Best Gun Shop in New Hampshire

Seeing a lot of negative comments about Shooters Outpost here. I've been to SO a number of times since it opened up and have my own SO experience of the place. Now I have to say SO is not the first place go to, BUT I have always found their staff knowledgeable and helpful. The place is well run, lots of inventory and on occasion I have actually spoken to Jim on an issue or question. Some make not like the questions or ID checks but its his business and his rules. If he is overly cautious, well its not you or your business that will be in the cross hairs if something negative comes down. Like some have said, other places are around if you find fault with their policies... I still find it a good place to stop by and glad it is there.
 
I've only been there a half dozen times or so, but if the girl at the front is old enough to drink I'd be shocked.



I mean, do what you want with your money, it's yours. However the last time I actually put this much thought into what a 20 year old girl said or thought, I was trying to date said 20 year old, not basing entire moral judgement of an entire organization based on showing an ID for something they won't refuse to sell me.

Now, someone says they won't shop at Dick's because of the Modern Sporting Rifle ban BS? Okay, I get that. If Shooters put your personal info in the computer then I would be like F that too. But we're talking about a young girl asking to see your ID and then selling you everything you wanted...

IDK, maybe I'm wrong here and should be offended too.


We may have already irretrievably derailed this thread, and harrowed the ground to death, but it's not asking for an ID that's the problem. It's asking for the ID, then if the ID is from MA, requiring an LTC to complete the purchase. Even that isn't SO bad, it's when it's stated that they can't sell to the person because law prohibits it....again, it doesn't.

I don't want to beat this drum anymore, and I don't think you're wrong, it's just personal opinion/preference.
 
Second, The Store owner has said that it is his policy.

Fourth, I will never set foot into his stores and will pass the word to others as well and why.


Based on the number of people in there last week... And the wait times at Firing Line last time I went...

Being bent about showing an ID, and subsequent boycotts seem to not really be hurting said owner all that much.


I feel like the whole policy is a liability issue, and people take it as a personal affront, when it is a simply CYA to ensure the store can stay in operation and provide a service for the community. As in, dude got popped a few years ago in a sting, and is making sure it doesn't' happen again.
 
If the counter help doesn't have any idea what they're talking about WRT laws, then it's not a store I want to do business with.

Problem with this is it means if you are ideologically consistent you won't set foot in like 75% of the gun shops in the region, because I've run into poorly informed or legally misleading staff at many of them. I stopped caring a long time ago and o ly care about them selling me a product at a reasonable price. The rest of it is nearly meaningless absent some serious shenanigans on the part of the shop.

-Mike
 
Riley's, without a doubt. Shooters Outpost, in my opininon, is a "firearms boutique", not a gun shop. I am also a huge fan of Marshall's in Boscawen, Skip's in Bristol, Sporting & Hunting Depot in Charlestown, and Welch's in Lebanon. Firearms,Etc. in Temple is small but cool.
 
Last edited:
Any gun shop road trip to NH should include a stop at Shooters Outpost. YRMV. Drop in and decide for yourself if you like them. Personally, I have had nothing but great experiences there and they are one of my favorites.

Other NH shops I have visited are fine and none have given me a compelling reason to cr@p on them in a public forum.
 
+1

SO is a very good store..... They seem to be very busy lately......I don't blame Jim for his Guns and Ammo sales policies.... He is bordering a very F*cked Up state and just trying to protect his business......

I recommend visiting the store... and Riley's.... and buy your guns and ammo where you can...
 
I'll say this about SO: it's clean, uncluttered, and well-lit. That alone puts it above 75% of the gunshops in this (or any other) state. I wonder if there's any other industry segment that seems to pride itself on crowded, dimly-lit stores. The place that does my tires is cleaner than a lot of gunshops.

That said, I've never had a problem at SO. Staff has always been polite. Ammo prices seem about middle of the road unless you catch a deal or something. I think the whole "let me see your papers" thing is so much made-up bullshit on the part of the owner, but it's not my call. To me, it's a store policy, really no different than, say, not being open on Mondays, or not taking Visa, or making you take your hat off. Like any store, if I don't like some of their policies enough, like not being open on Mondays, or not taking Visa, or making you take your hat off, then I won't go there. Doesn't matter to me if it's the gunshop or the tire shop or the grocery store. Doesn't particularly piss me off. I just get me ammo/tires/groceries somewhere else.

