Why did I do it ?

[njc110381]

I had all that bother myself until the Glos Gun Co opened. Now I go there all the time. If Al was £50 more expensive for a gun I'd still buy it there (he's usually cheaper), there's a lot to be said for good service!

 

Pick a good gun shop and stick with them guys.

[fat_jay]

Churchhills at Dereham, terrible place, Popped in there last weeks as i was doing a job in the area

Walked in the shop

ME "morning"

HIM looks up from newspaper "ugh"

ME "im looking for a 32" sporter, do you have anything?"

HIM "NO" back to newspaper

Silence.....................................

Had also intended to buy a 1000 carts, needless to say i didnt!

A cock of the highest order

[apache]

Depends on the shop York guns in my most local RFD and they are absolutely top the lot of them always friendly faces willing to help the only other gun shop i have dealt with is northallerton shooting supplies and experienced a very similar treatment would recommend both shops to all whole heartily.

 

George

Can I second Northallerton

 

I drive past Gilsan Sports to get there (couldn't be less helpful, but occasionally has his moments!)

[teal27]

churchills of dereham can be like that sometimes, took a mossberg hushpower in there to trade in against a 22/250. It took them ages to serve me then they had the audacity to offer me a ridiculously low trade in price, i guess some people don't need the money chap. sorry i couldn't help the other day with the blaser by the way, the guy in question is incommunicado.

 

 

Same here, offered my o/u as pxc and he offered me £150 for it, wont try and sell them a gun again

[Dekers]

So, where is the Forum heading...

 

 

Gunshops..the good the bad and the ugly??

[Dekers]

I have traveled to more gunshops than I can remember, although I don't recall ever crossing the threshold of Essex Guns.

 

RFD are a funny breed, and in many case so are we!

 

I end up on first name terms with most of them, just because that's the sort of trade it is, unfortunately my local is a complete ****!

 

Fortunately I get around a bit anyway (although I think nothing of driving 100+++ miles each way if I need to..and we do need to sometimes) so I have found a few that I can do business with.

[Colster]

I've heard so many bad things about Churchills I haven't even set foot in the place. Apparently his brother owns a gunshop in Swaffham and the service is of a very similar standard.

 

I use Nelsons mainly because they'll chat all day and Chris really knows his stuff and also Philip Webster. Nice thing with Philip being a one man band, you know you're talking to the bloke that can do a deal and he's been shooting since just before he started walking.

 

So having never been in Churchills, I can only say Norwich is well served for decent gun shops.

[jonnyoftheboy]

only have 2 experiences of essex gun..........

 

1. bought 5000 carts there last summer..... didn't even help me to the car, even though no customers in the shop & both Neville & son were in the shop - thanks guys

 

2. emailed them in oct. re. some cart prices & some prices on hidefspex glasses...... still awaiting a reply!

 

so none of my money going to essex!!!

 

in fact, what is it with gun shops & emails?

 

emailed clayshootingrus between xmas & NY - still awaiting a reply (re-emailed again yesterday!), and same with forsey's..... sent them an enquiry re. their website, again between xmas & NY, no response!!!

 

why do they bother showing an email address if they don't reply!!!

[Lez325]

Well my prefferd gunshop manager's eyes spin like the dollar signs on a one armed bandit when I turn up

 

 

Oh yes- I know that feeling all too well

 

Les

[MJN]

I concur with the positive comments on Alan at Eastern Sporting, also anyone tried

Essex Shooting Supplies Ltd (J. Brown, Cantfields Farm), although they have no web site, and do not advertise their guns on the web anywhere I can find, they do have a reasonably large selection of guns, helpful, and for cartridges they are as cheap as you'll find around N. Essex, down side a little of the beaten track, you'll need satnav to find them.

M.

[TheHunter]

Another real *** is Slingsbys in Sleaford, wouldn't **** on him if he were alight.

Edited January 12, 2010 by TheHunter

[Cosd]

Sounds like he is related to the gunshop in Barnet. Miserable sod almost every time I went in there.

Barnet Guns is by far the closest gunshop to me. Every time we (me and 2 buddies) went in there (when we started shooting 1 1/2 years ago) he was such a miserable ***. We'd go in there to buy cartridges and have a look around and apart from his prices being ridiculous, 1 bouncer £30 for example, his attitude and customer service was terrible. Never a smile, or make us feel welcome. It was obvious we were new to the sport and asked questions, but he was an utter ****.

 

We bought cartridges from him a couple of cabinets and bits and pieces for about 6 months, then I decided I wanted to buy a shotgun so went in there with a budget of around £450. He proceeded to show me guns which were all in pretty dire condition around my price range. I was no expert but I knew enough that he wanted the £'s and wasn't really interested if I'd got anything that I would be pleased with. Not once did he talk about a gun fitting me or anything like that. I visited the shop every couple of weeks for about three months but he never got anything in that was even half decent, in fact his stock for that price band was pretty static. Eventually I bought a gun from Straightshooter here on the forum and got it RFD'd down to the gunshop. I called him to say I was on my way round there to be told that he was closing for lunch at 12:30, and I managed to get there for 12.25

 

I was told that the paperwork would take about 10 minutes and that he couldn't do it in the 5 minutes he had and that I should go back after an hour! Whilst this discussion is going on he has 3 friends there waiting for him and talking about going to the pub for a drink.

 

On going back after his pub session, he went on to tell me that the gun I bought looked used and basically put it down in every way shape and form that he could think of. He started mounting the gun and tell me it was off balance blah, blah, blah. I told him to put the gun back in it's case and if I wanted a ****** opinion I would have asked him personally. Paid him his £30 and explained I was sorry it wasn't enough for him to go on a customer care course!

