Advanced Arms, Pittston, PA

[AdvancedArms]

CC in PA.....thank you for your last post.

PM sent

[ssmv650]

Hey I just registered just to say I had a great experience at Advanced Arms today. I dove 90 miles just to go there and was not disappointed.

Great shop had everything I wanted.

ssmv650

[Steve in PA]

Stopped in the other day to pick up an Eotech and BUIS for my AR. Great service, great price. I love gun shops like this.

PS. Sorry for drooling on your display cases!! LOL

[Bruce]

:: WARNING - Long Post ::

For the last few years, I have felt this emotional 'tug' to own a model 1911; not an "original" GI service issue mind you (I don't think I'll ever have that kind of spare change lying around), but a newly manufactured "clone".

There is something about the true 1911A1 GI in .45 design that I've always admired from afar; and that is saying something from a staunch wheel-gun man like myself.

After a significant amount of random research over the years, I happened upon an article a couple of years ago about a High Standard version of the model. From this article and other posting around the web, I found that the impression I had that quality 1911s needed to cost over $2,000.00 was false.

The more Internet research I did, the more I learned about STI, Norinco, High Standard and Rock Island 1911s. My own personal (and now 'informed') opinion formed that the more than reasonably priced Rock Island Armory (a subsidiary of Armscor) 1911 would be the best value without sacrificing any quality. Though the Rock Island 1911 had a 'rocky' start initially when they were first produced, quality control and customer service had (reportedly) reached "amazing" levels in the past few years.

I also researched gun dealers. After some disappointing experiences with some dealers in Northeastern PA, I thought it best to let my computer help me find a 'good' dealer. Advanced Arms topped the list.

I stopped in about a week and a half ago on a Saturday. The place was 'hopping', which I thought was unusual for such a nice Saturday. Finally, after I told the gentleman behind the counter who was helping me that I didn't see what I wanted under the glass, he referred me to Chris. I was somewhat vague, but explained what I was looking to buy: an inexpensive 1911 that was of average or better quality. Chris mentioned Rock Island first, then secondly suggested High Standard - which were already #1 and #2 on my list respectively. Mind reader, perhaps? More likely, my research good and he was simply confirming it.

Chris tried to locate a Rock Island or High Standard 1911A1 standard GI model from his distributor list, but, apparently, those things are really hot these days. In fact, from the short time I was there, just listening to conversations around me, it seemed just about any brand or model gun is in high demand these days.

I asked if he did gunbroker transfers and he explained he did. He said he would probably get something from his distributers within a week or two. So, if I couldn't find one on gunbroker, I knew it would only be a matter of weeks.

I found one on gunbroker! I won the auction! I emailed Chris and he handled contacting the seller with his FFL paperwork and arranged to recieve shipment. This was all on Thursday last week.

Monday evening when I got home, I got an email from Chris that my new 1911 was in! I just had to play hooky from work yesterday (Tuesday) and I went down to Pittston to get my brand new, and first ever, auto-loader.

At 2:30pm on a *Tuesday*, the Advanced Arms showroom was *packed*. There were at least five customers ahead of me. I waited. Chris and his staff seemed to be working very hard and doing a wonderful job of taking care of everyone. Then came more customers up behind me! They seemed to be all sorts of people from all walks of life. I knew that they were obviously working as quickly as possible, but it was also obvious they were giving each customer excellent service.

When it finally came my turn, Chris was deeply involved with what seemed to be successfully juggling two customers at a time. Everyone seemed vey happy with their service. The young lady who attended to me handled my transfer paperwork and PICS check quickly, smoothly and professionally. As the store was well stocked with just about everything a shooter could want, I also purchased just about *everything* else I could need for my new gun. A Bianchi holster (they were currently out of the Serpa for the 1911s), Wichester white-box target ammo, cleaning supplies, targets, spare magazines - everything.

The only problem I had, had nothing to do with Chris or his staff. After I got home and was familiarizing myself with the pistol, I noticed a function flaw - "hammer follow". This is when I noticed the date on the original Armscor Factory box - 1994. Obviously, this was not a recently produced Rock Island, but some rather old stock (I had been misled by the gunbroker seller).

I immediately called the number on the warranty card. Even though it was nearly 7:00 (Eastern Time), a live operator answered. As I explained the problem, she transferred me to thier gunsmith Bernardo Arnel. I explained the problem to Mr. Arnel and he assured me the fix was simple; so easy, in fact, he offered to walk me through it over the phone. I confessed that this was my first auto-loader and I would be very uncomfortable with that idea, so he quickly recommended I send in the pistol immediately. He assured me that, although he was a bit backlogged with orders right now, the gun would be repaired and shipped back within a week or two - free of charge. Mr. Arnel also promised that I would see evidence of a complete factory 'tune up', including some professional polishing, when my pistol returned.

