quote:

Originally posted by moxie:
Just go over to Gilberts. Explain your situation. Follow their advice. You'll be fine.

Gilberts?

quote:

One thing that surprised me about the Virginia gun laws is the "one handgun per month" thing.

Tough cases make bad laws. We had quite a trafficking business here for a number of years.

There is no restriction on the number of handguns per month with a CHP.

You can also simply get the VSP to sign off on multiple purchases until you get your CHP. Kind of a pain, but a vehicle nonetheless...

quote:

Originally posted by varoadking:

Tough cases make bad laws. We had quite a trafficking business here for a number of years.

There is no restriction on the number of handguns per month with a CHP.

You can also simply get the VSP to sign off on multiple purchases until you get your CHP. Kind of a pain, but a vehicle nonetheless...

I'm not really worried about it, just more surprised. I plan on getting my LTC pretty quickly anyway so it shouldn't be an issue.

Hopefully I won't get too many strange looks when I go to a gun store and ask for an M&P40 with the 10lbs. Massachusetts trigger. Yeah I know it's weird, but I found the standard trigger too light after handling one yesterday.

Ok, here's more or less a comprehensive list:

Gilberts Small Arms in Lorton: www.gilbertsrange.com, decent selection, prices are high.

Blue Ridge Arsenal in Centreville:
Have a range, but NO inventory other than Glock and HK (bleh) and prices are high.

Clark Brothers in Warrenton:
Outdoor range, decent rifle selection. Limited on handguns. Prices are on the high side. Don't even bother with their outdoor range, they say the range is "free" but you have to use their ammo which is outrageously priced.

Dawsons Small Arms of the World in Woodbridge: good selection of just about everything. Prices are high.

Loudon Guns in Leesburg:
decent selection, prices are high.

"The Range" in Fredericksburg:
No inventory, but indoor pistol range.

VA Arms in Manassas:
Nice store, good staff, decent prices, Incredible handgun inventory.

Guns and Ammo Warehouse:
Nice store, has expanded three times, prices are high, but they have an incredible inventory and a little bit of everything for everyone. It's the best comprehensive gun store in the area.

Gander Mountain Fredericksburg:
Good inventory, sales staff not really that knowledgeable, crappy prices.

Joe Elarde, Leesburg:
Kitchen Table FFL, but has the best prices and can get you anything new you would want. He's normally at the Nation's Gun Show in Chantilly.

+1000 to the Nation's Gun Show in Chantilly. This is the best show in the state and most of the dealers from other parts of the state are there. Trader Jerry's usually has the best selection and Dark Sun has the best prices if not the best attitude.
Tony Williams out of Warrenton is also a good guy to deal with and often has oddball stuff others don't (like Velo Dog guns WITH ammo).

Stop by the VCDL table while you are there and ask for TJ (me). We're a 2nd Amendment education group that was partly behind getting pre-emption passed in VA. It basically tells localities that they cannot enact stricter gun laws than what the state has.

Gilbert's Small Arms Range. Located in Newington/Lorton across the access road from the white fuel tank farm visible from I-95, in an industrial park. Very knowledgeable and helpful. Call and they can explain exactly how to get there.

http://www.gilbertrange.com/

What's with this 30 days thing? Can someone explain to me why I have to wait a month after getting a VA driver's license to buy guns? I'm pretty sure that even in Massachusetts I can apply for a pistol permit as soon as I get a driver's license.

quote:

Originally posted by MattB:
What's with this 30 days thing? Can someone explain to me why I have to wait a month after getting a VA driver's license to buy guns? I'm pretty sure that even in Massachusetts I can apply for a pistol permit as soon as I get a driver's license.

Guessing it goes back to the trafficking issue.

Hi, MattB. I live in Northern Virginia. A number of folks have commented on Gilberts. I bought a Model 36 Chief Special there a bit over a week ago. It wasn't just the high price that made me vow never to shop there again. But as for price, how does this sound:

I pick up a Model 36 with a tag that has two prices, one "regular," the other "member". Regular is manufacturer's suggested retail price; Member is 10% less. I ask, "Tell me about membership." They respond, "Well, we have annual and monthly. Why don't we start you off with monthly. It's only $10.00." I say fine. I figure this is a goodwill gesture: pay a few dollars for monthly membership and get a 10% discount.

They do the paperwork, I buy ammo, I fire 100 shots. When the paperwork is done, I pay for the Model 36, the ammo, the monthly membership, etc., and leave. At lunch, I look over the receipt and see that they charged me the "regular" price. I return. I mention the mistake. "Oh, no," they respond. "There's no mistake. The "member" price is only for the annual membership." Then another salesman chimes in, "And that's only for the "premium" membership." So you see, to get 10% off a $725 gun, you have to pay about $300 to become an annual member!

