St. Louis Gun shops and ranges...

[jcalys]

I'm new to guns and looking to get my first handgun when my stimulus check comes in. My question is for those of you that are in the St. Louis area. What gun shops are good for someone to get a first gun? I did a search and heard that Mike's Guns is a good shop, but the thread was from 2002 and things may have changed. Also what ranges do you guys like? Been to Top Gun in Imperial, which was fun, the staff was friendly. Also went to the MDC Bush Range. Anywhere else good?

Thanks

 

[bogie]

On Target down in Valley Park.

www.shootingstl.com is the site for one of the nicest ranges in the country.

 

[Gunsby_Blazen]

On the Illinois side or Missouri? (river)
Mo is a lot better than Il, talking about residency, I live in Illinois and are subject to the Illinois restrictions.
anyway, I sometimes go to the Belleville Shooting Range, they got some stuff there. I look at alot of Guns at Cabelas but don't buy stuff there as I would rather keep the money going to the small shop owners. anyway,Ii don't think I was much help but thats my 2 cents.

 

[Superlite27]

Top Gun in Imperial, MO is really great. Excellent service, they are really friendly and will take plenty of time with you even though there may be a ton of people in line.

My favorite is Gateway Outfitters in St. Peters. HUGE SELECTION and they will order anything.

Of course, this is both south and north (respectively) of actual St. Louis. Well worth the drive, though.

 

[Technosavant]

Well, let's see...

Ranges: I do most of my shooting at the MDC Busch range, but Bulls-Eye and Top Gun are decent too. Henges is another worthwhile MDC range, but it's a bit far from me.

Shops:
Mike's- good prices, but there's a thread over at Missouri Carry about how he refused to order a PS90 for a non-LEO, since the rounds "will go through body armor." Doesn't seem to care that the AKs and ARs he sells will do that too. I see no point in patronizing a store that does not fully support my rights.

Nassau- also in St. Charles, good selection, good prices, a worthwhile visit.

Gateway Outfitters- good selection, good help, prices a touch high, but again, worth a visit.

On Target- my personal shop. Selection is OK, prices can be a touch high, but they are fantastic there. If you're there around lunch, they'll feed you. This is the only gun shop I've been to that is the welcoming place for anybody.

Top Gun- good, but a bit far for me.


Personally, I recommend going to On Target. Karl (the owner) supports the RKBA fully. They are friendly and knowledgable, and the BS level is quite low. Yes, you can pay less, but IMO, this is where I choose to spend my money.

 

[jcalys]

Thanks guys. Well, I live in St. Chuck, so Mike's is really close, I'll have to check out Gateway Outfitters, I didn't know about them. I'm far from rich, but I'm willing to pay more for better service, paying a few bucks more for a gun is if the staff is nice and knowledgeable is worth it to me. I'll have to check out On Target.
I had heard about the Benchrest Club (www.shootingstl.com) but its quite a hike for me, not to mention $20 in gas. Any members out there have anything to say about the club? Is membership open to the public?

 

[Technosavant]

Being also in St. Charles, if you don't want to go too far, I'd look at Nassau (on Spring Drive, off the south service road of 70 east of the Cave Springs exit- just past the couple used car dealers if you're headed east) or Gateway Outfitters.

But even with gas being what it is, I get down to On Target fairly frequently, even when I'm not shopping for anything.

 

[Bostekrisco]

I went to Benchrest once about 5 years ago. It was very nice. AFAIK it's for members ( and guests) only. It's about a $400 downstroke to join and about that a year for a membership. And like you said it's a chunk of gas to get there and back. I do all my local shooting at Busch. I do my serious shooting (if you can call any shooting I do serious) at our farm, but that's a couple of hours away.

I've bought from Mike's and Nassau and either were OK. Nassau doesn't seem to have the selection it had before Carl died a year or so ago.Still some nice guys working there though. Mike's is going to have about the best prices, but I found service to be hit or miss.

The last 2 purchases I made were from Bud's online. There's a pawn shop across from Mike's called Pawn Emporium that did the FFL transfer for $15 a gun. Both Bud's and Pawn Emporium were easy to work with. That'll prolly be the route I go for any future purchases as well. I wouldn't even bother with the big box stores.

 

[Quoheleth]

Lessee...there was an indoor range on Manchester, in towards the city, when I lived in Maplewood, 1996-2000. I forget the name of it...it was a little bit east of where Manchester runs under Kingshighway.

Ahhhh...sorry...can't come up with a name...

Q

 

[bogie]

St. Louis Bench Rest Rifle Club costs a $250 initiation, and $200 yearly dues. Not bad, considering.

The place is clean, well kept up, and you likely won't have to wait to shoot. You are expected to be an adult, behavior-wise.

If the guy lives in St. Chuck on the I-70 side, he'd spend about the same gas to get to Busch, plus hourly fees, plus only 100 yards, plus the "stop every 10 or so minutes so that Bubba Senior can totter down to eyeball his target" routine.

STL BRRC has 20 target frames at 600 yards. With pits. Bring a gullible friend, and some decent walkie-talkies.

 

[bhk]

The St. Louis Bench Rest Rifle Club is a fantastic range (and club). There are three separate rifle ranges and a great pistol range. Benches are concrete and most shooting points are covered. Concrete sidewalks extend to the targets and the place is very well kept. There is a covered pavilion and an air conditioned club house with a kitchen, clean restrooms, showers, and meeting rooms. The club rules are clearly spelled out and enforced. The grounds cover hundreds of acres, the roads are paved, and the gates have card reading locks. Quite a place.

 

[bhk]

Check it out:

http://www.shootingstl.com/home.htm

Outstanding place!!!!

 

[Superlite27]

it was a little bit east of where Manchester runs under Kingshighway.

Bullseye.

Good range, not a lot of firearms selection. Guy behind the counter was really cool. I was looking for a leather J-Frame holster, and he didn't carry one so he pulled a DeSantis out from under his shirt, removed a S&W, and offered it to me for $30. Sold! It was exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Quoheleth]

Yeah, that was it.

When I was there, he had some backstop problems. Could only shoot lower power pistols & carbines. No rifles (except .22) or heavy magnums (i.e. .44Maggie). Story I heard from a buddy was he got a chunk of Navy warship steel as his backstop and was back in business. Whether true or not, it was a cool story at the time.

Go Navy!

Q