Supporting local gun shops

[Hanzo581]

About 9 out of 10 times I find myself buying online versus buying at my local gun stores. As much as I love supporting local businesses I cannot bring myself to spend the extra 20 or 30% more on a given item. If a gun is $600 on grabagun you can bet it is $800 locally.

If I had a money tree in the back yard it would be one thing, but I don't. Plus I figure at least with transfers my local shop gets $30 for ten minutes of paperwork with me when I do a transfer.

So I'd like to hear from you guys and gals, what is your threshold for buying online versus buying at your local mom and pop? Or are you solely an online or local shopper?

Cheers.

 

[entropy]

Odd. I've found better deals in the LGS's around here. Usually transfer fees eat up any savings found online. If I can only find a gun I want online, or happen upon a great deal there, sure, I've bought a few guns that way, but have bought far more at the LGS or a show.

 

[Hanzo581]

I'll use my most recent order as an example.

Ruger SR1911.

Grabagun 672.35 delivered
Local Shop I'm getting it sent to 785.99 +tax

Even adding in the $30 transfer fee, I'm still saving over $80....

 

[RLHIII]

I'm helping to support my local shop!! I like having a Gun shop with an indoor shooting range about 2 miles from home!!

 

[Swing]

So I'd like to hear from you guys and gals, what is your threshold for buying online versus buying at your local mom and pop? Or are you solely an online or local shopper?

Almost entirely online. In all these decades, in many different places, I'd say 90%+ of local gun shops I've been to offered no value added and, generally, have been obnoxious. Crappy attitudes, berating the choice of item but offering something totally different, huge mark-ups, treating female members of my family like trash, abysmal gunsmithing service, and having to listen to politics/conspiracy horse manure is not value added. If it wasn't for GCA68, that requires firearms to be transferred through a local FFL, I wouldn't even deal with a local "kitchen table" FFL (for Title I items) or FFL/SOT (for Title II items).

 

[primalmu]

I guess it depends on the local shop. I bought my Kimber Stainless II at my LGS for $775 before tax. Best price for the same model I can find online is $740. Factor in a $15-30 transfer fee and you're not saving much. I don't account for tax in these calculations because that's not up to the LGS, and its not fair to hold them accountable for the extra cost of sales tax. I simply consider sales tax to be my instant gratification fee...

My LGS is 1/4 mile from my house and has always given me excellent service. I'm happy to give them my business.

 

[Grumulkin]

If a local gun store gave good service and pricing, I'd buy there but most around here don't so they don't get much of my business.

 

[roval]

if the transfer fee is figured in and the difference is close including the tax then i buy from lgs. if not then online. i figure they make money on the transfer fee. my shop has good prices though

 

[CZ9shooter]

I have something like a dozen guns shops, not including Cabelas and Gander Mountain, less than an hour from me. Cabelas does have good prices when "on sale." Somehow though, most of the small guys have decent prices everyday. Weird. Only downside to the real local guys is that some of their staff can be be less than courteous.

And then there is this one relatively new LGS. They get most of my money these days. Best (not just decent) prices around, good service, and a broad inventory. Like CZs. They've got a lot of gear, parts, knives, and even some reloading components too.

Another guy down the road has a full array of everything reloading. Not quite as good as online price, but no hazmat BS and I get it now.

I could save a just a few bucks going online, next to nothing, so why bother? I'd like to see these guys around in the future.

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

Odd. I've found better deals in the LGS's around here. Usually transfer fees eat up any savings found online. If I can only find a gun I want online, or happen upon a great deal there, sure, I've bought a few guns that way, but have bought far more at the LGS or a show.

^ This.


99% of the time the transfer fee eats up any saving versus buying locally.

Besides, I like getting out from behind the computer and interacting with and supporting the LGS. Usually their deals aren't that far off from what's available online, and your supporting you local business community (I'm not talking Cabelas or Bass Pro).

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Since I rarely if ever look online for a gun I can say the LGS is much better for my purposes. The online shopping I do is at Dixie Gun Works for black powder kits....

 

[AlexanderA]

I've about given up on my local gun shops. They simply don't carry anything I'm interested in. I have my best luck haunting the large gun shows in the area. Even then, my trip to the gun show is fruitless at least half the time. (There is not much that is lacking in my collection at this stage in my life -- and I'm not willing to pay grossly inflated prices for the few things that I don't have. $5,000 for a Johnson rifle is ridiculous. After all, it lost the competition to the Garand.)

 

[mudstud]

I prefer to patronize my local dealers, when possible. If a local dealer has what I am lusting after, most likely he'll get the business. True, it may cost a little more (not always), but I'm helping keep them in business, I get to inspect the exact gun I am buying, and don't have to deal with the hassle of having a gun shipped. Oh, and I might mention virtually all the help at local dealers are pretty good guys, sometimes not the most knowledgeable, but they are generally younger and just don't have a lot of experience. No problem.

