OMG! Guns Galore in Killeen, TX

[Big Boomer]

While working up here in Killeen, TX today I decided to drop by Guns Galore. They have a pretty nice selection of firearms at ridiculous prices, but hey if they can sell them and they do (all the new recruits) then more power to them.

What I cannot get over is the lies! OMG the lies! I heard so many not white fibs but horrid lies in less than 10 minutes that I could stand. My blood was beginning to boil!

Where should I start, the usual I must have heard at least 30 things that we all complain about but of course there is more.

1. You cannot carry a gun in your car unless you have a CHL (told to a woman and her boyfriend) I pipe in and throw the correct facts and then he goes, ya but thats under the castle doctrine and you CANNOT keep it on you or touch it. I throw my two cents in again about the correct law and what the castle doctrine actually is and he just glares at me.

2. Another guy is telling this new recruit decked out in camo that he must buy the Glaser safety slugs because "man these will blow a hole in you the size of your fist (45acp), yet they wont penetrate a single sheet of drywall so you can shoot them inside the house, they are amazing, that's why they cost so much" :banghead:

3. Asked about a saiga 12, oh ya we used to have those , will be getting them in again sometime. When we had them we sold them for four hundred and something. We've been waiting over a year for them, (lie ran into a guy at the gun show looking for accessories for one last month that bought one there for $529, he let me look it over) and this time they'll probably be like $750

4. Druganovs (sp?) prices at $900-$1000
5. Most stuff at MSRP or higher

4. Anything semi auto with a mag, including the saiga 12 you had better buy it quick don't you know thats on the ban list? "of course if you buy it now it will be granfathered in "

5. When asking about the Colt delta elite (new model) didn't have a clue what I was talking about and tried to show me "other colts". I'm like, no you just don't get it! I'm looking for a Colt 10mm the NEW one. Scratched his head and well it most likely will be over a year before we get those let me show you this... :banghead:

6. Telling the women that you must have a revolver because you can't handle anything bigger than this here 38 and it will put down a 300lb man with one shot guaranteed. and if you really want to stop them use these here glasers...

7. Ammo, is doubling in price every month so you better get it now, we don't negotiate on prices because the cost of metals are going through the roof and it will cost us more to buy them and they prices are going up next month

8. You can get your Texas Concealed Weapons permit by just paying some money, oh it's really easy and you can use this doa smith, just stick it in your purse (at least one other guy piped up and said "it's a CHL)

9. One customer goes...do you work here? I said no, sorry, but I do know alot...them-well I know a lot too, then proceeds to tell his friend about how much more deadly revolvers are? (didnt listen to the rest)

10. caught so many partials by the others, like "first thing you need to do when someone comes at you is shoot them..."

11. When someone breaks in use this it'll blow their arm off "showing a 40 something or another"

My head was spinning. I felt like I was at a democratic convention on 2A rights! I wanted to stand up on the counter and scream, and tell people that they are all lies! Some of the stuff they were saying could truthfully get people hurt or even killed.

I don't really drink or smoke that much, but man, I need a smoke and a beer.

 

[csmkersh]

I wasn't impressed with their prices when I stopped in last year. The best gun store was over in Copperas Cove on 190 but it changed hands about 2 years back....

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[TexasRifleman]

And they wonder why we are all using Internet dealers and kitchen table FFLs for transfers......

My transfer dealer is a "from home" kind of affair. She told me she did over $1 million dollars gross revenue last year.
With brick and mortar stores like this I can see why.

 

[txgho1911]

Reading this was fun. Glad I didn't do that. That is show up there and hear all that hogwash. Sorry you had to deal with that.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I hear the same stuff when I go to the shows. I try to just tune it out.
One experience like that will have you believing we are our own worst enemy.

 

[SeanMTX]

My transfer dealer is a "from home" kind of affair. She told me she did over $1 million dollars gross revenue last year.
With brick and mortar stores like this I can see why.

I hope I'm not speaking out of school here, but it isn't Sporting Arms is it??

