Do You Patronize Your Local Gun Shops?

[hemiram]

I buy some things at one place, no guns though, the prices are insane. There is another place where I do my transfers, and I've come close to buying a couple from him. One I went back for a day after I saw it, after I came into some cash unexpectedly, and it was gone.

There was a place where they were so good at ignoring you, you almost had to check to see if you were invisible. They only seemed to notice you if you had cash waving around, or you were one of the regulars. I bought one gun from them, supposedly new, but there was a year old receipt under the foam, and I went back and got a fair chunk of change back from them for trying to rip me off. They're out of business, the sons ran it into the ground about a year after the old man died.

 

[zombie44]

I patronize about 5 or so local shops regularly, there's probably been 5 others I'd never set foot in again either due to poor selection, ridiculous prices or poor attitudes by the staff. I haven't come across any screaming deals or steals yet on any of my revolver purchases, but usually come just under the prices I see on gunbroker, especially once you factor in the FFL and shipping charges. I've even been in one shop where they actually ziptied all their revolvers, one piece I clearly showed much interest on they refused to remove it for further inspection. Now I can understand pulling that crap on some rare $2500+ item but it was on a used $500 revolver

 

[TraditionalCatholic]

I do buy most of my things at a little shop that is just down the street from me. Their prices are a little higher than other local shops, but I feel that I should support them. Their ammo prices are actually pretty good, so I try to buy ammo from them when they have what I need, but no one in my family has purchased a gun yet from them. They just don't have much of a selection in guns.

 

[Russ Jackson]

I am blessed with a great local place here in Columbus Ohio named Vance Outdoors. They usually beat online prices and they have a great monthly flyer. It can be viewed online also. Knowlegable staff and good customers make this place top notch. Won't local shops match online prices? I bet if you are a regular they would especially if you buy the accessorys at the same time. Big boxes are nice but they just don't have that personal touch. Support your local gun shop it's not all about price. ...Russ

 

[gloucestergarand]

Local Toy Store vice online or big box alternative: I patronize my local shop, Hunter's Haven, here in Gloucester because when you need after sales service, because the competition (pawn shops, bix boxes) give you the Sgt. Schultz response if you need something fixed "right then and there". My case...I'd bought an AR during the election runups, and stopped by regularily to see what was on sale. Sure, I could have bought online and had it FFL'd cheaper, but mom and pop shops are what keeps our real economy going. Anyhow, two weeks back, like a fool, I fed my AR some Wolf and ended up with a signficant event on the range...one in the chamber (unsure if it was FTF or FTE) and one jammed behind the BCG. Anyhow, took it to Hunter's Haven on Labor Day (open for business)...I'd called ahead giving them a WARNO and the owner met me and took my AR back to his work space...BLUF: he was able to safely eject the jammed round then eject that (thankfully) spent cartridge out of the chamber. This was on a Labor Day, and I'd bought the rifle two years prior....how much did he charge? Nadda. That's the kind of service and support that brings folks back. The factory lifetime warranty didn't cover it, but local shop attitude did. I'm a happy camper. They have my business and subsequently, I walked out of the store with another purchase. Try this at your local Big Box...

 

[rbernie]

I buy the vast majority of my guns locally, and resell almost exclusively through two LGSs. I buy most of my supplies and accessories online.

 

[longhair75]

I prefer our local dealer to either Scheels or Cabela's. He has a much better selection and lower prices.

 

[Sgt_R]

Russ: I buy at Vance's too. I've found some good stuff at Blackwing and at the range in New Albany too, but nobody around here can compete with Vance's for everyday deals.

R

 

[22-rimfire]

I think you should support your local businesses as long as they are in the ball park on price. This applies to most things that I buy. The only things that I commonly buy online is ammunition, scopes, binoculars, and stuff that I simply can't find locally easily. I am not going to spend an entire day searching to buy some $10 widgit locally if I have any choice. But if I know where to find it locally and it is $12, I'll probably buy it there. ACE hardware is a classic location example for this kind of purchase.

 

[Hatterasguy]

I don't visit any in my city, but I do have a shop where I do all of my buying from.

The owner is a nice guy and doesn't BS around, he tells you he marks his guns up 10% over cost, and that's what you pay. I have yet to find a place that can beat his prices, even online.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I stop and shop anytime I run across one but if they are rude I scratch them off my list. I hit my home town shop once a week.

 

[dodge]

The closest one to me I do and the owner doesn't try to BS you. He shoots in the 1000 yard shoots that they have in Williamsport, Pa. He's full of information about long range shooting. There is another one about 6 miles further up the road and since the new owner came in it's gone down hill and I use to shop there all the time. I can remember going into that store when it was just a one room store and then the original owner retired and passed it to his nephew who built it up into the premier gun shop in the area. He sold out and the new owner isn't a very friendly person with prices for the most part is high than the store closest to me.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I frequent several LGS in my area. One in particular has a HUGE selection, good prices, and has sold me almost every gun I own. (Bud's usually only beats them by a few bucks) Another is owned by a fella in my church, and has a good selection of primers, and lead. The third has about 2/3 of the powders currently in production. I try to spread what little wealth I have around as best I can.

The only thing I go online for is parts.

