How far do you travel when shopping?

[Monty]

Just curious, how far do you folks travel when looking around for something specific or even just to drop into a shop to see what they have?

Once that damn LTC comes in (this week, hopefully), I'm on a quest to buy my first (of many) gun(s). Being in western Mass, I'm unlikely to make it to, say, Four Seasons, but there are several shops within 20 min of me that I can check out.

 

[KMM696]

I live in way out Western MA, and I usually make it to Four Seasons once a year. Only left without buying something I wanted once - it was in the middle of the record sales months after the election, and the selection was sparse.

So, I'll say 2.5 hours would be my limit. More locally the stores I'll stop in just because I'm in the area are Guns & Gun Parts or sometimes AAA in W. Springfield, Valley Sporting in Easthampton. Pete's Gun Shop in Adams, too.

 

[Prepper]

The farthest I've gone is Springfield, which is almost 2 hours from here (to get a custom-made upper from John). I have also been to Riley's and ZHA many times, each of which takes an hour or more one way.

 

[SMagee]

It all depends. If I was looking for a pistol and Shop A had it for $500, and Shop B had it for $450 but it's 3 hours round trip. My time is worth more to me so I would suck up the $50.

If it was for a perfect M1 Garand or something else I really want I would drive up to 8 hours each way and make a "vacation" or day-trip out of it to justify it.

So there's no real answer here IMHO.

 

[drgrant]

I go everywhere. If there is a good shop 100 miles away I'll make the trip, I don't care. I try to stick to NH/ME/VT/MA though. NH is my favorite place to shop in
though, because of the lack of sales tax and BS.

Then again I drive a 50 mile each way commute every day to work, so driving tends not to bother me very much.

The longest I currently visit is Riley's which is about 60 miles each way. It's usually worth the trip.

-Mike

 

[Asaltweapon]

I had a planned trip to Bangor from Greenville last week but didn't make it.

 

[jenlynn724]

I'll go to whoever has what I want.. I went to First Defense for stickers..

 

[Tooth]

Just curious, how far do you folks travel when looking around for something specific or even just to drop into a shop to see what they have?

Once that damn LTC comes in (this week, hopefully), I'm on a quest to buy my first (of many) gun(s). Being in western Mass, I'm unlikely to make it to, say, Four Seasons, but there are several shops within 20 min of me that I can check out.

Dam I live on the north shore and there are not "several shops within 20 min".

 

[CRSIII]

Hop on rt 9 east and head to
Toooomb Stone Trading!
He's in Brookfield.
You'll be glad ya did!

 

[Friday]

If I'm out for a bike ride, I'll just google up a few gun shops and make a loop ride out of it. Could be a short hop, or an all-day affair, depending on my schedule.

 

[cekim]

I've gone as far as 1:30 one-way...

Usually at that point though, I'm not window shopping, but rather have already called and know they have something I'm looking for at a price I'd take...

 

[Friday]

that's "mission" shopping, different story.

Of course, how far is all relative to the value of the item being shopped. And the reasons one can gin up to make the trip.

 

[punx45]

i usually won't go too far out of my way to browse, but would be willing to drive an hour or more to get to some place that i knew had what I wanted, and I was planning to buy it. scale the travel hours in proportion to what it is and how hard it is to obtain :-D

of course, buying online is usually option #1.

 

[P-14]

NH: 45 minutes
Cape: 1 hour
Supermarket: 2 blocks
Gas: 2 blocks
Greg Derr: 45 minutes
Four Seasons: 20 minutes
Costco: 10 minutes
Square One Mall: 15 minutes
Burlington Mall: 25 minutes
Cambridgeside Galleria: 10 minutes
Restaurants: 5 minutes
Old State House, North Church, Theater District, North End: 10 minutes
Buffalo: 7 hours
Buying online and shipping to a friend in NH: Priceless

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Just curious, how far do you folks travel when looking around for something specific or even just to drop into a shop to see what they have?

Once that damn LTC comes in (this week, hopefully), I'm on a quest to buy my first (of many) gun(s). Being in western Mass, I'm unlikely to make it to, say, Four Seasons, but there are several shops within 20 min of me that I can check out.

Whenever we are down around Devens we ALWAYS stop in at Blue Northern.
Great shop, great people. We are near you in Western MA. Westhampton, we have gone up to Adams, of course Valley Sport in Easthampton and various others we go to.
It all depends.

 

[Warrior102]

I live on the cape and happily drive to Four Seasons, great shop, inventory and folks.

 

[theGringo]

Typically a little over an hour gets me to Springfield or Adams (about 40 miles). I don't often venture further out unless I feel a powerful urge or have other business.

 

[mac1911]

When I am looking my first stop is fourseasons 1+hr I like kittery tradeing post for projects and clunkers 2hrs. although have not been there in years. I like springfield area 2 hours

 

[pernox]

Guns: Pete's in Adams is a half hour or less, traffic dependent. Dave's in Pittsfield is maybe five minutes away, and I can just about see Avid Sports from my attic window. Almost. I don't get out much past these three, except Pat's in Lanesboro once in a blue moon. He doesn't like the look of me, and I hate getting the hairy eyeball, so I only stop off if I'm in the neighborhood.

Other stuff: I've made the two hour drive to NH to buy things with cash twice so far since the sales tax went up. I'll be doing it again on Wednesday to pick up a dishwasher. Each time, I am SAVING money, despite the fact that I'm driving a big V8 pickup.. And sticking it to Cadillac (actually, it's a Mercedes.. I've seen a copy of the reg ) Deval and his band of Red Komrades is worth the effing drive to Keene.

 

[Speedway]

Dam I live on the north shore and there are not "several shops within 20 min".

I have 7 shops within 15 minutes.

I must be spoiled.

 

[Dirtypacman]

I have driven up to 3 hours one way to get something I wanted/needed.

 

[Mark from MA]

After the new tax in effect, Now I go to NH for long guns...... GunBroker/Gunsamerica/ online for pistols, There is no tax on the transfer fee and I'm still supporting my preferred in state dealer a bit. He doesn't stock a lot, and tells me to get it online anyway......

 

[oceanblues]

guns and gunparts in west springfield is my shop of choice. pete's in adams is an hour and a half away but well worth it. i pick up a long gun from riverview sales in east windsor, ct every once in awhile. and there's a little shop in agawam called auto sport always worth popping into. i've always gotten great customer service from all these places.