[PandM]

This is not a bash 'em or flaunt 'em ragarding any shop. just a casual observation.
In the past two weeks I've picked up two new toys.
I went to SSS for one solely because they're supporting the site. Mike was out, and I was hoping he was in so I could let him know why I was buying there. They helped me out just fine. I did present my LIF card and asked him to let Mike know that his support for LIF was what brought me in. Easy transaction. Would do it again.
Second one was from Hunter Sports. My 3rd purchace from them. Mark was out. Again, I asked the fellow who helped me out, Anthony, to let Mark know that I appreciate his support for LIF. As always with Hunter, easy transaction. Would do it again.
All of this is not very riveting reading. I know.

Then the other day, I ran in to Dicks in Huntington to grab a box of .45 ball ammo for the new beast.
I hadn't been to Yaphank yet and .45 wasn't listed on my license yet and - they would not sell it to me. 'Dicks policy", is what they told me. I was slightly pissed off, had a conversation with the guy working there, who agreed it was rediculous. I mean, what if I had a Thompson?
They have been reduced to "if it's on sale, I might give them some $ - otherwise - see ya".

So......I took a quick ride down the road to Campsite. After picking up a couple of boxes of ammo, I hung out for a bit, talking with Doug and a customer, who was picking up his new toy.
As always, it was a pleasure to do business there.
But I drove home realizing that each and every time I go to Campsite, I walk out realizing that they are exactly the kind of place that I want to do my business. Professional, informed, friendly and patient.
I am most assuredly going to give them a shot at my next purchase, but would be thrilled sick if they would add a bit of support to LIF. I understand they are offering LIF a gift certificate for the blood drive raffle, which is a good move. but c'mon guys. how about a banner ad? A little something for LIF Gold Card holders? Anything?

There are mountains of reviews, flames and accolades for all the local shops. As far as I'm concerned, they all have some good and not so good points.
Campsite doesn't get bashed on the forum. It's because they are the cream of the crop when it comes to "How to run a gunshop".
Still haven't made it Hunter Essentials or Bensons so my experience is limited to those I know and have been doing business with these past thirty some odd years.
I'll keep looking for their participation here. And hoping.

 

[Vertiviper]

I agree. Campsite is my go-to shop. Good people work there and there's no ego.

 

[bravo_juliet_mike]

Wal-Mart pulled the same "there's no .45 on your license" BS with me too when I was picking some up for a friend. The manager sorted it out, but a quick in-n-out stop turned in a half hour debacle.

 

[The Big Ox]

I have been to South Shore Sportsman, Hunter, and Campsite, and bought guns from all three. In each place, you KNOW that they know how to run their business, and they are focused on customer service. Its always a pleasure to go to those shops.

To be honest, I haven't really had a bad experience in a gun shop on LI...I guess I'm lucky. But the three stores above just seem to go out of their way to be exceptional, and it shows.

 

[Lionheart]

Hell yeah campsite is such a great store. Model store right there. Great guys.

 

[tatz45cal]

CAMPSITE  other than those jerky guys behind the counter i cant stand any of them  they are all  high on the horse think they know it all i will never shop there again  they treat me like i am nothing to them   WOW JUST THOUGHT I WOULD SEE HOW IT FELT TO BASH A GREAT PLACE, NOW THIS WAS A JOKE THEY ARE THE BEST  THEY ALL KNOW THAT   cant wait to see reaction ,  My only gunshop i really deal with all great guys that i can talk freely with  always helpful  THANKS GUYS

 

[CJ]

I have never been there. I should really go check them out one day.

 

[ViperJon]

I had the same treatment given me by a certain middle aged counter worker at Dick's in Huntington. I went there because of their sale on 9mm at that time (about a year ago or more). He asked for my pistol license which was expected. Since I have quite a few handguns I have multiple pages on the license as many of us do. I handed him page one with the photo on it, but it did not have my 9mm on it, that was on page two. Giving it the long up and down look over, he announced I could not buy the ammo as I didn't have a 9mm handgun. I was astounded.

One thing led to another and it got rather heated. I demanded to now whether this was a Dicks store policy, or just this curmudgeons personal policy. He wouldn't say, he just insisted this is how HE runs his area. I took that to mean it was not store policy. Now this guy was really pushing the buttons, he knew it and he was enjoying it. I was getting the feeling I was buying amo from Mr. Sarah Brady. Eventually I gave in and proved I had a 9mm, but I must say I was livid. I also was ashamed to give them the business, but needed some 9mm at the time and NO one had it.

A few weeks later I went out to the Dick's in Lake Grove (?) and went into their hunting/gun area. Two guys working there, and I struck up a conversation with them about the "salesman" at Dicks in Huntington. They told me, and made it absolutely clear, that Dick's corporate does not have a policy about matching ammo sales to guns listed on your license, that having a pistol license is enough. They were very amused that this clown at Huntington has taken it upon himself to enforce "his" rules.

They said they have never heard of that before. I failed to see the amusing part, and reported him to the corporate office and emailed others regarding his behavior. Regretably I think he is still there although I have sworn to never ever go into a Dicks for any reason whatsoever and have not set foot in there since. Or ever will.

 

[PandM]

Now, I had this very conversation with the guy in Huntington only two days ago.
I was calm and reasonable, but wasn't leaving without answers.
He said it was Dicks store policy and I believed him.
If I find that is not true, I'm going to be really cranky.
Could it be that the mager of Dicks in Huntington just imposes this policy?

 

[ViperJon]

Now, I had this very conversation with the guy in Huntington only two days ago.
I was calm and reasonable, but wasn't leaving without answers.
He said it was Dicks store policy and I believed him.
If I find that is not true, I'm going to be really cranky.
Could it be that the mager of Dicks in Huntington just imposes this policy?

I am relaying the events as they happened well over a year ago, I cannot speak for current store policy or whether this is some individual managers policy. However I do know I bought ammo at Lake Grove Dicks at that time and they directly told me all I needed was a license, that was store policy. I also had bought ammo at the Huntington Dick's previously to the incident from a different salesperson and he did NOT check to see if any particular caliber was on the license. I am absolutely positive that at that time it was NOT corporate policy, just some quasi-security cop moonlighting behind Dicks counter in Huntington.

 

[wreckhog]

I like Campsite but find them overpriced on ammo. My favorite store (not local) has never given me a break on multiple purchases or even cut me a no tax deal for cash. Several times they have refused to open the door for me when they did not feel like opening. What I like about them is they hate the NRA, they hate liberals, they hate gun locks, and they kicked a guy out for wanting to buy a safe for his home defense gun.

 

[PandM]

they hate the NRA
they hate liberals
they hate gun locks
they kicked a guy out for wanting to buy a safe for his home defense gun.

Whats up with that?
So, to them, in between hating, it's a good idea to just prop the HD stick in the corner of the living room when you leave for work?
Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Don't think I can buy in to that.

 

[CJ]

Could it be that the manager of Dicks in Huntington just imposes this policy?

I don't think its store policy as much as it is incompetence. I think its more about I don't give a crap employees doing an I don't give a crap job. If you go into any of these big stores (Dick's, Walmart, Sports Authority) and get lucky enough to get an employee that isn't "on lunch" or texting someone, you almost have to consider yourself lucky. Unfortunately, many people in low paying positions have stopped taking any pride in doing their job.

I went into a Walmart recently to get some 45acp. The guy was on his cell phone the whole time. After I got the 45, I asked if he had anymore 30-30.....he gave up looking after 5 seconds and said "just come back here and pick out what you need" I grabbed what I needed, paid the guy and walked out. He never hung up his phone and didn't ask me for any id.

I only recently received my pistol license and have been buying .45 for about 6 months now. I cannot recall one single time I was asked for my pistol license at a large chain store. I did have to show my drivers license once.

 

[cas]

I like Campsite, but it's not enough that they're a good store, I want my free shi..tuff Obama! I mean Campsite. :-/

Come on guys, this is uncalled for.
(Campsite gives away more stuff than any LI store I know of.)

 

[wreckhog]

Whats up with that?
So, to them, in between hating, it's a good idea to just prop the HD stick in the corner of the living room when you leave for work?
Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Don't think I can buy in to that.

A locked gun is useless, a locked home defense gun especially so. Train your kids to use the guns and throw away the locks. The NRA don't care about anything except raising money. Etc.

 

[Jvisconti]

Ran into SSS today, my first time ever there, during my lunch break to pick up some sling mounts, ended up walking out with sling mounts, ear muffs, snap caps, and ammo! LOL. Great place! The guy who originally helped me out (seemed like a younger guy) asked if I needed any help as soon as I walked in. I told him I needed sling mounts and, at first, he had some trouble finding the right sling mounts so he asked the other guy, who seemed a little bit older, and they grabbed what I needed right away. I was told that its "not a candy store" (lmao) and that I could walk behind the counter to check out the slings. Definitely different than most gun stores I've been too, different vibe, much "friendlier". The young guy then helped me grab some .22lr ammo, and answered my questions about different types. Both guys I talked to were very nice and seemed happy to help. Unlike places like T&T and others, I didn't have that "I walked into a private club" feeling. I did feel a few stares from some of the customers, but it probably did look weird to see a 20 year old in a suit (minus the jacket) buying ammo and sling mounts lol.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend SSS, as well as Hunter which has a very similar vibe. Next time I need some gun stuff I'll head to Campsite for the first time, then I'll make my final decision on which of the "Big Three" is best.

I will say though that the guy at Dicks in Garden City (Roosevelt Field Mall) that helped me with my Marlin 795 was a very nice guy. I didn't have to wait long, he grabbed the papers right away. Everything went smoothly and effortlessly. He even grabbed a rebate ad for me, instead of making me print one at home later. He DID, however, have to walk me outside with it lol.

I was at Sports Authority (Massapequa) last night and saw they have a 50rd box of Winchester Super X .22 that I wanted to run through my 795 to see how it feeds so I asked the lady at the front desk to call someone over to help me (I was standing around the firearm section for a while and nobody came to help me). The guy, who was very nice, handed me the box without asking for any ID (I'm only 20 so I was suprised) and let me carry it around while I continued to shop. I brought it up to the front, along with some other things, and paid for it all without getting ID'd once again. I was a little shocked that they didn't ID me at ALL, but I'm not going to complain. For $3.70ish for a box of 50, I'll keep going there.

 

[SteveG]

A locked gun is useless, a locked home defense gun especially so. Train your kids to use the guns and throw away the locks. The NRA don't care about anything except raising money. Etc.

And if you leave you HD gun in your home when no one is home unattended and it gets burglarized and the bad guy ends up with your gun or worse yet, you walk into you house when he is still there and find youself staring down the muzzel of your own gun is a good thing?
When no one is home, I want my guns secured. When someone is home that is a different story.

 

[PandM]

And if you leave you HD gun in your home when no one is home unattended and it gets burglarized and the bad guy ends up with your gun or worse yet, you walk into you house when he is still there and find youself staring down the muzzel of your own gun is a good thing?
When no one is home, I want my guns secured. When someone is home that is a different story.

+1.
I'd rather not be killed with a gun stolen from your house, because it was left unsecured, thank you very much.

 

[bobtorre]

CampSite rules. It is simply the best hands down. Period. They provide the same service to all gun owners not just LIF members. You don't get treated well and get discounts because you are a LIF member, you get them because they appreciate your business. They got bills just like everyone and I am sure they will provide support in causes that help the community.

my 2 centavos.

 

[T.Webb]

A locked gun is useless, a locked home defense gun especially so. Train your kids to use the guns and throw away the locks. The NRA don't care about anything except raising money. Etc.

LIKE IT OR NOT, THE NRA IS THE BIGGEST ORGANIZATION FIGHTING FOR YOUR GUN RIGHTS !!