They have a huge collection of guns for a small shop. So when it gets busy there's very little space to hangout. The guys there are great and they also have a nice collection of consignments. Also have great deals on ammo read more

Came in for a private party transfer and had an excellent experience. The staff was professional, helpful, and made the whole process smooth and hassle-free. Paperwork was handled efficiently, and everything was clearly explained along the way. Definitely a spot I'd feel comfortable coming back to--would do business here again! Not expensive to do your ppt! read more

This place has got to be the best customer surface place I've been to!!! Hugh is sooooo knowledgeable! I came in with somewhat of a clue of what I wanted and I felt like I came out full of knowledge and confident in what I I got ! Haha Hugh made the transaction so fun! They're honest people and their prices are beyond unreasonable. I had to call other places and other than stores prices are beyond skyrocketed. This place definitely got my business for life. Thank you Hugh and the Elite Armory Team!!!! read more

This place has decent and poor qualities. Hugh and Mark are solid, knowledgeable, and kind. The indian man however, was short with my friends and I on multiple occasions. Refused to give help on a topic we requested even though he asked us what we needed help with. Another time, I had a transfer there that I physically watched arrive into the store and he told me straight to my face that it was not there and he did not want to look for it. Wasted our time on multiple occasions. Had a sight job done there, came back with some scuffs to the slide and wasn't perfectly aligned but probably similar work to what I could accomplish myself if I had the tools. Their remanufactured ammo is a decent price for the area we live in, but it tends to ignite dirtier- thicker plumes of powder coming out of the muzzle and some ignited & unignited gunpowder coming out of the ejection port somehow (through 1000rds). This place is OK for the convenience, but wouldn't go back if there were other options of better quality. Do not go on the weekend unless you want to stand in a 30-60 minute queue! read more

ELITE ARMORY is a great gun gun shop. A large inventory of used rifles an pistols to peruse. There is even a larger selection of new firearms, revolver, semi-automatic pistols, all in various calibers. They do not skimp on parts or service. So when you visit ELITE ARMORY, ask for Owen. read more

Elite Armory - Guns & Ammo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

We just purchased our first guns from this shop just in time to avoid the 10/11% tax that begins for pickups starting July 1st (you're already too late). We first went to the other gun shop in Castro Valley because it opened a bit earlier. Although both are small and similarly sized, this one had a better selection of more affordable items available and more staff. We arrived as soon as they opened and were helped immediately, but a long line formed soon after. Both stores were crowded, but the line moved faster at this store since they had additional staff. First, we had to get our Firearm Safety Certificate. They give you a pen and paper with multiple choice questions. It was pretty crowded in the shop, but they just have you stand on the furthest side of the glass display to take it, and it took about 15 minutes and we passed. We picked out a Mossberg Maverick 88 12-gauge shot gun, and they had one for a bit less than $300. We also decided to get a pistol. You can only purchase one new gun within a 30-day time period, but since the pistol was used, that doesn't apply. They had a good range of prices, starting at less than $300. We got an HK P2000 that came with some extras: 9mm and came with a 40 cal and case for about $850. Both came with cable locks. Since we purchased a pistol, we also had to provide proof of residency (vehicle registration, utility bill, lease or deed). They had us enter our personal information on a website using their laptop, paid, and were told we could pick up the guns in 10 days. If they don't call you within the time period, then you passed the background check. It was a smooth, but time consuming process. Although the store was full, staff kept things moving by taking quick questions and they helped others while we took the test. Another staff member continued helping us as soon as the test was finished, and he was very knowledgeable, patient and answered all our questions. There aren't too many gun shops to choose from in the area, but we're glad we found this one. Selections can vary and used guns often sell fast, but they told us they had some that were not yet available but would be at a specific date. Purchasing a gun is a long process, so I recommend going as soon as they open. If you see a line, be prepared for a decent wait. Parking is plentiful- they have a large lot in back of JP's Restaurant. We just picked up the guns 10 days later, it took about 30 minutes because there was line and they required more signatures and fingerprints. We also purchased ammo. For 9mm they only had a pack of 500 available. I posted 4 pics which pretty much show the entire store from left to right. It's not very big. read more

See all

I haven't gone yet but will one day this week and will update but in the meantime. Wow what fabulous customer service. I appreciate the time and honesty I received from Gabriel. I'm not sure about the selection or value but am excited to sign up for their course and renew my FSC. Thanks again Gabriel!! read more

