Favorite One Off / Hole in the Wall Sporting / Gun Store

Hicks Trading Station in Pinkneyville, Illinois.

Good folks that have been there decades. Lots of wonderful old Browning’s, Winchesters, you name it. Milsurps and revolvers, tons and tons of neat guns there. Bought several and prices are fair. Has that old time gun shop smell that is like a mix of cosmoline and hoppes, and old wood.

MUCH better than the pop up tacticool mall ninja stores!

Rembrandt said:

Ahlman's, (Morristown, Minnesota)


ttps://www.ahlmans.com/index.html


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Whoa!

Good call on Rocky Mountain Discount Sports. I've blown a lot of per diem there.

Sadly, most of my favorites have gone away as well. Maybe I can do a little interwebs sleuthing and come up with some pictures.

Rembrandt said:

Ahlman's, (Morristown, Minnesota)


ttps://www.ahlmans.com/index.html


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That reminds me. I left an old broken coach gun down there months ago for repair. I need to call them and see what's up with my shotgun.

Thanks for the question. Just got back from a little trip today, intending to visit some of my favorites. Four the five that I had on my schedule had gone out of business and the fifth one was filled with about 15 guys trying to sell stuff that they couldn't shoot because there was no ammunition. Well, there was a little ammunition if you were willing and able to pay $25.00 for a box of Am. Eag. 38 spl. or $50.00 for a box of Blazier 9mm. Oh, I also tried stopping at a clothing store and a hardware store that had been in business forever.... They had gone out of business too.

Glauber's in Carrollton KY. Nice folks, not real large but friendly and knowledgeable.

Barry the Bear said:

Its home for now

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All my exes live in....

Smitty's Sporting Goods in De Soto, Missouri. It looks like a small barn from the outside, but there are racks and racks of fine firearms in there, some costing around what I earn in a year (lots of nice O/Us in stock). One time, I saw a Browning Renaissance Hi Power. The crazy thing is that only about 30 percent of the inventory is on display.

I also like Mike's in St. Charles, Missouri. The inventory can be a little sparse, but he has the absolute lowest prices around, and he's willing to negotiate, particularly on used stuff. Firearms don't stay there for long.

Take Aim Gun Shop and Gun Range in Sarasota.
https://takeaimgunrange.com/

Large, super clean showroom and excellent indoor range with great ventilation, air conditioning, and lots of soundproofing. They allow centerfire rifles up to .30-06 (no Mosins though), have a ton of rentals, and offer CCW classes. Family owned and operated for many decades here with a friendly and knowledgeable staff.

A large regional chain store opened a new location directly across the street in a solid D-bag move, but Take Aim continues to thrive. Many new customers have come from the big store after being mistreated there.

Highly recommended in the Sarasota/Bradenton area.

@BreechFace, great idea for a thread. I especially like to drop into places like this if I happen to be traveling for work.

Tomball Pawn:

Pinto's Gun Shop in Renton, WA. Owner a stalwart 2A proponent and great American. Also, Ben's Loan & Pawn (Renton as well) has used gems from time to time.

West Armory in Dade City, Florida. Good size gunstore and fun younger staff. Where I go to get some range time on weekends and do browsing.

Empire Pawn and Gun in Lutz, Florida. More of a gun store than a pawn shop. Not a plush place but its close to my job. And where I bought most of newly acquired toys.

My old favorites are gone now, like those mentioned by many of you. I do have 2 new favorites. Country Attic Treasures in Lebanon, Ohio and Springboro Shooter's Supply in Springboro, Ohio. Call me old fashioned, but I like places that don't do internet sales. That way, if I call and ask "Do you have ............? And they say yes, it won't be sold to an online buyer by the time I get there. Which has happened other places...

CQB45ACP said:

All my exes live in....

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CQB45ACP said:

All my exes live in....

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Therefore I reside in.

Scott's Guns in Horseheads, NY.

JCooperfan1911 said:

Hicks Trading Station in Pinkneyville, Illinois.

