Which Chain Store Do You Prefer for Gun Purchases?

[9mmfan]

I've bought from Academy because relatively close,for common guns, they had the best price. I've bought from Bass Pro because I was there or they had a variant I didn't feel like looking all over for. I've bought from Cabela's because they had a sale or a decent price on something used that was specifically what I was looking for.

Most of the time, I have bought from gun shows. In DFW, there are enough shows often enough to keep the dealers somewhat competitive.

 

[RFMan]

We don't have Academy, Cabela's (though one is coming), Sportsman's Guide,or Sportsmans Warehouse near here. So right there, I have not been able to have direct experience with 50% of them, though I have mail ordered supplies other than firearms from Cabela's and Sportsmans's Guide.

For firearms, I prefer my some of my LGS.

For supplies, it varies. For ammo, most of that comes either from Wal-Mart or mail order, though I sometimes found decent deals at stores before Dec 2012. For parts, tools, etc, it varies. The big chains are not very well stocked with tools and parts; they are like a convenience store with groceries - they have it if you really need it right then, but they are higher. I will admit that the chain store hours are better than the LGS. Thanks to the Internet, I mail order a lot of specialty items from a lot of different vendors.

 

[HRnightmare]

I once bought a gun from Wal Mart...A plain .22. The price was good but it took nearly 40 minutes for the cashier to process the paperwork, call it in and find someone to walk me out to my car, not letting me touch the box until I was at my car like I was a street punk that just got caught stealing and was being handed back to my parents.
Unless a gun is beyond dirt cheap I will not buy a gun from them again. I worked for WM in college and the bureacratic BS the store makes people jump through is astronomical! Also, there is rumors that WM made copies of their firearm transactions and provided them to the Feds. (before a S#$%storm arises, they are required to produce the books on inspection for review, they are NOT required to make them copies for the Feds to take with them).

I have never bought from Dicks or Gander Mt because the prices on guns are ridiculously high. I am also slightly spoiled because we have a decently sized locally owned gun shop in my area that offers deep discounts for military / LEO on most brands.

 

[80Goat]

None of those.

Last gun I bought from a chain store was from Woolco. They were going out of business and I bought a Mossberg pump 20 gauge and 12 gauge shotgun for $87 each.

 

[Jeff H]

To the people who voted for Dick's and Bass Pro: Are there just no other stores around your area?

I've shopped at both in a pinch, but never got good deals.

 

[Jlr2267]

To the people who voted for Dick's and Bass Pro: Are there just no other stores around your area?

I've shopped at both in a pinch, but never got good deals.

The DSP in my area has excellent pricing during sales. Regular pricing is somewhere between Academy and Cabelas. I don't shop at DSP anymore but I bought several firearms there before they screwed over their modern sporting rifle customers a while back

 

[oneounceload]

None of those.

Last gun I bought from a chain store was from Woolco. They were going out of business and I bought a Mossberg pump 20 gauge and 12 gauge shotgun for $87 each.

Last NEW gun I bought from a chain like that was from JC Penney when they were getting out of the gun business - bought a new Browning Citori

 

[Kynoch]

To the people who voted for Dick's and Bass Pro: Are there just no other stores around your area?

I've shopped at both in a pinch, but never got good deals.

Dick's has some fairly good prices here locally -- just gotta watch the sales. Unfortunately I have never been inside of a Bass Pro.

 

[Kynoch]

This has been a very interesting thread despite some peoples' best efforts to derail it and/or use it bring attention to themselves. These individuals seem to have a need to broadcast their belief that they are somehow special. I suppose that's just the nature of gun forums in general, aye?

Anyway I really didn't expect one chain (Cabela's or anyone else) to receive such a dominant number of votes. While I have never been inside of an Academy Sports store, I have heard of their excellent pricing from time to time so I expected their strong performance on this poll.

The takeaways for me is that there are truly some material differences between the different chains when it comes to purchasing firearms -- and a reinforced understanding that some people simply cannot refrain from trying to derail threads (you'd think they would just skip over that they cannot handle?) and/or refrain from trying to use threads to bring attention onto themselves so they can tell others just how special they believe themselves to be.

I appreciate everyone who voted. Thanks.

 

[lxd55]

This has been a very interesting thread despite some peoples' best efforts to derail it and/or use it bring attention to themselves. These individuals seem to have a need to broadcast their belief that they are somehow special. I suppose that's just the nature of gun forums in general, aye?

Anyway I really didn't expect one chain (Cabela's or anyone else) to receive such a dominant number of votes. While I have never been inside of an Academy Sports store, I have heard of their excellent pricing from time to time so I expected their strong performance on this poll.

The takeaways for me is that there are truly some material differences between the different chains when it comes to purchasing firearms -- and a reinforced understanding that some people simply cannot refrain from trying to derail threads (you'd think they would just skip over that they cannot handle?) and/or refrain from trying to use threads to bring attention onto themselves so they can tell others just how special they believe themselves to be.

I appreciate everyone who voted. Thanks.

#9 still got a few votes. 5 for sure.

 

[oldillini]

I too vote for None of Above.

Gander is the only big box store near us (Bass Pro is 2-1/2 hrs. Cabela's even farther.) I will walk through Gander but unless they are having a deep discount sale or I am desperate I do not buy there. Most of my shopping is LGS.

