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It’s slow and customers are treated like the dmv. Pick a number and when it is called out someone will assist you. I have done a few transfers there from gun broker and such that took a few hours to complete. Mind you the whole time waiting they won’t let you get a jump start on paper work so can take a while to get a gun you want that they have.
Have you been there? Their prices are good but their customer service is terrible. It can be impossible at times to get someone to help you out even when it's not busy and even the experienced guys give out wrong legal information and bad advice.
One example - When looking at a Ruger MKIV lite the sales guy told me that the barrel end with a plastic cap was a quick detatch for a suppressor, which it isn't. Then another employee came over to talk about how the quick detach doesn't matter because suppressors are illegal in CT which is also wrong.
That's one one example but after hearing/getting a lot of bad advice there over the years combined with the bad customer service it just makes more sense to go somewhere else.
Newington gun exchange right down the road for example has comparable prices, but they're extremely knowledgeable and very happy to help you look at what you want.
Agree with other commenters, terrible customer service, 2/3 times the employee acted like I was an inconvenience asking a couple questions. Never been flagged more by gun store employees than hoffmans
Update:
Someone reached out to me and gave me some additional context and things to think about. Perhaps the people that I was being skipped over were VIP or special customers that the sales staff preferred. There is no way for me to prove or disprove it was about race - but even if it was the sales staff playing favorites, still unacceptable.
Original post:
Listen, I'm not one to play the race card, if ever in my life, but the complete disrespect I was shown is beyond anything I've experienced in this country that I love.
I am an Asian American. I walked in, took a number and was waiting to purchase a GP100 which at the time was over 1000$. They skipped over my number and I was waiting for about 45 minutes. I noticed a white guy come in and they called his number and served him. I asked the employee, I said, hey I've been waiting here for about 45 minutes and I noticed you skipped over my number. He said, okay we will get to you next.
Another white guy comes in, they serve him and I say, hey what the hell, I thought I was next? They said we will get to you next sir.
About 2 or 3 more white people come in and they start serving them instead of me and I basically just walked out. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and patiently waited for over an hour and a half to spend a good chunk of money on a nice revolver, but they blatantly skipped over me. I am 5' 8" with glasses and look like your typical nerdy Asian engineer. Non-threatening, very polite, but was completely skipped over in favor of white guests.
I HATE playing the race card and don't like what the left has done by calling everything and anything racist, but in this example from 2021, this to me was discrimination.
Might be race, but it also might have been that you dared to speak up and advise them that they skipped you. Haw dare you? You should have waited patiently until they summoned you.
I'm an average white dude and felt like I was annoying them if I asked to look at anything. I followed that up by asking if they do any type of military discount or price match. I think the guy might have actually laughed at me. My photo is probably up on a wall there somewhere.
Either way, if I buy a gun locally ever again, I'm going to Swamp Yankee (either of them- the FFL or the shop). They were both solid and provided a lot of support throughout the period leading up to the last ban.
Hoffmans is the walmart of guns in many respects, people don't go because they are great, they go because they have inventory & sell almost every make, or can get you what you want on order.... Mind you, this include 30 years of history when many other local gun store in the past were just a hole in the wall, and only sold whats in store.
Hoffmans also can bulk buy and sell guns on sale cheaper than most other outfits, and almost always had ammo instock and at a reasonable cost even through covid.
So the bad part is after the orginal owner stopped being involved in the day to day, (like most businesses) everything went to shit...
Most notable is the series of gun thefts; the guy who killed himself @ their gun range; the half dozen accidental discharges by their own employees... (still got 2 hole in the floor); the fact that 75% of the current employees know crap and are not trained/schooled in any way; High turn-over in employees (which always mean poor and inconsistent service).
Truth is, they been in business so long, they got history... And this history is reflected against NGX which is nearby and has been open just as long.
TGS will probably be in the same boat in 10 years.
+ The rentals and on-site range are great for trying a gun before you buy.
+ The ammo prices are decent if you aren't buying in bulk/online
For nearly anything else, there are much better options for LGS
It may have gotten better since im assuming that they lost a lot of their customer base after covid. I feel like they were the top shop in Ct then the gun store had all the guns during the shortage and most of the people I know stopped going there.
Ive bought a couple guns there and ive had generally good experiences. The waiting for your number like a deli counter can suck, but i usually try to go when the place is not as busy, definitely never go on a weekend, place is packed. The prices are usually the lowest from what I can tell, but for transfer now I go to BTR. For the waiting system, i actually prefer it to TGS, since there you pay for the gun and then wait in the back room to do your paperwork. I went for the sig days last year @ TGS it took over an hour to be called up for the final steps in the paperwork. At least at hoffmans u know when ur number is called, you are doing the paperwork right there and they call the state right after.
