Arizona is probably the widest and deepest part of the U.S. gun culture. It is legal to buy guns in Arizona with minimal ID, a cursory background check and no wait. Then a gun owner can sell, trade, carry and conceal with almost no paperwork.



I had seen handguns for sale in gun shops in Arizona towns, in liquor stores, even in the convenience stores of gas stations along the scenic state highways.



The Mercury Grand Marquis crunched across the gravel parking lot outside the Gun Barn, and I parked it between two four wheel drive pickup trucks just outside the entrance.



I walked inside, and saw customers at the counter and in the aisles. It smelled like steel and oil. Hanging flourescent tubes cast a nervous light on the men and the racks of long guns.



I browsed the racks of the long guns, mostly used, mostly old American military guns. The prices were good. Some had the bayonets still on.



Then I went to the counter and looked down at the handguns, everything from two-shot ivory-handled derringers to a Casull .50 caliber. I saw some nice Colt 1911s similar to the one my gradfather had given me.



All makes of guns, all caliber, were for sale, from .22 short derringers to 10-gauge riot guns. The prices ranged from fifty dollars for a used Lorcin .25 to seven hundred and fifty dollars for a new Colt .45 ACP. You could get a Taurus .38, a Savage Arms 12-gauge, a Ruger .22, almost anything.



There was an archery section; the crossbow section was especially large.



I saw blowguns and throwing stars and throwing knives and high powered slingshots similar to the ones I had used with ball bearings, shooting them as a boy.



The knives ranged in size from huge Bowie knives to tiny dirks. There were battle swords and Japanese fighting swords and decorative swords and lances and scimitars and dueling foils and medieval execution axes and scythes for the Grim Reaper. Further back in the store I found open crates of surplus antipersonnel bombs and neutered hand grenades and brass. there were government-issue flashlights and wristwatches and helmets and flak jackets and combat boots and K rations and parachutes. The clothing section featured everything from underwear to sports coats in a variety of camouflage patterns.



The security cameras watched me.


(Inspired by recent prose of T Jefferson Parker, and expanded somewhat.)

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Oh Heavens!

what and they were not killing each other? I mean with all those EVIL guns around somebody must have ended up dead!

Actually, what is their address - sounds like a trip there is in order next time I go out West


I like your use of T Jeff Parker's style BTW I started reading his books a while back while browsing the local used book store.

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"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

Your prose makes me want to enter the doors of the Gun Barn myself.

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Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

Might be worth a visit after I get a curio and relics license! Then I can transport from state to state...legally

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

My favorite store in the whole world is Diamond Jims Guns and Liquor in Ukiah, California. One stop shopping at its best! I haven't been there in a while but i hope it is still there.

LOL awesome! I use to go to that store growing up!

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Is it still there?

I want to say it closed, but I haven't been to ukiah in a while. I have a friend who lives there, I'll ask.

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Thanks- It would be interesting to know in case I am up that way. See if your friend can find out if they still sell Buckhorn beer too. I love that stuff. When my buddy from Redwood Valley would come down my way he would bring 10 or more cases of Buckhorn to me to trade for his room and board!

wow, Gun Barn sounds scary.......

Found out from my friend in Ukiah that it burned down. If i remember correctly I heard there was some personal issues going on with the owner and then it burned down, roomer has it it was for the insurance money. But I'm pretty sure the officials deemed it an accident.

That must have been one hell of a fire!!!!!!!!!!!!

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What does a C&R license actually mean? I have heard it before but only had a vague idea.

thanks
Fred

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MB-less

I wish my communist state had laws like AZ, they are very forward looking. Heck I can't even buy a Sig550 because it makes liberals wet their panty's its so scary!


Get any prices on ammo Jim? I wonder what 5.56, and .45ACP is going for out their.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

this is a good read, and has the links you need to get one!
http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting2005/howtogetyourcurionrelicffl03/index.asp

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Any Barrett 50 Cal. rifles there, Jim?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
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2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles