Coal Creek review

[Guest dotsun]

dotsun,

There is no such sign. There is a sign stating that no loaded weapons are to be handled on the sales floor, NO EXCEPTIONS. (This goes for staff, too.) Loaded weapons must be left in a case or holster. This is just basic gun safety. If you must show someone your CCW gun, we will let you take it on the range to clear it where there is a safe backstop.

Well I totally misread that sign to say no loaded weapons except for law enforcement. My mistake.

[BenS]

I purchased my factory rebuild Sig 226 there, and also took the CC class there as well. I've not had an issue with them. The sig was priced fair, actually a little lower than what I had seen at a gun show I went to a few weeks before I bought the gun.

Tamara, do you guys carry (or can order) any Milt Sparks holsters? I'd like to get a Versa Max 2 for my 226, but many places are out of stock online.

[Guest DaG]

DaG,

if the IPSC crew had been enthusiastically buying stuff as well as coming to shoot the match

You can't buy stuff when you don't have it to sell. Even when it was Guncraft, there wasn't anything for the competitive shooter.

1. Brass

2. Bullets

3. Powder

4. Primers

Why not stock these items? I would be willing to buy a butload of the range brass if you would be willing to sell it. Precision and Kead bullets are affordable and would sell if you would stock them. Hogdon and Vit powders always go fast when it's on the shelf. But each time you here the same old thing, "we can order it for you". That statement is what drives customers to the internet with free shipping and normally arrives in 3 days. Those are the things you will sell if you keep it on the shelf. Belts, holsters, pouches and range bags most shooters already have. It's items 1-4 that we need as shooters on a regular basis. Hope this helps............

DaG

[Marswolf]

Excellent post DaG.

I never understand why shops don't figure this out. First rule of sales is that you can't sell from an empty cart. People will pay more for an in stock item. If it has to be ordered, they can order it direct on Internet for less.

It's a matter of business attitude that keeps customers coming back to a shop. Be friendly!!! Stock what people buy. Bring in new items for people to look at and buy. Put in a coffee pot. If suggested, customers will probably supply the coffee. Let them bring their own cups. Keep an old refrigerator with soft drinks and bottled water and sell them at your cost. Put in a few chairs to sit in. Make it a great place to come by and meet friends - a hangout. It's just common sense that brings customers back to your shop and buying stuff from you.

[Guest DaG]

Amen to that Marswolf. I would be willing to pay a few extra bucks to walk out the door with what I want instead of waiting for the net purchase to arrive. I sometimes wonder about hanging out there now, I get the feeling that if you ain't buyin', hit the road.........If you ever go to Guns and More, now that's a place you can hang out,fondle guns,talk shooting, whether it's about competition,plinkin', or just guns in general. They will actually talk your head off while you are trying to leave.

DaG

[Guest Michael]

Completely without malice, perhaps you guys should give CCA a chance.

I've been acquainted with Tamara, primarily through Glock Talk, for about seven years now, and if anyone knows their stuff about guns and running a gunshop, she does. She helped me get my feet on the ground when I was the prototypical newbie; now I'm a partner in a class 2/07 SOT. I'm sure CCA is open to any and all constructive suggestions.

God bless all here,

Michael

[towerclimber37]

Ok,

I finally made it into CCA last wednesday. as it happens, its right down the street from a prospective job which I intend to get.

(thanks for the directions to cca Boomhower..you're awesome man!!)

I walked in, started looking around and met Trevor behind the counter. Really nice young man who was more than happy to show me any pistol or rifle I wanted to see.

we discussed browning high power pistols, supplication in the house of J. Moses Browning, all sorts of stuff.

I wanted to see an EMP to drool and fondle it.."nope, sorry...we're out." thats understandable...they do a brisk business and Trevor said they were waiting on a restock shipment of stuff.

I did enjoy looking at a DPI 308 caliber AR...Julie has her mind and heart set on one now days.

I WISH I would have seen reloading stuff there..especially 308 brass, bullets and powder and primers...I didn't see much of that...

