What does your gunshop (local or internet) lack?

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dubb-1

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What is the biggest gripe you have? Are the people less than knowledgeable? Does the stock not cover all of the bases? Are they too specialized? Not specialized enough?

Please take a moment to share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. What is your idea of the "gold standard"?

Thank you.

Be well!
 
They wish that they knew everything.:mad: Need to treat the customer like they have a brain. Has a good selection with ok prices which is the only reason I go there.;) There are several shops that I frequent for different reasons. The one that I like the best is just a little gunshop run by the owner. Easy to get along with and just a all around great place. Wish there were more like that.:(
 
Because I am not of age to handle the guns I like my gun stores to have a variety of guns on the wall or in cases for me to look at. I don't like going to a gun store and staring at the same 5 guns for 20 mins.
 
Actually my favorite gun store is the biggest in the area. Well stocked with common goods and some exotics. The buyer has an eye for firearms and they have some fine specimens owned by them or on consignment. They sometimes have 1 or 2 not so bright salespeople, but they never last there very long. They deal with me as I have been buying there for years. I guess the only complaint I have is that they are consistently crowded, but that's a good reflection on the quality of their business. I just stand in line till it's my turn and they cater to everything I want to look at and answer all questions to the best of their collective knowledge (if one doesn't know he asks the others).
 
I got my C&R for the sole reason that my favorite shop didn't bother to stock any old bolt guns at a reasonable price (generally 100%+ markup of SGN prices for milsurps). I wouldn't have minded giving them a few ($15-25) dollars for their overhead but selling an old rifle for $120 that I know (due to my subscription of SGN) that they got for $40ish rubs me wrong. I even (pre C&R days) offered to buy two rifles at the listed individual price (plus shipping). They could buy 5 at a discounted price, make a couple of bucks off of me (the difference between the individual price and the 5 pack) , have 40% of their stock move out the door the same day, and sell the other 3 at their price. No deal.

Now I just need to make sure that I'm home when the BBT drops off a long rectangular package :D .

I don't mind sending a few dollars their way (I figured it out last year that on average I dropped $50 every time that I walked in their door (guns/extras bought divided by average visits per month)) however I don't want to be treated like a rube given that I've proved my knowledge over many transactions.

Greg
 
Most of the gun shops in this area are quite good. Some are too specialized in hunting, but there are others. My favorite has a massive selection of firearms of all types including class III weapons. The main thing they are lacking is glamour.:) Its a very rough, bunker type building and the owner is a bit tactless, but staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. I'd say the only things they are missing are accessories for non-traditional optics. Things like weaver rail mounts or any kind of red-dot scopes. Also, while ammo prices are pretty good, they dont offer enough variety on bullet weights. For example, they have several brands of .40 ammo but its all 180gr. Lots of buckshot, but all oo.
I'd say across the board. they could all stock a better selection of holsters. Seems like Galco and Fobus are the only choices. Kinda weird fora state w/ no carry restrictions.
 
Lack of inventory.

Too specialized.

The owner became interested in Cowboy Action shooting a couple years ago. Now you go in there and that is all that is discussed. Most of the guns for sale cater to cowboy action shooting, the cast bullets that he NOW sells are for the cowboy crowd (used to sell 158 gr. SWCs, I shot TONS of them, now it is 162 grain roundnoses because they feed through lever actions). His business card is a picture of him in his ridiculous cowboy costume :barf: I was in there yesterday and had to leave when a long winded conversation started about cowboy MOVIES. :cuss:

I have spent a whole lot of money in there. Probably more than 90% of the cowboy shooters combined. Everytime I go in there I like it less and less. But, there are only two shops in town and this one is by far the best. I used to hang out in there for a couple hours a week. Everytime I go in there which is on average once a week, I buy something. I hate to give up my primary source of face to face human interaction.
 
1) A wall filled with affordable Pre-ban rifles..
2) A display case filled with affordable full-caps..
3) A fully stocked vending machine..
4) Reasonably priced ammo..

:D
 
Many of the people in many of my local gun shops are plain old-fashioned ignorant and indifferent. They'd do well to hang out here for awhile, and equally well to understand that customer service is the only edge in non-competitive markets.
 
Because I am not of age to handle the guns

confused here. they won't let you hold the guns because you aren't old enough????

my gripe is that they are way tooooooooo. expensive. usually $100+ over the MSRP of their guns.

have a good selection nice folks but prices are high.
 
