I stopped in there today for the first time in a few years, as I had to run upto Maine to check on a cabin I have up there anyways.

They win in terms of stock on the floor.  I was very impressed with the shear quantity.  I was disappointed all the "evil" guns have migrated down behind the counter at floor level, while all the PC ones were in plain sight on the higher racks.   Last time I was there they had evil stuff right next to PC stuff, in highly visible upper racks.

I also wasn't too impressed by one brother in a doo-rag who was describing a handgun he was holding to a guy on a cellphone, I hope the salesman took notice too.

Their prices blow though.   $629 for a new G-30, before tax.  $750 for a used, plain jane stock Sig-229.  That's new price in most places.  $14.99 "Special" pricing on 100 round WWB value packs.

I wish they were a bit more reasonable on prices, as the floor stock is pretty impressive.  

+1

Was there Saturday....prices have always been high there and they haven't got any better...

BD

Regarding the lack of and display of semi-auto military style firearms.... I've always found that odd, but explainable (maybe).

ME is a big time hunting state. EBR's don't quite fit into that lifestyle... "what'cha need one of them fer... ain't no good fer hunting". "It's people like you that are the ones that are going to have all our guns taken away".

I'm not making any accusatory judgement against ME hunters, but when both Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe voted in favor of extending the AWB back in 2004 (but voted against the gun show "loophole"), even though Bushmaster is in their home state, it makes me wonder why all gun owners aren't on board WRT to the RKBA... regardless if they have a low opinion of non-sporting firearms or not.

It's nice to be able to walk into a place and buy lotsa black powder, no questions asked. KTP,s pretty much where most NE BP reenactors buy their BP, if not buying in bulk and getting it drop shipped.

I always get good service when I go shopping there. Something which often seems sadly missing in most gun shops.

Re the hunters and their attitudes towards EBRs, most I encounter in MA just see the gun as a tool, and will give up their guns and find another hobby if guns get too hard to buy, keep and use. They are fair weather friends at best.

I realy hope that Cabelas comes to New England soon, I think then that KTP will have some big time competition and will have to better there prices. Once a friend of mine purchased an HK USP for $680 and had it for 3 weeks when he descided he didnt want it and would rather go with the Sig 226 they had for $700. When he brought the HK back in to see what they would do on trade, they would only offer him $200 in trade value, that was a real kick in the arse!

It wasnt always this way...Ive shopped there for many yrs and at one time prices were *very* competitive. Things started downhill when they added all of the new retail space.

The last five times I have been there (over the last four months) the service has been from one extreme to the other. I think they could just be too busy. The best service I had was when I went during the day. (about 2PM).

They really turned me off recently....they had an AR-10 listed on their website so I went down to look at it. I waited by the "evil" section for thirty minutes and no one offered to help. Don't think they were all occupied...a couple of times I saw employees standing around joking and when they caught me staring at them, they separated and went on to other things (not me!).  I then left.

Some of the guys (and gals) are great, others act like you are putting them out.  

My two cents!

Key to KTP: Go on a weekday in the morning!!!  I have been there MANY times and bought many guns there, just because of the selection.  There is a guy Dana, short guy, who is really nice, so long as they are not busy.  There is this one italian looking guy who usually is in the shotgun section in the corner who is a REAL son of a you know what.  A real snob regardless of when you go.  Go on a weekend and they are all hypersensitive to what guns are out and all the people, so they are not as helpful.  When I went to decide between a Walther, a Sig 232, and a Kahr, it was on a monday morning and I had two or three guys helping me decide!  If they are not busy, the guy at the reloading area with a messed up hand is really nice too (no disrespect to him of course, just an easy way to identify him).

Another good place to go is Howell's Gun & Archery on Route 202 right off the Gray Exit on the Maine Turnpike.  They have a pretty good selection of used and new guns, and have the black rifles right out with everything else.

Yes, a lot of us Maine hunters are .30-30 lever guys who don't see the use of those military plastic rifles, but some of us hunt with .50 Beowulf AR's now!!!  I got some STRANGE looks when I came out of the woods this past fall!  I have a .45-70 lever gun too though, but the Beowulf is so much more fun to carry!