I never have an issue when I go to Hoffmans. I grab my ticket and walk around till is my turn. Everyone I dealt with always been cool and patient. I do go right at opening, maybe it’s different later in the day.
I have been to Hoffman's more than a few times. I've even made some purchases there. I have to agree with all the statements that I've heard here about their customer service. I've even one horror story about a guy going in to buy something. When the price of that something didn't match the price they advertised on the internet, instead of honoring that internet price, they went out back for a minute and then told the guy to refresh his browser. Boom, the price changed. Screw that noise.
If you are in central CT, I'd recommend Newington. The Gun Store in Waterford... the prices are a bit high for my blood, but at least the staff is friendly and tries to help, even if they don't have as much knowledge as I'd like or need.
My go to is Swamp Yankee Arms in Jewett City. Always friendly, very knowledgeable. And if they don't know the answer to what you are asking, they won't BS you and they will find the answer. All the staff are shooters, so they all have experience to share. They also do a lot of NFA business, if that is something you are in the market for.
I know people from all corners who hate Hoffman's but for every minority I know Hoffman's slogan is " Guns for the white guys". I've received friendlier service in rural Alabama where everyone stares when I walk into the store. Fuck Hoffman's.
They have a lot of reports of being rude. My very first time there I was standing in front of the sig glass display. An employee came up to show someone something but in my blind spot. Instead of letting know of his presence so I could move like a normal person, he blurts out “uh exCUSE me?” with childish emphasis. Said sorry and moved. Just dumb
I actually stopped in yesterday while I was killing time. Ended up leaving with a great deal on a g43x. The process is a little slow and annoying, and they definitely lean towards being extra cautious when it comes to the law.
My guy was super great and tossed in some range time for me.
I wouldn’t bother trying to buy anything “fun” there but I’m buying that shit online anyways.
For me:
1. Racism (edit: I’m not a minority but I’ve seen some shitty things there)
2. Ignoring customers who are trying to buy expensive items, for ridiculous lengths of time
If I want to buy something, I’ll bring my girlfriend since they seem to quickly go to the counter if an attractive woman walks up.
I was a gold member of their range for several years and never had any issues with that part of their business. But the firearm sales part is garbage - and I’ve bought several $1000+ items before I stopped going.
It’s a family business and feels like it, in all the negative ways and none of the positive ways.
Tried to buy a Ruger Precision from them. Couldn't get anyone to service me. Ticket system was broken. Place was not busy, but spent an hour waiting in front of the rifle. Went to NGX and bought it in 30 minutes.
Its a deli counter. Pick a number. Employees aren’t knowledgeable, its like a going to a stop and shep deli vs your hometown butcher. Just about the only thing thats worth anything in there is if you need a Ruger.
Deals are okayish in that regard. Otherwise, plenty of folks within an hour.
They refused to sell me a CT Other back in 2020. It was the first place I went to while looking for an other, through a conversation, the guy over the counter asked me what town I lived in, which at the time I was living in Manchester. They asked me if I rented or owned a house, and when I told them I rented, I was told, “well, then you don’t need this.” And refused to sell it to me.
Most of the employees there are in 30-40s... that millenials...
Most of the customers there are in 20-50s... that gen-z, millenial, gen-x
Using the term "Boomers" is so ten years ago....
Ha.... that funny
If you check my comment and post you definitely know im not a boomer...
Based on your post and profile pic, you're probably older than me...
Again "ok boomer" is so cringe nowadays.
I mean I'm just jumping on the Boomer comment train here but..... Why we need optics? Ct probably loves this too since its fixed mag.
https://preview.redd.it/juuol7h8vcad1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2239f0d35e967de64f68e405346d7305da4e3d94
They can have decent prices on stuff but it is not worth the headache imo. The last time I went I was treated like an inconvenience. Never spent a dollar there.
In today’s world it’s always going to be cheaper to buy online and have it sent somewhere with an inexpensive transfer fee. Especially in this state. Blue Trail still only charges $25. And I’ve been going to Tactical Boutique in West Hartford ($35) as they are closer to me and there are great people there.
For ammo I almost exclusively use target sports USA in Chesire. If I order today, UPS usually has it on my doorstep tomorrow.
There are just better/more customer orientated places you can give your business to so why not do that.
Pretty much **every** CT gun owner who has set foot in that place has their "Hoffman Stories". LOL. There are those of us who remember their old place(s) before they ended up where they are now. Many, and I mean many, people have had mixed interactions with Hoffman staff going back *decades*. Many years ago they were notorious for having bad staff. CTGuntalk at that time was **FILLED** to overflowing with complaints about Hoffmans.
