Trusted Gun Shop Reviews

RangeHot

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Jun 25, 2025
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Hey everyone! I've been thinking about where to get my next firearm and figured it'd be great to tap into our community's experiences. What makes a gun shop trustworthy to you? Have you had any standout experiences — good or bad? I know some shops have great used selections while others can be lacking. If you have a go-to spot in your area, I'd love to hear about it! Also, what are the prices like, and how do they handle transfer fees? Let's help each other out and find the best deals and service out there!
 
I have been dealing with this shop lately. It's just a small place but has a pretty good inventory mostly just guns and some ammo. There's plenty big shops around and a few shooting ranges with gun shops. The owner here was a really nice guy and I just rather deal with him than any of the bigger stores.
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Norton sporting goods is great as far as smaller shops go. Very helpful and they will go out of their way to help you in my experience. They tracked down and ordered in a hard to find (at the time) pistol for me, when they very easily could have just said "sorry we don't have that".
Of course the bigger shops like vance always have lowest ammo prices and huge inventory to select.
 
Where is Norton,s ? I have never heard of it. P n T Y.

I will not step foot into any Vance sporting store nor let my wife, ask me how i feel, lol

All the ma n pa shops around central ohio, google search, seem pretty friendly and fair priced. Tactical firearms in zanesville is my latest money pit.
 
Vance's has their purpose, but I hate going there. Basically, they don't respect their customer's time. Everything is as customer inefficient as possible. I go in there with 10 customers and it still feels like, "look at this….are you buying it already?"

Black Wing is ok, but not a value.

Norton's is ok. They are small, but the boy(30's or 40's now!) runs it well.
 
I've used Ottawa Ordnance (Ottawa OH) lately for gunsmithing and it's worked out well. I had one rifle rebarreled/reblued, another one reblued, and triggers replaced on a pair of Ruger #1s. Somewhere in there I had a bolt forger down a little to clear a scope. His prices are really reasonable and his work is very good. I've not really priced his firearms so I'm not sure how they pan out.
 
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Where is Norton,s ? I have never heard of it. P n T Y.

I will not step foot into any Vance sporting store nor let my wife, ask me how i feel, lol

All the ma n pa shops around central ohio, google search, seem pretty friendly and fair priced. Tactical firearms in zanesville is my latest money pit.
Delaware/waldo.... Its maybe a mile or so west of the Delaware shooting range. Pretty much on the corner of 23 and 229.
 
Hey everyone! I've been thinking about where to get my next firearm and figured it'd be great to tap into our community's experiences. What makes a gun shop trustworthy to you? Have you had any standout experiences — good or bad? I know some shops have great used selections while others can be lacking. If you have a go-to spot in your area, I'd love to hear about it! Also, what are the prices like, and how do they handle transfer fees? Let's help each other out and find the best deals and service out there!
Cherry's Outdoor World east of Ottawa has a nice selection of guns, ammo and reloading supplies. Not sure there are raving bargains in the showcase, but they are better than many in the area. I also make a habit of checking out Wooden Indian & Pack Rats pawn shops in Defiance. There is a Pack Rats in Findlay too.
-radiotron
 
I know where Norton,s is now Thank you.

nks.... Very well said.

No mention of Fin Feather Fur, I think thats right up around ashland ? I only mail ordered a mag, went just fine.

Great thread imo, lets keep walmart and cabelas in the dust
 
Way back when a person could browse ArmsList without having to pay for it, I would see Ted's Pawn Shop in Cincinnati would get in some desirable used guns. My only hesitation was them stipulating a 3-day wait on all handgun purchases. I emailed the and asked about it, since Ohio has no such restriction. They replied that it is their own personal policy. I responded that they might have more sales if they got rid of that, to which they replied that it hasn't hurt them so far. They were polite about it, so I have to give them that much, but they obviously were not going to consider changing. I wonder how many other stores in Ohio have special hoops you need to jump through. Maybe that's better as another thread.
 
I wonder how many other stores in Ohio have special hoops you need to jump through. Maybe that's better as another thread.
I don't know of any that do that (the 3 day wait), and I've visited quite a few shops in Ohio. But it might be of more value to a pawn shop for some reason that escapes me.
 

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