Thank you John Barsness (aka Mule Deer) for the exclusive Campfire article, "Gun Shops," which can be found on our New Campfire Home Page.

Please use this thread is to ask John questions about the article. As always, my thanks to John and to the Campfire.

Rick

Bump for launch.

JB, Excellent article! Ric, Thank you for posting a link...

I enjoyed reading "Gun Shops" very much, thanks for posting. It reminded me of my youth, when we had lots of gun shops here in New Jersey, and a boy of 13 could walk into one and buy a box of 22 rimfire ammo and shoot in the woods down the street without anyone complaining.

The other gun shop was up at the other end of town, and it was too far to walk. It was called Tom Norman's Sport Shop, and Tom was chief of police. My friends who lived in that end of town went there. Those were the days.

Cook, Newton and Smith was one of those wood floored gun shops of my youth. Had the smell like in Mule Deer’s story to. It had to be 69 or 70 and I was 10 or 11 and saw my first left handed bolt action. It was a Savage 30-06 and I believe the price tag was $99.99. Dad was picking up a couple items on trade, As I remember.

Anyone from or who traveled through central MN (Mille Lacs area) in the 80's remember "Bach's" gun-shop? I grew up in central ND. Every summer we'd travel to central MN to spend a week with college friends of my parents. Dad and I would always take 1 day and hit up gun-shops around Mille Lacs. I couldn't tell you how to get there, I just remember a building in a meadow surrounded by trees. Wood floors and the whole bit. In connection w/JB's gun-shop story, I can remember my dad buying one of those Colt 22 revolvers @ Bach's.

Bach's is long-gone. Reed's in Walker MN now only has consignment used firearms, no more trading. "The Corner Store" in Backus, MN is small, maybe 100ish guns, but, he does a brisk business in used guns, turns inventory regularly, and almost always has something interesting on the shelf. The owner fancies SxS shotguns and there are usually 20-30 great specimens. From Win 21's through Savage/Stevens 311's, guild guns, all kinds of stuff. Throw in the odd Pre-64 M70 and some used late-model shotguns, I try to find time to stop anytime I'm within 50Mi or so.

Another gunshop that "loonies" who get nearby need to budget time for is Boone's Fine Guns about an 60-90min NW of Minneapolis in Isle MN on the SE corner of Lake Mille Lacs. Sakos, Kimbers, Savage 99's, Winchester 70's, 60 series takedowns, 66's, 73's, 86's, Remington, Ruger, and Browning collectables, yes, plurals. He's got a set of Winchester roller skates in the box, along with a supply-ship rope-launching gun in it's original box. Thousands, if not 10's of thousands of collectable ammo boxes. No wood floor, but, I promise, you won't miss it. The good and bad about Boone's is they have a crappy website which means you just have to go there.

Shooting Sports just E of Little Falls, MN is a "must stop". There are a couple of Pawn Shops in Bemidji MN that have interesting guns at times.

BrotherHood Arms in Watertown SD has a really good mix of AR/Tactical stuff as well as wood/blued and a very well-stocked reloading dept. Sodak Sports in Aberdeen and Mitchell are also worth making time for if you're close.

Of Course 1st Stop in Rapid City also deserves a mention. I'm told there's a basement, I've yet to be invited down there for a look.......

I don’t know if it is our smaller market place in Western Canada, or the waves of ineffectual stupid gun laws that we endure, but the great shops like those you describe are disappearing from the retail landscape here all too steadily.
Wood floors ? I can think of one out of the way establishment in Bashaw, Ab that I make a pilgrimage to whenever I’m nearby. The amalgamation and growth of the big city lgs drove the smaller establishments under. These still weren’t competitive against the Big Box chain stores moving in, leaving a void in the retail gun shop landscape.
Oddly these small shops which are left, seldom had the lowest price to match the bigger outlets , but their proprietors remained content to turn there inventory a little slower, at a higher margin, relying on customer satisfaction and repeat business for long term survival.
I hope that these great gun shops emerge stronger, with the support of their distributors and customers.

The basement at First Stop is something else, been down there a couple of times.