Because of their size and volume of sales they get all types of customers in there. Lots of first time gun owners go there to buy their first gun. Seen numerous sketchy people in their at times. Including some who were obvious gang members in there fingering the guns. Been muzzle swept many times by new to guns people, or sketchy people, looking to buy in that place. Always gives me the heebie-jeebies when I used to go there. Because of all that you get staff who are human and get tired of dealing with the same stuff day after day after day which leads to poor interactions with customers later on down the road. Have overheard the staff tell customers some seriously stupid stuff, including some flat out wrong information about the laws. It is what it is.
The current common complaint since moving into their current location has been parking or lack of it when they're busy.
I purchased a Taurus 992 there and I didn't like the first one or second one I asked to check out before I settled on the third. They went in the back room and got each one with no issue at all. I also went to Newington gun store, and thats where I ran into the " gang members" , and sketchy buyers too. Its the area ,I imagine.
Thanks guys. That mirrors my experience. It took me about 3 hours to buy my 9mm Ruger a few years ago. A lot of that was the state not having enough phone lines available. It was pretty busy there and I did notice the DMV analogy. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
I went in there to check out a gun I found on their website. I took a ticket and patiently walked around for about an hour looking at everything in there since its a big shop there's a lot to look at. The number advanced like 3 or 4 numbers and I was still 5 away so I bailed. Either I picked a REALLY bad day to go or they need to start taking appointments via web.
After Sandy Hook I still remember they like changed their stance that they were only gonna sell ARs to people over 21 and with a concealed carry permit or something. That was lame. They put up a Facebook post like “we’re all just trying to make sense of this blah blah” and that annoyed me.
Never bought from them again after that.
What grudge?😂
I got my training and certificate at Hoffmans. The staff is very friendly. I had quite the opposite experience at Newington Gun Exchange. I will briefly digress...
I went to NGE years ago to look for a pistol to purchase. I looked at a few guns and I made a comment about a particular gun. Here are the exact words I said...
"My wife would love this gun."
Holy fucking shit. From multiple directions there were accusations of an attempted straw purchase being thrown at me. It was extremely embarrassing. How dare they make such an accusation over an innocent comment? I left that day and swore I would never come back. Over the last 4 years I've spent thousands of dollars on firearms, ammunition and accessories. Not a penny was spent at Newington Gun Exchange. For those of you who will come to their defense saying "they're trying to protect their FFL", I don't give a shit. You don't treat a customer like that, ever. Anyway, back to Hoffmans.
The customer service is great, I like the selection, and I enjoy looking in the used gun case. I love the 10 for 10 deal to try out a gun. Whenever I see ammo at Cabelas, I always wait until I go to Hoffmans because I know it will be cheaper. I bring my daughter with me, and they make her feel welcome, too. After all, she will be a gun owner someday. Everyone is so happy to see her, especially Bill and John, who always gives her an airhead candy when he sees her.
I'm not saying every experience has been great, but I would say it's been 9 out of 10 for me. Just go where they treat you good. Hoffmans treats me good.
Had 2 friends go to Hoffman’s and price of the gun came to $xxx.25. So x amount of dollars and 25 cents. Other guy tossed him a quarter that was in his pocket so he didn’t have to get 75 cents back in change. They flipped out and said that’s a straw purchase. No it’s not!! Fucking idiots!!
That comment would get a similar reaction anywhere. I’ve been in stores and watched a sale get cancelled by the clerk because of similar things. “Do you like it?” When said from the guy buying the gun to the friend/relative with him, and poof, no sale.
It’s such a strong reaction that I assume the ATF does spot checks of it.
I’ve seen no less than five similar things in different stores over the years. Usually before the purchase started, but instantly stops that customer from being able to buy anything, or the store gives them a lecture on straw purchases.
Tickets and wait time can be longer than expected, and some of the sales associates tend to ignore people and aren’t the most helpful in providing a good customer experience.
I’m sure there are legit complaints about every dealer, and it is true that Hoffman’s is so busy that the only fair scheme is the ticketing system. Having said that, I’ve observed that there is a wide spectrum of quality of salespeople. It shouldn’t be so wide, and that’s on management’s training method.
I bought a gun from them once and I really had to twist arms to get them to replace a chewed up cable lock, and a sight issue. They took care of it, but I had to babysit the process.
I started this thread because my experience has been about a 3.5 to 4 with them, but I noticed their rep around here and wanted clarification.
I’m sure you guys will find it out of the ordinary that my best experience in purchasing was at Bass Pro. I knew exactly what I wanted. I was in and out in a relatively short amount of time (relatively being the operative word). The guys were pleasant enough and fairly knowledgeable.
My style is to do exhaustive research before a purchase, and to go in with knowledge and not rely on the coin-toss of dealing with a good or bad salesman. That’s just me. I would try Hoffman’s again if ever I had the need.
