Do you like your local gun shop?

[22-rimfire]

Yes, I like some of my local gun shops. There are probably a dozen gun shops in my immediate area. I haven't visited them all. There are three chain stores (plus 5 or 6 Walmarts) and 4 or 5 pawn shops that sell guns that I can think of. I visit a couple shops every month or so but have not visited all of them. Several are dogs that I visited 4-5 years ago and was not impressed. Maybe one of these changed? I doubt it. I tend to visit the same three or four shops and skip the others.

 

[mwsenoj]

Mine sucks. Grumpy old fart who is not current on his gun info and I have found him to tell some outright bs on occasion.

 

[GEM]

There are two major gun shops in San Antonio (and a few smaller ones, I don't know much about). Dury's - is the one I use. They are pleasant and helpful. Their gunsmiths have always done well by my tasks. Decent prices on used guns with a warantee.

There is another big one - nasty in my experience. YMMV.

GEM

 

[MrsSmith]

I've been to three of our local gun shops. First one I went to also has an indoor range and I went specifically to shoot some rentals in my quest to find the gun I wanted. Made several trips there since, only one of the range officers was friendly and helpful, others did as asked and little more, even after seeing me there multiple times. I made clear each time that I was trying to decide on a gun to purchase but not once did anyone offer to show me a new gun or make a suggestion on anything. Maybe as Viking Girl suggested, single females are scary.

Second place - Dean Forest Guns & Ammo. I talked to the owner at his booth at the gun show, then dropped by his store a week or so later. He remembered me and helped me for a while, but then as I was getting ready to leave, one of the other guys, Mark, asked me a few question then really spent time helping me make a decision. And I did make my final decision based largely on our discussion (in addition to my own research of course).

Third place - also indoor range, larger selection of rentals than first place, FAR less expensive, but actual range was no where near as nice. Staff was friendly, but really young, though I didn't get into any discussions with them so have no idea if they were knowledgeable. Price on the gun I want was cheaper than Dean Forest but the guys at Dean Forest took time with me, made me feel comfortable, and were very helpful - they earned my $$ and that's where I'll make my purchase in a couple days. (woo hoo!)

I did meet one other gun shop owner at the gun show who owns a shop about two hours from me. He was very helpful, small shop owner, and I've spoken to him on the phone a couple times since about some hard to find parts. I'll purchase larger ticket items from him in the future too, again because he was helpful.

On a side note, specifically for those stores like the first one I went to and others like them: It would be nice if the guys behind the counter would recognize that it takes a little bit of courage for a woman to walk into a gun store alone and ask a question in front of ten big scary guys fondling guns. I'm not asking for special treatment, but geesh, don't make me pry the answers out of you - because I won't. I'll go somewhere else.

 

[Joe Demko]

There are several around here that I like. Other than one of them refusing to do any business with Buds, none of them are cranky or quirky. Generally, the closer in to Pittsburgh you get, the less pleasant the privately owned shops are to deal with in my experience. It's the younger clerks, too, not the fabled grouchy old men. When I ask if something is in stock, I want to know if it is in stock, nothing more. I don't need any commentary on what it is I want to buy or what is on my hip. I especially don't need it from some neckbearded calorically-oversupplied dweeb in a black "kill'em all let God sort 'em out" tee-shirt. When said dweeb is also snippy with me for taking him away from his cell phone conversation to wait on me, that pretty well seals that I'm not spending a dime there.

 

[N003k]

Let me start by saying I'm 21, and have been going to local shops since I was 15, first with my father, than eventually on my own.

I have two locals...one of which is large, has a pretty good stock at any given time, tons of employees...and that I cant stand. They wont let you look at a handgun without a permit (granted you need a permit to buy, but I was personally looking around at handguns before I GOT my permit, and I doubt I'm alone there) And THAT'S even assuming you can get someones attention long enough to ask in the first place. VERY impersonal, and sometimes just outright rude.

