Done buying from my

[pawngal]

The WORST by far in my opinion (mine and mine alone) are pawnshops. I don't even really consider them legit sources for firearms. Every single one in my area are RIDICULOUS when it comes to prices. The vast majority of firearms they sell are complete junk. They are hocked for a quick buck by desperate folks. .

Pawnshops in your area must be a lot different than mine. Most of my firearms business is shotguns due to the fact that waterfowl and bird hunting is big here. In the past year or so I have had NIB A-5 Brownings, BPSs, and Citoris and NIB Remington Wingmasters and 1100s. Mostly from the 70's and 80's. And always have very good 870's and various Benellis, Winchesters and Mossbergs.

Yes, I do take in some junkers but I have a couple of customers that will buy most anything for $50 because they like to tinker with them.

And like my customers that do AR builds, They order themselves and I only charge $20 for the transfer fee. Everybody is happy.

To each his own, my 2 cents.......

 

[paplinker]

No internet sales taxes required in my state as far as buying firearms where I live.


For one, pawn shops.


Firearm businesses are just like any other commodity and business, and subject to the same market forces, despite what some gun owners think. They have to adapt to the changing market place, if they don't they won't survive.

I think more and more states are adding use tax each year.

They list it right on the state tax forms. If someone else does their taxes they might not even know it exists.

I predict ebay and GB will start collecting or reporting tax info within the next 5 years.

 

[joeintexas]

Probably why I do almost all of my firearm purchases face to face with local individuals. Lots of quality firearms in this area for sale or trade and I like being able to handle or even fire before I buy or trade, and I always know what I'm trading is worth and what I'm trading for is worth. Was the OP treated fairly, considering he was a repeat customer, probably not. Should he have got a firm price first, sure. Lesson learned, no need to do business with that store again, there are usually other stores out there that appreciate a repeat customer.

 

[christak]

I try to buy guns from my favorite LGS and they are pretty good at giving me reasonable prices. I don't mind paying an extra 10% or so over what I'd pay online simply to do business locally. That's not to say that I don't still buy online, especially for hard to get items.

 

[Ματθιας]

I've given up doing business locally at all. Period.

The WORST by far in my opinion (mine and mine alone) are pawnshops. I don't even really consider them legit sources for firearms. Every single one in my area are RIDICULOUS when it comes to prices. The vast majority of firearms they sell are complete junk. They are hocked for a quick buck by desperate folks.

So, basically, from what I'm reading, the area you live isn't good for you.

The pawn shops, where I live, have been a gold mine. I've gotten excellent deals - maybe it's he way I haggle. Better deals than most of the area LGSs. I've found lot's of milsurps, odd ball modern stuff, not to mention magazines at ridiculously low prices. A couple of shops have boxes of unknown magazines doesn't matter what they are for $10 -$15 listed prices - that's before haggling. I raid those and flip the mags I don't want/need.

The two noteworthy pawn shop finds have been a 3906 and a 3"in model 65.

On top of all that, the pawn shop I deal with does transfers for $16.05.

Again, this just where I live.

 

[4506517]

Exactly. The rule for pawnshops here is that they are packed with cheap flat screen televisions, that they are pricing for $800.

Last time I looked at a rifle in a local pawnshop, it was a Chinese SKS that looked like it had been drug down a road behind a pick up. Literally. Price was $650 if I remember correctly.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact I live in a VERY liberal, "progressive" area.

The local shops here are awful.....the folks that thrive here, are the guys that do it out of their homes, with no stock. All they do is transfer or special order. My guy is $20.

I would love to live in an area where pawn shops are viable sources for firearms. I'm sure in those types of areas, they are known as credible spots to convert a firearm into cash or trade into one you actually want.

Unfortunately, here that is not the case.

 

[Bekeart]

Time to defend pawn shop, well at least some ...

The WORST by far in my opinion (mine and mine alone) are pawnshops. I don't even really consider them legit sources for firearms. Every single one in my area are RIDICULOUS when it comes to prices. The vast majority of firearms they sell are complete junk. They are hocked for a quick buck by desperate folks.

Time to defend pawn shops, well at least many of them ...

I will compare pawn shops and owners with used car lot and their owners.

Many are fine ethical honest and fair in their dealings.
As in any business or occupation there are exceptions.
The bad ones have more comments and posting detailing their short comings.

Bekeart

 

[Golddollar]

I think more and more states are adding use tax each year.

They list it right on the state tax forms. If someone else does their taxes they might not even know it exists.

I predict ebay and GB will start collecting or reporting tax info within the next 5 years.

PA started collecting for use tax on its personal income tax return forms about 3 years ago.

 

[Irn-Bru]

So, back to the question that several of us have asked,

Did you or did you not confirm a price with your FFL before you had them order the gun????

If you did not, suck it up and quit whining about it.

He gave me a ballpark figure and said he'd probably get it cheaper from one of his other distributors. Ended up being full retail without a discount and tax increased it even more.

Ended up paying $250 more than I could have paid buying online with transfer fee and shipping, no tax either. I'll end up better in the long run not buying from him anymore.

