My “Local Gun Store”

[Mr. Mosin]

I ticked off my LGS. He was fussing about having no business, how folks kept grubbing up his stock, feeling it, handling it; and not buying it; how he couldn’t move product. I just flat out belly laughed and told him straight (he refuses to deal with me now, but everything I deal with is C&R, so it doesn’t bother me).

I walk in the door looking for a pump action or autoloading scattergun of decent quality… you don’t have a single- not a one- Mossberg 500, 590, Remington 870, Benelli, Beretta, Browning or Savage shotgun of any kind. You don’t have a single non Turkish garbage bolt gun or AR platform of any kind- have several of the Turkish AR-12’s on hand, but after Bubba No. 1 and Cousin Jim bought one each and couldn’t get ‘em to work… the entire rack sat there- sitting there still, covered in dust.

You have 1x P365 $150 higher than Academy or anywhere else, 1x OG LCP, a handful of Heritage revolvers, handful of Taurus factory-seconds, no Glocks, one S&W M&P .380, no Canik, one S&W J-frame; and your second-hand and milsurp shelves are so outrageously priced it ain’t even funny. You’ve the same cosmoline covered Bulgarian Makarovs and Zastava M70s (.32) sitting there for four years…. it’s time to do something different.

When you have nothing to interest anyone… why am I gonna bother even stopping by ? After the first two or three times I swing by and you have no ammunition in the caliber I need and nothing to interest me ? I might buy a box of .22LR or something as a courtesy, but if you don’t carry what I need/want, refuse to order anything even given a cash deposit; and I can’t reliably refer a buddy to you for a basic pump12ga and box of shells- and know you’ll have *something* of quality on hand… why even bother ?

Is it just my “LGS” like this, or is this common ? The one 10 miles down the road is booming, and they’ve very little “tacticool” on hand.

 

[MacAR]

You're not alone. We recently had a new gun shop open a few miles away. Nice selection of new and used, quality guns and great pricing on the used ones. It's a good way to kill an hour... until you want to buy something. I stood around for 45 minutes waiting to see a shotgun. No other customers in the store. One employee was working on an AR, the other was fiddling with a computer and both positively ignored me and my brothers! I finally got computer guys attention, and he acted like it was downright offensive to have to wait on us. All three of us bought guns that day, but we decided on the way home that would be our last trip over there! That's what lack of customer service gets you; lack of customers!

Mac

 

[Soonerpesek]

The LGS that I have been frequenting for about 10 yrs closed recently due to one if the employees passing away and prolly due to simply wearing out after 30+ yrs in business.

So I went to a somewhat larger LGS ( not a box store) in town recently.
They deal mainly in Browning shotguns but have a rather large selection of used and new rifles and pistols ect.
There was a younger kid that was working on some paperwork or something of the sort, thst looked up and asked if I needed any help.
I said “yes, I’m interested in a used gun over there in the case”.
He somewhat sighed and flipped his paper onto the counter and grabbed the keys to the case, walked over and opened it, grabbed the gun and did some jacked up way of checking the chamber before handing it to me.
I gave it a quick look over and asked if he could get me out the door for a certain price( which was basically the asking price minus the sales tax).
He looks at me and tells me he’ll have to ask a manager. To which I said that’s understandable.
He then looks at me again ( not attempting ti go find a manager) and says that’ll be cash or check.
Told him it would be a CC purchase, and he takes the gun from me And tells me the same thing again.
I looked back at him and told him to have a pleasant evening.
I ‘ve heard this kid before telling customers the same lines he’s overheard from the other salesfolks in the store, not really having a clue as to what they were saying..
Oh well…. Maybe it’s my loss….

Was a damn nice Beretta 84 tho…..

 

[Jim Watson]

My LGS is also a range. I have only bought three guns there (and one was a delivery from out of town) in 7 years but have made up for it with range “membership” and entry fees for GSSF and house matches. Staff is OK to excellent, no lack of attention if I want to look at something from a showcase.

There is a store with better prices which is important to a friend who is still buying. I caught them with primers in stock during the Trent Plague.

There are a few other dealers I haven’t visited a dozen times total.

 

[The Old Redneck]

My favorite gun & pawn store closed last year. Guy that owned it is a friend. He stayed open longer than I would have in his situation. I bought a suppressor from a place that is local. They are setup with Silencer Shop for online forms and carry in stock. The store changed owners couple years ago and will probably be my local store for suppressors. I'm to old to play games with idiots behind any counter. I want to look at whatever I'm interested in, get a price and buy if cost is within reason. Business should be simple or I'm gone.

 

[.308 Norma]

Is it just my “LGS” like this, or is this common ? The one 10 miles down the road is booming, and they’ve very little “tacticool” on hand.

Don't know. I guess we're kind of lucky here in the fact that there's quite a few LGSs within a couple of hours drive to choose from. We have our favorites of course - just like we have our favorite grocery stores, shoe stores and barber shops.
And as far as "tacticool" gun stores go, we usually don't frequent them. Our son-in-law does though, and that's fine. I don't care if he likes ARs and 9mm semi-autos - as long as he doesn't care that I like bolt actions and revolvers.