If you want to see a real hidden gem, then try Barn Store of New England. Holy shit. It looks like a Tractor Supply from the outside, but the gun/ammo/accessory inventory is nothing but impressive. Friendly staff, too. It's worth a special trip.

Big +1 for 619 DW Guns and Ammo NEE Collectable. I don't think I've run into a friendlier staff in a long time.
 
So anyways...
Riley's guys were super nice, friendly, and willing to chat. Wish they had something I wanted to buy so I could give them my business.

Shooters the guy upstairs was a dick from the word go. I had $500 of merch in my hands and he was just an ass. I wouldn't return to give them business just based on this guy upstairs who appeared to be a manager. His entire attitude seemed derived from dealing with MA$$#@les trying to buy stuff they shouldn't have but he applied it regardless of customer. I can see him providing wrong info on a suppressor just so he wouldn't have to sell it or answer more questions.
Reloading guy was nice enough: I got my powder and all was good in the world.
Anyways, we had fun, I got what I needed, and I will stick to online like usual.

NOTE: Contrary to what many on this forum may portray, people do move back and forth between southern NH & MA fairly regularly. I've done it 4-5 times in my life for jobs, school, life, etc.
 
Once again, his policies are his business.its when they make the claim that their personal policies are state or federal law, thats dishonest. Hooksett SO is no where near the border. Dealing honestly would protect your business more than quoting laws that dont exist.
QUOTE=Actnbill;4383812]+1

SO is a very good store..... They seem to be very busy lately......I don't blame Jim for his Guns and Ammo sales policies.... He is bordering a very F*cked Up state and just trying to protect his business......

I recommend visiting the store... and Riley's.... and buy your guns and ammo where you can...[/QUOTE]
 
I guess it comes down to a couple of things:

If they outright lie about it, citing a law that doesn't exist, then it's not a store that i want to do business with.

If the counter help doesn't have any idea what they're talking about WRT laws, then it's not a store I want to do business with.

In this case, I don't see the end of freedom as we know it, I see a dishonest, or at best, an uninformed staff. I do see it as a minor encroachment; what business is it of theirs where you're gonna take the ammo/components/gun parts you buy? Personal responsibility is what we all preach, and if they won't let someone with a Ma DL, purchase ammo to go shoot at their buddy's range in Hooksett, without an LTC, they're not practicing what they preach. If they cite a non-existent law concern no sales to MA residents without an LTC, they they're just flat out liars.

Problem with this is it means if you are ideologically consistent you won't set foot in like 75% of the gun shops in the region, because I've run into poorly informed or legally misleading staff at many of them. I stopped caring a long time ago and o ly care about them selling me a product at a reasonable price. The rest of it is nearly meaningless absent some serious shenanigans on the part of the shop.

-Mike

Mike is right! How many of us have been in gun shops (or at gun shows) where we've heard clerks spout the following stuff????

- Putting pre-ban mags in a post-ban gun is illegal.
- These P-mags are all pre-ban.
- Glock mags with high caliber markings are all post-ban . . . only U-channel or square-channel mags are pre-ban.
- These mags/<specific type> ammo will be illegal as of <some random date>, so you better buy it now, last chance.
- It's illegal for you to touch a gun in MA w/o showing your LTC/FID first.
- etc. ad nauseum!

There is so much mis-information spouted by ignorant clerks, that if you boycott every shop this happens in you will literally have no place left to shop. It is impossible for any business owner to absolutely 100% ensure that NO employee ever spouts an untruth to a potential customer, no matter how hard they try. Choose to react as you like, but just be aware of this.

How often do you see people here on NES spout "law" that is pure BS? Should Derek ban them all for life too?


There is no Liability, It is all in his head.

I've had the personal discussion with Jim on why he cards everyone. Personally I don't agree with that policy (and Jim made it clear to me that it was his policy and NOT law), BUT I do understand his position and why he implemented it.

After a perp visited his shop and it became known during the investigation, he had picketers out front of his shop. I'm sure that he had "investigators" interrogating him about said perp, taking valuable time away from him or his staff doing their jobs. I'm just as sure that some one of the ban crowd will try to shop him to trip him up and out him to cause him business harm that will cost more time and legal fees to prove that he did nothing wrong. It is easy for each of us to sit back and tell others to fight injustice but if it harms his business/cost him unnecessary legal fees that is a "liability" of sorts and each business owner must judge how much they will tolerate prior to reacting.

As a business owner, I have made some judgments and refused some work because I wasn't willing to assume the risks involved. If a client gives me an uneasy gut reaction, I refuse the work.

I don't have a personal opinion on SO's treatment of customers since the couple of times I was in there, they didn't have what I was looking for (certain bulk ammo) and my Wife bought only one expensive pair of 5.11 pants there to date. We didn't have to show any ID to make said purchase so nothing to complain about.
 
This


QUOTE=JWPaolilliJr;4384417]The owner has the right to do as he wishes by what ever reason or excuse he may have. We have the right to vote with our feet and wallets and recommend others to go anywhere else but there, and tell them why.[/QUOTE]
 
And what about Maine? There has to be life beyond KTP, but where is it?

I used to go to maine and ktp. Now i dont bother. Nh is tax free and the tolls in maine suck. If you go to ktp and cabelas and back its a 15 dollar round trip in tolls only.

Now i just hit 619 dw, rileys and s.o. In that order because shooters is usually highest priced and im no fan of getting carded


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Rileys, hands down for classic gun shop. Best ammo prices and availability (SO is close, but Rileys usually has them beat by a dollar or so....plus Riley's will offer to carry it to your car rather than demand an ID) SO seems best for "new" shooters, clean, flashy.....but mostly "new" inventory and full retail generic gear. It feels like someone ordered the "new gun store kit". Gotten a lot of blank looks and misinformation from staff when asking pretty basic questions, so I don't even bother. I'll pop in when in the area, but haven't bought anything more than a T-shirt. Riley's AR counter has a great selection of accessories and mags, and the kid who runs it actually knows what he's talking about. Some of the other guys..not so much.
For gun/gear porn at near full retail....can not beat the Sig Pro Shop....tactical candy store for grown-ups.
 
Riley's AR counter has a great selection of accessories and mags, and the kid who runs it actually knows what he's talking about.

+1
We found the same thing: He didn't try to bs us and was both informative and patient. I would go back simply due to his customer service.
 
Mike, I think that you spun that on purpose. I think that we all know what the theme of this is in regards to the counter folks, that we are talking about here.

Not spinning anything only calling it the way that I see it. There are a ton of people with double standards as customers. They're OK with walmart or dicks blowing smoke up their ass, but throw a tantrum when some formalized gun shop does it, "cause theyre a gun shop and they should know better" etc. I've heard all the excuses before. [rofl]

Let's be honest- There are about a handful of what I would call puriantical gun shops that I've ever walked into, where nobody has tried to blow smoke up my ass or lied, mislead, or told some falsehood about a law, or made up some fake law, etc. I've seen this smoke blowing firsthand at SO, Rileys, FS, KTP, Numerous Walmarts, bunch of other places, and heard it secondhand from a whole bunch of people about a whole bunch of shops. Some of these clerks aren't even doing it knowingly, they're just parroting crap one of their co workers said, although I would bet at some places they just invent it because it's easier to shut down retard customers by saying stupid stuff like "I cant sell u dis cause dis is the lawr" instead of "I can't sell you this because its against store policy". The latter situation induces a "get me the manager" moment from a lot of hothead consumers and the typical big gun shop employee making a wage hovering somewhere near the floor just wants to say things to make the 1% disappear so they don't have to deal with the drama. Doesn't make it "right" but that's the reality on the ground in most bigger shops.

The only puritanically clean shops typically have like 1-3 people running most of the operations in the shop. While I like these shops too there are better deals on ammo to be found in some of the bigger shops like Rileys and SO. I'm not really into retraining someone's employees or getting bent about trivial minutae, I just buy stuff at a price I want to pay for it. And if they start "blowing smoke in my face" too much on any one particular item or segment of need, I fill that need by going to some other shop. Others need the towel attendants and so on, I get that, even if it doesn't make much sense to me. I guess I'm a little desensitized, I don't have my expectations set very high when stepping into a gun shop. As long as they're not rude *******s like the old Gun Room, shysters/frauds like the shithead Al on 101A, or well renowned, full blown traitors like NSF or Northeast Ratting, er, Trading, then I'll probably shop there. I guess another way of putting it is- there are kinda 3 classes of gun shops, really good, sometimes annoying, and nobody should ever ****ing go there. 99% of the shops fit in the first two categories and that's where I shop.

-Mike
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom