Experience at Coal Creek Armory Today

[LDRider]

My wife will be taking her HCP class in 1 wk. (Yay) and does not have her own firearm at this time. She had previously had a bad experience with a Lady Smith 9mm (absolutely hated it). She really hated it after shooting my Kimber 4" in 45 ACP. She always thought it would be too much for her but really liked it. I finally got her talked into getting her HCP and carrying on a regular basis. I convinced her to go the range and shoot several different pistols to see what she was really comfortable with. She was convinced that she didn't like 9mm due to her previous experience.

I was a little hesitant to go to CCA due to some of the less than acceptable experiences of others but they seemed to have one of the best selections of handguns and the price was excellent. I really wanted her to try some of the polymer frame guns as one of her concerns was weight. She was not comfortable with anything less than 9mm and definitely did not want to shoot any of the smaller frame "pocket pistols" due to her previous experience. She first started at the sales desk and tried a Glock but did not like how it felt in her hand. She tried a Springfield Armory XD and thought that felt pretty good so we headed over to the rental desk. Since this was our first time at CCA we completed the paperwork and then picked out an XD in 4", 4 targets and headed to the range. She did all shooting at 7 yds. just for comparison purposes. She started with the Kimber just for a baseline as she hadn't been shooting in some time. (I know, I'm a bad husband but trying to improve) She then shot the XD and did pretty well and felt comfortable with it.

Next we went to a 9mm XD in 4". She liked that pretty well too although she had some FTE and FTF. I think this was a combination of a very dirty range gun and maybe a bit of weak grip on her part. I shot about 7-8 rounds through it and had no problems but when I gave it back to her she again had some problems. This didn't giver her warm fuzzies but again, she did group reasonably well with it. She then tried a Sig (I believe) 229 in 9mm. She thought it was OK and actually shot it fairly well. Again though, she had some malfunctions with the gun that didn't help her impression of it. Then she tried shooting it transition from DA to SA. She HATED that! So then she tried a Beretta PX4 Storm and liked it a lot! Best grouping of the day..........until she tried that DA to SA transition. Just not something she can live with. We finished with my shooting the Kimber a bit and sighting in the new Crimson Trace grips.

We went back out and paid for our range time and the salesman at the sales counter asked " Well, what are you going to buy?." She went back over and fondled a few guns and talked with the salesman a bit about her experiences with the different guns. He offered up a couple different guns for her to put in her hands and she finally said " I'm not really ready to make a decision today. I've got a lot of information to process. I really want to make a good decision" He agreed with her that she needed to make sure that what she chose was right for her. I stayed out of the conversation for the most part and let her do her own talking. She's pretty smart and knows what she wants and what she wants to do.

The end result of this is we spent 2 hrs. on the range and probably a total of 3 hrs at the sore and it was an extremely satisfying experience! Everyone was kind and took the time to talk with us and answer questions. It was everything that a visit to a gun shop should to be. There was only 1 person who was perhaps a little less than friendly but it was easy to pass off as someone having a bad day since everyone else was so nice. I inda feel bad that we didn't get names so we could identify the people who were great to us but thank you to everyone at CCA today as they were, for the most part, great!

After we stopped shooting, she asked the person at the rental counter if they ever cleaned the guns. He said that they rarely got cleaned and that even when they did ask someone to do it they still didn't get cleaned. She didn't say it at the time but later told me that if her experience with the Springfield XD 9mm had been better she probably would have left the store with one! As it is, she is now considering between an XDm Compact in either 9mm or 45ACP depending on which one we can find and at the best price.

Jeff

[Berettatn]

I will toss out the fact that I have had nothing but good experiences at Coal Creek. I've not always found them to be the cheapest on firearms but who is 100% of the time. I don't deal with them on transfers though. I have found them to run sales from time to time in an effort to move inventory and that can net some great savings if you can catch it at the right time.

[wcsc12]

My wife will be taking her HCP class in 1 wk. (Yay) and does not have her own firearm at this time. She had previously had a bad experience with a Lady Smith 9mm (absolutely hated it). She really hated it after shooting my Kimber 4" in 45 ACP. She always thought it would be too much for her but really liked it. I finally got her talked into getting her HCP and carrying on a regular basis. I convinced her to go the range and shoot several different pistols to see what she was really comfortable with. She was convinced that she didn't like 9mm due to her previous experience.

