I think Dick's is sliding backwards again

[berettaprofessor]

I've generally stopped visiting Dick's for guns and accessories, but found myself there tonight while wasting time. I happened to notice tonight that there are no magazines > 10 rounds for the 10/22, or 597; they used to have 20 and 30 rounders for both and I know because I bought some for Christmas presents in Christmas 2013. There wasn't even a place for them on the shelves now. Has Dick's quietly discontinued all magazines >10 rounds, including 22LR?

 

[jrdolall]

Dick's is dead to me. They can sell shoes and golf clubs but won't get any of my money unless they have deer stands at half price.

 

[Sam1911]

Now that the whole kerfuffle is all spent and over and half a year back in the rear-view mirror? Now they'd get all "skeert" off?

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, to me. I'd assume either they've not had any to sell, or they're feeling like the mags market is getting a bit saturated and something else would be a faster mover in that shelf space.

 

[rbernie]

Dicks was really never a viable big-box retailer for gun stuff IMO. They pretended to try, for a while, but they moved out of handguns years ago and moved away from most all quality long arms not soon after. Heck, WalMart does better on long gun selection than Dicks. And when they stopped taking gun stuff seriously, almost a decade ago around my neck of the woods, anyone on their staff that knew anything about guns went to work somewhere else. That pretty much put the nail in the coffin for me. Same for Sports Authority. They suck.

But I'm not complaining. The lack of support from the big box sporting good stores helps keep three dedicated gun stores in business within a ten mile radius of my house.

 

[gunnutery]

The built a new Dick's in my home town about a year before they said they'd stop selling EBRs. I never liked them from the get go. High ammo prices and the firearm staff seemed to have their noses in the air. Once the did the knee jerk reaction after one of the mass shootings I stopped going altogher.

Given their recent history it wouldn't surprise me if the did another policy change. Not sure how much local managers have a say in stock at all though.

 

[UpperAtmosphere]

Dick's discriminates against handguns, so heck with 'em.

 

[targetshooter22]

Gave up on them a long time ago. First they got rid of handguns, then their long gun selection became lame, then their ammo selection became lame. Kind of a trend that made the list plain... lame.

 

[kitsapshooter]

i thought it was just me. I went to Dicks the first time about 5 years ago. I picked up a couple of gun mags to read on a plane trip. The store was bright and very clean. It felt scuzzy like I needed a shower afterward.
I had the same feeling when I went to one in South Hill.
You can't get much deader then that.

 

[rcmodel]

Dicks was really never a viable big-box retailer for gun stuff IMO.

This, exactly.

The store in Topeka KS never stocked much gun stuff from the get go.
But especially any handguns, or handgun stuff.
Then they went all anti-gun on black rifles all together.

Last time I even bothered to stop a year ago, it was all skin-tight nylon jock clothes, golf clubs, and designer athletic shoes.

That last time, I went to buy a Kershaw Leek Assisted knife.
They apparently don't approve of assisted opening knives either, and only sell cheap manually opening Chinese junque knives.

Never even bothered to stop & look again.

rc

 

[Speedo66]

Dick's itself seems to be getting out of the gun business by opening new stores that cater to guns, "Field and Stream".

By doing that, they can project a PC image in the Dick's stores, and eventually keep the gun people away from their tennis and golf customers.

 

[PGT]

we used to have Galyan's around here....Dick's bought them and out went the handguns and fun stuff. I stop by every once in awhile hoping to catch some ammo on the shelves but only once or twice has there been something I could use. Just not worth the effort when I can order online and come out ahead.

 

[chicharrones]

Dicks was really never a viable big-box retailer for gun stuff IMO. They pretended to try, for a while, but they moved out of handguns years ago and moved away from most all quality long arms not soon after. Heck, WalMart does better on long gun selection than Dicks. And when they stopped taking gun stuff seriously, almost a decade ago around my neck of the woods, anyone on their staff that knew anything about guns went to work somewhere else. That pretty much put the nail in the coffin for me. Same for Sports Authority. They suck.

Fully agree. I don't even know why either store has a "gun department". It's an afterthought to them.

 

[Sam1911]

Of course...while I might not care for exactly how they support the shooting sports, I would WITHOUT ANY QUESTION OR QUIBBLE, rather have them selling guns than NOT selling guns.

