Gun Shops in York

[FogleDW]

Well I'll take the Gun Bunker (Precision Arms) over Freedom Armory any day.

I'm a milsup guy to start with, and Freedom Armory simply isn't a good place for the older gun types. To start with having raised their consignment fee to a whopping 18% the number of consignments is bound to drop off. I'm just not interested in the modern stuff, esp. when it is so highly priced.

I totally agree, was there today and joe is the best. And their prices are good, plus they can get the newer stuff to if your looking for that too.

[Curmudgeon]

Well I'll take the Gun Bunker (Precision Arms) over Freedom Armory any day.

I'm a milsup guy to start with, and Freedom Armory simply isn't a good place for the older gun types. To start with having raised their consignment fee to a whopping 18% the number of consignments is bound to drop off. I'm just not interested in the modern stuff, esp. when it is so highly priced.

I totally agree, was there today and joe is the best. And their prices are good, plus they can get the newer stuff to if your looking for that too.

What is this Gun Bunker you speak of? Did they change the name from Precision Armory? What happened there? I guess it's been too long since I've been down that way.

[JohnUSCG]

I also just found out that John @ Shupp's Gunsmithing is closed. He hopes to reorganize and open as strictly gunsmith, but no more sales. ATF has simply put too many restrictions on him and his time. Very difficult time for him. He has been in business for 26years.

[TheDeltaForce]

I was born and raised in York, and know alot of the shops on the east end of the county.

My experiences are as follows:

1.) StonyBrook Shooting Supply. John is the owner, and will stand and talk with you about anything. He has a nice selection and his prices are very comparable to Hake's (in Wrightsville) and Backwoods Outfitters (in Columbia, Lancaster). I have probably done 10 deals with John, good guy. Always does the gun shows as well.

2.) Backwoods Outfitters, in Columbia (Lancaster County) Yeah, yeah....I know this shop isn't technically in York County, but the owner lives in York County, so there!! Tom's shop is actually #1 for me to shop at as I work in Lancaster and belong to Columbia Fish & Game Club, which is right up the road from Backwoods. Tom can get anything, has the absolute best prices, and his gunsmith is fantastic. All of my custom work goes through here. You are greeted usually by two old large yellow labs, Remington and Winchester, and it's a real casual atmosphere. I'll routinely call them up to get pricing on new pistols, and they along with John at StonyBrook are the cheapest. Tom also does the gun shows.

3.) Hake's, in Wrightsville. Ammo is good price, they have a decent selection of rifles, and their pistol prices are good. I've bought maybe 2 pistols from them and a lot of ammo.

4.) Layman's Gun Shop, in East Prospect. This is a nice shop, but Terry knows how to screw you with a smile. I grew up going in here, but you really have to know your stuff in order to not be screwed. He's now a Class 3 FFL dealer, which means he can sell sound suppressors, etc. Also, when the ammo shortage was in full swing the other year, he was charging $50.00 for a 50 round box of some crap Czech made .45 ACP ammo!! This fact alone should tell you all you need to know about this place. The economy MUST be bad, as this shop is now going to the local gun shows, which they NEVER used to do - ever.

4.) I once (and only once) went to a small gun shop on Druck Valley Road.....I'm guessing that would be "Shupp's".I entered this dinky little place, whose door was wide open. Upon entering, a snarling, drooling, barking black lab was trying to jump over the cases at me. No one was around, so I promptly left. What I should have done, was call the police. Who expects to go into a business, only to find it unmanned, and with a drooling, snarling dog trying to get at you? NO THANKS.

5.) Trop and Kinsley's I don't even frequent in Lancaster. For all of the good I've heard about them, their prices aren't worth it. Too high, IMHO.

Regards,

TheDeltaForce

[ImminentDanger]

Backwoods Outfitters, in Columbia (Lancaster County) Yeah, yeah....I know this shop isn't technically in York County, but the owner lives in York County, so there!! Tom's shop is actually #1 for me to shop at as I work in Lancaster and belong to Columbia Fish & Game Club, which is right up the road from Backwoods. Tom can get anything, has the absolute best prices, and his gunsmith is fantastic. All of my custom work goes through here. You are greeted usually by two old large yellow labs, Remington and Winchester, and it's a real casual atmosphere. I'll routinely call them up to get pricing on new pistols, and they along with John at StonyBrook are the cheapest. Tom also does the gun shows.

