VERY unhappy with my (former) gunshop

[vi9er]

My local gunshop, of which I have bought every gun I own(5), several thousand rounds of ammo, and numerous gun supplies has always treated me well. I guess because I have a fair knowledge of what I want. I go in and shoot the poop with one of the guys behind the counter, and even invited him to my wedding, we'll call him joe.

I just went camping with my best friend, and best man, and he wanted to show me the new sling he had put on his shotgun. Said he paid $60 for it, cause it had to be "modified".

I asked exactly what happened. He said he went in and asked for a mount for a sling, and Joe went in back and grabbed an Uncle Mike's Sling mount, $13.00, the kind that clamps to the barrell, and screws into the stock. Then the owner, Tom, came and said, oh that's not the one you need, you need a different one, and it has to be modified, and said he would do it for him. So he takes the shotgun in the back for 15 minutes, and comes back with the sling mounted. takes it to the counter, and said that will be $60, since we had to modify it.

Now I know that my friend should have known what was going on, and told him to stuff it, but dang it, I thought I could trust this guy, and he goes and does something like this. Really pisses me off, and I can guarantee that shop will never see another dime of my money.

[/rant off]

Ed

 

[Double Maduro]

Go in and tell the owner why you will not spend any more money with him. Maybe it will open his eyes.

DM

 

[BryanP]

Don't go in angry. Go in and act as if you are genuinely curious as to what modifications had to be made. Have him show you.

Also, just to rub it in, you could always start the process of buying a fairly expensive gun "I've been thinking about that M1A and today just might be the day ..." Then ask him about the sling.

But really, don't assume the gunshop guy was being a gouger. Ask him about the "modfications" first and see if he can come up with a reasonable response.

 

[Intune]

Mention that you need a sling for your shotgun and ask if they have anything that will fit it. If they come out with the $13.00 part ask them why it cost your friend $60.00

 

[Standing Wolf]

I went to my friendly local gun shop today to arrange a transfer of a firearm from another state.

There's a gun shop much closer to my house, and the owner's transfer fee is $5.00 less, but he lied to me eight or nine months ago, and won't ever get a second chance. If you can't be honest, you should get the @#$%^&! out of the firearms business, because there's a great deal of mutual trust involved.

 

[goon]

I bought a S&W M-28 from a shop I frequent about two months ago. The gun was out of time and I had ejection problems, so I took it back. It was within the 30 day "trial" they give, so they had no problem sending it back for repairs and picking up the cost.
That was on the 22nd of June. I talked to a guy I shoot with that works at the store, and he told me that S&W had called with an estimate, and that the cost was approved.
I called S&W last week, and they told me they hadn't gotten approval to fix the gun, so they weren't working on it. I immediately called the shop back and informed them of my feelings. Luckily, it was my shooting buddy who answered the phone. He called them as soon as I hung up, and things are getting set straight.
But it still pisses me off that someone screwed up and my gun has been there not getting worked on for that long.
I just hope that M-28 is worth the trouble.

 

[CGofMP]

60 bucks to modify a sling?!?!?!!?!?

Thats only 15 bucks less than Mike over at Tactical Intervention sells an entire set for! Complete with swivels and QD cuff!

I have also been witness to how Mike deals with his customers, and if a sling needed a minor modification I can not imagine Mike charging so much as a dime for it!

You really need to have a calm nice but FIRM talk with this guy. Something is really wrong.

I understand that today more than ever gunshops are operating on THIN margins but there is a point where too much is TOO MUCH!

Charles

 

[Morgan]

Name names, guys - then this thread will be useful, as opposed to just venting.

 

[JohnBT]

This wasn't a plastic stock was it? Maybe it was the mount or the stock that needed modifying and not the sling. Maybe both for all I know.

Reminds me of the old story about the farmer who called the tractor mechanic to come out to his place. The mechanic walked around the tractor twice, grabbed a wrench, tightened a bolt and charged $100. When the farmer expressed disbelief at the price, the mechanic said "That's a buck for tightening the bolt and $99 for knowing which one to tighten."

John

 

[twoblink]

So he made $45 and lost thousands in future sales. Not a bright business man..

 

[vi9er]

No, it wasn't a plastic stock, it was a wood stock, and the only "modification" was drilling a hole, and countersinking it.

I have no problem with a business milking some random rube for money, but you had better be sure who the rube's friends are!

Ed

 

[Wildalaska]

Well lets see the hole drilling and stud insertion is woorth $25 alone in any shop, isnt it?

WildhmmmAlaska

 

[JohnBT]

$25 ? Could be I guess. Depends on whether you want it straight or just somewhere in the general vicinity.


John

 

[RustyHammer]

Bryan's idea/method would be what I would try.

 

[lostdog]

seems to be a pattern

I've been seeing this alot in my area. Gun shop owners have gotten in a bad habit of trying to pull the wool over thier customers eyes. Case in point: I was in a shop owned by a guy I'll call "ernie" he was selling USGI mags for an AR-15 for 45$.... a friend who owns a local "gear store" that I'll call "cohiba" asked him if he wanted to know where to get them for 20$....we were both asked to leave. xamples of ernie's other prices...used glock $600, s&W .38 $500, charter arms buldog $325, fobus holsters $35

The best way IMO to hurt thease guys is to spread the word, and take your buisness else where.

 

[rebbryan]

LOL lostdog, that place wouldn't happen to be in boiling springs would it?? i used to go there, don't anymore since i found cohiba's place, and they had the same USP at A&B sporting goods for $100 dollars less. the little guy who's usually workin there is annoying.

 

[AZ Husker]

Ed...Kinda makes you wonder how many times the guy screwed you, huh?