LOTS of non-gun stuff . . . jewelry, jerky, trinkets, ornaments . . . a line of tables FULL of books covering every conspiracy from Nazis to Illuminati to fluoridated drinking water.
* LOTS of black rifles, and stuff for black rifles. Stripped lowers from recognizable makers ranged from $119 - $139. Pays to shop, as 10 or 15 steps could save you $20.
* HUGE price differentials - the MSAR STG556 (Steyr AUG clone) ranged from $999 to $1700. Mosin Nagants from $135 to $175 (Cabela's sometimes marks down to $99.)
* Saw a number of M1 Garands - possibly CMP rifles - marked up at least 50% from the CMP price. An ordinary M1 carbine for over $1k.
* LOTS of common guns - Glock, Taurus, Springfield, etc. Saw fewer S&Ws than I remembered. Nothing really out of the ordinary.
* Saw one extremely gaudy bolt action - fancy stock inlaid with mother-of-pearl . . . LOTS of it. ("Pimp my Rifle?")
* A good amount of Chinese optics - they're now trying to make their junk - I mean economy optics - look like Nightforce riflescopes.
* Saw ONE Luger - an Artillery - for $3k. Not worth it in that condition. Guy also had a worn & pitted Broomhandle for $1500, with capture papers.
* A number of "custom" guns that failed to impress.
* ONE vendor had quality AR accessories (Vltor, DD, Troy, Magpul) but quite a bit of Chinese stuff otherwise.
* Ammo was generally more expensive than Cabela's, especially if you work the sales there. Couple of "new" commercial reloading operations were present.
* Plenty of no-name holsters, web gear, gun cases, etc.
* Overheard a couple of sales pitches . . . let's just say some of these guys make used-car salesmen sound good.
* LOTS of sellers have stopped putting prices on their stuff . . . I guess they're not too proud of what they're asking.

To borrow an expression from a recent gun rag . . . my money was safe, I saw nothing I wanted.

Thanks, Hank.

I was thinking of going out there this PM but I think I'll just stay home and earn some wifely atta-boys by fixing the A/C in the wife car.

Well, I don't know if I will actually earn true atta-boys but I KNOW that I would most assuredly generate some AH-SHOOTS if I didn't do it.

I'll give them a try next time.

TY for saving me a trip............

Thanks for the report.

I went to the piddly one at the old Target on I-35, it was pathetic to say the least. Not worth the entry even to people watch. I was in Austin for the weekend and thought it might be worth a quick peak inside. My wife even laughed at the size of it when we walked in ...lesson learned.

THANKS! for the info

Saxet Gun Show is worthless these days. Closes ones to me are in Pharr,Tx. about and made the mistake of paying for my wife and I to get in only to find it was more of a Arts and Crafts show than anything really. There was probably only one REAL gun Booth that lots of handguns and the rest were just crafts people selling maybe 1 old gun they had in their closet and a bunch of CHEAP crap CHINA knives. Truely a waste of time this gun show has become.

I had considered going there this weekend until I read your review. I see little has changed except they now charge for parking and relocated to the boonies. The gas alone to drive out there and back would cost over $20. I remember the gun shows at the Palmer Event Center in the early '90's which were actually fun. I'm guessing the Internet has played a big part in the demise of gun shows. Good review btw.

Is it that the gun show* itself is going downhill? Bad management, quick buck, poor service, etc.

Or is it that good businesses just aren't seeing them as a worthwhile endeavor anymore? Clearing the way for arts and crafts, or those there for a quick buck.

Back in the 80s I used to go to computer shows all time. It'd take you an entire day just to check out all the booths, then stuff started moving to the WWW and now when you can find a show, the actual computer stuff could almost fit in my spare bedroom.

*Generic, not this one specifically.