 

[dartor]

You're not alone. We recently had a new gun shop open a few miles away. Nice selection of new and used, quality guns and great pricing on the used ones. It's a good way to kill an hour... until you want to buy something. I stood around for 45 minutes waiting to see a shotgun. No other customers in the store. One employee was working on an AR, the other was fiddling with a computer and both positively ignored me and my brothers! I finally got computer guys attention, and he acted like it was downright offensive to have to wait on us. All three of us bought guns that day, but we decided on the way home that would be our last trip over there! That's what lack of customer service gets you; lack of customers!

Mac

You of course did let them know how you felt? They don't know unless you let them know. Or......perhaps they just don't care, I'm seeing that more often in retail these days.

 

[MacAR]

You of course did let them know how you felt? They don't know unless you let them know. Or......perhaps they just don't care, I'm seeing that more often in retail these days.

Oh, absolutely! He didn't seem phased in the least. Oh well, their loss.

Mac

 

[Smokin Gator]

I tried to give some business to a fairly new gun store. Asked them about finding a CZ75B SAO. This was years ago. I wasn't in a big hurry and he said he'd look. I gave them plenty of time but whenever I called it sounded like they had made no effort to find one. It was like the first time we had the conversation on each call.

Finally I found one somewhere and I asked the guy who had supposedly been looking for one if he'd do the transfer. This was after several months time. I did all the work of finding the gun. He said he'd do the transfer plus $100 because I wasn't buying the gun from him. I just had another store do the transfer like normal.

 

[AlexanderA]

The frustrations of the gun business are such that they can make anyone into a curmudgeon, even if he didn't start out that way. Not much margin for profit, and a lot of jerks in the customer base. (Or more accurately, the non-customer base, because these types never seem to actually buy anything.)

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I've experienced all of the above at various times.

I will say, Ive gotten some smoking hot deals on old guns at the Tacticool shops. But ya, sometimes you gotta wait for them to finish playing Candy Crush (or whatever the kids do on their phones these days), before you can get any service.

 

[tark]

The only gun store I buy from is Simpson's Collector guns ( the one in Illinois ) They have about 6,000 guns in inventory, the vast majority of which are C&Rs. They only let two people in the showroom at a time and once you're inside they are right there to assist you. They are courteous and knowledgeable. They grade their C&Rs honestly and accurately. If something is wrong with the gun they tell you. I have bought around 20 guns from them in the last fifteen years, so I'm on a first name basis. Sometimes Mr. Simpson himself is there, perched on his favorite stool. He is warm and friendly. He once spent almost an hour telling me things that I never knew about Lugers.

I have only bought two guns in the last few years that were purchased somewhere else.

As far as I am concerned, Simpson's can't be beat.

 

[CapnMac]

Is it just my “LGS” like this, or is this common ?

Really common in those places large enough to have more than one gun store. Like most retail places, there will be a range of quality between the places.

For gun stores, often what sells in one does not sell in another, and the stock within will match that customer base (such as it is).

It does not help that, we, the customer base for all those LGS, are not uniform in what we want, either. Which presents a quandary for the retailer wanting to move product.

The coin has two sides (when not resembling a 20-sided die).

 

[dogtown tom]

Joe Dirt: So you're gonna tell me that you don't have no black cats, no Roman Candles, or screaming mimis?
Kicking Wing: No.
Joe Dirt: Oh come on, man. You got no lady fingers, fuzz buttles, snicker bombs, church burners, finger blasters, gut busters, zippity do das, or crap flappers?
Kicking Wing: No, I don't.
Joe Dirt: You're gonna stand there, ownin' a fireworks stand, and tell me you don't have no whistlin' bungholes, no spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, honkey lighters, hoosker doos, hoosker don'ts, cherry bombs, nipsy daisers, with or without the scooter stick, or one single whistlin' kitty chaser?
Kicking Wing: No... because snakes and sparklers are the only ones I like.
Joe Dirt: Well that might be your problem, it's not what you like, it's the consumer.

 

[hso]

It's a good way to kill an hour

That's why no one pays attention. You're there to kill an hour, not buy a gun 4 times out of 5 you're there. You've taught them to ignore you.

 

[hutch51]

LGS / range I go to has a guy at the counter just inside the door who waylays just about everybody that walks in with a "Hiya - Need anything?", even if he's busy doing a 4473. I walked in with a range bag last week and he asked "Range?", said yeah ammo and range time but first rest room. He said enjoy.
Personable fella, all their employees are easy to deal with. Usually three on-hand. I have met the owner, good guy.
Treasure Chest, McPherson, Kansas.

Outfit called GunBros (Hutchinson KS) is trying to crowd-source a range here. Looks like they're gonna pull it off. Need to go down and contribute. They're a smaller shop but the guys are good. We can use a range here, none at present.
(Just checked - range in progress.)

 

[MacAR]

That's why no one pays attention. You're there to kill an hour, not buy a gun 4 times our of 5 you're there. You've taught them to ignore you.

Let me clarify - it would be a good place to kill an hour if you're so inclined. The visit I spoke about earlier was our very first visit to the store. Had we been "regulars" I'd have expected to be ignored.

