Hey everyone, I thought it'd be helpful to share our experiences with local gun shops. What makes a gun shop trustworthy to you? I'm talking about everything from their selection of used guns to how fair their prices are and what kind of transfer fees you're looking at. It's always nice to find a spot where you feel comfortable and know you're getting good service. Have you had a great experience at a shop that you'd recommend? Or maybe you've run into some issues that others should know about? Let's help each other out here. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and recommendations!
Trusted Gun Shop Reviews
- Thread starter RangeHot
- Start date
Scarpia
New member
Where do I begin? These are local shops where I have purchased guns:
Pintos, Ben's Loans, Renton;
Foothills Firearms, Covington;
Bear Arms, Kent;
Sportsman's Warehouse, Federal Way and Puyallup;
Fall City Firearms;
Pantel Tactical, Renton.
I recommend any of them, but I also prefer buying from a Mom and Pop store mainly to help keep them in business. The big box stores don't have their survival issues. I find some smaller shops tack on shipping charges where the big box stores don't.
(Sadly, DJ's in Bothell is gone. The owner told me personally he was tired of dealing with the government and decided to close down. They were a good shop with a huge inventory.)
I find all shop's prices are within a few bucks of each other. I absolutely avoid Wades and other retailers that price at MSRP. I've bought on-line at GunBroker and Bud's but shipping charges, transfer and CC fees can neutralize an affordable gun.
I avoid Sportco in Fife due to an insulting remark by a counter guy several years ago. I asked if they had any particular gun in stock. The idiot behind the counter looked at me and said, 'we only sell quality guns'. The jerk did not even know what I was interested in. I took his remark to suggest I was a cheap kind of guy only capable of buying junk. Uh, f-you dude. Never went back.
As a reloader, Pintos is my go-to local shop. Sportsman's is OK, but Pintos has a wider bullet and powder selection. Maybe someone on the West Side will open a shop like Three Forks in Cle Elum. For those who don't know, Three Forks just sells ammo, reloading supplies and accessories, they don't sell guns. It's an 80+ mile drive via I-90 and yes, the cost of gas to get there can be an issue, but it's a nice one-day getaway. I make the run via motorcycle.
Pintos, Ben's Loans, Renton;
Foothills Firearms, Covington;
Bear Arms, Kent;
Sportsman's Warehouse, Federal Way and Puyallup;
Fall City Firearms;
Pantel Tactical, Renton.
I recommend any of them, but I also prefer buying from a Mom and Pop store mainly to help keep them in business. The big box stores don't have their survival issues. I find some smaller shops tack on shipping charges where the big box stores don't.
(Sadly, DJ's in Bothell is gone. The owner told me personally he was tired of dealing with the government and decided to close down. They were a good shop with a huge inventory.)
I find all shop's prices are within a few bucks of each other. I absolutely avoid Wades and other retailers that price at MSRP. I've bought on-line at GunBroker and Bud's but shipping charges, transfer and CC fees can neutralize an affordable gun.
I avoid Sportco in Fife due to an insulting remark by a counter guy several years ago. I asked if they had any particular gun in stock. The idiot behind the counter looked at me and said, 'we only sell quality guns'. The jerk did not even know what I was interested in. I took his remark to suggest I was a cheap kind of guy only capable of buying junk. Uh, f-you dude. Never went back.
As a reloader, Pintos is my go-to local shop. Sportsman's is OK, but Pintos has a wider bullet and powder selection. Maybe someone on the West Side will open a shop like Three Forks in Cle Elum. For those who don't know, Three Forks just sells ammo, reloading supplies and accessories, they don't sell guns. It's an 80+ mile drive via I-90 and yes, the cost of gas to get there can be an issue, but it's a nice one-day getaway. I make the run via motorcycle.
