Finally made a long awaited move from my lifelong home region of central NC to the coast. Any further East and I'd be wet.
Anyway, my new job has me traveling about the area quite a bit, and I've made sure to stop in several 'Pawn 'n Gun' locations as well as actual gunshops.
I am SO disappointed in what I've seen. Mostly overpriced J U N K, and of absolute course, the usual heavy mix of AR's and plasti-pistols.

Now the area is heavily influenced by the nearby military bases of Camp LeJeune and MCAS Cherry Point, and I'm sure all those young guys are into AR's. But the balance of stock is pretty pitiful.
Used Mossberg shotguns at new retail price, have seen nearly everything Taurus and Rossi market in handguns. Heritage .22 SA's. H&R single shot shotguns.
A 'pawn 'n gun' place near LeJeune had an older Ithaca M1911 in a presentation case, $1895. Not too far out of the ballpark for a WWII M1911, except it had been NICKELED!

It's like being at a bad gun show. The GS I visited near my office today actually had far fewer guns than I own. And accessories were few and shopworn. Ammo prices retail and then some.

Did not know that I'd become spoiled being near, and working at, quality GS's in the area I'd always lived before. I have yet to see a decent older S&W revolver.
Need to find a good place for transfers it looks like.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

I as enjoying your post until you said the 1911 had been nickeled.

Sattle down and give it some time. Stop by those places weekly. There is always a trend in firearms trade ins. I see it in all the shops I go to in my area. All of a sudden everyone is trading in their Sigs, or snub nose revolvers or large revolver or mouse guns, or caliber specific. ...always! Right now my one lgs has a shelf full of Glock 40s&w where as 3 months ago they had zero used Glocks. Along with that they have a lot of J frames for some reason. About a year ago it was nothing but used Sigs and HK.

See what the trend is. It's summer so people are busy on vacations and time off so sales and turn arounds maybe slow

With the exception of Fin, Feather and Fur Outfitters, ALL the gun stores here north of Cuyahoga Falls are disappointing.

The interesting ones when downhill then closed. The new ones are mostly BOTH boring AND overpriced.

Fin, Feather and Fur both has decent prices, and staff whom you don't want to backhand for their attitude.

The two in Cuyahoga Falls are expensive as hell, but at least have amiable sales people. They also have excellent selections... or did the last time I was in there.

One lgs here has the used case once for revolvers filled with used plastics
Now. It seems the revolver demand is over. To me it seems the plastics guys are following the gun rags trading in there used plastics for the latest and greatest new Tupperware. Plastics are plentiful.

Now the k series are hitting locally at another vs $1,200. Online the same k 38 is $1,400.

I need to go browsing soon. My mad money is just about enough.

I found a python for $2k.

Went looking last weekend at a couple of lgs. Gun selection was pretty good, prices high. I found a Wilson Combat 45ACP magazine... $50.99, I was like ***? They are $32 or so on WC's web site!

I found a nice pawn shop that sometimes has decent deals, and does a FFL transfer for $20. I buy from individuals or online.

Cruise through armslist.com/classifieds/north-carolina/guns periodically to see what the private sector is offering. It covers the whole state and you don't need an FFL transfer agent if it is a intrastate sale. You might be surprised. I was.

When I was in the Fredericksburg area a few weeks ago, I was excited to check out some Pawn Shops and see what their firearm inventory was like. Some of the shops has nice selections, but their prices were ridiculous. They were asking new prices for used guns, and some of the prices were higher than what you'd pay for a new gun in PA. I was disappointed.

Good luck in your quest. I agree with Shaggist...check in on armslist and join a wildlife club or shooting club in the area. Lots of stuff 'down east' is found by folks you know.

There's a gun shop in Wagram about 12 miles NE of Laurinburg that well worth a visit. At least the times I've been there. I bought a Colt Detective Special in the box .32 cal. there.

They were like that around Ft. Knox in the '80s too... in addition to being as crooked as a dog's hind leg. They'd lie to you about a gun... or a stereo, with the greatest of ease.

I've had a great disdain for pawn shops ever since.

If you happen to venture into Northern South Carolina you may want to drop into Brown & Son Guns at 406 37th Ave. S., N.Myrtle Beach, S.C (Windy Hill) He is a transplanted tar heel and does have some of the older Smith & Wesson Revolvers. He won't budge much off of his marked prices but there are some good oldies in his display case or there were in early May. I went in to shoot the bull while on a short vacation.

Agree that the Wagram, N.C. suggestion is well worth a visit, he will usually have some high condition Oldies whether you are drawn to handguns or long guns.

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198