Delta Arsenal — Local services in Wallingford

Please pardon the length of this review. I simply feel compelled to express the quality of the training I received from Delta during the Master Carry Weekend courses.

I had the privilege of attending Delta Arsenal’s Master Carry Weekend training program and though it sounds cliche’, it was life changing. I’ve had my permit, and carried a weapon for more than 2 decades. I can truly say I learned more in these three days than I have in 20 years of owning a firearm.

I shoot often, and practice gun safety with my family regularly. Simply put, I did not know, what I did not know.

Brian, Doug, Andrew and the rest of the team are all men who have used the techniques they are teaching, in the real world, protecting themselves and our country on the battlefield. Let’s face it, civilians just don’t get the opportunity to get personal training from Navy SEALS. Their pedigree and base of experience is second to none, and I’m a better, more responsible gun owner as a result of the training I received from them. Frankly it was a true honor to learn from these soldiers.

Expect to learn, expect to shoot, and expect to get physical during this course. We were taught techniques to draw our weapons quickly and affectively, along with opportunities to de-escalate potentially deadly situations even after our weapon is unholstered, and even how to fight to reach, and retain our gun in a violent, close quarters situation.

One thing that was driven home to me is that a real world situation where you might feel the need to draw your weapon, won’t be calm, or nice, or free from physical contact with an attacker. You might need to physically fight hard with your gun drawn to protect yourself or your family. That isn’t something I want to learn the for first time during a violent attack. This course offers you the opportunity to see what using your weapon under duress is like in a very real way, under the supervision of experts.

Legal consequences and hard questions you need to ask yourself before drawing your weapon are even discussed. The guys at Delta are not lawyers, and certainly don’t give legal advice, but they definitely invite you to visit the laws and really consider if carrying, and the responsibilities that go along with it, are right for you and your family.

The best part of the training is that it truly gives you the desire and cognitive tools to maintain situational awareness in your daily life. Something that can literally save your life should an unfortunate violent encounter ever happen. Even better, you can potentially use what you learn at Delta, to avoid those situations before they happen. The whole weekend was a real eye opener and I truly feel I’m a safer, more cognizant gun owner because of this class.

I feel it is one’s duty as a gun owner to ALWAYS continue training and improving your skill set. I intend to return to the class again in a few month with my wife, who also holds a carry permit. The class is perfect for men AND women who own firearms to protect themselves, and the ones they love.

The bottom line is you simply won’t find better training, from more qualified personnel at this price point anywhere. These men have seen the worst the world has to offer in the course of defending our country, and could not be more sincere in simply trying to train more of ‘the good guys.”

If you consider yourself a responsible gun owner, this...

Delta Arsenal is one of the nicest gun shops in Connecticut. The showroom has a nice selection of firearms and accessories. The staff is knowledgeable, courteous and friendly. This is a key factor. There is even a lounge area where you can watch TV. Now, the best part - they have an amazing indoor range right there at the shop and yes, you can rent guns to try them out. You can also buy ammo - it is open to the public but you can also become a member which has some benefits.

My experience: Keep in mind that Delta Arsenal is about a 25 minute drive for me. I wanted the Sig Sauer P938 SAS model. I found one at a reasonable price on Gunbroker. I sent emails and calls to 7 of the listed FFL's in my area through gunbroker and of the seven only one responded; Delta. I had the pleasure of dealing with Marie M. who communicated quickly and promptly. She was courteous and informative. Their transfer fee was significantly less than the shops in my area which I could have gone to but they charge extra if you are purchasing a gun from gunbroker that is already in their shop - regardless of model type. So, not knowing that Delta offered other services besides transfers, I placed a bid on Gunbroker and won. Marie sent the FFL license to the seller immediately and the firearm shipped in no time. Having the tracking number I knew when the gun had arrived and went down to the Delta Arsenal Shop. I was amazed at the layout of the shop, the amount of firearms and accessories and of course the range. I was greeted and helped by a staff member. Another staff member named Jimmy corrected my errors on the paperwork - I always miss something - and helped with the process. Here is where it gets even better. I have a Kimber Ultra CDP II that I brought along with me with a part I ordered directly through Kimber which was a short safety for the right side. I had purchased the short safety for a future crimson trace laser grips purchase that I was planning. I asked if they do gunsmithing and if the safety could be chnaged. Jimmy brought the Kimber in the back room with the part that I had purchased. I was prepared to leave the Kimber with them and come back when the work was complete. However, when he came back with the Kimber the work was completed and he was accompanied by the gunsmith himself! I was floored. I thanked them both and was quite pleased as you could imagine. The gunsmith said, "my pleasure, that's what I do" and with a smile walked away. I left Delta with my new P938 and Kimber Ultra CDP II very happy and I can't wait to go back. My friends and I are loving thins place and will do a lot of business there. One last note - Marie if you are reading this - there is nothing hotter than a girl who knows her stuff about guns while wearing a piece fully exposed on the hip! GO to the shop just for that why don't you. Thank you very much and I look forward to doing business in the future.

PROS: Knowledgeable and friendly staff Lots of firearms and accessories Gun Range open to the public at the shop FFL for your online purchases through gunbroker Comfortable inviting shop Easy to get to right off exit 64 from the...

I have been an Elite member (their top-tier membership) for some time now and after this past year I've decided to stop renewing. The only reason for this is the lack of management of their employees. I can't tell you how many times I have come in and the employees are literally standing around doing nothing, discussing a YouTube video in a huddle, or chatting about what to eat and who has the burden of going and getting the takeout. There is also a very vivid display of a lack of structure. Some employees tell me to go straight up without checking in, others say i need a receipt as a ticket for entrance, others fumble through a casual check-in seemingly without any training, while others follow the same procedure every time. Who knows what the deal is? They are extremely disorganized with their employees and management isn't present. The range is the exact same mind boggle. One employee sits on his backside and browses Facebook without any communication or care at all, another is reasonable and seems to follow a set of procedures, then another demands a receipt and forces me to stop shooting after each magazine to sweep because he's a safety czar. When questioned he responds, "you could slip on a shell." I understand safety, I understand a business trying to avoid litigation, but stopping me ALL THE TIME is obnoxious and rude, Eric. Little does he know that I've stood on mountains of spent brass in combat. Leave me alone son, your concerns for my safety are not necessary I promise you. If that is the standard then ALL your Range Officers need to do it just like him. Or if it is the standard to be a touch less involved, then make them all be a touch less involved. But right now, who knows? One sits, one sweeps, while another literally hops in a lane and starts sending rounds down range for the ENTIRE hour I'm there without watching ANYTHING. Accidents happen at ranges. Shootings happen at ranges. This sort on nonchalant attitude towards the business of firearms is disturbing. You know how fragile our position is, why gamble with allowing something to happen?

What kind of business do you want to run here? What is the standard? It's a free for all. Professionalism and standards go a long way. I love the fact that you employ mostly Veterans. I love how you take their knowledge and passion and re-purpose it into civilian life. I despise how you let their discipline, respect, and attitude slip. Do not misinterpret my words, not everyone is like this. For example, I've seen nothing but hard work and dedication from two employees in particular - Tony and Sean. The gun smith (I apologize, but I never caught your name) is also extremely pleasant, consistent, and professional.

Lovely showroom, gun smithing is superb, range is great, prices are higher than Hoffmans and even Cabelas at times but not outrageous. Employees need leadership badly. If you're ok with a loose style of business then you'll find nothing wrong. If you value standards and discipline, maybe like an old Marine such as myself, you may find the business...