Shopping at Dante is like no other gun store experience. Originally opened as a hardware store in 1956 catering to the Italian community, the store has expanded to guns and eventually to household goods. The family owners also offer cooking lessons and own several restaurants in the vicinity!
I did not drive my car this time but lo and behold an AMG outside keeping the tradition lol
To get to the gun section, you must first pass through the household goods.
Not quite the tactical gloves you typically see at gun stores
The worlds oldest weapon…the frying pan!
Quite a surreal experience to see chef knives next to tactical knives
Nice Opinel folders
Including this giant Model 13 with 9” blade…I loved it so much that I bought it! Who says you can’t use it as a tactical knife in reverse grip lol
Starting to crossover to the tactical side with optics
And other tactical gear
Finally the gun department!
Now for some more detailed shots…I wasn’t sure about the lighting so I brought my own background this time, thanks to Army Globe Surplus.
Let’s start with handguns. I handled a Sig P320 when it first hit our market but I did not pay too much attention at the time…since it was selected by the US military, I wanted to have a second look. Yup, I like it!
The frame inserts can be purchased separately.
At the other end of the Sig spectrum, the Xfive, great for competitive shooters.
Speaking of military handguns, how about a Beretta M9A3, fresh outta the box!
For those who read about my recent range trip, I have a newfound appreciation for .22s and of course I love customized guns so was quite interested to see this TANDEMIZED Browning Buck Mark Plus Camper UFX. The work is done by Dante’s gunsmiths.
Love that giant mag release
When it comes to customized Glocks, Zev needs no introduction. This Dragonfly was my favourite gun of the day.
On to long guns…the Tikka T3X Arctic was my favourite gun of the Toronto Sportsman Show and I definitely wanted to have another look at the Ranger’s new gun.
This time I got to compare it to the more tactical T3X TAC A1… I gotta say that folding stock makes it a very tough choice between the two
I have a Benelli M4 but it is always great to see new variations such as this factory cerakoted model
The ARGO system works incredibly well for recoil reduction
Also an interesting finish on this Weatherby PA-459 Reaper
My first exposure to FPS Russia was through his vid of shooting a Kel Tec SUB2000 while pepper sprayed…more recently I have seen a few threads about the SUB2000 and have never seen one in person (as they get scooped up immediately) so now was my chance. It is an interesting gun for sure but I think the folding aspect would make it a pain to mount a red-dot optic…apart from that, great for a bug out bag.
Last but not least, the Ruger Mini-14
All done my tour, I stopped for a quick iced coffee at Café San Simeon across the street
As for lunch, I thought it made most sense to visit one of the Dante family restaurants, GEMA for pizza
I chose the VETRI with home made mortadella and pistachio! It was great!
Cheesecake for dessert
Thanks again Dante for the hospitality!
RL
I did not drive my car this time but lo and behold an AMG outside keeping the tradition lol
To get to the gun section, you must first pass through the household goods.
Not quite the tactical gloves you typically see at gun stores
The worlds oldest weapon…the frying pan!
Quite a surreal experience to see chef knives next to tactical knives
Nice Opinel folders
Including this giant Model 13 with 9” blade…I loved it so much that I bought it! Who says you can’t use it as a tactical knife in reverse grip lol
Starting to crossover to the tactical side with optics
And other tactical gear
Finally the gun department!
Now for some more detailed shots…I wasn’t sure about the lighting so I brought my own background this time, thanks to Army Globe Surplus.
Let’s start with handguns. I handled a Sig P320 when it first hit our market but I did not pay too much attention at the time…since it was selected by the US military, I wanted to have a second look. Yup, I like it!
The frame inserts can be purchased separately.
At the other end of the Sig spectrum, the Xfive, great for competitive shooters.
Speaking of military handguns, how about a Beretta M9A3, fresh outta the box!
For those who read about my recent range trip, I have a newfound appreciation for .22s and of course I love customized guns so was quite interested to see this TANDEMIZED Browning Buck Mark Plus Camper UFX. The work is done by Dante’s gunsmiths.
Love that giant mag release
When it comes to customized Glocks, Zev needs no introduction. This Dragonfly was my favourite gun of the day.
On to long guns…the Tikka T3X Arctic was my favourite gun of the Toronto Sportsman Show and I definitely wanted to have another look at the Ranger’s new gun.
This time I got to compare it to the more tactical T3X TAC A1… I gotta say that folding stock makes it a very tough choice between the two
I have a Benelli M4 but it is always great to see new variations such as this factory cerakoted model
The ARGO system works incredibly well for recoil reduction
Also an interesting finish on this Weatherby PA-459 Reaper
My first exposure to FPS Russia was through his vid of shooting a Kel Tec SUB2000 while pepper sprayed…more recently I have seen a few threads about the SUB2000 and have never seen one in person (as they get scooped up immediately) so now was my chance. It is an interesting gun for sure but I think the folding aspect would make it a pain to mount a red-dot optic…apart from that, great for a bug out bag.
Last but not least, the Ruger Mini-14
All done my tour, I stopped for a quick iced coffee at Café San Simeon across the street
As for lunch, I thought it made most sense to visit one of the Dante family restaurants, GEMA for pizza
I chose the VETRI with home made mortadella and pistachio! It was great!
Cheesecake for dessert
Thanks again Dante for the hospitality!
RL
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