This question may seem rudimentary, and many answers will be obvious, even to me, but I am interested in hearing some opinions.
I am in the market to buy a new Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. Since the only locally owned gun shop in my town burned down a few months ago my best options are to buy from Big 5 Sporting Goods here in town for $699, or from a small, privately owned gun shop 70 miles away for $800. I always prefer patronizing small businesses over large corportations, but; 1) Ruger has very few variants of the Mini-14, so I feel assured of recieving an equivelant product from either store, 2) The $100 difference buys 200+ cartridges at bulk pricing.
Question: Other than supporting a small business owner, what advantage would I gain from travelling farther, and spending more $?
You might be able to find better customer service at the smaller shop, or you may not…Kinda luck of the draw. I would check out that shop and see what kind of people run it. And see if they deserve your money.
Have you thought of buying it online and having it transferred at your local small business gun store? If they can’t compete for the price that’s always an option.
Sometimes the small business offers things the ‘you name it Nat’l commerical’ store doesn’t offer. The shop I work at offers free installation of any gun part we sell. Lifetime repair service (if the firearms has to be shipped to the manufacturer for repair) the store pays the repair cost and shipping that we can’t do at the shop (this is my job). Most ‘the you name it Nat’l commericial’ gun stores don’t offer this. I’ve been working there 5yrs and have seen exactly 1 gun company charge for 1 repair. The owner of the store I work for covered it for the customer but there you have it. This service doesn’t include ‘transferred’ guns but does include all guns my employer sells = new, used and consignment guns.
FFLs are on a descending number each year. It’s the Wal-Mart syndrome…Wal-Mart has hurt local hardware stores, paint stores, gun stores, bike shops, clothing stores, fabric shops, automotive shops, drug stores, home and garden shops and lots of other small businesses. Hurt them long enough and poof one day they’ll be all gone. It’s your money shop wisely.
The chain sporting good stores don’t sell the guns I like to buy:rolleyes: And they usually shit a brick if I ask to have something ordered :eek:
The small gun shop is usually more than happy to try to get anything I want even if they have to order it:D
I am to the point that I nearly refuse to walk into a local gun shop, let alone approach the gun counter at Cabela’s, etc.
Not only is the service a joke, the dis-info is felony stupid. There is a GD thread to this regard.
I shop exclusively online anymore and base much of those purchases on the sage-like caliber of advice at M4C.
G&R, BC-USA, Rainier, GG, SKD and a select set of others. If one of them was a local like VA then I’d surely go there.
I look at this now as a matter of preservation … even if it is(and it never is) more expensive. If they go under my procurements would suck. Hard.
Robb is right. The big chain stores usually sell Remy, Ruger, etc for what I pay. So your local mom & pop really can’t compete, but as was pointed out, their CS will most likely be better.
You can also ask them (politely) ask for a better price.
If the small FFL’s aren’t supported, they will disappear and then you will really be screwed.
C4
My experience has been different. The chain stores in my area (Bass Pro, Dick’s, Cabela’s, etc.) seem to sell mostly Fudd guns for full retail, along with high prices on ammo and usually junk in the accessory/cleaning aisles. I rarely set foot in them anymore as I always walk out empty handed, thinking “why did I bother.”
If I want anything other than a firearm, it’s usually being ordered online and shipped to my office based on both price and convenience. For firearms, I have a couple of home-based dealers (including a FFL/SOT) who can order or transfer exactly what I want for great prices.
There are a couple of independent brick-and-mortar gun stores around here that I’ll pop into from time to time as they have large and interesting selections and occasional deals on ammo and used guns.
My experiences roughly shadow dbrowne1’s. I’ve never seen a “deal” at a big chain gun store. Unless by “deal” you consider MSRP or higher on inferior guns, accompanied by ignorant or worse advice.
I prefer to give my business to guys like VA Arms, G&R Tactical and one other FFL (in Maryland for all transfers). These guys have an exceptional knowledge base, and don’t try to sell you a bunch of BS. 
I literally cannot take the stupidity and disinformation at some of the places like Dicks and a few of the local yokel FFLs in Maryland. Anyone that charges $3800 for a DPMS carbine with EOTECH (there is a MD dealer that does this) and treats their customers like total dirt doesn’t deserve my business… :mad:
I try and support my local FFLs whenever i can. But when 9mm was in short supply I bought it where I could get it.
I love patronizing my local gunshop, for you never know what comes in. When I was building my AR it turned out their order from Magpul came in, and when the box came in, it had 3 UBR’s in it, but not for long.
