Are Wal-Mart guns lower quality?

[monotonous_iterancy]

I saw someone mention a S&W 15-22. I've seen one at Wal-Mart, and it got me thinking. I've read before that guns sold at Wal-Mart use lower quality materials in order to keep up with Wal-Mart's business model of keeping prices lower than everyone else. I read that gun manufacturers sometimes make special models just for sale there, using cosmetically inferior materials.

Is this true?

 

[Analogkid]

No......

 

[mjsdwash]

your gonna get a lot of replies saying no, but in my experience, all box stores get one model, and most gun stores get another. This does not translate to accuracy, safety, reliability, or durability however. It usually comes down to wood grain, limited caliber selection, checkering and things like that. Little details you may not want to pay more for. I dont know specificaly about walmart, but this is the case for big 5, and a few others. Walmart does seem to be the only place you can get a remington 700 with iron sights, but they cannot get it in the caliber i want:banghead: My Big 5 marlin cost about two hundred less that it would at a gun shop, but has no checkering as an example. Just my observation. hope this helps

 

[WC145]

No. In fact it's ridiculous to think that S&W, SIG, Savage, Remington, and all of the other brands they sell would manufacture a separate line of guns made from cheaper materials in this sue happy world. Plus, they stand behind those guns with the same warranties as those sold elsewhere, why put a lifetime warranty on something that isn't up to your normal standards?

 

[berettaprofessor]

No. And there should be a sticky with the links to oft-repeated questions like these.

 

[rcmodel]

No, they are not lower quality.
Do you think a firearms manufacture would jeprodize thier reputation just to please Walmart??

Yes, Walmart has on occasion had special runs of guns made exclusive to them.
But they were not inferior in any way.

For instance they had a very nicely done Ruger 10/22 with a 22" barrel & checkered stock exclusive to Walmart a few years ago.

Then there was a 10/22 stainless Mannlicher with a green laminated exclusive to Walmart 10-15 years ago.

rc

 

[monotonous_iterancy]

By cheaper materials, I mean things such as using cheaper types of woods on wooden stocks. Things like that. They don't affect performance, but it cuts down on the bottom line.

So this is not true?

 

[W L Johnson]

Overheard a local gun shop explain to someone why their ammo was so much higher (twice) than walmart for the exact same box is because their (the shop's) ammo is more accurate and walmart sells rejects and is known to blowup guns. :banghead:

 

[TarDevil]

Emphatically, NO. What economies are realized setting up a second line of production just for the big box stores? None.

 

[alsaqr]

These false rumors are being promulgated by LGS owners and folks who have never bought a gun from Wal-Mart.

 

[SwampWolf]

Gun makers have made cheaper versions of their firearms for many years to accomodate the market for buyers not willing to pay for their "standard" model and/or to compete with other companies that are selling less expensive guns. "Economizing" a firearm would include things like substituting birch stocks for walnut; blind magazines for magazines with floor-plates; less elaborate or no checkering on the stock; no sling swivel studs; etc. Things like accuracy, reliability, durability and safety are not compromised in these "stripped-down versions. Examples that come to mind are the "regular" Marlin Model 336 vs the Glenfield and the Remington Model 700 BDL vs the ADL.
Then their are different rifles altogether from the "standard" models that are made to sell cheaper; a couple of examples being the new Ruger "American" rifle vs the "Hawkeye" and other Model 77 iterations and the (discontinued) Remington Model 788 vs the various Model 700 iterations.
Finally, mostly in times past, companies would make firearms the same as their existing models but changed cosmetically for businesses like Sears, Montgomery Wards and Western Auto that were generally cheaper to make and sell and wore the buyer company's own brand (i.e., J.C. Higgins or Ted Williams in the case of Sears; Hawthorn in the case of Montgomery Wards and Revelation and Western Field in the case of Western Auto).
But, in the case of Wal Mart, as far as I know they sell firearms that are identical in every respect to the same firearm being sold elsewhere. So, to the op's question:"... I've read before that guns sold at Wal-Mart use lower quality materials in order to keep up with Wal-Mart's business model of keeping prices lower than everyone else...Is this true?", my answer would also be no.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

My LGS owner tried to pull this crap on a new customer. He was referring to the Colt 6920 sold at Wally World. He said something to the extent that he would much rather have any of the AR's on his wall than the Wal Mart rifle... He was selling DPMS, DoubleStar, Deltron, a few piece togethers and one PSA.

To say exactly what these other guys are saying, no.... Wal Mart sells the same rifles as other retailers..

 

[BCCL]

No, and I've bought more than a few guns at WM in my time, never found them to be in any way of less quality than guns bought anywhere else from the same manufacturer. The people that insist they are are full of bull.

 

[Killian]

No more so than the same models purchased at other stores. If you change your question to "Are guns made in modern times not as well made as guns from 30 years ago?" then I might have a different answer.

 

[texasgun]

This rumor is ridiculous and mostly kept alive by small dealers who hate Wal-Mart for offering the same stuff at lower prices....

Does Coke make a "cheaper" Coke for Wal-Mart?
Does Winchester make a "special" WWB for Wal-Mart and sell the good stuff to your dealer?
Does Ruger make cheap 10/22 and sell the good stuff to your dealer?

NO. They don't. Doing so and not labeling the different product visibly (like for e.g. Ruger 10/22 Walmart) would be highly dangerous and the companies would end in court and be sued for millions. Either ammo passes the safety inspections and go to stores or they don't. There is no "rejected" ammo which is not good enough for your local dealer but Wal-Mart buys it.

I don't think Wal-Mart is interested in selling defective/dangerous ammo or crappy name-brand guns to their customers.

 

[BCCL]

I see this same thing on online knife forums, the _____ brand knives you buy at Walmart are lesser quality, reject, seconds...etc than ones you buy elsewhere. Nobody can ever prove it.

The only difference I've ever seen, is that certain Buck knives, if you buy them at a major sporting goods store, you will get a leather sheath made in Mexico, but if you buy that same knife at Walmart, you get a Chinese made nylon sheath. But the knives are the same.

 

[leadchucker]

A particular item which appears to be identical to one sold in other stores will be sold at Walmart at a noticeably cheaper price than what is seen in the other stores. If you look closely, you will often find that the model number on a Walmart product is different from the model number of those sold elsewhere, although the items may appear identical. These products are predictably lower quality. I've seen this most often with small appliances and electronics, but there are lots of other products like that. Some types of merchandise are easier to make to lowered standards, and cheaper price, some other types are not. Some companies are willing to risk their reputations by producing a cheaper line of products specifically for Walmart.

Electric toasters? Definitely.
Ammo? Maybe.
Guns? Not likely.

 

[PGT]

The Sig 522 I saw at my local Wal-Mart was $499. I paid significantly less than that for mine....not sure about the "Wal-Mart is cheaper" line.

 

[texasgun]

@leadchucker...

I have yet to see any true indication on ammo that it's a special WalMart production. In nearly all cases the product numbers are identical. Just google the name/product number. There is no "special" WWB / Federal and whatnot for Wal-Mart. My local FFL prefers to sell generic ammo at a nice markup whereas WalMart is usually much cheaper.... that's cool.... not cool is to tell newbie customers that WalMart cammo from Winchester his crap whereas his Winchester stuff is magically something completely else despite being in the same packaging, same product number and same description....

 

[oneounceload]

Certain big box stores get a version made for them. Whetherthequalityisless or not remains to be seen. Walmart does not have models made specifically for them, as they are NOT primarily a sporting goods store, like Dicks or Sports Authority. Their good are the same as your local gun shop gets. In the south, they order from Ellet Brothers, a major wholesaler to many gun stores. No one is going to separate certain models, that would add more cost to guns already being sold for a few dollars above cost

 

[OcelotZ3]

If you look closely, you will often find that the model number on a Walmart product is different from the model number of those sold elsewhere, although the items may appear identical.

On a rock climbing forum, a person wanted to buy a new hammer drill from a reputable manufacturer, and noted that the "identical" model was much cheaper from Walmart.

He was warned that the Walmart version, which had a slightly different model number (W on the end), had plastic gears inside vs. metal gears that non-Walmart stores sold. How did he know? The person doing the warning bought the same model hammer drill, one from Walmart & one at the normally higher price from another store, and took them apart. Same model # except for the W.

So yes, sometimes manufacturers (even big-name ones) will switch to cheaper materials to hit the Walmart price point.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Good gawd, this silliness sound like my in-laws who will swear up and down on a stack of Bibles that the stuff they get from Macy's or Dillard's is higher in quality that the stuff from Walmart or Target - even though it's the same make/model of the coffee maker, toaster, blender, TV...etc...etc. Where do people get this from? Pure snobbery... But hey, if anyone wants to pay more for the same item at "higher end" store - God Bless 'em. Besides, if it's on the Interweb, it has to be true.

 

[oneounceload]

Does Walmart have certain items made for them at lower price points? Yes they do, in the area of jeans , white socks and similar things that they sell by the millions. They do not sell guns in that quantity. Have ordered from their "catalog"; it was the same wholesale catalog I used to get when I had my FFL. The guns are the same

 

[jrdolall]

As someone who has sold many $millions to Walmart over the years I can tell you that without a doubt manufacturers produce products to hit a certain price point for them, and many other retailers. So far as I know there will always be a slightly different product code associated and it is not the same exact product. Some retailers insist on having a different product than what Walmart sells so they can explain to their customers that it is not the same product. Is this true on guns? Probably there have been cases where a special model has been made for Walmart. I don't imagine it happens in ammo though. Plenty of manufacturers produce differetn models of items that are virtually identical. Ford Ranger and Mazda trucks come to mind.

 

[wally]

With Walmarts buying power, I suspect they can ask for cost savings options on a bulk order. I seem to recall a stainless Ruger 10/22 with a polymer "canoe paddle" stock that I think was specific to Walmart. Good as any other 10/22 as long as you could tolerate the stock. My friend had one, as I a said worked same as any other 10/22.