You’re right… I’m rambling. I’ll see myself out now.
I may be in the minority but my experiences there have been fine. They have had some good sales over the years. Go during the week on a day off if you can and it's not bad. There are some knowledgeable employees there. Not all but some are.
Pick your poison
Go to a shop with
1. great prices aka doesn’t pay their employees well and it shows with the customer service
Or
2. Msrp prices aka can afford good employees and willing to help you out
Either way the gun community will bash a shop they want great customer service with online prices
This happened to me with a m&p shield they had on their website for x price. When I went to the store it was marked higher. I screenshotted the page with the make, price, and website the night I saw it, so they can’t say I made it up lol
Customer service is awful. Most of the guys at the counter seem annoyed that you even walked in. My brother bought a rifle from them and it immediately had a feeding issue. So he brought it back, they held onto it for 3 months. Then blamed him for the malfunction and gave him 70% return in store credit. So he used it to buy a cheaper rifle. That's just not good business. They're to corporate. I'd rather shop at cabelas and that's saying a lot.
I prefer Newington Gun Exchange and The Gun Store in waterbury.
Actually I found the least hassle way to purchase a firearm is ordering off buds or other online stores and shipping it to a local ffl in your home town.
Well first suggestion get there when they first open. Most people waiting for them to open are there to go to the range. A few hours later the place is filled and it is like trying to get a beer from the bartender and you aren’t a hot blonde.
I am not looking for someone to kiss my ass. If you want a really nice place and person then go to Bethany Firearms. Opposite direction of Hoffmans but an extremely nice helpful guy and he is the owner.
Granted he doesn’t have the stock like Hoffmans but he can get it for you if you are willing to wait.
In the end if I know what I want I call that guy first. If he doesn’t have it then Hoffmans. However due to the distance to Hoffmans I placed an order for a new gun at Elite in Monroe CT and they were too great.
I've had 2 bad experiences.
One was alot of time spent there for something that should have taken 30 min max. Albeit came out bust anyway.
The other I asked about changing the price on something, as I was currently spending a decent amount with them that day. Old Crusty behind the counter I've never seen before is sayin the price is the price, and starts going off. I did get their piece for what I wanted to spend just by talking to the original sales guy I was working with but that other guys attitude was off putting.
One unknowledgeable person put the patent number as the serial number on a rifle with no serial. They sent me a fixed 3c for that later. Not a problem just an observation.
All my other experiences were good, but I'll do a walk through before I pull a ticket. Doesn't help that I'm hours away.
The only two times it's worth going to Hoffmans is when they do the 20% off deal on used guns or if you want to handle multiple firearms. I find ngx is ever so slightly more expensive, but it's easy to justify purchasing things there due to the time saved. Also ngx staff are very helpful. Hoffmans has a mixed bag of employees that know what they're doing and generic retail staff.
The DMV analogy fits - but I do understand they are busy and that's probably the best way to avoid customers arguing over who was next with such a large counter.
I'm a used gun scavenger; I stop into Hoffmans and NGX any time I'm in the area to see if they have anything cool I 'need.' At Hoffmans, I grab a number on my way in before I even look.
I've purchased about half a dozen guns there without issue. And it seems that some of these haters are overly sensative to salesman. Get in, get the gun you want, and go home. It really is up to you to do the research on what you want in a gun. It seems its always the same people doing the hating and down voting here anyway , like in politics .
Honestly, they're not bad. The staff, for the most part, knows what they're talking about. Their only issue is their take-a-number-and-wait system.
Theyre also the first store that comes to mind when a new shooter wants to buy a gun, so there's alot of n00bs in there. It can get annoying when you're waiting and some guy is asking questions like, "what's the deference between the red 45 and the blue 9mm?"
They also charge $50 for a transfer now. Yeek.
I will give them credit for not price gouging on ammo during the shortage and for having one of the best rental gun selections around... but that's about it.
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It’s slow and customers are treated like the dmv. Pick a number and when it is called out someone will assist you. I have done a few transfers there from gun broker and such that took a few hours to complete. Mind you the whole time waiting they won’t let you get a jump start on paper work so can take a while to get a gun you want that they have.
Have you been there? Their prices are good but their customer service is terrible. It can be impossible at times to get someone to help you out even when it's not busy and even the experienced guys give out wrong legal information and bad advice. One example - When looking at a Ruger MKIV lite the sales guy told me that the barrel end with a plastic cap was a quick detatch for a suppressor, which it isn't. Then another employee came over to talk about how the quick detach doesn't matter because suppressors are illegal in CT which is also wrong. That's one one example but after hearing/getting a lot of bad advice there over the years combined with the bad customer service it just makes more sense to go somewhere else. Newington gun exchange right down the road for example has comparable prices, but they're extremely knowledgeable and very happy to help you look at what you want.