Good folks that have been there decades. Lots of wonderful old Browning’s, Winchesters, you name it. Milsurps and revolvers, tons and tons of neat guns there. Bought several and prices are fair. Has that old time gun shop smell that is like a mix of cosmoline and hoppes, and old wood.

MUCH better than the pop up tacticool mall ninja stores!

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NUTZ !! You beat me to it !!
Since you mentioned Hick's, I'll add Mann's, a couple of miles away, as they have been helpful to me a couple of times and didn't charge me for a 5 minute bench repair job. I just wish I lived closer to them.

Thruway Sporting Goods in Walden, NY is my local go-to. Family-owned and knowledgable -- prices are a tad higher than the big box or online retailers, but what you're paying for is customer service. They really did right by me on a brand-new Winchester 9422 that had a loose forearm. (My bad for not noticing at the time of purchase.) None of that "You're on your own -- call the manufacturer" business: they took it and shipped it to Winchester on their dime, and had it back to me fixed in just over two weeks.

(photo by Gerald Berliner Photography for Thruway Sporting Goods)

JudgeHolden10 said:

@BreechFace, great idea for a thread. I especially like to drop into places like this if I happen to be traveling for work.

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Those of us who travel, need a book of sorts (a searchable spreadsheet would do) organized geographically, identifying just what we’re listing here. Great little places to visit as you pass nearby.

I can see it’s blueprint in my mind—“Roadfood.com.” It used to be a book, but is now a website, of geographically organized great local eateries. I use it anytime I travel. (No! It’s not another Yelp or TripAdvisor which has positive ratings from the derilict cook’s parole officer, family, and OxyContin supplier.)

There was a local gunship wherei bought my first gun that lasted maybe 15 years, a small outfit with a couple of guys running it. One guy was a nice older gentleman who was very helpful and kind, his business partner was a arrogant know it all who didn't know his ass from his elbow. Unfortunately, the older gentleman passed away from cancer and his partner kept the business going, jacking up prices and having it just be a place for guys to stand around giving bad advice. it went out of business a couple years ago I believe, which is good and bad. one less crappy business, but also one less place to buy guns and ammo.

The Reloader’s Bench in Juliet, TN. Staggering amount of reloading things and firearms for a young man in College.

Long since gone but Crowders Gun and Vac in Johnson City, TN had a large selection and the best prices.

Wideners in Johnson City, TN had mounds of milsurp guns and reloading components 15 years ago in a tiny showroom.

Luthi’s Pawn in Greenville, SC. Had the best prices and the old time mix of milsurps and older stock. Long since gone, they even re-opened for two years but not the same.

Dewey’s Gun and Pawn has a large revolving stock and prices are usually fair.

I have a local dealer that I go through. Won't name it here. He sells out of his home and has an excellent stock of firearms. I can call or email him and he will order it right away. For a price that is as good as anyone's. I have a copy of his FFL and I don't have to ask first before having something shipped. Been buying from him since 1988. Won't buy new stuff anyplace else. He lets me know when things come in that are what I might like.

Gunsport in Boulder CO..great little store. Ross and his Son Jason. New and used. Have dealt with them many times. Fair pricing, good tradein $.

In Grand Rivers Ky there is an incredible restaurant called Pattis 1880s settlement. Right beside of Pattis is Grand Rivers Antiques. They have a gun counter and tend to specialize in single action pistols and lever rifles, essentially modern versions of antique guns. I love that place, and when I go there I know my belly is about to be full too!

It seems like most of the good ones are now gone.

Some of my favorites from the past include a place on McCombs Road in El Paso that I frequented in the early 1970's as a teenager. I actually purchased .22 ammo at a penny a round, broken box, from them. Another was on the road between Radcliff and E-Town, KY, when I was stationed at Ft. Knox. Steck & Sons on Dixie Hwy. Don't know if it is still the same or not, but when I was stationed there in the early 80's it always had interesting stuff.

Here in Albuquerque, Ron Peterson's has shut his doors to walk in traffic, going online only. He always had racks full of the old and bizarre, and smelled like a gun store should, even though some of his staff were rude and his prices were often high.