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Gun shops

livetohuntlivetohunt Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
edited May 2002 in Ask the Experts
After reading about grumpy gun shop owners I would like to respond. Owning a very small shop where I cut every corner to help save my customers. I must put my 2 cents in. Do most people really beleive the small gun shop can compete with the Xmarts. Thank about it price is controlled by volume. The small gun shop may buy one or two Mossburg 835 for example. The Xmart or large sporting good chain may buy 500 of any one gun for the distributing center and supply all Xmarts in thier region.Who do you thank gets the price breaks. Another thing I encounter frequenty is a person will buy their gun,scope,ring/bases and sling and swivels studs at the local Xmart and come on down to the shop asking if I would mind mounting the scope,. boresight it,drill stock and mount sling studs. I say sure the total charge will be about 35.00. His next comment is I have a friend that said you did this free for him. I respond, but your friend Jimmy purchased all his item from me. I must be doing somthing right my business is increasing about 25% a year.

Comments

  • livetohuntlivetohunt Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been reading about the BAD GUN SHOPS, First let me tell you I am not a gunsmith or do I own a gun shop. I am 65 years old and have been in a lot of gun shops in my life, I have yet to meet a GOOD gunsmith that wasn't a little crankie, and all so their prices are allways a little higher than your K-mkart stuff, If you don't like your local gun shop, the next time you have a question about a gun Ask your K-mart person, all so get them to repair them. Gun shop people have to make a living,which inclues Rent, Utilities, and time, Your K-mart and wallie worlds can be bought out by Rossie O and do away with all gun stuff, and if you have ran off your local gun shops, where do you buy your gun stuff. Do some thinking
  • livetohuntlivetohunt Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Id love to support my local gun shop, but all of their products are amazingly over priced. (ammo that costs $6.99 at Academy cost $10.00 here, etc.) Is this a gun shop trend, or is this place just over-priced?
  • SixStringerSixStringer Member Posts: 131 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the point is that even midsize gun shops, those that have ten to fifteen shoppers at all times, rip off their customers on every single product they sell. Even things like Hopps #9, it's ridiculous.
  • jdb123jdb123 Member Posts: 471 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    yeap, just like six stringer said mark ups on firearms is one thing but the mark ups on accesories is ridiculous there are some simple gun care products that literally cost 2x at gun stores than what wal-mart charges.



    Edited by - jdb123 on 05/05/2002 19:23:38
  • S&W ManS&W Man Member Posts: 208 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    jdb123 - You missed the whole point of what livetohunt said, For example Hoppes 9 gun solvent. The small shop may buy them 1 case at a time. Wal-Mart will buy them 100,000 cases at a time. By doing that wal-mart can mark them up 40% and STILL sell them below what the small gun shop can even buy them for. Sometines it is worth the extra to buy from the small shops that we need to keep our second admendment rights. The olny thing I do not get from the two shops that I deal with is what they do not carry for this reason. I get my 22 LR ammo at the mart and that is it. AND ONLY BECAUSE THE SHOPS I DEAL WITH DO NOT CARRY IT FOR THE REASON ABOVE.

    The ultimate question that you need to ask yourself is this: Is it worth it to go to the marts and see the little guys go out of buisness and then give the marts the ability to control what you can get. Believe me they are very much in bed with the liberals that want to remove our second admendment rights. If you do not believe that, well I have a piece of property you need very badly and cheap.

    The second admendment GUARANTEES the other nine and the Constitution!
  • mballaimballai Member Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I find that I can get some decent deals at my local shop. I don't know about you, but I'd rather the guy who supports my right to shoot and takes care of me when my gun jams on the range and shaves some bucks off every gun I buy and is never too busy to answer a question.

    It's called service, and that is something that still has value in this day and age of discount, cuthroat competition. Let the small dealer make some bucks. It's not like the world ends when your bore cleaner bottle lasts you two years and costs more at his shop.

    Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead
  • RugerNinerRugerNiner Member Posts: 12,636 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What do any of these Replies have to do with Grumpy Gun Shop Owners/Employees?

    All the Gun Shows I've been to lately have had prospective buyers walking away from tables because of attitude. I over heard a lot of conversations about this and know of at least two shops in my area that exude the same attitude.

    If the person waiting on me was friendlier I would buy from them.

    By the way I am Self-Employed and pay the extra to independant store owners because I know what is like to survive in business. I don't buy from the MARTS. Luckily I found two Gun shops that are friendly and helpful.

    Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!
    Keep your Powder dry and your Musket well oiled.
    NRA Lifetime Benefactor Member.
  • Rafter-SRafter-S Member Posts: 2,173 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a question: If small gun store owners are "ripping off" everyone, why do they drive 10 year old cars and live in $40,000 houses? You would think their lemos would pick them up after work.
  • k.stanonikk.stanonik Member Posts: 2,109 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a rule, the first time they have a attitude, let it go, they might have a bad day, the second time, stay away for awhile then go back, the third time dont go back. THe store i deal with and i had a problem but we worked it out. I agree with paying more to the little guy, the customer service you receive compared to the discount place is worth the couple of extra bucks.
  • boogerbooger Member Posts: 1,459 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My theory/answer to all of this is simple: One either has time or money, but not both. (Lottery winner exceptions).

    I have zero free time to travel all over town or surf all over the web to save $10.00, $20.00. I'm walking in my gun shop, putting the money on the counter, and walking out with EXACTLY what I need in two minutes. No wasted trips to the marts when they don't have it, settling for some bogus brand "X" or the hassle of just going to the marts. I haven't been to a "mart" in months simply because the experience is horrendous. I'd rather have a little grumpiness at a gun shop and spend a few extra $$'s than to endure cashier Crackneesha's incompetence, screaming children, long lines and all the rest of it.

    Now when I was a student I had nothing but time (no money) and would therefore drive to Canada for cheaper beer, re-load steel shot for duck hunting, and drive across town to pick up a pizza instead of having it delivered, just to save very little $$'s but since I had the time to do it, what the heck.

    I'm not even close to being rich, I'm just saying that I have decided that my time is valuable and that the "mart" experence on any day at any time is far worse than any gun shop.

    Them ducks is wary.
  • jdb123jdb123 Member Posts: 471 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IN BED WITH LIBERALS HUH? LAST TIME I CHECKED SMITH AND WESSON WAS IN BED WITH THE LIBERALS. AND MOST IN HERE WILL BACK THAT UP "S&W" MAN. I DIDNT MISS ANY POINT HE MADE I AGREED WITH SIX-STRINGER AND MADE A POINT ABOUT CAPITALISM. SMITH AND WESSON BILL CLINTONS FAVORITE GUN MAKER.
  • cliffdropover1cliffdropover1 Member Posts: 136 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We have two gun shops in my area. One DOES rip people off and laughs about it. By the way, he and his wife both drive BMW's. The other shop has items at fair prices. Sorry, no BMS's here. I shop where I get the most help without the jerk attitude.
  • RockinURockinU Member Posts: 248
    edited November -1
    All this talk about Grumpy gun shop owners...I have two shops here in town, and the reason that I buy some of my ammo at a mart is saving time...everytime I go into either gun shop I'm there for an hour. The guys want to visit about this, ask me how I liked that, tell me about a hunt they have lined up, show me the latest mod on his 1911, ask if there is anything I want him to watch for at the next show he goes to. My shops are full of nice people that want to help me, show me what I want to see. Both shops seem to be doing a thriving business with a Mart and a super in town...if your shop owners are grouchy, then your either not going about it right, or your not spending enough money...come on guys, everybody has to do their part.
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