One of the BEST gun shops was in Delaware.
If there was a new gun you wanted, he'd give SGN to find it and figure in the shipping plus $10 for him .[/B](THATS RIGHT JUST $10 PROFIT)[/B]
If he had a used gun you wanted to try out, you could buy box of shells and shoot it right out the front door into a pile of railroad ties.
He had a FA, open bolt, M-12 paintball gun once that he let people shoot as long as they bought a box of ammo for it ($20 for a box of 50).
That was fun.  Load the 30rd mag shoot at paper in FA...


BIHSOP

Here in the Columbia/Lexington, SC corner of the world, it kinda depends on the individual at each shop.  Some people are great, but most are totally lacking in any kind of social graces.

In the gunshop where my wife and I spend a lot of money, we too have been ignored by the staff.  There are one or two guys there who will speak to us, and even one guy who will come shake my hand when I come in.

But overall, it's a crapshoot.  When I was recently planning on buying a rifle from a friend near Boston, I called 4 different shops, asking how I had to do it, in order to be legal.  No surprise that I got 4 different opinions!  I finally called the BATF, who admitted that they too, were unsure.  But at least they looked it up in their books, and read the facts to me.

It's a sad fact that no matter how much money you spend at one of our local gunshops, they still treat you like crap.  Once they get the cash register going and check your buying history and credit, they treat you like they should have treated you all along.

ARnSC

The biggest thing I don't like (and it only happened once) is a staff that doesn't know how to strip a weapon that they sell. My wife and I went to get her a Taurus PT-111, and they couldn't get it stripped. But then again, even the directions from Taurus are vague.
The higher priced gunshops let me handle any weapon I want, even though the signs say "Do not Ask to Handle Weapons Unless you are Serious" even if I'm just browsing. They got quite a bit of money from me. They are also the ONLY stocking Wilson dealer in the area.

[smoke]

How far is this place from the Tennessee border??? [:)]

I had a gun store owner trying to tell my that light bullets are the best for long range....another time I went in pricing kimbers and he said "Kimbers are overpriced crap...you really need a colt defender"

Memphis has a couple of good ones and some really shitty ones too.
The most common one in town is called
Guns and Assholes....cause of how they act.

Phils will not sell to you if he does not like you.

Classic is A+ on service and selection. Price is ok.

Dowdel Sports is very nice to deal with. Many high dollar guns. Good smith in back.

Best one in the area is Gunslinger....in Sommervile!!!!

We have the whole spectrum of shops here in the Philly burbs...  There's 5 shops all within 20 minutes of home...(shop names witheld to protect the clueless, email if you must know.)

5 minutes:  Total dopes.. Walked in once looking for a Kimber, they didn't have any, but sure did make a pitch on a CD and a Norinco. Neither guy behind the counter knew how to field strip on properly, and both had holster-rusted wheelguns on their hips with corrosion visible on the case rims... You be the judge... Also, when asked if they could order an AR Lower for me, the response was "What's that?"

15 minutes North:  Run by 3 Ex (not-retired.) LEO's...  If you don't have an FOP tag on your vehicle, all prices just went up 30%.  No dry firing or field stripping allowed... poor ammo selection... only carries cheesy aftermarket mags.. BUT they have an outstanding archery selection and indoor 3d range.

20 Minutes North: Nice shop, decent selection, knowledgable staff... Prices quite reasonable.  Not the best for special orders, their markup is a bit high, and they really avoid transfers.

20 Minutes Northwest: Shop with indoor range... all prices about 40-75% above local average.. has own indoor range.. must buy their ammo, at about 25% above local average, 3 rnd in mag limit, no "rapid fire". Takes serials for all firearms to be used...  Will probably go under soon...

25 Minutes Northwest:  Small shop with great people that know their stuff and remember your name after 2 or 3 visits. Best prices on new and used.. no crap in inventory... if they can't sell it with a clean conscience, they won't take it in trade. True gunsmiths..  Transfers are cheap.. If they don't have it, they'll get it... Offer's opinions only when asked, and stays objective. Real class acts, and get a lot of return business. Worth the extra drive.

They're not all bad...  Just be sure to support the occaisional gem..

I was at a gunshop, when a worker handed a revolver to the guy next to me.  As the customer is fondling it, he realises it was loaded.  Turns out it was one of the workers carry piece, and somebody didn't do the customary check.  If that customer had tried out the trigger pull, I prolly woulden't be typing this today.  I  still shopped there, since they didn't kill me.

THINGS I CANT STAND AT LOCAL GUNSHOPS??

The "Out of Business" signs (2 major ones in the last couple of years).  

Have any of you had this experience at a hunting-oriented gun shop?

You: "Hello, I was wondering if you could order in a Bushmaster..."

Owner: "No."

You: "Excuse me?"

Owner: "We don't handle THOSE type of guns"

The shop I go to has been pretty good to me.  I bought my Kimber and Savage 110FP from them, the Kimber new, and the Savage used.  They always have enough staff, are helpful, friendly, non-snobbish, and have good selection.  They will let you handle or strip anything but the most priceless stuff.  Testing trigger pull is encouraged, as everyone (other than the a**hole idiot that had the Taurus PT92 I wanted to buy at the Milwaukee Gunshow but didn't) knows that dry firing will not hurt a quality modern firearm.  Ammo prices are a little steep, gun prices run about average or a little better.  Occasional gems in the used gun rack.  They have an indoor range, gunsmith, and NRA pistol instructor.  They stock almost everything including master Kimber dealer and authorized HK dealer.  Wouldn't order a Sarzilmaz O/U for me though...the owner was concerned about how to handle parts issues, if it breaks, etc.

Get this though...literally almost everytime I am in there, some dude is in there with his woman, fondling a glock or other wonder 9, and then tries to get them to sell to his girl instead of him.

"Who is this gun for?  Is it for you or you?"
Girl: "Uhhhh....it's for me".
"Looks to me like she's buying it for you.  That's called a straw purchase and his a felony violation of the law if you are a felon.  Can you pass NICS?"
Guy: "Uhhhh yo man, I ain't gotta do dat, is fo her!"
Gun store dude:  "I can't sell this to you.  Unless you both pass NICS."
Guy and girl: "Uhhh, we'll come back later".
 

My local shop is OK - they have a good selection of guns and are defense oriented. They do stock hunting rifles, but they emphasize CCW and self defense. They always have a bunch of M1A's, pre and post ban AR's, etc.  Prices are pretty good, and they are building an indoor pistol range as well as an outdoor rifle range.
For you disgruntled Marylanders, it is less than 3 miles across the line, in Shrewsbury, Pa.

Edited to add, they are also a Class-III dealer and have Vector Uzis in stock.

Cato556: Yes, but in MD dealers need special permission from the MDSP to sell handguns and "assault" weapons, so some of the hunter-oriented shops dont bother to get one.

Kharn