Gun SHops, Pawn stores

[Dcav]

So someone give me the goods on who has the best selection and prices in the San Antonio Area. Pronto Pawn has a decent selection albeit overpriced. Action Pawn prices used guns at MSRP prices for new guns. Only gunshop Ive been to is A place to Shoot for a FFL transfer, there selection was minimal.

 

[Texan2]

if you want selection and good prices go to Academy....if you want good service go to Dury's or Nagel's. In Austin you can get GREAT service and good prices at GT's.
I dont know of anywhere in San Antonio where you can get both service and good prices. You typically gotta pick one or the other.

FFLs are everywhere.

 

[London]

The gun show is your best bet. Luckily for us it comes around every month. Next month is the best time for haggling as most people will have blown all their cash on X-Mas.

 

[Texan2]

I guess as saavy a shopper as I am, I NEVER find good deals at SAXET. Everything I see there I can buy online from a wholesaler at considerably less. Most guns that dealers have are $100-$300 higher than other retail gun shops. Some sellers are just flat out trying to rip your head off.

I occasionally find someone carrying around some used guns that they are selling from their own collection and even then 3 out of 4 want a new retail price for their used gun.

I have friends that go every weekend and occasionally find good deals on some unique parts, but they mainly go for the atmosphere.

You will find some knowledge there, but rarely good prices on guns. And youwill see the same faces every month, both selling and buying.

Find an FFL, and have him order you something from a gun wholesaler.

 

[London]

I agree most of the prices are up there, but there are some deals to be had if you don't mind looking over literally thousands of guns and tags. I rarely buy guns at the shows but always get my $5 ticket's worth.

Cash in hand is always a great motivator for the haggler to have. You could also try standing outside the doors and trying to strike a deal with the folks looking to get rid of their guns before the sellers get to them. I've never done this but I may.

Transfers can be a good way to go. Just this weekend a seller gave me his card. He does transfers for $15. His gun prices were going rate but that's a Hell of a deal for transfers. If I hadn't gone to the show I would have never known. Go figure! (He also lives about 10 minutes from me, so that's a plus.) : )

 

[Texan2]

depending on what you like, you could look at J&G Sales, CDNN Investments and a few others....they have good prices and ship fast. Once you start buying and using an FFL, you will probably do it regularly.

 

[London]

Avoid anything made by Century if buying from CDNN!

 

[Texan2]

Avoid anything made by Century if buying from CDNN!

Have you had bad luck? I have a Century WASR and it shoots great.

 

[Dcav]

Ive bought several guns via online vendors, and picked up a wheel gun at the SAXET show Saturday. Just curious whats out there.

 

[Big J]

I have to chime in and vouch for The Powder Horn. They have a a good selection of new a used firearms and their service has always been great with my experince with them.

 

[Texan2]

I have to chime in and vouch for The Powder Horn. They have a a good selection of new a used firearms and their service has always been great with my experince with them.

+1, I forgot about them. I have had good luck there too.

 

[SureFire5]

I have to chime in and vouch for The Powder Horn. They have a a good selection of new a used firearms and their service has always been great with my experince with them.

They have an AWSEOME selection...Very helpful and knowledgeable, in my opinion... A little pricey, but it's a business, right? Action pawn on 410/ Marbach, LOTS of guns. keep in mind that its a pawnshop.. they've got fair prices on SOME guns... eyepokin on others. My opinion. Those places, Pwderhorn and the Action pawn, have layaway. That's ALWAYS a plus if you don't have cash on hand for your toys.

 

[London]

My dad got a Century single stack AK (which I promptly converted) with a crooked rear sight base. I have no idea how to fix this and it's going to have to go to the gunsmith. Apparently this is not unheard of with Century. When they get it right, they have good guns. They are pretty famous for not getting it right, though (especially their CETMEs).

I have extreme reservations about buying from a company which can't even build an AK properly. They were stamped out by the millions by illiterate commie peasants, fer cripe's sake! I'm glad you got lucky, though.

 

[London]

I forgot about he Powder Horn, too. Fair selection and good prices. Excellent sales staff!

 

[Texan2]

Canted sights are common on them but can be fixed.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I've got one - but he's tucked away by Canyon Lake. Old School type, but if you're in the area he's worth a trip IMO. He gets some really off the wall stuff in from time to time.

 

[majormadmax]

If you're looking for a good FFL, try Alex at Dreadnaught Industries just south of SA. He also customer builds ARs if you're interested.

We had a great thread going on gun shops in SA but something happened to it. I don't know if it's just hidden or was deleted, but it would be nice if we could get it revived.

Since Wayne at Hoguns is no longer an FFL, I would say that the Powderhorn is probably San Antonio's best gun shop. Dury's is nice but I've never found any real deals there other than a Mosin I bought from them off an online auction site. Nagel's is cramped and dusty, and the staff here is hit and miss. Same goes for that gun shop at 410 and Fredericksburg Road (can't remember the name).

Texas Guns on Bandera is overpriced, but I have found some of the staff there to be helpful and I have bought a few items from them. Stay away from the indoor gun range next to it, even if you get a free pass from the shop. A Place To Shoot is too austere, I stopped by there once and that was enough. I don't go to the Bullethole anymore for numerous reasons, they do have a small collection of guns for sale but the prices are not anything to get excited by.

There is a gun shop on Potranco a few miles outside of 1604 that I stopped by when they first opened. They had a small selection and were nice, but had no milsurp firearms so I never got the desire to go back. Action Pawn on Marbach used to have a really nice guy working there who loved to talk about guns, but he left to go work at Dury's if I am not mistaken and ever since he left, I have yet to find anyone knowledgeable there. Their prices are really high, at least on what I am looking at. I think the "used guns at new gun MSRP" is a fair description of their prices.

I think that covers all the gun shops I've been to, there are a few in Austin that are worth checking out if you're in the area but nothing I have found worth making a special trip for!

Cheers! M2

 

[Texan2]

If you're looking for a good FFL, try Alex at Dreadnaught Industries just south of SA. He also customer builds ARs if you're interested.

+1 for Alex....great guy.

 

[M. Sage]

My dad got a Century single stack AK (which I promptly converted) with a crooked rear sight base. I have no idea how to fix this and it's going to have to go to the gunsmith. Apparently this is not unheard of with Century. When they get it right, they have good guns. They are pretty famous for not getting it right, though (especially their CETMEs).

I have extreme reservations about buying from a company which can't even build an AK properly. They were stamped out by the millions by illiterate commie peasants, fer cripe's sake! I'm glad you got lucky, though.

In all fairness, canted sights are common as hell on AKs because that's how the kits were built by those commie peasants. The AK I built has a slightly canted front sight, but it's not through any fault of my own. That's how the Romanians built the thing...