Bob's Tactical in Salisbury, MA

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The hang out thing was a big part of Bob's. I know I spent quite a bit of money there and always tried to buy my range ammo for the day there to support them, though I knew I could get it elsewhere at a lower price. I bought quite a few guns there over the years, but that became harder and harder to do because they never had any stock to speak of at least in the last year. If they had stock I would have bought things, and did manage to buy a Sig there this year. A lot of gun sales is simply seeing it there and wanting it, maybe on one of those days you are just stopping by to hang for a few minutes. A big part of going there was to hang out and talk guns and visit, but most folks I know and became friends with end up spending money there. Last time I was there I took three chances on a Sig 226 they were going to raffle at 20.00 a piece. I don't believe they ever had the raffle though. [frown]It would be a mistake to stop people from hanging out though, IMO.
 
Same here.
It was a place to buy and a place to shoot but it was also a good place to hang out and discuss guns. what was good, what was bad, What was new, and what was on my wish list.
I'm not one to run out and buy on a whim (most people without a lot of $$$ are like that) and without the interaction of the shop employees, and sometimes customers, I wouldn't have made some of the purchasing decisions.
If a shop wants you to come in, buy and leave, you better know what you want when you come in.
 
JoeT said:

I stopped in there today. The gentleman inside said that they are ready for classes now, will have the store open in about a week (maybe 2)and the range would be ready in a month.

He made it a point to say that "The Original Bob" will own this and run it like it use to be run ( I'm not from the north shore and have never been in Bobs before, so i don't know if that's good or bad)
Click to expand...

Boy, that's good news about the range (we are talking about the range at the original, 90 Lafayette location, right?)

I really liked going to Bob's. A relaxed atmosphere and good, laid-back people. When I went up there in early July and saw the sign on the door (I had been there not too long before that and everything had seemed fine), I was devastated. I know I should belong to a club, given the amount of shooting I do, or would like to do [grin], but Bob's filled an important niche nonetheless. Wasn't really anything else like it around.

Here's hoping they get the range back open and it stays open.
 
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Hold the excitement.......

If the original Bob's needs a new permit to be a shooting range this might muck it up for them.


Police say dispute led to gun shop split-up

SALISBURY — Police say a dispute between two men involved with a well-known local gun shop led to a business split that turned one gun shop into two.

Confusion arose recently when selectmen were asked to approve an amended business license changing the address for Bob's Tactical Shooting Range and Gun Shop from 90 Lafayette Road to 124B Lafayette Road. The simple alteration shouldn't be problematic if not for the fact a gun shop was being promoted at 90 Lafayette Road, with a new sign reading: The Original Bob's Indoor Public Shooting Range and Gun Shop.

Before they sign anything, selectmen want to know the activities the owners expect to offer at each location. Both gun shops are also located close to an elementary school. Chief David L'Esperance was told to demystify the situation, and he said both owners are cooperating.

"I spoke with (Robert Forrest), and he agreed not to open until the business license is signed," L'Esperance said yesterday. "And both owners are cooperating, allowing us to go in and take pictures of their places. Sgt. (Kevin) Sullivan is handling the fact-finding expedition to ascertain how many business are being run at each place and to make sure all the licenses are intact."

L'Esperance is preparing a report for review by Town Manager Neil Harrington and the selectmen, who can then make their decision.

L'Esperance believes the confusion evolved when Bob Bernstien, the property owner at 90 Lafayette Road's address and former owner of Bob's Tactical, had a disagreement with Forrest, the Haverhill attorney and South Hampton police lieutenant who in 2006 purchased Bernstien's gun shop business and ran it out of this building.

After a falling out, Forrest moved the business under its historic name to 124B Lafayette Road.

However, the shop's manager, Jim Balou, did not move with Forrest, and is remaining at 90 Lafayette Road as Bernstien works to open a new gun shop under the new name of The Original Bob's. Balou has state and federal firearms licenses allowing him to sell arms, as well as offer firearms and shooting education.

Also of concern are issues surrounding the firing ranges involved, L'Esperance said.

In Salisbury, firing ranges require special permits, and although Bob's Tactical at 90 Lafayette Road was grandfathered to allow the shop and range in close proximity to the elementary school, it is uncertain if the firing range special permit is transferable to a new address. In addition, The Original Bob's may need a new firing range permit, too.

A telephone call to Bob's Tactical received no answer, and a recording announced the mail box was full. Forrest did not return a call made to his law office.

Neither did a human answer the phone at the Original Bob's shop nor were calls returned. A voice recording gives callers an expected opening of "Sept. 1 or sooner" for the gun shop, and "Oct. 1 or sooner" for the firing range.
 
Rumors??

I'm hearing rumors the Bob's tactical with the existing shooting range will be open by september 1st. The range will not be open at this time but i believe the store and classes will be.
 
Update

Rumor is now September 8th, last i heard they are waiting for the state to install the online FA-10 program and then they will be up and running (no range just yet)
 
LT1MCSS said:
Any word on if the store opened up today? The last time i called i was told the 14th or 15th. No range still.
Click to expand...

No update as far as i know. Range will not open till well after the shop opens. It's my understanding Bob wants to build it right and not have a pile of sand for a backstop.
 
back stop

Although the pile of sand is a mess, it does allow for hi-power rifles to be fired. Other ranges that have a steel backstop have ammo restrictions.. Just my 2 cents worth !
<Anxiously awaiting the return of "Bob's">
 
I agree, the sand wasn't all that bad. I would like to see better lighting, ventilation system, and better pulley. I never saw the powered system work. The crank pulley's were ok. Some were a little messed up.
 
