Worth-A-Poop

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  • INMY01TA

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 29, 2008
    5,816
    I've bought there several times. Prices are high on some things, normal on others. If you know what you want and what you should pay you can do alright there. I've never had an issue. Donna gave me 8 day release during the 2013 madness and they let me bring my own locks. If they have what I want for a good price I'll use them again.
     

    SWO Daddy

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 18, 2011
    2,468
    I live extremely close to this place and have tried to give them business a few times - particularly as their hours are fantastic for a gun shop. In the two transactions I've done with them I've left frustrated / pissed both times.

    The people working there seem nice enough, but they often either don't know the laws/regulations or have their own silly rules.

    For example, I had to bring in a print out from the MSP web page showing that I didn't need to buy a bore lock with my HK. The pimply kid behind the counter was completely deer in the headlights and had to ask Donna for help.

    Another example is that they make you sign an absurd waiver basically promising not to shoot yourself or anyone else. You get to listen to the pimply guy dictate it to you as stand there too.

    On top of all this, their prices are high, though they've gotten better recently.
     

    SWO Daddy

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 18, 2011
    2,468
    Do they know or even care about their perception? Not saying this forum has every gun buyer that there maybe but with few here having a positive comment its hard to believe that the rest of the area population feels different.

    My guess is a significant portion of their business is with police officers. The owners are former cops of course.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    Never patronized the establishment, as it isn't close to me, or not part of a circuit of multiple gun shops for a trip on purpose. Maybe someday I'll be in the neighborhood for other purpose and have free time ?

    But the #4 on origional list of grievences isn't on them . That is MSP policy . Not backed by statute or. COMAR , but is their policy for everyone.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,410
    Glen Burnie
    I went in there when they first opened, asking if they want an extra instructor for misc type training, etc... Seems they didn't want to "diversify" their training. Whatever. Went back in to inquire about Blue Label and there was a Mother and who appeared to be a couple "friends" of theirs working behind the counter. The Mother (Donna's) was wrong with just about every aspect of the program and their prices were the higher than blue label prices iirc. Place wreaked of incompetence. Shame any ordinary Joe off the street has no clue about places like these, because they simply don't know better.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Another example is that they make you sign an absurd waiver basically promising not to shoot yourself or anyone else.

    I thought it was kind of absurd when I read others would not even step foot in the place based on others experiences posted here, but that statement above just changed my mind.
     

    KJackson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 3, 2017
    8,614
    Carroll County
    I went there for my HQL a while back because they offered "One stop shopping" with the class, fingerprints, and application. Mind you, I think that this was before I started coming here and learned about the fine IPs here. One thing that Donna harped on during the class was how much time they had to spend learning MD law because it changes every day. The "live fire" portion of the class was a joke. Since they don't have a range, we went into the back room, one at a time, to fire what I am guessing was a Ruger .22 of the Mark series into a bullet trap. The instructor had a 'death grip' on the top of the gun and all the student did was to hold the grip and pull the trigger. Guess that satisfies the "letter of the law". During the breaks in the class, I tried asking various sales people if they were planning on stocking the Walther Creed (It wasn't available in MD at the time) and supposedly only Donna knew what the plans were for that.

    I did get a compliment out of her, (or rather my wife did), during the class when she asked if anyone knew what the MD laws were regarding storage of a firearm within the home. When she asked me, my reply was, "It doesn't matter, because whatever they are, my wife's rules are tougher." Her reply was, "Good woman."
     

    trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    Interesting thread. I didn't realize that Worth-A-Shot was garnering a reputation as being a place not to go to. I went there to get my HQL - like KJackson, it was a situation where it was a one-stop-shop sort of thing. They seemed to know the ins and outs of the HQL process, plus they had the Livescan fingerprinting on the premises. I didn't have to do the live fire portion of the HQL - my DD214 took care of that.

    At the time I chatted a bit with the folks behind the counter, and I looked at some things in the case, but the prices didn't exactly wow me and they didn't have anything that I felt I needed to have. I really haven't been in there since then. I might have to make a point to go in so I can make my own assessment of the status quo in that shop. I seem to have different experiences than some though - for instance, I've never had a bad experience at Continental either.
     
    Last edited:

    slowpoke

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 2, 2011
    1,114
    Annapolis
    I inquired by email a few months ago about the Blue Label program. Received no response. Didn't bother following up.

    There are plenty of local shops with great people in the area that I enjoy talking and doing business with, but worth-a-shot won't be on that list.
     

