My Kind of Gun Shop

[ordnanceguy]

Gentlemen:

I ran across this pic and thought I would share it with the rest of you guys who may remember the old time Gun Shops that used to exist. Wouldn't it be fun to walk into a place like this today?

I don't know the when and the where of the photo but the caption to it reads "David Marshall "Carbine" Williams, wearing a cowboy hat, looks at a pile of revolvers in a gun shop. Standing next to him looking at the camera is Hy Hunter, a California gun dealer." Williams, of course, was a prolific gun designer and Hunter was a dealer whose magazine advertisements in the early 1960s were often the source of paternal irritation. ("Aw, c'mon Dad. It says right here that a genuine Nazi Luger for $29 is a really good deal and I promise that I won't shoot it anywhere but the back yard....")

Nostalgia sure ain't what it used to be.

 

[ohiojerry]

What gunshop? I thought it was someone's interpretation of what heaven will look like!

 

[larryofcc]

Charlie, I remember my bro in law going into a small shop in San Diego in the 60's and buying a near mint, last production of the pre WW2 Colt SA 45's for $125. Sad thing, he sent it to Colt and had it nickeled. Oh the humanity!!! If we had known!!!
Big Larry

 

[410bore]

what a neat pic! how many Smith 29's, outdoorsmans, and k22's do you think are in there? not to mention Winchester 21's, 42's, 12's, etc.

i can see some quality doubles, remington auto shotguns, and winchester model 12's for sure....along the left side wall

 

[pharmer]

what a neat pic! i can see some quality doubles, remington auto shotguns, and winchester model 12's for sure....along the left side wall

And just above, a row of revolvers muzzle down. Nice. Joe

 

[mkflyfisherman]

Great Picture, but Remember......

.....how high the crime rate was back then, how much violent "gun crime" there was? I'm so glad that reason prevailed and with all the new gun restrictions we are so much safer today..............Yeah Right!!!!

 

[semperfi71]

How much do you reckon they want for the water-cooled Browning or Maxim up on the wall?

 

[gjamison]

we where lucky in my town we had 2 shops like that. the first one was hotchkiss gun shop. ray hotchkiss was the owner/operator, it was an amazing shop tons of gun and at great prices. the second was elmira arms, there still open but no where near what it used to be. i miss those old shops

 

[Engine49guy]

My eye focused on the 2 MP40's and STG45 Sturmgewere on the wall,
Is that top shelf on the left filled with lugers?

 

[CJKarl]

You need to go to Ron's Guns in East Lyme CT.

 

[ACP230]

Williams Gun Sight in Lapeer, MI (downstate) looks quite a bit like that now.
Didn't see any FA stuff but lots of everything else.

 

[A10]

The closest thing I've seen to this in recent years is Kesselrings, between Bellingham and Mount Vernon. They still have a few racks of guns, but not nearly as many handguns as shown....there used to be a small shop in Clarkston that still had that old gunshop feel to it, but I'd be surprised if they are still around. Progress isn't always a good thing....

 

[bgrafsr]

You need to go to Ron's Guns in East Lyme CT.

Northfield Guns in Northfield, Ohio: Northfield Gun 1 - YouTube

Owner is friendly as are the regulars that hang out there. Just watch out for the dog.

 

[Green Frog]

If you are in the Richmond, VA area, you need to stop by Green Top in Glen Allen. It's just North of Richmond on US 1. The display is different, but I daresay there are that many long guns and probably that many handguns as well on display and for sale there all the time. There's a pretty good number up at Clark Bros. at Opal, VA, but not that many. They do have a nice collection of old Winchesters hanging on the wall (for display only. )

Froggie

 

[cjw3]

Gentlemen:

I ran across this pic and thought I would share it with the rest of you guys who may remember the old time Gun Shops that used to exist. Wouldn't it be fun to walk into a place like this today?

I don't know the when and the where of the photo but the caption to it reads "David Marshall "Carbine" Williams, wearing a cowboy hat, looks at a pile of revolvers in a gun shop. Standing next to him looking at the camera is Hy Hunter, a California gun dealer." Williams, of course, was a prolific gun designer and Hunter was a dealer whose magazine advertisements in the early 1960s were often the source of paternal irritation. ("Aw, c'mon Dad. It says right here that a genuine Nazi Luger for $29 is a really good deal and I promise that I won't shoot it anywhere but the back yard....")

Nostalgia sure ain't what it used to be.

I have a copy of Carbine: The Story of David Marshall Williams by Ross Beard (autographed by the author). There is an excerpt from Williams' diary describing his experiences in Los Angeles for the period of December 10, 1951-February 9, 1952, so if the caption mentions Hy Hunter this may have been about the time of the photo.

Williams was in California to serve as a technical advisor for the movie that was being made of his life, "Carbine Williams", starring Jimmy Stewart, Jean Hagen and Bobby Hyatt.

There are several references in the book regarding Williams' habit of carrying two 1911's on him at all times and I would think it would be safe to assume this occasion was no exception.

This book is still available here and there and I recommend it. Talent and eccentricity combined to make Williams "different."

 

[brucear77]

Whittakers Guns

You all need to go to Whittakers it looks like that

6976 West Louisville Lane
Owensboro, KY 42301-8577
(270) 229-0140

They have a Wed site just type in Whittaker Guns

 

[4-Screw]

Reminds me of Mandall's Shooting Supplies in AZ. What a shop that was...

 

[Kavinsky]

hmph 2 mp 40's on the back wall, it IS heaven.

 

[jimmyj]

If ever in Southeastern Tennessee, stop in Vonore and visit Farnsworth Firearms. It is a old fashion real gun shop.

 

[BaldEagle1313]

I have to admit the first thing I noticed was that the muzzle of the firearm he is holding isn't exactly pointing in a safe direction.

I wonder if anyone ever bothered with the Chauchat in the upper right corner. They didn't have a very sterling reputation.