Relic Hunter Firing Line — Local services in Whitehall

This review details my first impression of the establishment I visited on 2/7/24. The gun shop itself is very clean and well-organized regarding what's being sold. I came in with the intention of transferring a pistol under my name with a friend. Upon entering, we were met by two older gentlemen—one behind the counter and the other walking around the showroom. The gentleman behind the counter sternly asked, "What do you need?" My friend mentioned he was picking up two suppressors and wanted to do a transfer. We were directed to the other side of the establishment, where two gentlemen again asked, "What do you need?" After repeating our request, we were directed back to the initial side.

The older gentleman who originally greeted us signaled to another older gentleman who eventually took care of us. During the transfer, the gun was taken, and confusion ensued. For context, my friend sold me his Ruger MkIV, which has an upper receiver serialized from the factory; no other part of the gun has a serial, meaning the lower is not required. The gun was taken to the back, and we overheard radio chatter about confusion regarding the firearm's classification for the paperwork. While waiting, we perused their wares and noted they had five of the same model as the firearm being transferred.

Once the classification was figured out, my friend and I began the paperwork. Usual gun shop banter ensued until the older gentleman joined in and made some questionable racial jokes. Once the paperwork was cleared, which was painless like any other gun shop, I was taken to pay the transfer fee. Receiving a slight sticker shock, I swiped my card for a total of $48. Although I could mention my local FFL charging less, in general, I have never seen a transfer that high, as I usually pay $30-$35. With no complaints, I moved on.

My friend, eager to get his suppressors, was taken care of in the back and decided to use their range. While signing legal documents, a gentleman in his mid-20s took my upper receiver and began questioning its lubrication and obvious scratches on the finish. He expressed never seeing one before, despite having five in a glass case upfront. He suggested I should have complained about the pistol's condition to my friend without knowing the details of our transaction.

Once checked in, we went to the range and rented two stalls. My friends and I had a blast, and the RSO was professional until we were about to leave. My friend was having trouble removing a suppressor from one of his rifles, and when asked for help, the RSO promptly grabbed the rifle without asking, remarking, "It's not my suppressor, not my problem," as they dropped the rifle and attached suppressor on the floor to "free" it from the barrel. During the process, another gentleman attempted to justify the action when an alternative method could have been used.

All in all, I would not frequent this establishment again due to the series of events that took place. While I'm sure there are good employees, the majority provided a...

First of all, if you have an employee of the week, month, or year, then the award goes to your manager, Clyde. I went in looking for a specific firearm, and then he started to ask questions in order to find out the purpose of my purchase. I explained that although I'm not new to shooting, I did allow a significant amount of time pass by without going to the range. Because of that, I felt like a novice after starting up again. 😂 Seriously though, Clyde took the time to show me a few different firearms for my specific needs and I got the rundown on each one. I definitely learned a few things and it was definitely hands on with me holding each weapon and doing a little dry firing. Once I decided on 2 possibilities, he recommended heading over to the range to see if either of them would work. After the session of just shooting 15 rounds between the 2, I landed all shots on the target but favored one over the other. I ended up with the IWI Masada, which I never heard of, but it fired beautifully! I had such a wonderful and fun experience,overall, because at least 4 other employees interacted with me which made for an even greater experience. I had so many laughs with everyone including 2 customers, that I didn't realize that I was there for over an hour and change. It was quite alright because it was so worth it, and I will never forget the level of care, time, and professionalism displayed by Clyde and the team. I happened to go Friday evening and missed the crowd, apparently. All things happen for a reason, and I'm so glad that I decided at the last minute to take a chance to find what I was looking for. Actually, I never did touch the firearm that I THOUGHT I wanted. 😂 😂 😂. However, I'm in love with this Masada and plan to train a lot more with this. This is my first full size firearm, because I only ever had subcompacts. However, I am thoroughly pleased with this purchase, and my shooting game will be back to what I'm used to. Also, it's like the Masada was made for me to buy because I looked up the meaning and it means strong foundation and fortress. Wow. I'm a student of the Bible and even learning the Hebrew language and this hit on so many levels. A million thanks to Clyde and team. I will never forget your awesome...

I cannot express enough how positive my experience was here with all the staff, from start to finish. As a young woman who has never operated a firearm, much less owned one, I felt nervous and intimidated by the process. I was afraid of going into a gun store by myself, unsure of what to even begin looking for, just to be able to have an improved form of home and self-protection. The first person who greeted me in the store was Wes, and he made the experience enjoyable and less intimidating to navigate.

From the first question of “What are you looking for?” being met with “I’m not even sure,” Wes could probably tell that I was sweating bullets (no pun intended). He asked me what kind of music I liked to listen to, and I got to look over options while Kenney Chesney played. He laid out a few options for me, telling me immediately that I could handle a handgun. This alone made me feel better, as I was nervous that I wouldn’t be strong enough to even pull back the slide. I expressed all my concerns with him, and he was able to eliminate my options down to two that I was then able to try shooting before purchasing.

The shooting range was also an incredible experience, with Tom and Wayne making sure that I was set up safely and confidently with the firearms that Wes chose with me. Wayne showed me how to operate everything and hyped me up when my first shots went well. The shooting range staff made sure to give me adjustments and tips along the way without that feeling of being completely judged for being new, which was very much appreciated.

Wes’s friendly attitude and attention to detail made me feel like I was in great hands the whole time. What really stood out was how patient and encouraging he was. He explained everything clearly and never made me feel rushed or unsure of myself. It was obvious he genuinely cared about creating a positive experience for me as a first-time shooter.

I am looking forward to when I come back to practice my new firearm at the range, and I cannot express how positive this experience was. I was recommended to this shop by a friend of mine who has experience with firearms, and she said specifically how great and respectful the staff is with women. 10/10 experience and I am a new proud...