Do you like your local gun shop?

some shops don't seem to care if they do any business or not; I've found this most often occurs with shops that have been there for decades and probably have very little overhead. I'll stop into these ones occasionally to see if anything interesting has come in, but they don't get any of my new gun/accessory/ammo/reloading supply business.

Yeah, I do like my local gunshop.

When I go in looking for a new gun, I pretty well know the going price, what the average dealer cost is, what it costs online (Bud's) and what I will give for it.

My new Elsie Pea was bought at my local gun/pawn shop. I paid $300 for her ($10 more than Bud's) and I was happy. The gal came down from the $339 sticker price with no dickering cause she knew how much she had in it and knew I did too. True, this was the third or fourth gun I've bought from them, (all Rugers) so she also knew I was serious when I asked.

Treat the LGS fair and they will usually treat you fair.

I had a favorite until the owner quoted me $3 OVER list price (he rounded to the nearest 10,in HIS favor) .I didn't let on that I had shopped around before I asked for a quote so I bought from another LGS whose quote was 75 under MSRP.
I still go to shop A for supplies and used guns but go to shop B for my new guns.
I guess I can say I like my LGSs but I shake my head when it comes to the way some do business,

Yes, I like my LGS! Several ex-marines working there who are willing to share their accumulated knowledge, and respectfully listen to my opinions whether they agree or not. Always give me a break on price (and their asking prices are reasonable). Are very helpful when I am trying to figure the proper gun for a given task.

The nearest shop to me is good, has a good inventory of popular items and generally helpful staff.

Now the one further away is another story altogether. They are far larger in size and sales volume, but are on the take a number system, with customers standing in line for even ammo, never answer the phone if you want to ask a question or quiz them about stock. I find I have less reason to visit them all the time.

My lgs is great. They go out of their way to help you. You just have to be patient bc they are very busy most of the time. If they don't know something I ask they will actually say "I don't know". And they will try and find out. Lifetime warranty on all guns, new and used, and they usually have the cheapest prices to boot.

My old one, no, total dicks. They were the typical "if you arent here to pay 50% more than anywhere else, we dont want your business" and "your 'internet knowledge' is not welcome here" type of place. Every DPMS/Bushy/Armalite AR was $1700 and they wouldn't stop eating their lunch or talking with a friend to let me look at a rifle.(I am only 27) They preyed on old people who were out of touch with actual gun prices.

My new shop, yes. Palmetto State Armory opened a store last year, I went in the first day they opened their doors and got a tour and a free hat I talked to the owner for about an hour. I think I have been in there at least 4 times a month since.

They are okay. The one closest to me in mainly centered on sporting shotguns and shotgun reloading, since there is a really nice Sportsman's Club about 5 miles from his store (he even closes early on wednesdays to go shoot trap. He says that it doesn't hurt business because a lot of his clients are there too). He also has a good selection of Glocks, Rugers, Sigs, and Smith&Wessons, and a few rifles. I'm mainly interested in surplus rifles and older handguns, so his shop isn't that great for me. Not much ammo selection either (although he stocks some oddballs like 30 luger and 5mm rimfire). If he would carry surplus rifles, surplus ammo, and more old handguns, I'd be in there all the time. How it is now I just stop in about once a month, poke around to see if he has my kind of stuff, buy some cleaning supplies, and leave.
There is another shop about ten miles from me that's about the size of a master bedroom. They have a pistol display case that's about 6-8 feet long, and not particually full, and about 20 long guns, including some surplus pieces. They have a lot more ammo than the first store, and carry a good selection of surplus ammo, and speciality 22lr. They have semi-goofy/irregular hours, otherwise I'd go there a lot more.
Overall I buy most of my ammo and accessories at gun shows or online. I buy guns from area dealers, but I don't think that I've ever bought 2 firearms from the same dealer, as I shop around and am willing to travel an hour or so to pick it up (mind you I have to take 2 trips with Illinois' waiting period).
It's my opinion that the vast majority of gun shops are in business because the owners are into guns, and not to make money. Most of these shops don't even know how to run a business, like having weird hours, or bad stores, no prices on anything, no advertising, etc.

