Thoughts and Experiences on Local Shops

[FPL53]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some input, good and bad, including pricing for a few local to me gun dealers. Also looking to see how they compare to the big box stores like Cabela's (yeah, I know they're out of state) and Bass Pro and the likes of them.

The three "local" shops to me I'm scoping out are Hendershots (Hagerstown), Glade Valley (Frederick) and Atlantic Guns (Rockville). I have so far only spent a few minutes at Hendershots, large collection of long barrels but small collection of handguns. I was at Atlantic Guns the other week for a short period, they were packed with people, and they have a larger collection of handguns and smaller collection of long barrels.

I'm in the market for a few handguns and maybe a 5.56/.223 or a second 7.62 prior to the end of next month since I'll be stuck in the NON free state for years to come. While at Atlantic I was looking at a couple of Glocks, XD's, FN's and HK's.

Since my plans are for plunking down some serious change I like to do some research prior to the depletion of my bank account.

Thanks for any and all info.

 

[Boom Boom]

Visit shops from our Industry Partners list. You've barely scratched the surface. Definitely visit Hafer's based on your list.
http://www.mdshooters.com/forumdisplay.php?f=106

Also check out Gunrunners on East Patrick Street (not an Industry Partner). Small shop but usually interesting.

I never buy at a big box stores. Spotty service. No time for questions and general chat. High risk of ID theft. You feel like a number.

 

[fivepointstar]

use the search option, there's some intel on several gun stores

 

[wanman75]

Definitely check out Engage in Rockville as well. Great bunch of guys there.

 

[FPL53]

Definitely check out Engage in Rockville as well. Great bunch of guys there.

Oops, I forgot about them, I was briefly in there too the other week and I've also been to their old place when they were located at Guns and Trains in Kensington.

I do plan on checking out a couple of the IP's here, they're just a much farther drive. When I head down to Hopkins in a couple of weeks I'll probably stop by one or two IP's since they are closer to the Baltimore areas. I'll also be doing a lot of training and have been seriously following the Training Section of the forums.

Also hoping some of the IP's will be in Gettysburg next weekend.

It just so happens my luck for the final opportunity to start purchasing some of the guns I like just so happens to be around SB281. That's Murphy's Law for you.

 

[RDavidP]

Definitely check out Engage in Rockville as well. Great bunch of guys there.

I live in Frederick and now only shop at Engage. Glade Valley as far as I know is not on time releasing, Gunrunners has just now started on time releasing but you have to wait through the backlog, don't know about The Gun Center. I don't care if a store has started on time releasing this late. They should have done it sooner. They still do not deserve my business.

 

[Shamr0ck]

Where I start:

+1 on Hafers - great team, will order for you - 10 day release with waiver. usually has glocks, Sigs, good selection of 1911s and an occasional HK/Walther
+1 on Engage - great selection, fair prices (their PPQ prices was exactly the same as Hafers). on time release.
Shooter's Discount - love lou's place as it is a fun place to shop and you never know what he will have in stock. I've purchased several LE trades from him and a reasonably priced rifle when others were gouging. 10 day release. Lou was in the vanguard of releasing on time

Where I've purchased, but not my first choice
Hendershots, in my experience has a wider selection than most shops locally, but is pricey. lots of bolt rifles (mostly sporter/hunting) and very nice shotguns. some AR type rifles and about 20' of pistol case with a reasonable selection of manufacturers. I overpaid for a pistol here when compared to the price Hafer's wanted.
GunShack (mt Airy) - nice folks, have purchased several .22 rifles over the past several years. very thin selection of handguns the last time i was in - prefer to drive 400 yards further and go see Shooter's Discount
Atlantic - both Rockville and SilverSpring location. while they have a good selection and their gunsmith turn around was fast for an air rifle I needed repaired - I find their prices high, the customer skills lacking in most of the staff, and if i am not mistaken, they are not releasing on time <-- this may have recently changed. IF, I REALLY need something TODAY, I may be willing to go purchase from them, but i know I'll pay a hefty premium for it over another IP

Where I no longer/won't shop:
Glade - have never been impressed with their selection, their customer service nor pricing.
GunRunners - long standing customers LOVE this place, but I've not done business with them due to their release policy. It apparently has just changed, but they've such a backlog now, I don't see me giving them any business before 01 Oct.
TheGunCenter - long standing challenges with prices being too high (but they have a good selection), arrogant/rude staff and currently are still refusing to release until ND from MSP.

just my opinions/feedback - worth what you paid....

 

[Omaha419]

Bart's in Glen Burnie. Limited but good experience with them. Decent selection.

 

[Bootknife]

ENGAGE Is The Place and 2A is also great!

