Fuquay Gun & Gold

Fuquay Gun & Gold started in October 2004 when Clay Ausley opened a small pawn shop with an unusually large firearms section. By February 2005, his wife Melissa had to join the business full-time just to handle the gun counter. That first year was lean—one customer joked he had more guns in his truck bed than the store had in inventory.

Word-of-mouth and referrals kept the doors open. The turning point came when the breakfast crew at the local Bojangles started their day with coffee and biscuits, then made Fuquay Gun their second stop. By year three, Clay sold his bass boat and personal items to fund inventory growth. The pawn business got sidelined. Guns and accessories became everything.

During the 2013 ammunition crisis, most gun shops marked prices up 1,000%. Fuquay Gun & Gold maintained their prices and only raised them to match rising distributor costs. Customers lined up at the doors—94 people waiting when they opened one morning. Within six months, their fair pricing made them known for selling guns and ammo for less than half what competitors charged.

This reputation brought so much business that by 2014, they'd outgrown their second location. Construction on the current facility started March 15, 2014, and finished two months later—a building 4 times larger than the previous location.

70+ brands in inventory:

Accessories from Benchmade, Spyderco, Crimson Trace, Crossbreed Holsters, Fobus, Uncle Mike's, and over 50 other manufacturers.

• •Transfer from out-of-state dealers: Ship to Fuquay Gun with our FFL
• •Private party transfers: Bring seller to the store for legal transfer
• •Fee: $35 per firearm (FREE if you buy from Fuquay Gun)
• •Service area: Fuquay-Varina, Raleigh, Cary, Fayetteville, surrounding areas
• •Note: NFA transfers not accepted

• •Scope mounting & bore sighting: FREE with purchase; $25 without purchase
• •Bore sighting only: $15
• •Glock night sight installation: FREE with purchase (licensed armorer on staff)
• •Glock modifications: Trigger jobs, extended slide releases, extended mag releases, conversion barrels

Bring one gun or your entire collection. Fuquay Gun appraises and makes cash offers. No pressure. All sales comply with Federal, State, and Local firearms laws.

• •Cost: $90 (cash only at class)
• •Deposit: $40 non-refundable to hold your seat
• •Location: Private classroom and range on Clay and Missy's country property
• •Instructors: Two Raleigh Police officers (David Page and John Owens)
• •Features: Covered shooting positions with ceiling fans, lighting, and restroom

• •20% non-refundable down payment
• •Balance due within 90 days
• •No item switches or refunds
• •Excludes safes and NFA items

The shop now runs with 17 team members. Early on, several regular customers became part-time employees willing to work for firearms. Rob Edwards was their first full-time salesman. Tommy joined in year four to assist with daily management. Shawn Lane came on as a valued player during the expansion phase.

The store mascot is Hunter. The company also has Beau, a Border Collie mix who showed up on the Ausley property at one year old and decided to stay.

1602 N Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (919) 552-4945

Open Sundays 11 AM – 5 PM (starting July 2012)

Fuquay Gun grew during three major demand cycles: the 2008 Obama presidential election, the 2012 reelection, and the 2013 post-Sandy Hook ammunition crisis. Each wave brought new shooters into the sport. Rather than exploit shortages like competitors, Fuquay Gun maintained fair pricing and built customer loyalty that extends five hours in every direction.

The new facility opened in 2014 with a distinctive 6-foot Glock sign on the exterior (which sparked some local debate but tons of free advertising).