Supporting local gun shops

[Caliper_Mi]

I've got a LGS that I used to be really big on. They recently expanded however and now their prices are suffering. (Or I'm just getting wiser)
For example, they recently got in a used M&P40 Pro and are offering it for $540. Well, Bud's credit price is $542 for a NEW gun. I can get a $25 transfer at another store vs 6% sales tax local and their used gun price is more than new.

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[savage24]

I try to support my local gun stores, when I can do it without my wallet taking a beating. I support one by paying $15 every week to shoot a bowling pin match at their range. I will purchase used guns from the local stores if they are reasonable on price. Even if the price is $50-$75 more than I would like to pay, if it is something I really want I will usually buy it and tell myself I'm doing my part to support the LGS.

Most of the gun stores in my area charge $40 for a transfer. I use a pawn shop 4 blocks from my house that charges $20. Of the last six guns I have purchased, 2 were used guns from two local gun stores, 2 were used guns from individuals online and 2 were new in box from individuals online. I easily saved $200 on each of the online transactions. For instance, my last online purchase was a new in box Dan Wesson Pointman Nine for $1225 including shipping and transfer. My LGS has one priced over $1400 plus tax.

 

[Rock185]

Most of us, me included, would probably prefer to buy local. If I could get within about $100.00 of the online price I would happily buy local. But unfortunately, it is usually $200 - $300 more on guns I've been in the market for.....ymmv

 

[Hanzo581]

Picked up my guns today from my local gun shop. I wanted a few Magpul accessories for the AR including the back up sights, I was willing to overpay.

They don't have them.

..........alrighty then.

 

[Ruezim]

I must be lucky my LGS has good prices and if he does not have it in stock he will order it longest i have waited for anything is less then a week, which is not a big deal since i use to have to wait three days no matter what because i live in WI. If he does have to order it is even cheaper. He says it is because i have to come back and deal with that hassle or it is because he already has my money and it will not sit in his inventory its my choice to believe which one it is.

 

[Axis II]

I used to support a local gun shop - hardware store

until I caught them selling 22 lr to their "special " friends

I spent a ton of $$$$$ there & was talking to a friend outside when someone walked out with an arm load of 22 lr after I was told 5 minutes before they did not have any

I will never spend another dime in that store ever again

I went to a gander mountain one night a few years back and asked about 22lr ammo and was told none in stock. I said huh cause I called an hour ago and the guy said you had some. I then go looking around cause I drop up there out of my way and a guy is buying an AR-22lr and they say you need any ammo, the guy says what you got. kid goes in the back and comes out with a brick. I said *** you told me you didn't have any ammo. he says well we keep it in the back so guys who actually buy a gun from us have ammo to shoot. I said yeah I just got a 22lr savage from dicks today cause they blew you guys away on price and I want to shoot my new gun too. I emailed corporate and never got a response. I was fuming.

 

[Axis II]

I try and buy local because the guys at the shop are always nice and help me out. lately they haven't had what I need and they are 30min away so I began buying online and online seems to be a bit cheaper too. I ordered a FCD, bullet puller and something else and paid like $60 for it but had I drove the 30min before I called and was told they didn't have 1 of the things I needed It would have been a wasted time and gas. I figured I saved about $20 in gas so im happy.

 

[Choctaw]

I pay a transfer fee of $10.00. I do not have to pay tax on internet purchases, nor do I have to be treated rudely by idiots who man some of those stores.

 

[Edcnh]

I buy locally most of the time. I have four decent LGS within an hours drive. Three of them are within half an hour. All will bargain on used gun prices. One of them will come down a little on new guns.

 

[tonyjr]

I'm going to L A area from S F area in 2 weeks and will be stopping by the Camarillo store .
1 st , they are supposed to have a lot of reloading stuff .
2 nd - I want the idiots in Sacramento to see how much they are going to loose in sales tax when I have to go to Reno to buy .

 

[berettaprofessor]

One of the shops near me will sell anything they can order special at 10% over their cost. That usually matches the best prices I can find, with the exception of special deals at places like CDNN. So I support them by orders, by paying them transfer fees on firearms I order online, and, as I did today, by selling or trading them back guns at prices that they can turn around and make a profit from. I don't care what they list a gun at that I might have sold them; they're doing the work of selling it and I'm happy to spend their cash.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

To me it's not an either or situation. I try to give the majority of my business to local stores but I still buy somethings online. Firearms aren't the bread a butter of a gun store as the margins are low. If you want to help out a local store but accessories and cleaning supplies from them that add up to the value of a gun. Their margins are much better.

 

[Old Dog]

I recently purchased a high-end pistol from a local gunshop, even though I could have procured it online, with shipping and transfer fee, for almost a hundred dollars less.

I truly believe that it's vitally important to keep our smaller, especially, non-franchised or big-box stores, in business.

