Kalispell, Montanna

[rockrat]

Plan on going up to Glacier Nat'l park and will be staying just South of Kalispell and wondering about any decent gun shops around and good restaurants and where to stay away from.

thanks

[smoked turkey]

If I were you I would stop by Montana Rifle Company in that city. I did a few years ago. They build some mighty nice rifles there. It will be no big deal in that it didn't look like a premier rifle company from the street but never the less it is.

[MT Gianni]

Avoid all franchised food like the plague. I like the BLue Canyon at Hilton Garden inn and Jags by the airport. Lots of good low end food as well. Three Forks in Columbia Falls, Lulas in Whitefish for more good food. One problem is the State is almost served with Cisco foods as the only distributor so much of the restaurants only supply is the same food that goes to all of the other restaurants. Same food depending on what quality level they pay for and how they prep it.
Avoid places marketed heavily to tourists, don't leave food in a car with open windows in the Park. If someone on on of the towns immediately E of Glacier says they are going to beat you up or kill you for fun believe them. That is probably as PC as I can get.
Scottys has decent sporting goods, especially fishing and guns. We don't have sporting goods stores that don't sell guns in Montana. If you pass through Missoula check out Axmen Guns and Pawn and Selway Arms.

[onceabull]

You would almost be convinced that "someone" has a case of the xxx vs.the Blackfoot and Blood Indians !!! I will add this..Get well clear of Browning while it's daylight..!! Onceqabull

[waksupi]

Snappy's, Gold Rush Pawn, The Powder Horn for guns. All in a two or three block area. There are other pawn shops in town. I don't know if Scotty's still has a gun shop, as it is mostly a saloon and restaurant.
Most of the gun manufacturing companies really don't welcome walk in business. There are around twenty of them here, very few even have a sign out to identify them, to keep people away.
I like the Bigfork Inn for a meal, lots of other good choices. Somers Bay Cafe is good for breakfast and lunch. The Back Room in Columbia Falls for great ribs. Vista Linda at Somers has some reasonably good Mexican food. It's hid on Boone Road, across from the fishing access. Local secret.
As Gianni says, don't mess around on the Blackfoot rez. Flathead rez is okay.
Where are you staying? I'm pretty booked up for the next four weeks, but may be able to meet for a coffee or such.

[rockrat]

Will be down in Rollins

[runfiverun]

the Blackfoot don't always keep everything on the Rez, and sometimes think everywhere is the Rez.
found that out the hard way.

[waksupi]

Since you will be in Rollins, go on down to the Miracle of America Museum in Polson. I will guarantee you will see some guns you've never seen before.
I helped erect the log buildings there at Rollins many years ago.

[MT Gianni]

Since you will be in Rollins, go on down to the Miracle of America Museum in Polson. I will guarantee you will see some guns you've never seen before.
I helped erect the log buildings there at Rollins many years ago.
If you only spend three or four hours at the Miracle of America Museum you will wish you had more time. Don't judge it by it's cover.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Montana gold bullet company resides there too... kalispell/whitefish/Columbia falls is a beautiful area to visit but I hated living there. It 90% California ski bums and there is no industry other than tourist (logging was dead when I lived there) do your shopping in kalispell as whitefish has a city sales tax in a state that has no sales tax it was kind of a big deal when I lived there. As for Browning unless you want cheap tobacco there is really no reason to ever stop at any of the reservation towns in montana. East or west side of the state.

[trebor44]

Montana gold bullet company resides there too... kalispell/whitefish/Columbia falls is a beautiful area to visit but I hated living there. It 90% California ski bums and there is no industry other than tourist (logging was dead when I lived there) do your shopping in kalispell as whitefish has a city sales tax in a state that has no sales tax it was kind of a big deal when I lived there. As for Browning unless you want cheap tobacco there is really no reason to ever stop at any of the reservation towns in montana. East or west side of the state.

The 'change' started about 30 years ago in earnest. Montana is mostly populated by wanabes, still a few cattle but mostly emigrants from somewhere else. Hunting has gone to the wolves and pet dogs, fishing holes are crowded with the 'river runs past the McMansions' crowd. I still visit relatives there but it saddens me when I see the tyvek sided abodes and the massive amount of traffic and traffic jams all over the state. Yeah, there are a few unpublished, lessor known places but it really has become more of a disneyland for the rich and famous. Lots of real estate picked up on the cheap and sold to the wealthy cutting out the locals. But then that is the "way the west is done"! And as stated, avoid the rez towns and bars especially on a weekend, or don't wear your 'sunday go to meetin' clothes!