Best shops in your state?

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Monkeyleg

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I hope the moderators will permit this thread. Over on the Handguns: General Discussion forum, there was a thread about good gun shops in Albuqurque, NM. I posted a shop that I have on my site (Gunshopfinder.com ), and there were posts about other good shops in the area.

That got me to thinking that I might do better to call shops that are highly recommended first for my site, rather than just calling from the online Yellow Pages. Right now I'm having to wade through dozens of lumps of coal to find one diamond.

So, with the moderators' permission, let me ask this question: which shops in your area do you think are good? Factors would include price, service, selection, attitude, friendliness, range facilities, and so on. Please also include the city and state where the shop is located.

Thanks for any replies.
 
Gretas Guns in Simi Valley Ca has always been very helpful. I onyl buy ammunition through them so far.

Agoura Hills Shooting range is also a nice place as long as you dont buy their reloads.

Bear Arms in Scottsdale Arizona, Shooters World (also called The SPortsmen) in Phoenix Arizona

Have you tried using Davidsons store finder?
 
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Al & Bob's in grand rapids mi
small selection(maybe 50-60 handguns & the same for long guns)-mainly a general sporting goods store not gun specific.
they are VERY friendly & will order what you want
IIRC they,and Bullocks;) are already on your list
The best two IMO in West Mi are On Target in Kalamazoo Mi 269*375*4570
(luv the #:) )
several hundred hanguns,rifles,shotguns,pellet guns,& bp.in house gunsmithing too.good prices & friendly,knowledgeable staff.they listen & answer questions well.lots of black rifles & the like.They have the biggest gun selection I've yet seen.

& Bobs' Gun & Tackle in Hastings Mi.269*945*4106
Again,they cover all the bases,including archery & will allow test firing outdoors.they remind me alot of a Bass Pro Shops type store.also have gunsmithing inhouse.If I had to guess there are probably 250+handguns & at least that in long guns on display
The final one I'd recommend is Silver Bullet Firearms in Wyoming Mi
silverbulletfirearms.com
Normally I'd be a bit wary of the new guy(they've on been around a couple of years)but the place is clean,well lit,amply staffed of friendly,helpful people & they are the only place in W.Mi with an indoor range.(12 lanes)
They also have a decent selection &,I understand,will order what you want.
There is also D,S,&G OF Holland on Chicago Drive in Grand Rapids & Steve's Gun & Archery also in GR.
 
East County Guns in Elma, WA www.eastcountyguns.com This shop is operated by a very nice young guy and his wife who originally started out selling hunting rifles and shotguns online from his garage as a part time job. He opened a store last year and now works full time as a gunstore owner.

I have purchased 3 pistols and a rifle from him and each time I was treated with respect and even as a friend. He is honest in his dealings which is something that's very refreshing today. He will take the time to talk to you and to give advice even if it costs him a sale or a smaller profit.

He still does internet sales and the prices on his website are very competitive.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Please keep them coming. In many states, such as Michigan, I only got as far as the end of the "B's" in the Yellow pages. Obviously there's more good shops on down the line alphabetically.

Das Pferd, I'll go to any resource I can find eventually. But there's more shops to be found in the Yellow pages than those participating in Davidson's marketing venture (a good one, I should add).

I tried for days on end to get through to Bear Arms in AZ, and never got though to a human. Just voicemail, even if I punched the number for Sales.

Shop owners outside the Scottsdale area tell me there's an attitude that exists around there. Don't know if that's true or not, but I'll find out in time.

Here's the weird thing. You'd think that calling shops in Arkansas or New Mexico would be harder than bigger states like Oregon or Minnesota. Yet Oregon and Minnesota were the toughest. I have no idea why, other than the economic climate in Oregon I'm told is terrible, and the attitude toward guns isn't friendly. That's just what I'm told.

The absolute best shops to call are down in the Southeast. Being born and raised in the Midwest, I'm just not accustomed to being called "sir." And, even better, all the women call me "honey."

You know, I could get used to that real quick. ;)
 
Id suggest Bill's in Robbinsdale, they have always been helpful, and have a very good selection, not only of firearms, but for accessories.

Bill's Gun Shop & Range
4080 W Broadway Ave
Robbinsdale, MN 55422
(763) 533-9594
http://www.billsgs.com

I've heard pretty good things about Armored Fire in blaine, but haven't ever been there.

Armored Fire Gun Shop & Range
3621 88 Ave NE
Blaine, MN 55014 - 4107
(763) 792-4867
http://www.armored-fire.com

And I have to mention the local shop, it's the only actual gun shop in Minneapolis, the selection is small, and there isn't a range, but the owner is good guy, and has been helpful every time I go there.

Koscielski's Guns and Ammo
MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55408
(612) 827-3832
 
Scottsdale Gun Center and Bear Arms in Arizona. Bear Arms has better selection--and weird service, one time I talked to a guy there and he was a total, uh, not nice guy, but most of the time it was fine--but SGC has some pretty amazing prices on things.
 
