Real gunshops

[Warden Callaway]

Mary and I retired in 2015.  About once a week we'd go on a "day trip".  We'd almost always include a gunshop or two or even three in our tours. We'd go north, south, east or west in rotation. There would be diners or cafes along the way. People have asked me where I find guns. In this list of shops.  Not big box stores or online. 

 

This shop was in an old building down town off I70.  Mark and family ran it. He was a character.  He worked in the movie industry in many roles.  He was a prop master,  sometimes stunt man, firearms expert, extra and so on. One of his last movies was "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson.  He did all kinds of services in this movie including being an extra.

 

Anyway,  his shop was unique in that he carried a lot of used guns. Many unusual and collectible.  He had a lot of military guns come through and he knew a lot about them. Bayonets and other items to match.  Another thing unusual, he set a price, usually low, and would not bargain.  That was the price.  He sold a lot of guns. Bought collections and even other gunshops. 

 

A few years back,  he had bought a collection of some 400 guns. Every other Saturday he would bring out some 100 of these guns and array them on the counter.  People would flock in at door opening time.  They would go down the line and hand Mark this one and that one until about half would be gone in an hour.  I got an original Winchester 1887, 1873 and 1892 out of this mess. Every few visits I'd buy something. One time a Coyote Cap 1887 just test fired in the box. Colts, old shotguns,  handguns, etc. Traided some. He wouldn't give me what I wanted but seeing how what he priced was so much lower, I couldn't complain.  

 

Mark sold out a year or so ago and he and family have been on vacation every since.  The new store is updated and not the same.

 

There was a rifle rack on right behind boxes and another set of racks in back not seen.

 

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

Living the dream! 

[Warden Callaway]

Here is an "after" shot the day we dropped in and Mark told me that he sold out.

[Pat Riot]

There are a few “real gun shops” around here if you drive a little to get there. From a couple to 30-40 miles. Some shops are full of new guns with a few old ones in the used gun displays. None really exude “old timey” any more, but that’s okay. Some have had face lifts recently. Probably Covid money face lifts. 
My favorite gun shop was in my hometown. Joe Riggs Sporting Goods. Old Joe apparently sold it in the 90’s to the guy that had it now. The store is still there, creepy floors and wood snd glass displays, but the store mostly deals in bow hunting gear now. There are a few firearms. The guy that owns it seems nice. It sure ain’t the same though. 

[Warden Callaway]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

There are a few “real gun shops” around here if you drive a little to get there. From a couple to 30-40 miles. Some shops are full of new guns with a few old ones in the used gun displays. None really exude “old timey” any more, but that’s okay. Some have had face lifts recently. Probably Covid money face lifts. 
My favorite gun shop was in my hometown. Joe Riggs Sporting Goods. Old Joe apparently sold it in the 90’s to the guy that had it now. The store is still there, creepy floors and wood snd glass displays, but the store mostly deals in bow hunting gear now. There are a few firearms. The guy that owns it seems nice. It sure ain’t the same though. 

 

Another gunshop not far from this one had 7,000 guns on displays. Nick the owner said he had another 1,500 that he didn't have space to put out.  They tried to close him down during the Covid lock down stupidity but found out pawn shops were except.   He said he couldn't get Covid bucks because his business wasn't effected.   During the quarantine,  he furloughed his two oldest salesman at full salary. 

 

Mary taking care of business with Nick.  Nick sold out and went on African safari. Also flies his own plane.

 

 

 

Edited January 10 by Warden Callaway

[Buckshot Bear]

This is a good Aussie gun shop -

 

 

[Black Angus McPherson]

H&H?  I've been there a few times.  The last time the prices all seemed kind of high.  Still a pretty good variety, tho.