I was a little hesitant to go to CCA due to some of the less than acceptable experiences of others but they seemed to have one of the best selections of handguns and the price was excellent. I really wanted her to try some of the polymer frame guns as one of her concerns was weight. She was not comfortable with anything less than 9mm and definitely did not want to shoot any of the smaller frame "pocket pistols" due to her previous experience. She first started at the sales desk and tried a Glock but did not like how it felt in her hand. She tried a Springfield Armory XD and thought that felt pretty good so we headed over to the rental desk. Since this was our first time at CCA we completed the paperwork and then picked out an XD in 4", 4 targets and headed to the range. She did all shooting at 7 yds. just for comparison purposes. She started with the Kimber just for a baseline as she hadn't been shooting in some time. (I know, I'm a bad husband but trying to improve) She then shot the XD and did pretty well and felt comfortable with it.

Next we went to a 9mm XD in 4". She liked that pretty well too although she had some FTE and FTF. I think this was a combination of a very dirty range gun and maybe a bit of weak grip on her part. I shot about 7-8 rounds through it and had no problems but when I gave it back to her she again had some problems. This didn't giver her warm fuzzies but again, she did group reasonably well with it. She then tried a Sig (I believe) 229 in 9mm. She thought it was OK and actually shot it fairly well. Again though, she had some malfunctions with the gun that didn't help her impression of it. Then she tried shooting it transition from DA to SA. She HATED that! So then she tried a Beretta PX4 Storm and liked it a lot! Best grouping of the day..........until she tried that DA to SA transition. Just not something she can live with. We finished with my shooting the Kimber a bit and sighting in the new Crimson Trace grips.

We went back out and paid for our range time and the salesman at the sales counter asked " Well, what are you going to buy?." She went back over and fondled a few guns and talked with the salesman a bit about her experiences with the different guns. He offered up a couple different guns for her to put in her hands and she finally said " I'm not really ready to make a decision today. I've got a lot of information to process. I really want to make a good decision" He agreed with her that she needed to make sure that what she chose was right for her. I stayed out of the conversation for the most part and let her do her own talking. She's pretty smart and knows what she wants and what she wants to do.

The end result of this is we spent 2 hrs. on the range and probably a total of 3 hrs at the sore and it was an extremely satisfying experience! Everyone was kind and took the time to talk with us and answer questions. It was everything that a visit to a gun shop should to be. There was only 1 person who was perhaps a little less than friendly but it was easy to pass off as someone having a bad day since everyone else was so nice. I inda feel bad that we didn't get names so we could identify the people who were great to us but thank you to everyone at CCA today as they were, for the most part, great!

After we stopped shooting, she asked the person at the rental counter if they ever cleaned the guns. He said that they rarely got cleaned and that even when they did ask someone to do it they still didn't get cleaned. She didn't say it at the time but later told me that if her experience with the Springfield XD 9mm had been better she probably would have left the store with one! As it is, she is now considering between an XDm Compact in either 9mm or 45ACP depending on which one we can find and at the best price.

Jeff

Yay! CCA is really hit or miss but I'm glad you guys got a hit. Now, every time I go is a hit but they know I'm not going to buy anything unless it's at an amazing price as I get discounts.

However, the lady at the counter is correct. Their guns don't get cleaned very often at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure they never cleaned that Glock 22 they have in there until it started light striking. The DA to SA trigger pull is definitely not a light pull but then again, that's also meant to be the safety. Did she try a S&W M&P series pistol? If she really liked the XD 9mm, tell her not to be discourage about the dirty guns. In fact, since it's a pretty popular pistol, see if you can arrange a range meeting with a user on here that has one.

Edited January 6, 2012 by wcsc12

[Murgatroy]

The first time I went to CCA I was browsing during a very busy time. I felt brushed off and didn't really care for the vibe I got. I didn't go back for nearly a year.

During that year I took several coworkers shooting with me and they decided to buy Glocks. I told them that from my experience, CCA had the better prices, but their customer service was lacking. Three of my coworkers bought Glocks from them with great results.

After that I began using their range on a semi-regular basis and found them to be completely different than my first visit. They were approachable and friendly.

I have since become a regular customer to a degree. I use their range at least once a month, I took my HCP class there and I have taken several folks there to shoot and rent guns when I feel their needs might be better suited than immediately choosing a Glock.