Mac

 

[armoredman]

You're not alone. We recently had a new gun shop open a few miles away. Nice selection of new and used, quality guns and great pricing on the used ones. It's a good way to kill an hour... until you want to buy something. I stood around for 45 minutes waiting to see a shotgun. No other customers in the store. One employee was working on an AR, the other was fiddling with a computer and both positively ignored me and my brothers! I finally got computer guys attention, and he acted like it was downright offensive to have to wait on us. All three of us bought guns that day, but we decided on the way home that would be our last trip over there! That's what lack of customer service gets you; lack of customers!

Mac

That was one of the things that killed Jensen's in Tucson, being ignored in favor of old-time customers if anything. A buddy of mine waited patiently for 30 minutes until a person finally broke away from his conversation to ask, "What do you want?"
Scott waved a stack of $100 bills and said, "I was going to spend these here, but it looks like you don't need my money."
Same thing with a local gun shop where I am now. The owner kept couches and easy chairs for his buddies, and sold garbage dear - ever seen a can of Red Dot hand labeled Green Dot on a gun shop shelf? He had one. Everything was expensive. He's been out of business for years now, not sure if it's for that reason.
I'm just like your teeth - if you ignore me, I will go away and never return.

 

[roval]

my lgs is well stocked and of the 30 guns or so that passed through my hands since 2009 probably 24 came through his shop. given the number of years that isn't a lot compared to others. his prices used to be the lowest but now not so much with stock staying unsold for a long time. he does sell a lot of guns. he used to pricematch other stores and online prices and i was nicely asking him if he would consider ordering a revolver for me( he didn't have one on stock) at a price that would have matched the online price plus the transfer fee, he brusquely cut met me off and said then order it from them.

i gladly ordered it online and they did the transfer. if he answers me rudely then i have no qualms giving my business elsewhere.

 

[.38 Special]

I've been to gun stores with friendly, enthusiastic, helpful employees. I remember them clearly, because they were so rare. I also will note that they are all out of business, despite how much money I spent there.

The places run by a-holes are mostly still around. I don't know what to make of that.

None of it matters much any more, at least around here. The big box places - I'm looking at you, Bass Pro - have pretty much taken over, for better and worse. C'est la vie, I guess.

 

[marksman13]

The internet has killed all the local shops unwilling or unable to adapt. Folks walk in, fondle everything in stock and take up an employees time with small talk and questions, then turn around and order their guns online to save a hundred bucks. Well, fifty bucks because they are going to have to turn around and pay to have the gun transferred. Then, they’ll cry about how unfair it is that the LGS charged so much for the transfer.

My favorite gun store closed last year and it sucked, but it has saved me a lot of money. None of the other local stores are nearly the same quality in terms of knowledge or customer service. None of the others give me the kinds of deals I used to get either. Maybe that’s one reason he closed…

Anyway, I have a buddy in another state with an FFL and he gives me prices that make it worth the hassle of having the guns shipped to a local FFL.

 

[Lo-Profile]

There's 20+ places to buy guns within a 30 mile drive for me, including Cabela's, Scheel's and Sportsman's Warehouse. Lots of smaller gun shops. I usually only deal with two of them, both are smaller family owed places.
I tend to stay away from the tacti-kook and over priced places.

 

[Basura Blanca]

I tend to stay away from the tacti-kook and over priced places.

My rule is if there's a couple sofas and a Keuirg machine in the lobby, there are no deals to be had in the place.

 

[Riomouse911]

My local outlet of a California chain (Turners Outdoorsman) has been a spot for some good consignment deals and for a trio of special order guns that they didn’t have on hand. The guys there are friendly and will take time with customers who have questions or aren’t gun savvy.

There is one other Turners location within a reasonable distance that has fantastic consignments but the staff isn’t as dialed in, another has good staff but they chit-chat a bit too much and getting your number called for service takes a while to happen.

There are two local national chain outlets, BPS and Sportsman’s Warehouse, that both have a very short staffed gun counter. Service takes forever, as in 2 hours plus to complete a simple gun purchase. Plus, here in Ca you have to go back after ten days to pick it up, so 2 hours on the initial day can total 3 to 3.5 hours all tolled up.

I have bought one gun, a knock-arounder Condor O/U for rough country quail hunting at BPS, and two at SW (A Ruger factory target 10/22 and later on a consigned Les Baer TRS that I stumbled upon). The experience was so mentally taxing at each place that I don’t plan on buying from either retailer again.

The one true local mom and pop store I adored changed ownership a while back. Some guns they sold to a guy were later used by others in a well publicized, awful terrorist act here locally. The stress of the inquest, and I will assume guilt over what happened to the victims, took the fun out of it for them.

I have been welcomed like a long time customer at some places, and I’ve been treated like I was wetting on the bbq charcoal at others. The former places get my $$, the latter ones don’t.

Stay safe.

 

[Odd Job]

I am guessing that an LGS that also has a range attached to it is more likely to be in tune with what the customer wants. Reason being: he can rent a gun, try it out and buy one of those if he likes it.
If you don't have guns people are willing to rent, you have missed a step in a possible road to a sale.