Gun Shop Etiquette

[dogtown tom]

...There was one dealer I used to use a lot, back when we did everything through mail. When they started email, they couldn't get an email address correct to save their life, and they wouldn't call to work it out.

When I started in 2008, I would get the occasional "please fax us your FFL" Made me think it was 1988.
Even had one dealer who told me sending via email was illegal, but fax was okay.
Every once in a while I'll get some dealer demanding my FFL copy signed in red or blue ink only. I have no idea why.

 

[PapaG]

Twenty years in firearms retail there isn't much I haven't seen.
Etiquette is a word that exists somewhere else.
Liars abound.
Having life experience competing in black powder (national winner in a couple events), pistol (bullseye, bowling pin, ppc), rifle (rim fire three position, 50BR, and cast bullet comp) plus trap and skeet plus fifty years a hunter and sixty years a reloader, caster, and developer, , I only and I repeat, only give advice/opinion when asked specifically.
Three booklets written and freely given when asked.
I cringe going into Bass Pro, Cabellas, or almost any of the big box stores.
My time is running out so I carefully mete out my components for reloading, shoot my weekly trap leagues and generally stay out of the shops as the wanna bees and tacktikools drive me nuts.
My buddies are all old phartz and would rather shoot trap, fix the government and relive old hunts.

 

[Hokkmike]

I don't put any demands on my LGS. They already are under enough stress & paperwork.

As long as they are honest, friendly, and conversational all other things can be worked out.....

 

[PzGren]

PapaG and dogtown tom are obviously presenting the other side of the coin and, as a licensed importer, I have to agree. Incompetence has no boundaries. It is not limited to firearms dealers, nor to their customers, it exists in everywhere. Expectations about service should be in line with the price paid for those services. The firearms business is not profitable enough to draw in anybody but firearms enthusiasts that can overlook the poor return for the investment.

I had asked the owner of a gun store and very nice indoor range in the DFW metroplex what he pays his employees and it was much less than minimum wage. The employees accepted the lousy pay for the privilege to give all kind of b.s. to the customers, who were even less informed.

 

[.38 Special]

"2. FFL Transfers: Similar to my first point, I like being able to visit a gun shop’s website and know 1) if they accept transfers, 2) stipulations for transfer from individuals, and 3) the cost of the transfer. Some shops do a great job and make all of this information extremely clear, but others do not even mention anything about transfers and others that do transfers often do not list their policy/process/price.

3. FFL Copy: It is annoying when I buy a gun online, but the company/person from whom I am buying the gun does not have my FFL’s license on file. As such, I have to call/email and ask my FFL to provide a copy of their license, which sometimes requires a follow-up because the FFL forgets or send to a wrong email, etc. A practice that I really like is when shops post a transfer copy of their FFL to their website, which enables the sender to obtain the FFL from the recipient FFL’s website of for me to download and provide that license copy to the sender."

Amen. I was a "frog in a pot" for years, with my local place. They were fine when I first started going there, but among other things, they kept bumping up their transfer fees and being so vague about it that you didn't really know what you were going to pay until they presented you the bill. The last such transaction cost me well over a hundred bucks and included all sorts of stuff I'd never heard of. Living in California, we expect to put up with a certain amount of that, so I let it slide. The final straw came from trying to get them to send a copy of their FFL to the other dealer. They kept promising and it kept not happening, and when I finally asked just to be given a photocopy to send myself, it was as though I'd asked to impregnate the guy's wife. He was outraged that I'd even mentioned it - "How do I know what you'd do with it?" "What the hell do you think I would?" - and so I gave up on the place and went somewhere else. The new place was happy to just give me a copy - I'm still unclear as to what nefarious purpose it could be put, even if I wanted to - and charged me $37 for the transfer, which is exactly what they told me they would.

I guess the original place finally got big enough that they no longer need to worry about individual customers...

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

As a customer. Don't tell me I shouldn't use a handgun / pistol / revolver for hunting. That they're not accurate enough at hunting distances. When they do I ask if they have ever been to a IHMSA shoot? then walk out.

 

[dogtown tom]

As a customer. Don't tell me I shouldn't use a handgun / pistol / revolver for hunting. That they're not accurate enough at hunting distances. When they do I ask if they have ever been to a IHMSA shoot? then walk out.

Sounds like the salesmen at that shop don't know much about selling or handguns.

The most fun I've had in the last decade is shooting squirrels with a silenced .22 Ruger MkIV pistol. The squirrels would disagree with your former shop.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

Sounds like the salesmen at that shop don't know much about selling or handguns.

The most fun I've had in the last decade is shooting squirrels with a silenced .22 Ruger MkIV pistol. The squirrels would disagree with your former shop.

Lucky dog, sounds great. I never did get a tax stamp. Be Well D.T. Tom

 

[WisBorn]

Building relationships starts with honesty. And works both ways.

In our everyone looking for the best price (Amazon) world, we miss out. I don't mind paying a little more for service and knowledge. Fair pricing and kindness goes a long way.
@troy fairweather had a thread not long ago about favorite shops closing. Think about the reasons they close???