I grew up hanging out at Mashburn Arms in Oklahoma City in the 1970s. JB's article reminded me of that place to a T. I understand that it still exists, but under new management/ownership.


Okie John

John, I got a kick out of your dad's alway using .22 Longs rather than LR's; it brought back memories of my father. Dad hadn't grown up during the Depression, he was providing for my mom and my older sisters all through the Depression and Dust Bowl era so never wasted money. I remember quite well him telling me not to buy LR's, that Shorts were cheaper and worked just as well. So I bought Short HP's and killed a jack rabbit or 6 with them.

Also I had the privilege of shopping at the old Mashburn Arms here in OKC and Sisk Bullets in Iowa Park, TX which were much like the stores you've mentioned, in fact, IIRC Sisk was an old frame house.

I had an early multi-round experience with Short HPs as well, on a red squirrel! Though it didn't require quite as many. That ended them for me....

Is the Powder Horn still operating in Bozeman?

On a recent trip to Conrad, MT I happened on a newly opened gun store. They have a nice selection of used guns for a really small town. First piece that caught my eye was a mint Remington 31 16 gauge. Mint because it was totally worked over by Tom Burgess. Both the metal and wood. Looked much better than a new gun. Think the asking was $425. It would be mine if it had suffered a poly choke on the end

Interesting info, as I visit that area pretty frequently. Though I would have bought the 31 despite the dial-duck!

Was that large GS back in your Minnesota days happen to be Ahlman’s?

That kind of rings a bell! Is it still around?

Great article. The reader could just feel the wooden floors, smell those gun shop smells. Well done.

A good LGS in Houston is Collector's Firearms. They do trade and have an impressive selection of all types of firearms. https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/ No wooden floors, concrete in a shopping center on the western side of Houston. Good folks to work with.

I check their "new arrivals" section on a regular basis. It's where I traded for the Charles Askins Sr. Superposed. They didn't know the provenance, neither did I until after the fact. I did inform them....

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=124719 100K hits on that site.

DF

Here in So Cal most of your mom and pop gun shops been run off. We have the large chains Turners Outdoorsman and Ammo Bros. Growing up I spent most of my free time and disposable income at Stanley's gun Room and Cliffs Gunsmithing in Santa Ana CA their both long gone the Stockade in Westminster CA and Fowler Gun Room in Orange CA were my favorite Sam Fowler owned both stores he's since passed. The Stockade closed a few years back. Fowler's is still around new owner, same name. Martin B Retting up in Culver City has a lot of used weapons, hard to find guns been up there a few times. Lately I'll attend Little John's Auctions to pick up something to flip or keep...

First gun I ever bought “all on my own” was from Cliff’s Gunsmithing. Cliff did a very nice trigger job on it, too.

Your lucky... If your talking about the same place in Santa Ana CA it was a nice shop lot of reloading gear and everything else packed in there a lot of guns and hard to find items but IMO Cliff was no Gunsmith. Had him do a pad on one of my Sako bolt guns, it looked like schit. Ran it over to Bolsa Gunsmithing and they sorted it out.

I remember going to Tom Norman's when it was owned by gunsmith John "Doc" Korzinek, always bought my reloading supplies there and copies of Rifle and Handloader magazine. Also Paterson Rod & Gun Store, run by Jimmy Salvato when it was on lower Main St. always enjoyed looking at the puppies beneath the front window. Ramsey Outdoor Store was another favorite gun shop, bought an unfired Win. 94 there for $140.00 and a box of Winchester Silvertips for $5.00.

Ah yes, Paterson Rod and Gun. I was a customer. Bought my first shotgun, a Beretta BL-3 20 gauge, at the store on Goffle Road, Hawthorne, in 1974. Paid $265 for it used, but practically new. I still have it. I knew Lou Salvato well, also knew his son Jim and sister Joan Salvato Wulff. I pass by Lou's house on Colonial Road in Franklin Lakes often. At one point Jim was a carpenter and I had him do renovations on my home.

Mule Deer;
Top of the morning to you John, I hope this finds you and Eileen doing well as can be.

My goodness that brought back a lot of memories for me, thanks so much yet again.