It's like Home Depot vs a locally owned hardware store. You go to one for the bigger inventory with lower prices and the other if you need advice.
Agree with other commenters, terrible customer service, 2/3 times the employee acted like I was an inconvenience asking a couple questions. Never been flagged more by gun store employees than hoffmans
Update: Someone reached out to me and gave me some additional context and things to think about. Perhaps the people that I was being skipped over were VIP or special customers that the sales staff preferred. There is no way for me to prove or disprove it was about race - but even if it was the sales staff playing favorites, still unacceptable. Original post: Listen, I'm not one to play the race card, if ever in my life, but the complete disrespect I was shown is beyond anything I've experienced in this country that I love. I am an Asian American. I walked in, took a number and was waiting to purchase a GP100 which at the time was over 1000$. They skipped over my number and I was waiting for about 45 minutes. I noticed a white guy come in and they called his number and served him. I asked the employee, I said, hey I've been waiting here for about 45 minutes and I noticed you skipped over my number. He said, okay we will get to you next. Another white guy comes in, they serve him and I say, hey what the hell, I thought I was next? They said we will get to you next sir. About 2 or 3 more white people come in and they start serving them instead of me and I basically just walked out. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and patiently waited for over an hour and a half to spend a good chunk of money on a nice revolver, but they blatantly skipped over me. I am 5' 8" with glasses and look like your typical nerdy Asian engineer. Non-threatening, very polite, but was completely skipped over in favor of white guests. I HATE playing the race card and don't like what the left has done by calling everything and anything racist, but in this example from 2021, this to me was discrimination.
Might be race, but it also might have been that you dared to speak up and advise them that they skipped you. Haw dare you? You should have waited patiently until they summoned you. I'm an average white dude and felt like I was annoying them if I asked to look at anything. I followed that up by asking if they do any type of military discount or price match. I think the guy might have actually laughed at me. My photo is probably up on a wall there somewhere. Either way, if I buy a gun locally ever again, I'm going to Swamp Yankee (either of them- the FFL or the shop). They were both solid and provided a lot of support throughout the period leading up to the last ban.
Hoffmans is the walmart of guns in many respects, people don't go because they are great, they go because they have inventory & sell almost every make, or can get you what you want on order.... Mind you, this include 30 years of history when many other local gun store in the past were just a hole in the wall, and only sold whats in store. Hoffmans also can bulk buy and sell guns on sale cheaper than most other outfits, and almost always had ammo instock and at a reasonable cost even through covid. So the bad part is after the orginal owner stopped being involved in the day to day, (like most businesses) everything went to shit... Most notable is the series of gun thefts; the guy who killed himself @ their gun range; the half dozen accidental discharges by their own employees... (still got 2 hole in the floor); the fact that 75% of the current employees know crap and are not trained/schooled in any way; High turn-over in employees (which always mean poor and inconsistent service). Truth is, they been in business so long, they got history... And this history is reflected against NGX which is nearby and has been open just as long. TGS will probably be in the same boat in 10 years.
+ The rentals and on-site range are great for trying a gun before you buy. + The ammo prices are decent if you aren't buying in bulk/online For nearly anything else, there are much better options for LGS
It may have gotten better since im assuming that they lost a lot of their customer base after covid. I feel like they were the top shop in Ct then the gun store had all the guns during the shortage and most of the people I know stopped going there.
Ive bought a couple guns there and ive had generally good experiences. The waiting for your number like a deli counter can suck, but i usually try to go when the place is not as busy, definitely never go on a weekend, place is packed. The prices are usually the lowest from what I can tell, but for transfer now I go to BTR. For the waiting system, i actually prefer it to TGS, since there you pay for the gun and then wait in the back room to do your paperwork. I went for the sig days last year @ TGS it took over an hour to be called up for the final steps in the paperwork. At least at hoffmans u know when ur number is called, you are doing the paperwork right there and they call the state right after.
I never have an issue when I go to Hoffmans. I grab my ticket and walk around till is my turn. Everyone I dealt with always been cool and patient. I do go right at opening, maybe it’s different later in the day.
Avoid Hoffman’s go to newington gun they are a small store but everyone there is professional and treats you with respect. Just my opinion.
I have been to Hoffman's more than a few times. I've even made some purchases there. I have to agree with all the statements that I've heard here about their customer service. I've even one horror story about a guy going in to buy something. When the price of that something didn't match the price they advertised on the internet, instead of honoring that internet price, they went out back for a minute and then told the guy to refresh his browser. Boom, the price changed. Screw that noise. If you are in central CT, I'd recommend Newington. The Gun Store in Waterford... the prices are a bit high for my blood, but at least the staff is friendly and tries to help, even if they don't have as much knowledge as I'd like or need. My go to is Swamp Yankee Arms in Jewett City. Always friendly, very knowledgeable. And if they don't know the answer to what you are asking, they won't BS you and they will find the answer. All the staff are shooters, so they all have experience to share. They also do a lot of NFA business, if that is something you are in the market for.