Hell, I live in FL and LOVE dealing with Grant and his shop and though I know I will pay more for it, if it aint right he would fix it to the best of his ability.
I will GLADLY pay more for a gun/product sold at a local store run by people who actually have a clue than try and save 50 bucks by going to Wal-Mart. In the end that 50 bucks isn’t really saved if a decent store that will get me what I want and treat me properly is run out of business by a big box chain that won’t order handguns, won’t sell me “assault weapons”, etc.
People pay for knowledge if the shop has an edge in that area you have to shop there.
We all know that buy the right gun once and the wrong gun a dozen times.
People like Grant try to help you buy the right gun and so do we.
I like to use my local shop- I agree with most other posters- my local shop is pretty competitive for the most part on big box store and on line pricing. Also if you are in a pinch and need a spare firing pin 2 days before that big match or hunt,the gun shop has it mr big box not a chance! Only area where my usual shop has let me down is they have increased the fee for transfers from out of state -now $65 bucks. I think this is a bit severe, found a small time guy who does transfers for $15.
Also my local shop will do things like mount your scope/boresight and attach simple accessories for free which the big box guys won’t do. also a good waranty even on used
I almost always buy online, and have it transferred.
There is one store Ill go buy small parts from, maybe a lower occasionally, cleaning supplies, etc from. Big purchases go online and transferred to their store. Between what they have to charge to stay in business, and sales tax Im simply not going to pay 200+ extra for a 1k dollar gun just to support a local guy. Business has to change with the times, and with the online game now they either change their business model or lose sales.
Whom do you transfer your gun too when they aren’t there any more???
I do agree that the local mom and pop FFL cannot be overboard on price and if they are, they will most likely go away. If they are making 20% on a gun ($200 on a $1k rifle), then that is a fair margin though.
Remember that the place you got the rifle from for $1k might have been dumping it and actually lost money on the sale. In this case, your local dealer is NOT gouging you, but rather trying to keep the lights on.
C4
In this day and age and depending on what brand I tend to shop
where i can get the best for me deal.
Pretty much anywhere you buy it as soon as it’s sold any issues you have with that
gun will between you and the manufacture.
If it boils down to only $5 or $6 dollars then my cash will ALWAYS go to the mom and pop owned and ran business. (and local FFL if needed).
That said when i just bought my S&W M&P15 the best deal i could find was by far
Grant @ G&R plus i found a local FFL that didn’t charge much.
I’m guessing because of the smokin deal i got neither Grant or My FFL made
a ton of coin but my feeling is every coin in their pocket and not in some major companies is a plus.
Living just outside a big city i do have a few choices when it comes to the actual firearms but it seems there is a “market” and “location” price.
"Hey if down the street is charging _____ then i can get away with charging ____ and my customer will be getting a better deal going with me and i will still be making _______. "
I understand supply and demand but prices went through the roof after gun salemen of the year (of all time) took office prices when up beyond gouging
and some here are still charging ABOVE retail for Colt’s, Smith’s. (pretty much everything except DPMS) seems DPMS has flooded my local market.
My threshold for supporting the local Mom and Pop gun shop is about $50 (depending on what I’m buying). So maybe $100 isn’t too bad, especially if you get decent service. YMMV.
In Michigan the larger shops are getting my attention a bit more then the smaller ones. Seems most the small shops are banning open carry (and one banned carry altogether!) while the big box places are not only allowing it but welcoming it. Prices may be a little higher but it depends on what you’re looking for. I just spent $42.50 on an M&P mag at a small shop because I HAD to have one that day for a class and didn’t have time to go anywhere else. That’s highway robbery right there, never seen prices that high except maybe Gander Mountain.
Living in Waco I gladly paid the mark up at the Hewitt Gun Shop - not for the knowledge but because they were friendly guys who took the time to get to know their customers.
Living in Dallas, to the extent I buy any guns at all anymore I buy at gun shows or (for specialty items) online. Other than the Jacksonville Armory, which is staffed by great guys but mostly sells milsurp and collectible guns I can’t afford, I haven’t found a nearby shop where the customer service isn’t god-awful. If I have to put up with rude retailers then I’m going to get the best deal I can, and gun show prices are usually $50 cheaper than in the stores…
Where is this armory of which you speak? I live near Dallas, and would LOVE a good gunstore.
I absolutely agree with the point about supporting a local store/FFL. Right up the point where they start acting stupid/dangerous.
But I make a point of helping those that help me. I always, always, always try and order from a site sponsor here. Only if they do not have it, do I go someplace else.
And most of the time, I just wait anyway. If Grant, Paul, Robb et al do not have it, probably no one does.