In general?

Holsters. I realize that every shop can't carry every holster but I wish someone could at least SHOW me a color brochure. A good holster isn't cheap and the one store that was NICE about letting me try out CCW holsters was one of the more expensive shops in town. Kudos to The FiringLine in Aurora Colorado.

New AND used. It's nice to see a consignment case, but often times the stuff in the used case is more expensive. Not every used firearm is an antique or collector. Still, kudos to the same shop, I've bought several used firearms from them.

Selection. Carry a lot of brands, don't be a brand snob. If I want to look at a Colt show me a Colt, not a Kimber.

Knowledge. The one thing gun shops usually have over "discount stores" is a sales staff that knows their business, and that keeps me coming back.

Courtesy. Ask me if I'd like to see something, be friendly. Smaller shops certainly have this problem at times, even when there is money burning a hole in your pocket.
 
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A clue. :fire: :cuss: :fire:

Kharn
(thats the one gunshop in my home county, the one near my work and the other gunstore I shop at while at college are both excellent)
 
What does your gunshop (local or internet) lack?

Honestly...I don't know. I have not been in local gunshop in I don't know when. The last retail "gunshop" I visited was last fall...visited a number last fall in TN, KY WVA and PA.

I do business with a long time friend and gunsmith. I used to, but the shops have closed or the owners died, that I really liked. Customer Service, courtesy, and respect were lacking in the few I last visited here local. I have spoken to one or two on the phone about local politics , but that's it, quite a drive and my schedule prevents me from visiting.

Internet, surprisingly has given me what I used to get in the old brick and mortar. Usually I just communicate with my gunsmith and he secures it.

I don't have the shopping gene anyway.

My gunsmith does not drink coffee, I'd like a coffee pot with real ceramic mugs. I bought the one and only one he had at one time... crashed...guess I need to buy another.
 
My biggest gripe is a lack of premium factory ammo loaded with premium bullets. Most of what is sold locally here is over-priced, cheap production ammo with run-of-the-mill "cup and core" factory production bullets.:fire: Every now and then when the wind stops blowing and the sun comes out, you can find Winchester Supreme loaded with Fail-Safes.
 
1. Basic Firearms Safety Skills
The Franklin Gun Shop in Franklin, TN - Sales clerk (owner, maybe) picks up the display guns, and hands them to me while pointing them at my chest with his finger on the trigger. I don't go there anymore.

2. Friendly Customer Service
The Great Outdoors in Columbia, TN - I think this place closed shop or moved. No one asked to assist me when it was obvious there were plenty of clerks and few customers. I was glared at like I accidentally walked in there instead of a nail salon.

3. Knowledgeable Customer Service
The Great Outdoors in Columbia, TN - When I finally got customer service, the guy had absolutely no idea what a Ruger 22-45 was or if he sold extra magazines for it. The extra magazines happened to be within arm's reach of him. He got embarrassed and disappeared into the back room. I think I'll go get my nails done now. :scrutiny:

4. Selection of guns, knives, and holster options
 
I frequent 2 shops, one is a corporate chain & the other a small privately owned place. The corporate store seems to have more variety while the small shop has much better service. If only the two could find that happy medium!
 
My favorite gun shop is quite small... so I pick "more space" so he could stock more...

on the GREAT side of things, I can go to Jays Sporting Goods, Guns Galore, or Cabellas, and handle/fondle/look at all the stuff, then my guy will order it, USUALLY at a better cost than the big stores, and it noiver takes more than a day or 2 to get it...

It works well for both of us...

He keeps a selection of new and used guns, and can get EVERYTHING I could ask for... and will send something back if by some freak of nature, it isn't what I wanted...

So, more space and more stock might be nice... but all in all, no big complaints!
 
Cleaning Supplies!

I've been to three local gun stores and still haven't found a .32 pistol bore brush.

I use more cleaning supplies than anything else. They're low overhead and don't take up much room. So--Stock EVERYTHING!
 
None of the gun shops in my immediate area stock any quality .22 target ammo. Maybe a box or two of Eley once in a while, but that's about it.

Up until a few years ago when it became too much of a hassle, my club used to do bulk .22 ammo orders for members (we have quite a number of serious bullseye shooters). You'd think at least one gun shop would be interested in selling upwards of 100K rounds a year of premium .22 ammo, but none seem to care.
 
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