Visiting Austin. Recommendations for gun store?

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forindooruseonly

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Visiting Austin area for a few days, does anyone have any recommendations for a good gun store? Mostly looking for a decent selection of used stuff. I realize in these times, things are probably picked clean, but what would the best bets be?

Also, any other good stores, antiques, cameras, food joints... places to see and go. Going to be with family part of the time, the rest of the time I'll be running around by myself.
 
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Bear in mind that my info is a couple years old...

Red's in Pflugerville (just N of Austin) was decent. Not super-bargain prices, but okay prices and selection, and the staff were cool. They also have a range if you want to try stuff out.


I never went to the fancy one down by campus, it looked like a place for Purdeys, etc., but I could be wrong.

There was one on Parmer Ln that I can't recommend. The kid was a real Mall Ninja type, struck me as possibly a Vet wannabe (though I don't know that for sure, he just had that vibe), and also wanted to totally lowball trade-ins, offering cents on the dollar.


For food, try some local Tex-Mex: Trudy's, Magnolia Cafe, etc.. And no trip to Austin is complete without at least one visit to Kerbey Lane ("pancakes the size of your HEAD!").

Lots of music venues, but IDK what COVID has done to them.

The Bob Bullock Texas History Museum was actually pretty cool. I thought it would be either a snooze or a lot of rah-rah TEXASSSSS stuff, but we had a good time.

The Museum of the Weird down on the Strip (that's 6th St to you) was small but fun.
 
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McBrides is still there, but they didn't have anything used that caught my eye last time I was there a couple of months ago. It is not just a gun store. I have probably spent more time in the coin shop than in the gun shop there.

For Tex-Mex, don't forget El Arroyo on W 5th St - an Austin classic. For BBQ, Franklins has a great reputation but I haven't been there in a few years. Iron Works BBQ and Stubbs BBQ , both on Red River are some other traditional Austin eateries. If you want to go further afield for BBQ, Lockhart has several (Black's is my preference), and also has a nice town square with a beautiful courthouse and several antique shops on it. There is also Texas Hatters that makes custom hats for the rich and famous. Small shop, but interesting.

For general Austin vibe, try walking S Congress - many unique shops and restaurants. Or, "The Drag" - Guadalupe on the edge of the UT campus and northward.

Precision Camera on Anderson Lane is the only large camera store I know of.
 
If you enjoy Texas history visit the Texas State Cemetery on 7th east of I35. Go to Joe's bakery down the street for a great breakfast.

Caution! Austin is very heavily populated with anti gun Critters.
 
I wish I could help, but we moved here last year and I'm still not sure what's really going on...

The Salt Lick BBQ in Round Rock was recommended to me. We'll be going this weekend and see.

The Range at Austin might be worth a visit. Jeff Gonzales was director of training there until last year.

And of course the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco. Love it there!
 
Be careful down on 6th Street. It's become a very seedy area with a large homeless population. My favorite cigar store closed it's original location on 6th Street because the homeless problem became unmanageable.

In fact, all of Austin has a homeless problem.

It's also become an expensive place to stay, but that's almost everywhere.

The Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Marbry is very good. We spent about three hours there and still didn't see everything.

Threadgills is also good for "American" food.

If you get up as far as Hutto, I like the Rio Grande for Tex-Mex. If you get south of the city, the Hays County BBQ in San Marcos is really good.

Assuming you have a car, you can also head north to Marble Falls for lunch at the Blue Bonnet Café. Good food, but the pies are fabulous.

I'm starting to sound like the Chamber of Commerce!
 
I can't help with gun shops but we had fun walking and eating on Rainey Street. If you like homemade sausages of all kinds and like to try different beers, Bangers is for you. Lots of these places get good reviews.

We drove out to the lake, went to a winery, also checked out The Oasis. It was only partially open when we went but seems like an interesting place.

The "Bat Bridge" was interesting but no bats the night we went.

We missed the Yeti bar/ store, which closes early.

We had fun, yeah some weirdos but compared to NYC, it has a lot of catching up to do...
 
Visiting Austin. Recommendations for gun store?

Some of these favorite "watering holes" bring back some great memories. Of course that usually always happens with great Texas BBQ, brisket or ribs. I never go back without hitting Rudy's..... One of our favorites was The County Line, On the Hill, or On The Lake. The Texas Road House is usually good (but not great). Austin is billed as "The Live Music Capital of the World" and there are some good venues there. Downtown Austin always worked.

Of course Austinites are hung up on that "Keep Austin Weird" mantra, and they like to earn that reputation every day.

I don't know where you'll be staying in the Austin area, but several good gun shops have already been mentioned. There is a Black Jack Gunsmithing in north Austin. I've been by there a dozen times and never had the time to stop. I looked in the window a few times and saw several firearms in the display case. If they don't have it, they probably know who does.

BLACKJACK GUNSMITHING - Home

Bill

[Former Austinite]
 
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Speaking of local live music, my favorite band is from Austin. Kevin Russell AKA Shinyribs has a great little band and they play mostly in Texas but before COVID they were on the road here in the southeast.
 
McBride's can have a good ol' boy attitude at times and be unfriendly. GT has better prices and you can get really good prices on magazines, esp. on sale days. Not a gun store, but Book People is a good independent book store.
 
Haven't been to McBride's since the virus crises started. They tend to be a no haggle MSRP type dealer. Some of the sales people are good, knowledgeable, and helpful. Some less than caring unless they know you.

Both the gun and ammo cupboards at GT are all but bare.

There is a Bass pro up north and Cabella's down south. Don't bother with either unless you want to look at the aquarium or taxidermy displays. Stock is low, prices out of sight.

Best bet is for used stuff are the pawn shops. When you see one stop and go take a look. Even in the current climate you never know what you may find.
 
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