Some folks collect guns for nostalgic reasons.
Others hoard weapons for their sentimental value, such as those guns handed down from generation to generation.
Still others like guns for their practical uses—for hunting and shooting, as well as for self-defense.
But no matter why you like guns, you’ll find something interesting to look at when you drop in at Flat Top Arms in Beckley. And if it’s a bargain you’re looking for, chances are you’ll find one there, too.
Located on Eisenhower Drive, the gun shop and outdoor center caters to discriminating customers who demand value for their money.
Store owners Ronnie and Diana Wood are local business people who take pride in giving their customers quality guns and service.
Gun cases at Flat Top Arms are laden with handguns of all kinds and calibers, both new and used. Wall racks contain about 100 long guns of different sizes and calibers. Show cases at the counter offer about the same number of handguns.
Wood and his staff of sales personnel work the counter while Diana handles the bookkeeping and accounting end of the firm.
“I gave my wife a Lady Smith 9mm pistol as a wedding present,” Wood recalled with a grin. “Diana was tickled with it.”
Store employees include:
Before Wood got into the retail business, he worked in other local industries: a lumber company, a coal mine, and a construction business.
So why did he start a retail gun shop?
“It seemed to be the right direction for me at the time,” Wood said of the venture. “I’d had an interest in guns all my life. I hunted with my father, Leonard Wood of Odd, when I was just a youngster barely old enough to keep up with him in the woods.”
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What are some of Wood’s favorite guns?
“The best ones are the ones my father gave me,” said Wood. “They mean the most to me for obvious reasons. But I’ve always had a fascination with guns. Some kids followed sports and read comic books; I followed guns and read gun catalogues.”
Wood’s wife had an influence on his decision to start his own business, too.
“Diana urged me to open up my own shop,” Wood said of the idea. “She said ‘I believe the Lord will open a door for us as a way to make a living.’ That was several years ago, and it’s worked out well for us.”
Wood lauded his staff of gun people at the store. “They are some of the finest people I’ve ever known,” he said of his employees. “It’s an understatement when we talk about honesty. You are only as good as your word when it comes to dealing with the public. People find out quickly whether you have integrity or not.”
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What guns are popular in Southern West Virginia?
“We sell a variety of firearms to folks of our region,” Wood explained. “The general purpose .22 caliber plinker type weapon is popular in both rifle and handgun models. There’s also a healthy group of buyers who like high-end market guns, especially the better-quality shotguns. Others collect military firearms and war weapons. The hunting crowd, though, is a group who purchase the most guns, particularly deer rifles.”
What is the best shooting gun Wood ever owned?
“It is a Remington XP100 single shot handgun in 22/250 caliber,” the gun store owner said emphatically. “You wouldn’t believe it, but it’s as good as a handgun ever gets. They were manufactured in the 1960s on a modified 40X action, a bench-rest action and it’s a target gun.”
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What is the most popular caliber among local hunters? “Everyone likes to own a 30.06 caliber hunting rifle and we sell a lot of them, but we sell a lot more of 30-30 ammunition. The old 30-30 is still a popular round. And it’s probably killed more deer than all other calibers put together.”
Wood, meanwhile, favors the 7mm magnums for all-round hunting purposes. “It’s a good game gun,” he said. “It’s heavy enough for bear, but it’s also good for other game such as whitetails and wild boar.”
Handguns are popular among other clientele.
Wood noted that a portion of his clients are women who come to the shop to purchase self-defense weapons.
And while the shop doesn’t offer any courses on firearms safety, Wood does refer his customers to certified agencies in the area, such as the Beckley Gun Club, which specializes in personal defense training and gun safety.
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Are old military rifles as popular as they were in the 1950s and 1960s?
“Military firearms have quite a following,” the gun dealer said. “You don’t see as much customizing nowadays as you did back then. Now, you can buy a Remington, Savage, or Winchester for a lot less than what it would cost to customize an old military model. Factory guns today are good quality. They come with modifications already built in. It will cost you $60 or $70 in labor every time you change some part of a military rifle.”
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Wood, meanwhile, admits he has had a fascination with guns since he was a kid. Now he and wife Diana offer quality firearms and friendly service at the Eisenhower Drive facility. Some of the guns at the shop are collectible models, like some Smith & Wesson and Colt models, as well as reproduction pistols that sport engravings and finely polished finishes.
“As far as most men are concerned,” Wood said, “it wouldn’t be Christmas if Santa didn’t bring us a gun or two.”
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Top o’ the morning!