Taylors and Co.

Poodleshooter · August 14, 2014, 08:26 PM

Last week I visited Taylors and Co.'s showroom on the way to a friend's wedding. It's right off of I-81 in Winchester, VA. Well worth a visit if you're passing through and want to handle their selection of stock and modified Ubertis and Pedersolis. The clerk there was nice enough to let me handle just about everything, which I readily took advantage of. I've never seen such a nice concentration of cowboy action firearms (and some nice rebranded Armscor 1911s as well).

Trum4n1208 · August 14, 2014, 08:35 PM

I'm very jealous. I tried to talk my fiancé into a road trip that would bring us through that area on spring break. Sadly, it didn't pan out, but I'd love to go. Oh well, guess I'll have to hold off for now.

gyvel · August 14, 2014, 08:37 PM

Quote:

I'm very jealous. I tried to talk my fiancé into a road trip that would bring us through that area on spring break. Sadly, it didn't pan out, but I'd love to go. Oh well, guess I'll have to hold off for now.

Or, you could dump the fiancée...

Trum4n1208 · August 14, 2014, 08:44 PM

Believe it or not, she was actually perfectly fine with it. She likes old style firearms, and really enjoys shooting single action revolvers (she's a keeper). Work was what put the nail in that particular coffin.

rodwhaincamo · August 14, 2014, 09:01 PM

A keeper for sure!

gyvel · August 15, 2014, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Believe it or not, she was actually perfectly fine with it. She likes old style firearms, and really enjoys shooting single action revolvers (she's a keeper).

Well...In THAT case...

Poodleshooter · August 15, 2014, 08:08 PM

Yep, showrooms come and go, but a good cowgirl is worth her weight in Peacemakers.

Old Stony · August 16, 2014, 05:18 AM

I was coming through Montana a few months ago and stopped for gas in Big Timber Montana...and the gas station had a pretty well stocked gun shop right in it. As I looked out the window I noticed Shiloh Arms almost across the street. I figured maybe I should go through their showroom and look over their products since I already own a couple of them and might need another. They were inside working, but the doors were all locked up and they didn't even appear to have a showroom. I gave up trying to get inside and as I was getting into my truck, I noticed a sign down the street for C. Sharps company...so what the heck I might as well visit them.
They were very nice people with a nice showroom of their products. When I get ready for another Sharps or Winchester repo, they will absolutely get my business. Some people just seem to appreciate their customers better than others.
Apparently Taylor's appreciates their customers too!

bedbugbilly · August 16, 2014, 07:00 AM

I'm not here to defend anyone - but as for Shiloh Arms - I know nothing about their operation or how big it is. I do know that not every business can afford a showroom or a person to manage and man it. I owned and operated a custom millwork/cabinet/custom woodworking shop. I primarily dealt with custom work. I did have a show room but the long and short of it was that if I was in the showroom talking with a customer or potential customer, I was in the shop producing work that paid my bills.

I enjoy looking at guns a much as the next person, but I also realize in a smaller business, those who work there have to "wear many hats". I ended up limiting my hours of the showroom as I would have numerous people stop in who just wanted to "chat". That chatting took up many minutes which added up to hours over a week's time that I was away from the workshop where I could produce work. If a person wanted to call and set up an appointment (which I encouraged in my advertising), then I could plan around it but for every hour I was not in the shop, that meant an extra hour I had to work and get home late - often times into the late hours of the evening.

There are two sides to every situation - before criticizing a company for not having a showroom or "let ou in" - consider these things. Yes it was a "spur of the moment" thing that you hadn't planned on - but if you had called ahead, they probably would have made arrangements. in this day and age, many small businesses depend on their websites to show their products - most will accommodate a customer if they call ahead - but they just can't carry the overhead of another employee to accommodate "drop in lookers". Let's face it - their product line has a limited customer base - they aren't a furniture store or a sporting goods store they are a speciality shop producing specialized work. Like anything in life - before you criticize someone else for how they do things . . . you need to walk in their moccasins first.

salvadore · August 16, 2014, 10:05 AM

I was in Big Timber years ago and visited Shiloh and C. Sharp, both had show rooms and were long on info. Was your gunshop gas station full of very nice but over priced shooters? The guy I talked to would be well into his seventies by now.

I thought both Sharp places had quality products, cosmetically I preferred the Shilo particularly the case colors.

Old Stony · August 16, 2014, 10:10 AM

I never meant my comments as criticism of Shiloh, just an observation. We all have different approaches to business and I merely liked C. Sharps better. I own Shiloh firearms and they are good quality, but I think C. Sharps also has a good product...and they took the time to actually speak to me.

redrick · August 16, 2014, 10:17 AM

I have a Smoke Wagon DE. that I really like . The fit & finish is excellent . I bought it after searching for a 5.5" Colt for over a year . I am not sorry I bought the Taylor's . I saved a lot of money .

Old Stony · August 16, 2014, 05:05 PM

Salvadore....Must be the same guy at the gas station. Lots of guns and a real surprise to walk in and see them there. I spoke to a young man there, but I think he was an employee, no idea who owned it.

Ibmikey · August 17, 2014, 03:04 AM

Hey bedbug was all that rhetoric for real? All the guy said was one place was super friendly and the other was not available for contact. I will be going through Big Timber in a few weeks, maybe I will be able to visit both showrooms and report back about my findings. I have shot a Shiloh rifle and it was a real work of art, however the ordeal the owner went through with that company for a barrel change is less than complimentary.
C Sharps appears to have some really nice rifles and I am sure I would enjoy handling one.

