Where to find the best prices

[Dudemeister]

When you're looking for a specific gun, and you LGS can't get for you, where do you find the best prices?

I've been looking for a Cimarron Thunderer or a Thunderball, and my local LGS can't find any through their distributors, so I set out to find one at the best price.

I searched everywhere, GunsAmerica, GunBroker, Buds Gun Shop, Gun Auction, Cheaper Than Dirt, and with the exception of GunBroker, they all had a very limited selection. I then came across Slick Guns. A search for the Cimarron Thunderer/Thunderball, brought up Grab-A-Gun, which happened to have both models in stock at the lowest prices I'd seen to date, including $418 for the Thunderball, so I "pulled the trigger" an got one.

Anyway, I'd be curious to see where everyone else shops for a bargain.

 

[CraigC]

I would have called Cimarron, seen if they have them in stock, got a local dealer to order from them directly.

 

[Dudemeister]

Yes they do have them, and I asked the dealer if they could order them directly, but I would have had to pay retail for them.

I guess the price they were quoted was not enough to make a profit and give me a discount.

 

[gbeecher]

I bought both my guns at J&G Sales online. I also recommend Impact Guns online. Impact will often include free shipping in the price, although the cost is nearly equal to J&G with price + shipping. I've also heard Buds Gun shop is a good one.

 

[F-111 John]

My only online gun purchase was through Davidson's Gallery of Guns.

 

[orionengnr]

If your dealer is asking you to pay retail, find a new shop.
The typical mark-up on guns is pretty substantial. Not sure of the per centage, and I'd imagine it varies from one manufacturer to the next, but a lot of people have never paid retail (or close to it) for a gun. (I am one of them, although, in fairness, I buy used far more frequently than new.)

My LGS takes her cost and adds 8-10%. She makes enough to stay in business...as a matter of fact, she is doing quite well. Mostly because she has a number of loyal, repeat customers who bring new customers to her door. Yes, I am one of the former, and several of my friends are among the latter...and they will probably join the former club as well.

 

[Dudemeister]

If your dealer is asking you to pay retail, find a new shop.
The typical mark-up on guns is pretty substantial. Not sure of the per centage, and I'd imagine it varies from one manufacturer to the next, but a lot of people have never paid retail (or close to it) for a gun. (I am one of them, although, in fairness, I buy used far more frequently than new.)

My LGS takes her cost and adds 8-10%. She makes enough to stay in business...as a matter of fact, she is doing quite well. Mostly because she has a number of loyal, repeat customers who bring new customers to her door. Yes, I am one of the former, and several of my friends are among the latter...and they will probably join the former club as well.

I do buy quite a bit at my local shop, and yes I do get discounts on most of the stuff they carry (guns, accessories, ammo), but apparently they weren't able to get much of a discount from Cimarron to pass it on to me.

They do deal directly with Taylor, and they can get me one of their Smoke Wagon guns for almost $100 off, but Taylor doesn't have a gun like the Thunderer. They have a birds head grip version, but not the Thunderer style grip.

As for finding a different shop, that easier said than done in my neck of the woods. Up here in the San Francisco Bay Area there aren't that many gun stores, and the ones that are around don't usually discount anything.

 

[powder]

Generally I do what you do, or I go to a gun show on the final day and haggle in the closing hours. There's lots of guys who would rather sell than pack it back up.

 

[Bo]

Grabagun.com or Gunwatcher.com

 

[commonwealth109]

I use Buds whenever possible, call them if it isnt in stock & see what you can find out.
I hate dealing with any local shop any more. I may *may* get to Buds price if I beg and haggle, but why go through all that?

 

[Dudemeister]

Yesterday my FFL got the gun in the mail, and I already filled out the paper work. Now the wait begins.

This was my first web based gun purchase (other than Cabela's), and I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised with the expedinecy of Grab-A-Gun.

The gun was well packed, and it came with the invoice and all the required paperwork for both me and the FFL. No hidden charges, no fuss no muss. The gun itself is quite beautiful, and in pristine condition.

I think I'll use these guys again next time I'm looking for something I can't find locally.

 

[Armor Snail]

Grabagun is awesome. So is Bud's. Lots of great purchases on there for me.

 

[Dudemeister]

I use Buds whenever possible, call them if it isnt in stock & see what you can find out.
I hate dealing with any local shop any more. I may *may* get to Buds price if I beg and haggle, but why go through all that?

Even if the dealer's price is higher than what you can find on Bud's or any other on line store, you also have to consider the added cost of the FFL transfer.

In my area the average FFL transfer cost is about $60-75, then there's the DROS $25, then you have to pay taxes on your on-line purchase anyway. So no matter how you look at it, whatever the on-line price was, I have to add at least $150.

Sometimes, you can work out a deal with your local shop for an al-inclusive price that may be the same or even less than the aggregate total of the on-line purchase.

So that's why I'll first try a local purchase, then if that doesn't work out, I'll go on-line.

BTW, the gun above cost me $418 from Grab-A-Gun, and the FFL+DROS+Sales Tax was an additional $130.

 

[JSH1]

Wow that sucks. My order process from Buds is very different. Free shipping, no tax, $30 transfer.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Yesterday my FFL got the gun in the mail, and I already filled out the paper work. Now the wait begins.

What do you mean "now the wait begins?" I thought you said the gun came in and you did the paperwork..

Also, what the heck is DROS?

Bud's prices include the S&H, that's one reason I like them.

 

[Dudemeister]

What do you mean "now the wait begins?" I thought you said the gun came in and you did the paperwork..

Also, what the heck is DROS?

Bud's prices include the S&H, that's one reason I like them.

HEre is a little section out of the California Firearms Laws Summary which should shed some light on the subject:

In California, only licensed California firearms dealers who possess a valid
Certificate of Eligibility (COE) are authorized to engage in retail sales of firearms .
These retail sales require the purchaser to provide personal identifier information
for the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) document that the firearms dealer must
submit to the DOJ . There is a mandatory 10-day waiting period before the firearms
dealer can deliver the firearm to the purchaser . During this 10-day waiting period,
the DOJ conducts a firearms eligibility background check to ensure the purchaser
is not prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms .

So now you know what we have to deal with here in beautiful CA. Yes we complain about it, but when I think about other countries and their anti-gun laws, I don't feel so bad.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Wow, the background check takes less than 5 minutes on the phone, 10 days, really? And then they charge you an additional $25 for the paperwork, another wow!

 

[Dudemeister]

Wow, the background check takes less than 5 minutes on the phone, 10 days, really? And then they charge you an additional $25 for the paperwork, another wow!

And they do this every time you buy a gun. You'd figure that once they have the paperwork on you and you check out, they wouldn't need to do it again, but no, it has to be done each and every time.

It's California's way of making money