OK here we go, I like this store. The guy behind the counter was pretty helpful. They don't have much of a selection for my liking but then again, it's a small store. What they have is actually good quality a lot of Kimbers, and they use section as a wide variety of tools. I was looking for a specific item, but it just got added back on the roster. They don't have them yet. No one has them actually so it's not a knock on these guys. These guys are fantastic. I like how I was treated there. Sometimes when you go to gun shops, the guy behind the counters, a jerk. Not these guys they're young and they were helpful and they were knowledgeable. If you need to pick something up, I observed that it was smooth and no glitches and believe it or not very fast. Well, I get accessories from them in the future. Of course, of course I recommend these guys to no-frills and the good customer service, and they added value to my experience there. The costs are reasonable and they don't try to gouge you. So I will I will be back. read more

Poor customer service & insensitive attitude. My history, CCW Holder & Avid shooter, Born & raised in C.V. I like to support local business and I have spent well over $1,000 purchasing ammo from this establishment. Latest experience, I got there @ 5:20PM with a friend to do a private party transfer. As usual they were busy, but we waited for 40-45 minutes. Stepped up to the counter and we were bluntly informed that they do not do PPT's after 5PM. (NOTE: lots of signage in this place but not one stating the 5PM Cutoff). I politely explained how long we had been waiting and wasn't there something we could work out. The person behind the counter didn't give a crap about my time waiting with an attitude that we were the dumb ass for not knowing their 5PM Policy. After this experience, I will go somewhere else for my PPT and give them the $500 for ammo that I was planning on spending in C.V. For their sake, I hope they realize that they are not the only gun shop around... read more

Top notch service. Visited at least 5 occasions and treated very well by all who were professional and knowledgable. Bought my G 19 there as well as another both within the past 2 years. Reload ammo is priced ok but you can find for less elsewhere. Still good to support this shop and pay a little extra as the service is great. read more

Decided to explore possibilities. I read up on my options carefully and chose Elite Armory based on good reviews across the board. I was assisted by Aaron R. and he was professional, helpful, and patient with me, an absolute noob. I am very satisfied with my purchases and also signed up to take their introductory class. Will update this review once that is done. read more

Great friendly, knowledgeable staff. The wait time can be long, but once it's your turn, they focus on whatever you need. You never feel rushed. They have a good selection of firearms. read more

Good prices on ammo and guns. They made it as easy as possible given we live in California...

People are very knowledgeable, but they are way overpriced and I purchased 9 mm rounds from them and a lot of them were jamming up my Glock because they don't have enough powder from what I am reading. read more

I found the service to be pretty good but the answering the phone was terrible and I was just looking at a long trip in traffic to see what progress is being made read more

They have the system down. They are busy with many customers coming in for armory. This was our first purchase and needed recommendations. I felt the guy we were working with wasn't trying to guide us in to one decision over another, but we really needed more help. Anyway, we got what we needed and would recommend any others needing to purchase to go to this location. read more

Stopped by to do a ppt, since they allowed walk-ins. It was pretty busy for a weekday; which is a good thing. Staff were nice even though it was just a ppt. Made sure to buy some accessories, cleaning supplies, and ammo on ppt day and pick up day as a thank you for helping us with the ppt. read more

I made a yelp account specifically for this review. For background, I had little to no experience with firearms and was wary stepping into a shop. Not only was I given my FSC, but I had all my questions answered in patient detail, from what would be a good beginner pistol, what they personally carry, what should be purchased aside from my first firearm, and recommended maintainence. This friendly, welcoming experience had me come back several times, inquiring about and purchasing several more guns and each time, whoever was at the counter clearly both cares about customer service and also had an in depth knowledge of the wares in the store. Because of this, it can lead to a slight wait time with other customers being helped, but given the thorough service the folks here take with *every* customer, it's worth the wait. Plus, there's so much selection to browse during that time. All this being said, Elite Armory has certainly earned its customer volume and I'll be sure to come back again anytime I need ammo (amazing bulk value for range practice) or I get the urge to expand my collection. read more

Great guys and reasonable prices. I definitely recommend it. It can get a bit busy sometimes so be prepared to wait a bit if you get unlucky and go in when lots of other people are there. read more