I recently used them for a couple of transfers, and the process was so painless that I will have to say, I am happy to do business with them. Their information was all posted on their website, I used that information for shipping, including the fax numbers from the buyer and CCA, sent an email to both and everything went smooth and flawless. It was my first time doing a transfer, so I was a little nervous about the process, but after it was complete, I was amazed how simple it was. I was most impressed that I never had to pick up a phone through the whole process as I was kept updated through emails.

I understand that a lot of folks have had bad experiences with CCA, but we have all had bad experiences with a shop at least once. I was glad that I gave them a second chance. Bill's in Maryville and CCA have become my favorite vendors in my area thanks to a good selection and good service.

[gnmwilliams]

CCA has gotten a lot better with thier customer service, mainly due to getting rid of a couple bad eggs and hiring some people with better CS skills. Yeah some of them can still come off a little arrogant but you're gonna find people like that anywhere you go. At least they don't have anybody like Frontier Firearms who laugh and scoff at you when you ask for .22 Wolf Match ammo and say, "Wolf Match ammo? How is that gonna be accurate?" As to thier pricing, all I can say is, if you think it's too high, ask for a better price. I know for a fact that they will haggle and will work with you on payment options. I've bought my last two firearms from CCA and have not regretted it.

[peejman]

Glad you had a good experience. People tend to expect way too much from the kid working the counter for $8/hr.

If you fired the XD with no issue, sounds like your wife may need to strengthen her hands and forearms. Or just practice a little more.

[sschrick]

my XD9 Service had 2 FTE's within the first 200 rounds. it was absolutlely 100% my fault. since then, I have worked on my grip and technique and had 100% reliability out of my gun.

also, I have been dealing with CCA for over a year now and had all good things to say. I am a range member and just recently purchased a firearm through them. wife and I shoot there frequently.

they definitely have the best selection of rentals compared to anybody else within 30 miles.

also, I would be willing to meet you guys there to let you and your wife shoot a clean XD. Also, mine is still pretty new. Only 600 rounds through it.

Let me know.

[greenego]

I have always had a good experience at Coal Creek. The only problem has been waiting on a lane.

[Guest Catfish36]

I was just in CCA today shooting my new P238. I have seen new faces from time to time in there but I always look for Scott. He has been good to me. Gave me a great deal on my first GLOCK and I took my class there. Also props to Rick Newstrom, the instructor there, who is very knowledgable and helpful. I shopped around alot for my P238 ..looking in CCA and Bills several times. Scott even called me once when he got one in on trade because he knew I was in the market. But today I walked in with my new gun that I did NOT buy from them and he was just as nice and helpful as if I had bought from them. As I was unfamiliar with this gun he even took the time to teach me how to break it down.

GO SCOTT, GO Rick, and GO CCA...

[KJ48]

I was just in CCA today shooting my new P238. I have seen new faces from time to time in there but I always look for Scott. He has been good to me. Gave me a great deal on my first GLOCK and I took my class there. Also props to Rick Newstrom, the instructor there, who is very knowledgable and helpful. I shopped around alot for my P238 ..looking in CCA and Bills several times. Scott even called me once when he got one in on trade because he knew I was in the market. But today I walked in with my new gun that I did NOT buy from them and he was just as nice and helpful as if I had bought from them. As I was unfamiliar with this gun he even took the time to teach me how to break it down.

GO SCOTT, GO Rick, and GO CCA...

+1 on Scott, good guy to deal with. But I have had no problems with anyone there in the last few years. First time I went in there I was a little put off, but thats pretty typical for gun stores until you spend a few bucks and they see you a few times. Like anything else you have to shop around a little on a specific gun, some are priced pretty high and some are very reasonable. Yes they will deal a bit if you pay cash or have a clean, desirable trade.

I have also had some night sights installed and some other minor gunsmithing done there and they have always did what I expected at a reasonable price.

All in all I'm glad they are there, decent LGS for sure.

[Guest dvcan]

I am a new gun owner and bought my first glock 17 at coal creek last month. I was taken advantage of many ways.

1. the sales rep told me I was buying a new 4th generation glock 17 and charged my for it.

2. I get home inspect the gun and the empty casing are dated 10/09 and the gun may of been used?

I had a friend inspect the gun and it was a 3rd generation. I went back to return the gun but I had already shot rounds thru it. They said it was an honest mistake? How could this be an honest mistake.

They did give the me refund of the price difference from 4th gen and 4 magazines for my AR-15 for my trouble which I had to insist.

