West York Sporting No good!!!

[el diablo 426]

I went in the place when I first moved to York in 2004.

Two things put me off about the place:

1. The "guy" was just a little off and made me uncomfortable about being around him.

2. He only allowed ammunition purchased from him and wouldn't let me keep the empty brass.

I won't go back until/unless there is a change in ownership/management.

[Flash]

I just posted this in the regional froum, where a guy was asking about ranges, and I think it also belongs in this thread, even though it is kinda (WARNING !)NECROPOSTING.

I was just in there today. They are kind-of .... er.r.r.r. .... well, um, ahhhhh......... funny! About answering the door. They have a sensor that notices your presence there, and will give you a recorded "We will be with you shortly",, and then, after you walk around, read the bulletin board and look at all the self-congratulatory notices on the wall, if you go into the range room a couple of times, and trip the alarm a time or two, someone will eventually appear to see just what it is that you are up to - - er, "want".

There were five people in there behind the counter when I went in, but it took five minutes for any one of them to come out through the locked door to greet me.

But then, when I did get an attendant, he was decently personable (as were they all) and showed me around the range, and then into the gunshop. The owner is friendly and decently knowledgeable about firearms, too. He said he has owned the place for fifteen years.

The shop is fairly decentlly stocked with handguns, a few rifles, and simply GANGS OF AMMUNITION. Now I did not ask price on ammo, but the gun prices were in line with what I expected - neither lowball nor insufferably high. All-in-all, I don't think I would hesitate to buy a firearm from them.

They do offer instruction, it would seem. I don't know to what depth or by whom (I didn't ask of certification).

The range is a full 75 feet (25 yards), six or eight lanes, motorized target carriers, controllable lights, and looks as nice as any indoor range I have shot in for years. I did not ask about who owns the spent brass, which I should have. Sometimes that is an issue for reloaders. The reason I mention that is that I have shot at ranges which FIRMLY state that any brass in front of the firing point belongs to the range, you cannot have it. Period. (I had a way of dealing with that guy.)

Range rates was quoted to me at "$15.00 per half-hour, single occupancy. Double on the same lane $18.00". For me, that seems a bit pricey, but it seems a nice place to shoot. I did not inquire of ventilation, which is a TRULY SIGNIFICANT issue in an indooor range. If I didn't have a good range at the club near me, and if I were near to this one, I might be inclined to give it a try, especially in inclement weather. He's open from (I think 10:00AM) to 9:00PM. Which would be especailly good for evenings and such.

But an hour on that range will more than pay my yearly dues at the club where I am currently a member. There is that economic factor. The second hour will more than pay for my initiation fee, were I to join anew. And I guess that would temper my decision as to whether I would desire to join or not join a club. What is the alternative? Where is the "break-even point"?

Hope that helps your choices.

Flash

OH YEAH ! TRANSFER FEES ! The transfer fee here was FORTY FIVE DOLLARS ! WOWIE ! ! ! ! A bud and I wanted to trade guns, and he said, well, he'd do the second one for half-price, if we did the two of them together. $67.50, total

We went up the street to Stubby Gear (by the way, a top-notch place to deal) and got them for $20.00 each. Both transfers for less than what West York Range wanted for one.

[JohnUSCG]

Wow, Flash...thank you for the review. It has been quite awhile since I have been in to WYSG. +rep for keeping us all up to date.

I know the owner of WYSG (Steve Dobson) and he is definitly and odd guy. He and his father own the place (bought it in 1997/98). I would love to support a local indoor range, but I just cannot get away from his occasional strange behavior and conversation.

Those transfer fees are ....WOW!!

[rwb1500]

I had a simaliarly poor experience. I especially didn't like the $45 transfer fee. Its all here

forum.pafoa.org/shops-20/91756-west-york-sporting-goods-yuck.html

[Broncitis]

I stopped in there about a year ago when I was first looking into getting back into shooting and was looking for a shop and range in the area. I got an uncomfortable vibe soon after the odd recorded welcome message. Steve was just strange in many ways that one can not really understand until you experience it. I'm OK with a bit of wierd since we all surely have some quirks, but he seemed to get an extra dose or two.

I was also turned off when he continually handed me handguns out of the case without doing a mag check and chamber check. I can not recall ever before (or since) being handed a firearm from a dealer where they did not check it. It gave me an instant impression of a lack of professionalism and regard for proper safety procedures. I knew then that this was not a guy I wanted any instruction from and likely not a range I wanted to call home, so I've never returned.

