Great Gun Shops

[vrod2011]

Occasionally, I find myself in an unfamiliar part of the country, and have found some great gun shops. Southeastern Guns in B'ham, Reed's in NoCal, Collector's in Houston, Arego's in AR. I thought it would be nice to have a resource of really great gun shops. Doesn't matter where in the country, if you'd recommend it to a friend, recommend it here

[High Lord Gomer]

I was impressed with ATP Gunshop and Range near Charleston, SC: http://www.atpguns.com/

They had a lot of stock and they had a pretty neat rental arrangement. For $5 or $10 you could shoot any of their rental guns and come back and trade for a different one whenever you wanted as many times as you wanted. I have suggested to several people to go there to try out several guns when they didn't know what they wanted.

[benos]

My favorite gunshop, since I've been in AZ (1980ish) is The Pistol Parlour, in Mesa. Back around 1980, I went to the Pistol Parlour with Robbie L. (He wasn't TGO then. Matter of fact he wasn't even old enough to buy ammo.) I had a box stock 1911 45, with a teeny little factory rear sight on it. I couldn't afford an adjustable rear sight, much less having to pay someone to install it. So I was lookinng for any sort of rear sight with a bigger blade that I could beat into my slide's dovetail. Turns out Clyde (the owder) shows me a used 1911 he has for sale, that has a Micro fixed sight in it. He told me to take the gun home, and take the rear sight out and put it in my slide, and put my sight in his used gun, all for n/c! He said the rear sight wouldn't affect the sale of that pistol, so no worries. That was it for me, it was the Pistol Parlour ever since.

be

[Powder Finger]

My favorite gunshop, since I've been in AZ (1980ish) is The Pistol Parlour, in Mesa. Back around 1980, I went to the Pistol Parlour with Robbie L. (He wasn't TGO then. Matter of fact he wasn't even old enough to buy ammo.) I had a box stock 1911 45, with a teeny little factory rear sight on it. I couldn't afford an adjustable rear sight, much less having to pay someone to install it. So I was lookinng for any sort of rear sight with a bigger blade that I could beat into my slide's dovetail. Turns out Clyde (the owder) shows me a used 1911 he has for sale, that has a Micro fixed sight in it. He told me to take the gun home, and take the rear sight out and put it in my slide, and put my sight in his used gun, all for n/c! He said the rear sight wouldn't affect the sale of that pistol, so no worries. That was it for me, it was the Pistol Parlour ever since.

be

+1 on that. I even go in just to yack at Pete sometimes.

[Modoc]

A classic was Hunnington's in Oroville CA. Owned an operated by the founder of RCBS. Knowledgeable group and quite a museum to Mr. Hunnington. Haven't been there since he passed away.

Vrod, where in "Nor Cal" is Reeds'? I thought that I had been into most of the shops up here.

[vrod2011]

Yeah, sorry about that. I ran into it on a whirlwind trip. It's actually south of San Fran in Santa Clara. I just remember we ended that day in Redding. Lots of driving.

[Modoc]

Vrod, don't worry. Norcal is a matter of perspective. I had a roomate on college that revered to Santa Barbra as Norcal . There are some decent ones up here, Olde West in Redding has been decent. The gunsmith does his best on staying up on the different games and mods.

Edited to correct I-phone induced misspellings

Edited November 19, 2010 by Modoc

[lumpygravy]

Also in Northern California, but long closed now, the San Francisco Gun Exchange on 2nd Street at Mission was without equal in the region for all manner of firearms and knives. They did the FFL dealer transfer for my first STI open gun in the mid 90's. They also had a four foot wide, four shelf display case dedicated to all of the 1911 parts that I now have to mail order.

I used to work one block away and I was in there several times a week. Lunch time was always a packed house with a lot of executive types from the nearby financial district (I wasn't one of them ) and many others from all walks of life.

Bob and Beth Posner, second generation owners I believe, were nice people and they also hired nice people but operating any business in SF (much less a gun shop) is a difficult proposition at best. I still work in the area and every time I pass the old location I pause for a moment of nostalgia.

Bob, Beth, Sean and Jack - wherever you all are,

I've never been in the only other operating gun shop in SF proper. There are two others within a reasonable just south of the city. No offense to these proprietors, but at the time they just couldn't hold a candle to the old SF Gun Exchange for selection.

[SV limited]

I would say Get a Gun in Bakersfield Ca. Nice selections, good customer service and competitive price.

[Signcutter]

Murphys Guns and Gunsmithing in Tucson, Arizona. He dosent do gunsmithing any more, but he does have a good selection of new and used stuff. You never know what you'll find on the used racks from day to day.