Similar to sportsman guide?

[thirty-ought-six]

I'm new, so probably a dumb question to most but...

1. I've heard a lot of complaints about SG, but a lot of complaints are biased, does anyone here like them personally?

2. Are there any big online or catalog retailers that carry a bunch of shooting stuff at reasonable prices like SG? I'm not just talking ammo, but targets, gun cleaning stuff, mags, cases, etc?

SG keeps hounding me to sign up for their 29.99 a year "buyers club", and is now offering a $20 gift card, making the cost just ten bucks.

I wanted to hear some reviews from others on here first.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have bought from SG for over 20 years with no complaints.

 

[il.bill]

In the last six months I have made more online purchases from SG than from anywhere else. This has included men's and women's winter boots, firearm accessories and tools, and multiple ammunition shipments. The buyer's club fee has been a good investment for me. With that discount, various coupons / specials, and good pricing in general, I am a very sarisfied customer.

If you shop wisely and do your research, I think you can find some real bargains with Sportsman's Guide.

 

[Normandy]

I renew my club membership every year. It's a good $30 investment. Back when most other on-line stores were going nuts, SG held pretty steady. I appreciate that.

 

[GBExpat]

Go for it. If you plan on buying the type of stuff they carry, IMO, it probably represents a good deal for you.

I was a Buyers Club member for quite a few years and, overall, I was well pleased.

At about the time that the French company bought them out (6-7 years ago?) and the excellent SG coupons dried up, I decided that I wasn't going to be buying much from them anymore and allowed my membership to lapse.

 

[DPris]

Over 20 years here.
Only two problems, one was shoes that didn't fit (not their fault) and the other a 3-pak of European "military surplus" shoulder bags that turned out to be current made-in-China junk.

Watch the descriptions carefully, understand that "type" after anything that purports to be surplus means it is NOT surplus, and keep in mind that there's an occasional glitch with any mail-order outfit.

Denis

 

[RustyShackelford]

Gun retailers: online vendors....

First, I've ordered items from The Sportsman's Guide off & on since the late 1980s. This was with the older printed catalogs. It's been a few years since my last purchase but I don't recall any problems or major issues. Gary Owen, the owner/CEO seems like a hands on exec & the company has been in the US gun industry for about 40 years.
One recent company I would avoid is Texas firm Able's Ammo.
They are just awful. The company made no effort to process my handgun ammunition for 4/four working days. Then they informed me the shipment would be split up, . The first package was delayed(UPS Ground) & to my surprise the second shipment was being sent from Ohio by Fed Ex Ground(thanks for the updates, Able's customer service, ) .
Fed Ex Ground then had the wrong delivery address, so the driver couldn't fulfill delivery. This too was a error on Able's invoice/ordering staff.
This was the first & last purchase from that website.
A few other well run, fast gun industry firms include: Glockstore.com Cabelas.com MidwayUSA.com NatchezSS.com (not digging the name ) SGammo.com, PoliceHQ.com, Galls.com, CopsPlus.com.
Some gunners and armed professionals dislike CheaperThanDirt.com. I used to buy ammunition & products with CTD but for some unknown reason, they went with a post low prices then charge super high S/H fees for each product.
What costs $30-$40.00 with $5.00 S/H thru MidwayUSA.com would be $60-$80.00 with Cheaper Than Dirt. No thanks!

Id avoid the "smaller" shops or places that can't state exactly where your items are or what "warehouse" they are in.
Rusty

 

[DPris]

GO sold SG some time back.
Denis

 

[thirty-ought-six]

Well I ordered a tin of 500 pellets for 5 dollars and change and hit "no thank you" a couple times on the checkout screen.

The next offer I couldn't shoot down, and played with the buttons a couple times.

I got 20% off that item, and free shipping on top of that.

I also am supposed to get a $20 coupon, which I will likely use for some CLP.

So my net cost of the club is under 10 bucks, plus I used my ebates account to get 5% back of my order, which will net me another $1.75.

So a total of $9 and change to save 10% a year doesn't seem to shabby.

 

[Zach S]

I was a buyers club member for a few years. I ordered a few cases of ammo, of different calibers, and they wouldn't honor my discounted price.

Haven't shopped there since.

 

[Rule3]

I was a member for many years. I had not issues at all. In fact their warranty is pretty much forever. I bought a chap spotting scope. Had if for years, really never used it much it was poor quality. Let me return it for a full refund.

I recently bought an item and am now on the e mail list. I do not think it is worth "joining" I get a weekly free shipping no min offer so why pay $25 to "join" and save a few bucks? If you buy a lot it may be worth it,

Only issue is you get a lot of E MAILS!

As mentioned on the "surplus" stuff" read exactly what it is. You can get a deal on Polish underwear!

 

[thirty-ought-six]

I've heard about that too. They have a policy in place where if you order so much ammo they won't give a discount because they fear you are trying to resell it.

In some ways I can't blame them, I'm sure there are better sites to buy in bulk, and if 50 people bought a ton of ammo at a discount, they could end up loosing money.