One experience like that will have you believing we are our own worst enemy.

It's hard for me to get my wife involved and excited (she tolerates, but doesn't LIKE guns....but she's shot a few with me) with guns when she hears dribble like this.

I spend HOURS trying to a) convince her I know what I'm talking about about sometimes moreso than those who are paid to know and b) get her back on the right track of weaponology.


'OMG, those Ranger LE rounds you have are newer Black Talons?? That's bad, why do you have them??"


SIGH.

 

[swampgator]

I wasn't impressed with their prices when I stopped in last year. The best gun store was over in Copperas Cove on 190 but it changed hands about 2 years back....

Was that Brock's Gunstore? I sold him a 1911 back when I was stationed at Hood in the mid 90s.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I hope I'm not speaking out of school here, but it isn't Sporting Arms is it??

No but I wouldn't be surprised if they do the same amount of business. I've done lots of trades with Sporting Arms too. Good people.

 

[Apachedriver]

Guns Galore...Best selection up in this area but...well, I live within 2 miles of them and I much rather drive down to Austin everytime to visit McBride's Gun Shop off of Lamar on San Gabriel. The service has always been friendlier, and if they don't know, they don't sling any bull at you. Their prices are all around way better than Guns Galore too. Sportsmans Warehouse on I35 in Round Rock is another good one.

Maybe I'm just strange but I rather spend the gas to drive to a place where I can get good service and a positive shopping experience than get treated like a mushroom and fed...well you know what mushrooms grow on. Good service relations, honesty, and mutual respect will always keep me going back to spend my hard earned cash in a place.

But you gotta admit, it's quite impressive how GG can feed you their view of the world with a straight face. You just can't teach that to someone.

 

[gunshow]

6. Telling the women that you must have a revolver because you can't handle anything bigger than this here 38 and it will put down a 300lb man with one shot guaranteed.

That's half way decent advice because I almost never see a woman who can rack the slide of a semi auto in any reliable way, LET ALONE clear a jam. I've had a lot of experience with women and most of them, based on what I've seen, are downright dangerous with a semi auto. They won't/can't pull the slide back, they won't let the slide slam forward to properly chamber a round, and if there's a jam, LOOK OUT. I've seen women fight with a slide until they've got double feeds in the action and rounds screwed up in the magazine. It's a miracle an out of battery discharge hasn't injured some of the women I've seen. I've just had no success trying to teach women how to pull back a slide and simultaneously work a slide release with their thumb. Maybe I just don't know any female shooters, but I'm in my mid 30s so how long before I find one?

Back to the subject:

And they wonder why we are all using Internet dealers and kitchen table FFLs for transfers......

AMEN! We need many more kitchen table FFLs.

 

[peyton]

Yep, Mr Brock's shop in Copperas Cove closed and Guns Galore is where I go "window shopping". I had not bought a firearm there, but yes I have heard my share of "yarns". It is pretty bad when I have better luck at Action Pawn.

 

[Citadel99]

Unfortunately, there's been one of those in every town I've lived in...

Mark

 

[cpttango30]

Mr Brock's, was he in the run down little bulidging right on 190? It has been shoot almost 10 years since I have been there. I lived in the appartments on MLKJr. Dr. (Copper Commons) They were owned by the richest family in Copperas Cove. I did some business in Mr. Brock's if I remember if he knew you knew something he was a bit nicer but if you came in talking dribble he didn't have much time for it. Nice guy overall though.

I know where Guns Galore is I went in there with my cousin. I am looking at bolt actions and they are trying to sell me a dragunov. I was not buying anything anyway.

 

[T J]

Years back I got a good deal on a S&W .357 at Guns Galore. They had a model 66 with a price tag on it, and asked if that was their best price (I was ready to buy it anyway), and he did a little figuring in his head and gave me a little better deal. Since then I have been less than impressed with the service, and have only bought a little ammo or a few other accessories there.
Action Pawn at the corner of 190 and 195 has a pretty good selection too.

