Forums.NitroExpress.com

While I can't speak of the current situation in India, I did visit there some years ago (my honeymoon, if you can believe that). Our hosts made an effort to locate some dealers for me, and we actually visited TWO, one in Mumbai (Bombay, at the time), and one in Agra. Both were pretty small operations and both proprietors greeted me as if I had dropped from the moon. Apparently, private ownership of firearms in India is/was (even then) all but extinct. I got to handle ONE DR, a pretty tired .450/.400, with plenty of evidence of 'native' repairs and reblacking. No one could tell me how to go about actually BUYING a gun there, even for export. So, on balance, for a rifleman, the trip was a bust.
The folks who hosted our visit were as courteous and thoughtful as they could possibly be, and went out of their way to make us welcome - they were Jains, nominally (but, thankfully, did not go about 'sky-clad'). They were also strict vegetarians, but I was able to sneak away for an occasional meat fix.
My bride and I enjoyed the visit, except that, during our stay in Agra, we both fell victim to Giardiasis - I like to tell folks that I may be the only honeymooner in history to view the Taj Mahal by moonlight ... alone (because the Memsab was too sick to get out of the van and walk the 100 yards to the gate).
So we cut short our Indian adventure, returned to Mumbai (with an interminable layover in Delhi), checked into a hotel, called a doctor, and were able to leave several days earlier than planned. Checking in at Air India, rather than an aisle or window, we both requested a toilet seat (but didn't get them).
When we made it back to Dallas, my parents came to pick us up ... and walked right past both of us where we were huddled together, resembling Somali refugees.
If you must go to India, go first class all the way... AND DON"T DRINK THE WATER! :-/
mhb - Mike

--------------------
Sancho! My armor!

Post Extras