Why didnt anyone tell me?

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Barry the Bear

Barry the Bear

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Here in San Antonio,TX we have alot of academy sports and several gunshops along with a bass pro to the north of town and even a cabelas south of austin. But today I went to heaven, as Gander Mountain just opened here and I got to say friends it was quite a sight. Ammo everywhere,great selection on guns,holsters and optics galore! Fellas, I may be in Love! :D
 
There's a reason Gander is well stocked, as NeuseRvrRat mentioned above.

Also, in my experience (admittedly a bit north of TX) they do a poor job of hiring quality gun counter folks. I've been told multiple times "that firearm doesn't exist..." "they haven't made it since 1960..." "They don't make that model..." etc. And they haven't been persuaded when I informed them to check the manufacturer's own website.

Bottom line, expect higher prices and don't expect them to know their products. But hopefully yours will be much better than mine.
 
Don't know about your area, but I picked up a M&P15T at Gander Mountain here in CO, a few months ago at the height of the AR gouging for $1,099. ($60 less than MSRP, and $100 less than the other store than had one).They also had 50 pack 5.56 ammo that they held in the back only for customers who bought AR's. I thought that was pretty straight up.
 
The Gander Mt in our area was run out of town by a great local shop, and a Bass Pro. All three were within 5 miles of each other. In fact the local shop took over the Gander Mt building and has been doing what appears to be 5-10 times the business based on the parking lot.

I encountered GM's incompetent staff when I tried to buy a shotgun for my grandson. I was looking at a Mossberg 20ga Super Bantam. They had one on display that was a little scratched up. I told the clerk I didn't want that one and asked if they had another. He disappeared and came back 15 minutes later saying that the computer showed they had 3, but he couldn't find the other two. I asked him to get someone else, such as a manager to check since it would be likely that the ATF would want to know if two shotguns had mysteriously vanished from their inventory.

He disappeared again, this time for 30 min. I found a manager and told him the story. We found the clerk in the gun repair area sitting back relaxed and chatting with two other clerks. When I asked him if he had found the gun yet, he said he thought I said I didn't want it. I looked at the manager and told him I was glad the guy was his problem. I then left and never returned to GM.

I ended up buying the gun from a different local shop for $75 less than the GM price.
 
I was recently in the Gander Mountain in Valdosta GA. They had a megaton of 5.56 priced at .60 per round....:(
 
Imo Greentop is overpriced as well.

Gander had really good sale prices, so does Green Top....but their regular prices are higher than much of the competition.
 
Barry,
Good man. I sure love mine.

GM, BPS, Cabelas, are fun to go to for the taxidermy. But to actually purchase from? Nah. I use them to find what I like. Then I go to Academy or online and buy at a significant discount. If I can't find it elsewhere, And REALLY want/need it, I will purchase it from there. The prices are just too high and the staff seem to be split 50/50 on whether they know anything or not. I will say this though, BPS employees in Broken Arrow have always been very polite and honest. But I don't ask them opinionated questions.
 
There is one about 1.5 hours from me. I will stop by when passing but only to look at clothes. I have found some good deals on the clothing clearance rack. But I honestly barely give a passing glace to guns, ammo, and reloading supplies. They are WAY more expensive than anyone else in the area. Sportsman's Warehouse is by far and away the best of the big box stores in my area when it comes to inventory and prices. Love Sportsman's Warehouse
 
I can say that I never go to Gander Mountain. The prices are always too high and the counter dudes think they are ex spec ops. Their gun range costs thirty dollars an hour. If nobody went there, they would go away. Hmm.
 
Gander is often quite pricey. And then they'll do a red tag sale that's just fantastic. Very uneven on pricing. Usually I just laugh at the tags hanging on the guns, but I bought a Savage Cub there for my kids that was like $30 lower than my best local shop.

But I don't buy many guns, and their reloading components prices are usually 2x what my local shop wants, so I don't stop in often.
 
Like Sam, I don't shop there often, but sometimes they do have good sales and I'll pick up some hunting clothing when that happens. I used to buy a little ammo there before I started handloading, as their prices on that are about the norm for this area.

However, our Bass Pro will be opening by year's end, so it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't around much longer.
 
Arkansas Paul said:
However, our Bass Pro will be opening by year's end, so it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't around much longer.
Click to expand...

The Bass Pro in my area has prices almost as high as Gander Mtn. on guns. Their selection on ammo and reloading components is also much smaller than Gander's was.

I'll give Gander Mountain 1 thing, their store space for the most part was taken up by merchandise. Much of Bass Pro's is taken up by fluff...and the one in my area is not in the least as impressive as the Cabela's I went to in Hamburg Pennsylvania.

Gun shops seem to be popping up all over the place in the Richmond Metro area though. Some of them were previously Gun Show and kitchen table transfer exclusively, and now have opened up small shops.
Someone close to the Hopkins family(founders of Green Top), told me they may be opening a new store in the area as well. The more the merrier, I hope it drives prices down.
 
Their selection on ammo and reloading components is also much smaller than Gander's was.
Click to expand...

If their selection of reloading equipment and components is smaller than our Gander's, then they won't have one at all. Our Gander has no reloading tools and the components take up about 4' of one isle.

Here it isn't just about hunting though. Central Arkansas has spectacular fishing, so I imagine that part of the store will do just as good if not better than the hunting side.
 
I go to Gander Mountain for laughs.

Yes lots of ammo and guns and other stuff but way higher prices.

but now and then.....
I got a Sig P6 when GM sold them for $299.
I got a Italian WW2 Beretta 1934, military .380 for $260. No import marks on it and it works perfect.

But those two were exceptions to the GM rule (that is way high prices.)

Deaf
 
Barry, look for a used 1895. Things may be different now, but 3 years back, the new ones were not at all as good as the old ones. :uhoh:
 
Many Gander Mountains around here. I only go into one in a last resort type situation. Their prices are rediculous.
 
No Gander Mountain stores around me, but there is a Bass Pro and a Cabela's within 5 minutes of where I work in St. Charles, MO. In between them? Graf's Reloading. I go there instead...at least for the supplies I don't order from Midway or Natchez (hazmat stuff). All gun purchases go through my local gun shop, run by a great guy in Highland, IL who I'm happy to support. Besides, those big chain places never seem to have what I want.
 
We have a store just outside of Richmond Va called Green Top Hunting and Fishing. It was awesome!! I went into my first Gander Mountain while in Little Rock Ak this passed thanksgiving. I like these stores!! My wife gets worried when I go. lol
 
I love big box stores like Gander, Bass Pro, and Cabelas. I can go there check out the goods in person and then.....9 times outta 10 pull out my smart phone and order the item cheaper somewhere else.
 
I just had my first Gander Mountain experience.

One opened here about 2 weeks ago and I made it there Sunday. I bought a very nice 1927 Tula ex Dragoon Mosin Nagant for about $190 after tax.

It took them forever to process and I didn't get to look around much, so another trip may be necessary to form a well rounded opinion.

I say another gun retailer is good, even if not perfect.
 
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