Gun Sales Question

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

This is probably a senseless question, but I think I will ask the
general membership "when do you consider a gun sale really
a sale"? If the dealer knocks $10 off, or 10% off, or throws in
a box of ammo, or what?

The reason I'm interested, a dealer in my area just started what
has become a yearly sale. A couple examples are:

a) Smith & Wesson model 637 .38 SPL sale price $329.99
b) Armalite M15 A2 .223 cal carbine 799.88
c) Springfield Armory M1 Garand .30-06 1079.88
d) Taurus blue steel model 85 .38 SPL 229.88
e) Browning model 525 O/U .20ga 28"/30" bbl 2149.88

*all prices are advertised without sales tax added

Maybe, the best sale items with the best bargain are:

a) Savage Arms Centerfire Rifle (available calibers only, with
some left handed models available) and a 3x-9x-40mm scope
(of unknown origin) for 389.99 + sales tax ?

or

b) Ruger P512 .22LR self-loading pistol for 199.88 + sales tax?

or

c) Browning Buck Mark .22LR Standard Pistol for 269.88 + sales tax?

or

d) Lastly, a Walther .22LR caliber P22 for 279.99 + sales tax?


Will someone please shed some light on this subject? I will be
happy to entertain everyone's thoughts/opinions/etc. Are these
prices really a bargain; or are they close to every day prices at
retail stores throughout the country? I would like to hear from
you.

Respectfully,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[xdoctor]

looks to me like most of those prices are pretty reasonable. I wouldn't say there are any smokin deals in there.

Never seen a Springfield M1, but it better be something really special to cost that much. Especially since there are copious amounts of M1s available at a fraction of that cost.

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

If those Savage rifles have the new Accu-Trigger, that's a pretty good price.

And left-handed Savages are pretty scarce (around this part of Texas, anyway), so if you know someone who's left-handed and looking for a rifle, he (or she) could get a deal.

 

[Edmond]

All I know is that everything in Illinois costs more; and then you have the high sales tax.

 

[entropy]

Prices of new guns are so cut-throat competitive that the average mark-up is around 12%, so if that '10% off' is 10% off of the every day price of that gun, it is a loss leader, something to get you in the store buying a cleaning kit, ammo, maybe a scope, some blaze orange, etc. while you are there. I wouldn't jump and buy any of the guns you listed just because of the sale price, no super hot bargains there. But if I were in the market for any of them, those prices would get my attention. I'd probably try to get them down a few more bucks, or throw in a box of ammo. That Garand better be a National Match for those bucks!

 

[JohnBT]

Those prices look pretty good compared to what I see around here, but things are high 'round here.

As far as what I consider a true sale to be, here's an example. Eleven years ago I decided to buy an 870 Express for duck hunting. The first one I saw was in a little shop out in the country and they wanted $249 - not unreasonable and not bad at all considering the nicer shotguns I'd been looking at. As it turned out, a very large local shop sold them regularly for $229 but was having a pre-Christmas sale so I bought one for $199.

Friday I bought a Colt WWI reproduction and paid what I suspect is full list price - if full list is less than a grand. They wouldn't negotiate on it at all and I agree that they're fairly scarce and sell quickly - in fact I bought it before they had time to put the price tag on it. I did get them to throw in a free Remington coffee cup with a half-inch of dust in the bottom.

John

 

[dairycreek]

You ask a very hard question to answer!

JohnBT said

Those prices look pretty good compared to what I see around here, but things are high 'round here.

and raises a valid point.

One thing I have learned reading THR is that gun prices do seem to vary significantly by region. When I compare local prices with prices quoted by folks from other regions in the U.S. I often see real differences.

So, the prices you quote in your post are hard to compare and say that is, or is not, a good deal. FWIW Good shooting

 

[CJ]

My guage lately has been to head to galleryofguns.com and run their 'gun locator' utility for my area. Typically, local 'sale' prices are the same or higher than what I can do by ordering from galleryofguns and having it delivered and purchased through the SAME store.

One store, having their annual 'mega-sale' did manage to beat their own gallery pricing by about $10, but the line to purchase was about a 1.5 - 2 hour wait, so I decided my time was worth a little more than that $10.

 

[R.H. Lee]

DAY-UM! Those are all good prices compared to anything around here. I guess you just have to compare prices in your local area and even those will vary significantly due to availability and demand.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

Well, I'm just back from the sale I previously mentioned and guess
what? I didn't encounter anyone beating the door down to grab a
bargain; nor folk's fighting in the isles for the last Dosko Sport
Single Scoped Pistol Case (hard shell) for $4.99. Heck, I got it
myself.

But, I did see a few folk's browsing and I think business will pick
up as the week progress'es. They had a really nice selection of
both handguns, and long guns. Some clothing items, swivel top
camo buckets, and the like were out on the sidewalk in front of
the business. All in all, the shop was clean and the sales people
were very friendly. Heck, I've been doing buisness with these
fine folk's for 35 years; and I see no need to change now!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member