I'd rather that SOME shop at the mall had a display or two of real, Honest to God FIREARMS, where the "earth people" wandering past can see GUNS for sale, and even buy one if they want, than for that part of a normal, healthy, American landscape to be even more marginalized and out of sight/out of mind.

Every vegan runner, softball gal, flippin' golfer, and mom laying down the plastic to pick up little Jimmie's soccer cleats sees hockey pucks, weight sets, basketballs, SHOTGUNS, running shoes, mouth guards, RIFLES, pool cues, bocce balls, jock straps, CLAY PIGEONS, golf tees, AMMO, swim fins, camping tents, bike seats .........

Get the picture? That's HEALTHY. That's a good thing. Hey, folks, guns are part of every day life and nothing to get squirrely about. See, right along side the field hockey gear and football helmets. Normal folks doing healthy oudoorsy stuff. They've got guns and that's just fine.

So no, I don't go out of the way to dump cash at Dicks (except the occasional flat of shotshells), but I sure don't clamor for their demise, either.

 

[chicharrones]

There is a sporting goods store that sells all those things that are non-gun and carries a respectable amount of firearms and firearms related stuff. That place is Academy.

Academy seems to always have a staff member at the gun counter. I swear the last time I went into a Dicks or Sports Authority, I could see the dust landing on the counter. Nobody staffs the half empty gun counter at those stores. It would be nice if Dicks and SA went at it like Academy.

I do like your point, Sam1911. The urban malls around me would probably never stock up on guns. The suburban malls only seem to do so if they have something like a Bass Pro Shop attached to it. And Bass Pro Shop ain't exactly a soccer mom kinda store.

 

[22-rimfire]

Since Sportsmans Warehouse and Academy opened a store(s) in SE TN, I seldom go to Dicks when I am in the area except looking for 22LR ammunition. But I have not crossed them off any list that I have, nor will I do so.

 

[hardluk1]

I don't shop at any big box store . I have always found better deals in smaller business .

 

[Elkins45]

Of course...while I might not care for exactly how they support the shooting sports, I would WITHOUT ANY QUESTION OR QUIBBLE, rather have them selling guns than NOT selling guns.

I'd rather that SOME shop at the mall had a display or two of real, Honest to God FIREARMS, where the "earth people" wandering past can see GUNS for sale, and even buy one if they want, than for that part of a normal, healthy, American landscape to be even more marginalized and out of sight/out of mind.

Every vegan runner, softball gal, flippin' golfer, and mom laying down the plastic to pick up little Jimmie's soccer cleats sees hockey pucks, weight sets, basketballs, SHOTGUNS, running shoes, mouth guards, RIFLES, pool cues, bocce balls, jock straps, CLAY PIGEONS, golf tees, AMMO, swim fins, camping tents, bike seats .........

Get the picture? That's HEALTHY. That's a good thing. Hey, folks, guns are part of every day life and nothing to get squirrely about. See, right along side the field hockey gear and football helmets. Normal folks doing healthy oudoorsy stuff. They've got guns and that's just fine.

So no, I don't go out of the way to dump cash at Dicks (except the occasional flat of shotshells), but I sure don't clamor for their demise, either.

This, dear reader, is an example of someone engaging in long-term thinking. Guns are normal sporting items that can be purchased at normal sporting retailers by normal people.

We should encourage them, not find ways to shun them. Every person who sees a gun in a Dick's store is another person who doesn't think all gun sales take place in dark alleys.

 

[ilbob]

I never liked Dick's all that much. Their screwy coupons that are deliberately misleading annoyed me enough I stopped going there.

 

[Midwest]

I used to buy the Ultramax Remanufactured .38 special ammo at Dicks some 10 to 12 years ago. It was $5.99 for a box of 50. That was the only reason for visiting the store.

 

[Salmoneye]

Two days ago I found lots of Winchester primers at the 'local' Dick's...

$35/1000, no limit...

Same price as locally before the 'panic'...

Did not look for mags...

 

[rbernie]

We should encourage them, not find ways to shun them.

Well, that sounds great but I don't understand HOW I do that. Should I buy lower quality firearms and overpriced ammunition from them just to make them feel better about having a gun section?

