First time buyer and also I did my FSC here…read more
This was the closest gun store and I was interested in having my own firearm. I did some research myself and have gone to ranges so I had an idea of what I wanted and what I needed to do.
When I arrived, the store is in a small lot and looks a bit hidden and old. Only one room I think had AC but that was where I took my test and spent my whole time in. It's not very assuming or a luxurious place, but it has a charm and very honest feel to it.
The staff there were friendly, patient, and helpful (The 2 ladies that helped me were, Tami and I didn't get the name of the other lady, but she felt like the owner). They were both very knowledgeable, honest, and transparent with their answers and recommendations, and I didn't feel pressured for anything. I was given a few firearms to try that I talked to them about and a few that they recommended. They also said anything that they did not have in store, they could order for me and did their best to accommodate or find something similar for me to feel out.
They had a wide assortment of firearms, at least in my eyes, and what they kept stocked made sense. I didn't look through the whole store and everything they had, but I will tomorrow. From what I browsed and saw while I walked in and around, they have many standard picks and accessories that make sense to get in person, and a few interesting pieces. Larger items or more common items, like safes, they were very transparent and said they did not stock and that it's better to find one online, which made sense business wise. I like that they understood what is feasible for them to stock and what not to; both for their interest of keeping their inventory moving, but also to not peddle something that the customer wouldn't want or be satisfied with.
I was shown everything in great detail and kindly. I made my purchase and was given instruction on what to do, what to expect, and a time frame for when I can pick things up.
For my FSC, I got clear instruction, some helpful preface, and then the paperwork was straightforward and simple. I was guided for it to be as smooth as possible. I got my card and everything done and the prices were as expected and fair.
I will update my review if anything changes, but considering the positive experience and friendliness of the staff, I don't think I will have anything to update. I don't know enough about prices for different models and ammo to split hairs on that, and this is a local small business, so it doesn't make sense coming here with the expectation of below market prices. The price range on the models I looked at seemed to be around the ballpark range of what I saw online for MSRP. I'm sure you could look around and get quotes to find things cheaper, but considering this is a local business and near me, I'm not coming here to try to haggle for the lowest price. I care more for the experience and personal interaction. With that said though, I also don't like small businesses that don't keep prices competitive with the rest of the market. I think this business does a fair job with it. As I mentioned before, the items I looked at, I did some research on, and the prices were in the ballpark of what I saw online which is a great indication. For what I purchased, it came as a set and luckily for me, was also on sale, so I feel my purchase was actually on the better price range.