Best store for gun prices?

[JImbothefiveth]

Which store has the best prices on guns?
I have two cabela's near me, the Dundee and the Wheeling.
A little north of the cabela's are guns gallore and a bass pro shop.
I think there is a gander mountain somewhere nearby.
There is a Dick's sporting goods, but I'm not sure if they carry handguns.
There might be a dunham's.
And there are a ton of smaller stores.

The gun I'm looking for is a ruger mark III, or maybe a 22/45, have not yet decided on which model.

Thanks,
Jimbo!

 

[mgkdrgn]

I know nothing about the stores in your area.

However, if we all keep on looking to buy everything with the "lowest price" being the ONLY determining factor, we'll end up with a nation full of WalMarts and nothing else. That also means we'll be dealing with a "know nothing" clerk who works in shoes one day, hardware the next, sporting goods every other Thursday, and won't know 22 Hornet from 22 short.

After the sale service and a knowledgeable sales staff have value, and don't come for free.

 

[p2000sk]

Best store for gun prices?

Your store, when are you going to open?
You could rest assured, your costs would be modest.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

However, if we all keep on looking to buy everything with the "lowest price" being the ONLY determining factor, we'll end up with a nation full of WalMarts and nothing else.

I have a specific product in mind, so which of the big name stores I listed usually has the best prices?

Willing to travel to southern Michigan, Western Pensylvania, southern Ohio.

Just for the purposes of this thread assume I live a bit north of Cincinatti.

 

[Crazy Fingers]

Most gun shops have crap for selection. Many also have crap for attitude. ("Savage is S***!" or "I said you can't shoot clays with a side by side!") Add that to prices that are 50% to twice as high as they should be, and my advice is to find the one with the lowest FFL transfer fee and just order it from www.budsgunshop.com or similar.

 

[SCKimberFan]

Go South Young Man.

Paris Kentucky. (Just a bit north of Lexington)

Bud's Gun Shop.

 

[USP40guy]

Cabela's prices are very inflated as are most department stores like Dicks and Gander Mtn. You might be better off finding the best deal for the make and model gun from some online gun shops (CDNN, etc). which might save you more than $100. Then include the gun shipping and having the local FFL transfer fees where you live, and see which works out to be the better deal.

 

[twoclones]

After shopping around and buying 2 S&W handguns, Sportsman's Warehouse has the best prices in my area.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Well, I'm a little apprehensive about ordering off the internet.

Bud's gun shop is in kentucky?
That may be the best option yet.

What about guns gallore?
How are they?

After shopping around and buying 2 S&W handguns, Sportsman's Warehouse has the best prices in my area.

I didn't know they had stores, I though they were a mail-order company.

 

[jhansman]

It is hard to beat Bud's prices, but they can be hard to get on the phone or by email after sales. Also, be sure you want that gun before you commit to buying from them online. I learned the hard way that a canceled purchase will run you 10% in 'restocking fees.'

 

[Diver]

Check out Guns Galore. I was just there Friday pricing an XD45. They had the best price I've seen for it. Can't say about the Ruger.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Don't know about your area, but Scheels All Sports beats the heck out of Cabelas, Bass Pro, and Dicks.

 

[ColinthePilot]

Most gun shops have crap for selection. Many also have crap for attitude. ("Savage is S***!" or "I said you can't shoot clays with a side by side!") Add that to prices that are 50% to twice as high as they should be, and my advice is to find the one with the lowest FFL transfer fee and just order it from www.budsgunshop.com or similar.

+1

I like buying from local dealers when possible, and depending on what I'm looking for and what area I'm living in at the time, sometimes they have better selection. That was the case a year ago when I was looking for a bolt action .22 rifle.

However, very few gun shops that I've encountered have anything approaching decent service. Its usually a bunch of good ole boys who treat anyone who isn't a good ole boy like total crap. I'm a young guy, and I always get treated like a total idiot. That same shop that had the .22 I wanted also had a salesman who simply couldn't comprehend that I wanted a bolt action rifle in .22LR and insisted on wasting my time and his showing me every semi-auto, lever, and pump action rifle in the store. He was convinced that I didn't know anything about guns or what I wanted.

As far as price, I would like to support the local shops to keep them running. I've done it plenty of times, but again, I'm a young guy and sometimes I can't afford to pay 50% more for a particular gun just to support a local dealer.

 

[halfbreed808]

CDNN in Texas; pretty good prices.

 

[theken206]

sounds like yall need to find better gunshops IMO, I wouldnt spend any money in some place I felt i wasnt treated with respect.

