New guy in the area

[Casual Carry]

If the shop in Pittston is Advanced Arms, you're going to travel far and wide to find better prices/customer service. Chris and Mary are my go to LGS. If I want something, they'll order it if they don't have it in stock.

A year or so ago, I did a private transfer at a shop in Bellefonte. I forget the name of the place. It seemed like a junk store that had a gun counter in the back. A friend told me about the place.

That is when I have my xd45 on layaway. I visit my grandparents in Hazleton every third weekend or so, so it is not to bad of a job to run up to Pittston. I do agree though, they were extremely helpful and one of the guys spend a while explaining everything that goes into long distance shooting. I picked up my lightly used xd45 their for 375, which was by far the best deal I have seen.

The place in Bellefonte is called hunters warehouse, the guy was nice enough and even let me look through his dealer price books. He says he will beat any new gun prices if you give him the price and he has so far with what I have asked for prices of. His used prices are a bit high and overall the place has a shady feel to me. A few of his "New" handguns were clearly used as well but Ive seen a few shops that do that.

[Fortytwo]

The place in Bellefonte is called hunters warehouse, the guy was nice enough and even let me look through his dealer price books. He says he will beat any new gun prices if you give him the price and he has so far with what I have asked for prices of. His used prices are a bit high and overall the place has a shady feel to me. A few of his "New" handguns were clearly used as well but Ive seen a few shops that do that.

LOL Your first overall impression sounds pretty accurate. Dig through the older threads in this (Centre County) sub-forum from the past few years and you can read all about "that other gun shop" in Bellefonte. (Until fall of 2012, "the gun shop in Bellefonte" usually referred to J&E, which unfortunately closed down for good after a fire in a neighboring building, hence "that OTHER gun shop"....) I am sure other members with actual experience with the owner/store will fill you in on the shady details.

[Casual Carry]

LOL Your first overall impression sounds pretty accurate. Dig through the older threads in this (Centre County) sub-forum from the past few years and you can read all about "that other gun shop" in Bellefonte. (Until fall of 2012, "the gun shop in Bellefonte" usually referred to J&E, which unfortunately closed down for good after a fire in a neighboring building, hence "that OTHER gun shop"....) I am sure other members with actual experience with the owner/store will fill you in on the shady details.

I heard about J&E, sounded like a nice store with a pretty good reputation. Shame about the fire.

Do you know how the State College area police are about carrying? What would be the limits as to on/off campus area? North of college ave im assuming is campus but as far as east and west go im not sure. I've gotta be extra careful as PSU automatically expels students for a firearm on campus.

[Xringshooter]

Aaron, welcome to the area. There are a lot of active shooters in the State College area so you can always find someone to talk to about guns.

As for the State College area police departments, they are not as zealous as the Philly and Pittsburgh PD's. They know the laws and most people have not had many bad encounters with them. Like any PD, there are those that want to push their wearing of a badge, but for the most part they're pretty easy going. They have a lot more serious things to worry about other than a person open carrying.

As was said previously, I am a gunsmith in Lemont and I will do special orders for people. My transfer fee is actually a sliding scale, the more you transfer at one time, the cheaper the per gun rate is. My base fee is $20 for one gun. I can also advise about places to buy (including internet gun sites) if you're not sure about their reputation.

We also have get togethers every now and then at my place. People bring their stuff to show and tell, lots of gun talk and a pretty good time. I have to check my schedule but I'm thinking of doing this later in Feb. I'll post when I have a firm date (usually a Sat or Sun).

We also get together twice a year. I host a sporting goods only garage sale in the late spring (late May-early June) and in Oct. It gives people a chance to clean out what they don't use/want anymore and sell it (and maybe buy something different). It is open to all forum members, etc. and there is no cost except what you might want to donate towards the advertising - but I do not want to force anyone into donating, it is strictly voluntary.

We also will post here if anyone is going to Scotia to shoot (typically in the nicer weather) and lots of time a lot of us go out and shoot each others guns.

You're gonna find that the SC shooting community is pretty active. Again, Welcome.

[Casual Carry]

Aaron, welcome to the area. There are a lot of active shooters in the State College area so you can always find someone to talk to about guns.

As for the State College area police departments, they are not as zealous as the Philly and Pittsburgh PD's. They know the laws and most people have not had many bad encounters with them. Like any PD, there are those that want to push their wearing of a badge, but for the most part they're pretty easy going. They have a lot more serious things to worry about other than a person open carrying.

As was said previously, I am a gunsmith in Lemont and I will do special orders for people. My transfer fee is actually a sliding scale, the more you transfer at one time, the cheaper the per gun rate is. My base fee is $20 for one gun. I can also advise about places to buy (including internet gun sites) if you're not sure about their reputation.

We also have get togethers every now and then at my place. People bring their stuff to show and tell, lots of gun talk and a pretty good time. I have to check my schedule but I'm thinking of doing this later in Feb. I'll post when I have a firm date (usually a Sat or Sun).

We also get together twice a year. I host a sporting goods only garage sale in the late spring (late May-early June) and in Oct. It gives people a chance to clean out what they don't use/want anymore and sell it (and maybe buy something different). It is open to all forum members, etc. and there is no cost except what you might want to donate towards the advertising - but I do not want to force anyone into donating, it is strictly voluntary.

We also will post here if anyone is going to Scotia to shoot (typically in the nicer weather) and lots of time a lot of us go out and shoot each others guns.

You're gonna find that the SC shooting community is pretty active. Again, Welcome.

Sounds like a good time, hopefully when the weathers nicer ill be able to make it to some of the events. I have plans to shoot with one of my professors when it gets warmer, not sure if he's a forum member or not though.

[Mity2]

Welcome to the area

[Casual Carry]

Welcome to the area

Thanks
10char

[Fortytwo]

I have plans to shoot with one of my professors when it gets warmer, not sure if he's a forum member or not though.

Interesting.... Great to hear!

[Fortytwo]

What would be the limits as to on/off campus area? North of college ave im assuming is campus but as far as east and west go im not sure. I've gotta be extra careful as PSU automatically expels students for a firearm on campus.

This is the best map I could find of the University Park campus and other Penn State properties and facilities in State College area. (PSU owned/operated areas are shaded in colors, others' in white.)

http://www.geog.psu.edu/sites/defaul...SU%20map_0.pdf

Basically, with some exceptions along the West College Ave, everything in the box between Park Ave on the north, College Ave on the south, Blue Course Drive on the west, and Porter Road on the east, belongs to PSU. Plus the area around the Innovation Park, as well as most of the lands in between Beaver Stadium north toward the airport and est toward the Innovation Park. Importantly, notice there are several buildings south of College Ave, in downtown State College, that are operated by Penn State (they are mostly located in the few blocks between Burrowes St and South Allen St). Not pictured on the map are large tracks of agricultural land around the county also owned by Penn State, such as the plots of land of PSU's Agricultural Research Center along Rt 45 past Pine Grove Mills toward Huntingdon County. All those are no-carry zones, unfortunately.

Stay safe!

[mark61]

Add in the 1000 foot rule for schools and according to a news article a couple years ago they could get you for carrying just about anywhere in SC. In all my years I have never been stopped and searched for concealed carry in SC or on campus except for BJC entrances. Just a thought to keep in mind.