Bob's in Tidewater

[Nemo24]

I was visiting a friend in VB over the holidays. I was looking for a range that had a Bersa Thunder to rent for my girlfriend and the range person I spoke to over the phone at Bob's Gun Shop told me they had one. This was on or around 12/15/2011.

I get down there on 12/30 and the range guy tells me they DON'T have any Bersa's to rent, only to buy. He seemed very unsympathetic or apologetic. When I told him the guy I spoke to on the phone said they did, his response was something like "I don't know who you spoke to, but it wasn't me".

I understand that he couldn't do much to correct the situation since they didn't have the gun, but he could have smoothed it over. An apology would have gone a long way. Maybe he could have offered a similar gun to rent. But all I got was a guy who didn't seem to care one way or another, and was just there to take my money. A vending machine would be a good analogy.

Anyway, I have no interest in going back there to be subjected to that kind of treatment. They've lost a customer, albeit a once-a-year customer.

[rjr5937]

I have been to bob's I live about 15 minutes away its the kinda place were you walk in knowing EXACTLY what you want (unless your part of his little friends only class 3 gun club i over heard them talking about) I went in there looking for a pistol and basically got stone walled I wont go back there any time soon.

[FirstShotVa]

Im sorry to hear about your experience at Bob's, Ive shopped there many times myself over the years growing up in Norfolk. Most of the staff at Bobs are very good, knowledgeable and helpful. Bobs has a really good selection of obscure hard to find products, (pricey but he has them) Anytime I wanted to put my hands on a gun before buying one I went to Bobs, then bought it somewhere else for less, but I buy almost all my personal reloading supplies from Bobs he has a great selection.
I would love to open a pistol range but Im not there yet, one day!!

[rjr5937]

I totally agree with you bobs selection is huge. I just had a bad experience, On the subject of a pistol range me and my wife were talking about that exact subject yesterday that Suffolk needs a local rifle/pistol range i mean this area is huge but there are non local and that's actually really disappointing.
I just don't know who to talk to or where to start looking for things of that nature.

[FirstShotVa]

Probably the closest range to you in Suffolk at least that I know of is the Norfolk County Rifle Range, http://www.ncrr.net/ its still a haul for you though, or maybe C2 in Virginia Beach Pungo area http://www.thec2center.com/home.html
Still a haul though. Best to find property out of the city limits and setup an outdoor shooting area yourself. Set it up how you want it, steel poppers etc.

[onemoreround]

your experience is a common one. guys on the first floor are helpful. ammo store on the second floor also has fairly helpful staff but they are scared to death of theft. Third floor help just don't give a darn.

I understand the third floor staff is tired of dealing with the public who shoot up their target holders and buy the biggest target possible and try head shots at 4 feet which scrapes up the room.

still it's a business...if you don't want to be there you got options

[MrJog]

still it's a business...if you don't want to be there you got options

[scrubber3]

A business can treat customers any way they want. I have noticed some local gun ranges do just that. After all, this is America right and I can just take my money to someone who will appreciate the fact that I am doing business with them. I am almost positive that if I was to build a gun range here in or around F-burg I'd get rich. Honestly......

[Bicycleman]

I totally agree with you bobs selection is huge. I just had a bad experience, On the subject of a pistol range me and my wife were talking about that exact subject yesterday that Suffolk needs a local rifle/pistol range i mean this area is huge but there are non local and that's actually really disappointing.
I just don't know who to talk to or where to start looking for things of that nature.

There is a rod and gun club in Suffolk that is used by the local Suffolk PD for their shooting. I was planning on joining but was told if I want to use the range, I had to agree to serve as a range marshall every weekend for their various shooting events. Well, my weekends are mine, and I don't intend to waste them when I can be out on the bike. I can shoot on my own farm for free.

[Bicycleman]

The gun range at Bob's is only 11 yards, and whenever I used it, I was told that head shots were not tolerated, so I complied and center massed the targets, which anyone in his right mind would do when faced with a life or death situation.

[MrJog]

Headshots not tolerated? That's as bad as the dude at Wal-Mart telling me that I can't use hollow points at Superior on Mercury. This stuff is simply not true. I'll post a video if someone wants to argue over it.

[Bicycleman]

Headshots not tolerated? That's as bad as the dude at Wal-Mart telling me that I can't use hollow points at Superior on Mercury. This stuff is simply not true. I'll post a video if someone wants to argue over it.

My wife and I took the concealed carry course at Bob's back in 1997. Along with the 4 ~ hours class instruction, everyone was required to qualify on the gun range. We were expected to supply our own firearms with at least 25 rounds of ammunition. Bob's supplied the silhouette targets with a target on the chest. The targets were placed at the 6 yard point, since that is usually the distance that a self-defense shooting would probably occur. We were warned not to do any head shots because there is a metal piece behind the head of the silhouette, which also contains the clip by which the target is attached. The gun shop didn't want the possibility of richochets flying every which way, not to mention the possibility that a poorly placed shot might also destroy the clip holding the target. I can't speak for any other gun range in the area, but as far as I know that is still Bob's rules, and I can't blame him. Not everyone is as good a shot as you may be.

[Jfost11]

I have been to Bob's once back in 2004. I don't remember too much about the staff or the experience as a whole. However, I do remember them not allowing head shots for the reasons Bicycleman stated.

[gunnermax]

I went into Bob's late last year OCing my G19. Mind you I am a nicely dressed white man neatly groomed (not a criminal look.) That was my first and last time going there. I went to the top floor and perused the Glock store, looked at the prices for the range (it was very busy,) went down a floor and bought some boxes of 9mm, then down to the first floor and looked at everything. I then inquired about Bersa Thunder .380. The guy showed me a "NEW" one. It had friggin rust on the barrel!!! I do not consider that a new gun. Rust does not show up in a climate controlled store. Then I walked out with my bag of ammo.

As I exit through the anti-theft detector, I hear one of the store employees saying "wait for it, wait for it." I will never go back to a place that vocally assumes someone would steal. You can think it all you want. But to say it loud enough to where I can hear it 30 feet away is annoying. No way, no how. I will stick to Superior where they sometimes give me free rentals, treat me real good, and know my wife and I by name.

My $.02

[Bicycleman]

I'm surprised at all these negative stories I'm hearing about Bob's. In 1997, if I remember correctly, the range was on the 3rd floor along with the concealed carry classrooms, and the rest of the floor was being remodeled. I did return a few years later to buy a gun safe and was waited on by the owner, Bob Marcus. I purchased a .38 spl revolver for my wife the night of the class, though I don't buy any ammo from him since his shop is a bit pricey. I tend to get ammo from Walmart or the Armory if I am in VB for any cycling events. I buy as cheap as I can go for target practice. One of these days, I need to start loading my own. Bob's has the shop in Norfolk as well as another shop in Carollton, or at least he did back in the 90's. I haven't bought anything new since 1997, and the 38 was used.