 

My favorite was the Gun Trader in St. Charles.  Mostly used guns and rarely two of the same make and model.  Lots of boxes of parts and accessories around on the floor.  It was great.  I bought a few guns and misc. stuff from him.  Unfortunately, he closed down, I think, 20 years ago and moved to Florida.  Most of the shops now seem to be loaded up with black rifles and plastic pistols that all look the same with the odd shotgun sprinkled in.  Boring.  Twice the size with twice the number of guns of the old Gun Trader but it only takes a small fraction of the time to look around before leaving.

 

 

[Pat Riot]

21 minutes ago, Buckshot Bear said:

This is a good Aussie gun shop -

 

 

Wow!

[Pat Riot]

I have a gun store near me that at first it looks all tactical but they have a great mix of firearms. A little light on accessories like holsters, gun cleaning kits, gun cases and other things but it’s a nice store overall. 

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

Moe Hardware in Black River Falls, WI.  This is the only picture I could find, but there are plenty of firearms in the showcases, as well as on the wall.  Found it while waiting for a friend.  There are a number of small shops all over MN.  My regular stops number about 5-6.  Not a lot of old timey guns, though.

 

Edited January 10 by Tex Jones, SASS 2263

[Rye Miles #13621]

There’s a few around here, 3 have indoor shooting ranges. There’s 5 more within 20 minutes from me. I visit them often. 

[LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L]

Several of our local shops regularly have older guns brought in.  One uses facebook and youtube to advertise his.  He figured out that he could post videos of his guns without angering the facebook gods.  I've bought several from him via these postings.  I picked up a pre lock S&W 625 Mountain Gun in 45 Colt a few months ago that way.  Bought two cases of mixed shotgun shells from him yesterday from his facebook page.  First time I've seen Nitro 27s in a while, and I got over a case of them in the mix.  

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

Harvey's in Fitzgerald, GA

 

[Cypress Sun]

There are over 50 gun stores within Pinellas County, Fl. While I haven't been in all of them, I have been to about 75% of them at one time or another. I don't think that any of them qualify as a "real gunshop" as described by Warden Callaway. Most have the ever popular black guns but very few used guns or older guns. Hitting the pawn shops is hit or miss, mainly miss, but when you do find something at a pawn shop, they want top dollar++ for the item and don't want to negotiate.

 

Many of these gun stores are still asking 2020/21 (pandemic) prices for firearms that sell for considerably less on line or in the big box stores. I know, I know...the old "support your local gun store" premise is going to come up and I agree with it to a point...but ultimately, I'm not a rich man, have to watch spending and I'm only acquaintances (not friends) with a couple of the owners. IF it was just a few bucks, that's one thing but when it's $50 or higher than other places, the other places win out.

 

None of the small stores that I've visited carry anything remotely considered reloading supplies. There is a privately owned retail reloading supply store in Clearwater but I won't step foot in the place as the guy is a complete ass and his prices are high to boot.

 

After reading what I wrote above, it comes off as I'm a cheapskate...I'm not. I just want a good gun at a fair deal and fair deals are hard to come by these days.

 

 

[DeaconKC]

If you come to North Central Arkansas, come to Heber Springs. Heber Gun and Pawn is a fun shop, I love working there.

[J.D. Daily]

I suppose two LGS's for a city of ,is a lot however 18,000 more people live in the county with most 20 miles of the city center.  One of the LGS is just a mile west of town has been there much longer than I have lived here.  I am sure their dollar sales are overwhelming beer, wine & booze.  Sporting goods, guns & ammo take up most of the floor space though.  I say more alcoholic beverages because it is located on Hwy 50 and the parking lot has more vehicles after 3PM on weekdays.  Three miles west on 50 is the newest LGS.  The proprietor 1.5 years ago was a kitchen table dealer that only did business between 4 & 6PM weekdays & midday Saturday.  He has a day job at the NAS.  This LGS is the only suppressor dealer within 60 miles.  A feast of LGS's & bigbox sporting goods stores are 60 miles west of Fallon.