Went here today to get my basic safety course certificate. It was busy for a tuesday afternoon, idk if this is normal but nevertheless I was assisted after about 10 mins of waiting. Took my test got my certificate and I was out of there in about 45 mins. Study the material. Elite armory provides all the study info online on their website. I hate taking test so someone like me needed to study the information before taking the test. I forgot the name of the guy that helped me but he was very nice and explained to me the one question I got wrong. Customer service is great will definitely come back once im ready to buy my 1st gun. They do have a pretty good selection. read more

Very friendly knowledgeable people good selection of firearms and accessories fair prices will definitely go back

I'm completely new to the firearm industry. The staff was very friendly and professional. They were very knowledgeable and patient with me and walked me through the process. I'm glad I stop by with all my questions, they were a great help. read more

The Staff is professional and helpful. I picked up an online order from them. But they never tried to upsell me on anything. Nice folk.

Great knowledgeable staff. This is a tiny store tucked away behind a mini mall but every inch is stocked. Check out their online listings. Plan to wait if you come on a weekend, and do the staff and other customers the courtesy of doing some research online first to ask good, non-basic questions. read more

She's a beauty I know, eyes up here buddy. I've come to these guys for all of my guns so far and they have been very kind and helpful when asking for information or asking to handle a gun. Every time I've come in so far there has been quite a line so expect to wait a little before your turn. They sell 9mm for a great price but the store in Tracy seems to be the only one that has it on sale. read more

Elite Armory - S&W model 686 plus deluxe - Guns & Ammo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

Very professional staff working here. Very knowledgeable and patient with first time owners.

They the best. Clean, safe environment. Courteous, professional service. Used them as an FFL and they were hella on point. Haven't purchased from them yet but I look forward to it. Check em out. Mad nice. read more

(BE PREPARED TO WAIT IN A LINE)I had store credit left over and decided to go and use the rest of my store credit for ammo as soon as I walk through the door, I was greeted by aggressive employee ( older Mexican gentleman with glasses and a bald head with a cross chain on) telling me to clear the doorway when I had just walked through to try to figure out where to put myself because there were so many people. I then waited 45 minutes and was given an attitude like I shouldn't of been there while I waited, definitely the vibe I want when I'm about to spend money knowing there's another gun store down the street I can go to but couldn't because I had to use the rest of my store credit I then was helped by the same gentleman and he asked for my ID. I gave him the ID I had currently from the DMV which was paper(had my hard copy ID but the address wasn't current on the ID so I had the paper form showing my current address) He then told me it wasn't going to work me being already agitated I aggressively told him. "Yes it will work." (Its the same paper I used to sell you guys a 6.5 m1A)He then asked me why I am having an attitude. (You get what you give bud) I was a little frustrated from waiting, but the main thing that got me was when I walked in how aggressive he was to me and I also told him you were aggressive to me when I walked in and you have a firearm on your hip his response was "I'm not a threat to anyone"doesn't matter if you're not a threat to anyone you having a firearm on your hip, you should not be aggressive at all. People can take that the wrong way and it's also very unprofessional in a gun store. overall, it's a great store. The main owner is very polite, but the employees up front are not fast enough for the size of that location and also the professionalism is lacked by other employees. It's like they pick and choose who they want to be polite to. read more

First time in this gun shop and it was a model of what all gun shops should be. First, everyone behind the counter was 100% focused all of the time. They were polite, knowledgeable, patient, and helpful. They never hurried any conversion and never treated any customer in a demeaning manner. I noticed they were "eyes on" everyone who walked through the door. They also watched anyone who was handling a gun to ensure the safety of everyone in the shop. Aaron was the one who assisted me and I found him to be calm, polite, professional, and patient. Aaron is very good at what he does. While he was waiting on me, answering my questions, I watched him as looked up when a person entered the store or looked over at another transaction when a gun was being handled. Personally, the size of a gun shop, or its selection of guns will always be secondary to top notch pros behind the counter who create a comfortable and safe environment. read more

Excellent selection and service purchasing my Beretta 9mm and Ruger .380.lots of ammo choices and reload ammo choices. Lots of traffic, tho and can feel s bit chaotic at times. read more

Busy and prices are high but they have what you need. Tax on tax on tax is crazy............

