Summary: With all the culture, decorum and customer service of a deep-south junkyard running a Pitbull puppy-mill in the mud out-back, the 5280 Armory (a/k/a AK47 Man) reflects poorly on gun shops, shooters and sportsmen everywhere. Having been in more than 200 gun shops nationwide, I can honestly say that, by a wide margin, this is the worst gun shop I've ever visited. Ever. Anywhere.
Surrounded by all the concrete, high wire fencing and barbed wire you'd expect in a third-world country -- or a 1950's prison -- it's set in a seedy, run-down, ghetto-feeling neighborhood. Passing through the perimeter wire, heavy steel doors and echoey hallway into a stark, windowless concrete room it's hard to avoid the feeling of going to prison. This feeling is picked up and amplified by the the owners and staff that give off a similar "we're the guards, you're the inmate" goon-squad vibe. With so many great gun shops in the Denver area, why not give your business and hard-earned money to one of the many good ones?
Need to know more? Well then, a bit of context: Been purchasing and using firearms since the mid-1970's. Military: 21 years including US Marine Corps Infantry. I've worked in the firearms and sporting goods industry, owned a firearms firm, worked SHOT show, lived and hunted in many states in the US, and hunted in Canada, Alaska and Africa. Former Federal Firearms License holder, Safari Club International member, NRA Endowment Life member. Attended many hunting and self defense schools including Gunsite. Former service rifle match and IPSC/USPSA pistol competitor. Performed drug-law enforcement on the Texas-Mexico border and in South America during the 1980's drug war era.
Here's the point: I've been in a lot of gun shops!
With that background please allow me to share my experience and opinion: This gunshop has the most insulting, abusive and disrespectful owners and staff that I have experienced anywhere in the world.
I saw a man bring in an item in the manufacturer's packaging and it looked obviously defective to my eyes. The person behind the counter said, not even looking at the customer: "We don't do returns."
Staff ignore you even when they are doing nothing. After 20 minutes of waiting I finally asked one guy for help; he looked at me angrily and said "What do you want?" When I asked to see a rifle he handed it to me, provided no information about the firearm but ordered: "Don't slam the bolt or dry fire it."
When I asked about ATF forms a lady came out and started ranting at me that she had so many years of experience but that she's soooo tired of people complaining about mistakes (that she'd made) and I'd have to go somewhere else and complete and print the forms: "I don't print or copy anything because people have been complaining (about my mistakes) for 17 years." What? Then she said the same thing 5-7 more times. I asked why she was doing that and she grabbed the rifle out of my hands and said "Get out of here." That's what I was thinking! You mean the guards won't shoot me?
In my opinion this place has a caustic culture that is infected with bizarre people who seem to be extremely insecure and use their customers to feed their need to control and insult other people. After I escaped I did a quick internet search which revealed many, perhaps hundreds of similar stories going back for years and years. I guess some people never learn.
And I might add that while a few of the less negative reviews seem like they may be real, so many of the 5-star reviews seem cheesy and, well, in my opinion, obviously fake, no doubt left by you-know-who.
So what about you? Why drive past one of the many, many great gun shops in the Denver area to be abused by these goons? Visit one of the many great shops and reward their friendly, helpful and respectful owners and staff with your new and repeat business! I know I did! read more