Having said that, I buy quite a number of guns on GunBroker and Gunsinternational. This would be for certain guns that are not readily available locally, out of production or collectible stuff mostly. I don't "shop" GB or GI for bargains, like so many seem to think they are entitled to. I am looking for specific items, and that is often the only means of obtaining many pieces. The drawback is there are a few less than honest sellers, but I've never been totally shafted.

On the other hand, I rarely buy guns at a gun show. There are few guns I am even interested in, and the prices on the ones I am interested in are usually so outrageous, I don't even bother trying to dicker.

Gun auctions, I have totally quit going to. In this area, there are too many wealthy people who bid guns up to far more than they are worth, because they want it, and they have the money to get it, no matter what.

YMMV.

 

[VoodooMountain]

I try to support local shops but they have to be competitive.

For example, one of my lgs have Varget in stock but they want $40/lb!
It used to be $33 which I could barely stomach but did on occasion just to support them.

This time I ordered from powder valley and took a drive.

Another lgs tries to work with me and gives me free transfers. Because of this I have purchased a few firearms from him even though his prices may be $20-$50 more than online. He even tells me that if I find a better price online just buy it and ship it through him for the transfer.

 

[Da Yooper]

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

 

[Sergei Mosin]

I don't have a set dollar figure; it's a matter of whether a place adds enough value to make it worth the premium. Sometimes that value comes in the form of information, sometimes it's availability, sometimes it's a sales guy I know and I'm happy to give him a commission. The last three guns I've bought came from three different places - one online store and two local shops.

 

[YankeeFlyr]

I'll support the little guy (local) until he doesn't have it in stock (often, unfortunately).

If he doesn't have the powder, ammo or whatever, I go to the internet.

That's the way it's going, and there's nothing to stop it. Sometimes I'm surprised there are any LGS operators left.

Seriously.

 

[herkyguy]

I've been able to talk a few LGS owners or managers down in price when I show them the online pricing. If I get them to the same price I would pay after shipping and FFL fees plus about $50, I'll always buy local. I don't mind paying a bit in taxes. For hard to find guns though, I don't have the patience to wait for an LGS to order one and sit on the waiting list.

I do try to frequent local shops, and a new indoor range down the road has me smiling quite a bit.

 

[Plan2Live]

I've tried shopping online but nothing ever feels the same in my hand online as it does in the local gun store. It might be my internet connection.

 

[tmail65]

My LGS sold me my first gun. 3rd visit to use the range, had a Ober Gatlinburg shirt on. Which lead to the owner and I talking about the Smokies mountain area. I have family there and he lived there. So, now it's like "Cheers" without the beer!!!!!

3rd gun, he couldn't get what I wanted, his vendors didn't have one. He said to buy online and have the gun sent to him.

Did a online check a month after buying first gun. With the transfer cost added and the $50 rebate from Taurus, gun only cost $20 more at LGS out of display case.

===

Gun shows about every two months around here.

Have two vendors that I get ammo from.

One for .380 and 9mm and one for 22LR.

===

Online got a holster (for my Taurus G2) and some 22 short (for my Dad).

 

[bikemutt]

Since I like to trade I do most of my gun buying locally. When I do buy online it's mostly because none of the LGSs have what I'm looking for, or their price is way out of line.

 

[red rick]

I use both . I will not pay my LGS $75 dollars more than I can buy it online just to keep their doors open . My FFL fee is only $15 dollars .

 

[Old Shooter]

I have a half dozen good LGS in my area and I travel between them looking over the inventory and window shopping. When I buy one it is a face to face transaction and ends with a handshake.

I prefer older used guns and I like to hold it in my hands, work the action and examine the wood and metal closely.

Never have bought a gun on-line and not really interested in starting now.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I support the local guys. In md, where I am stuck for now, many have already been put out of business by the gov't and the stupid laws here. Online will not be an option if there are no FFL's to do the transfer for me in a few years.

As I have moved around in life I have always been able to find at least one LGS which was good, honest, and had sane pricing. Be doing business with them I was able to get better deals as time went on. Also, they knew what I was interested in and would often hold something till I came in again. I don't think any online sellers are going to care if you buy more than 1 thing from them or not. Also, when you have an issue I don't expect the LGS to go far to help you resolve it if you bought it online.

So, I'm a big supporter of the local guy unless he simply can't get the item in. I have had them tell me that in the past and so I did order it but that was after they had first shot at the sale.

 

[Zebraranger]

I prefer to actually handle and see what I'm buying. I only had to receive one damaged gun when ordering it online, the hassle wasn't worth it to me. Plus, I too like window shopping the LGS's in my area and sometimes find something I wasn't looking for, but glad I found it kind of items.