Any good shops between Pittsburgh & State College/Lewistown?

[scruff]

I'm making a day trip tomorrow between Pittsburgh and the State College/Lewistown area. I can take the high road (I-80) or the low road (Rt 22). Are there any good shops along the way, especially any with a good selection of used pistols? I do plan to stop at Grice's, just wondering if there's any other good ones along the way.

[Noah_Zark]

Since you are going to Grices, also stop at:

Bullseye Gun Vault on Main Street in New Alexandria, off US 22

Bullseye Firearms in Homer City, in a little white plaza at the light on US 119 by Sheetz (same owner as above)

Security Military Depot 984 Dehaven Rd Home, PA 15747 off US 119 near Musser Nursery.

Mahoning Valley Milling at the bottom of the US 119 hill in Punxsutawney (google)

Grice in Clearfield

Bobs Army & Navy on Clearfield (not too many used handguns anymore)

Belding and Mull on 322 East of Philipsburg, PA toward State College

Miller Gun Shop on PA 64 about 4 miles N of I-80 Exist 173, a big white barn

National Sporting Goods in Jersey Shore, PA, about 20 mins north of Millers, just off US 220.

HTH, and have a safe trip!

Noah

[QuackXP]

Not a shop but Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfirld is a good place to eat.

[scruff]

Not a shop but Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfirld is a good place to eat.

I've never been there, but I've heard about it. I wonder if I could make a decent run at the two-lb burger challenge. Are the shirts nice? That would keep me going through a few gun shop visits!

[scruff]

Since you are going to Grices, also stop at:

Bullseye Gun Vault on Main Street in New Alexandria, off US 22

Bullseye Firearms in Homer City, in a little white plaza at the light on US 119 by Sheetz (same owner as above)

Security Military Depot 984 Dehaven Rd Home, PA 15747 off US 119 near Musser Nursery.

Mahoning Valley Milling at the bottom of the US 119 hill in Punxsutawney (google)

Grice in Clearfield

Bobs Army & Navy on Clearfield (not too many used handguns anymore)

Belding and Mull on 322 East of Philipsburg, PA toward State College

Miller Gun Shop on PA 64 about 4 miles N of I-80 Exist 173, a big white barn

National Sporting Goods in Jersey Shore, PA, about 20 mins north of Millers, just off US 220.

HTH, and have a safe trip!

Noah

Thanks Noah. I won't have time to stop on the way out, but I'll at least church out Bob's on the way back, since I'll be in Clearfield anyway. What's Miller like? Are they worth going 30 min out of the way for?

[Noah_Zark]

What's Miller like? Are they worth going 30 min out of the way for?

It's a combined gun and archery shop run by an elderly couple and their adult kids. They are competitive for pricing to the slightly high side, depending on the items. Phil Miller is a gunsmith and former competitive marksman, and likes to BS with customers. He is a wealth of knowledge if you catch him in the right mood. His wife Janet does the paperwork, and she has her own system of doing things -- example: Buy a handgun and rifle at the same time, and Janet will have you complete two 4473s, one for the handgun, and one for the rifle, because she files long gun 4473s in "Long gun" files and handgun 4473s in "Hand gun" files. Handgun 4473s get stapled to the respective SP4-113 handgun forms. Her store, her system.

Another "their way" thing is you gotta wipe down the metal of any long gun you touch, and there's signs and rags hanging here and there. I generally handle the long guns by the furniture. I've seen Janet bust customers' balls for not wiping down guns. Sometimes the shop is kinda humid-feeling, and IMO they keep the silicone cloths out to help protect against rust.

They have like five or six vertically-oriented handgun cases with multiple shelves per case, and it's kinda hard to tell the new handguns from the used. The prices are variable; some are on the high side, some are in the "smoking good deal" category, and they don't last.

There are three or four racks across the store for long guns, with the guns propped vertically, and all are zip-tied to prevent action manipulation.

There's a glass-doored wall-long display at the end of the shop with high-end "special" long guns in the high 3-digits and low 4-digit price range. I've found a few items there over the years that I never saw (or rarely saw) elsewhere.

This is not the place for a person to walk in as if they own it, or as if you demand service when there's a conversation going on. In other words, a New York or New Jersey-type guy who comes off strong will probably be shown the door. Polite, patient, and respectful and they will take care of you.

Prices are non-negotiable. I dropped almost $3K there between three rifles and a handgun once and neither Janet nor Phil budged on the price for a "package deal."

Also, if Janet is doing paperwork and you're looking to buy something, wait your turn. If one of the daughters is there, Janet may call her over to help.

Personally, I like the place, and I like Phil and Janet. They are my elders (not by much!) and I was brought up to respect my elders. I'm in there enough and have left enough cash that Janet usually gets to me as fast as she can.

The big dogs are friendly, just let them sniff you over and they will walk away. Sit down in one of the chairs across from the counter and the dogs will come over to be scratched.

YMMV,

Noah

[QuackXP]

I've never been there, but I've heard about it. I wonder if I could make a decent run at the two-lb burger challenge. Are the shirts nice? That would keep me going through a few gun shop visits!

I would consider the 2lb if I was half my age. The shirt is decent but mine has shrunk hanging in the closet so I don't wear it anymore. The wings are also good to. 3 of us once upon a time did manage the 2lb burger.

I used to go every year for a spring sport bike meet up.

[scruff]

My business appointment took longer than I thought, so I didn't have time for a burger at Denny's Beer Barrel, and no time for gun shop-hopping. But I did get to Grice's and Bob's Army Navy, and came home with a new (used) Sig from Grice's. Any day with a new Sig is a good day!

[TurboDiesel]

I know this is a little late .but next time you can try
Route 22
J&D Guns Duncansville(formerly East Coast Guns)
Allegheny Trade Duncansville (nice guys very knowledgeable)
I buy at both