APOD Firearms

I Just Don’t Understand Some Gun Shops

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  • Welldoya

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    There are a couple of girls and a guy in Scott’s that are very customer service oriented. They have bent over backwards to help me out a couple of times. It wasn’t like that a couple of years ago.
    If I wanted to check the knowledge of a salesperson I would ask what caliber for deer around here and what are the advantages/disadvantages of each.
    Or to take it a step further, ask the rate of twist and what weight bullet is recommended.
     

    SAWMAN

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    For those that are quick to poo-poo you if you do not patronize the local gun shops. - - -> Awhile back I was looking for some Ruger Mini-14 mags for the 223/5.56 guns. Now I really do not consider these guns rare or a "specialty" gun of some sort. They are (IMHO) pretty common,especially in this area as some hunt with them. Also,Ruger is still in full production of them.
    I went to 4 different gun shops and nobody had them . . . BUT . . . they "could order them". I also checked with Academy and Gander Outdoors. The guy at Academy needed me to FULLY explain what kinda gun I was talking about.
    None . . . anywhere in the Pensacola area.
    Sooooooo . . . from the convenience of my easy chair,in air conditioned comfort,with my tablet in hand,I GOOGLED "Mini-14 mags". A whole bunch of dealers came up. I compaired the prices which took about 10 minutes. Then I ordered exactly what I needed and paid with credit card. The mags arrived in 4 days.
    All . . . from the convenience of my easy chair. Oh . . Wait . . I already said that,right ??
    So now,tell me again why I owe some kind of strange allegiance to my local gun shops ?? ---- SAWMAN
     

    Welldoya

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    Gotta agree with you Sawman.
    Whenever I ask for something at a local store and the reply is "We can order it for you", my response is "Well heck, I can do THAT."
    It's not like the old days. The customer can order just about anything.
     

    JoeCorrado

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    To play devils advocate here, it's hard for a gun shop to keep everything in stock. Stores only have so much space for inventory. Mini-14's have been obsolete for years and are priced far above an entry level AR. I would be surprised to see anything for a Mini in a gun shop unless it's been sitting in inventory for a few years. The equivalent would be me trying to mind mags for my FAL's. There were millions of them produced but you would be pretty hard pressed to find a mag for one in a gun shop. We could keep going with this but I'm sure you get my point.

    As to gun prices at a store or anything for that matter, the mark up on guns isn't really that much. Usually 10-20%. Something to keep in mind is that at least at a gun store you can put your hands on the gun you're interested in. Online "stores" buy in such quantity that they get price breaks that a small mom and pop shop couldn't possibly compete with. Not to mention a lot less overhead expenses. If you compare prices online to a local store, I wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised that you think that there's a huge mark up at gun store. Simply put, there isn't. I'm not here to convince anyone to buy local. I'm just trying to bring some perspective. We all work hard for our money. I'm not saying you should over pay just because you should keep it local. It's business and they have to make a living too. I just don't want to hear the whining when LGS start closing up and you don't have a place to chew the fat and see the latest and greatest guns on the market. For what it's worth, I typically don't buy anything new at a gun shop anyway. My interests are in old military rifles and other firearms that you simply don't see anywhere other than online for sale. I would rather someone else take the depreciation hit than me. Same reason why I don't buy a new vehicle.
     

    John B.

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    The internet will be the death of the local gun store... I can't imagine catering to someone, showing them 20 different guns just to watch their cheap ass walk out the door because they can save 20 bucks buying it online.

    And ruger mini mags... that's rich. No one hunts with that garbage platform except sawman. Lol.




    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
     

    Jester896

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    i see the online thing a bunch in my business. People ask how much a key is... then tell me they can get it online for a third of what I quoted. I use OEM items to produce what they need so naturally it may be a little higher. They order the item they found so cheap online. When they bring it in... it is a Chinese knockoff. The want me to cut it and make it work for them after buying it somewhere else....all included in mine. I make it but the programing isn't included as it was in mine....they think I am trying to rob them. Sometimes the import chips don't work and they don't want to pay me for cutting it after they find out it doesn't work...like it is my fault.
     

    JoeCorrado

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    The internet will be the death of the local gun store... I can't imagine catering to someone, showing them 20 different guns just to watch their cheap ass walk out the door because they can save 20 bucks buying it online.