Since then I have been trying to check out as many other shops in the area as I can as time allows since I can only get to most on weekends. Still need to get over to check out Stubby Gear and a few other of the closer ones to me, but so far Backwoods is my favorite for a great selection, friendly, mom & pop type shop.

I joined a local club for taking care of the range part of it. Dues for a year are less than 4 or 5 hours at WYSG (or Freedom Armory for that matter) and I can shoot indoors from 7 or 8 am until 11PM, 7 days a week or use the outdoor ranges during the day. Plus the club rules and related shooting groups are more inline with the type of shooting I'm most intersted in (practical defensive, drawing from a holster, shooting on the move, shoothouse clearing, etc.).

As for transfers, I looked on Gunbroker and printed a list of FFL's in the area and made some calls. I found one who runs a shop out of his house (mostly some gunsmithing) who did my first two FTF for $10 each. He then did one that got shipped in from a seller off Gunbroker and that was $25. I'd post his name, but when I saw him a couple moths ago for the last transfer he mentioned he was likely closing shop since the BATF was making it tougher to keep in compliance with all their spot cheks and other paperwork. Damn shame as he's a super nice guy and has been doing it for over 30 years.

[Bearslide]

Thanks to the Forum members who posted their experience with this shop and mentioned Freedom Armory as an alternative. My husband and I went to Freedom Armory today. Very knowledgeable people working there, very clean and professional. They had a really good selection and took their time helping us make the choice of a handgun that's right for me.

I am new to this Forum and very much appreciate the information here.

It was nice to know in advance about the 3% credit card dealie - we went prepared to use a debit card instead.

[MandrewG]

Anyone have any updates on this place? Any better,worse, same? New owner yet?

[WYSGUser]

This place has changed a lot over the last few years.

I will admit the place did creap me out when i started going there to use the range but here are a few things I like about the place now....

They've cleaned it up a lot, when you used to walk in the place looked under construction and most of that has been cleaned up and reparied.

One of the first times I went there I left my drivers licensce behind after the older gentlemen got done setting me up in the new computer setup they had. Later that night he drove to my house to return it to me. It was really apprecciated by me since I was going to be travelling soon and if i hadn't noticed i would have been screwed.

Maybe this is a stupid reason but, they send me a Christmas card every year.

I've never had an issue using my own ammon at the range and they seem to be flexible if i want to put anything on a layaway program.

I will agree with some posts, they are different but I've never felt like they were "gun nuts" or "Zealots" and i've not heard any propaganda rants about the president or gun control.

I was acctually there on 12/31 and the owner was there talking with another customer who had been using the range. The owner actually told his customer that he used to be anti gun and had slowly changed his opinion over time, but at no time did the conversation turn into a rant about buying up as many guns as possible and stockpiling ammo because Obama would be taking it all away from us.

Anyhow, to conclude my rant, they seem to have changed. They seem to remember frequent customers and treat them well. Sure they have a small dog now that goes around biting the owner's, I assume wife's boots as she walks around, but they seem like nice folks and i'll be continuing to go there and support their business.

Thanks,

W.T.

[Cster1974]

UPDATE


Was just in theretwo days ago. What a selection of firearms!! They have stuff I have been searching high and low for a very long time. They have a good selection of ammunition and very fair market prices. Teresa was a complete pleasure to do business with. Very informed of the guns and ammunition they had in stock and well versed. The gun shop is by locked access so the feeling of being safe is great. They pay close attenton to your needs and like I said very friendly. I would highly reccomend stopping in and checking it out. They have a great inventory of hard to find handguns. For someone to find a handful of glocks and xdm's in one place amazed me. They even had a great selection of 1911!! at great prices. It may have been a little off in the past...But chirst who doesn't have a few comments to make about the Governement. If anything talking about it for the schear outlook and ability to vent with someone who isn't judging you for your beliefs is great. The indoor shooting range is well taken care of. The rates are good and you don't freeze your butt off having to shoot outside. Give them a shot and try to look past any oddities you feel present and I feel you will have a great experiance just in the fact that your not gonna get Price gouged by someone looking to "just business attitude" with you. I would rather go somewhere where the people have common intrest in shooting and supplying the public with the weapons they want then trying to make a fortune off me and my friends.

[gunsrfun1]

I've bought a couple of guns from them and they are ok folks. Teresa is a sweetheart. Don't be put off the by the cackling bird and the dog