I fully recognize that all of us have horror stories about the lack of business savvy displayed by LGS owners, the egregious stupidity demonstrated by LGS counter clerks, etc., but I still look upon the small businesses as representative of the foundation this country was built upon, and really don't want us to evolve into a model where all of our shopping is done online. I want to be able to go into a store and actually see or hold something before I spend money on it. Is that too much to ask for?

 

[CajunBass]

The only guns I've ever purchased online were (1) com-bloc milsurps, and (2) a couple I bought face to face over a local "gun for sale" board. I don't even look at other places.

I don't normally buy "new" guns. If I did, I might be more interested in some online place. I'm hunting for older guns, that for the most part aren't made anymore. Sure I could watch gunbroker and such, but that just leaves me cold. No thanks. I want to see, touch, inspect BEFORE I say "I'll take it."

Besides, my LGS is my "Cheers." My wife and I stop buy ever couple of days just to say "spread joy, happiness, and wisdom among the staff." If they had a coffee bar, we might never leave.

I will buy some gun related stuff online. Dies, bullets and such..holsters.

 

[stringnut]

We have three LGS fairly close. One I will not even go in. They are rude, very high priced, bigoted, discrimitory against women, conspiracy theory oriented, opinionated, and have poor stock. Their employees and customers are best avoided at all times.

The other two are pretty good to work with most times. If you know your prices you can do well on firearms. Optics are a different story. One carries nothing but crap. The other charges about 10% under list.

 

[tonyjr]

I try to buy local . I don't know about where you live but here
locally owned camera stores , car parts and gun shops / stores
are getting farer away and harder to find . No new stores and
the older ones are retiring , selling their shops for condos and
leaving state . I would rather here , I don' know , let me get
XXXX , than try to post online question .
I also want to touch - not look at a picture .

 

[Axis II]

I have a few LGS by me also. 2 guys used to own all 3 but I went into the one place one day after work when I was an armored car guard and he told me take the holster off that most of us cant shoot for chit anyways let alone drawing from a holster. I turned around and walked out and never went back for about 5 years until they sold it. now its owned by and im not being racist or discriminatory but they are middle easterns who cant speak a lick of English and have no clue what they are doing. I asked for a S&W J frame holster and he handed me a holster for a ruger LCR. I said it wont fit, handed me another holster and says see we make fit. I don't go there anymore. the other one the older guy is a little grouchy and tried to pull the I know more than you card. the other store is connected to a guys house and it went from a antique store, hobby shop, car repair to now a gun store. I wont go in there cause it seems shady.

another one has very nice people but prices are wayyy too high. say a ruger 10-22 cost at dicks or gander is 199.99 they want $250 of it. ive been there a few times cause they have reloading stuff in the back and talked to the guy for an hour about reloading, hunting, rifles, etc. want a few of their used guns but wayyy too expensive. i would hate to see any of these stores go because it helps the local economy but i work hard for my money and if its a few bucks ill buy from them buy $50 and higher i get the cheaper this way I can put the $50 i save into something else for it.

I have a cabelas opening up 10min from a gander mountain that half the staff wants to sell you something you don't need like oh you don't want the m&p-15 let me show you a Daniel defense, customer asks whats the difference and he says well its a DD. I was wearing my cabelas Dundee t shirt and the worker says cabelas huh your supposed to be wearing a gandermountain shirt and she wasn't laughing about it either. its all how you treat customers. I seen a rain suit online for sale and asked the girl at the store if it was on sale in store and she said our website the store will match. it rang up regular so she called the manager and he said no they wouldn't do it. i said why i would rather give you guys the money than pay corporate online. he said we don't do that cause it screws the store over we lose money if we give it to you on sale like its online. i said that makes no sense i was going to buy it online and ship to store cause its free shipping so why would it be any different if i got it right now. i will be so happy when cabelas opens.

 

[Red Wind]

I also try to buy local. My LGS, being in Key Largo, has no competition for 30 miles in either direction, yet his prices are still better than all but one or two shops in distant Miami or Ft.Lauderdale. I've sold numerous guns on consignment with him in quick order at a low fee.

His transfer fees are also very low ,plus he is a Monroe County, FL Deputy Sheriff in real life and a fine personality to boot. So ,except in rare occasions, he has gotten my business since 1999.

 

[jmorris]

I used to frequent LGS a lot more than I do these days. They can really save you on Hazmat if your just buying for immediate consumption but if you buy in bulk, online will save you money.

Problem with a few of them has been price gouging at times. I am not blaming them for trying to make money when they can but they also can't blame me for spending my money with other businesses.

 

[helitack32f1]

I go LGS. Occasionally their prices are a little higher than other stores locally but if it bothers me too much, I can politely ask them to lower the price a bit to match. I never really even bother to look online at prices. Usually, if the online price is a bit lower, it is more than made up for by the fees I would have to pay. Plus, at the LGS, I can talk to humans and hold the guns before I buy.

I recently put a Kel-Tec CMR-30 on layaway for $569. Try that online. And, they have ammo for it too.