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

    I sincerely hope you're wrong. I mostly enjoy going into gun shops. I hardly ever look at new guns, but I love looking at their used inventory. Some deals can be found at times. The problem I have with some shops are employee related. Be it ignorance or wanna be know it alls, they're the ones that can kill a sale for me. What's so harmful about saying you don't know? I would rather be told that they don't know, than to make up something to try and make me want to buy it. On the other hand, shops with knowledgeable staff can be fun and you can learn a few things. If the employees love what they do, it can be a lot of fun and a learning experience. I wholeheartedly agree with you about people that go into gun shops, look at guns and tie up the salesman's time about answering questions to only have them leave with all their new found knowledge to just order it from the cheapest vendor online. I'm sure it's very infuriating. It's because of people like that, that will cause small gun shops to close and only large shops and big box stores to remain open. Pretty shitty in my opinion.
     

    Mouser

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    Its not that I can always get it cheaper online...but that I can get it. And do so without hitting many, many stores. Availability is a big feature online stores have over brick and mortar stores and I can' imagine that changing anytime soon. Maybe a "superstore" of sorts, but Bass Pro Cabelas etc...are way overpriced.

    One thing that does keep stores at a disadvantage is sales tax...I think that is about to change. No sales tax, but ffl charge...it is a wash; if both then things change
     

    Big Shrek

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    A couple of you still don’t understand what I’m saying. I do not care how dirty the store is or how bad the display is IF I CAN SEE THE GUNS THAT ARE FOR SALE.
    The display cases are low and very dark.
    I have lower back problems so I cannot bend down for long. My eyesight is not what it used to be.
    If the cases were illuminated, I could see what was for sale.
    All I am saying is this shop would greatly increase sales if their display was viewable.
    And Academy has a great display compared to this shop.

    sounds suspiciously like Jay's in Crestucky.
    Low cabs, lousy lighting, but there is a huge selection.
    I'll actually hit the Guns America website to check their stock,
    if I see something I'm in the mood for, I'll take a trip.

    On the upside, folks in wheelchairs get a pretty good view into those low cabinets...
    so if they could actually roll around the store (cluttered as bleep) they'd get a few more sales ;)
     

    Big Shrek

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    Why I love being able to handle a gun before purchase...

    One day I found a lovely C&R pistol at a local shop...quickly found out it wouldn't chamber a round...
    bought it at quite the discount due to that fact...got home, took it apart, figured out that
    the firing pin was placed in the wrong slot. Neat safety feature to keep kids from monkeying
    with it and possibly hurting themselves or others, but the sales guy had no idea that it could be done that way.
    Which I didn't either until after I'd taken it apart, then confirmed that little fact via internet search.

    The more ya know...the more you can fix :) I figured the blockage out, and figured it could be fixed,
    so I took a chance and it paid off. Can't do that over the 'net. Only In Person. Gut instinct can
    end up getting you some great deals :)

    Other things...Layaway...I've usually got a couple guns on layaway at any given time.
    Can't do that online either.
     

    stage20

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    Replying to the lay a way comment. Online is doing one better. Pay with your credit card and some places are doing four easy installment plans and you get the gun up front. Qvc style.
     

    JoeCorrado

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    Some online stores do allow you to have guns on layaway. I can think of 3 websites right off the top of my head. This may become more prevalent in the years to come. I've heard of more than a fair share of horror stories about it from one website in particular: Buds Gun Shop. Canceling of orders and layaways just to improve their profit margin. Pretty shitty business practice but it doesn't surprise me. I've ordered one gun from them and I'm still waiting for it to be built a month and a half later. I'm going off on a tangent though.

    One thing that I've been curious about is if smaller gun shops start complaining about losing business and manufacturers and distributors start charging online companies only a higher price so that your local gun shop can be more competitive. Could it happen? Possibly. Will it happen? I highly doubt it. No sound business would bite the hand that feeds if it wants to stay relevant and in business. All they care about is their bottom line. Just some food for thought.
     

    BSmitty

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    I love how GCG on 90 has their guns displayed around the room on the walls. No bending over to stare through a glass case and no waiting 30 minutes for an available employee to retrieve one out of the case. It's nice to have access to them. My wife was looking for a CC and places like Academy wont let you handle more than one firearm at a time. She just needed a little comparison.
     

    Big Shrek

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    I love how GCG on 90 has their guns displayed around the room on the walls. No bending over to stare through a glass case and no waiting 30 minutes for an available employee to retrieve one out of the case. It's nice to have access to them. My wife was looking for a CC and places like Academy wont let you handle more than one firearm at a time. She just needed a little comparison.

    I'll agree, it's the best setup I've seen yet in a gun store :)
     

    SAWMAN

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    It has been my expierance with Academy that they WILL NOT take a gun lock off for you even if you are standing there with cash in hand.
    The type of gun locks that they use not only covers the trigger,but it is so damn big that you cannot even get a normal grip on the gun.
    In the past years I have walked out twice without buying because of this. Both times I have bothered to inform the store mgr on the way out. Both times they have taken the "oh well" attitude. --- SAWMAN
     
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