"and I always get treated like a total idiot"

well........ they cant all be wrong can they, ya know what they say about a duck quacking and all my friend


heheheheheh, just kidding there dude, I know what you mean sometimes

 

[mgkdrgn]

Well, I'm a little apprehensive about ordering off the internet.

Bud's gun shop is in kentucky?
That may be the best option yet.

Remember, if you go out of state, you can't walk out of the store with the gun.(handgun anyway) You'll have to have it shipped to an FFL in your state of residence to complete the sale.

So, now you are out the travel time, the travel $, the interstate shipping, the FFL transfer fee, and the sales tax in the state where you made the purchase.

Still saving any $?

IMHO ... two plans of action:
1) "Hands on" sales. Find a local shop you like (and you can define "like" any way you want) and deal with them. What they don't have in stock they can always order. They may not be the cheapest on purchase price alone, but you avoid all the costs mentioned above by dealing with someone further away.

2) Internet sales. Find a local FFL willing to work with you and purchase on-line. Plenty of sources of good used guns, as well as NIB guns there.

Personally, I use #2 as well as personal sales.

Your mileage may vary. No warranty express or implied. Void in all 50 states, PR and US territories. Any resemblance to person, living or dead, or any present or past events is a damn shame.

 

[22-rimfire]

Go to Buds in Paris (near Lexington KY). They have a retail store, but the pricing is not the same as the online prices. It is rarely cost effective to drive to the shop if there is any real distance involved just to pick up the gun. They ship it to your FFL and you pick it up there after any NICs checks and so forth.

However, if we all keep on looking to buy everything with the "lowest price" being the ONLY determining factor, we'll end up with a nation full of WalMarts and nothing else. That also means we'll be dealing with a "know nothing" clerk who works in shoes one day, hardware the next, sporting goods every other Thursday, and won't know 22 Hornet from 22 short.

This is good advice! Today you want a specific item, tomorrow you need help.... they can't help you at Wallyworld. Also in general, if you are talking about a handgun, driving across state lines may not be the cheapest approach when you consider shipping and other fees especially when you are pricing things relative to "regular prices" not wholesale.

 

[graygun]

I bought a Ruger SR9 for 391.00 plus tax at a gun show(525.00 list). I've looked at prices at Academy,Cabelas and Sportsmans Wharehouse and don't like the prices. IE: 376.00 for a Ruger P95 at Academy; S.W. : cheapest 9mm was a Stoeger Cougar for 399.00. This in San Antonio/Austin area.

Gun shows and online are cheaper(on some of the products)from what I've seen.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Well, I'd like to get a new one, from a reputable dealer, so as to not have blown my entire budget on parts.

 

[Auburn1992]

I've found that Sportsmans Warehouse has damed good prices. Most of the time beating or matching internet pricing.

 

[Seafarer12]

I've found that Sportsmans Warehouse has damed good prices. Most of the time beating or matching internet pricing.

I am with you. I use to say Buds had the best prices but they raised their prices. Unless you have an uber cheap FFL like me they arent worth it. I went into SW today and they had to transfer it in from another store but I am getting a Contender frame for 56 bucks less than Buds. Even with tax it will still be 36 bucks less not counting an FFL transfer. The local gun shop had the same gun for 6 bucks less than Buds. I usually like to go local but if it is 50 bucks cheaper to go to a big store I will do it. I didn't get the money I have by handing it out to people for the hell of it.

As far as the whole Walmart statement. I go for the lowest price for the product I want. Where a product is made is important to me. Less than 5% of everything I buy is from China. That is a hard thing to do. I also avoid Walmart all together. As far as know nothing salesman. They are just about as bad as the know all cocky clerks at the smaller gun shops. Before I go to get a gun I get all the information I need so I don't care if the clerk knows anything, as long as he can do all the paperwork.

 

[Auburn1992]

The only thing that SW has that I don't like is fairly expensive 9mm ammo. Winchester 50 rd boxes are like ~$11-12 while @ WalMart theyre ~$9.

Other than that, SW even matches WM on 40 rd boxes of 22-250 and .223.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Well, I think I'm going to do what should have been obvious: I'll call and ask!
I would still like to hear more on this subject though.

 

[ProficientRifleman]

I really like Montana Ordnance and Supply, in Missoula. It isn't the biggest gun shop in the area, but the fellows who run the place are very friendly and knowledgeable. If they don't have it, they can get it for you usually in just a few days.

And, when you buy a gun you get a T-shirt!

 

[MIL-DOT]

Though it's been mentioned already, I just today ordered a CZ 452 from Budsgunshop,best deal I've seen anywhere .And they already had my local FFL on file !!! Damn !! How cool is that !!!