I'm looking for a Ruger SR1911, my local guy back at home has one for $550 but he wont ship it up here to me.

Anywhere other than Trader Jerrys in the Roanoke area (within an hour drive) that has good prices?

Sportsmans Warehouse usually has good prices for a retails store

Whitetail Outfitters. Good prices and great staff.

Possibly Safeside Tactical.  If you are heading towards Martinsville check out Town Gun.

Roanoke Firearms. Corner of Hershberger and Cove Roads. Roy, Scott, and Dennis are great and knowledgeable guys.

I have a beef with two of the most well known gun stores here in Roanoke.

Trader Jerry's, back in 2006 I was preparing to celebrate my 21st birthday with a handgun purchase.  I was going to get an HK P2000 V2 40, Trader Jerry's had the best price at $625.  I told him to add night sights for $725.  I talked to one of the head dudes 6 months before my birthday.  And then I reminded him 1 month before my birthday that I was ready to purchase.  He said he didn't have any and wouldn't be able to get any.  So, okay... I'll just have to transfer one in, then.  He (I assume) made up a story about how he WISHES he could transfer a gun for me, but the ATF had come into the store and told him that he can no longer transfer a gun in the mail that came from a non-FFL holder.  Sounded kind of fishy to me... so I started shopping around.

That took me to Roanoke Firearms.  At this point I had found an HK P2000sk V2 40 that was a killer deal on GunBroker and was ready to buy.  They told me "yeahhhhhhhh we'll transfer it as long as we don't have one in stock".  The one on GunBroker was $550 and came with an $80 light.  They had a used 9mm P2000sk V3 (wrong caliber, wrong trigger) in their case for $1100.  I said nothing about it because it was a different gun.  They agreed to do the transfer.  When the gun finally came in, they said that I was lucky that they forgot they had a P2000sk in stock because they wouldn't have done this transfer.  When I pointed out it was the wrong caliber and wrong trigger configuration, they said they still wouldn't have done the transfer.

Haven't been to Safeside Tactical yet.  Sportsman's Warehouse is pretty high priced, but not as bad as Gander.  A few other small shops in the area have okay prices.

I really hate that we are forced to use FFLs for transfers.  I mostly stick to VA Gun Trader now.

This is a similar story as to why I'm not a huge fan of Safeside Tactical. I went in asking for a transfer and they said if its a new gun its $25 and if its a used gun is (I think) $40. Thats bullshit, I want to transfer a gun in because either you dont have what I'm looking for, or your do and your price is too high.


FWIW, I went to Trader Jerrys. Extremely nice shop, very nice help. The prices...I feel could have been a good bit better. I was looking for a Springfield Range Officer, they had it for $799, almost $80 higher than what I bought it for at another shop the next day. Some prices were ok, they had  a Ruger 1911 Lightweight for $719.

I'll pass along a great shop and a great FFL I've found.

Leatherneck Gunsmithing (Dave 540-598-4994). $20 transfers, lives a little out of Roanoke near Stewartsville (so like 5 min from me). Extremely nice, very accomodating.

Indian Rock Tactical for a gun shop. They dont keep much in stock, but the obviously can order whatever you like. Best prices I've found anywhere up here. Talk to Todd (the owner).

TJ 2s has decent prices on guns (NOT ammo) if you can handle some of the asshats that work there

Roanoke Firearms prices have been too high for years. Not sure if theyve come down any since Sportsmans has reopened.

Im not sure how you can say SW's prices are too high and even compare them to Gander. They have the lowest prices Ive seen, except for online, and thats including the other mentioned stores as well as Whitetail Outfitters in NRV.

If you want a good, easy and cheap transfer, go see Family Pawn across the street form Jerrys.

Safeside and Town are both a bit of a drive but worth it.

I hate to say it, but RoanokeFirearms is slipping. They had two AR's on the rack the last time I was in there.

SW isn't bad if you have done your homework and aren't expecting much in terms of customer service.