Our Story | Why Choose Us | Meet the Team
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We’re Not a Big Box Store. We’re the Rankin Family.
Western Sport started the way most good things do – with a genuine passion that refused to stay a hobby. I’m Lance Rankin, and I’ve been around firearms my entire life. Shooting was never something I picked up on a whim. It’s how I grew up, what I studied, and eventually what I built a career around. After years of learning the craft of gunsmithing and developing a deep understanding of the AR platform, I took over Western Sport in 2017 and haven’t looked back.
What I inherited was a solid foundation. What I built on top of it is something I’m proud of: a business run by my family, focused on the firearms we actually believe in, and committed to treating every customer the way I’d want to be treated if I were spending my hard-earned money on a rifle.
“We are not a nameless website. There’s a real family behind every order – and we stand behind everything we sell.”
A Family Business in Every Sense
Western Sport is operated out of Roanoke, Texas, just north of Fort Worth in the DFW area. My wife Donna manages our office operations and serves as our compliance officer – she keeps the business running right and by the book. Our daughter Lexi is the face you’ll often see representing Western Sport, and she’s a licensed responsible person on our FFL so she can keep things moving when the rest of us are out. Our son Zeke handles our international export operations, helping customers outside the U.S. navigate the process of acquiring products legally and efficiently.
This isn’t a corporation with a call center and a ticket queue. When you reach out to Western Sport, you’re reaching the Rankin family. That’s not a marketing line – it’s just how we operate.
What We Specialize In
We are an AR-platform shop at heart. The AR-15 and AR-10 are what I know best as a gunsmith, and they’re what we stock deepest. We carry an extensive selection of Daniel Defense rifles and pistols – we’re an authorized Daniel Defense dealer, which is a relationship we’re genuinely proud of and work hard to maintain. We also carry a full range of Magpul accessories, optics, and parts.
Beyond retail, we offer in-house gunsmithing, custom AR builds, and Cerakote finishing. If you want a rifle built to your specs or a custom finish that stands out on the range, that’s our wheelhouse. We’re also a licensed SOT dealer for NFA items, including suppressors – and we handle FFL transfers for customers who find their purchase elsewhere but need a local licensed dealer to receive it.
Type 07 FFL License – Licensed Manufacturer & Dealer SOT Special Occupational Taxpayer – NFA Dealer 300+ 5-Star Google Reviews
How We Operate
We run primarily as an online store with local pickup available by appointment at our Roanoke location. That keeps our overhead low and our prices competitive – which means you get better value than you’ll typically find at a traditional brick-and-mortar shop. Shipping is fast, communication is direct, and if something ever isn’t right, you can reach us and get a real answer from a real person.
We also export to international customers through the proper legal channels. If you’re outside the United States and interested in our products, reach out – Zeke handles our export process and can walk you through what’s possible.
Ready to find what you’re looking for?
Questions, custom build inquiries, FFL transfers, or just want to talk guns – we’re here.
[email protected] | 817-393-4000 | Browse Our Inventory
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Why Customers Choose Western Sport
There’s no shortage of places to buy a gun online. Here’s why thousands of customers have chosen us – and come back.
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We’re an Authorized Daniel Defense Dealer
Daniel Defense doesn’t hand out dealer relationships to just anyone. They’re selective about who carries their rifles, and we’re proud to be one of their authorized dealers. That means every Daniel Defense product you buy from us is 100% authentic, covered by Daniel Defense’s warranty, and purchased through the proper authorized channel – not a gray market or unauthorized reseller. Our Daniel Defense inventory is among the deepest you’ll find anywhere, including DDM4 rifles, MK18 pistols, DD5 platform rifles, and more.
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There’s a Licensed Gunsmith Behind Every Sale
Owner Lance Rankin is a licensed gunsmith who has spent his life studying the AR platform. When you ask a question about a rifle, upper, or build component at Western Sport, you’re getting an answer from someone who has personally built, modified, and repaired what he sells – not a customer service rep reading off a product page. That expertise shapes what we stock, what we recommend, and how we serve you.
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Competitive Pricing – Because Our Model Is Built for It
We operate primarily online with appointment-based local pickup. Lower overhead means we don’t have to pad margins to cover a big showroom floor. Customers consistently tell us we beat local dealers and even large national online retailers on price – especially on Daniel Defense products and Magpul accessories. We’re not trying to be the cheapest option at the cost of service. We’re trying to be the best value.
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Fast Shipping You Can Count On
We hear this more than anything else in our reviews: fast shipping. We take it seriously because we know what it’s like to wait on an order you’re excited about. Most in-stock orders ship quickly – often the same or next business day. We communicate throughout the process so you’re never left wondering where your order is.