Thanks for the good 1st Post - Is their gunsmith in-house?
Can you give me specific directions to Backwoods Outfitters from Rt30/York??

...
ID

[TheDeltaForce]

Thanks for the good 1st Post - Is their gunsmith in-house?
Can you give me specific directions to Backwoods Outfitters from Rt30/York??

...
ID

Well, I think just entering their address onto Google would give you better directions than I could, especially since it's back on Ironville Pike. You can get off at the Columbia exit of RT 30 (first exit off of RT 30 bridge).....

His gunsmith is not "in-house" but if you need some examples of his work, look at these pics I took of some of my projects.

Here's a 21-year old Colt Gold Cup that was all scratched up when I bought it online. I bought all of the parts I wanted, and he fitted and finished it up. Here is the end result:


Colt 1911 Gold Cup Mark IV National Match
- “Flat-top” model.
- Adjustable trigger.
- Trigger guard is undercut, which took me a while to find one with this feature.
- Skeleton hammer.
- National Match barrel.
- Millet rear adjustable target sights.
- Ed Brown Beavertail grip-safety.
- S&A mainspring housing w/Magwell; 20 LPI checkering.
- Custom VZ G10 Grips with Delta medallions and magazine thumb relief.
- Stainless hex-head grip screws.
- Wilson recoil spring.
- Wilson extended slide release.
- Wilson compensator.
- Chip McCormick 8-round magazine.

Here's my custom Ruger Mark III Target that he put together:





Features:
- Volquartsen Sear
- Clark Hammer Bushing
- Clark Adjustable Trigger
- Stainless filler piece to replace loaded chamber indicator
- Altamont Target Grips
- Black Hex-head grip screws
- Target Sights

What do you think worth the trip to Columbia and Backwoods Outfitters? He's also done some rifle tweaking for me.

- The Delta Force

[87th PVI]

Just to add my 2¢ about Backwoods Outfitters... He's good friends with my dentist/wife's former employer & from what I know about him, he's honest, trustworthy & just a good guy in general.
While the others were telling me to call or stop in periodically, Backwoods outfitters was the only area shop that asked me for my info so they could add me to their want list when I was calling area dealers looking for a certain model used gun... That alone tells me they are out to provide excellent service to their customers.

As for John @ Stoneybrook, I've bought several guns & reloading supplies from him & have always been happy with the transactions.

Pricing between these two shops is very close... Both have the lowest prices I've found on guns... Stoneybrook is normally a few dollars over Backwoods, but they are also closer to me & have had the guns I'm looking for in stock at the time whereas Backwoods would have saved me $5-10 but had to order them in. So after making two trips over there, to first place the order & then pick it up another day, I'd eat that savings in the extra gas used.

[egon12]

+1 for Backwoods as well. My old saying is gun shops are like auto mechanics. Some are good, some are bad, but when you find a good one stick with them and they will not screw you over. Of all the shops in the York / Lancaster area Backwoods is #1 in my book. Tom is as honest as the day is long and he has never steered me wrong. The rest of the staff, Mike, Dick, & Ted are great as well. The shop is small but seems to have a steady turnover of consignment guns as well as new stock, and if it isn't in stock they will order it for you.

Stonybrook is good as well, and I like the owner & staff, but I seem to spend a lot more at backwoods. I recommend both shops to friends on a regular basis.

[45Badger]

You guys are killing me. I moved to Minnesota a year ago for work. Gun prices and shops here SUCK compared to York/Lancaster area. There are a couple decent shops, but nowhere near the number of stores, nowhere near the selection, and prices are like MD. You can find good deals, but few and far between.

On the bright side, I might be able to finagle a transfer back to Lancaster area

[Jaybeez]

I'm tagging this thread for future reference.