 

Never been back since, in fact I live in London and am more than happy to travel to St Albans to Park Street Guns where I am greeted with a smile each and every time.

[jackinbox99]

Christ, sounds like some people have had some right experiences. I hate bad customer service in general. It always amazes me why they bothers to do the job if they obviously dont enjoy it. Id love to have my own gunshop and as an enthusiast, id bend over backwards to help people and give them a good deal.

 

Im lucky, my local gunshops are really good. One does tend to seriously overprice his guns, but is cheap on cartridges. But, he`s always friendly and ive bought a couple of guns from him still.

[MerseaDavid]

I concur with the positive comments on Alan at Eastern Sporting, also anyone tried

Essex Shooting Supplies Ltd (J. Brown, Cantfields Farm), although they have no web site, and do not advertise their guns on the web anywhere I can find, they do have a reasonably large selection of guns, helpful, and for cartridges they are as cheap as you'll find around N. Essex, down side a little of the beaten track, you'll need satnav to find them.

M.

 

I have been to them many times before and they are always good. They have a good amount of cartridges and guns. I used to seel all my pigeons to them aswell.

 

 

Another great place is KD Radcliffes in Colchester high street, They sell good cartridges and good guns.

[Mr_Logic]

Sounds like he is related to the gunshop in Barnet. Miserable sod almost every time I went in there.

Barnet Guns is by far the closest gunshop to me. Every time we (me and 2 buddies) went in there (when we started shooting 1 1/2 years ago) he was such a miserable ***. We'd go in there to buy cartridges and have a look around and apart from his prices being ridiculous, 1 bouncer £30 for example, his attitude and customer service was terrible. Never a smile, or make us feel welcome. It was obvious we were new to the sport and asked questions, but he was an utter ****.

 

We bought cartridges from him a couple of cabinets and bits and pieces for about 6 months, then I decided I wanted to buy a shotgun so went in there with a budget of around £450. He proceeded to show me guns which were all in pretty dire condition around my price range. I was no expert but I knew enough that he wanted the £'s and wasn't really interested if I'd got anything that I would be pleased with. Not once did he talk about a gun fitting me or anything like that. I visited the shop every couple of weeks for about three months but he never got anything in that was even half decent, in fact his stock for that price band was pretty static. Eventually I bought a gun from Straightshooter here on the forum and got it RFD'd down to the gunshop. I called him to say I was on my way round there to be told that he was closing for lunch at 12:30, and I managed to get there for 12.25

 

I was told that the paperwork would take about 10 minutes and that he couldn't do it in the 5 minutes he had and that I should go back after an hour! Whilst this discussion is going on he has 3 friends there waiting for him and talking about going to the pub for a drink.

 

On going back after his pub session, he went on to tell me that the gun I bought looked used and basically put it down in every way shape and form that he could think of. He started mounting the gun and tell me it was off balance blah, blah, blah. I told him to put the gun back in it's case and if I wanted a ****** opinion I would have asked him personally. Paid him his £30 and explained I was sorry it wasn't enough for him to go on a customer care course!

 

Never been back since, in fact I live in London and am more than happy to travel to St Albans to Park Street Guns where I am greeted with a smile each and every time.

I've also had a bad time with him, was at the Phoenix and I wanted some mounts, and potentially a scope too. I wanted AFAIK about £10 off as I'd seen said scope cheaper elsewhere; he wouldn't budge, and neither would he let me buy the mounts from him (only person with them for miles) - a right *****, was very rude about it too. Never had service that bad! I would cheerfully punch the guy.

[Anni]

I've also had a bad time with him, was at the Phoenix and I wanted some mounts, and potentially a scope too. I wanted AFAIK about £10 off as I'd seen said scope cheaper elsewhere; he wouldn't budge, and neither would he let me buy the mounts from him (only person with them for miles) - a right *****, was very rude about it too. Never had service that bad! I would cheerfully punch the guy.

 

 

Not just punch him but "Cheerfully punch him" Delivered with a smile

[Hodmedod.one]

I've heard so many bad things about Churchills I haven't even set foot in the place. Apparently his brother owns a gunshop in Swaffham and the service is of a very similar standard.

 

I use Nelsons mainly because they'll chat all day and Chris really knows his stuff and also Philip Webster. Nice thing with Philip being a one man band, you know you're talking to the bloke that can do a deal and he's been shooting since just before he started walking.

 

So having never been in Churchills, I can only say Norwich is well served for decent gun shops.

 

The gun shop in Swaffham is Billy Woods. I think there was a family bust up a long time ago so he set up on his own. His 2 brothers Chris and Guy still run the family business at Ovington near Watton. It is still known as Paddy Woods place even though Paddy died years ago.

 

Paddy was a top bloke. I used to go there as a teenager and if you were interested in a gun he would give you a couple of boxes of cartridges and you could have a go on the clay trap behind the shop. I used to be interested in a different one every couple of weeks but he never seemed to mind. The shop is a bit disorganised but they are nice people and will always help you out. I had a duff .22LR round and got a bullet stuck in the barrel. I took it in there and they removed it and wouldn't taske a penny for doing it. I took them a bottle of wine at Christmas and they were delighted.

 

Billy's shop is much more upmarket but he is miserable and it seems like he doesn't want to serve you. He's not cheap either!

 

I don't like Churchills and agree with the comments already posted about the shop.