I got a letter from Sue Collins (form letter probably) saying she would never infringe upon our right to keep and bear arms.  I wrote her about some bill someone was going to vote on, but I guess not her.  Nice letter, even if it was from a politician...

Anyone in the Concord area, or Rochester, or southern NH/ME even, should get in touch with Lars at Umlaut Arms for AR15 stuff.  He built my .50 Beowulf rifle and has a site www.50beowulf.com devoted to that stuff, plus his www.umlautarms.com site is the rest of the AR stuff.  He is a great guy to deal with.

Bennets gun shop in freeport is great.  Small old fasion gunshop with stuff everywhere.  very helpful and nice...I wouldn't shop anywhere else.  Of course it's onlt 2.5 miles from the house so that helps but. LL bean is only 5 and I rarley go there.  If your driving from away to go to Beans you owe it to yourself to visit Bennet.

Been to Howells too and agree it's a nice place with some decent people.

BD

I love KTP, just so much to look at at one place.  I have never had a problem with service that wasn't related to the sheer number of people there.  Sometimes it can be hard to just look they are so packed.  Prices have always been high as far as I remember, maybe they pay high for the used guns?  I've never tried to haggle a price, but they seem like they might move on something that has been there a while.

As far as the EBR's, I think they just don't thave the space.  Rifles are usualy stacked 3-5 deep on the floor.

KTP is very hit or miss. The other day I was there, I got the Steamlight M6 for 165 bucks...new, normaly 265...the guy ahead of me in line, got a TAO1 with flat-top adapter for 525... Gun prices are high... You just need to know what's a good price and what isn't. Trying to sell guns there is a joke. During the ban, I brought in a near perfect preban AR...I figured worth around 1,200 bucks...they offered me 425. I laughed in the guys' face and told him to fuck himself. I'd rather stay broke.  Sold the gun else where, a week like for 1,500. Now what's funny, I bought it back(yes the very same gun) almost exactly a year later at KTP for 850. Go figure.

Its not the "Maine Lifestyle" that puts those EBRs out of sight. I know a Mainiac or two, up in the boonies, and you don't want to try stealing their bacon. They ALL have EBRs. Hunting guns and .milspec guns are not mutually exclusive. This is an old myth that needs a timely demise. KTP is a tourist destination. Lots of flatlanders go up there to shop. KTP is just keeping their bread buttered. They have a saying just like we do in NH, "Welcome to Maine. Now go home".  They are going to hide the offensive hardware from the sheep, of course.

Go try messing with some Maine outback folks and see what sort of firepower they have. Oh, and they hunt as well

I worked at the KTP from 9/04 to 12/04 (quick stint because I was heading back to school).

Here's my tips about getting a decent deal and good service.

Never go in on the weekends if you can help it. Half the freaking state flows through there on Saturdays and Sundays, leaving the employees hassled, stressed, and not very helpful. Best time to go in there and get plenty of service is Wednesday anytime.

If you want a no-BS trade-in value, find the older fellow with the nametag reading "Judge". He's a funny old guy who won't dick you around and makes a point of letting you know he's a straight shooter. "John B" is another good trader, don't know if he works there anymore though.

As for service on the floor, I don't know who works the floor anymore. 3/4ths of the workforce was fired shortly after I left. If she still works there, find Miriam. She's in her 40s and knows her shit. Dennis is another good one.

Also, the best place to find a deal is behind the trader counter in the middle of the gun floor. Any guns behind the counter on the shelves are rifles that have very recently been taken in on trade and haven't been placed on the floor yet. The best deals are going to be hiding back there (assuming the employees haven't already cherry-picked the best deals).

My only beef with the KTP while working there is that it's company policy to not carry ANY kind of "EBR" besides an AR-15 derivative or Beretta Storms. No AKs, UZIs, or anything "evil". SKSs are allowed though .

I have found the staff has declined in quality over the last several years.  I have gone in several times for reloading stuff and been told they did not have it only to ask one of the older guys who found it right away.  I browse but the deals are few and far between.  I only go there now for used reloading gear.  THeyt usually have decent prices on that.