Caveat Emptor/Gun Business

[JJNA]

I am curious. Do other folks have bad experiences with merchants dealing in guns and gear?

Me: Do you have a Mitch Rosen for model X in 9mm?
Dealer: No, I don't. Here is one for .40 S&W.
Me: But that doesn't fit a 9.
Dealer: Actually, it does. Mitch Rosen makes his holster to fit both 9 and 40.
Me: Really? The guns are different sizes.
Dealer: You are right. They are slightly different, but they should both fit the 40 holster.
Me: I don't think that's the case.
[Dealer offers me dummy guns of both 9 and 40. I try them on the 40 holster.]
Me: Urgh. It's too loose for the 9.
Dealer: [Searches through his pile.] My fault. There is one for 9. Here you go.
Me: Yes, that one actually fits better. I'll take the 9 model. Since I am also buying a belt at the same time, is there a discount?
Dealer: No. But I'll throw in a leather conditioner, $12 value.
Me: Thank you. I appreciate that.
[Dealer hands me everything in a plastic sack, bids me goodbye.]
Me: [Look through the sack and find no leather conditioner, wait patiently until the dealer attends to a few other customers.] Sir, you didn't give me a leather conditioner.
Dealer: Oh, sorry. Here you go.

I am by no means suggesting all merchants involved in the trade are like that, but it seems at a minimum that, compared to, say, computer business, there is much more smoke and mirrors.

 

[MSgt B]

Come down south here to York Co

On Route 17 in Grafton is the finest new/used gun store in this great land.

Get this. The front half of the store is TOBACCO - the back half is GUNS.

My wife thinks it's some freaky side door to hell.

Warning: If you come shopping here, be prepared to spend a pleasant afternoon chatting, sitting around on the chairs back there, and breathing all that stinky cigarette and cigar smoke. You can listen to the old-timers talking about how they used to ride horses in the pasture where that Wal-Mart is now etc etc...

You can buy anything from a 100 yr old 12 ga shotgun, to an AR-15
or from an original single-action Colt peacemaker, to a Sig Pro 2009

I could go on forever, but I'm getting all choked up. The place is like a second home to me.

 

[M-Rex]

On Route 17 in Grafton is the finest new/used gun store in this great land.

Get this. The front half of the store is TOBACCO - the back half is GUNS.

My wife thinks it's some freaky side door to hell.

Warning: If you come shopping here, be prepared to spend a pleasant afternoon chatting, sitting around on the chairs back there, and breathing all that stinky cigarette and cigar smoke. You can listen to the old-timers talking about how they used to ride horses in the pasture where that Wal-Mart is now etc etc...

You can buy anything from a 100 yr old 12 ga shotgun, to an AR-15
or from an original single-action Colt peacemaker, to a Sig Pro 2009

I could go on forever, but I'm getting all choked up. The place is like a second home to me.

Wow! That sounds like Heaven! When I die, just have someone ship me there.

 

[R.H. Lee]

Hey, lies, broken promises, bait & switch and shoddy merchandise have been working for the big global corporations, why can't the little guy get in on the action?

 

[JJNA]

Yes, but big global corporations also have low, low prices and wide, wide selections.

If mom-and-pop business are to survive, must they not offer better service, knowledge of products, niche items, etc.?

 

[Creeping Incrementalism]

Yes, but big global corporations also have low, low prices and wide, wide selections.

If mom-and-pop business are to survive, must they not offer better service, knowledge of products, niche items, etc.?

The only thing I pay for at gun stores is guns (and only laws keep me from buying directly over the Internet) and gunsmithing.

The guy could have probably found what he was looking for on the Internet in less time for less money.

 

[TallPine]

Do other folks have bad experiences with merchants dealing in guns and gear?

Um, no ... not me, but then I guess I have narrowed down the places where I shop for gun stuff.

For instance I won't even go into Scheels for anything anymore after they insisted they could order any gun that I wanted and then later refused to order a Saiga 7.62*39 because it was an "assault weapon"

Shipton's Big R and Butts Guns are my favorite places in Billings. I got a k-frame sized Bianchi holster at the latter for a very reasonable price (new but no packaging).

 

[Konall]

U...I won't even go into Scheels for anything anymore after they insisted they could order any gun that I wanted and then later refused to order a Saiga 7.62*39 because it was an "assault weapon"

I quit going into my local Scheels several years ago for similar reasons--too long to write here. Our freakin Wal-mart is better.

Lately however, I've at least been willing to buy things like cleaning supplies and hearing protection there. The reason? The corporation agreed to donate $20,000 over the next 2 years towards developing a local shooting range, and the local store is putting up an additional $1,000 a year. The local store may be staffed by a bunch of lying morons, but sombody there is on our side.

Those of you who complain about your cranky mom-n-pop gun shop types don't know how good you've got it. I live in the 3rd largest city in the state, and there are NO indy gun stores left here. 2 'sporting goods' stores have firearms sections, complete with clueless idiots behind the counter unless you happen to be there when the token clued guy (or gal in one case) is working. The other option is [K|Wal]-mart. :banghead:

 

[rbernie]

I've been treated worse at BMW and Ducati motorcycle shops all across the US, at high-end photography shops, and at just about every form of vertical market business than I have in all of my gunshop encounters.