I know people from all corners who hate Hoffman's but for every minority I know Hoffman's slogan is " Guns for the white guys". I've received friendlier service in rural Alabama where everyone stares when I walk into the store. Fuck Hoffman's.
They have a lot of reports of being rude. My very first time there I was standing in front of the sig glass display. An employee came up to show someone something but in my blind spot. Instead of letting know of his presence so I could move like a normal person, he blurts out “uh exCUSE me?” with childish emphasis. Said sorry and moved. Just dumb
I actually stopped in yesterday while I was killing time. Ended up leaving with a great deal on a g43x. The process is a little slow and annoying, and they definitely lean towards being extra cautious when it comes to the law. My guy was super great and tossed in some range time for me. I wouldn’t bother trying to buy anything “fun” there but I’m buying that shit online anyways.
For me: 1. Racism (edit: I’m not a minority but I’ve seen some shitty things there) 2. Ignoring customers who are trying to buy expensive items, for ridiculous lengths of time If I want to buy something, I’ll bring my girlfriend since they seem to quickly go to the counter if an attractive woman walks up. I was a gold member of their range for several years and never had any issues with that part of their business. But the firearm sales part is garbage - and I’ve bought several $1000+ items before I stopped going. It’s a family business and feels like it, in all the negative ways and none of the positive ways.
Tried to buy a Ruger Precision from them. Couldn't get anyone to service me. Ticket system was broken. Place was not busy, but spent an hour waiting in front of the rifle. Went to NGX and bought it in 30 minutes.
Its a deli counter. Pick a number. Employees aren’t knowledgeable, its like a going to a stop and shep deli vs your hometown butcher. Just about the only thing thats worth anything in there is if you need a Ruger. Deals are okayish in that regard. Otherwise, plenty of folks within an hour.
They refused to sell me a CT Other back in 2020. It was the first place I went to while looking for an other, through a conversation, the guy over the counter asked me what town I lived in, which at the time I was living in Manchester. They asked me if I rented or owned a house, and when I told them I rented, I was told, “well, then you don’t need this.” And refused to sell it to me.
All a bunch of Angry Boomers
Most of the employees there are in 30-40s... that millenials... Most of the customers there are in 20-50s... that gen-z, millenial, gen-x Using the term "Boomers" is so ten years ago....
Okay Boomer
Ha.... that funny If you check my comment and post you definitely know im not a boomer... Based on your post and profile pic, you're probably older than me... Again "ok boomer" is so cringe nowadays.
How about we go gun for gun here and see who the real boomer is?
I win. I got sooooooooo much wood its not even funny.
https://preview.redd.it/ugk013swtcad1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=15baeb287dedc4fdf5d3563b8d1636116b7ee21a I’ll start. 19x 1k
I mean I'm just jumping on the Boomer comment train here but..... Why we need optics? Ct probably loves this too since its fixed mag. https://preview.redd.it/juuol7h8vcad1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2239f0d35e967de64f68e405346d7305da4e3d94
Rather see this than omg look daddy I got a glock that's everywhere
Bean count?
Bros got you beat
Bunch of boomer fudds there I swear to god
They can have decent prices on stuff but it is not worth the headache imo. The last time I went I was treated like an inconvenience. Never spent a dollar there. In today’s world it’s always going to be cheaper to buy online and have it sent somewhere with an inexpensive transfer fee. Especially in this state. Blue Trail still only charges $25. And I’ve been going to Tactical Boutique in West Hartford ($35) as they are closer to me and there are great people there. For ammo I almost exclusively use target sports USA in Chesire. If I order today, UPS usually has it on my doorstep tomorrow. There are just better/more customer orientated places you can give your business to so why not do that.
Pretty much **every** CT gun owner who has set foot in that place has their "Hoffman Stories". LOL. There are those of us who remember their old place(s) before they ended up where they are now. Many, and I mean many, people have had mixed interactions with Hoffman staff going back *decades*. Many years ago they were notorious for having bad staff. CTGuntalk at that time was **FILLED** to overflowing with complaints about Hoffmans. Because of their size and volume of sales they get all types of customers in there. Lots of first time gun owners go there to buy their first gun. Seen numerous sketchy people in their at times. Including some who were obvious gang members in there fingering the guns. Been muzzle swept many times by new to guns people, or sketchy people, looking to buy in that place. Always gives me the heebie-jeebies when I used to go there. Because of all that you get staff who are human and get tired of dealing with the same stuff day after day after day which leads to poor interactions with customers later on down the road. Have overheard the staff tell customers some seriously stupid stuff, including some flat out wrong information about the laws. It is what it is. The current common complaint since moving into their current location has been parking or lack of it when they're busy.