I hate the shops that mark-up their guns to stupid prices just to discount them. If they have a little wiggle room for cash or the gun has sat on their shelf to long reducing cash flow then discount the goods.

 

[citizenconn]

Last gun shop I was in, (closest to home), was a Cabelas. It took me 30 minutes to get the attention of someone at the gun counter because they were to busy talking about world problems to wait on me. Finally when waited on I asked to to look at a particular pistol. When they handed me the pistol it had a trigger lock on it. When asked to remove the trigger lock so that I could try the trigger they said that they were not allowed.

I have decided to not allow myself to look at guns at Cabelas but rather shop online.

I am with you on this. I have walked away from several guns I fully intended to buy, particularly used ones, because the gun shop would not let me check that the gun was fully functional while at the same time saying they do not offer any kind of warranty on used guns; that is is the buyers' responsibility to insure the gun is functioning properly. Give me a break.

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

Gunshop employee to customer"the porting on this shotgun barrel will reduce recoil 50%". Customer bought the gun and the bad advice.

What was wrong with the advice?

Why Porting a Shotgun Barrel is Effective | An Official Journal Of The NRA (shootingillustrated.com)

The reduction in recoil is dramatic—anywhere between 20 and 70 percent, depending on the aggressiveness of the brake’s design.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Reading your article in the link you posted,muzzlebrake on a 300 win mag can =20-70% reduction in recoil.Shotguns ported 5-7% or 8-15% depending. Muzzle rise can be reduced up to 50% in a shotgun.The clerk said 50% reduction in recoil,which is not true.Muzzlebrakes on rifles is a whole different conversation.

 

[Riomouse911]

A good FFL is hard to find sometimes.

My original kitchen table FFL was a great guy, but he and his wife moved to Utah (lucky dogs!) so I had to find another one for my GB purchases. Local stores push up the on line purchase or private party transfer fees since they compete with their sales, so small FFL’s are the way to go here for GB purchases.

My new FFL built a dedicated gun barn and moved, from about 5 miles away to over 25 each way. They are such good guys I keep going to them even though others may be a lot closer (with similar fees.)

In fact I have a new Browning .22 auto rifle with them that I get to pick up on the 16th.

Stay safe.

 

[SwampWolf]

Prices: Make your prices know/easy to see. I’ve gone into quite a few gun shops in which prices of the guns were either not displayed, on tags on pistol trigger guards but upside down and under the counter, and/or not readable because they were too far behind the counter.

This is a well-known seller's stratagem not unique to the firearms business. You can't just look and leave, you have to stay and ask to see. The seller then has an opportunity to wrangle a deal that might otherwise never have happened.

 

[DustyGmt]

This is a well-known seller's stratagem not unique to the firearms business. You can't just look and leave, you have to stay and ask to see. The seller then has an opportunity to wrangle a deal that might otherwise never have happened.

It's a bad strategy, for me at least. Sometimes people aren't looking for something specific, but they have a price in mind. Not being able to see the price would make me liable to scan and walk out unless I was after something specific, but if I'm browsing, I'm not asking the prices on more than maybe a couple guns, IF, they catch my eye. If the prices are clearly marked I might narrow down a few options and start doing some mental gymnastics and figure out how much $$$ I can justify spending, etc...

I too have dealt with the frustration of not seeing a price clearly marked and for me, it's a huge turn off. Especially if I'm not specifically after something, but if was, I would go through a lil hassle of asking about prices, new or used, etc.....just mark it and advertise the price along with new/used.

I'm in gunshops often where the owner or guy behind the counter is already engaged in business or conversation with other customer/s and I'm not gonna interject every 30 sec going "how much for this, how much for that, is it new, is it used, etc...."

 

[Necessary_Nutrient]

Reading your article in the link you posted,muzzlebrake on a 300 win mag can =20-70% reduction in recoil.Shotguns ported 5-7% or 8-15% depending. Muzzle rise can be reduced up to 50% in a shotgun.The clerk said 50% reduction in recoil,which is not true.Muzzlebrakes on rifles is a whole different conversation.

Oops! I see it and get it now.

 

[JDeere]

I have one LGS who wont even do a transfer unless it's something they can't get. With shipping and transfer fees I usually am way ahead just buying from them. The other LGS charges 35 bucks but can get most production firearms. They recently started charging a CC fee for all purchases. I'm friends with this guy so I shop around online now. If I buy from him I take cash...

 

[wayneinFL]

This is a well-known seller's stratagem not unique to the firearms business. You can't just look and leave, you have to stay and ask to see. The seller then has an opportunity to wrangle a deal that might otherwise never have happened.

Every time I've seen that, the prices were stupid high, and you had to haggle down to the real price that was still too high.

They need to weigh that strategy against the number of customers who will just assume everything is priced too high and walk out the door.

 

[dogtown tom]

This is a well-known seller's stratagem not unique to the firearms business. You can't just look and leave, you have to stay and ask to see. The seller then has an opportunity to wrangle a deal that might otherwise never have happened.