Buffalo Bill's Shooting Store in Winter Park Fla
Although predominately a CAS and Muzzle loading store they will order anything you want and have no problem doing $25 transfers for you, and Dick is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet

A&N Sports in Sanford Fla
Pretty good selection and prices ( I bought my Randal 1911 for $450)
Full stock of used and C&R type guns
They even have the traiditional oldsters corner, where the old guys sit and dispense their wisdom, I think they even have a checker board

Pace Outfitters in Altamonte
Geared more to LEOs but commoners are welcome.
Full selection of gear and guns and they, on several occasions, have gone out of their way to find stuff, that probably gave them about $10 in revenue, for me

Apopka Gun and Pawn
Obviously not a real gun store but there are 2 very knowledgeable guys there and it's a great place to hang out for a short while. They have held stuff for me that they knew I would be interested in. And they reward good patronage with little perks and discounts, not much just enough to show that they appreciate you.
 
Trade Winds Pawn & Gun in Navarre, Florida. Good selection, good prices, special orders. Miles (the owner) likes Glocks, but other than that he's a good guy. ;>)
 
Some great recommendations. On the next go-round of phone calls (once I finish all fifty states) in a couple of months, I'll have to call those MN shops. It took me two days to get eight shops in Illinois, and several days to get just four in Minnesota. Don't know why.

I'll be calling Florida soon, so the mention of those shops is much appreciated.
 
I have to go along with Treylis with Bear Arms and Scottsdale Gun Center. BTW, I think I know the guy you are talking about at Bear Arms, how he keeps that job is beyond me. The Phoenix metropolitan area actually has several good gun shops, it just depend on what you are looking for. Thre's a place called Randall's in Glendale where I've always been treated very well although their selection is very limited. Lonewolf is great for discount prices on Glocks, Rugers and S&W revolvers. Legendary guns caters to the CAS crowd and has a very good selection but their prices can be way out of line at times. I've always been able to negotiate a better deal there but I really don't like having to do that. The Pistol Parlor in Mesa is another one I would recommend if you are out that way. Not a huge selection but nice and knowledgeable folks. I just recently stopped by the new Sportsman's Warehouse on 27th Ave. near the 101 and saw a couple of salesman I had dealt with before at other shops. I have to say I was amazed at the level of customer service there. It was very professional, friendly and they acted like it was a real job, not just some gig where they could indulge themselves in their hobby. I also found their pricing to be extremely competitive.
 
In Michigan, go to Jay's Sporting Goods. They have a store in Clare and Gaylord. They aren't usually the best in price, but are fair. And, the staff is knowledgable. If the salesperson doesn't know what you need to know, they will get someone who does. And, the have thousands of guns in stock. There is no rifle range on site, only archery. Their archery department also rocks. http://www.jayssportinggoods.com

Also, Joe Gun in Sanford. Always helpful and friendly. Not a huge selection, but one can find good deals hidden in there. Again, no shooting range on site.
 
Plainfield Shooting Supplies
3735 Shady Lane
Plainfield, IN 46168
317-839-6095

A good shop, customer service can be lacking at times, however this small shop has great prices and Bob Cheek will work with you.

Nick
 
Hague's Indoor Range/Shop
700 Crown Point Rd.
Thorofare, NJ
(856)251-9099

Best place goin in all of South Jersey. Just bought two guns there in the past couple weeks and they have excellent prices as well as great service and an indoor range right on site. The owner told me he'll be gettin in a shipment of used AR-15's in that'll be goin for about $499 if anybody is lookin for a post-ban bushmaster. Can't get a much better deal than that! :what:
 
Oklahoma checking in.

I buy most of my stuff at Outdoor America in OKC. Great prices, service can be on the crappy side (Ross is a good guy tho').

Mustang Gun and Pawn has good prices, a huge selection of used stuff, and good service.

Brigadoon's in Del City has fair prices, good service and a pretty good selection of C&R stuff.
 
For Middle Tennessee it would have to be Franklin Gun Shop in Franklin (just south of Nashville). Great selection, very friendly and helpful staff (family owned/operated). Gunsmith on staff.
 
I have to go along with Treylis with Bear Arms and Scottsdale Gun Center. BTW, I think I know the guy you are talking about at Bear Arms, how he keeps that job is beyond me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it was weird... I called up to price check on a 1911 and SGC had it for almost 150 bucks less just on the tag. That was a pretty big difference, so I asked the guy from BA if he'd meet or beat it. He got all irritated at me and said: "Well, gee, if they have such a great price, just buy it from them! I don't know where they're getting that from at that price." Sheesh. I said thanks anyways and hung up.

They were very nice about a return on a SureFire after the lamp assembly died almost immediately after purchase, though.

And, yeah, Phoenix metro has great gunshops, but they're all spread out horribly and different ones are better at different things.
 
N.E. Oklahoma

SportsWorld in Tulsa is a long time favorite of mine.A high end rifle and shotgun dealer but they stock for the everyday man too.Great prices on handguns is what brings me back.Service is impecable.

Lash's Gun Shop.(Tulsa)Very wide selection of of almost every gun on the market.Price's can be a tad on the high side but they are always willing to let you fondle anything as much as you want.Starting to get a few Mil-surps too.

Oklahoma Police Supply.(Tulsa)Large amount of police trade in's at reasonable prices.Some folk are a bit intimidated by the number of cruisers parked out front during the day but cops have to shop too.

You cant swing a dead cat without hitting a pawn shop in this area.Too many to name but you have to be a keen shopper to find a deal.
 
In the greater St. Louis, MO, area - I recommend:

Mike's Guns
1964 Old Hwy 94 South
St. Charles, MO
636-949-8764

Moderators:
Could we have a permanent (but dynamic) list of guns shops that members of THR have recommended, sorted by state?

Alex
 
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