2006 Grand National

tjwatty · #1 08-18-2006, 06:45 PM

Went to Sparta yesterday (Thurs) to see just what all the hubub was about and I was impressed. I had never been to Ohio and this was my first chance at the Grand and it was really cool. Without seeing for yourselves it's hard to describe 3 1/2 mile long shooting line, 100 vendor TENTS, 3 giant vendor buildings, a shell house with all brands stacked 6ft high and all 7 1/2's. They have about 5 or 6 trolley wagons pulled by little JD tractors with different colored ribbons to designate where they are going. East, West, camp ground etc.
I think the camp ground was the most impressive though, 1,000 camp sites, that is hard to imagine in it's self, now imagine if you have a large 5th wheel trailer and your the smallest in the lot. I have never seen so many large,bus style, motor homes in one spot. I even saw one that was a Freightliner semi pulling a 55ft trailer/camper.
Ok, now lets talk guns. More HIGH DOLLAR single barreled QUALITY guns in one spot than you can believe. Perrazzi, Kriegoff,Ludig,Berretta, Browning, Guerrini and one I hadn't heard of Silver Seitz (s/p) each had their own vendor type store and right next door was their company gun smith. Pretty darn coo;.
I saw fabs new gun set at the Perrazzi store, a 4 gun set for only $435,000 bucks. I'm sorry to say I didn't think they were that good, then again I don't think anythig should be that expensive just to break a few clay targets.
I could talk for ever about this place and can't wait till next year when the skeet ranges (20) and the 2 100 bird sporting clays courses will be up and running. (did I mention the 3 fishing lakes)
If you can at all possibly come try, it's really neat.

gold40 · #2 08-18-2006, 07:58 PM

I agree and concur 100% !

JERRY

skeet · #3 08-19-2006, 12:03 AM

If only it weren't in one of the must unfriendly states for gun owners. How do they get around the FOID requirement to buy ammo? When you shoot the Grand you have to buy the shells there ya know! Part of the entry fees

fabsroman · #4 08-19-2006, 02:41 AM

I thought the Grand was supposed to be moved somewhere else like Texas or Idaho, or something to that effect.

As far as the $435,000 Perazzi set, I wouldn't be interested. Had a fellow shooter tell me that he had a $100,000 Krieghoff with a stage coach and horses engraved in it in white and yellow gold. Wasn't interested in that either. However, Beretta had a 5 gun set that was engraved to show different periods of the Rennaiscance (sp.) period and it sold for $125,000 for the entire set and $25,000 for each gun. That was back when I bought my first Beretta 13 years ago and I loved the set. Didn't have that kind of money then, and while I am a little closer to it today, I still wouldn't be able to afford it without taking a second mortgage on the house and having my wife kill me with the 5 gun set.

Some day I would like to make it out to the Grand, but something tells me that once I got there it would be really expensive for me.

tjwatty · #5 08-21-2006, 11:01 AM

I think the FOID card issue was mute. I signed up to renew my NRA membership, got $10 discount and 2 boxes of AA, no one asked for a card. I overheard a dealer, trying to sell a gun, tell a guy they could work it out here. Another store I heard a guy say they were loading up most of their stuff because of the 24hr waiting list. Lots of cops and DNR personel but I never had anyone ask for a foid. I believe a lot of leeway was given for this event anyway.The shell house was doing a bang up business, so to speak, and no cards. I understand this was the first time reloads were to be allowed at the Grands and that made a lot of people happy. I understand that they did keep a close eye on everyone, but I wasn't competing so I'm not sure how.
This complex was negotiated by a previous Gov. with the understanding that if Illinois passed any laws unfriendly to the grands that the contract was null and void. I don't think this jerk we have now is too bright but I don't think he would set himself up for that big of a lynching in down state. The almighty dollar does grease the wheels of government you know.

fabsroman · #6 08-21-2006, 05:00 PM

I take it that the Grand was held in Spart, Illinois. I cannot believe I missed that in my first reading. I feel like a bonehead right now.

gold40 · #7 08-21-2006, 05:03 PM

I'm not 100% sure of the following - and am damn sure not an attorney - BUT, I think a resident of a state other than Illinois can legally buy ammunition in Illinois just by showing a valid drivers license from his/her home state.

As a Missouri resident I have often bought shotgun shells while hunting in Illinois. it has never been a problem.

Dom · #8 08-22-2006, 05:21 AM

Re: I understand this was the first time reloads were to be allowed at the Grands and that made a lot of people happy.

