Gun Store Visits

[ZigZagZeke]

I thought it might be a good thing to have a thread about what people find when they visit their local gun stores. Prices, availability, activity levels, you know, that kind of thing.

With that in mind I dropped into Gun Broker Clackamas today. All the parking spots were taken at 2 pm on a Friday. They seemed to have full walls of pistols, but the rifle racks were pretty bare, except for a collection of antique 1894 Winchesters. Some of those were real collectors items, like a .38-55 ($1995) from about 1910 I'd say.

As far as modern deer rifle type firearms they seemed to be pretty short on everything but Rugers. Lots of 77 available and a few others, but nothing like they had in early December when I was shopping for SIL's first deer rifle of his own.

I did see 3 or 4 ARs on the rack (where they usually had about a dozen). One Bushmaster Varminter, absolutely stripped for $1999 (Glad I got mine last year for $1000, and it came with a nice scope, several mags in various sizes, a bipod, case, sling and 400 rds of ammo). I also saw a Rock River, but didn't catch the other one's brand. Pricing was likewise "optimistic".

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[Eldon]

I choose not to step foot in a gun store even just to look around. No need to add to this lemming fueled panic buying. I have no need to waste my hard earn cash. I will patiently wait till everyone else gets their fill and the prices become more reasonable. (and if they never come back down I'm still in a good spot)

 

[Iceman04503]

Before the "hype", "panic" whatever you want to call it, I would go to the gun store once every other week just to look around. Since than i havent been stepped foot into a gun store. Last time I tried to go it was packed with no parking so I left. I like to buy a new gun but I have enough patience to wait.

 

[Just Me]

Pricing was likewise "optimistic".

 

[Mikej]

It's been a while now, Monday before last. I thought I'd bop over to NW Armory as they opened. I was amazed there was only one other guy, so it was very nice to look around. They had loads of hand guns however the guy told me they don't even bother taking orders for some, Shield, EMP and such, even though they did have a full compliment of small Khar carry pieces with some in the back. They had a very nice used Beretta M9, decent priced, and a new EAA 9mm that had been there since July. I wasn't buying though, just looking

Wifey and I went back in three days later. There were a dozen guys waiting at the door for them to open. We went it, the EAA was gone, the Beretta was gone, they still had the Khars. Five of their employees were drooling over some black rifle someone had brought in to sell, a guy was asking if anyone was running the till $$ and the gal just got in the drooling group. I had a guy almost push me out of my place at the counter, I 'spose to mark something he wanted to look at.

I thought it was pretty pee-poor service. I believe I was going to buy the EAA or the Beretta, AND the Khar CW9, well, just the Khar. The fact that no one was even going to take a guys money tells me they don't really need mine, at this point in time anyway.

Yeah, I fell for it. I wanted to get in there and get a gun with a mag or two that holds more than ten rounds before the ban went into effect.

 

[Blue Devil PA]

I have gone to sportsman whorehouse in puyallup several times in the past weeks, more as a way to measure the public's response to this madness and maybe anything in the future. I saw ammo flying off the shelves, ammo, I thought the fear was about the guns and magazines!! There has been zero 525 boxes of Remington or Federal .22lr, 7.62 NATO and few (three #20 box maximum) of 5.56. It seems as if the panic has engulfed the ENTIRE gun, accessory and ammunition market. Crazy, but very educational into the mob mentality. OBTW I scored a pistol magazine and someone offered to buy it as I was walking to the check-out line, for $5 more than sticker price.
Hope everyone prepared in some way for this crap.

 

[MarkAd]

when I was shopping for SIL's first deer rifle of his own.

Interesting, something your not telling us?

 

[ronin223]

Tons of 17HMR @ Bi mart on beaverton-hillsdale

 

[gsxrrider]

Both times I went to NW armory (first time was half hour after they opened, the other was around 11am) there was no parking, had to wait to park. Stock obviously wasn't very good. .223 was a buck a round. 9mm around 15 (maybe 15.50) a box of 50. They were out of glock gen 4's when I was there last week. The best deal I saw was a springfield XD9 for $440.

 

[BillB1960]

It's been a while now, Monday before last. I thought I'd bop over to NW Armory as they opened. I was amazed there was only one other guy, so it was very nice to look around. They had loads of hand guns however the guy told me they don't even bother taking orders for some, Shield, EMP and such, even though they did have a full compliment of small Khar carry pieces with some in the back. They had a very nice used Beretta M9, decent priced, and a new EAA 9mm that had been there since July. I wasn't buying though, just looking

Wifey and I went back in three days later. There were a dozen guys waiting at the door for them to open. We went it, the EAA was gone, the Beretta was gone, they still had the Khars. Five of their employees were drooling over some black rifle someone had brought in to sell, a guy was asking if anyone was running the till $$ and the gal just got in the drooling group. I had a guy almost push me out of my place at the counter, I 'spose to mark something he wanted to look at.