As a future business owner, I can't blame them. I think they are marketing to the casual shooter and not the stockpiler/hoarder.

 

[WestKentucky]

I bought a whole bunch one year, and knew it would pay off ahead of time so I joined...Ended up buying a lot more than I expected. The other catalog companies that your membership gets you discounts on is just as good on deals as SG is, and you will find stuff to order. I had no complaints that year and would do it again in a heartbeat if I knew I would use it enough to justify the membership. Without the membership, deals are almost as good other places so I haven't bothered since, simply because I know I won't buy enough to justify it.

 

[GBExpat]

I think they are marketing to the casual shooter and not the stockpiler/hoarder.

Ahhh, but for a few years they often had GREAT ammo deals pop up, especially when paired with one of their better coupons.

Hi, my name is GBExpat and I am a stockpiler/hoarder. (Hi, GBExpat!)

I still remember the last ammo deal that I got with them: MG3 linked (7.92x57) in 250rd ammo cans for a little less than $25 ... delivered. I still have about 5 cans of that in the stockpile/hoard.

It is berdan-primed and sports chlorate primers (at least, I treat them as such) but it is good-quality, good-shooting, less-than-10¢/rd 8mm rifle ammo.

I think that the most sensible apparent business move that the French company made after buying SG was to disappear those coupons, as they were costing SG a bundle in shipping fees.

 

[Tirod]

As a constant source of interesting surplus all under one website they do well. Very few others come to mind that do that.

Since they sold off the prices have risen noticeably and the bargains are fewer. They indulge in stuff like selling import copies of N3B parkas that are less than military spec, with the sizes magic markered out so they can fulfill the order.

No better or worse than many others, it's the typical buyer be aware of what you think you are getting. And no fault of theirs, some of the foreign sources don't size to US standards.

One aspect of their pricing is to charge nearly retail for used surplus GI - they ask $120 up for a woodland three piece sleeping bag set with no goretex cover, I picked one up locally for $35. They ask $20 for waffle weave sand polypro longjohns, I bought used for $5 and a new top for retail. So it goes - their M16 parts kit languished for months during the panic for nearly $500, and now they are discounting it. A lot of us don't see them as a primary source, just a good idea factory to go search out cheaper suppliers on the net.

And they exist.

Keep getting the catalog, it's a good source of ideas and gear, but far from the best price or availability. Like anything else, you need to shop it.

 

[fallout mike]

Never any issues with them. I prefer to buy when they give you X $ gift cards when spending X amount of $. Then use those gift cards when they offer free shipping.

 

[danoam]

I've never had a problem with them in all the years I've dealt with them. I usually allow my membership to lapse, but then renew when placing a large order, which makes the membership price worth it in one shot. I've also found them to have great CS.

 

[djont57]

A dozen years or so ordering from them; no issues. Never any ammo though, it seems high most of the time. Usually order clothing & boots from them.

 

[Sunray]

A buyers club is a list of e-mail addresses of people your marketing department knows will pay you to buy at your shop.

 

[h2otoo]

I have bought a lot of ammo and other stuff from them. Quit using them when I had ammo back ordered and they did not honor the price they let me back order it for. The price difference was not much, but the way it was handled on their end (through emails and phone calls) was not very professional (take it or leave it). The fact that I had the confirmation email from the order did not matter to them. Never used them again after that. So that is my 2 cents worth. Buy stuff in stock, but watch your back orders with them.

~Bob

 

[busdriver72]

I have dealt with them for quite a while.
I do not know if their ammo prices can be beat by anyone else IF you take into consideration shipping charges. Ammo locally is more expensive and plus you add sales tax...IF you can find the ammo you want. Other sights offer free shipping if you order a bazillion rounds at a time. With SG, I wait until they have free shipping promotions then order the ammo I want....reasonable price...free shipping. If anyone can point me to some one else who does that...please do.

 

[wally]

I've no complaints either.

Since they always have a $10 off coupon out there and their $20 shipping will cover a good amount of ammo their ammo is often the lowest cost + shipping I can find. I buy enough from them that I join their "Buyer's Club" which is usually a few dollars off ammo and lets you pay in four increments so I can basically pay while I'm shooting almost liking buying on my way to the range.

Their "Guide Gear" stuff is usually good for price and they have nice return policy.

A buyers club is a list of e-mail addresses of people your marketing department knows will pay you to buy at your shop.

So are Costo and Sam's Club memberships.

 

[HammsBeer]

I've been to their retail store in St Paul several times, and the order counter is always swamped with people. While the prices on ammo and gun parts is usually pretty good, alot of the "surplus" stuff is new China knockoffs, so I avoid that stuff. No experience with ordering.

 

[rudderusa]

I buy all kinds of stuff from them when the price is right. They are now owned by Northern Tool.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

I got suckered in to paying for a membership. I got spammed to death with their ads and frankly except for a few items I found that I could buy elsewhere for less. Also during the panic they jacked the prices up so high it was unreal. I don't even look at the catalogs they still send me, they go in the recycling bin the minute I get them.