The Best Gun Shop You Ever Visited IS/Was.......

[Lawdwaz]

I was thinking about the Gander Mountain thread and what a debacle that is!  Yesterday afternoon I stopped at the Buffalo Gun Center, looking for a small pistol cleaning rod.  (I scored a nice Dewey all-brass rod with a nice brass patch jag)

 

The place was packed at 4:00 in the afternoon.  Unreal............

 

The selection of guns there is second to none.  I dare say it is the best in the state.  Their selection and stock of handguns is amazing.  Before the NYSAFE BS their inventory was beyond comprehension, now it is still miles ahead of any gun store I've seen in many years.

 

Long guns are stacked high and deep also.  Some very high end (HIGH) shotguns and rifles of all flavors.  Ammo for anything ever chambered (except .22's these days!) for cheap to expensive. 

 

Yes, the prices can be a bit higher than many other local store but they can get away with it.  For all the guys that walk away to buy someplace else there are a dozen more that want it NOW and are willing to spend what it takes to git-er-done.  The thing is...................they'll probably have to wait to get it "someplace else" or order it on-line.  If you want it now, BGC probably has it or can get it PDQ.

 

 

 

But.................................What is the BEST gun shop you have ever been in?  For me, I'd have to say Creekside Gun Shop In Holcomb NY takes the cake.  Ed Hart's in Bath and Ackley's in Westfield were amazing also.

 

Creekside was special for another reason though, the shooting range out back.  Yep, see a gun (used only I believe) you'd like to try out?  Grab some ammo and take a few pokes.  How cool is THAT?  I bought a used Ithaca M37 DS after some range time back in about 1980.  Another thing, IIRC was they advertised "over 4,000 guns in stock"!  They had a HUGE area for used guns that you could fondle for hours on end before they booted your azz out. 

 

Johnson's Country Store will always have a warm place in my heart as I started visiting there in 1979 and Al has got more than a few dollars of mine. (probably 50/50 between the BGC and Johnson's)

 

The Cabin Range never did much for me but he had a decent stock.  The owner just has an arrogant attitude that I couldn't warm up to.

 

How about the Cartridge Corner in Wrights Corners, remember that on?  He's been gone for years.

 

OK, vote now for your favorite shop, poll's close at midnight.

 

 

[Lawdwaz]

I should add that Creekside has been gone for quite a few years, how many I don't recall.  15 at least, maybe 20??

[Pygmy]

I'll always regret never having made it to Creekside after all I had heard about it over the years.

 

Ed Hart's was special  when it was a little shop in Cohocton and the old man ran it.

 

After they expanded and built the big store in Bath, it never had the same atmosphere...Thier prices were high on used guns but they had some great specials on new stuff.. I bought a NIB Remington 1100 skeet A grade there in 1973 for $169...

 

Ackleys used to be good but since the new owners took over it's gone downhill...They have just a fraction of the stuff they used to have.

 

One of my favorite local places was Hoffman's gun shop, a little jewel tucked away on a side street off Lake Road in Elmira.

 

Lots of guns and reasonable prices on used stuff..I bought my S&W K22 ( new)  there in 1974.

 

Old Mr. Hoffman passed away and the shop has been gone for many years now.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Pygmy

[Lawdwaz]

That reminds me, anybody remember the "Tackle Shack" in Wayland?  When I was just a little shaver I used to go there with a buddy to get bait for Springwater creek.  It was a little shop loaded to the gills with cool stuff that made my jaw drop.   Cool memories..........

[Five Seasons]

Buffalo gun shop on Harlem wins for me too. They also offer a pistol safety course

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[NFA-ADK]

One of the main things I base my opinion is in customer service.  Campsite in Huntington exemplifies this.  Go to the story any day of the week and the gun counter is packed.  The people are knowledgeable and experienced.  Small store so selection is not as big as other larger stores but they can get anything you want.  They rock!

[Zag]

I would say creekside. I was pretty young at the time but I remember walking around amazed at all the guns!!

[jjb4900]

Kittery Trading Post in  Maine.

[Moosemaple]

I'll always regret never having made it to Creekside after all I had heard about it over the years.

 

Ed Hart's was special  when it was a little shop in Cohocton and the old man ran it.