This is a capitalist market. If they want to be in the business, then they need to make a bona fide effort (like Walmart and Academy have done) to be in the market. If they don't want to be in the market, no matter how much it pleases me that they are from a socialization perspective that they be in the market, I cannot *make* them participate in the market. And that is the current position - the local stores pretend to be in the market but treat me with disinterest by not stocking quality firearms or ammunition at remotely competitive prices.

Frankly, I think that Walmart does far more to 'socialize' the notion of guns as normal everyday objects than Dicks ever could. And at least Walmart is willing to compete for my business, as opposed to treating me with utter disinterest. If Dicks had any actual interest in the market, they would be well served to look to the example that Academy provides.

ETA - I also feel compelled to point out that, at least locally, Dicks has the hunting and gun specific gear stuck off way far away from the 'mainstream' sporting goods. It's not as if the local suburbanites out shopping for their brood's soccer gear are likely to wander by the gun counter, despite our portrayal here in this thread to the contrary.

 

[ATLDave]

Of course...while I might not care for exactly how they support the shooting sports, I would WITHOUT ANY QUESTION OR QUIBBLE, rather have them selling guns than NOT selling guns.

I'd rather that SOME shop at the mall had a display or two of real, Honest to God FIREARMS, where the "earth people" wandering past can see GUNS for sale, and even buy one if they want, than for that part of a normal, healthy, American landscape to be even more marginalized and out of sight/out of mind.

Every vegan runner, softball gal, flippin' golfer, and mom laying down the plastic to pick up little Jimmie's soccer cleats sees hockey pucks, weight sets, basketballs, SHOTGUNS, running shoes, mouth guards, RIFLES, pool cues, bocce balls, jock straps, CLAY PIGEONS, golf tees, AMMO, swim fins, camping tents, bike seats .........

Get the picture? That's HEALTHY. That's a good thing. Hey, folks, guns are part of every day life and nothing to get squirrely about. See, right along side the field hockey gear and football helmets. Normal folks doing healthy oudoorsy stuff. They've got guns and that's just fine.

So no, I don't go out of the way to dump cash at Dicks (except the occasional flat of shotshells), but I sure don't clamor for their demise, either.

Bravo, sir. How is this not obvious to everyone?

 

[Sam1911]

Well, that sounds great but I don't understand HOW I do that. Should I buy lower quality firearms and overpriced ammunition from them just to make them feel better about having a gun section?

Now did I say that? No. If they aren't competitive, don't patronize them.

In my area, they have been pretty darned good on some things. The local sporting clays place used to buy shotshells right off the shelf from them as they beat the wholesale price the range could get. I've seen Mosins there for $99, I've seen outdoors gear advertised there at decent prices.

Honestly, I've never bought much from them but I don't deliberately refuse to.

the local stores pretend to be in the market but treat me with disinterest by not stocking quality firearms or ammunition at remotely competitive prices.

Well, that's a different thing. No reason to support that.

Frankly, I think that Walmart does far more to 'socialize' the notion of guns as normal everyday objects than Dicks ever could

Oh certainly, though perhaps not in exactly the same market strata, necessarily.
And more is always better. I want folks to see guns at WalMart, AND at the Mall, and heck, at the grocery store too if we can figure out how to get them there!

ETA - I also feel compelled to point out that, at least locally, Dicks has the hunting and gun specific gear stuck off way far away from the 'mainstream' sporting goods. It's not as if the local suburbanites out shopping for their brood's soccer gear are likely to wander by the gun counter, despite our portrayal here in this thread to the contrary.

I know what you mean, but I don't discount the value of having that section there. Sure, the shotguns aren't RIGHT next to the jog-bras, but they're there, in the store, visible. (Not like you have to side-step up to the old dude behind a counter and not make eye contact until he buzzes you into a window-less back room...) Little Jimmy is going to yank Mom's arm to go see. Dad and cousin Eddie are going to be found window shopping in there when Mom is done getting her running shoes picked out. (Or vice-versa!)

It's a very good thing.

EDIT: And they send out fliers to customers' home. I know a lot of those are getting to be very customized these days, but again there's the insertion of shooting stuff and the basic idea of normal gun ownership into Joe and Jane Suburbia's day.

 

[hso]

I don't know if anyone that doesn't work at Dick's Sporting Goods can answer the OP's question (or will bother to now that this has turned into a rant thread against the business).

Since that's the case I don't see any value in this going on with bash after bash against a company that most people shun for their reversal on ARs.