Tks for the info tj. Wonder why they allowed reloads though, or maybe they weighed shells? Or there's no shot limit? All the shoots I attend no shotgun reloads so there's no discussion on using loads exceeding max allowable and no disparity or chance of 'cheating' -- you know, some competetive shooters can get sneaky. To me, ya, I'm a competetive shooter, but I play fair and square. Once you get too into it, you take all the fun out of it and to me, that's the end of the game, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

tjwatty · #9 08-22-2006, 12:08 PM

After a disscussion at the "Bait" shop this morning the owner believes that all shell sales were handled as if everyone was from out of state, As gold40 said.
Gun sales we believe was another matter. We assume, and you know about that word, that all federal laws were followed to the T, the phone in check may have been done at an on sight computer or just didn't take very long. Phone in normally takes about 30min. I think the 24hr period was either waved or worked around with back dating. I know that at gun shows there are checks done all the time and dealers won't do anything like that. But I doubt very much if a gang-banger was going to buy a $12,000 single barreled trap gun to rob the Jiffy Mart, so a little leeway may have been given or heads turned.

skeet · #10 08-22-2006, 12:36 PM

I am sure that the laws were probably skirted a bit here and there...But if you think the BATF was turning a blind eye to it...you'd better think again. As far as the state laws...well who knows. I can tell you I won't go to Sparta at the next Grand and buy a gun. And they don't care whether it is a 12,000 buck trap gun or a 100 buck single bbl H&R. I'll just stay away from Illinois. What a stupid place to move the Grand to. I do hope I am wrong...but I doubt if the ATA will keep it there for too many years.

gold40 · #11 08-22-2006, 09:27 PM

Illinois as a whole, really isn't "anti-gun."

I live next door in Missouri, and their laws are more strict than ours. There is no CCW capability. But once you leave the Chicago area, the rest of the state is more gun friendly, especially central and southern parts of the state.

They are plenty of gunshops, trap clubs, rifle ranges, etc. And a lot of hunting, particularly pheasant, waterfowl, and deer. The state runs several "put and take" pheasant hunts in state parks, where one pays $15 for the privilege of taking two pheasants. I probably hunt 20+ days per year in Illinois. Game wardens are friendly and helpful.

Its actually a pretty good state for outdoorsmen (except for Chicago); and a good location for the Grand American & ATA.

tjwatty · #12 08-30-2006, 06:29 PM

skeet,
I'm sorry you have such a low opinion of my State and sorry you are so narrow minded that you won't give an event a chance. We would miss you, but hay, everyone to his/her own.
The fact is that the ATA has a long term deal with the state and will be here for a very long time. The $50 million plus that was spent looks to me like someone was trying to be very very sportsman/gun owner friendly. I've lived in downstate Illinois all my life and other than having eastern outfitters trying to take over all the hunting grounds have never had a problem with gun laws or hunting areas. In fact I believe the State of Illinois has returned more land to sportsman use than any other, and that's with a democratic idiot of a Governor. Of course domestic abuse and child molesters, felons, druggies and some other creeps have a hard time legally buying a gun but they can always go to Chicago.
I wish you would reconsider and make an appearance at next years Grands, I think you would be surprised.

skeet · #13 08-30-2006, 08:22 PM

TJ I really don't have a low opinion of your state...just some of it's laws. Even when I was an FFL I had trouble with dealing on guns in Illinois. The laws are no worse than they are in ..say New Jersey... but here is my thing about it. The law says an FOID for ammo purchase but at the grand they are gonna waive the law?? What earthly use is the law then??. I am glad that the ATA has found a place to hold the Grand...but there are so many clauses in the agreement(one is about guns and ammo purchasing I think) that if the state enforces their laws on the sales then they will be violating the agrrement. And I also know that the downstate area of Illionois is not like the Chicago area...but those people control the state the way my home state of Maryland was controlled by 2 counties and a city. Some good hunting down there. Hope the Grand stays in Sparta...but knowing the state environment... I just have doubts. Been to the Grand a few times and it really is an event. Gonna be some other kinds of shooting there in the future. Think National Skeet is gonna hold an event or two there when the fields are finished. Even the NSSA is going to move to another location I think Check out Castroville Tx for them. The big difference in the associations is that the NSSA OWNS their property...ATA has a lease. Families with growing pains that lease...very seldom stay where they are.. Same with groups.

fabsroman · #14 08-31-2006, 12:16 AM

Skeet,

Would those two counties be Montgomery and Howard, and the city Baltimore? We were just talking about this at dinner tonight. Kind of pisses me off too because I live in Montgomery but most of this county's values are not mine.

skeet · #15 08-31-2006, 08:07 AM

Counties are Montgomery and Prince Georges along with Baltimore city. Hell when they were voting for the first lady(republican) governor..hopefully you remember....There were some polling areas in Baltimore city(purely Democratic) that voted 100% for Glendenning....Even the dead folks voted for him. That is a fact...even the Republican observer voted Dem. HUH?? Talk about crooked politics. Don't know how they elected a Republican governor...but you notice that they stymied him in the legislature for certain.