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Powered pulleys

The powered pulleys were great but they just seemed to break fairly often. I know that there always seemed to be at least one that was broken each time I went up. I would imagine the parts to keep it going had to be somewhat expensive.
 
Frankie2blue said:
Last time I was there I took three chances on a Sig 226 they were going to raffle at 20.00 a piece. I don't believe they ever had the raffle though. [frown]It would be a mistake to stop people from hanging out though, IMO.
Click to expand...

Good Point, I had some of those spots and was hoping to pickup my new toy [smile] last time I went up but the doors were closed [frown].

I did swing by late last night and saw the new sign calling it "The original Bob's" The New number on the sign is 978-499-4867
The answering machine says Open Sept 1st and range open Oct 1st or earlier "With a new state of the art backstop".
 
I am afraid we may have been ripped off on the Sig raffle. The other Bob's that was supposed to open down the street I guess is the one who was doing the raffle. The least that should happen is that the people on the list should be called and either given their money back or informed when and if the raffle is going to happen. It's not like they don't have the participants phone numbers.[rolleyes]
 
Today's Newburyport News:

Salisbury Elementary School to be surrounded by gun shops

By Angeljean Chiaramida
Staff writer


SALISBURY — Selectmen have settled the town's gun shop controversy: The town's elementary school will now be bracketed by two gun shops.

One shop is at a long-established location, 90 Lafayette Road, but with a slightly new name: The Original Bob's Indoor Public Shooting Range and Gun Shop.

The second will be at a new location, 124B Lafayette Road, with a well-known name: Bob's Tactical Gun Shop. It will, however, no longer have an indoor shooting range.

In between is Salisbury Elementary School.

The confusion that resulted initially from the split between former associates who once all worked out of the 90 Lafayette Road location was laid to rest at the recent selectmen's meeting. But the result is one gun shop has multiplied into two.

When the situation first presented itself weeks ago, it unnerved selectmen, who faced hosting two gun shops within three-tenths of a mile of each other, with roughly 700 children at the local elementary school in between. The school itself has not publicly registered a complaint about the two gun shops.

On Monday, however, with all their questions answered, selectmen agreed unanimously to approve a license amendment at the new site. They did not express displeasure with the newly named shop at the old location.

Bob Bernstien, the former owner of Bob's Tactical, explained to selectmen the history of ownerships of his property at 90 Lafayette, which he still owns, and gun shop businesses, which eventually passed to its current owner, attorney Robert Forrest, about a year ago. Forrest was evicted from Bernstien's location a few months ago and moved to 124B Lafayette, taking the name of the business with him.

Bernstien and his longtime colleague, Jim Balou, are reopening a new gun shop, the Original Bob's, at his 90 Lafayette Road site, once the firing range is updated, he told selectmen. Balou already has the proper state and federal licenses to teach and sell firearms and ammunition at the store, according to Salisbury police Sgt. Kevin Sullivan. Bernstien is about halfway through his licensing process. Once that process and the modernization of the indoor shooting range are complete, he and Balou will be back to business as usual at the 90 Lafayette Road location.

Sullivan said Forrest also has the proper licenses to teach and sell firearms and ammunition. After confirming he isn't going to open a shooting range at his new location, Forrest received approval for his amended Salisbury business license, which now carries a different address.

Sullivan told selectmen both business have proper security to deter break-ins.
 
I just saw this on the news. I actually went to the range a few weeks ago and it was closed. Now i know why.It will be nice to get it open again.
 
I was at BoB's yesterday....the range will be opne probally mid OCT,with a new rubber backstop and they were lowering the range fees......
 
LT1MCSS said:
Does anyone know if the store is open at least and if there will be restrictions on what you can shoot with the backstop?
Click to expand...

New rumor:

A factory made backstop will be installed that can handle up to .50 BMG.

Store is still waiting on the state to get there computerized FA-10 system in place.
 
I was told by a friend of mine yesterday that the store is open now. I guess he stopped in there yesterday. The range will be open by next month they said.
 
I actually called them this afternoon because no one had posted in this thread in a while and I wanted to know the latest.

The man who answered the phone confirmed that the shop is open, but said the range would be up and running "by the end of the month".

Isn't that what they were saying last month? Given that it's only the 1st of October, I guess we have an entire 30 days to wait. And that's assuming that the guy's prediction is even on target to begin with.
 
Their new number...

Here is a post from a few weeks ago - I haven't been able to find a web site for them but here is the number...
They really should have a web site to promote the shop and range. I originally found them from an old Geocities web page.
I'll be having a talk with them about it once it fully opens, as my wife designs web sites for small businesses (That could work out well, she does the work and I get a nice new 1911 in trade [smile].. )

HoseHead said:
Good Point, I had some of those spots and was hoping to pickup my new toy [smile] last time I went up but the doors were closed [frown].

I did swing by late last night and saw the new sign calling it "The original Bob's" The New number on the sign is 978-499-4867
The answering machine says Open Sept 1st and range open Oct 1st or earlier "With a new state of the art backstop".
Click to expand...
 
Very Close

I stopped in the other night and they are close to opening. The new backstop is impressive - 24+ inches of crushed rubber under a rubber sheet. They claim to be able to stop a bullet whole.
A new ventilation system and new lighting - It will be a nice range once complete !
They were hoping to get everything finished by this weekend but did give a definate range open date. It should be very soon.
 
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