 

[paplinker]

He gave me a ballpark figure and said he'd probably get it cheaper from one of his other distributors. Ended up being full retail without a discount and tax increased it even more.

Ended up paying $250 more than I could have paid buying online with transfer fee and shipping, no tax either. I'll end up better in the long run not buying from him anymore.

I will at least applaud you for honoring your agreement.

Shame he didn't offer to take care of you for a couple transfers to recognize he values your business.

 

[Rastoff]

On top of all that, the pawn shop I deal with does transfers for $16.05.

How did they land on that price? Kinda a strange figure.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

OP: You really don't know what your LGS had to pay for that gun. HIS profit may not necessarily be unreasonable at all. It is simply a fact that not all retailers pay the same price for a given gun. That's why Muss Muggins' (and others') comments are so important.

I have dealt with a number of very-low-cost transfers in both directions with my LGS, probably because he knows that I buy only unique items on the internet, and always try his place first. I have bought a number of used guns from him, always with prior testfire or return rights. I have also bought new guns from him, and I doubt that I could have gotten them cheaper, not that I cared all that much. I once had a cracked-frame S&W that I didn't even buy from him (it was transfered through him), and he called S&W and replaced it on the spot with the S&W of my choice (my gun was no longer being made).

Be sure you know what you are doing before you write this guy off.

 

[Ματθιας]

How did they land on that price? Kinda a strange figure.

That's taxes included. It's really $15 + tax.

 

[Muss Muggins]

That's taxes included. It's really $15 + tax.

Thankfully, no tax on labor in Missouri . . .

 

[dr. mordo]

I basically agree with the OP. The shop knew him as a regular and knows he knows how to shop online for a bargain. They should have treated him well and given him a decent price rather than full list retail, recognizing that he was throwing them some business, to show him that they can be fair and reasonable. I'll buy local and pay a premium for it, within reason. I don't expect to pay full list retail as no frequent gun buyer does, other than those in a totally different economic category than I'm in. Yes, it was the OP's mistake to trust that the shop would return his good will and apparently a mistake he's learned from.

Well said. The OP expected to pay more than online, but also expected to be treated reasonably well since he's a regular customer.

So, while the OP can't complain too much because he didn't verify the price, the LGS owner can't complain either when the OP doesn't buy from him anymore.

 

[dr. mordo]

He gave me a ballpark figure and said he'd probably get it cheaper from one of his other distributors. Ended up being full retail without a discount and tax increased it even more.

Ended up paying $250 more than I could have paid buying online with transfer fee and shipping, no tax either. I'll end up better in the long run not buying from him anymore.

Now that I see this post, I'd be mad. I'd likely find a different place to receive transfers and then post this story on Yelp and google so others know they can't trust him.

 

[nachogrande]

OBLIGATED TO BUY???

IN HINDSITE, NO definite price when ordering. A special order? You DID know the cost when it came to paying for it! A simple "NO THANKS, I'll buy it online" would have sent a clear message.

 

[rubiranch]

I was buying items on a regular basis from a distributor and then all of a sudden the prices jumped a lot. He never told me that prices were going up or any kind of warning, just bam.

I never bought another item from him. A few folks warned me that once he thought I was comfortable with him that's what he was going to do and he did.

That was several years ago and I don't think he's even in business anymore.

 

[handejector]

I've been buying regularly from my local gun store for about a decade now. For the most part I usually buy online and have him transfer the guns for me ($25) but I will buy 2-3 guns directly from him every year too, even though I end up paying more. I also buy a box of target ammo every time I pick up a gun from him that I've bought online.

So this week I had him order me a gun directly from him, figured it would cost a little more, but feel it's important to buy from him direct now and again.

So to cut a long story short. I ended up paying $695 for a gun that I could have bought online, including shipping and transfer fee for $450 out the door. Had it been an extra $100 I probably wouldn't have minded too much. The difference this time was enough for me to NEVER buy another new gun from his store again. I'll still use him as my FFL and buy that box of ammo, but that was the straw that broke the camels back as they say. I'm all for looking out for small business owners, but not to the point I'm gouged.

I think several mistakes were made here.


Some data for you on wholesale pricing-
The big online dealers can buy guns significantly cheaper than your dealer can.

I am an FFL, and years ago a friend wanted me to order a gun for him. This was just before the internet became dominant in gun sales. I called every Distributor I could find, and the best wholesale price offered to me was $310 plus shipping. A few days later, I was at a gun show in Atlanta, and a large, volume dealer with tall stacks of guns on multiple tables was selling that exact same gun for $305 to the public!


My point is this-
The next time you want to throw your dealer a bone (if ever), YOU should do the search for the best price. Tell him what it will cost, and ask him if he will order it for 10% or whatever markup the two of you decide is reasonable.

 

[susieqz]

the only gunshop here is owned by a thief.
i get my ammo for 1/3 of what he charges n it;s delivered to my door.
before i knew about internet guns, he charged me full msrp for my 22/45.
i could care less if he goes out of business.