The other is a smaller shop, but I love the place. I've gotten to know several of the employees, and can just chat and hang out at times. On this past wednesday, after finally getting my permit, I went in intending on picking up a Glock. It was about 30minutes before they closed, and the states version of the NICS check closed, and they just told me I'd get delayed anyways. That said, they sat there, went through them with me, showed me any I wanted to see, and then took the one I picked, and set it aside for me. Went back Thursday morning to get it. They've reliably gone above and beyond, and have no problem just chatting with you if they're not swarmed with customers...them, I like.

 

[J_McLeod]

Not really

The three I visit the most frequently have very friendly and helpful staff, but no one has a good selection of anything reloading components are hard to find, and ammo prices were much better in Tacoma.

 

[PRM]

NO ~ we have three, two are owned by the same guy. All three are run by a bunch of opinionated jerks that are out to fleece their customers for every penny they can. Aside from that - don't dare like a model, make, or caliber of gun that is different from what they are trying to sell.


The last few years, all the guns I have bought have been FTF from individuals or off the internet. I also buy my ammo in bulk off the internet. I'm not saying I would not patronize a local gun store if we had one that knew how to talk too, and treat customers in a decent manner. But, until then, there are other avenues to pursue my hobby.

 

[Smaug]

I don't.

There are two a couple towns over from me. One of them acts like they're too cool to talk to me. Fat middle aged guys with way inflated prices, basically acting like they're the only gig in town. This is the closest one; I've only visited once. It's maybe 10 miles away.

Another place, the owner is friendly and has good gun deals, but has very high prices on accessories. This one is probably 12 miles away. Occasionally, good deals can be found here. These guys have a range and they have bowling pin shoots sometimes.

I'm sad to say that Bass Pro's employees are the most friendly to me. They employ guys behind the gun counter of all demographics, and they don't act like I'm wasting their time if I'm just browsing. Bass Pro is 15 miles away from me.

There's a bigger gun shop that is about 30 miles away from me. Their prices (for guns, at least) are competitive with the internet, but their accessories are way marked up. They're super-busy, so they hardly ever have time for me. There are maybe 10 salesmen there at a time, and they're always busy. I've bought a few guns from them. (GATguns.com)

In short, I won't support a local shop just because they're local. They have to be friendly, honest, and they have to not insult my intelligence by pricing everything way too high.

 

[ErikO]

Yes, I do like my FLGS. He is a pretty small shop, excellent price on guns, decent price on ammo (380 is a little on the higher side, but whatever) and treated me like I was a long-time high-volume customer on my first visit. M&M Guns in St Peters, MO.

 

[Telekinesis]

HAHA good one!

Call me crazy but, as a young(er) guy of thirty-four, I don't think local gun shops are even interested in dealing to my demographic.

Try being 20. None of the gun shops around here know that I can legally possess a pistol (this in a state where the min age for a carry permit is 18). Which would generally be fine, except some even refuse to sell me holsters and mags because I'm under 21…

One store tried to steal my pistol when I brought it in to have some night sights installed. Seriously, I had to threaten to call the police and report an armed robbery (he was carrying) just to get out of the store with my gun!

The next one (where I went to get the night sights mounted after LGS #1) handed my pistol back to some random guy standing next to me.

The next one lets me look at pistols and at least is reasonably stocked, but has one employee that makes it a habit of dry firing uncleared pistols at my chest. They also sold me an 8 year old gun with a known defect as "new"

The next one is a little over priced and won't let me look at anything (even long guns) because I'm under 21. They claim pistol grips (like an AR carbine) make the rifle transfer like a pistol so I can't buy from them, so I have no reason to look at the gun. The sad part is that they are a suppressor dealer, so I'll probably be dropping a lot of money there in a year or so.

Fortunately I have managed to find one about an hour and a half away that actually treats me with respect and even comments favorably about my bike (hard to find around here) and is very knowledgable. Even though it'll take a bit of time to get up there, they will be getting ALL of my business from now on.

 

[mr.trooper]

Depends.

The closest shop just closed up (20 miles). My friend worked there, but the owner who ran it was a D$%k - he would practically rape anyone who walked through the door - he justified it by saying that he didn't get many customers, and it was hard to keep the doors open. The jerk never realized that he was destroying his few chances for repeat business. Eventually he had to close his hole in the wall shop.