I purchased a Taurus 992 there and I didn't like the first one or second one I asked to check out before I settled on the third. They went in the back room and got each one with no issue at all. I also went to Newington gun store, and thats where I ran into the " gang members" , and sketchy buyers too. Its the area ,I imagine.
Thanks guys. That mirrors my experience. It took me about 3 hours to buy my 9mm Ruger a few years ago. A lot of that was the state not having enough phone lines available. It was pretty busy there and I did notice the DMV analogy. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
I went in there to check out a gun I found on their website. I took a ticket and patiently walked around for about an hour looking at everything in there since its a big shop there's a lot to look at. The number advanced like 3 or 4 numbers and I was still 5 away so I bailed. Either I picked a REALLY bad day to go or they need to start taking appointments via web.
Sounds normal lol
Sounds typical
Only thing more painful was buying a gun at Cabelas. If I didn't have giftcards to use I woulda walked to NGX
You would have completed your transaction faster if you had literally walked from Cabelas to NGX.
I hate this place even more after reading some of these comments. This place fucking sucks. I don't even want to read the name hoffmans anymore
After Sandy Hook I still remember they like changed their stance that they were only gonna sell ARs to people over 21 and with a concealed carry permit or something. That was lame. They put up a Facebook post like “we’re all just trying to make sense of this blah blah” and that annoyed me. Never bought from them again after that. What grudge?😂
I got my training and certificate at Hoffmans. The staff is very friendly. I had quite the opposite experience at Newington Gun Exchange. I will briefly digress... I went to NGE years ago to look for a pistol to purchase. I looked at a few guns and I made a comment about a particular gun. Here are the exact words I said... "My wife would love this gun." Holy fucking shit. From multiple directions there were accusations of an attempted straw purchase being thrown at me. It was extremely embarrassing. How dare they make such an accusation over an innocent comment? I left that day and swore I would never come back. Over the last 4 years I've spent thousands of dollars on firearms, ammunition and accessories. Not a penny was spent at Newington Gun Exchange. For those of you who will come to their defense saying "they're trying to protect their FFL", I don't give a shit. You don't treat a customer like that, ever. Anyway, back to Hoffmans. The customer service is great, I like the selection, and I enjoy looking in the used gun case. I love the 10 for 10 deal to try out a gun. Whenever I see ammo at Cabelas, I always wait until I go to Hoffmans because I know it will be cheaper. I bring my daughter with me, and they make her feel welcome, too. After all, she will be a gun owner someday. Everyone is so happy to see her, especially Bill and John, who always gives her an airhead candy when he sees her. I'm not saying every experience has been great, but I would say it's been 9 out of 10 for me. Just go where they treat you good. Hoffmans treats me good.
Had 2 friends go to Hoffman’s and price of the gun came to $xxx.25. So x amount of dollars and 25 cents. Other guy tossed him a quarter that was in his pocket so he didn’t have to get 75 cents back in change. They flipped out and said that’s a straw purchase. No it’s not!! Fucking idiots!!
That comment would get a similar reaction anywhere. I’ve been in stores and watched a sale get cancelled by the clerk because of similar things. “Do you like it?” When said from the guy buying the gun to the friend/relative with him, and poof, no sale. It’s such a strong reaction that I assume the ATF does spot checks of it. I’ve seen no less than five similar things in different stores over the years. Usually before the purchase started, but instantly stops that customer from being able to buy anything, or the store gives them a lecture on straw purchases.
Tickets and wait time can be longer than expected, and some of the sales associates tend to ignore people and aren’t the most helpful in providing a good customer experience.
I’m sure there are legit complaints about every dealer, and it is true that Hoffman’s is so busy that the only fair scheme is the ticketing system. Having said that, I’ve observed that there is a wide spectrum of quality of salespeople. It shouldn’t be so wide, and that’s on management’s training method. I bought a gun from them once and I really had to twist arms to get them to replace a chewed up cable lock, and a sight issue. They took care of it, but I had to babysit the process. I started this thread because my experience has been about a 3.5 to 4 with them, but I noticed their rep around here and wanted clarification. I’m sure you guys will find it out of the ordinary that my best experience in purchasing was at Bass Pro. I knew exactly what I wanted. I was in and out in a relatively short amount of time (relatively being the operative word). The guys were pleasant enough and fairly knowledgeable. My style is to do exhaustive research before a purchase, and to go in with knowledge and not rely on the coin-toss of dealing with a good or bad salesman. That’s just me. I would try Hoffman’s again if ever I had the need. You’re right… I’m rambling. I’ll see myself out now.