I haven't purchased ammunition in years, so I went to my local FFL and another armory in area to buy some. However, they informed me that I'd need to pay for a background check. Since I last purchased a pistol in 2017, they said that after five years, I was no longer in the system. I left it at that for the time being. Two weeks later, I needed a gunsmith to repair or replace the safety on my 1911. A coworker recommended Elite Armory, saying they had an in-house gunsmith. I decided to check it out, expecting to leave my 1911 there for repair. It was surprisingly busy for a Wednesday afternoon, but I was eventually helped by Hugh. I explained the issue with my 1911, and Hugh said he could take care of it right away. He brought it to the bench and had it repaired in no time--I spent more time waiting in line than it took him to fix the safety! While chatting with Hugh, I mentioned my difficulties buying ammo at other stores. Hugh told me even if I purchased my last pistol in 2017, I should still be in the system. Hugh asked me a few questions and started typing away . Long story short, he resolved the problem, and I was able to buy 9mm ammo. Since he repaired my 1911 and said it was good to go, I also picked up some .45 ACP. Hugh was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and helpful. I appreciate the time he took to fix my firearm, answer my questions, and get my ammo issue sorted. From now on, Elite Armory will be my go-to for anything and everything firearm-related. Hugh is the man! read more

Great spot, awesome staff, there's a kickass gunsmith who makes good things happen to whatever project you give him. There's a pretty good California selection of firearms with a some rare gems that get dropped in sometimes if you're lucky enough to be there when it hits the display case, always have the caliber ammo I'm looking for at a reasonable California price. read more

Elite Armory - Hellcat - Guns & Ammo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Super friendly staff. Thanking Hugh for making the FSC process super smooth :)). Service is slower but rightfully so, each member is incredibly thorough and makes sure all your needs are met. Just expect to spend some time standing. It's always worth the wait. read more

I went here after doing some online research. I wanted to get my certification to purchase and then purchase directly after. This was SO painless & easy. A nice guy set me up for the paper test. Then a guy named Aaron scored it, let me know I passed & helped me with my purchase. No pressure, direct answers with no sale intent, great communication, very informative. They now have a new gun junkie . Can't wait to pick up my firearm in a week or so. read more

Elite Armory - Guns & Ammo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Hubby has been wanting to get a shot gun for quite some time since we have gotten our gun licenses. We were looking around for a good place to sell firearms, because the location where we gotten our license has moved location. We searched around and found Elite Armory. We read some reviews stating that lines can be long, so to get there early. We called to make sure that they had some shot guns in stock and if they were busy atm. The person who picked up as kind and told us to come soon as they just opened not too long ago, before they started to get busy. We didn't catch the name of the guy who assisted Hubby, but he was view kind and very thorough when explaining to us about the fire arm. He also showed us a few handguns for myself, but it got all so overwhelming. Overall, the staff was very polite and kind in answering all of our questions. When we came back to pick up Hubby's shot gun, we had a different person assist us. He was also very kind and thorough with every question that we had to ask. He also helped me with trying out different hand guns that would work best for me. Overall, we will be back! read more

Recommended by a friend and Absolutely wonderful! Very helpful for someone who is starting the process of home protection, getting a CC, or a super enthusiast. Owen was so patient and informative- genuinely very nice and also knowledgeable about essentially everything gun related. I recommend! read more

Elite Armory - Guns & Ammo Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

Entered the store at 6:10pm and the store was closing at 6:30pm. Was late because the Google Maps directions were incorrect. I walked in behind another customer. He walked in with questions about a rejected application and immediately caught the attention of someone at the counter. This quickly involved the second person behind the counter and then the third. After about ten minutes of all 3 people working there helping it narrowed down to 1. In the meantime not one of them acknowledged my presence or even attempted eye contact . Then the other 2 people behind the counter disappeared. Basically stood there and looked at pieces behind the glass for 15 minutes and walked out. There are other options. read more

First time gun buyer, was helped by Hugh . Very friendly knowledgeable and insightful. Made me feel very comfortable asking simple basic questions. A few demonstrations on functionality of what I was buying. Recommended and a long term customer right here. Definitely my go to arms dealer moving forward in the East Bay. Thank you read more

Special shouts out to Hugh for his gunsmith services for my M&P 2.0 with apex trigger job. Quoted me 2 weeks and was done in 2 days!!