 

[lxd55]

if in the 25 mile south of Atlanta area, this is the place to go look.
http://www.edspublicsafety.com/

 

[Pistoleropete]

9. None of the above.
Big guys squeeze out the small locals, then you are at the mercy big guys and there go your options.

 

[Kynoch]

9. None of the above.
Big guys squeeze out the small locals, then you are at the mercy big guys and there go your options.

Around here it's more like the "small locals" commit suicide with poor customer service, FUD, hideously high prices and poor selection. Those small locals who run good businesses prosper.

Back to the actual subject of this thead, I hope we get a Cabela's one day...

 

[maxxhavoc]

To the people who voted for Dick's and Bass Pro: Are there just no other stores around your area?

I've shopped at both in a pinch, but never got good deals.

I have bought 2 Remington 700's from Dicks. They seem to coordinate sales with Remington's rebates on a regular basis. That makes for some nice discounts.

Usually I buy from shows/pawn shops. The only well-stocked local gun stores here have gouged customers so hard over the past few years that I refuse to do business with them.

 

[Kynoch]

I have bought 2 Remington 700's from Dicks. They seem to coordinate sales with Remington's rebates on a regular basis. That makes for some nice discounts.

Usually I buy from shows/pawn shops. The only well-stocked local gun stores here have gouged customers so hard over the past few years that I refuse to do business with them.

Same here. As you said "the past few years" -- it's not as if I'm holding something again them that happened 10, 20+ years ago.

There are no pawn shops in the city that I live in. There was one for a very long time but it finally died about a decade ago. Their used guns (even during normal times) were typically priced as if they were new.

 

[Lucky Derby]

I don't buy from chain stores. I prefer local shops.
I will admit that sometime around 1990 or so I did buy a Marlin Camp Carbine 9mm at K Mart. Only chain store I ever bought a firearm from, and it only happened the one time.

 

[burk]

This has been a very interesting thread despite some peoples' best efforts to derail it and/or use it bring attention to themselves. These individuals seem to have a need to broadcast their belief that they are somehow special. I suppose that's just the nature of gun forums in general, aye?

Anyway I really didn't expect one chain (Cabela's or anyone else) to receive such a dominant number of votes. While I have never been inside of an Academy Sports store, I have heard of their excellent pricing from time to time so I expected their strong performance on this poll.

The takeaways for me is that there are truly some material differences between the different chains when it comes to purchasing firearms -- and a reinforced understanding that some people simply cannot refrain from trying to derail threads (you'd think they would just skip over that they cannot handle?) and/or refrain from trying to use threads to bring attention onto themselves so they can tell others just how special they believe themselves to be.

I appreciate everyone who voted. Thanks.

I find it interesting too. While I work PT at Gander I have no huge vested interest in the companies position. What surprises me is Gander has more stores than (I believe) all of the others combined. If I'm not mistakin they have a 160 stores and are opening more. I know that overall they sell the most firearms of any chain in the nation in dollars. While all of these chains are somewhat regional (Academy and Sportsmans have no prescence in MI fo instance), Ganders poor showing seems to indicate they have a lot of work to do in the service area. Is that the general take here?

 

[JTHunter]

When I made my previous post, I had not answered the poll. Two days ago, I got some interesting info from the asst. manager of one of the two nearby Walmarts. He stated that WM has realized how much they are missing out on sales of firearms in this area and they are planning to stock firearms again for the first time in at least 10 years.

They hope to have them back in stock by late August.

 

[Delford]

We have all the stores in this area. Gander and Dick's are very high, Bass Pro is high, and Cabelas is too far away. Academy is reasonable but the LGSs are competitive with Bud's. Hyatt Gun Store is based here and their on-line prices are very reasonable. I can buy on-line and pick up in store. Doing price comparisons is the best way to get the best price. I got my Beretta Neos in the next county for a great price. I got my Remmy 870 used (but possibly never fired) for a good price at Hyatt. Walmart's ammo prices are only beaten by Dick's sales and they have a Marlin 336 for less than $300, although I don't plan to buy it. I only plan on 1or 2 more purchases of pistols and my M-N 1891 (1929 Izshevsk hex) is my final long gun acquisition. Walmart only has one store out of seven in the area that sells long- and shotguns.

 

[rromeo]

Academy Sports + Outdoors Never been there, I don't know where the nearest is
Bass Pro Shops It's okay, but expensive There's one about 2 hours
Cabela's I like the used gun racks. There's one 3 hours away
Dick's Sporting Goods Okay if they have a sale. 20 minutes away
Gander Mountain A huge ripoff. Hour away
The Sportsman's Guide No experience. Don't know where they are
Sportsmans Warehouse They have decent prices. 45 minutes away
Wal*Mart I buy some ammo there, but no guns. 5 minutes

I buy most of guns at a local shop, but my tastes tend toward older guns, so most of those chain stores don't have what I want. I buy most of my reloading supplies from 1 of 3 local shops, because I'm not driving 45 minutes to save $4. If my travels take me near one of the big stores, I will usually stop in.

 

[MillCreek]

I would have to vote for Cabela's, since none of the other options are close to my area. We have no Academy, Gander, Bass, Sportsman's or other chain stores here north of Seattle.