Anthony Arms

[Emptymag]

Thanks for the post, and any future ones on shops in the Pittsburgh area. I'll be moving to that side of the state in the next 2 or 3 months, and it's good to have an idea of where's good to shop.

Take a look here:
http://forum.pafoa.org/allegheny-27/...ittsburgh.html




Anthony Arms... they've been discussed here. A lot.
Pretty much if you took all the above comments and copied/pasted them a bunch of times, it would sum up everything I've ever read about them here.

I purchased one of my first handguns(probably over 10 years ago)from them because the guy at the range was very helpful to my wife and I.
The folks upstairs? Eh... they were helpful in taking my money, but that's about it. I've had fair to poor experiences with the staff upstairs, so the only reason I go there now is if they have something that nobody else carries. I haven't been there in about two tears.

[PA452]

I called them yesterday (along with about 6 other shops) to see if they could ship a pistol for me that I sold to a buyer out of state. I asked the guy if they did that, he said sure. I asked how much, he said, "$20 plus actual shipping cost". I said great, and then proceeded to ask if he could give me an estimate of how much shipping would be. He says, "It's usually around $50".

I said asked him what method they use to ship, and he tells me Fedex overnight. I said, "Well I can do that, you guys can send via USPS priority much cheaper." Then he starts telling me he knows that, it's all in what the customer wants, and then goes on about how I can actually personally ship at USPS, Fedex, or UPS without a problem. So I start educating him on how as a private individual, I cannot ship via USPS, and I would have to ship Fedex or UPS overnight, which costs over $50. I said told him as an FFL, he can ship via US Mail priority which is much cheaper, so why would I want him to charge me even more for something I can do myself.

I figured he was going to get pissed at me for telling him how to do his job, but he didn't, just kept saying he didn't know how it worked. So since he acknowledged that he knew he could ship via USPS priority, I said, "Alright, well if I come down there tonight and give you the handgun to ship, can you ship it USPS priority?". He says he can't do that. It made no sense at all.

In their defense, they were not the only ones who were jacked up. Every FFL I called either had a ridiculous price ($50+) or didn't know the rules in regard to shipping, or both.

[bennettgun]

Your correct about FFL's shipping Priority but we have to fill out a form to do it. I beleive it is 1508. But if it does not fit in flat rate box then it may cost a little more than $20.00 with insurance and signature confirmation. On smaller and lighter guns it can be $15.00.

John Bennett
Bennett's Gun Shop

[mjf317]

PA452,

You should call John at firearmtransfers.net

He is in the North Hills and makes the whole FFL thing a dream come true. I cant believe I went this long without using his service. Just shoot him an email from the site. He uses his blackberry and will usually respond ASAP.

EFF Anthony Arms, and other places who want to steal your grip.

[Shawn.L]

PA452,

You should call John at firearmtransfers.net

He is in the North Hills and makes the whole FFL thing a dream come true. I cant believe I went this long without using his service. Just shoot him an email from the site. He uses his blackberry and will usually respond ASAP.

EFF Anthony Arms, and other places who want to steal your grip.

what he said ^^^^

John is a good guy

[Ricochet]

I agree, this place is HORRIBLE!

Sure, they have a great inventory, but the prices are out of this world.

And the rudeness of the employees is totally out of control.

And if you want to shoot at the indoor range downstairs, they make you use they're ammo, with is completely over priced.

[PA452]

PA452,

You should call John at firearmtransfers.net

He is in the North Hills and makes the whole FFL thing a dream come true. I cant believe I went this long without using his service. Just shoot him an email from the site. He uses his blackberry and will usually respond ASAP.

EFF Anthony Arms, and other places who want to steal your grip.

Thanks for the tip. I actually did use John for a recent incoming pistol I bought. I heard good things so I used his services for the transfer. That was quite possibly one of the best firearm transfer experiences I've ever had.

For shipping though, according to his site though he was asking $25 plus shipping, and I thought I could do better elsewhere. I actually ended up just going to Fedex and it cost me about $40.

[IROCZ]

This is the worst gunshop I've ever been in in my life. Rude and ignorant. I looked at a Garand there, Bore like a sewer, $555. I was looking as my Father in Law wants one in the worst way. The young man behind the counter mused "I wonder why the barrels that bad?" I said, Well up until 1956 or so most 3006 ammo loaded by Uncle Sam was corrosive, and some people didn't clean properly and well corrosive corrodes. From stage left here comes older distinguished looking counter jerk who says "No it wasn't!" He goes on to tell me only the cheap import stuff was ever corrosive. I can see this going bad so I continue to speak to the young man. I say something about using Ballistol and Hoppes 9 and maybe even hot water. Counter Nazi then pushes his way in front of the young guy and says thats BS nothing cleans corrosive except the special stuff the military uses and you cant buy it!??/!/? I can't believe it. This guy wants to have a confrontation over bore cleaning? The young guy shrinks back towards the wall. The counter Nazi goes on to explain that once a weapon is fired with corrosive its junk, or something like that, I didn't hear clearly as I was walking to the door. As I was telling my neighbor he recounted a story of about a year ago when he visited the shop. He was at the handgun counter when another customer asked the counter guy for assistance. The customer pulls a 9mm handgun from under his shirt and hands it to the counter guy saying "Do you have a clip for this burner?" I guess it was an oddball because counter guy says "No sorry". Before he hands the pistol back he remarks "Hey the serial numbers are ground off this pistol." The customer says "I know" Counter guy says "you know thats illegall?" Customer smiles and says "Yeah I know." Counter guy hands the pistol back and customer leaves the store with it. My neighbor says "You calling the cops?" Counter guys says "No". My neighbor told me he has never gone back there again. Niether will I.

[huckleberry63]

Well I am glad that I found this....my father lives in West Mifflin and is in the market for a handgun and since I do visit periodically, driving past that store, I have mentioned to him to stop in and see what they have(since it is so close). But now, I will tell him not to waste his time. Thanks all.

[The_War_Wagon]

PA452,

You should call John at firearmtransfers.net

He is in the North Hills and makes the whole FFL thing a dream come true. I cant believe I went this long without using his service. Just shoot him an email from the site. He uses his blackberry and will usually respond ASAP.

EFF Anthony Arms, and other places who want to steal your grip.

From transfers I ABSOLUTELY go to John now. Even from the South Hills, I still come out ten bucks to the better, COUNTING the cost of the gasoline back & forth!

I'm not going to discount anyone else's BAD experience there - you HAD the experience you HAD. That said, they ARE overpriced on a lotta things, but bargains are where you find them, and they've always done right by me. Got my Taurus 605 there today, in fact.