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Custom Builds & Cerakote Finishing
Want a rifle built to your exact specifications? A custom Cerakote finish that’s uniquely yours? We do that in-house. Lance has been building and finishing AR-15 and AR-10 platforms for years, and the results speak for themselves. Reach out with your vision and we’ll tell you what’s possible.
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Licensed SOT Dealer for NFA Items
We hold a Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT) designation, which means we’re licensed to deal in NFA items including suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and other regulated items. We can walk you through the NFA purchase and transfer process from start to finish – paperwork, wait times, compliance requirements, all of it. If you’ve been intimidated by the NFA process, we can make it straightforward.
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FFL Transfers – Simple and Fairly Priced
Found a deal somewhere else but need a local FFL to receive it? We handle FFL transfers at our Roanoke location for $40 per firearm (plus $10 for the NICS background check). Appointment-based. We make the process as painless as possible and communicate clearly at every step.
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International Export Capability
Not everyone who shops with us is in the United States. We handle legal international exports through our export division, managed by Zeke Rankin. If you’re an international buyer looking to legally acquire firearms or accessories, contact us – we have experience navigating the export compliance process and can tell you quickly whether and how we can help you.
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Real People, Real Communication
You won’t get a chatbot or a form that disappears into a void. When you email Western Sport, Lance or a member of the Rankin family reads it and responds. We prioritize communication because we know that when you’re spending real money on a firearm, you deserve a real answer – not a three-day wait and a canned reply.
“Lance is always happy to help and does fantastic business. This is a private, locally owned business that is easy to work with, offers great products, and even better prices. I will be a lifetime customer of this business.”
– Colby T., Fort Worth, TX | ★★★★★ Yelp
“Great price on the rifle I wanted. Super fast shipping. Excellent communications. I’ll definitely shop here again. Highly recommended. A+”
– Mark F. | ★★★★★ Google
“Western Sport is amazing. There’s no surprise that DANIEL DEFENSE has a great relationship with them. They are good people and care about their customers.”
– Jonathan A., Garden Grove, CA | ★★★★★ Yelp
Ready to work with us?
Browse our inventory, ask about a custom build, or reach out with any questions.
[email protected] | 817-393-4000 | Browse Our Inventory
Lance Rankin, MBA
Owner & Gunsmith – AR-15 / AR-10 Specialist
Lance has been around firearms his entire life – it’s not something he picked up, it’s something he grew up with. Over the years that passion turned into a formal study of gunsmithing, with a deep focus on the AR-15 and AR-10 platforms. He took over Western Sport in 2017 and has been building it around the brands and products he actually trusts.
As a Type 07 FFL licensed manufacturer and SOT dealer, Lance can do things most gun shops can’t – including building rifles from the ground up, handling NFA items and suppressors, and performing in-house gunsmithing and Cerakote work. If you’ve got a question about an AR build, an NFA question, or you just want to talk through a purchase before you commit, Lance is who you’ll hear from.
What Lance does best: AR-15 and AR-10 builds, Daniel Defense product knowledge, custom Cerakote finishing, NFA and suppressor guidance, and honest advice on what to buy and what to skip.
Donna Rankin
Office Manager & Compliance Officer
Donna is the organizational engine behind Western Sport. As Office Manager and Compliance Officer, she makes sure that every transaction, transfer, and record is handled correctly – and that the business runs the way it’s supposed to, every single day.
In the firearms industry, compliance isn’t optional and it isn’t casual. Federal regulations, transfer records, 4473 documentation, SOT requirements – Donna handles all of it with the attention to detail the business and our customers depend on. When everything goes smoothly on your end of the transaction, there’s a good chance Donna’s work on the back end is a big part of why.
Lexi Rankin
Spokesmodel & Licensed FFL Representative
Lexi is the face you’ll often see representing Western Sport – in our content, our promotions, and our brand presence. She brings energy and authenticity to how Western Sport shows up publicly, and she genuinely enjoys being part of what the family has built.
Beyond the camera, Lexi holds a position as a responsible person on Western Sport’s Federal Firearms License. That’s not a formality – it means she’s trained, authorized, and fully capable of keeping the business operating when the rest of the family is away. She’s the kind of backup that means Western Sport’s customers are never left waiting.
Zeke Rankin
Export Specialist
Zeke manages Western Sport’s international export operations, helping customers outside the United States legally acquire the products they’re looking for. International firearms export is a highly regulated process – export licenses, country-specific restrictions, end-user documentation, and State Department compliance all factor in, and getting it wrong has serious consequences.
Zeke knows the process and handles it properly. If you’re an international customer who’s interested in purchasing from Western Sport, Zeke is your point of contact. He can assess your situation quickly and let you know what’s possible for your country and your specific request.
Ready to work with a team that actually knows firearms?
Reach out any time. You’re always talking to a Rankin.