I will never buy any products from this place again

[HARRISUSAF]

Used cca range a few times this past fall (with my own guns) but will never buy a gun from there. The CS is just poor. If someone asks a question, you get the "don't bother us" vibe. I frankly don't have the patience for a sales clerk to be short with me when I have $600 in my pocket- there are too many other stores in the Knoxville area.

[ls3_kid]

The first time I went to CCA I was browsing during a very busy time. I felt brushed off and didn't really care for the vibe I got. I didn't go back for nearly a year.

During that year I took several coworkers shooting with me and they decided to buy Glocks. I told them that from my experience, CCA had the better prices, but their customer service was lacking. Three of my coworkers bought Glocks from them with great results.

After that I began using their range on a semi-regular basis and found them to be completely different than my first visit. They were approachable and friendly.

I have since become a regular customer to a degree. I use their range at least once a month, I took my HCP class there and I have taken several folks there to shoot and rent guns when I feel their needs might be better suited than immediately choosing a Glock.

I recently used them for a couple of transfers, and the process was so painless that I will have to say, I am happy to do business with them. Their information was all posted on their website, I used that information for shipping, including the fax numbers from the buyer and CCA, sent an email to both and everything went smooth and flawless. It was my first time doing a transfer, so I was a little nervous about the process, but after it was complete, I was amazed how simple it was. I was most impressed that I never had to pick up a phone through the whole process as I was kept updated through emails.

I understand that a lot of folks have had bad experiences with CCA, but we have all had bad experiences with a shop at least once. I was glad that I gave them a second chance. Bill's in Maryville and CCA have become my favorite vendors in my area thanks to a good selection and good service.

This is similar to my first experience. I really didn't like it the first time. I felt as if the people that worked there were "Know it alls". After my second visit I have really started to like the place. I will be taking my HCP class there.

I hope your wife finds the gun that fits her best and passes the course. Sounds like she won't have a problem with the second objective.

[Mad_Squirrell]

Next we went to a 9mm XD in 4". She liked that pretty well too although she had some FTE and FTF. I think this was a combination of a very dirty range gun and maybe a bit of weak grip on her part. I shot about 7-8 rounds through it and had no problems but when I gave it back to her she again had some problems. This didn't giver her warm fuzzies but again, she did group reasonably well with it. She then tried a Sig (I believe) 229 in 9mm. She thought it was OK and actually shot it fairly well. Again though, she had some malfunctions with the gun that didn't help her impression of it.

The XD is very "snappy" in 9mm .I owned one and found it to be a very reliable pistol .I never had a single malfunction while I shot it and around 1000-1500 rds between cleanings . The only time it ever had Issues is when my 9yo son at the time tried to shoot it the recoil was too snappy for him to control and his hand would slip off the grip safety and the gun would basically lock down in the middle of cycling which resulted in a FTE . I never had an FTF in over 6000 rds down the pipe but then again mine did get cleaned at least once in a while .

Edited January 7, 2012 by Mad_Squirrell

[jtmaze]

I have a 4" xd 40 and I think all of the 4" XDs tend to be snappy. Last month I shot my father in laws xd40sc and it is not snappy at all. I guess the shorter barrel makes it more controllable(muzzle velocity) is all I can come up with. Please tell me if anyone else has noticed this.

JTM🔫

Sent from my iPhone

[Guest airborne1525]

I think Coal Creek is top notch. I almost always browse when I go shoot and they have always been kind to answer my questions even though I am upfront about not buying at the time. After almost a year of looking for a Christmas piece for my wife, I made the choice to pay slightly more at Coal Creek than go else where. Sometimes we need to look outside the box and decide paying a few extra bucks is worth supporting the small business.

Sorry if I rambled, think the NyQuil is kicking in.

[LDRider]

Well, after sleeping on it my wife decided that what she really wanted was the XDm Compact in 9mm. She did not let the fact that the rental gun had failures sway her decision. We talked about it and I explained that I had never really heard of anyone having any serious problems with the XD's.

She had decided to sell some jewelery that she didn't really wear to fund the purchase so we headed out yesterday AM to do that. We headed over to Sevierville Indoor Range to talk to them about purchasing. She didn't think they would have one in stock and would have to order but was excited when he pulled one from the back of the case. She is now the happy/proud owner of a Bi-tone XDm Compact in 9mm! She took it out on the range and shot through 2 magazines worth with no hiccups and good groupings. Since she was buying with cash she was able to negotiate an acceptable price. She was also happy to be buying locally.