What local gun shop?
You got a local gun shop??

Walmart finished off most of them in my city, then quit selling guns.
The ones that survived Walmart were wiped out by a new Cabala's 25 miles away.

All we have now is a pawn shop that thinks used guns are worth more then new guns.
Kind of like Cabala's.

rc

Do I like my local gun shop?
No.

I would not trust them making a repair to a $50 Saturday Night Special. :banghead:

Indianapolis is kind of a funny place. Yes, I like two or three of our local gun shops a lot...and I hate a couple of others. All in all, Indianapolis is a pretty good gun shop town.

Indianapolis also has the distinction of having absolutely the worst gun shop on the face of the earth here. Rude, condescending, and downright belligerent sales people selling crappy inventory. I am going to decline to name the place as a) if you don't live here you don't care, and b) if you do live here, you know which place I mean .

Mine is reasonable but not cheap on firearms, but on other things a little high like ammo. My last purchase I offered $50 less than priced, he wouldn't come down so I told him I would check around. I did, two weeks later when I walked in I just said I give up! He laughed and got the pistol, then dropped the price $25 which was less than I could find it anywhere else. I have seen him bore sight free for total strangers and knows firearms well.

Mine is reasonable but not cheap on firearms, but on other things a little high like ammo. My last purchase I offered $50 less than priced, he wouldn't come down so I told him I would check around. I did, two weeks later when I walked in I just said I give up! He laughed and got the pistol, then dropped the price $25 which was less than I could find it anywhere else. I have seen him bore sight free for total strangers and knows firearms well.

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That will be the last time you haggle with him. Try it again and he will remind you.

My favorite gun store is Moe's Hardware Hank in Black River Falls. They sell new guns as cheap as Buds or Davidsons and also do transfers for both. I have yet to ask them about a gun that they didn't have down in the basement or been able to order and have within 3 days. I believe their sign claims they have over 2000 guns in stock.....and I believe it. They give good trade in allowances and have a good selection of reloading supplies with prices comparable to online. They are a family run business and are just nice folks all around. Very seldom have I gone in there and the owner is not behind the counter. They are a huge Hardware store also and walking in the front door is like going back in time.

Check 'em out...............Moe Hardware

Do you like your gun shop

The nearest gun shops of any size are about fifteen miles away. One specializes in military type weapons and prices are high. The other has a broad selection of everything you would want in a gun shop. However, the prices are incredibly high. There is a small gun shop and a pawn shop locally. The gun shop prices are high but not as bad as the others, but still higher than the internet dealers. The pawn shop is good for using the FFL at twenty five dollars a transfer but his prices are high.

I have one LGS that I will never set foot in again. I don’t care if it is the last one on earth. The guys there are anything but friendly and if you have a different opinion then theirs you are flat out wrong and they will tell you that. When I was looking at .22lr pistols they actually laughed at me, because .22lr are for lady’s and kids.
There is another LGS in town that has really nice guys behind the counter. They have a decent stock of guns and there prices compete with the internet. The other side of the store is the reloading shop. His prices are right inline with Midway USA before shipping, heck sometimes his prices are even better. When I bought my reloading setup he took the time to do a dry run of the process with me. They also like it when you bring your kids with you and they make a point to say hi to my son and treat him with respect. You don’t get that at to many places when you walk in with an autistic child.

Does this happen to others, or do I have the face of a serial killer?

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Nope. Same thing happens to me constantly.
We have four around here right now, and oddly enough, after I started spending money almost exclusively in the one that didn't and started steering younger shooters to this specific one, the treatment got better.
Not good, but better. At this point one is a place where they refer to me and the pink haired wife as "the kids" and inquire more about how our College is going than about what we want and the other they know the wife as the rabid Beretta fan.

So do I like my LGS? In 50% of the cases and after about a year ... yes.