A bit farther away (40 miles), is an honest to God professional gun store. It is a huge open floor building with 6 or 7 uniformed clerks on floor at any given time, clean bright display cases, huge selection, many diverse taxidermy heads, bathrooms, vending machines, and a professional attitude. They even haggle / match prices.

Guess which store I shopped at?

 

[Joistman]

My old one, no, total dicks. They were the typical "if you arent here to pay 50% more than anywhere else, we dont want your business" and "your 'internet knowledge' is not welcome here" type of place. Every DPMS/Bushy/Armalite AR was $1700 and they wouldn't stop eating their lunch or talking with a friend to let me look at a rifle.(I am only 27) They preyed on old people who were out of touch with actual gun prices.

My new shop, yes. Palmetto State Armory opened a store last year, I went in the first day they opened their doors and got a tour and a free hat I talked to the owner for about an hour. I think I have been in there at least 4 times a month since.

The folks at Palmetto State Armory are super! And they have competitive prices on their
firearms and ammo.

 

[Cap'n Jack Burntbeard]

My local store is run by an old man who believes that people should only own revolvers and. 30-06 bolt actions.
But I still stop in every now and then to see if he has anything in as a trade.

But about 30 minutes away, there's a place called the Powderhorn, they have good selection, good service, and fair prices.
To me, it's worth the drive.

 

[Cap'n Jack Burntbeard]

duplicate

 

[Kliegl]

There's a new gun store north of evansville which I've been to once. Seemed a little high priced. No good gun stores in Evansville, one's got the paramilitary cop attitude, and the other is a bunch of rednecks.

Whitaker's Guns in Owensboro is awesome. They have the most of anything I have ever seen. 6000 guns on premises. Six. Thousand.

 

[Java51]

Those of us that live in Northern Virginia (suburban DC) should consider ourselves very fortunate. There are some outstanding firearms stores here with excellent folks manning them. This creates some healthy competition for business as this area has one of the highest median incomes in the country. Just to put it in perspective, a husband and wife, both working for the federal government here for 20+ years have a combined annual income of nearly $200K! One local shop cannot keep Ed Brown, Les Baer and Wilson guns in stock because they sell so quickly. $2000 to $3000 each as we all know.
In a nutshell, the gun stores here are staffed with friendly, knowledgeable people, for the most part, who realize that if they want to sell guns and keep people coming back to buy more guns, they better make the visit to their store a pleasant experience.

 

[Sav .250]

Some old Gun stores (in the boonies) seem to be more of a local gathering/watering hole than an active business.

 

[alsaqr]

i live near Lawton, OK. Despite being the third largest city in OK; Lawton does not have a gun shop. There are pawnshops who have FFLs and their prices are terrible. Closest gun shop is Duncan, OK. The guy there is a rip-off artist. My new guns come from a pawn dealer in another town: He charges me $40 above his price.

 

[rellascout]

My LGS is where I shoot (the Range Stafford VA). Good folks. They don’t have the biggest inventory, but often have used guns at decent prices. I look over their inventory when I go shooting and occasionally see a deal.

chuck

I used to shoot there when I lived in Fredericksburg. They are good people and you can find good deals on used Glocks there. I never bought anything there but shot there a few times a month.

 

[Tokarevsrule]

I go to one about an hour away that has almost 4000 guns in stock. His prices on guns and ammo are good, but everything else is overpriced. Nice people though.

 

[dondavis3]

Gun shops are just like any other businesses.

There are good and bad shops.

The good shops will do well - the bad one's will die.

I do feel that gun shops get a lot of tire kickers & lookers.

I know they get tired of that.

I have 2 gun shops that I buy from - I had to look a while to find them.

 

[LDNN]

There are a few where I live but Tomball Pawn and Jewelry has my recommendation: friendly staff, great service, decent FFL fee ($25).

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

not particularly. with most of them, it's just like walking onto a used car lot.

 

[wrs840]

My four "mom-n-pop" LGS favorites treat me well. But they know me.

Most any LGS that I wander into seems to treat me well too, but I'm in NC, and I'm 52 and usually rather Dudley DoRight looking. Maybe that makes a difference in how they perceive me... Dunno, but I'll take it.