 

[TheSPkid]

Check out 2A Sales near Laurel when you come down to the Baltimore area. 15 minute drive off of 695

 

[vinjet700]

Bollinger's in Taneytown.... Great shop and even better people

 

[Shamr0ck]

Bollinger's in Taneytown.... Great shop and even better people

True that - I didn't list Bollingers -- my bad.

They are great folks - have 2 cute kids and the dogs are a blast. Bob does some very fine work and while i haven't had him build me a rifle yet - he does have one of my pistols (LE Trade) which he is restoring from all the holster wear. I should have it back in a week or so.

Bob and Brandi are great people. they release on-time. they are HAPPY to take transfers in and don't charge an exorbitant fee. I know he usually has a shotgun or two on the wall and a couple of rifles on display and occasionally will have some LE Trade ins on pistols.

+1 on 2a -- have purchased some components there - I just don't get down that way very much - nice folks, very loyal customers which tells you they understand the service side of the business.

 

[DuckFoot]

Can't go wrong with Engage or Shooters Discount. I've purchased from both. Engage has a great deal of long guns. Their pistol selection is good as well. Just be careful, Brutus might try and chew your shoes! Shooters has good stuff as well. Lou gets very nice LE trade ins. Always worth a look.
Never purchased from Atlantic, but I've been to the Rockville store. Always busy. Descent pistol selection. I live 5 minutes from Glade, never been in. Not sure when they are open. They always appear to be closed. Been in the Gun Center a few times, nice selection but I got ignored and actually had to wave a box of ammo at the one guy in the hat to get him to acknowledge I was there to buy it. I just plain gave up after that.
If you don't mind the drive, check out Duffy's near Sparks/Hunt Valley. Nice people, good selection. I used to go there when I lived in CC.

 

[ma_deuce]

Stay far, far away from Gun Center in Frederick. You can run a search - no reason for me to belabor it.

 

[SteveFinMD]

This is a great thread. I'm glad you asked the question.

 

[FPL53]

Thanks guys, this is the type of info I'm looking for. Great write up Shamr0ck, very helpful. If Bollinger's is close to 26 in Taneytown then I'm not too far. Every once in a while I find myself heading up that way. DuckFoot, I too am just minutes from Glade but haven't been in yet since each time I drive by they are closed. Atlantic Guns is doing a 14 day release ONLY if you have purchased from them within the last 5 years. However, if you are also purchasing a non regulated at the same time as the regulated they will also do the 14 day.

In two weeks I'll be checking out 2A, Continental and Freestate. Hafers is probably a little far but hey, you never know when it's time for a road trip.

I don't mind if prices are a little higher then at other (but not extremely higher) shops as long as the service is there. There is always a difference between price versus cost. I'd rather shop at a place that spends a little more time with a noob then a current customer because educating someone is always important. However, on my last visit to Atlantic I was right before someone who was there for a simple purchase and knowing I was going to take a while with questions I let him go ahead of me. Both he and the employee seemed to really appreciate it. The employee came right back to me after the sale ring up and spent some quality time showing me the differences between a few pistols. Even though the place was packed he took his time with me. To me, that is worth a couple of extra bucks.

 

[swinokur]

Definitely check out Engage in Rockville as well. Great bunch of guys there.

yep. Great staff. Great prices.

 

[EvilOlive]

I have been into Glade a couple of times. They have odd hours, I believe because they don't focus on the storefront. They (like many other FFL's) have day jobs outside the shop. They are focused more on shows. They do however make their own suppressors, which I thought was cool. I thought it would be neat to have a can stamped "Made in Frederick, MD" but after about 40 minutes of being told I was crazy to suppress a Sig and should instead purchase a Ruger from them, I gave up.

Gun Runners is a fun place to shop, as you can always count on some old times hanging out in shooting the shit. Before the craziness I sent me internet purchases that way. Most of what he has on hand is consignment.

Engage - I can't say enough about these guys. Great service, decent selection, and always happy to help a newbie. If I have a choice, this is where I go. Unfortunately, they have been forced to stop accepting transfers of regulated items due to how busy they have gotten.

Thats all I've got...

-e0

 

[EvilOlive]

Oh, and the only thing nice I can say about the Gun Center is they always have a decent selection of CZ's... Not that I would buy anything there, but I sometime stop in to check them out. (the CZ thing is a bit of an addiction to me)

-e0

 

[FPL53]

Oh, and the only thing nice I can say about the Gun Center is they always have a decent selection of CZ's... Not that I would buy anything there, but I sometime stop in to check them out. (the CZ thing is a bit of an addiction to me)

-e0

Unfortunately, I have an HK and FNH obsession. Must be something about that part of the world. I think part of it is partly ancestry and the other part is quality in everything that comes out of that part of town. I also have an AK obsession which is probably from my other half of ancestry.