Not all gunshop encounters are great, but all in all my experiences have been that the gunnie community serves less BS than most any other.

 

[BigRobT]

I am curious. Do other folks have with merchants dealing in guns and gear? I am by no means suggesting all merchants involved in the trade are like that, but it seems at a minimum that, compared to, say, computer business, there is much more smoke and mirrors.

I guess you shouldn't buy a new vehicle, either. They like to do that with their after-market paint protectant and leather protectant. Sure, it will stop stains on your leather !!! "Caveat Emptor", it's been the saying for CENTURIES!!!!

Come down south here to York Co

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Route 17 in Grafton is the finest new/used gun store in this great land.

Get this. The front half of the store is TOBACCO - the back half is GUNS.

My wife thinks it's some freaky side door to hell.

Warning: If you come shopping here, be prepared to spend a pleasant afternoon chatting, sitting around on the chairs back there, and breathing all that stinky cigarette and cigar smoke. You can listen to the old-timers talking about how they used to ride horses in the pasture where that Wal-Mart is now etc etc...

You can buy anything from a 100 yr old 12 ga shotgun, to an AR-15
or from an original single-action Colt peacemaker, to a Sig Pro 2009

I could go on forever, but I'm getting all choked up. The place is like a second home to me.

I sure miss Va since I've retired from the Big Grey Boat Club

 

[STW]

Shipton's Big R and Butts Guns are my favorite places in Billings. I got a k-frame sized Bianchi holster at the latter for a very reasonable price (new but no packaging).

I recently bought a GP160 at Shipton's Big R ($20 cheaper than a GP141). When they couldn't find the box the knocked off another 10% unasked. Out the door $315. What's not to like. Butt's is about as far from me as possible and still be in Billings so I don't get over there much. I wish casual stops there could be a tad more convenient.

 

[cbsbyte]

This story sounds like standred operating procedure for many gun shops, or at least to the ones I have been too. I do not trust them to give me a straight answer or good prices. I know there must be some good ones out there but not in my neck of the woods.

 

[JJNA]

I've been treated worse at BMW and Ducati motorcycle shops all across the US

That's why I buy Lexus and Infiniti!

Dealerships for neither place ever tried to sell "rust protection" or any other nonsense. In fact, on my last Infiniti purchase, the dealer negotiated with me on the Internet. I asked him for his best offer, he gave me his actual invoice (incl. of holdbacks and hidden manufacturer's incentives to the dealers and other good stuff the dealership doesn't tell consumers) +$700.

I thought it fair and picked up the vehicle that day. I will also likely buy an M35x from him in the near future.

I once took a Lexus I purchased elsewhere to a nearby dealership because of very slight, faint vibration noise. The dealer apologized repeatedly for this defect in quality, took the car apart and re-soundproofed everything, gave me a brand new car for loaner while it was being done WITH a full tank of gas, and had chocolates for me when I went to pick up the car.

All covered at no cost to me under the factory warranty (about the expire). He also told me that if I should have further trouble of the same kind, he'd honor the warranty beyond the 4-year period.

I see why he offered it. I have not had any more trouble (of any kind) from that car.

That's customer service, eh? He'd likely sell me a car in the future too (if I had continued to live in the state, that is).

Hard to find something like that for guns and related gear although I occasionally surprise myself when I run into a few.

Funny thing. I notice that outstanding businesses often offer competitive prices AND superior customer service. Of course, there are many businesses that offer competitive prices with sub-par customer service.

In gun business, however, I see lots of places with uncompetitive prices and sub-par customer service.

 

[Moonclip]

Motorcycle shops as well as gunshops or hobby businesses genereally seem to have reps for poor customer service and my experiences also show this.

 

[carp killer]

I just had a bad experience with an internet gun dealer. First time in 22 years of dealing with gun stuff. I couldn't believe someone can LIE like that and live with themselves. Oh well, it's been 22 years since the last SCUMBAG tried to RIP ME OFF. Over all, I think gun people are good folk. Better than the average population.

Maybe it's because we are armed.

 

[Janitor]

I've been treated worse at BMW and Ducati motorcycle shops all across the US

That's why I buy Lexus and Infiniti!

When did Lexus & Infiniti break into the motorcycle market?

I've seen much more consistantly good service at Harley shops than I have at gun shops. But I've never been in a gun shop that's had me leave feeling like they had tried to dupe me.

 

[mrmeval]

Shoes gun rack, KS&E are inside Indy, Bradis, Albros and Elmore(idiots) are outside. I am leaving Don the dumbass out of that list.

I mostly deal with Bradis though Shoe is an ex-policeman crippled by a sawed off single shot .22 and he's more than fair on price when I had to sell some of my guns off and on some things his price is reasonable.

Those of you who complain about your cranky mom-n-pop gun shop types don't know how good you've got it. I live in the 3rd largest city in the state, and there are NO indy gun stores left here. 2 'sporting goods' stores have firearms sections, complete with clueless idiots behind the counter unless you happen to be there when the token clued guy (or gal in one case) is working. The other option is [K|Wal]-mart. :banghead: