F14Tron asked:
Is the pricing akin to buying a car where everything is negotiable, or is the price you see what you pay? Thanks for your advice.
At the big box chain stores like Academy, Cabella's, etc., the price on the sticker is the price you can expect to pay.
At local gun shops, the price is generally negotiable. But, as others have already pointed out, you need to do your homework first so you don't get stuck asking for a price the seller is just not going to meet you at.
Also, don't fixate on the price of the gun. The seller might not be willing to budge on the sticker price of the gun, but he might be agreeable to throwing in some ammunition, a spare magazine or a case. Be familiar enough with the shop, what it sells, what isn't moving that you might want and be creative in your deal making. I once bought some reloading equipment from a store. The owner (who was also a locksmith) wouldn't budge on the price of the equipment, but we did eventually meet on him throwing in some padlocks.