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Just reminiscing about the good old days. Wal Mart being the sole remaining discount store still selling firearms I wondered if any one remembers when most all of the discount chains sold them. Also how many here bought a firearm from stores such as Globe Discount City, Gibson's, K-mart, Gemco, Sage, FedMart etc. I seem to recall Target carried firearms as well. I bought from Globe (1964 my first actual firearm a Model 70 in Win in .243) and from KMart. I worked at Globe from '66 to '71 and bought guns while working there as well.

There is a Gibson's in Kerrville.

I remember my dad buying guns for me and/or himself at both Gibson's and K-Mart.
In a little box of shooting related stuff I inherited from him, there's a recoil pad, new-in-box, with a Gibson's price tag on it.

I bought 2 of those AR-7 Explorer take apart 22LR from Western Auto for $49 each back in the early 70's. Gave one to a buddy. I have never had a failure to fire or any problem with mine. I have a large capacity magazine for one of them which apparently is not available anymore. Nice little toy. Local Gibson was also a great source. Both Western Auto and local Gibson closed. New gunstore has opened and our local Atwoods has started carrying. Our new gunstore is also a great source of powder and reloading supplies but at a premium price. But no hazmat fees so and I did say local.

IIRC I bought my first shotgun at KMart. I wish Walmart still sold handguns.

I bought reloading supplies from Gibson's back in the 80's.

Also the trading stamp stores had a selection of rifles and shotguns (S and H Green Stamps / Plaid Stamps / Gold Bond Stamps / etc ) . Still have a 12 gage H and R Topper model my mom got me when I was 13 at the Green Stamp store .

anygunanywhere wrote:There is a Gibson's in Kerrville.

I have been to the one in Weatherford. It had a nice selection of firearms, reloaders/reloading supplies, scopes and accessories. I wrote a review a while back; they had some nice folks working in sporting goods. The whole store for that matter.

chuck j wrote:Also the trading stamp stores had a selection of rifles and shotguns (S and H Green Stamps / Plaid Stamps / Gold Bond Stamps / etc ) . Still have a 12 gage H and R Topper model my mom got me when I was 13 at the Green Stamp store .

I forgot all about that.

It wasn't only discount stores. As a teenager, I worked in the neighborhood True Value hardware store and we sold rifles & shotguns.

Those were the good old days.

jmra wrote:IIRC I bought my first shotgun at KMart. I wish Walmart still sold handguns.

Walmart sold handguns? Man that would be nice to have today since Walmart's on every other block.

CoffeeNut wrote:

jmra wrote:IIRC I bought my first shotgun at KMart. I wish Walmart still sold handguns.

Walmart sold handguns? Man that would be nice to have today since Walmart's on every other block.

Yes, ended sales in 1993.
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/23/busin ... tores.html

Bought a Winchester 94 from a Gibson's for $ 65 back in the early-mid 70s. Most of my guns back then came from Sears.

Bought my Remington 1100 from JC Penney's and remember that Montgomery Ward's used to sell a lot of military surplus guns.