The folks in and around Huntsville, Al are very fortunate to have Larrys...They have no serious competition, and they are friendly, helpful and very fair on their prices. The indoor range is nice, with helpful range masters as well. Gander Mountain just down the road from them definitely can't compete with them, and another guy opened a couple of stores locally, but isn't competitive either. I believe I heard that Larry's was the Ruger Dealer of the Year last year. They are big Glock and Kimber movers, as well as S&W. They sell all types of new and used firearms, and all kinds of accessories. If they don't have it, they'll get it for you. I've bought guns from them as a resident, and as a non-resident, and always treated great. There's always a sale going on, and they seem to always have the ammo you want when no one else did...Great group of folks...

Honestly, it sucks here in this little town. One big player thinks they have the best deals in town, having the RCBS operations right next door (like that makes it a big deal) and they are usually 30% higher than any price you can find at shops lke Cabellas. There's a half dozen other smaller shops in town and they can always beat the prices of the big shop but they can't really carry that much inventory, so... you hear, "I can order it for you..." blah, blah, blah... but if you buy out of state and pay shipping and then pay the state extortion fees, you're still cheper than the big player prices out the door.
Do I support them, Yes, I try to but let's get real... if I place an order and expect it to arrive in a week or so, don't keep telling me you don't know when it'll arrive 3 months later!
This happened top me in late March and I ended up going to Berry's online and had the stuff I needed in 4 days.
If you own a small local gun store, you better be better than everyone else and you better take care of every single potential customer, because for every one you loose, they'll tell three others and pretty soon, you won't have a business.

There are about 5 in my area. One of which has stellar service and competitive pricing. The closest one to me has a good selection, they remember my name, and don't care that I am under 30. 2 of them seem to think because I am younger, that I'm not worth their time. Of these 2, one has a decent selection and the other one just sucks so I stay away. Unfortunately, none of them seem to have a great used gun selection, which is unfortunate.

Overall they are pretty darn good.

within 45 minuets of my home I have 4 .. maybe 5 shops that I can do buisness with .

Of them . 3 are outstanding for various reasons (Customer Service/knowledge/prices)

1)Wallenpaupack Sports Shop in Hawley, PA . Owner wont BS you at all, very competitive pricing

2)Advanced Arms in Pitston, PA. very enthusiastic sales staff, eager to show and tell/answer your questions.

3)Gun Toters in Eynon, PA . Again very eager to help, answers questions, knowledgable advice, and in general a friendly atmosphere


The other two, I wont name, even to bash them . One of them features a dealer who will show you anything on the shelf , then give you a thousand reasons why it's not the right gun for you . he'll then bash whatever your carrying or shooting . I'll be honest , I stop in there for entertainment value on occasion. The other shop, features everyones favorite "Your stuff is junk/buy mine because it's more costly" attitude . and the general "You annoy me" aire as soon as you ask a question .


So I guess you could say I love 3/5ths of my LGS lol

I am very lucky to have three great, locally owned gun shops within 10 miles of my home. I try to spread my business among them as much as I can.

There used to be two gun shops here in town similar to what the OP described; they went out of business.

My old gun shop...

It used to be DeLar depot in Wilmington, VT. Larry knew my dad since the 1950's and ran a great shop. Because he knew me to be a gun nut from an early age, he'd often let me shoot the new-to-him used guns and his own collectors whenever I'd stop by. Many a time when I was a young lad I was introduced to a weapon that most young lads would NEVER be allowed to touch. I fired my first WW2 era M-1 there and the one and only time I've ever fired an honest to God brought back Luger.

Sadly, Larry died a few years back, and I was forced to go elsewhere.

Kip was another family friend who owned the general store in Wardsboro, but he had some kids working for him that broke in and robbed his handgun case. He ended up having to sell the place by the time the court case was done.

I've been frequenting Trader John's in Winchester, NH (hahaha ironic)
It's a bit of a drive, but well worth the prices.

I have posted here about the Elmer Fudd's of the gunshop business...
I just won't shop there without calling first to ask if they have a certain gun.