So, sadly, I have to wait a couple more weeks to finally shoot my first auto-loader, but I wanted to say that Advanced Arms is Top Shelf in my book.
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[wa3ra]

Popped by there last night for a holster and some ammo...nice clean place, very well stocked, lots of ebrs and adult toys, super selection of handguns, and great staff...nice friendly place!

[Bruce]

Popped by there last night for a holster and some ammo...nice clean place, very well stocked, lots of ebrs and adult toys, super selection of handguns, and great staff...nice friendly place!

Um... I didn't see any toys there. ???

Did I miss something good? Do you mean just the replicas or something?
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[wa3ra]

toys= supplies; all the odds and ends that we don't need, but that we gotta have( ie: that half-a-block long wall on the right as you go in.

[flyfishnepa]

very good shop. now if they would get some sig's in stock it would be

upgraded to a very amazing shop.

[Big D]

I agree. No shop can ever have enough Sig's.

[Bruce]

Last summer my trusty and beloved Model 13 up and broke on me. Now, please understand that, in nearly 20 years of owning/carrying firearms, this Model 13 was the *first* firearm that I ever owned. I *love* this gun. Admittedly, I may not have always taken the very best of care of it (as one could see from the crappy finish), but I never "abused" it.

I spoke to the wrong people and got some bad information. One NEPA gun shop owner told me that my pride & joy (well, "joy", anyway) was now a "paperweight" (and he seemed happy about that too). I was heartbroken.

What had happened was: the forcing cone split at the base, This is actually a fairly common thing - a "failing', of you will - in the K-frame Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolvers.

The biggest problem for me here was, as I only knew anti-gun anti-2A people before and at the time I purchased this firearm, I had no idea I should do things like, oh, say: hang on to the original box, fill out and send in the warranty card, you know... stuff like that.

After I had already bought a brand new (old stock, obviously) Model 65 (which is, for all intents and purposes, the Model 13 in Stainless Steel), the kindly Smith dealer from gunbroker.com (across the country, unfortunately) strongly recommended I send my M13 in to Smith for a warranty repair; he tried to assure me that they would fix it for free. I was hesitant to do that. What if they gave me a problem?

I decided that I would wait until I knew a Smith & Wesson dealer in NEPA (one I liked and could trust) and, hopefully, maybe they could help me.

Guess what? Chris (the owner of Advanced Arms) is a Smith & Wesson factory dealer! As soon as I found this out, I contacted him with my story. Basically, his response was: "Bring it in. We'll send it right off to them. Smith is very good about warranty work."

So, I stopped in last Saturday. Again, the place was swamped when I got there. Saturday was such a great day for the range that I thought to myself: "Don't these people ever shoot their guns?" I did meet a nice gentleman who also owns a few Smith .357 revolvers - including a custom model he shoots competitively.

Anyway, one of Chris' very helpful staff checked/logged in my M13 for me. Without knowing me or my situation, he handled my gun like it was a newborn baby. He even delicately removed the cruddy old Pachmayr grips for me because I was concerned they might not make the return trip.

After my 'baby' was safely tucked away until it could be shipped off to Smith, Chris finally had a break from the non-stop flow of customers and phone calls (well, almost) and took a few minutes to talk to me. After giving me an anecdote about how outstanding Smith & Wesson is regarding warranty work, he diplomatically suggested that there was a remote chance they would not fix my gun (under warranty).

There was a very friendly gentleman standing next to me who expressed that the repairs I needed as I explained them again to Chris were very simple, very easy and would be no problem whatsoever for Smith to fix them. I mentioned that, if Smith did do the repair (under warranty, which seemed more likely than ever), I wanted them (Smith) to re-blue it too. I explained that I looked into re-bluing before and I was willing to pay up to $200.00 for that to Smith.

Chris explained that he would write Smith & Wesson a letter explaining what was wrong and what I wanted done and it would accompany my gun to Smith. As soon as he hears from them, he'll contact me. I asked him how much this would all cost right now and he said all you're looking at is shipping costs so far.

Outstanding! Worst case: I'll be out the shipping cost! Best case: I get my *first ever* firearm back like it was brand new!

Of course, with my Rock Island still back at the factory (see my previous post), and now my M13 on the way to the Smith & Wesson factory, I'm doing this 'wait patiently' thing, but - I couldn't be happier (regarding my firearms) since I found Advanced Arms and met Chris!
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