Support your Local FFL! not your big name stores

[high country]

I learned a few local smiths actually send their work off. I saw were it goes and who it comes from. their is no better guys to talk to then sam and mel.....not a snowballs chance that they would talk down to you.

gutpile, I can't quote his price for him, but dont be surprised if $40 for stainless and $50 for matte blue is not what he comes back with for a recontour. $90 to flute, and I would not be surprised if that did not include a reblue or bead blast if you wanted it.

[DOUBLELUNG]

I support my local shops when I get value for service.  I do NOT appreciate the higher priced local shops where the proprietors feel I owe them my business or else I am a jerk, especially when all they are offering is the same product as the chains at a higher price. 

In Wenatchee, there are two great gun/sporting goods dealers I am happy to support.  There is another who meets every bad trait listed above, and has never received a nickel from me, and won't ever see me in their shop again.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I'll throw out a second for  Mel Doyle...  Superb work from what I've heard, (heard from people that know what they're talking about). I've never had any work from his shop, but I would if the need comes up.

-Steve

[724wd]

I was just going to go to Brock's but I don't really get the "warm fuzzy's" when I go there.

STAY AWAY FROM BROCKS!  WORST 'GUNSMITH' I'VE EVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE TO DEAL WITH!

EDIT:  same with mountain shadow.  that guy wouldn't order a holster for me, even when i gave him the manufactures part number.  I told him i wanted to buy it from him, and he told me to buy it online!  said it wasnt worth his time!       last time i darkened HIS doorstep!

[724wd]

oh, and i had a gun blued by Mel several years ago.  great price, QUICK turnaround, and just the finish i wanted.

[Angus]

Nothing I hate more then arrogant salesman. Though I don't buy many guns anymore since switching to archery in the mid-90's its the same with them, I like to support the little guys but have absolutely no problem taking my $ and walking out the door if I get a bad vibe. When I bought my last bow I went to 3 small shops before dropping $1050 on bow and accessories, I'll never go back to the 1st 2 shops.
I've been in xXx archery across the river from me in Rainier Or. and when its time for a new bow, they WILL get my business, always get good service and enjoy BS'ing with the guys that own it.

[Tony 270]

Gun shop, tackle shop, any shop... I prefer to go to the smaller guys rather than the big chains, but many times they just don't have what I want or the price makes me go  

If they had what I want for the same price, or barely any higher than the big chains I'd happily buy from them. Big ticket item, price better be very close. Small item, I'll pay extra. But have been in many smaller shops where it is hard to get any service or they have a horrible attitude, like they're doing you a favor rather than the other way around.

[HEADSHOT]

Nothing I hate more then arrogant salesman. Though I don't buy many guns anymore since switching to archery in the mid-90's its the same with them, I like to support the little guys but have absolutely no problem taking my $ and walking out the door if I get a bad vibe. When I bought my last bow I went to 3 small shops before dropping $1050 on bow and accessories, I'll never go back to the 1st 2 shops.
I've been in xXx archery across the river from me in Rainier Or. and when its time for a new bow, they WILL get my business, always get good service and enjoy BS'ing with the guys that own it.

xXx is top knotch! I dig there custom strings! best in the world! And it helps that there close by! "also OREGON BOWHUNTING DVD" rocks!

[Jburke]

I was just going to go to Brock's but I don't really get the "warm fuzzy's" when I go there.

STAY AWAY FROM BROCKS!  WORST 'GUNSMITH' I'VE EVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE TO DEAL WITH!

EDIT:  same with mountain shadow.  that guy wouldn't order a holster for me, even when i gave him the manufactures part number.  I told him i wanted to buy it from him, and he told me to buy it online!  said it wasnt worth his time!       last time i darkened HIS doorstep!

I have had the same problems with both of these places.  I took in a gun to have a new trigger installed at mountain shadow and was told it would only take him a few days.  It took him over two weeks to get it done!  Also had a friend take in a gun to have it tapped to add a scope and it took him almost two weeks to get his back as well.  There is hope for brocks in the future though.  Brocks is currently up for sale, he's retiring.  Lets hope that someone can turn it around and do a better job with it.

I can honestly say that I have had bad service from big and small shops.  I know that part of it is just stereotyping.  I'm only 26, but I'm not stupid.  I know they look for the middle aged men with the extra income, not the young kid.  Also know many women that have had the same kind of problem.  Treat me like crap an I won't buy from you.  That's the bottom line, I don't care if it's a small shop or big chain store.

[high country]

were I in just a bit better fiscal shape I would buy jims joint and reverse the trend. I see a shop not too far off in my future.  for the spokane guys, I will say this, I can't tell you which or all send work to doyles but he recieves a lot of work from smiths mentioned here as well as the biggest gun chain store we know of he accepts work via mail and I just about guarentee that shipping included, his price and turn time will be 1/2 of what you are used to. never met a guy that I could say was any better at making you feel welcome.

mel builds everthing from a $300 scoped mauser to full customs. his daily customers are from a poor sector of north idaho and big name stores. he has diplomacy figured out.

[demontang]

I have never bought a gun from a big chain store. But I won't pay a price that's way out there from a small biz either. I won't buy from them if the serv is bad either.

[yorketransport]

I'll give a plug for my favorite local gun shop. I buy all of my new guns and a good portion of my used guns from Mary's Pistols in Tacoma. Mary's parents ran a shop (Paul's Guns I think ) in Tacoma for years. They sell mostly para-military stuff and handguns, but at any give time there may be more than 300 models in the small little shop. Dan and Mary are good, honest, hard working folks who really know their stuff.

On top of all this, they have pretty much the best prices around and a knack for finding the hard to get stuff. This is where I got my Dan Wesson CCBT 10mm, Ruger Alaskan 375 Ruger (nobody else could get one at the time), and most recently the Chiappa Rhino 357 mag. Not to mention the Auto Mag and the 45 Wildey magnum (with a ton of factory ammo) that they have for sale (They're a steal at the asking price, but still a bit out of my league).

I'll admit that when money was a little tighter I shopped purely by price. Now I give my money to the people who I feel actually deserve it. This applies to guns as well as everything else I buy. As a FedEx Ground contractor, I get paid by the package. So my best customers (the ones who I pick up and deliver the most to) are literally paying my bills every time they ship or recieve a package through me. I will drive into Tacoma to support the businesses that support me.

Andrew

[Mustangman]

So I have to ask: What shops are good in the Spokane/North Idaho area? Just like many of you, I've had some pretty bad service from several local shops. I'm a veteran, a tactical handgun instructor and probably put more lead downrange than some of these guys standing behind the counter acting like an expert.

[Mossy]

So I have to ask: What shops are good in the Spokane/North Idaho area? Just like many of you, I've had some pretty bad service from several local shops. I'm a veteran, a tactical handgun instructor and probably put more lead downrange than some of these guys standing behind the counter acting like an expert.

I buy at white elephant and daves guns most of the time.

[high country]

terry at all american arms and keith bean at nw pawn & collector arms. north id I see pony express. daves guns has been good to me in the past as well.