As you noted, the older ones seemed to have that smell about them and maybe it was the wood floor, I'd never thought about it.

Perhaps someone can tell me if it's still open and as wonderful as back in the late '80's, but the Gunatorium in Spokane - on Argonne I believe - was one of the better places to visit just to look around if not to buy.

The Canadian ones of my youth would typically have smaller barrels - sometimes wood maybe, that I can't recall now - but there'd be a barrel of used single shot .22's off to one side of the counter and they were $10-$12 depending upon condition. A new Cooey single shot .22 was $25 then, which my father would lament as he'd bought one in the '30's for $3.50.

In the bigger centers like Regina, one would find 45 gallon drums of Lee Enfields and Pattern 14 Enfields. There'd be a barrel of the full wood military stocked ones, a barrel of "sportserized" ones and then sometimes a barrel of Jungle Carbines. Honestly I have no concept of how many Lee Enfield variants I've owned in my lifetime John, but have yet to own a Jungle Carbine, much to my regret....

Nowadays they're commanding silly high prices, well maybe they're worth it, but I recall the $100 ones I put back onto the table at the gun shows as I just didn't have the $100 to spend on something I just wanted, you know?

Anyways sir, thanks so much for taking me along with you on your revisiting the gun shops of your lifetime, hopefully it's okay that I wandered off into some of my own as I did.

All the best to you folks John. Stay well.

Dwayne

Ahlman's is S of MLPS, not N.

I always enjoy experiencing a real gun shop. The joy can be lessened somewhat if I am viewed suspiciously as an outsider or treated as though my presence is an intrusion. As for the more recently opened gun shops that I have come across, they all seem to be pretty much "black rifle - oriented" (to coin a term).

Hi Dwayne,

We're fine, and sure hope you are too! Will be hearing about the drawing results for our "special" big game tags in a few days--for me moose, bighorn sheep and bison, for Eileen moose and bison. (We both quit putting in for mountain goat several years ago.) We shall see!

Am actually familiar with the barrels full of .303s. We had those in Montana too until sometime in the 1960s. In fact, one my .303s is a "sporterized" SMLE my father's brother Larry purchased from a barrel full at hardware store.

John;
Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it.

It's interesting that they had .303's by the barrel there too, but I suppose they made so many during the war. It's cool that you still have one with family connection for sure. I really shouldn't have traded off my favorite Uncle Frank's .303, but of course I did.

Up to a little bit ago, the Canadian Forces were still using John Inglis made Hi Power pistols, that's how many were sitting in waxed paper!

My goodness sir, do I hear you on not going mountain goat hunting anymore. That and rodeo rough stock riding is a younger person's activity in my view.

I can vividly recall coming back from a goat hunt in the Telegraph Creek, BC area - we were maybe 60 miles off the Alaska panhandle as best we could figure in those pre-GPS days. Anyways we came away with the firm belief that any mountain goat hunt we survived was a successful one!

Thanks again, good luck on the LEH and stay well.

Dwayne

A very interesting article John. My corner of the world, not being any kind of sporting destination, was pretty much devoid of such gun stores inside fifty miles or so, but boys anywhere can be smitten by the written word and images. There has to be a genetic component — though, strangely, I’m the only one in my family — to all of this; for example, the strange fascination for cartridges and spent cases and their aroma; being drawn to guns like a moth to light.

Our little town had a small barbershop replete with the creaking, stained, wooden floor and two small gun racks of mostly used guns with a few new ones. How do you describe the admixture of after-shave lotion and Hoppes No. 9, along with fishing reel oil? The proprietor and barber was a sportsman, wrote a weekly outdoor fishing column in the local newspaper and tolerated a kid who never got his haircut there, but who constantly came in to admire those guns and ask questions.

The gun shops I remember going to with my dad back in my youth were Skips sport shop in Grayling, MI, Guns Galore in Fenton, MI and William's Gun Sight in Davison, MI.
In my current home of Montana Shedhorn is pretty cool. As is The Fort in Big Timber. One day I hope to visit Capitol in Helena.

