To my shame and disbelief...

[Hokkmike]

To my shame and disbelief there are two really nice gun stores within 20 minutes of my home that I was not aware of.

Rut N' Bucks has been near Wyalusing, PA for SIX YEARS. A very nice store where the owners have invested heavily in a large facility with an outdoor range located literally on the middle of nowhere. It has a wide array of hunting rifles, lots of pistols, some tactical stuff, and actually had ammo in stock - wisely limiting purchases to one box a customer or two if you bought a gun.

Elite Arms is one of those little hole in the wall shops on Main Street in Towanda, PA and has been open for FOUR YEARS. It tends towards the tactical. I saw three odd things for sale that intrigued me, though I doubt I'd buy the first two. There were (2) 50 cal. rifles (huge) on display, a flame thrower of all things, and third, a Chippewa floating survival gun in 12 gauge and 22 magnum.

In both stores the people were very friendly. I guess my problem is that I have gotten into a gun store buying rut and not bothered to look around, But, I might add that Serbins Gun Store in Estella, PA has been very good to me and I feel a sense of loyalty to Dave the owner.

 

[J-Bar]

Check the tactical guys often. Sometimes they get trade-ins that might interest you.

 

[shootstraight57]

Have you ever tried Burkes Gun shop? Went there a few times. they are about an hour from my house!

 

[Hokkmike]

Have you ever tried Burkes Gun shop? Went there a few times. they are about an hour from my house!

Very friendly - met Brian, the owner. A very large facility in their new location. Also have an indoor range,

 

[Steve S.]

“To my surprise and excitement.....(I tend to be an optimist).

 

[SHOOT1SAM]

No need to be ashamed OP. A town I travel to every 3 months has a tremendous gun shop AND an indoor range, and had been opened for 3 years before I learned about it on the radio. On top of that, they are only about 1 mile directly South, on the very same street that I work from! They had advertised on some other radio stations but had only changed to a different station just before I heard their ad. I now hit them up 4 times-a-year.

Sam

 

[buck460XVR]

My problem has been because of the limited inventories most LGS's have had lately due to "banic" buying, I don't even bother to look anymore. Don't make specific trips to them nor do I linger at the gun case like I used too. Local Ace Hardware is a huge gun shop. Probably am in it due to work and home projects once or twice a week. Used to be I never walked out without looking at guns, hunting stuff and reloading supplies. Now I don't even bother. Grab my fasteners, paint, hardware or get the LP tank filled and walk out.

 

[Legionnaire]

I need to see what stores are local. The biggest tended to be higher priced on new items including reloading stuff, and that was before the current shortages. The LGS I drove past daily on my way to work just closed its doors; it was a small operation and they couldn't get stock.

 

[Captcurt]

The LGS I drove past daily on my way to work just closed its doors; it was a small operation and they couldn't get stock.

I am afraid that you are going to see more of this. I have 4 distributors that I usually use. I haven't been able to get anything for the last 5 or 6 months. It is either out of stock or allocated. Guess who gets the allocated? It sure isn't the Mom and Pop stores. The best LSG in our area is down about 50% of inventory. He gets some in every day but it is backorders from last September. He keeps ammo in the back to sell to cover the guns he sells and puts out any surplus each morning. It will be gone by 9:00. If I relied on new gun sales I would have been gone years ago. I let my buddy at the LGS do the local sales and I sell consignments online. That way we both benefit.

 

[Hokkmike]

I am afraid that you are going to see more of this. I have 4 distributors that I usually use. I haven't been able to get anything for the last 5 or 6 months. It is either out of stock or allocated. Guess who gets the allocated? It sure isn't the Mom and Pop stores. The best LSG in our area is down about 50% of inventory. He gets some in every day but it is backorders from last September. He keeps ammo in the back to sell to cover the guns he sells and puts out any surplus each morning. It will be gone by 9:00. If I relied on new gun sales I would have been gone years ago. I let my buddy at the LGS do the local sales and I sell consignments online. That way we both benefit.

The first store I mentioned above has a policy of keeping two boxes of ammo for purchasers of new guns. Pretty nice I think. Other supplies, when available, are limited to one box to a customer per visit. There were 3 guys there that were contemplating each buying 3 boxes of different calibers. I think then they leave the store and guy A gets the 9mm, guy B gets the .380 and so on.