August 14, 2014, 08:26 PM	#1
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	Taylors and Co. Last week I visited Taylors and Co.'s showroom on the way to a friend's wedding. It's right off of I-81 in Winchester, VA. Well worth a visit if you're passing through and want to handle their selection of stock and modified Ubertis and Pedersolis. The clerk there was nice enough to let me handle just about everything, which I readily took advantage of. I've never seen such a nice concentration of cowboy action firearms (and some nice rebranded Armscor 1911s as well).

August 16, 2014, 07:00 AM	#9
bedbugbilly Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Posts: 3,287	I'm not here to defend anyone - but as for Shiloh Arms - I know nothing about their operation or how big it is. I do know that not every business can afford a showroom or a person to manage and man it. I owned and operated a custom millwork/cabinet/custom woodworking shop. I primarily dealt with custom work. I did have a show room but the long and short of it was that if I was in the showroom talking with a customer or potential customer, I was in the shop producing work that paid my bills. I enjoy looking at guns a much as the next person, but I also realize in a smaller business, those who work there have to "wear many hats". I ended up limiting my hours of the showroom as I would have numerous people stop in who just wanted to "chat". That chatting took up many minutes which added up to hours over a week's time that I was away from the workshop where I could produce work. If a person wanted to call and set up an appointment (which I encouraged in my advertising), then I could plan around it but for every hour I was not in the shop, that meant an extra hour I had to work and get home late - often times into the late hours of the evening. There are two sides to every situation - before criticizing a company for not having a showroom or "let ou in" - consider these things. Yes it was a "spur of the moment" thing that you hadn't planned on - but if you had called ahead, they probably would have made arrangements. in this day and age, many small businesses depend on their websites to show their products - most will accommodate a customer if they call ahead - but they just can't carry the overhead of another employee to accommodate "drop in lookers". Let's face it - their product line has a limited customer base - they aren't a furniture store or a sporting goods store they are a speciality shop producing specialized work. Like anything in life - before you criticize someone else for how they do things . . . you need to walk in their moccasins first. __________________ If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63

August 14, 2014, 08:35 PM	#2
Trum4n1208 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2013 Posts: 173	I'm very jealous. I tried to talk my fiancé into a road trip that would bring us through that area on spring break. Sadly, it didn't pan out, but I'd love to go. Oh well, guess I'll have to hold off for now.

August 14, 2014, 08:44 PM	#4
Trum4n1208 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2013 Posts: 173	Believe it or not, she was actually perfectly fine with it. She likes old style firearms, and really enjoys shooting single action revolvers (she's a keeper). Work was what put the nail in that particular coffin.

August 14, 2014, 09:01 PM	#5
rodwhaincamo Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 1,246	A keeper for sure!

August 15, 2014, 08:08 PM	#7
Poodleshooter Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2000 Location: Floating down the James River in VA Posts: 2,599	Yep, showrooms come and go, but a good cowgirl is worth her weight in Peacemakers.

August 16, 2014, 05:18 AM	#8
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	I was coming through Montana a few months ago and stopped for gas in Big Timber Montana...and the gas station had a pretty well stocked gun shop right in it. As I looked out the window I noticed Shiloh Arms almost across the street. I figured maybe I should go through their showroom and look over their products since I already own a couple of them and might need another. They were inside working, but the doors were all locked up and they didn't even appear to have a showroom. I gave up trying to get inside and as I was getting into my truck, I noticed a sign down the street for C. Sharps company...so what the heck I might as well visit them. They were very nice people with a nice showroom of their products. When I get ready for another Sharps or Winchester repo, they will absolutely get my business. Some people just seem to appreciate their customers better than others. Apparently Taylor's appreciates their customers too!

August 16, 2014, 10:05 AM	#10
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	I was in Big Timber years ago and visited Shiloh and C. Sharp, both had show rooms and were long on info. Was your gunshop gas station full of very nice but over priced shooters? The guy I talked to would be well into his seventies by now. I thought both Sharp places had quality products, cosmetically I preferred the Shilo particularly the case colors.

August 16, 2014, 10:10 AM	#11
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	I never meant my comments as criticism of Shiloh, just an observation. We all have different approaches to business and I merely liked C. Sharps better. I own Shiloh firearms and they are good quality, but I think C. Sharps also has a good product...and they took the time to actually speak to me.

August 16, 2014, 10:17 AM	#12
redrick Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,041	I have a Smoke Wagon DE. that I really like . The fit & finish is excellent . I bought it after searching for a 5.5" Colt for over a year . I am not sorry I bought the Taylor's . I saved a lot of money .

August 16, 2014, 05:05 PM	#13
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	Salvadore....Must be the same guy at the gas station. Lots of guns and a real surprise to walk in and see them there. I spoke to a young man there, but I think he was an employee, no idea who owned it.

August 17, 2014, 03:04 AM	#14
Ibmikey Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2013 Location: Now relocated to Texas Posts: 2,943	Hey bedbug was all that rhetoric for real? All the guy said was one place was super friendly and the other was not available for contact. I will be going through Big Timber in a few weeks, maybe I will be able to visit both showrooms and report back about my findings. I have shot a Shiloh rifle and it was a real work of art, however the ordeal the owner went through with that company for a barrel change is less than complimentary. C Sharps appears to have some really nice rifles and I am sure I would enjoy handling one.