Tamera, Michael..I'm all ABOUT giving them a chance..I enjoyed my visit...didn't get to look at the range, but I'm sure that will come as the next time I'm down I intend to do a little more investigation of the place...and if I like it..believe me..I'll be a regular customer...and thats a good thing because Julie once remarked "I can never let you walk into a Gunshop alone". the last time she did it, I walked out with a pistol..the time before that? yep..another pistol...its habit forming .

SO, please please LISTEN to these guys! they're practically BEGGING you to let them buy from you...if that isn't "giving CCA a chance" I don't know what is!

Just my 2 cents..and its probably not worth that...except to me.

[Marswolf]

Seems to me the suggestions have been constructive.

Sounds like the criticisms are also valid. If a customer thinks he's been mistreated, then he has unless the guy is just a big dick-head. You get them like that, but jgrauman, Boomhower, jfglock, dkd83, and Phantom6 aren't. Their comments should be a call to change.

The ball is in CCA's court. The owner should have a staff meeting and make some changes. I'd pass out copies of this thread.

[Guest Michael]

The ball is in CCA's court. The owner should have a staff meeting and make some changes. I'd pass out copies of this thread.

Not a bad idea at all.

Michael

[Guest DaG]

I wonder if CCA is ready to sell any range brass yet?

DaG

[Guest mfree]

Unfortunately no; there's a gentleman who comes every few weeks and completely cleans us out of range brass.

As far as brass, primers, powder, and bullets... we've had the last three for a long time, longer than this post has been up. It lives behind the pistol counter, which may be why you missed it.

I can't tell you the powders right off the top of my head but there's 10-12 varieties in 16oz bottles. Projectiles are mostly target oriented. Primers... i can't think of one we don't have, actually. All winchesters, some CCI 5.56 small rifle for the AR guys, federals, etc.

As far as the sign on the door, I'll verify that it instructs you not to handle a LOADED weapon on the floor. The one hole in the carpet was enough.

Now, as for attitude... I sincerely hope it isn't mine. I work at CCA in the afternoons, from six until nine, manning the gun counter. I do it because I *enjoy* it, I have a primary job that pays the bills; CCA usually ends up getting my paychecks turned right back in Going in and talking guns for three hours a night really helps me stay sane and honestly I just enjoy the work.

Anyhow, to digress I just want to say that if anyone ran across me and thought I was rude or unwelcoming I've got to apologize. Everyone's welcome, everyone gets handed the gun they want to see, and everyone gets all the answering I have if in me if they want it.

EDIT: btw, I'm drstrangegun.blogspot.com

[Guest DaG]

Unfortunately no; there's a gentleman who comes every few weeks and completely cleans us out of range brass.

Just think......Instead of selling ALL the brass to one person who then turns around and sells it for scrap prices, sell a little of it to ALOT of people and build up your customer base. If this is the same person I'm thinking of, he has all the mixed brass in a 55 gal. drum and sells it by the pound. Take your chances and buy a few pounds and you might get stuck with a bunch of 25,32, or some other brass than what you need. I will gladly pay you $25.00 per thousand all day long for 9 mm if you will sell it. There are a bunch of IPSC and IDPA shooters in Knoxville who would be more than happy to take it off your hands. Who knows, get us in the store and we may spend more money........

DaG

[Mark@Sea]

I've been to CCA once.

Picked up an unusual purchase (norchester '97 riot gun clone).

Unusual because I inquired about it on Tamaras blog (I was overseas at the time). She quoted me a price, I made a phone call, and picked it up 4 months later when I returned to the states.

Price was quite fair, and at or below prices I had seen on that model around the net. The only ones I had seen cheaper were the 'dealer seconds' that I knew had gotten into circulation - poor QC, pitted reciever castings.

Very satisfied with the experience.

DaG, I have a young mountain of 9mm brass for which I have no use. Sold off my last peashooter a while back. When I'm back in port and at home, will try to remember to post. Somewhere between 3 to 5K, if I recall correctly. That should hold you a month or two.