We still have a fair amount of small gun shops here in PA. Dixie's in Hughesville has the wood floors and the smells. Troxell's in Williamsport has concrete floors, and it's a block building. Lots of reloading supplies and everything at a fair price. National in Jersey Shore and Miller's in Mill Hall are a couple more good'uns.

“Dial-duck”? 😀. Ok, I’ll admit In my early youth I yearned for a dial-duck shotgun having seen the cool knob on the end of a gun in pictures and on a couple barber shop guns mentioned above. What could be better?
Twist and Shoot?

Edit: I still think the old Poly Choke was a pretty nifty invention. I’ll bet the inventor was watering his flowers one day, fiddled with the hose nozzle, and 💡

That article put me in mind of a time now largely gone here (in the land of Oz). When I was a teenager I could catch the train into Sydney, get out at one end of George St (the main street of the CBD), and make a day of walking along, visiting the half-dozen or so gunshops along and near that street. There were racks and racks of rifles and shotguns of all descriptions, from large numbers of cheap ex-military rifles to all sorts of fancy stuff, and you could walk into each store and have a chinwag and fondle whatever you wanted.

Before I was 18 I had bought several rifles and shotguns in those shops, and for a while I worked for a gunsmith who operated a small shop at the end of the route, in a bit of a back-alley. My job there included making coffee and conversation with the people who'd drop in, so that the boss could go to his workshop and get the work done. He also let me do the odd bit of gunsmithing, which culminated in me building a sporter on a No. 4 action.

You could buy any long-arm bar one capable of full auto (tho' even those could be had in Tasmania), and you just had to say "I'll have that one please, wrap it up, I'll take it now". Handguns were also available, though you needed a licence for those, and where I worked we'd sell these for personal protection, farmers, and target shooters. There was no particular fuss about firearms. People would even step out onto the footpath to check out the view through a scope by taking aim up at the Central Station clocktower, and no-one would turn a hair. School cadets would also take their SMLEs to and from high school on the bus or train, and my high school in the suburbs had an armoury with SMLEs, Brens etc and a miniature rifle range down the back behind the football fleld. I used to take the train to the range with my rifle too, and no-one was bothered.

Firearms were even sold in places like Kmart, and even in the small town near my parents' farm there were three gunshops. Even the little village stores sold ammunition.

There's only one gunshop in George St now, and it specialises in older military firearms as well as various militaria (swords, badges, uniforms etc). All the others are long gone. There are several gunshops scattered around Sydney's suburbs, and the odd few regional ones, but nowhere near as many as there were.

There are still some nice ones. I'm lucky enough to have a good one within walking distance of home, where they have a good selection including some very nice double rifles, drillings etc. A friendly bunch too, though they can be too busy for a chat on a Saturday morning. There's rather more involved in buying a gun now though, and you can't just go in and say "yeah, that one please".

A big thank you to Rick bin for putting this out there and a big thumbs up for J.B. for a great article. What a trip down memory lane! Also reminded me of how old I'm getting! For the most part the gun shop world ain't what it used to be. Just like everything else in the 21st century. Also made me recall my dad's depression era 22 rimfire ammo selection preferences for his Model 67 Winchester single shot that I now own. Just like the stamping on the barrel says; " 22 Short, Long, & Long Rifle".... That gun has seen it all depending on his finances balanced with intended targets. A lot of rabbits wound up as stew meat in my grandmothers kitchen when beef was too pricey.

Great article! I love the picture of the Lee Navy straight pull rifle. I have one in full military guise that was passed down to me from my grandfather. It is missing the magazine and I have never been able to locate one. Neat rifles! If I ever find a magazine for it I am going to attempt to shoot it. My grandfather had several of them but traded them off for 1917 enfields and Krags.

Capra outdoors maybe. It isn't really North of the cities now but would have been back then. The Wolf's Den in Hugo still has a wood floor and smells like tobacco and Hoppes among other things.

Capra outdoors maybe. It isn't really North of the cities now but would have been back then. The Wolf's Den in Hugo still has a wood floor and smells like tobacco and Hoppes among other things.

When I first started reading, I thought maybe you'd mention the best gun shop I have frequented in Montana..Red Rock Sports in Miles City.
Granted, I've not traveled Montana as much as others here, or as much as I'd like, but it is well stocked with bolt guns all of us loonies like and all the ammo and accessories to go with.

222Sako,

Have been to Red Rock many times, and it's a fine gun store. But would rate it somewhat behind the others I mentioned.

Yes, but it's not the hardcore gunshop of 40 years ago. The last time I was in there, maybe 2 years ago, there was a small display of guns in a backroom. Probably 90% of the shop has morphed into a trendy upscale biz selling the latest western fashion clothes, hiking boots and flyfishing gear to the well monied folks that seem to have taken over Bozangles these days.

My brother used to live outside of Helena, so on visits I've been to Capital Sports. Nice place run by good people.......

My Dad & I purchased a pair at K-Mart around 1960 for $ 9 each. He "sportarized" them, the very thing to do at that time. Mine shot very well and I still have it stuck in the back of the gun safe. I carried it on mule deer hunts in New Mexico while in the Air Force. Killed a mess of porcupines, & once shot a Turkey on the fly (gliding away) but never a deer. Back when I maintained a FFL I ordered several for the local PD for their use in "honor guard" ceremonials. ( much more expensive by then) Like a lot of things in life, a crystal ball would have been handy when presented with an opportunity to buy those rifles.

Well done John, brought back memories from years gone by.

35,000 guns in one store? Making Ft. Bragg feel insecure I guess.

My favorite gun shop was the old Mountain View Sporting Goods in Mountain View, next to Anchorage. The resident "old school' gun smith was a guy named Jack Shine. Old Jack had a cabin on Lake Susitna next to my friends the Perkins family. Old man "Perk" was and old school guide in Alaska and had been guiding in Alaska since the 40's. Jack made Perk up a Mauser .308 Norma with a Canjar trigger and a Douglas barrel and when it was completed Perk gave his converted Springfield in .308 Norma to his son Ken. Ken and me were best man for each other at our weddings, sadly he is gone.

The new Mountain View Sporting Goods on the old Seward Highway is a far cry from the old one that sadly burnt down in the late 60's. After that there was no "dominant gun store" in Anchorage for many years. That all changed because of gun writer Jeff Cooper of Gunsight fame and an article he wrote about Wild West Guns in Anchorage. One of there employees came up with a take down Marlin 1895 in 45-70 and the rest is history. When the article was written old Jeff was at the height of his influence with his teachings on the Modern Technique of the Pistol, the 1911 in .45 ACP and the Scout Rifle. He said the take down 45-70 was a big advancement for firearms, etc. Well that really helped to put Wild West Guns on the world wide stage. Many a gun rag reader bought into it.

Never mind the fact that for many years Winchester and Savage and others had been making take down rifles. It is as if it was something brand new and by now we all know new sells! Me and many other Alaskans dealt with different gun shops. I had a one time dealing with them and like others, went else where for future gun stuff. It is amazing what one article can do for a business.

If you live close to a reliable competent, honest and timely gun shop, count your blessings and PM me with their name please.

Anybody been to SoDak Sports on the west side of Aberdeen, South Dakota? A GREAT selection of both new and used guns, but especially shotguns, as that's big-time pheasant and waterfowl country. Bought my first 10-gauge double there maybe 20 years ago--but haven't been back since.

SoDak also has a store in Mitchell, but I haven't been to that one, as apparently it's newer.

I get there just about monthly. They keep a really good handle on reloading components, there's a warehouse next door for that stuff, gotta ask if you don't see it or need a greater quantity than what's on the shelf. The number of used guns in-house is greatly reduced vs. 20yrs ago, new ownership too. Lowell, and then Scott ran things differently than the new guys do. Pheasant hunting has changed significantly in that country too with row-crops vs. CRP. They still have a very active trap/skeet population in the area.