Want more? I was admiring a Springfield EMP pistol in the case. I asked one of the salesman what he thought of the EMP. His answer: "I don't know. I don't carry them." I said, "Sure you do, there's one in the case." He repeated, "I said I don't carry them." I pointed at the EMP and asked again. Finally, he said, "I told you I don't carry them personally, so I don't know anything about them." Needless to say, I couldn't care less what he personally carried. By that logic, he could only answer a question about the one model that he personally carried. Since the EMP was for sale in the store, I was stupid enough to think that he might be familiar with the product.

In my experience, the closer you shop to Washington, D.C., the higher the prices and the lousier the service. If you want to shop at Gilberts, that's your choice. But do yourself a favor and do some comparison shopping. I think that the very same gun that I bought for around $725, was about $100 cheaper at another dealer a bit farther out. Also, there's a major gun show coming up in late July at the Dulles Convention Center. You might want to take a gander at what they have to offer.

Interesting.

I do most of my shopping and shooting at Gilberts. They are one of the best shops in the area as far as inventory goes. Prices are high (as I noted), but it's hard to go wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by MX-5:
...I was admiring a Springfield EMP pistol in the case. I asked one of the salesman what he thought of the EMP. His answer: "I don't know. I don't carry them." I said, "Sure you do, there's one in the case."... I couldn't care less what he personally carried. By that logic, he could only answer a question about the one model that he personally carried. Since the EMP was for sale in the store, I was stupid enough to think that he might be familiar with the product.
...

I appreciate your frustration, though I find it much worse when people won't admit they don't know, and just make stuff up to try to sell you something.

Hi, again. I agree: I would rather have a salesman honestly tell me he doesn't know, than give me a cock and bull story. But that's not what I was talking about. I'm talking service that, in my opinion, was arrogant and abysmal.

How would you like to have three different salesmen wait on you for a single purchase? No sooner would I ask a question of one salesman, than would he turn his back to me almost in mid-sentence to wait on another customer. At first, I waited patiently for a salesman to return. Eventually, I protested. I was told, "We don't work on commissions, so anyone can help." Yeah, right, "anyone" as in no one. I might as well have been invisible.

I've been around the block a few times, and knew full well what one of the salesman was doing. He was getting his rocks off watching me stew at the counter as he waited on other persons before me. This was the same joker who told me he couldn't comment on the EMP.

This idiocy reached its peak when I finally got to pay for my merchandise. Instead of handing me the receipt and putting my stuff in a bag to complete my transaction, the salesman turned to wait on another customer. By then, I was fit to be tied. I interrupted the new transaction to demand that mine be completed.

No, it was not the price of a handgun nor the salesman's honest ignorance about the features of another handgun that bothered me. It was the entire experience. But it was an experience that I have no intention of repeating.

Another view on some of the same shops.

Gilberts--bought some guns at very good prices and have also walked on some silly asking prices. No logic to the inconsistency but worth a visit.

Virginia Arms--agree with comments of others although I find their prices somewhat higher than Guns and Ammo Warehouse, which is contrary to suggestion by others. Their consigment prices seem particularly high.

Guns and Ammo--very large selection. Dave will try to find it if he does not carry. Their "auction" counter for used guns can produce some excellant buys but you need to know the market--Wilson Combats, a shop speciality, go quickly when priced right.

Also check the bulletin board at the NRA range. Seems some members trade up on a regular basis and use the board to sell at reasonable prices compared to what they get on a trade in.

quote:

Virginia Arms--Their consigment prices seem particularly high.

You must have missed out on my pieces...

The seller sets consignment prices...sometimes the seller in unrealistic. You can always make an offer...

Welcome to NoVA!

I prefer Virginia Arms in Manassas.

Bernie has special ordered guns for me, he obtained hard to find ammo I needed, and he efficiently sold a gun on consignment for me. He graciously transferred a gun or two I bought on the web. He has answered my occasional questions via email in a helpful manner.

Overall, a very professional shop with good selection.

A word on their prices -- they are reasonable but not "discount." With the slightly higher price goes very good service and backup for the sale, plus the types of things I mentioned above.

quote:

Originally posted by S&W Rover:
Welcome to NoVA!

I prefer Virginia Arms in Manassas.

Bernie has special ordered guns for me, he obtained hard to find ammo I needed, and he efficiently sold a gun on consignment for me. He graciously transferred a gun or two I bought on the web. He has answered my occasional questions via email in a helpful manner.

Overall, a very professional shop with good selection.

A word on their prices -- they are reasonable but not "discount." With the slightly higher price goes very good service and backup for the sale, plus the types of things I mentioned above.

And that's fine with me...I'll pay a bit more for good customer service. I was pretty much laughed at by one gun store in the area (I won't say which) when I asked if they would order me an M&P with the 10lbs. trigger. They basically told me that it was a stupid idea to have anything heavier than the standard trigger.