Hey KY, welcome to The High Road. I guess it's just a personal thing with me, but I'd rather deal with a local gunshop (unless he/she's got a table at the show. I hear that you can occasionally get a deal at a show, and more often hear that you can get a "steal" online; and these things may be true. But I'd rather start a love affair with someone I can see face-to-face when I feel like seeing them, than "score" now and then. I kinda base it on my car. I drive a 16 year old car with a bunch of miles on it. I used to do all the work on it myself until I met a guy at a service station/gas station down the street. He replaced some front-end parts for me a couple of years ago for for not much more than I could have done it myself... sans the "pain in the ass factor" in the snow. Turned out that I could trust him. He lets me know what I need without selling me anything I don't. I have the same kind of relationship with a guy (Forrest) at my local Gander Mountain. He's quite knowledgeable, doesn't push, and is always ready and willing to help. Others there are also about the same. They treat me right, and I spend money with them. I've also been called when they got something in that they knew I was interested in. The same is true at a gunshop North of me in Merrill. None of us are beer drinking, Packer's watching buddies, but they look out for me, and I spend my money with them.
If you try your local people and they're rude to you or aren't willing to work with you (and it CAN happen), THEN you go online. But first I reccommend that you try and establish a relationship with the folks where you live. I'd rather hire my neighbors than a stranger.
I know that this is becomming a foreign concept now that we all have computers and are connected to the whole world, and we can save a few bucks in Miami or 20 cents in some other country. My "friends" are always close to the best price, it not willing to match or beat it. I hope you'll try them at least.
Robb