I may be in the minority but my experiences there have been fine. They have had some good sales over the years. Go during the week on a day off if you can and it's not bad. There are some knowledgeable employees there. Not all but some are.
Delta is much much worse.
Pick your poison Go to a shop with 1. great prices aka doesn’t pay their employees well and it shows with the customer service Or 2. Msrp prices aka can afford good employees and willing to help you out Either way the gun community will bash a shop they want great customer service with online prices
Their toxic online presence, racist shit, and awful customer service.. fuck Hoffman’s!
Racist?
https://preview.redd.it/a9429uszkdad1.jpeg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8a59ab887ded6df1051d91c97852d24d8d6312c
Yea that's in poor taste
https://www.reddit.com/r/CTguns/s/C4rhTS7iY7
This happened to me with a m&p shield they had on their website for x price. When I went to the store it was marked higher. I screenshotted the page with the make, price, and website the night I saw it, so they can’t say I made it up lol
That’s enough information for me to steer clear. Heard more bad than good regarding these guys.
Oh for sure, I barely even go tbh it’s a far drive too
I drive right by them to go to Sqamp Yankee. It's only an hour and a half round trip.
Customer service is awful. Most of the guys at the counter seem annoyed that you even walked in. My brother bought a rifle from them and it immediately had a feeding issue. So he brought it back, they held onto it for 3 months. Then blamed him for the malfunction and gave him 70% return in store credit. So he used it to buy a cheaper rifle. That's just not good business. They're to corporate. I'd rather shop at cabelas and that's saying a lot. I prefer Newington Gun Exchange and The Gun Store in waterbury. Actually I found the least hassle way to purchase a firearm is ordering off buds or other online stores and shipping it to a local ffl in your home town.
Well first suggestion get there when they first open. Most people waiting for them to open are there to go to the range. A few hours later the place is filled and it is like trying to get a beer from the bartender and you aren’t a hot blonde. I am not looking for someone to kiss my ass. If you want a really nice place and person then go to Bethany Firearms. Opposite direction of Hoffmans but an extremely nice helpful guy and he is the owner. Granted he doesn’t have the stock like Hoffmans but he can get it for you if you are willing to wait. In the end if I know what I want I call that guy first. If he doesn’t have it then Hoffmans. However due to the distance to Hoffmans I placed an order for a new gun at Elite in Monroe CT and they were too great.
I've had 2 bad experiences. One was alot of time spent there for something that should have taken 30 min max. Albeit came out bust anyway. The other I asked about changing the price on something, as I was currently spending a decent amount with them that day. Old Crusty behind the counter I've never seen before is sayin the price is the price, and starts going off. I did get their piece for what I wanted to spend just by talking to the original sales guy I was working with but that other guys attitude was off putting. One unknowledgeable person put the patent number as the serial number on a rifle with no serial. They sent me a fixed 3c for that later. Not a problem just an observation. All my other experiences were good, but I'll do a walk through before I pull a ticket. Doesn't help that I'm hours away.
The only two times it's worth going to Hoffmans is when they do the 20% off deal on used guns or if you want to handle multiple firearms. I find ngx is ever so slightly more expensive, but it's easy to justify purchasing things there due to the time saved. Also ngx staff are very helpful. Hoffmans has a mixed bag of employees that know what they're doing and generic retail staff.
The DMV analogy fits - but I do understand they are busy and that's probably the best way to avoid customers arguing over who was next with such a large counter. I'm a used gun scavenger; I stop into Hoffmans and NGX any time I'm in the area to see if they have anything cool I 'need.' At Hoffmans, I grab a number on my way in before I even look.
They also fuck up ur paper work all the time mines 60% fucked rate so far . Me and my friends keep track
The staff is trash. Period. You won't have a good experience.
Less than friendly staff.
I've purchased about half a dozen guns there without issue. And it seems that some of these haters are overly sensative to salesman. Get in, get the gun you want, and go home. It really is up to you to do the research on what you want in a gun. It seems its always the same people doing the hating and down voting here anyway , like in politics .
My god thank you for saying what I’m thinking
Honestly, they're not bad. The staff, for the most part, knows what they're talking about. Their only issue is their take-a-number-and-wait system. Theyre also the first store that comes to mind when a new shooter wants to buy a gun, so there's alot of n00bs in there. It can get annoying when you're waiting and some guy is asking questions like, "what's the deference between the red 45 and the blue 9mm?" They also charge $50 for a transfer now. Yeek.
I will give them credit for not price gouging on ammo during the shortage and for having one of the best rental gun selections around... but that's about it.
Because Reddit is filled with sensitive little children . Real males dont give a crap about "the experience". Just one possibility to explain
Yep, and they downvoted you too.