Changes coming to Gander Mtn ?

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brj3car

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While visiting the local Gander Mountain last week one of the clerks told us that his store was reconfiguring the gun sales area in the near future. Evidently management is tired of having expensive rifles handled, dinged, and dropped by wannabes who aren't buying. The new sales area will require serious customers to request which rifle they want to see, and the sales associate will retrieve it for them.

Has anyone else heard this ?
 
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At my local Gander store (Lake Mary, FL) the guns on the shelves are display models. The guns they actually sell are kept in the back storeroom NIB.
 
Seeing as the oly use I have for GM is their price-match to items not in stock at LGS and their catalog of guns to fondle and inspect before ordering from LGS, I wouldn't be surprised.

But I also wouldn't worry too much about the musings of GM's gun-counter employees, who in my experience range from clueless about handguns and wanting to talk imaginary Obamatron politics ... or ... clueless about handguns and wanting to debate calibers with customers.

It sure is nice how they price-match a quote written on the back of a LGS business card, though.
 
The Gander Mountain near me also keeps the NIB models in the back room. But there have been a couple occasions when I wanted a certain gun and they only had the one floor model left, which I passed on because it was of course all dinged up from handling.

So maybe its a good thing if they start keeping them out of reach.
 
My local GM store has the display models behind the counter, with the floor stock in the back. Very few times have I seen the floor model for sale, and then it's because they've run out of that particular model, or else it's been discontinued. Most of the time the gun has also been discounted (not a whole lot though), and eventually will find its way over to the used gun rack.
 
In my experience all the floor models at Gander are in terrible shape (scratches, rust, dents). Every time I try to buy a rifle or shotgun they say the floor model is the only one left. When I say I don't want to buy a floor sample that has been handled by thousands of people they always say it was just put out on the floor today! Since they say it every time, I doubt that either statement is true. Putting the guns behind the counter to protect them is an improvement in my opinion.
 
All the guns out on racks and available for me to peruse at my own leisure is one of the things I always liked about Gander Mountain. Though I'm not surprised they're making this move and I'm am surprised it's taken this long. Were I running a gunshop I sure wouldn't want every dummy that walked by to have full, unsupervised access to my inventory. Let's face it, there are a lot of uneducated tire kickers out there that could care less about damaging property that does not belong to them.
 
Well, It's one more for me to go there, look, and BUY somewhere else... and yes, the Employees at the Charleston WV store are either incompetent or under trained...
 
the Employees at the Charleston WV store are either incompetent or under trained...
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You could say that about just about every gun shop I've ever been in. IMHO, gun retailers, no matter who they are, are always a very poor source of information on guns, shooting, self defense and gun laws. As usual, it's ALWAYS in the buyer's best interests to educate himself and take everything spoken in a gun shop, gun show, big box store and the internet with a grain of salt. Including this post. ;)
 
I have always asked for a discount if the display is the only one they have, and 7 out of 8 times I have received 10% off the price for the display model (Wal-Mart, Academy Sports)

It pays to ask.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
Besides, it's their job to hand you any gun you want to look at. You shouldn't be detered from looking at a gun just because some guy behind the counter has to hand it to you. It's his job. He gets paid for providing this service.
 
Aw4g63 said:
Besides, it's their job to hand you any gun you want to look at. You shouldn't be detered from looking at a gun just because some guy behind the counter has to hand it to you. It's his job. He gets paid for providing this service.
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Agree completely but at my local GM it takes forever to get their attention for even a quick question. I will pass on them if they put the long guns behind the counter at some point. (not like they have that good of a selection near me anyways)
 
I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods but I NEVER buy at Gander unless I'm just desperate to pay double for something. If they'd lower their prices then maybe they'd have more guns moving and fewer guns sitting on the shelves collecting dust. I priced my Smith and Wesson MP-15T at Gander before I bought it at another local store and Gander had it for $500 more than the other location! I wished them a nice day, bought my Smith, and mounted an Eotech 556 with what I saved from avoiding the Mountain.
 
I have bought a number of guns at my local GM. Most of the employees at that store are fairly knowledgeable about guns (most have their CHL, too). The nice thing is there is an Academy across the freeway from them which has much lower prices on many guns (sometimes more than $100 for the same gun). GM will price match and I don't have to go through Academy's ridiculous purchasing process. I got my Beretta PX4 Storm for $519.00 that way (GM had it priced at $599.00).
 
I've bought a couple new guns at GM but have been able to find an occasional good deal on used guns. For example a like new GP 100 for $400. LN Ruger Mini 14 tactical with the 16" bbl for $550. Excellent condition Smith 686 for $400. There have been several others. Best deal I've seen was a like new Sigma 9ve for $200. I already had a 9ve and a 40ve so I passed it up. When I went back a couple days later to buy it the gun was gone.

The majority of their used guns are not good deals and some are so overpriced it's laughable. I take advantage when I find something priced right and pass on everything else. There are deals to be had if you check often enough.
 
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