How much loyalty do you feel you owe Your Gunshop?

[Kalashnikov]

Well the Particular shop I frequent is owned by a very close friend. So yeah, on most occasions I support him. But not all of his guns are the best value. his Yugo SKS selection is good but the cheapest he had was $250 and most where $400 or so. So I got my SKS from dunhams instead. But he DOES give me deals, because I am a loyal customer. Even when I dont have money (often) I still go into his store to window shop and talk to him. Now for ammo, I buy online, Because his selection isn't the best.

So after my long winded rant have I answered the question? Probably not so here is my Short answer: Support your local shop as much as YOU feel it deserves. If you know the owner personally, and they carry stuff no one else does, then sometimes paying a little extra is ok. but you dont need to pay an extra arm and a leg for the little guys.

 

[Cesiumsponge]

I just stopped by a few different gun stores yesterday that I've never been to before. I wanted to check local prices on ordering in an AR-30. One shop wanted $1550 which is above MSRP in the catalog. I asked if they matched, which was a nod. I informed them CDNN had it for $1099 and they changed their mind after hearing that. When I asked for their FFL transfer fees, they said $35, but having asked that question shortly after requesting a pricing on the AR30, the guy said he won't transfer anything into the store that he is a dealer for, or can obtain (like that AR-30) because it "takes food off their table". Basically he doesn't care if you can get it cheaper. If he can ship one into his store, you're going to have to pay his above-MSRP prices (at least the one rifle I inquired about was above MSRP).

I left.

 

[XavierBreath]

the guy said he won't transfer anything into the store that he is a dealer for, or can obtain (like that AR-30) because it "takes food off their table".

So he was willing to give up $35 worth of porkchops huh? :banghead:
I would have walked too.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I have never understood why some gunstores don't seem willing to do transfers from other FFL's.

I mean, all they have to do is sign for the package from UPS, fill out a form 4473 (which the buyer fills out most of anyway), collect the transfer fee, and maintain record of the sale.

 

[Werewolf]

^^^^
Well actually it is a bit more than that. They have to receive the firearm into their inventory and release it from inventory with the transfer.

Still it is just a few entries into a log and cannot possibly take more than a few minutes by someone who knows what they are doing.

Even if it takes 15 minutes - if the FFL charges $15 he making $60 an hour for doing some paper work and making a phone call - so in a nutshell I too have wondered how some justify the high transfer prices they charge. One in OKC charges $40 bucks. I was pretty shocked when I was told that and being the rude, crude a'hole I am I just said F'you and walked out. The look on that old geezer/ex cop's face was priceless.

 

[larry starling]

I feel lucky the store where I do my transfers is great. They dont stock any colts but they do glocks and Sigs. And they only charge $25 for a transfer. I do go there and shoot on there range. The owners and staff are really nice people. My only complaint is I wish they carried more guns...

 

[paul45]

There are a number of gun shops in my area...but i will talk about the worst. This store told me last year that Colt hasnt produced any 1911's since 2000. Same store employee, when I asked to see a series 70 commander in satin nickel, told me it was stainless steel. I respectfully made him look like a fool on front of his peers. Same store is trying to sell a 2005 production blue Gold Cup for 1399.00...now didnt they just tell me earlier that Colt hasnt produced any 1911's since 2000? Same store charges 40 to 75 for a FFl transfer. I could go on. And I am supposed to be loyal ? I think not....My hard earned money goes to where the deals are.......

 

[Ala Dan]

LOT's OF LOYALTY

cuz I work there!

 

[gunhog1950]

WOW! I Feel BLESSED!!!!

I am as loyal to my local shop as i can be. I do purchase many guns from online auctions. Hard to find stuff no longer in production that he can not suppy me. I Feel BLESSED when I hear of you poor guys getting raped on the transfers. My shop is small, a one man operation. has about one back wall full of long guns an a case with assorted handguns. Carries std reloading etc. supplies. Anything I need if the distribtor has it all I do is let him know by the middle of the week and i'll have it by Friday. His TRANSFER FEES are HIS COST. If I need a FFL sent for a out of state purchase he will take care of me. He cannnot match the chain store prices. I know it i worked retail and wholesale sale in this market. Many of the spls. in these chain stores are being sold for his purchase price.(he has shipping and overhead to cover) MFSR is way above his selling prices. He just called me today looking for a part for an older rifle. I spent some time and a ph. call and found one for him.He treats his customers like family.Its' not hard to find many of the guys just spending the eve. in his shop telling each other stories and sharing plesantries.(kinda like the old days) Yea I Feel BLESSED. $40-$50 for a tranfers NOWAY. there's a shop up the road charges $15.00 and he has a attitude and a bigger inventory,but most of the guys I speak to don't frequent his shop if they don't have to,(he's a know it all). My local shop survives on word of mouth . He has guys from 50 60 miles away come in for business. So I don't do chains stores and when I get a gun in from an auction I always buy the extras from him as a way to say THANKS BRO. BLESSED!! BLESSED!!! BLESSED !! YEA!! They're some good shops out there ya just gotta find them. i find people who live within ten(10) miles of this guy that don't know hes' there,ya gotta search...They are out there and worth the looking.

