Your right. Alot of regular gun shops won't order milsurp guns for various reasons. One of these being that they don't regularly deal with the supliers of these guns. The other is if you dont pick it up, they are stuck with something that may not sell.
After working in a gun shop for 4 years, I found the best way to get any milsurp gun is to go to a gunshow. The other ways are more of a hassel. One is to try and get a C&R license and order one direct. The last possibility is to find one online, and arrange shipping to your regular gun shop, though the gun shop would have to send a copy of their FFL to the seller/web site in order for it to be shipped. Then just pick it up like normal.
Then again, 35 miles isnt that far to drive for something you want, especially a firearm. I live in PA, and the dealer I prefer is the one i used to work at, and its about 45 miles as the crow flies.