3 months for a lcp! or get raped

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moooose102

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i went to the store where i ordered a ruger lcp saturday, he told me there were 25 people in front of me, and it would probably be around 3 months before i would see the lcp! so, then today, i went to a gun show and the only lcp that was there had a price of $385.00 on it, when i asked if he would take less, the guy asked the owner, he said NO! i told him i had a ccw, and cash, he still said no. i told him to keep it. i will not be raped by a greedy business owner. i talked to two other people, they were in the same ball park, they said it was the distributor jacking up the prices, yeah right, i found another guy who was selling them for $295.00, but did not have any at that time. the place i ordered from quoted me $289.00. so do not believe those greedy proprietors who are trying to rape us on the price of the lcp's. i remember how this worked in the early eighties with honda cars. the supply was way less than the demand, so the DEALERS were selling them at full retail plus a premium, which was based on your income! a regular working stiff had no chance at one, but a doctor or lawyer, who could afford an extra 10% could walk out the door in an hour. i know to some of you, this is just fine, those of you who have lots of money, but to me, it stinks. i am seriously re-thinking a kel-tec p3at!
 
I noticed that the MSRP is around $330 with some dealers selling a little less for pre-sales...I say: just wait a little bit, it will come down. After all, it's a Ruger....:)
BTW, the early reviews have been fairly decent...
 
You call it getting raped. I call it basic economics. Demand is far outstripping supply for the LCP. You can pay more money to have it in less time, or you can pay more time to have it for less money. No dealer is forcing you to buy the gun at a higher price.
 
Guys look up benton shooters in Tn they have some in stock at normal $'s
Good luck
 
I got mine in exactly 1 month - ordered 3/12, came in 4/12. - for $299. I think the key is to go to a high-volume dealer. Even though more people will be in front of you, they'll get a lot more in.

I took mine into a smaller gun shop to look at holsters - they'd heard of the LCP, but haven't even gotten their first one in! Mine came in the third shipment at the higher-volume place.

It's pretty nice - but nothing to get all in a twist about... I'll sell it to you for $450.... kidding ;)
 
i've been without a small .380 for a long time... never. why let the "bandwagon" cause you to spend more money. maybe Ruger will release a new, pocket 9mm :)
 
Going to a high volume dealer is key. Where I bought mine they have received at least 50 in the past month. Most smaller dealers in the area have gotten 2-5 max some have yet to see one. I paid $269.99 for mine, I won't give a greedy dealer my business.
 
DEALERS were selling them at full retail plus a premium,
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Welcome to economics 101. Dealers like to make money--it keeps them in business. If you don't like the amount of money they make off of your purchase, go elsewhere.
 
Asked my dealer to order one right after they were introduced, came in two weeks ago, $265 out the door.
 
I almost never buy something in the first production runs, because that's when the bugs are discovered. I may or may not end up with one of these little .380's, but I can assure you that when I got over feeling that I had to have the first one in the neighborhood I did much better then when I was always in a rush. Let someone else do the beta testing... :scrutiny:
 
Be patient and let the supply come up and the price go down. Ruger will make more. ;)

This happens a lot in the car business, too. Remember the hype surrounding the Mazda Miata and Chrysler PT Cruiser - to name but a couple - when they first came out?
 
moooose102,

Since you mentioned it and no one else has brought it up, why the Ruger instead of the P3AT? They are in the $265 range and easily found.
 
I picked up a like new LCP at the gunshow this weekend, and older guy said shooting the gun hurt his arthritis. He sold it to me with everything for $280 OTD, so I guess I will be one of Ruger's Beta tester's. We will see if its all its cracked up to be, I hope so.

Dealers at the show stated "If they could get one" the price point they were selling for was "$300-350" and one volume dealer was at $400+. And the only one they had was gone by the end of the show. The first one the other decent dealer got in this week he stated he kept for himself. And he offered to buy mine from me for a profit but I want to give this little pistol a chance first.

All the current ones on GB are selling for the $300 and up range.

We shall see.
 
It amazes me how so many still don't understand the basic concept of supply and demand.
Click to expand...

I have a reasonable grasp of economics, but I also understand running a business, and alienating a customer over an extra $50-100 in short-term profit is not the obvious best result that simple economics in a vacuum might suggest.
 
If you want the LCP, order it and put it out of your mind - 3 months will fly by. If you are unarmed, and really need something that size, I guess get the 3AT.

However, if you buy the KT just "because," in 3 months (when you could have gotten your LCP) you will be kicking yourself. I agree with others the LCP is not much (if any) better than the KT, but if you want the LCP, then the KT is a bad substitute for you.

I'm as succeptible as anyone to the "gotta-have-it-now" syndrome, but usually regret if I give in.
 
I finally handled one---he had it marked at $330---subject to haggling---bet $310 to $315 would take it.

Anyway--a lot of lookers and no buyers.

After actually touching one---I don't think I'll be buying one---just didn't feel right---I'd probably get serious about buying one if they lengthened the grip a half inch or so and added a couple shots in the process.
 
Patience can be rewarding.

Viewed from another perspective, over the years I've found it increasingly easier to resist becoming a Beta-Tester for manufacturers when it comes to new designs ...
Click to expand...

This has been my experience also. While I'm sure its a great little gun, I can live without it until they are readily available and have become proven over a little time.
 
I owned a KT and have handled an LCP. I like the LCP better. It feels (subjective I know) better built with better fit and finish. I know it's the same basic design, but the build means something too.

On Thursday of last week "Wildalaska" (Wild West Guns) over at TFL posted one for 279.00 delivered to your FFL. It was gone within 11 minutes. It should be arriving at MY FFL tomorrow. :D.

Even considering the 20.00 transfer fee, I'll come out the same as if I paid 279.00 for it locally. No sales tax on this one.

I was at a gunshow this weekend and handled one there for the first time. He had 330.00 firm on it. I heard from another fellow that there was one for 399.00 at another table.

This was Saturday. They were both gone by Sunday. People will pay a premium for the "gotta have it now" syndrome as noted above.

Luckily I ran across Ken's post on Thursday before anyone else did.
 
It's called supply and demand. After "Dirty Harry" came out try to buy a S&W Model 29 for MSRP. It applies to anything in short supply. Try and buy a Shelby Mustang for sticker price. We call that capitalism and if you can make more money tha's good for all of us.
 
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