Gun Shops Today vs 15 Years Ago

[brassburnz]

15 years ago isn't far enough back. 30 years ago the best gunshop was Weisser's Sporting Goods in National City, just south of San Diego and minutes from the 32nd St. Naval Base.

I had a deal with some of the guys that worked there. Anything they brought in and put on sale for under $200, hold it for me. It seemed like I had a gun on 5 day hold and then 10 day hold all the time. I still have a Smith & Wesson Model 28, Remington 870, and Ruger pistol that they put aside for me.

When a new shipment of guns would come in, they'd have to check the serial numbers. They put the boxes on the ground, check the serial number on the box against their list, then open the box and check the serial number of the gun and make sure all the accessories were there.

I was there the day they were checking in a shipment of Randall 1911's. I had a chance to inspect every one, narrowed it down to about 3 or 4, then the guys and I picked out the best one. Still have the Randall. Got to do the same thing with a Series 70 Colt Gov't Model in .38 Super and a Walther P-38 police turn in. When was the last time you got to handpick a gun from the gunstore's inventory?

[Dingotech]

Still have the Randall.

Today, I'd settle for the runt of the litter.

[Jack L]

Change? In the mid 1970's at a local store you could buy a six pack of beer, a few cigars, ammo and a civilian model AR and walk right out the door a minute later with all of the items. I remember seeing this often up in northern California where I lived back then. That's change for you.

[Gary13]

My wife walked into a gun shop with me today. Last time she was in one was 15 years ago when I bough a Ruger 9mm. After leaving she asked me if all the shops changed that much? How I asked?

She noted the last time we were in a store they had 50 or 60 long guns on the wall behind the counter. She thought maybe 3 were ARs but today it's like 40 of 50 are AR's. I said AR's have moved past the ban, and they appear to be a huge part of today's stores vs then. But not sure why? Any thoughts?

Does not sound like you went to Barnwood since they still have lots of traditional rifles and the black rifles are behind you when looking at the main counter. Sierra maybe?

[q3131a]

May have been more than 15 years ago when I used to visit the Gun Exchange in San Francisco...wall to wall guns.

[Thefeeder]

><

If you did not by a box of 22's at the hardware store...then you are just a pup.

[JNunez23]

I miss B&B in North Hollywood, the other location, not so much.

+1 on that! Now it's an Armenian grocery store

Pass by there almost every day..too bad I was 15 or 16 when they closed it down. I remember being in there once, and the NoHo Shoot-out of course.

[ckprax]

Well the shops around me are not black rifle friendly so they look about the same as I remember growing up.

[TROYSD]

last time my wife went to the gun store with me , when we left she said why is that guy such a pr***. thats just how most are now i said.oh and i went there and bought a rem r-15 for 1750.00

[A-J]

I miss B&B in North Hollywood, the other location, not so much.

I never got to go there, and from eveyrthing I've heard I definitely missed out. But I DID get to spend a lto of time in Pony Express in Van Nuys back in 95/96. Good times, lots of guns, and the guys weren't crazy paranoid like the old gun shop that used to be on Parthenia by Reseda.

[jrw1911]

I still have 2 pistols I brought at B&B in No Hollywood. I sure miss that place.

[pisarski]

I miss B&B in westminster and Bowers in orange you could get all the reloading stuff you could want for a fair price god i miss that

[lilro]

Age group. Many people that "grew up" on the M4 and M16 in video games and popular movies are becoming old enough to buy them. Plus some of there dads, uncles, etc. "tested" them in Nam

[locosway]

I miss B&B in westminster and Bowers in orange you could get all the reloading stuff you could want for a fair price god i miss that

B&B in Westminster was nice, and so was Turner's that was also in Westminster before it was moved to Fountain Valley. Turner's is starting to look like it used to back in the day, but they're still missing a few Tec-9's and stuff.