 

[c919]

The last gun that I bought was from a little store about 2 hrs away from here, but I bought it from them via GunBroker. Instead of bidding, I just called them and made an offer (which happened to be the starting bid). They said yes, and since I would have to pay tax on it, they comped the shipping for me. That's cool.

So I guess my last purchase was an LGS/online hybrid buy.

Normally I strongly support my LGS, but if I didn't get the great level of CS that I do from them, I wouldn't have any issue buying online all the time. Usually they will quote me prices really close to whatever I would end up paying online. However, it there's a difference of something like $200, well... I'm not just going to throw away $200 when I could have it to spend on ammo.

 

[amd6547]

I never patronize any of the local gun stores...never.

 

[wrs840]

I shop at four mom-n-pop local gun/pawn shops frequently, and have purchased from three of them a lot, some new, but the majority second-hand. I have also purchased on-line, new and used. Nothing quite like holding the unique firearm in your hand before making the decision. I don't find the locals shops around here to be unreasonable at all in their prices, and they're all nice folks. I love going into the local stores frequently just to troll for cool second-hand "finds",

Les

 

[RDCL]

Yes, most definetly.

At my local shops I can do "lay-away".......can't do that online.

Also.....I need to see in person beforehand what I'm buying. My local shop are good folks. I've had wonderful service. Back in May I picked up a sweet deal on a S&W model 29-2. When I picked it up I asked about any possible warranty with it being a 40-year old gun. They told me that if I ever had any issue at all with the gun to not even think twice about bringing it back and they'd make it right. "We'll take care of you".....were his exact words and I believe him.

THAT's the stuff a customer wants to hear.


Russ

 

[wep45]

i have never purchased a firearm from the local gun shops. the big modern ones are high price and lot of attitude.

they can not begin to match the selection and price i get from private sales and auction sites.

i do buy my accessories from a small dealer closer to home. friendly, helpful and low prices.

 

[GEM]

There are two major gun stores in town and some small ones. One major has attitude. The other is nice. Their new gun prices are high (but I did get a good deal on a SW 1911). Their used guns are decent.

The gun shows are the best for standard guns. Ammo at the big box, best prices. One big box has decent gun prices. The other is high.

So I'll shop around. One major story had attitude and folded. Pompous, self proclaimed commando experts.

 

[SleazyRider]

I try to purchase locally, honest I do, but here's what happened to me on last month's gun purchase, and it's not nearly the first time:

After reading many online reviews, I developed a lustful hankerin' for a GSG 1911 .22 caliber pistol. The GSG website listed my local gun shop as an authorized dealer, whom I immediately called on the phone. He wasn't familiar with the pistol, but promised to find out if he could get it and get back to me. Never called me back. I tried again. Nothing. So I ordered online---no fuss, knowledgeable, friendly, no tax ... and fast. I refuse to beg my local gun shop to take my money.

One more anecdote. Several years ago, I took an old S&W .32 New Departure to this very same shop for repair. They kept it for nearly 6 months, reassuring me every few weeks that they'd get to it "next week." When it became evident that they had no intention of repairing it I went to retrieve the firearm and they couldn't find it! It took several days before they finally did. I located an online gun repair shop who repaired the firearm expertly and at a reasonable cost.

Sorry to be longwinded, and I'm sure this is just a local problem. I could go on, but these are just a few of the reasons that 95% of my purchases are made online. And for conversation and great advice ... there's The High Road!

 

[jlasserton]

To be honest, I don't. But I should, I mean, I live in the south for goodness sake!

 

[c919]

At my local shops I can do "lay-away".......can't do that online.

You may know this, but Bud's has great prices and they do layaway. I wouldn't think twice about buying from them. Although they do massive online sales, they're still basically a mom and pop operation out of Kentucky, and everybody I know who has bought through them says they are great folks.

 

[huntinggamo]

I go through a local place called Gilcrest farm and supply. They never have more then 15 guns but they keep lots of powder and primers on hand and its been run as a family business so they ALL know alot about what they are doing.

 

[alohachris]

Locally, I'm looking at prices $50-100 higher than the web for guns. Add the 7% sales tax, and then it's $100-150 higher. It's hard for them to compete for my $$ unless they lower their prices.

Case in point: Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22, Magpul edition I just bought.

Local Price: $569.00 + Tax 7% (39.XX) = $610.00

Online Price: $459.00 + Shipping ($25) + FFL XFR ($20) = $504.00

Pretty much a no brainer for me. Add to that the fact that magazines locally were $25, but online were $14 and I could include them in my order for no extra cost.

I buy cleaning supplies and some ammo from my LGS, but mostly buy ammo in bulk when the gun show is in town, for a savings of $30-$50 per thousand rounds.

 

[ArtP]

Seems a lot of us buy an awful lot on the internet, I'm no exception. I could almost say I buy excusively on the internet. Over the past year, local shops have gotten about 1% of my gun money. I could tell why, but it would be more of the same that has been said.

Those that only buy locally are missing avoidance of sales tax, it's almost 9% in my local. On gun purchases, many times the saving in sales tax more than pay for shipping. I'll also say it's a huge unfair advantage our states have setup for out of state businesses.

I'd like to see the poll and comments from folks who aren't using an internet forum to chat. The one thing we all have in common is using the internet to facilitate our hobby. There are no doubt a lot of gun people who never use the internet and they're not included in the poll.