Sportsman's Warehouse

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Green Frog

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Lynchburg, VA is about to get a Sportsman's Warehouse. The D**k's Sporting goods moved to the Mall and took over the abandoned Sears building, leaving their purpose built building available. I haven't been in a SW store for years because none was convenient, but I recall shelves of ammo and reloading gear at the one I last visited. How have they been of late? Should we expect to be able to enjoy more ammo and reloading stuff here or are they pretty sparse like other sporting goods stores?
Froggie
 
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I've only been to them in NV and WA, but they had plenty of ammo and reloading supplies from what I've seen. Their gun inventory was pretty low most of the time but it does seem to be getting better now. I really like a lot of their brands for other goods (clothes, shoes, knives). They also have some great specials sometimes, I have received $50 store credit to spend however I want on my next visit multiple times.

You'll probably like it a lot more than D**k's
 
I have two SWs near me. Both are well stocked with ammo and new guns. The gun prices are generally straight MSRP, and the ammo prices are on the high side. They keep powder and primers behind the counter and you have to ask what they’ve got. They also have a usually small number of used guns. I like both stores.

SW is where I found my 2020 Python, when they were impossible to find. They seem to have a pretty good pipeline for new Colts.
 
The one's here in south central Pa are now well stocked with ammo and reloading supplies with the exception of primers. When they have them they are expensive and rationed out.
Last year the SW in Camp Hill had a pile of Detective specials and Model 36s on sale for around $450. They all were pretty well used and finish worn.

John
 
Our Reno store is a 3/4 size Cabela's but has lower prices and usually has
some ammo and loading stuff on hand.
It is 4.6 miles closer to me and in town, so I visit it more often.

A lot more fishing and camping stuff but that is what sells in this area
but they have to sell what type of stuff sells best to pay their bills.

They give a 5% discount for seniors, if you ask and before they ring up the items !

Enjoy the new store.
 
Good news, Frog, sir - we continue to be toast up in NoVA :( There is a Cabela's out near I66 but it's nothing to write home about. There is actually only one LGS in the 20-mile circle around our place + Prince William county is buying/taking over the only decent shooting range. I understand that most people using Crook Broker is what's killing LGS's but it would still be nice to have an option or two.
 
That is good news. I live between Lynchburg and Roanoke, about equal distance. There is SW in Roanoke which is usually well stocked. But, I go to Lynchburg more often so visiting the SW will be a little convenient.
 
The one in town here was good for reloading supplies before the regime change. They have almost zero reloading supplies now, and it's been that way for 2+ solid years. Zero primers of any kind on the shelves. Powder limited to 4 or 5 bottles last time I was in. Ammo is spotty in terms of calibers available.

I hope your supply lines are better than they are here.
 
I was in the Roanoke store last week and they told me most of their weekly shipments were going to Lynchburg to get it stocked. Roanoke has so much ammo that they have a second ammo aisle now. Of course, the prices are what is keeping the shelves stocked. They had primers for a few days last week with 2 hundred pack limit for $5.54 each. I went a couple days in a row to get me what I needed.
 
The Sportsman's Warehouse in Columbia, SC is terrible. The shelves for ammo and reloading are either bare or simply filled in with whatever surplus merchandise they have on hand to take up space. The latter is almost like they're mocking their customers for being so naive as to expecting to find anything.
If you ask a question, you get a bare minimum reply like, "We get our shipments on Thursday mornings."

I am personally fed up with ALL of these big box chain stores. And, I'm really perplexed by the widespread thinking that companies like these somehow deserve our trust that A) they really care about the needs of dedicated shooters and (especially) reloaders, and B) that any of the employees or "management" working in these retail locations have a clue as to what's going on in terms of corporate decisions or policies.
The whole thing seems designed to keep customers in the dark and overly dependent on a near corporate monopoly. Do any of the cities where stores like Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, Academy, etc. have any remaining independently owned local gun shops? 20-30 years ago, Columbia SC, just as an example, had several choices of LGSs. They're all gone now except for Shooter's Choice (which should change its name to Prepper's Choice).

American consumers have been so conditioned into looking at big box stores as the answer to all of their household "in person" shopping needs, that they seem to have forgotten that all they're in it for is profit.
We took for granted independent locally owned businesses when they needed our patronage the most. Now they're gone and we're outta luck.
 
Steve K said:
That is good news. I live between Lynchburg and Roanoke, about equal distance. There is SW in Roanoke which is usually well stocked. But, I go to Lynchburg more often so visiting the SW will be a little convenient.
Click to expand...

The Roanoke store was well stocked with a.m. during the holidays. Not so much when I was t here a couple of weeks ago.
 
The two in Denver seem to be fairly well stocked, but with powder & primers in often short supply. I've been happy with the company as a whole, though. Good to see them expanding - I've visited the Roanoke store once, and it seemed about average for them.
 
One just recently opened near me in the past year. Reloading gear is sparce. Prices are high. In stock firearm inventory is...meh. Honestly i think each individual location is different. I dont think the area will support this store and it will likely close in the next year or two. There are too many really good individually owned gunshops within a half hours drive for it to survive with marginial inventory and really high prices. Oddly enough the individual gun shops will likely kill it. Kinda refreshing if it turns out the way i predict. Mom and pops putting the big box store
out of business.
 
Our SW store took over the Gander Mt. store a few years ago with much hoopla. Prices were decent and they seemed well stocked. Early on it was always crowded and they sold a ton of firearms and ammo during the pandemic and riots of 2020. However as time went on prices kept creeping up (they always do with these types of stores after the "grand opening) to the point where I find it hard to buy anything there as I can get it much cheaper on the 'net - even with shipping costs. Right now they are what I would call, having inventory issues as they have entire rows of shelves filled with the same product. They do have some supply of ammo now but it's cost prohibitive for me. A few years into their opening and I only go there once in while and nine times out of ten end up walking out empty handed. As said above, I doubt if they'll make it in the long run. I sure do miss the Mom & Pop gun stores!
 
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The SW in Lexington, KY has a decent selection when it comes to guns, ammo, camo and knives, but prices are pretty high. They are one of the few stores that carry reloading supplies if you really need them. I haven't bought anything from them in 3-4 years. We also have two Cabela's in Ky and I use to enjoy searching the "Bargain Cave / Returns", but they got rid of that also. Our Cabelas seem to have a better selection of guns and gear than SW. I am also spoiled here in KY since we have two KYGUNCO stores, two Buds Gun Shops and Whittaker Guns in Western, KY.
 
Ky6906fan said:
The SW in Lexington, KY has a decent selection when it comes to guns, ammo, camo and knives, but prices are pretty high. They are one of the few stores that carry reloading supplies if you really need them. I haven't bought anything from them in 3-4 years. We also have two Cabela's in Ky and I use to enjoy searching the "Bargain Cave / Returns", but they got rid of that also. Our Cabelas seem to have a better selection of guns and gear than SW. I am also spoiled here in KY since we have two KYGUNCO stores, two Buds Gun Shops and Whittaker Guns in Western, KY.
Click to expand...

Two Bud's stores.
That's just not right.

Reno is still trying to get a Cracker Barrel into it's town
and you get all those gun stores ? !

Bummer.
 
6string said:
The Sportsman's Warehouse in Columbia, SC is terrible. The shelves for ammo and reloading are either bare or simply filled in with whatever surplus merchandise they have on hand to take up space. The latter is almost like they're mocking their customers for being so naive as to expecting to find anything.
If you ask a question, you get a bare minimum reply like, "We get our shipments on Thursday mornings."

I am personally fed up with ALL of these big box chain stores. And, I'm really perplexed by the widespread thinking that companies like these somehow deserve our trust that A) they really care about the needs of dedicated shooters and (especially) reloaders, and B) that any of the employees or "management" working in these retail locations have a clue as to what's going on in terms of corporate decisions or policies.
The whole thing seems designed to keep customers in the dark and overly dependent on a near corporate monopoly. Do any of the cities where stores like Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, Academy, etc. have any remaining independently owned local gun shops? 20-30 years ago, Columbia SC, just as an example, had several choices of LGSs. They're all gone now except for Shooter's Choice (which should change its name to Prepper's Choice).

American consumers have been so conditioned into looking at big box stores as the answer to all of their household "in person" shopping needs, that they seem to have forgotten that all they're in it for is profit.
We took for granted independent locally owned businesses when they needed our patronage the most. Now they're gone and we're outta luck.
Click to expand...

SW in Columbia had loaded shelves of powder/primers/bullets/ammo..........pre scamdemic.........Now as lots of other places empty shelves.
 
I remember the Sportsman's and Cabela's Grand openings and the crowds that swarmed the places.

Today you can park in the very first row of parking at both stores, just that
like most stores, it might take a little to get the attention of a sales person.

This Christmas season at Macey's, my wife and DnL, had to go to four cashiers places to find a actual sales person to pay for the items, that they had.
The person almost refused, since it was not her department, items !!

I never try to hit Walmart on a Saturday !!
 
When in the US, I frequent the SWs in:
Henderson, NV
Carson City, NV
Reno, NV
Kelso, WA
Cedar City, UT

All seem to be identically well stocked - same stuff and same quantities at each store. They usually have more reloading components than Bass Pro or Cabelas. I don’t really need primers, but pick up the 200 limit of whatever they have. Prices have been in the $5 to $6 per 100 range, less the 5% vet discount.

Late 2020 at the Kelso store, if I timed the deliveries right, I was picking up 2 to 4 bricks of CCI or Federal primers at $23 to $30, less my vet discount. All sizes. Also picked up a lot of powder, including unique, bullseye, varget, H4350, etc.
 
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