I thought it was pretty pee-poor service. I believe I was going to buy the EAA or the Beretta, AND the Khar CW9, well, just the Khar. The fact that no one was even going to take a guys money tells me they don't really need mine, at this point in time anyway.

Yeah, I fell for it. I wanted to get in there and get a gun with a mag or two that holds more than ten rounds before the ban went into effect.

Last time I went to NW Armory was in November before all of the idiocy and it was piss poor service back then to try to get someone to even acknowledge my presence. I can only imagine how bad it is now.

 

[nautox]

My brother in Ferndale said he couldn't find any .22 ammo (I thought he was joking) so I went to big 5 in kirkland (its 1/2 mile away)
They didn't have any either.
Really? we're hoarding .22 ammo now?

 

[tanzuki]

Last time I went to NW Armory was in November before all of the idiocy and it was piss poor service back then to try to get someone to even acknowledge my presence. I can only imagine how bad it is now.

I had just the opposite experience with them. My first and only time I have been in there it was extremely busy prolly 75 people buying and looking. An older lady asked if I needed some help then got someone to come over and help me. I told him what I was looking for. He couldn't find it on the floor and said he will go down to the basement to see if they had anything down there. He didn't end up finding what I was interested but I continued to ask him some questions about some other firearms and was very helpful. Not once did I feel like he was trying to move me along once I more than likely wasn't gunna buy something.

 

[mrblond]

I went to a few today as well as the gun show in Eugene. I just want to say though that I would rather die then move to Eugene. I think I saw gang graffiti on each and every little spot on the way to the fairgrounds through town. The GS was pretty much like the Salem show in Dec except there were more M4 and AKs. I also saw alot of people going there to sell them.
I went tot he Cabelas after the gun show. They had a few pistols, some pretty good deals on used pistols and alot of rifles. What I liked was the prices were not so far out there with the pistols unlike on gun broker or even Buds.
Lastly I went to Blackwater in Salem. He didnt have much as far as pistols but if you need a AR, go there. He had a crapload on the wall. His ammo was also priced well which was nice to see.
All in all it was fun to go and brows but I didn't see anything I wanted to buy.

 

[soulrider]

I have been into numerous Bi-marts, and others like them and have not seen much of anything in the way of ammo some .45 and 38. They had a few bolt long guns. I stopped in big 5 with my son's (looking for metal detectors) and they had some stuff.... No 22lr, 9mm, .380 but they did have about 200 rounds of .40 I bought a box $25 I heard there was another big 5 that had a bunch of 9mm and .380

 

[deen_ad]

Interesting, something your not telling us?

SIL = Son In Law
Or
SIL = Sister In Law

Take your pick!

 

[irierider]

yep went to NWarmory, had to meet some one near there for a 357, went and grabbed 4 boxes of 50 for 21.50/ box.. maybe a $1 or 2 mark up but not too bad... some alright used pistols for normal price... just ARs marked up.. 2 aks marked up 100-150$ still not half as bad as other people places... Pmags up to 25 per mag, normally they sell them for 18 i think so still not as bad as they could mark it up and have people pay...

 

[osterr1999]

Was in Wild Bill's about a week and a half ago to pick up something from the gunsmith and it was looking pretty barren. The wall that used to be full of long guns was almost completely empty. There was an MP15-22 and a few optimistically priced Yugo PAP AK pistols. There was a fair supply of pistols and of course no ammo to speak of.

 

[bolus]

Fred Myers in Scappoose had 3 Springfield XDS at $570. They must have got a shipment since there has only been a single lonely glock for the past few weeks in the counter. Still no 22 ammo except for a few boxes of 50

 

[BassMasterK]

Last time I went to NW Armory was in November before all of the idiocy and it was piss poor service back then to try to get someone to even acknowledge my presence. I can only imagine how bad it is now.

I've been in NW Armory at least four times since the idiocy started. Once to buy a gun and the rest of the times to get ammo and accessories. Only once was it not packed. Every time I have had someone ask me if I need help within a few minutes. I have had nothing but good customer service from them and they are always polite. The line(s) to purchase things sometimes get a little unorganized (customers clump up rather than line up), but usually people are cool about seeing who should be up at the register next.

 

[ATCclears]

Last weekend I stopped in at Doug's Boats in Woodinville, WA. They actually had a nice selection of ammo for a small shop. I picked up 100 rounds of 9mm Hornady TAP "just because".

Adventure Sports in Lynnwood, WA has a good selection of pistols, but the shelves are more sparse for ammo. I find their prices for pistols a bit high. They do have inventory though.

Peter