John,
I enjoyed the article. In 1968, I signed on with Savage Arms as a factory salesman. Part of the job involved making stops at every LGS in my territory to drop off advertising, counter mats and other such goodies. We also brought in the latest new guns for the store staff and customers to handle. In those days, Savage gad a “deluxe” 110 and a similar 99 in the line, and they were real beauties.
I got to visit maybe 100 LGSs in my less than a year with them, including Doug Turnbull’s dad’s place, Creekside Gun Shop. What I remember best were the warm welcomes, the impromptu shooting matches (everyone wanted to try the 1413 Anschutz ) and the occasional invites home for dinner. Since then, I’ve been in shops from Moscow to Praetoria. Oh yes, in 1968, all the shops had wooden floors.
Cedarhill

I too love gun shops. When in a city for the first time, one of my must "do" is visiting the gun shops. I was in Helena in June of 2019 (fishing the Missouri at Craig)so naturally I had to visit M.D.'s Capital Sports. It was at the head of my to do list. I been in gun shops in Alaska, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a couple European countries. One thing I've noticed is how similar they all are. And, how much in common we Loonies have.

I want to get up to MT for, if nothing else, a visit to Capital Sports after years of reading about MD’s awesome finds in there.

That was a nice article, John. I went in the Horn my last swing through Bozeman, and left stunned. It's changed about as much as Bozeman has since 1983.

Yeah, it's different these days!

As mentioned, the biggest throwback for me is the smell. A mix of faint pipe smoke, Hoppes #9, 3 in 1 oil, leather, and wood. I still have a gun case I bought 30ish years ago that still has a faint trace of that smell left in the liner.

Bashaw Sports is definitely worth the stop/trip. They carry some very interesting guns/ammo and parts.
In Medicine Hat we have The Outdoorsman, small shop with some interesting stuff. Used rack is front/centre, first place I look
when I'm there which is weekly.

I sure miss Guncraft in Calgary. That place cost me a lot of coin in the 80's!
Jeff

Seems like I only get into Outdoorsman in Medicine Hat once a decade, but it’s definitely one of the good ones.

In Calgary, I remember Barrotto, and Russels sports fondly.
Guncraft on Edmonton trail was special though.

I remember looking at several interesting used guns that I kick myself now for not bringing home.
A 600 laminated in 350 Rem mag, also a BLR in .358 Win

Shops like these are sort of like adoption Centers for used guns in need of a supportive new home

🥴

I bought my first deer rifle a pre'64 Winchester M/88 .308, at Paterson Rod & Gun when it was on Goffle Rd. in Hawthorne. I shot the biggest buck I've ever taken with that rifle, a Northern Maine bruiser that field dressed @ 254#. Took the head to PR&G to be mounted and Jim was so impressed he wrote about it in his Paterson Evening News column "In the Great Outdoors".

Just caught a whiff of the original 'Red's' pipe smoke from Red's Trading Post when I read that. Red's is still around and a decent shop (with a wood floor) but has lost the luster of the original. Finding anything interesting on the shelves is much more difficult with all the tactical and plastic stuff. Boise Gun Company was a great place, stacked to the rafters but closed up a couple years ago.

I knew a great little gunshop owner who got divorced, and he had to move, and build a new shop. He went with the wood floor, and this was back in the 1990s. He had a heckuva nice shop, and kept a lot of old double shotguns, and lo and behold, he actually stocked Winchester rifles! His was about the only shop in the whole Louisville area that actually stocked Winchesters, so I spent quite a bit of time and money there. He liked Rugers, but he sure didn't like Remington rifles, and wouldn't stock them. He was a bit "opinionated", but since his opinions mirrored mine, we got along well.
I went to school with his nephew, and that helped, as he was kinda fussy about who he'd sell to, as well.
It was nothing to see an old tom turkey wandering in and out of the shop, or his black cat Adolf, who was pretty cool. He also had a "pet" fox and had, at one time, a prairie rattler someone had brought him from out West someplace. "The Powder Keg" was a really interesting and fun place to hang out.

I thought that speaking badly about Remington rifles was asking for trouble around here!

Dunno, don't care! I was expressing Hardy's opinion, and he doesn't visit this place. Hardy didn't like them, and wouldn't stock them. He DID like Remington shotguns, and kept them around, but then, who doesn't like an 870 Wingmaster? He wouldn't stock the Express line, telling folks they could buy them cheaper at WallyWorld. He kept NICE stuff, not the generic stuff carried by box stores, and he wasn't shy about saying so, either. It about broke my heart when he retired and closed up his shop. It was always a good trip to his place.