 

[ZeSpectre]

In recent years I've noticed an astounding similarity between many gunshops and used car dealerships.

 

[ilbob]

In recent years I've noticed an astounding similarity between many gunshops and used car dealerships.

Its part of the genre. Most gun dealers are more honest than typical used car dealerships but they are not above spreading hype, rumor, and shear silliness.

Its not a lot different than what you hear a lot of cops talking about guns.

One would expect a cop or a gun dealer to be in the know, but many really are not.

 

[csmkersh]

I wasn't impressed with their prices when I stopped in last year. The best gun store was over in Copperas Cove on 190 but it changed hands about 2 years back....

Was that Brock's Gunstore? I sold him a 1911 back when I was stationed at Hood in the mid 90s.

Yes, like others have already guessed, it was Brocks. The new owners barely had the cash for the building and part of the inventory. I was there when he loaded up about 300 high dollar rifles he said he'd sell at shows later.

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[tuckerdog1]

It is pretty bad when I have better luck at Action Pawn.

Then it must be really bad. I drove to Killeen awhile back, expecting good selection & prices ( at pawn shops ), because of Ft.Hood being there. Action did have a very good selection. But the prices were absurd. Never been to Guns Galore, but guess there is no reason to waste the gas.

Tuckerdog1

 

[swampgator]

Is Action Pawn the one that's south of 190? I forget the cross street. If so I remember going in there back in the early to mid 90s. I think I bought I a Bear compound bow from them.

There used to be a shop in, I think, the Cove, downtown if my memory hasn't failed, and the owner was Class 3 manufacturer. Does anyone know the place I'm talking about? I remember going in there the first time and the owner, an older guy, is behind the counter working on an M-2 Browning .50 cal.

This thread brings back a lot of memories of Hood.

 

[T J]

Action Pawn is on the south side of 190. The cross street is hwy 195 to the south, and changes Fort Hood street to the north which goes to the east gate into Fort Hood if I remember correctly.

 

[Geronimo45]

I think I know my calling, now. Gun store commando extraordinaire.
"Don't buy Smith and Wesson if you want to shoot magnum rounds. You'll blow your forcing cone to pieces.
"Oh no, you don't understand the AR's gas system - it uses a gas recycling method. Blows excess gas through a port in this end of the barrel, through this tube. Thanks to the higher pressure in the tube, your subsequent rounds will fire at a higher velocity.
"That 20 gauge couldn't stop a blind walrus. You need a 12 gauge with 3.5" magnum shells. The shot won't go through drywall, but it'll blow your BG through an oak door.
"No, 9mm is very weak. You want something bigger, like .38 Special."

 

[KFD147]

The prices is Killeen used to be pretty good until all the soldiers started coming back from Iraq and Afganistan with a pocket full of money to spend. The stores around like Guns Galore, Action Pawn and such don't bargin because they know another easier sale will come in the door. There is alot of newly married and inexperince in the population around there. They will say what ever they need to to get a sale. The owner lives off of a double federal retirement (military/ government). Gun sales go back into the the store and the salespersons get their commision. They prey on the lack of knowledge of the average customer that comes in there. They don't usually get in new firearms until they have moved there old stock. When I would see a shooter at the range with a new pistol, most of the time it was from GG or AP. They were really proud at the price they paid and usually have about 200 rds of over priced ammo that they purchased also. I smile and shake my head. Why ruin there range day by telling them they could have saved some money if they went to Austin.:banghead: Things will stay this way until the buying consumer is better educated.

Jason

 

[jedwi]

I don't think things have changed much since I was at Ft Riley in 1970.....Don't shop in Army towns.........Junction City was the pits and Killeen has the same reputation........Go to Austin or Temple....

 

[Big Boomer]

I live just North of Austin, but travel to Temple frequently. Any place that I should drop in around the area?

 

[Drizzt]

Wow.. if McBride's is cheap compared to them... yikes.