 

After they expanded and built the big store in Bath, it never had the same atmosphere...Thier prices were high on used guns but they had some great specials on new stuff.. I bought a NIB Remington 1100 skeet A grade there in 1973 for $169...

 

Ackleys used to be good but since the new owners took over it's gone downhill...They have just a fraction of the stuff they used to have.

 

One of my favorite local places was Hoffman's gun shop, a little jewel tucked away on a side street off Lake Road in Elmira.

 

Lots of guns and reasonable prices on used stuff..I bought my S&W K22 ( new)  there in 1974.

 

Old Mr. Hoffman passed away and the shop has been gone for many years now.

 

[Lawdwaz]

One of the main things I base my opinion is in customer service.  Campsite in Huntington exemplifies this.  Go to the story any day of the week and the gun counter is packed.  The people are knowledgeable and experienced.  Small store so selection is not as big as other larger stores but they can get anything you want.  They rock!

 

If I got a BJ and they had no guns what good would that be? 

 

Stock rocks.

 

BGC customer service isn't so hot. 

[bubba]

I have two and I will explaIn why

 

 

1  Gray's gun shop in Lisbon NY  A friendly place you can go and look at stuff at your leisure.  Always friendly owner staff and patrons that will sit and talk with you for a while.  Good prices good inventory and they treat you like family.  If they do not have what you want., they will get it for you.  Started out as a small shop in the 50s in the back of the house.  Now the grandson of the original owner is running it and they have expanded to a complete shop with all types of firearm services.   Same customer service as it was when they opened.  

 

2. L&T gun shop in Canton NY.  This was a traditional muzzleloading shop only.  Run by a retired man who was a traditional shooter for years.  He held Thursday evening "prayer service".  We shot  the cannon threw hawks and just had a great get together.  The shop closed when he passed away.  I bought a lot of things form him over the years and he always had time to shoot the breeze for a while when you got there.  If you needed something out of the ordinary, chances were he had it in a drawer somewhere. Goes 5 dollars a pound a buck a tin for rws #11 percussion caps.  A great guy to deal with.  That type of customer service has long since died out for the box big box stores.  I prefer to go where they know my name and are willing to talk and deal with you with knowledgeable people than deal with a sales rep who knows nothing.  

 

 

[Moosemaple]

I used to shop at Hoffmans and still have a couple of rifles, a hand gun, and a long bow that I purchased from them, they always had a great selection of used guns. The store always had a jar of special gun wax and a rag by the guns if you handled a gun you was expected to wipe it down or his wife would be after you.

[Pygmy]

I remember that jar of wax..Ray, the owner, made it himself.

[fasteddie]

I think the reason Creekside closed was they charged too much for everything and couldn't compete . I bought a slug barrel for my 12 ga there as it was the only place I could find one at the time . It cost me more than my shotgun .

[sbuff]

Zacks in round lake is top notch, not only a nice selection but great customer service. Now a days that goes a long way .

Also kittery trading post, always enjoy there large selection.

[ants]

I have to say Kittery in Maine. Huge new and used gun selection.

[Daveboone]

Ah, Creekside. I think it was about 15 years ago I was in there last. At that time they were greatly down from what they had in the mid 80s when I was previously in. A buddy was looking for an Uzi, and I almost bought a HK 9mm ( model 93?). I allways thought the prices were pretty fair for an independent shop. Kittery would be my choice for a 2nd. The last time I was there though, they were getting cleaned out pretty good by all the city types coming in from NY and Boston.

The Pa. Gander has had a great assortment of used guns (handgun, rifle, shotgun) and I thought across the board prices were quite fair. I am still kicking myself for not having bought an H+jR  octagon bbl 45-70 for 150.00 two years ago. It was a pre- NEF rifle.  

[Larry]

Creek side was great also the original American sportsman on maple street in Rochester.

[genesee_mohican]

Creekside hands down. Great inventory, lots of used guns and you could take one out back to the range and shoot it to see how you liked it.

[Red]

Buffalo gun center a huge selection great customer service and close to home

Also Gary arcese enterprise on getman rd alden ny very nice guy and great prices.

[CFD914]

Would love to work in a gun shop, so much to learn, I am sure everyone on the site would as well! I just started shooting, but have taken a huge interest in it, and would love to work part time, after work to further the learning and being a part of the culture!