It's also well known that its a terrible "seller's stratagem".

There are reasons that retailers have easy to read price tags/signs/print ads/etc to draw the customers interest. If "price on request" was a worthwhile strategy, then you would see EVERY retailer use it. They don't because the overwhelming majority of shoppers will just keep walking.

For certain high dollar purchases, like homes, it may offer the real estate agent an opportunity to turn the shopper to another property that in their price range.



So any gun dealer failing to put a price tag on his guns is the anomaly and he'll wonder why people walk by his table and not bother asking "how much for the Hi Point?"

 

[Electricmo]

I’ve frequented several shops here in town and visit the local gun shows as often as possible. There is usually a lot of local dealers there. This has allowed me to find my favorite dealer in town and I have a very good relationship with them now. They preferably like me to try and let them find what I’m looking for at the price I want before ordering from somewhere else. If it can’t be done they will accept me ordering or buying from somewhere else and charge me a $25 transfer fee. They like to be notified it’s coming their way and call me immediately when it shows up. This doesn’t happen very often unless I’ve bought a unicorn they can’t get. They never open up my boxes till I get there. Occasionally one of the price tags on their pistols in the case may be upside down. Wow! I don’t find any of this concerning. They always hand me guns with cylinders or slides open. I suggest dealing with the best you can find LGS. This takes time.

 

[peeplwtchr]

Last gun shop I was in, (closest to home), was a Cabelas. It took me 30 minutes to get the attention of someone at the gun counter because they were to busy talking about world problems to wait on me. Finally when waited on I asked to to look at a particular pistol. When they handed me the pistol it had a trigger lock on it. When asked to remove the trigger lock so that I could try the trigger they said that they were not allowed.

I have decided to not allow myself to look at guns at Cabelas but rather shop online.

Happened to me to. I wanted to test the trigger and function, and they said I had to buy it first, then return it if I don't Iike it. I had to break the trigger lock off with a knife in the parking lot. Never again.

 

[TomJ]

I won’t tolerate dishonesty. Years ago when I first got back into shooting I gave a P226 to a LGS to sell on consignment. I fortunately came to my senses and decided to keep it. When I asked for it back they had stolen my magazines and would not reimburse me for them until I threatened to get the police involved. I’ve bought many guns since then, but none from them. Fast forward to our move to Wisconsin 2 years ago, and I bought a Staccato P from a LGS here. He gave me one 20 round magazine with the gun. When I asked about the other magazines he gave me a second 20 round magazine and told me that’s all he received with it. The gun comes with 2 17 round magazines and one 20 rounder. I called Staccato to confirm this and explained what happened. They sent me a 17 round magazine at no cost. We have other, honest LGS’ in the area and I shop there now.

 

[dogtown tom]

..... I bought a Staccato P from a LGS here. He gave me one 20 round magazine with the gun. When I asked about the other magazines he gave me a second 20 round magazine and told me that’s all he received with it. The gun comes with 2 17 round magazines and one 20 rounder. I called Staccato to confirm this and explained what happened. They sent me a 17 round magazine at no cost. We have other, honest LGS’ in the area and I shop there now.

There is nothing dishonest about the retailer including only one magazine.....as long as he disclosed that the purchase included only one mag. If you knowingly bought that Staccato with only one magazine, your LGS wasn't remotely dishonest.


Beretta used to market a 92 "Police Special", basically the same as a commercial market 92, but included a third magazine.
One dealer here in Dallas would remove the third magazine, use a Sharpie to black out the "comes with three mags" on the box and sell his Police Specials for less than what other dealers did. His price tags clearly showed "Two mags only" but some buyers would freak out thinking he stole their mags. He didn't......they bought a gun that only included two magazines.
Here's a photo of the box:

 

[Smokin Gator]

I went into a fairly new ffl about 5 years ago and asked them about getting a CZ75B SAO 9mm. They didn't have one and said they'd look for one. I wasn't in a big hurry and gave them several months to find one. I called or went in a few times to check on their progress but got the impression that they had not made any effort to find one. Finally I found one elsewhere and went in to see if the first outfit would do the transfer. He said he would but there would be an extra $100 dollar charge because I was buying from someone else.

I didn't find a cheap gun online then go to them for the transfer on a gun that they had in stock or could easily get. Gave them months then I did the work of finding the gun. Ended up going to the store where I've bought most of my guns and completed the transfer no problem. I was actually trying to give the small new store a little business.

 

[TomJ]

There is nothing dishonest about the retailer including only one magazine.....as long as he disclosed that the purchase included only one mag. If you knowingly bought that Staccato with only one magazine, your LGS wasn't remotely dishonest.

He told me that’s what Staccato includes with the guns, which is a lie which was easily discovered by checking their website and making a quick call to them. If he told me it came with 3 magazines but for whatever reason he was only giving me one, then when questioned two I’d be okay with what he did. That’s not, however, what happened. What other LGS’ do has no bearing on what he did, especially since the dealer you referenced offered a reduced price, something he didn’t do.