Are you a Local Historian? I need a gunstore from 100 years ago.

[Socratactical]

Does anyone here know if there were shops that sold guns in the Acton/Concord, MA area back in the late 19th and early 20th Century?

 

[CJKarl]

Probably just went to your local hardware store back then. I know Sears sold guns at the turn of the century.

 

[von buck]

here's something to get you started. I'll do some research at work Monday.

http://www.talonsite.com/tlineframe.htm

Andy

 

[MisterHappy]

best bet is to contact the historical society in the respective towns.

The comment above about the hardware stores is on the mark too....there were "real" gun stores (e.g. Kirkwood's in Boston they were there till the 70's IIRC) but, ironically, they were in the cities!

My, how times change

 

[vellnueve]

Don't know about that area... but Roach's in Cambridge has been around for 106 years.

 

[CRSIII]

Vell, is Roach's still in biz?

 

[jpdopes]

Roach's is still in biz in Porter Sq. Great classic gun shop atmosphere complete with creaky worn wood floors.

 

[vellnueve]

Vell, is Roach's still in biz?

Yep. Typical gun store, mostly hunting shotguns and rifles, but some nice handguns including some older used ones and usually an AR or two on the rack. They do some of the higher end Brownings and Berettas too.

 

[KMaurer]

Recall that before the feds started requiring an FFL to deal in firearms and later started making it next to impossible to get one, essentially anyone who found it profitable to do so could sell guns. As a result, many large department stores (e.g., Sears, Montgomery Ward) sold guns. A lot of hardware stores and smaller general merchandise stores did, too, though often with a fairly limited inventory. With a very few exceptions, the idea of a "gun store" that focused its business almost exclusively on firearms and related items is a fairly recent phenomenon.

Ken

 

[Socratactical]

Recall that before the feds started requiring an FFL to deal in firearms and later started making it next to impossible to get one, essentially anyone who found it profitable to do so could sell guns. As a result, many large department stores (e.g., Sears, Montgomery Ward) sold guns. A lot of hardware stores and smaller general merchandise stores did, too, though often with a fairly limited inventory. With a very few exceptions, the idea of a "gun store" that focused its business almost exclusively on firearms and related items is a fairly recent phenomenon.

Ken

That was my understanding. So based on the fact that any store could sell guns my question is pretty much the same as originally asked. Which stores, if any, in the Concord/Acton area, existing during the late 19th century, sold guns?

 

[MisterHappy]

There are a few antediluvian stores in Concord - the West Concord 5 & 10, and Vanderhoof's hardware downtowm.

 

[Taka]

You might find something on this website.


http://www.concordma.com/history.html

 

[Titan]

Probably just went to your local hardware store back then. I know Sears sold guns at the turn of the century.

Sears sold guns up into the 50s and 60s. I remember seeing Ted Williams models of just about everything when I was a kid.

 

[BigMike]

That was my understanding. So based on the fact that any store could sell guns my question is pretty much the same as originally asked. Which stores, if any, in the Concord/Acton area, existing during the late 19th century, sold guns?

Do you mind me asking in a friendly way, why?

 

[seanc]

Just an aside.. When did guns start to require serial numbers?

I would bet that esp in the 1800s many of the run of the mill guns weren't serialized and this feature was relegated to the "high end" of the market.

 

[von buck]

I tried my schools data bases, and came up empty. You might want to try..

http://www.concordlibrary.org/scollect/scoll.html

 

[Talon3]

Just an aside.. When did guns start to require serial numbers?

I would bet that esp in the 1800s many of the run of the mill guns weren't serialized and this feature was relegated to the "high end" of the market.

I believe the mandatory serial # is a product of the FED 1968 GCA.