Well, I will say it was an interesting afternoon. I drove 30 minutes to get to Inlaws and Outlaws Gun Shop in Gas City. I went there a couple of months ago during the week. Nice shop and the guy was friendly, so I thought I'd come back and patronize the business. I prefer going to Mom and Pop operations. I get there 30 minutes before closing. They aren't busy at all. One clerk was helping folks with an ammo purchase and a ZZ Top looking dude was leaning on the counter chatting with some guy about nothing in particular (obviously not buying/selling at that point) just run of the mill gun chat. There was a gal at a different counter doing some paperwork and scurry around. I took one of their Henry's off the display (looking at buying a Big Boy in .357 - brass vs. steel) and checked it out. I put it back, and walked around a bit and then went to the counter. Neither clerk acknowledged my existence, other than a cursory glance.
I grab 2 bricks of .22lr ammo and put them on the counter, and start looking at other ammo behind the counter (chirp-chirp-chirp from the clerks) Not even, "Hey, we'll be with you in a minute." I was standing there for 10 minutes+, by the clock. Nothing. ZZ even took a phone call, so I figured his conversation was interrupt-able. He hung up and went back to Jack-Jawing with the non-buyer. I finally said, aloud, "Really? You got to be kidding!" and walked out. I was ready to spend a couple hundred bucks, TODAY, on some ammo..... neither of them was the guy I talked to before, whom was one of the owners, I do believe. I might go back in 1 more time to see, but my time and gas$$ have value and they wasted both. As far as I'm concerned they can go.... I'll stop there.
So, I went to McGalliard Gun Shop in Munice. Had never been there before. It is right down the road from my work. They are BUSY. I walk in and one guy immediately asks , "Can I help You?" I told him I was considering the differences between the Big Boy .357M in brass vs. Steel. "You going to use it?" I was a bit taken aback by his blunt, but obvious question. "What do you mean?" He says, if its going to sit on the wall and look pretty or be an occasional range queen? If so get the brass. If you are going to use it to go afield and hunt go with the steel, and then proceeds to give the pluses and minuses of both and why.
They had one of each on the wall, so I ask if it would be OK to handle them. He appreciated that I asked and said to go ahead. I hefted both, and that did it for me. I will be going with the steel. The brass is beautiful, but since I will be using it the lighter steel and over feel of it seemed 'right'. Just what I was hoping for. McGalliard far surpassed IanO in customer service by a million miles! And McG only charges $20 to do FFL paperwork - seems fair. Hell I had to pay $50 for paperwork when I bought my .270 from my boss in CA.... and they charged BOTH of us! My guy in ND charged me $10 - I repeated, "10 bucks?" He said, "Is that too much, or is $5 OK?" He operated out of his house, and only did it part-time. I told George $10 is just fine - good country folk.
That was my experience, take it for what it's worth, or not. But, I know where I'll spend my hard earned $$. I was sadly disillusioned by IandO, because it seemed like a nice shop and they have a gun range as well. But their customer service, or lack of it, SUCKS!
Oh well... I'm sure they'll do just fine taking other folk's $$.
ND from ND
I grab 2 bricks of .22lr ammo and put them on the counter, and start looking at other ammo behind the counter (chirp-chirp-chirp from the clerks) Not even, "Hey, we'll be with you in a minute." I was standing there for 10 minutes+, by the clock. Nothing. ZZ even took a phone call, so I figured his conversation was interrupt-able. He hung up and went back to Jack-Jawing with the non-buyer. I finally said, aloud, "Really? You got to be kidding!" and walked out. I was ready to spend a couple hundred bucks, TODAY, on some ammo..... neither of them was the guy I talked to before, whom was one of the owners, I do believe. I might go back in 1 more time to see, but my time and gas$$ have value and they wasted both. As far as I'm concerned they can go.... I'll stop there.
So, I went to McGalliard Gun Shop in Munice. Had never been there before. It is right down the road from my work. They are BUSY. I walk in and one guy immediately asks , "Can I help You?" I told him I was considering the differences between the Big Boy .357M in brass vs. Steel. "You going to use it?" I was a bit taken aback by his blunt, but obvious question. "What do you mean?" He says, if its going to sit on the wall and look pretty or be an occasional range queen? If so get the brass. If you are going to use it to go afield and hunt go with the steel, and then proceeds to give the pluses and minuses of both and why.
They had one of each on the wall, so I ask if it would be OK to handle them. He appreciated that I asked and said to go ahead. I hefted both, and that did it for me. I will be going with the steel. The brass is beautiful, but since I will be using it the lighter steel and over feel of it seemed 'right'. Just what I was hoping for. McGalliard far surpassed IanO in customer service by a million miles! And McG only charges $20 to do FFL paperwork - seems fair. Hell I had to pay $50 for paperwork when I bought my .270 from my boss in CA.... and they charged BOTH of us! My guy in ND charged me $10 - I repeated, "10 bucks?" He said, "Is that too much, or is $5 OK?" He operated out of his house, and only did it part-time. I told George $10 is just fine - good country folk.
That was my experience, take it for what it's worth, or not. But, I know where I'll spend my hard earned $$. I was sadly disillusioned by IandO, because it seemed like a nice shop and they have a gun range as well. But their customer service, or lack of it, SUCKS!
Oh well... I'm sure they'll do just fine taking other folk's $$.
ND from ND