    Mr. Ed

    This IS my Happy Face
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 8, 2009
    7,899
    Edgewater
    If an LGS (or any retailer for that matter) really cared about customer service, wouldn't they PM each person who related a negative experience in this thread to see what happened, and try to make it right? :rolleyes:

    Or maybe they have enough LEO business and family money to stay in business. Or maybe they just don't GAS.
     

    dblas

    Past President, MSI
    MDS Supporter
    Apr 6, 2011
    13,087
    Interesting thread. I didn't realize that Worth-A-Shot was garnering a reputation as being a place not to go. I went there to get my HQL - like KJackson, it was a situation where it was a one-stop-shop sort of thing. They seemed to know the ins and outs of the HQL process, plus they had the Livescan fingerprinting on the premises. I didn't have to do the live fire portion of the HQL - my DD214 took care of that.

    At the time I chatted a bit with the folks behind the counter, and I looked at some things in the case, but the prices didn't exactly wow me and they didn't have anything that I felt I needed to have. I really haven't been in there since then. I might have to make a point to go in so I can make my own assessment of the status quo in that shop. I seem to have different experiences than some though - for instance, I've never had a bad experience at Continental either.

    If that is the case, then your DD214 should have gotten you out of the entire training. There is no exemption from the live fire for anyone, the exemption is for the entire HQL training. So either they are not following the law, by exempting people from the live fire portion, or they screwed you by charging you for a class that you were exempt from.
     

    Stoveman

    TV Personality
    Patriot Picket
    Sep 2, 2013
    27,990
    Cuba on the Chesapeake
    If that is the case, then your DD214 should have gotten you out of the entire training. There is no exemption from the live fire for anyone, the exemption is for the entire HQL training. So either they are not following the law, by exempting people from the live fire portion, or they screwed you by charging you for a class that you were exempt from.



    So I guess you're not a fan either, eh? :lol2:



    Seriously, in all the responses so far there have been what, 1-2 that aren't complete "stay away" reviews?

    Who has seen the same type of bad press for 2A or Engage or Duffy's?

    Plenty of very good shops out there not to put up with sub par service, knowledge of MD gun laws or pricing.
     

    SWO Daddy

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 18, 2011
    2,468
    If that is the case, then your DD214 should have gotten you out of the entire training. There is no exemption from the live fire for anyone, the exemption is for the entire HQL training. So either they are not following the law, by exempting people from the live fire portion, or they screwed you by charging you for a class that you were exempt from.

    Sounds like they took his money.

    I asked about getting training for my wife for her VA permit and they said she'd have to take a live fire class. Rather than argue, I just left.

    Best thread title ever, by the way.
     

    hir

    Member
    Mar 25, 2013
    32
    I think Donna lacks professionalism. Especially since she is the owner. I do not understand why she would yell at a student for not "going along" (not a firearm safety issue). Business might be struggling so that might be the source of tension.
     

    Schipperke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 19, 2013
    18,540
    SpecialEdCrankYankers.jpg


    My guess is a significant portion of their business is with police officers. The owners are former cops of course.

    That is the crux of this biscuit.
     

    MocoJed

    Active Member
    Nov 16, 2015
    474
    Loco Moco
    I went there for my HQL a while back because they offered "One stop shopping" with the class, fingerprints, and application. Mind you, I think that this was before I started coming here and learned about the fine IPs here. One thing that Donna harped on during the class was how much time they had to spend learning MD law because it changes every day. The "live fire" portion of the class was a joke. Since they don't have a range, we went into the back room, one at a time, to fire what I am guessing was a Ruger .22 of the Mark series into a bullet trap. The instructor had a 'death grip' on the top of the gun and all the student did was to hold the grip and pull the trigger. Guess that satisfies the "letter of the law".

    I had a similar experience, went there for the HQL prior to joining MDS. Overall, they ran the HQL process like a well-oiled machine, truly had it down from start to finish. However, I got the impression that she was very pro-HQL... mostly because the class the class of newbs was talked down to for not having detailed knowledge of Maryland's firearms laws. I can understand pushing the class for further training, but I didn't really like the content justifying the need for an HQL process.
     

    Neot

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 11, 2009
    2,394
    South County
    I contacted them about a Blue Label purchase (is the item in stock, price, etc) a while back and they said they couldn't quote me a price over the phone. Um....everyone who is Blue Label should be quoting the same price. So I contacted United Gun Shop, who told me they had the gun in stock and quoted the price out the door. I gladly drove more miles and spent my money there. The only saving grace that I could find about Worth-A-Shot is the HQL finger printing price is less than a lot of other places and they don't require an appointment. Other than that, they can smell the piss as far as I'm concerned.
     

    DontTreadOnMe

    Active Member
    Dec 10, 2016
    638
    When I bought my first gun and didn't know better I went there. The gun price was average but everything else was expensive. The bore lock cost $30, and as a new gun owner I didn't know about it until I picked the gun up, so I didn't have a choice but to pay for it. I felt that they were taking advantage of new gun buyers. Now that I know of better gun shops, I won't go back.


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