[watab kid]

we have a lot of small shops here in MN and ive visited a lot in WI as well , my local guy is moving 30 miles away to a new building he just had built , ill drive that far , he does most all my work and buys up stuff of interest all the time displayed in his small shop - going to expand to add clothing and such in his new setup , 

 

i know of one shop in WI thats for sale - a great place and not all that hard to find in tiny little berg , a friend actually thought about buying it but hes too busy right now to take it over , 

[Warden Callaway]

Ahlman's in Morristown,  Minnesota is a big shop with gunsmiths, shooting ranges,  old fort, even a Cowboy Action Shooting range. I've bought a few guns there.  They even repaired a pair if Smoke Wagons for us. Great People. 

 

I bought a Winchester Model 12. Said we were a long way from home and hope it worked ok. He reached under the counter and pulled out a hand full of shells and a credit card type key and told us to go over to the range and try it out. We did and it worked fine.  When we picked up the Smoke Wagons,  we took them to the range and shot them.

 

I was looking through their marked down section and came across a MEC600 JR in 12-gauge. It was old but already on a board with edges to catch spills.  The dirty tag had been marked down a couple of times to $90. I'll just take it, I thought.  Took it up to pay and the salesman said, "We've had this a long time. I'm going to make it $60.00.  Works for me.

 

 https://ahlmans.com/

[Warden Callaway]

We've been to Dixie Gun Works maybe a half a dozen times over many years and always enjoyed it.  This guy made a very good tour video of the place. If you find yourself near Union Tennessee,  it's well worth the time and effort to stop in.  

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/

 

[Warden Callaway]

Mary and I took a road trip to Cabool, Missouri. There is a gunshop we hadn't been to in a couple of years. Things change. New owners and at least doubled in size. Considerably more inventory.  Right off highway US63 and I60. Missouri Gun Company.   They are on Facebook. 

 

 

The back room is pretty well stocked with reloading equipment and supplies. The front room has hundreds of guns. Lots of mounts and other distractions. 

[J-BAR #18287]

Thanks!  We pass by Cabool on our way to visit family in the Bootheel.  Looks like a great place to stretch our legs.

[Still hand Bill]

Two that really stand out to me due to selection are specialty sports in Colorado Springs and Gordy and sons in Huston. Specialty sports is an old Walgreens, the whole outside wall has long guns on it.  Gordy and sons has the nicest selection of high end shotguns I have ever seen in one place.  Sub $10k outside the vault, 10k+ inside the vault.  We got to go in the vault and saw many shotguns that cost more than my first two houses put together.  Amazing stuff.  
 

for old time shops, shootnden in Colorado Springs is a classic shop.   Great owner and has lots of good used stuff come through.  I got a set of flat top 44 specials from a estate of a ruger collector.   Have not run across another pair since.  

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

This is my favorite in Prescott. Bill is 80 or so, will not tolerate profanity (I almost was thrown out for saying "damn") and his wife does the paperwork. 

 

[Warden Callaway]

8 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Thanks!  We pass by Cabool on our way to visit family in the Bootheel.  Looks like a great place to stretch our legs.

516 Ozark Street. On right side going into town. Not hard to find. You may be interested in the black powder room.  It apparently is actually ran by someone else. I got few details.  But here is a blurry picture I took through the door window.  I think he also repairs old guns. He wasn't there and door was locked.

 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Living in Prescott Valley, AZ we have the cleverly-named Prescott Valley Guns.  They don'y have the inventory they used to have but I have found a half dozen guns in the eight years since we moved here.

 

Then there's Bucky O'Neill's in Prescott.  They are a bit claustrophobic with so much stuff, but they have some wonderful guns.

 

Next is J&G.  I don't personally like them but they have tones of guns and their people seem to be well versed in their line of products.

 

Bill's Trading Post is a candy store for gun people.  Profanity is NOT tolerated.  He has stuff that no one else had and is willing to look for something if he doesn't have it.