 

[carebear]

I know we've covered it before but there's a good portion of gun shop owners who are in the business because they like guns, not because they have any business savvy.

That's where I think the refusal to price transfers at a realistic (to me anyway) price comes from. A sense of betrayal.

See, THEY opened a shop and go to the trouble of dealing with all that legal stuff they may not really understand and then you go buy from someone else online.

Forget that the markup on guns alone isn't really enough to keep the doors open, forget that going head-to-head with the big boys on a per item basis is suicide, forget all the good business thinking. Or rather, don't forget it, just plain don't know it.

Making the aforementioned $60 an hour for pushing paper may not be what turns your motor but it something Wal-Mart CAN'T do, and thus is the kind of thing to do to compete. But a lot of these guys are gun nuts and don't know that. They are in the biz to sell the thing they love. Guns.

And so they bad business themselves right out of a beloved job/avocation and blame everything but themselves.


peacefuljeff,

It's kind of an apples/oranges comparison.

The range is primarily selling a service (rangetime) and offers ammo only because it is a corrolary part of using the service (shooting on the range). Having ammo and gun rentals at all is a convenience because they are available elsewhere (like at gunshops). The higher ammo price thus is just part of the total cost to use the primary business purpose of the range, rangetime itself. They could drop the ammo and rentals completely and, in theory, the business could survive.

A gun store, on the other hand, is selling physical products and that's it, that's what its primary purpose is. Thus the higher ammo price isn't part of the cost of anything else but itself. If gunstores stopped carrying "stuff" they wouldn't exist, so to obviously overcharge for their raison d'etre is venal and financially foolish.

To integrate my above example, and as others have said, the way for small stores to stay in business against the masters of selling "stuff" at low prices isn't to try to compete on price but to offer different stuff or other services, FFL transfers for example.

But a lot of gun store owners are too dumb to realize that. Just as, in our real world vs. business model, your range owners are going to realize that their "service" alone won't save them if they drive away customers with perceived overcharging.

 

[coonan357]

I support my local store because he knows what hes selling , he sells guns and shoots them and wasnt inworking in housewares last week , yes hes a little more expensive but the expense is justified if my gun needs a little tweeking which wallyworld cannot do and has to return it to the manufactor , and I pay more for special orders but I get the right part that I wanted , plus when has wallyworld ever called you to tell you about something you might be interested in or hold something because things are tight this week , I hate having to deal with a new counter person that has no Idea whats what , and yes ammo might be cheaper , but I will pay more for someone who will fight for my right to own and posess , when was the last time you saw a petition at the local sporto rama fighting for your rights?? plus he will order bulk for me too especially the weird calibers . all have to say is I am very loyal to Ron and John and company ,sombody has to pay for rons kids to go to Notre Dame

 

[StephenT]

I have little loyalty to the local gun stores, though I respect the ones who take the trouble to set up tables at the gun shows. At least, they're trying to compete. A local FFL does my out-of-state transfers for $20 out of his house and he has plenty of business. Collectors Firearms, on the other hand, wants $90 for a transfer. Their shop has the largest selection of any gun store in Houston and probably some high fixed costs, but they might sell more accessories if their services were more reasonably priced. If I've shopped online, I'm not going to pay $100 more locally + tax, so they might as well make some money on a reasonable transfer fee. I like to buy new toys and all, but I'm not that desperate.

 

[Big Mike]

I think it depends on where you are. Not all gun shops are equal, some had great insight, were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and where I live now I see very few having any worthwhile information at all. In Tacoma, there were a couple gun stores I had great loyalty to when purchasing guns, ammo or accessories. A couple in Vegas and absolutely none in Southern Oregon. My last 2 purchases were on line purchases and I know I saved money in the process. I still goto them for my carry ammo, though after this last trip I may be shopping for Corbon online too. Mike

 

[Mongo the Mutterer]

Just purchased two new SW 642's from my shop. Am I loyal, you bet...

Saved a bunch of money, and doing business with guys I like... Purchasing a pistol or revolver in MO is a hassle.. two trips to the Sheriffs office 10 days apart. My shop makes life easy.

Good prices, good range, good troops = no problem.

 

[TimboKhan]

I have mentioned this place before, but I am fairly loyal to Jensen Arms in Loveland, CO. I recently bought a gun from large chain store, only because they were fully 60.00 cheaper than Jensens, which is actually the first time that has ever happened. Good store, though.