Gun shops today

[gunsmith11]

As a many decades old gun nut fart, I still like to go to gun stores. But anymore they all carry the same thing.. black rifles and Tupperware. I know they are just selling what the customer wants, but damn I miss the old gun shops that have USED guns, some wheel guns, and reloading supplies. And more important someone behind the counter that was older than 21 and had a clue as to what he was talking about. Quit going to gun show a long time ago for the same reason. Well I will confess I did buy some beef jerky on occasion.

 

[Ruger168]

You are not alone. Nothing like a good old fashioned gun shop with a little of everything and good stories ! Too many gun shows are flea markets !

 

[GunnyGene]

Like this one? https://www.facebook.com/MitchsGunShop .

 

[m657]

....there's a little circuit of LGS in my area that has mounds of old estate debris, various bags/sacks/boxes of semi-organized Old Gun Room Stuff, and racks of grampa's rifles & shotguns...

 

[Bob Hath]

Back in 1976 when I bought my three screw Blackhawk, I also bought boxes of .38 spl, .357 magnums, and they even had a dusty old box of .38 short Colts. Shooting those through that Blackhawk was like firing .22 shorts. Try finding those at one of today's gun stores.

 

[Colonialgirl]

Well, the pawn shop we patronize on Fletcher Ave in Tampa is not too bad, never checked the reloading supplies. They do get some nice old wheel guns on trade ins and pawns . The OTHER gun store that seems to stock the old rifles, reloading supplies and such things is the Dow Arms Room
19250 U.S. 301 Dade City, FL 33523.

 

[Ruger168]

If you are ever in NH and happen by the Ruger plant in Newport, just down the road is Rody's Gun Shop. Great shop run by great people !

 

[Fox Mike]

The Pawn Shop I normally deal with seems to have all the new 'Tupperware' guns on the top shelf and all the used revolvers on the bottom shelf. Being basically a revolver person I have to squat down to see what is there. At my age the "down" isn't the problem...it's the "up" that gets to me. They have a ton of used long guns although nothing I am too interested in.

 

[wwb]

.......And more important someone behind the counter that was older than 21 and had a clue as to what he was talking about. ......

Ain't THAT the truth !!!

 

[eveled]

I miss the old Harley and Triumph shops too. Things just aint the way the used to be.

 

[Ruger Packer]

I recently took my wife to a town about 40 miles from our home for an appointment she had. On the way home we stopped at a Farm & Ranch (similar to Tractor Supply) and went in to look around. It had been about 6 months since I was in there last. Much to my surprise they had revamped the sporting goods department to include firearms! :shock: Previously they carried and sold ammo, cleaning supplies, hunting gear and gun safes. I wasn't prepared to see 5-6 glass cases with handguns and another 5-6 cases of long guns. :shock: No used guns though.

Needless to say, most of it was black guns and tupperware.

Just as I was about to leave I spotted a 1911 in the case and could make out on the tag that it was a 9mm, but I couldn't tell from the tag or the gun what manufacturer it was from. I started to walk away when a pretty young blonde lady about 23-24 years old asked if she could help me. I almost just said, "No thank you.", but she was so nice and had a pretty smile that I decided to ask. So I said to her, "There's a 9mm 1911 in the case there. What make is it?"

She didn't bat an eye and didn't even look, just told me it was a "Citation." Then without asking proceeded to get it out of the case, checked the chamber like a pro and handed it to me. I took it, checked the chamber and then proceeded to examine the gun. I told her it seemed to be a decent gun but that my gun fund was rather empty at the moment. She offered that I could put it on lay away for 10% down and balance in 120 days. I declined.

We chit chat for maybe another 5 minutes and then the wife found me and we left. But not before I told her that I'd look for her on my next visit to the store.

I do miss the gun shops that have used guns and reloading supplies. I like my guns to be steel and wood. I really dislike stamped parts and tupperware.

 

[WAYNO]

I miss the old gun shops too, where I could sit down, talk, and waste time.

A rack full of black rifles does not intrigue me, and a glass case full of tupperware doesn't either.

But ya know what? If ya look between the black rifles, there's still some bolt action rifles, and really great shotguns. Problem is, I haven't yet worn out my old bolt action rifles and shotguns, so I'm just not in a buying mood for more.

And if ya look at the very bottom level of the glass case, they still do have some really dandy revolvers. I've either owned them all at one time, and/or I still own them now. Just not in a buying mood, til the really neat limited production stuff comes out. But then, I have to buy it off the internet, cuz the local gun stores will not stock this new limited production neat stuff.

WAYNO.

 

[pawncop]

My local store is like that. Not so much used revolvers because they fly off the shelf as soon as they are placed out for sale. I waste a lot of time there.

 

[Jim Puke]

I miss the old gun shops too, where I could sit down, talk, and waste time.

A rack full of black rifles does not intrigue me, and a glass case full of tupperware doesn't either.

But ya know what? If ya look between the black rifles, there's still some bolt action rifles, and really great shotguns. Problem is, I haven't yet worn out my old bolt action rifles and shotguns, so I'm just not in a buying mood for more.

And if ya look at the very bottom level of the glass case, they still do have some really dandy revolvers. I've either owned them all at one time, and/or I still own them now. Just not in a buying mood, til the really neat limited production stuff comes out. But then, I have to buy it off the internet, cuz the local gun stores will not stock this new limited production neat stuff.