 

Down the road a short way is High Country Guns with a grand selection of almost everything you could want and some of the friendliest staff anywhere.

 

Lots of other places if your looking for "tactical" crap but too often the people working there are poster kids for nonsensical, over opinionated, nonsense.

 

We have a plethora (your weekly new vocabulary word) of gunsmiths in the are.  My favorite is still David Fink at Gunsight Academy.  for "shade tree mechanics" we have a whole bunch available id you know where to look or who to ask.  There are several world renowned engravers in the area and many really decent leather craftsmen.

 

I'm still in mourning over the closure of Desert Eagle Guns fourteen months ago.  Boris was one of a kind.

 

And places to shoot from indoor ranges to some outstanding out door places to off the road spots.

 

And if you want to meet some CAS type folks, drop by Zeke's Eatin' Place in Frontier Village in Prescott at 7:00 am onThursdays, walk to the right rear corner and introduce yourself.

 

(Don't tell then I sent you or you'll get bounced out on your ear.)

[Ezra Hawthorne]

These are the kind of stories and stores I wish were in my area. The few gun shops around all sell their wares at full MSRP cost, won't budge on price for any reason, and always seem to be in a sour mood whenever I speak to them. There's never any used or surplus things for sale, the few revolvers they carry are always either Heritage .22s or Colt Pythons and rarely anything in between. I've tried pawn shops as well but it's just a sea of polymer wondernines and ARs with skeletonized uppers. All of the "oldies but goodies" have long since been snatched up before I ever got into the game, sad to say. Then when Covid happened prices on everything doubled and don't seem to be dropping anytime soon. I can't believe there used to be "$79 Mosin crates" and similar deals at gunshows, I don't think i've ever seen any old steel firearms for under $400 that weren't also rusted and pitted relics stored in a bucket of saltwater for decades. I'm at the point where i'm ready to concede defeat and admit I missed the boat when it comes to owning a collection of classics.

[Warden Callaway]

Son Chris was down to visit. He's really interested in old guns. So we made an appointment to take him to Cabool to see the back room filled with mostly single shot black powder target rifles.  Some original,  some custom, some new reproduction.  Mary says, "It's heavy!"

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

On 3/10/2024 at 11:49 AM, Ezra Hawthorne said:

....and always seem to be in a sour mood whenever I speak to them. 

 

I've encountered this in gun shops and big box gun departments so often that I practically take it for granted.

 

There are many exceptions, of course, but it's way too common.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 3/9/2024 at 8:31 PM, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

This is my favorite in Prescott. Bill is 80 or so, will not tolerate profanity (I almost was thrown out for saying "damn") and his wife does the paperwork. 

 

I always thought you had good taste. Guess I was right because Bill's is one of my favorites, too.  I like Bucky's too but not as much.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

sadly , there are not any left around here 

 

  CB 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

We've seen two local gun shops close in this city in the last year. Getting close now to big boxes only; but not quite.

[watab kid]

On 1/16/2024 at 12:46 PM, Warden Callaway said:

Ahlman's in Morristown,  Minnesota is a big shop with gunsmiths, shooting ranges,  old fort, even a Cowboy Action Shooting range. I've bought a few guns there.  They even repaired a pair if Smoke Wagons for us. Great People. 

 

I bought a Winchester Model 12. Said we were a long way from home and hope it worked ok. He reached under the counter and pulled out a hand full of shells and a credit card type key and told us to go over to the range and try it out. We did and it worked fine.  When we picked up the Smoke Wagons,  we took them to the range and shot them.

 

I was looking through their marked down section and came across a MEC600 JR in 12-gauge. It was old but already on a board with edges to catch spills.  The dirty tag had been marked down a couple of times to $90. I'll just take it, I thought.  Took it up to pay and the salesman said, "We've had this a long time. I'm going to make it $60.00.  Works for me.

 

 https://ahlmans.com/

thats a greatr one but boones is another up north