That's okay. I'm not a Remington 700 fan either.

Remington 700's were a product of "modern manufacturing" made to sell for a price, receiver made from a piece of steel tubing, stamped recoil lug and bolt with a brazed on handle. Stock with polyurethane "bowling pin" finish and machine cut checkering. While a Remington 70 was my first bolt action CF rifle, it wasn't long before I discovered "The Rifleman's Rifle". Bought my first pre'64 Winchester M/70, a prewar .30-06 in 1975 and have owned nothing but ever since.

Congratulations for your amazingly non-insightful opinionI

But I wonder why you didn't rant about the Remington 721/722, which evolved only slightly into the 700. They were almost as reviled by some (but not all) rifle guys back then as the Ruger American is today.

The big problem with the pre-'64 (and I have owned a bunch, including more than one right now) is that it generally wasn't as accurate out-of-the-box as the 721/722/700--and cost a lot more. And Ruger Americans generally shoot better than 721/722/700s.

But whatever. It's always interesting to read opinions from shooters who've only used one brand/era of rifle for decades. And apparently not many others before then either.

John, I am a Model 70 at heart, but over the years the quality has been all over the place. Including the pre 64 guns. In fact the nicest finishes ones are the current production guns. And my expiereance mirrors yours on model 700's being more accurate. I would also add the BDL's are in general finished better than most vintage model 70's. I know this is apostasy to some, but the model 70's I have owned don't have tool marks galore and the 700's I have owned don't. Kind to think of it the several Ruger Americans I have owned don't have tool marks galore either and have shot lights out.

Thanks for your comments.That has been my general experience as well.

I am more of a Mauser 98 fan for controlled-feed rifles, for various reasons most Model 70 fans have never heard of. But obviously 98s can vary in quality as well, including commercial models.

Great article, and good summation of Capitol Sports. I stop in nearly every time I hit the Capitol City, and have enjoyed that store for decades as well. Montana gun shops would make a great book, but many have folded, including one of my favorites, Ronan Sports and Western.

I try to find out the best local options as I travel around. Shedhorn Sports in Ennis has been a favorite for probably 25 years. I have learned a LOT growing up in these places.

Good stuff. Thanks!

see the 2021 gun digest. nice 700 article.

Yep, I remember Ronan S&W very well.

In fact, hunted opening day of the waterfowl season in that area probably 30 years ago, with a couple of buddies, putting some decoys in one of the pothole lakes. We got quite a few ducks from teal to mallards in the first half-hour--and then one of my buddies realized he hadn't bought a duck stamp! (He was the youngest in the group, and also hadn't hit many ducks--partly because his shotgun was a typical full-choked 12-gauge pumpgun.)

He drove into Ronan, and not only came back about an hour later with a duck stamp but a full-overall camo suit and a box of "extra-magnum" 12-gauge ammo--which he never hit anything with. But he did like his "shopping trip"!

When did the shop in Ronan close? I was just in there about a decade ago.

John,
There was a gun shop I believe it was in Butte in an old log building. A dark and dusty place run by a somewhat disabled guy. Lots of old 99’s and various vintage firearms. Lots to browse there. I was on a cross country road trip 30 years ago and stumbled across this place. Unfortunately, no cash... Ring any bells? Happy Trails

Ronan S&W closed probably 3 to 5 years ago now...? Time sure flies.

The Fort in Big Timber is a fun stop, but it is a bit on the bright lights and clean linoleum end of the spectrum. There have been many mini affairs wth gun shops over the years. My now favorites have a lot to do with the management and ownership. Two in Hamilton, Trader Brothers south of Lolo, Axmen South, Bass's Gun Rack in Mssoulopolis.... the list goes on and on!

That was "John's Log Cabin Guns" at the corner of Amherst and Howard. John died too young many years ago from MS or ALS or ? - can't remember which. He was a character with lots of tales. John cut the logs up in Elk Park and built the cabin himself. The building now houses a fly fishing shop.

That was it, I believe. The guy did appear to have MS or something similar. Nice fellow. It was 1991 if I recall correctly. Neat place. Happy Trails