WAYNO.

Seems to be my experience, also.

There are many more guns and gun shops in my area now than were around when I was growing up. Now, we had Western Auto, and several hardware stores that sold guns, but they only had a very few shotguns and 22's...no handguns. And, the guys that worked there knew as little about guns as the folks that work in these shops that are here now.

At least for me, the difference in now and then is that there is not as much intrigue related to guns now for me as there was then. I kept myself stoked on magazine articles and all I wanted to do was look at a gun...any gun. My interests are a lot more specific now.

 

[Revolver-Time]

I miss the old Harley and Triumph shops too. Things just aint the way the used to be.

I agree totally. Just like gun shops, bike shops are just stores now.

 

[gunman42782]

It is so funny, at our shop, of course we have the same conditions you are describing, row after row of ARs and cases full of Tupperware. If someone trades in a revolver all of us that work there are all over it to see if we want it. The only ones that make it to the cases are ones we don't want, or ones the boss is too proud of. None of us are crazy over new Smith revolvers, but the old Smiths, old Colt and Ruger guns are in high demand. Over the years I have worked there I have snagged up my share of nice wheel guns. And I wish I was 21 again!

 

[GRAMPS 51]

Hi We still have a few around here my favorite is only big enough for 4 customers to stand in at one time but it is great to talk with some one that knows what he is talking about no BS I have been dealing with him for over 30 years and still haven't seen all the guns that are stashed behind the counters you just ask what your looking for and you can still do even trades no cash sometimes I will just call him and shoot the sugar

GRAMPS

 

[32magfan]

It is the same almost everywhere I guess. A new shop opened about ten miles South of me and I happened to stop in. AR's and Glocks only. It was about all the guy knew and could get from his distributors. No revolvers, bolt actions or lever guns. Not even a shotgun. No reloading stuff yet. This young man had nothing to interest me in his shop but we did start a conversation up talking about guns and .22s being hard to get.

He was apologetic about his limited inventory and asked about what I was interested in. He freely admitted not knowing much about revolvers and reloading. The thing that impressed me was he asked questions about it intelligently and listened to what I had to say. Last weekend I took some surplus primers and powder for him to sell. He is working on getting a few guns that I want. I hope he makes it in the business as we need a good local shop that is open during the day and has someone behind the counter who is not a know-it-all.

Maybe I will turn him into a wheelgun and Ruger fan yet...

32Magfan

 

[mohavesam]

It's the same all over. Any shop can on get those items which the distributors have, and are willing to sell to (lower-volume) buyers.
Likewise "old guns" either a - need costly relypair or refinishing; or b - are sold in a matter of hours or a coupe days.
Get used to it. I asked a good LGS to put two models on a wish list with my phone number; he said "yup, get in line!"

They have even marked up a few fine-condition revolvers, to see if they'd stay around an hour or so until the regular (retired or unemployed) day-prowlers come in, and they'd snap them up even at ludicrous pricing. - so the stores are left with the cheap-to-manufacture AR clones and molded guns that we used to sell mainly to cops and posers/bangers. You know, plastic frame, no safeties, lousy sights, that have come to be accepted and even praised by magazine readers.

That, coupled with the cost of carrying inventory and manufacturer's stocking requirements, and it's no wonder the "good ol gun shop" with wooden floors and extra seats and "old stock" is dissapearing fast.

solution? Open your own shop, just the way you want!

Edit: Recommend Schupbach's store in Jackson Mi. Family-owned with creaky floors, 2000 guns on the walls and people who actually know what they're talking about with shotguns, from Mossbergs to Perazzi to older doubles.

 

[ArmedinAZ]

How do you suppose that LGS with NOS stuff under the counters and old guns and guys sitting around shooting the bull make any money in this day and age? The object is to make some profit, not provide us with that blued widget for our 7 shot S/A that they've had for 17 years in an old ammo box...

There's one of those in my town and the prices are so outrageous not a single guy here would buy a gun from them. They make their money stealing guns from widows and selling to uneducated buyers. I've watched both kinds of transactions happen.

 

[Eaglestroker]

Like this one? https://www.facebook.com/MitchsGunShop .

I like Mitch's. I don't like that he doesn't haggle much, and that 'the good stuff' is always in a safe in the back. Always comes out when you get to jawing though.

 

[DGW1949]

I liked old gun shops too. Looking back though, I'm perty-sure that I had a hand in their demise.
Almost any new gun they had could be bought cheaper from the big dealers or a chain operated sporting goods outlet. Ammo was most often marked at full retail, and used guns were $50-$100 higher than when bought from a for-sale ad in the newspaper, or from a pawn shop, or at a gunshow. Same with reloading equipment, cleaning supplies, holsters and dang-near anything else you could think of......so....I seldom spent much money at any of them.

These days I'm even worse, 'cause these days there's dealers/distributors on Gun Broker having price wars, ammo distributors sending me "deals" in the mail, and a lot of shooting stuff being offered at cut-rate prices right on the internet.
Although I'm fortunent to have a "real" gun shop close by, about all I realy use it for is doing out of state transfers. Everything else is bought by phone at discounts and shipped to my door. Shipping is often free and there's never any sales tax.

Yep, if there's blame to be put on what happened to most of the old-timey gun shops, you can color me "guilty"........but....

.....I'd bet that I aint the only one.

DGW.....who say's that ya can't have it both ways.