My local range is run by nice helpful guys. I tend to only shoot there when weather is bad, and try to NEVER buy ammo there, because it’s roughly twice the price of the pawn shop I pass on my way there. Their transfer fees are 3 times what I pay from my local FFL. But I get my gunsmithing, bore sighting, etc. there and would like to support them, as I own a retail store myself and understand the costs of overhead. Well, they have a PPS for sale for $689. That’s $97 more than online, plus sales tax. I really want to support local stores, but $147 out the door is a lot. I haven’t spent a dime there with my AR build, other than having them pin the flash hider. I don’t want to beat the guys up on their price, but I’d hate to buy online if they could get close to that price if I asked. On one hand, I don’t feel it can hurt to ask, but on the other I don’t want to offend them or be “that guy” who wants everything near cost. But perhaps “that guy” who walks in with new guns/accessories every few months they didn’t buy there is worse?
I do support a few local stores, but to be honest most of the local B&M shops seem to be out to cornhole you at every opportunity. Example - PMAGs at $28?!?!?
Nope. The people that work there are dumber than snail shit, and they’re prices are insane. I actually enjoy going to a gunstore about as much as going to get my prostate checked. The stuff that I hear people talking about makes my head feel like exploding. I wish it wasn’t this way but it is what it is.
We’ve got 3 in the Milwaukee area.
The only one worth going to seems to mark everything up 100%
$400 for a complete M&P15 lower.
Used Gen3 Glocks for the list price of new.
I’ll pick up small stuff like QD swivels and Magpul parts.
They don’t mark it up as much and it pretty much would be the same online after shipping.
I’ve special ordered a lot of parts from a local shop when Rainier or BCM is sold out online. I still can’t buy M16 BCGs from them though, those require a Class III. :rolleyes:
My local shops are highly overpriced and charge $40 on transfers. One I won’t do business with anymore after watching them forget to send in a friend’s paperwork on a suppressor or SBR for 3 months and continually charge him near msrp after spending probably $50,000 in two years, give or take. Two guys there are really decent guys, but I just don’t like some stuff I’ve seen.
Now the other one with an indoor range has high prices, but try to work with you. They also let me shoot for free a couple times a week when it’s normally $15 an hour. I know the guys pretty well and they’re good to me there, letting me use the range, specialty tools I don’t have, etc. So, I will buy some guns from them to support them from time to time, usually handguns. I also try to buy all the smaller things I need like cleaning supplies, bags and cases if they have good ones in stock, gun safe, etc.
Jonathan
I have a local store and the owner is a good friend. I buy a fair amount of stuff from him, but not everything. He became a Noveske dealer so that I could order a complete rifle and a couple of lowers from them, and I usually order parts and accessories from him if time isn’t important, but for smaller parts and accessories I usually order online. He is not very knowledgeable on AR’s (hadn’t heard of Noveske until I asked him to order a rifle from them) but he works hard a being competitive in price and providing good service.
There’s a local shop that stocks all the good brands you typically see recommended here. I buy stuff there when prices are competitive, but they have a alot of items that are way overpriced compared to what you can buy for online. However, they also have things that aren’t overpriced. I usually check prices online before heading over there and then decide when I see what they’re charging for a particular item. I would rather buy locally and support my local businesses all the time, but I have to work a part-time job to pay for gun purchases, etc. so I need to make every dollar count.
I do sometimes but you have to realize the way the Internet has affected Brick & Mortar Stores.
Now days they have to offer something that you can’t get by clicking on the Internet.
It may be knowledge, service, availability, not having to wait…but it needs to be something, IMO to pay more for.
If I already know what I need, don’t need help, can wait then why not pay less and have it delivered to your door.
This has changed the way we all do business and not just gun stores.
Another significant factor is sales taxes on high dollar purchases.
Freight can be prohibitive on some items (like heavy ammo) but not so in many cases.
My advice is don’t complain about the quality of retail salesmen when you aren’t willing to pay for their service.
No more, they want $50 per transfer even if it is multiple guns that they don’t carry. I say screw them, I used to buy tons of stuff from them, but no more after they pulled that crap on me. I was a great customer and they lost my business when they got greedy.
I use 2 local shops depending on how much in a hurry im in or when Im getting a saturday off mainly for transfer’s but once in a while I’ll get a handgun from a shop in manassas.
I do… but then there aren´t any big retail stores that carry firearms or online shops to order from in my country. Only about six or seven small gun shops in Luxembourg. Helps to keep a good overview though 
I try to when I can. I did exclusively at one time but I got tired some of the shops treating me like shit, and the others rarely having what I want or a good price on it.
The local well known “fun” shop is always crowded. I have waited 30-40 mins sometimes just to see something. Prices vary from high to sometimes competitive. If they have something in stock that you want, ok. They will order stuff for you…for a price. No transfers at all. CS varies. The selection is ok, every now and then I see an LMT, S&W or Colt. Mostly Bushys, DPMS, RRA. Ammo is a little on the high side, $17 for .45 box of 50 and $12-13 for 9mm box of 50. That is for the brass cased stuff, Blazer is cheaper. The store is close to my house and is nice to look around in. Yes, I have bought Firearms from them in the past, not so much anymore. Mostly internet and then a transfer to another dealer.
Lumping all the local gun shops together is stupid. Not all gun shops have stupid people and overpriced inventory. There are plenty of shops that do things the right way. A few that come to mind are the shop that Robb Jensen works at, the shop I used to work at, and the shop that my father opened a few months ago. Hell I am sure Grant’s shop started out as a small local shop before he started all the online stuff. If you dont have a quality shop near you then by all means buy online, but if there is a good quality shop near you give them some business.
I think people forget that the little guys are usually the ones that you actually go to when there is a problem with your stuff. I am not saying go spend $100 over what you can find things for online, I just saying when all the little guys are gone where are you going to send your transfers. I recommend finding a good store with quality people and giving them the chance to earn your business.
Matt
I use one Guy to do the transfers and that is about it .Ammo to high weapons Over priced and not the good stuff either,Employees act like the customers are stupid which most of them are as far as being informed and Sell them what they think they Need .I have tried and helped a few in the store when I am there and they don’t like that at all. I get the dagger eyes from the Staff
I had one i use to do all My shopping with , But He retired and his daughter took over and ran most of us 20 year and plus Customers Away:(
That’s high? Those prices are exactly what I pay from the pawn shop, and the range is almost double that. I figured with the weight of ammo, buying under 1,000 rounds wouldn’t be much savings except for .22lr.
I usually shop around online before any major purchase, as most of you probably do. I usually use the gun shops to browse and actually get a feel for the item I may be buying before making a final decision. If their price is right, I will buy from them, if not I will purchase online.
I try to. Some things are just waaaay cheaper online,usually of better quality, AR lowers, ammo, for example. But I bought my Glock at full retail from my normal ffl.
yes and no, My “local” shop is run by a complete moron and should be shut down by the ATF.
But I do shop in my surrounding area.