Thanks sschrick for the offer, that is very generous. And thanks to the folks who sent PM's for the info as well.

Jeff

She has to work this weekend but is off on Mon. so it looks like another trip to the range before she takes her HCP class next Sat.

[Knox Al]

I use their range becuase it is the closest and most convenient to home and work. I have bought a couple of guns there is the past, but no more. They wanted $50 for a FFL transfer if they stock the gun. I was buying a used gun to save money so I went somewhere else for the transfer. The salesmen are a little less arrogant than they used to be.

Al

[ftncityfatboy]

I am a new gun owner and bought my first glock 17 at coal creek last month. I was taken advantage of many ways.

1. the sales rep told me I was buying a new 4th generation glock 17 and charged my for it.

2. I get home inspect the gun and the empty casing are dated 10/09 and the gun may of been used?

I had a friend inspect the gun and it was a 3rd generation. I went back to return the gun but I had already shot rounds thru it. They said it was an honest mistake? How could this be an honest mistake.

They did give the me refund of the price difference from 4th gen and 4 magazines for my AR-15 for my trouble which I had to insist.

I will never buy any products from this place again

Let's review:

1) When purchasing a new gun, make sure you know what your new gun is suppose to look like before you buy it. Gen 4 Glocks have an obvious distinction: the grip has a rougher texture than the Gen 3.

2) Inspect the gun completely before you buy. Break it down. Gen 4 Glocks have a dual recoil spring.

3) Inspect the spent casing before you buy. Make sure the date isn't before the gun was manufactured.

4) New guns at CCA are identifiable with a manila colored tag. This says "I'm new", the blue tags indicate "I'm used".

5) In my tenure at CCA as a part timer, I have never seen anyone try to pass a used gun off as new.

I'm thinking there may be more to this story than posted.

To OP, glad you had a good experience, it is refreshing to hear good things about CCA for a change.

FCFB

Edited January 7, 2012 by ftncityfatboy

[ftncityfatboy]

I use their range becuase it is the closest and most convenient to home and work. I have bought a couple of guns there is the past, but no more. They wanted $50 for a FFL transfer if they stock the gun. I was buying a used gun to save money so I went somewhere else for the transfer. The salesmen are a little less arrogant than they used to be.

Al

$25.00 gets the transfer completed. Been that way for some time.

[sschrick]

I am a new gun owner and bought my first glock 17 at coal creek last month. I was taken advantage of many ways.

1. the sales rep told me I was buying a new 4th generation glock 17 and charged my for it.

2. I get home inspect the gun and the empty casing are dated 10/09 and the gun may of been used?

I had a friend inspect the gun and it was a 3rd generation. I went back to return the gun but I had already shot rounds thru it. They said it was an honest mistake? How could this be an honest mistake.

They did give the me refund of the price difference from 4th gen and 4 magazines for my AR-15 for my trouble which I had to insist.

I will never buy any products from this place again

Don't think they tried to maliciously deceive you, but sounds like you didn't do your homework.

[KJ48]

Let's review:

1) When purchasing a new gun, make sure you know what your new gun is suppose to look like before you buy it. Gen 4 Glocks have an obvious distinction: the grip has a rougher texture than the Gen 3.

2) Inspect the gun completely before you buy. Break it down. Gen 4 Glocks have a dual recoil spring.

3) Inspect the spent casing before you buy. Make sure the date isn't before the gun was manufactured.

4) New guns at CCA are identifiable with a manila colored tag. This says "I'm new", the blue tags indicate "I'm used".

5) In my tenure at CCA as a part timer, I have never seen anyone try to pass a used gun off as new.

I'm thinking there may be more to this story than posted.

To OP, glad you had a good experience, it is refreshing to hear good things about CCA for a change.

FCFB

Not to mention Gen 4s say 'Gen 4' right on the slide

[ftncityfatboy]

Not to mention Gen 4s say 'Gen 4' right on the slide

[Knox Al]

$25.00 gets the transfer completed. Been that way for some time.

I must disagree. Spoke to a salesman in person, he said the transfer fee is $50.00 if they stock the gun. Things must have changed since you were there.

Alan

Edited January 16, 2012 by Knox Al

[wewoapsiak]

I must disagree. Spoke to a salesman in person, he said the transfer fee is $50.00 if they stock the gun. Things must have changed since you were there.

Alan

Strange, I've transferred two firearms through them in the last year, both they stock. It was $25 each time, and their website even states $25