Has anyone else given up on their local gun shops?

[NRA DOC]

Have any of you out there basically stopped looking for new firearms at you local gun shops and pawn shops? Every shop in my area seems to have greatly inflated prices, even for items in very marginal condition. And don't even consider trying to trade in any firearms that you may have. They always offer an insulting amount and basically lie to your face telling you that "we wouln't be able to get more than $350 for that if we sell it here." You can expect if you do trade it in, you will see the same item with a $550-600 price on it next week. If you are going to low ball me, you do not need to lie in the process. If I offer even a bit below what they are asking for an item they look at you like you are crazy and do not seem to appreciate the fact that you have made a decent offer. I have gone to mostly private face to face transactions in my state. Once in a while I will buy online but only if it is a very hard to find item or a very good deal. By the time you add the FFL fee and state sales tax (which in Washington state the FFL MUST charge) you are usually adding at least $100 to the cost of a gun. I guess it is going to take a lot of time to build my personal revolver collection! I hope some of you out there have a better options. Perhaps there is just not enough competition in my local area.

 

[arjay]

I seem to buy most of mine at auction sites.I've learned to ask questions and fuzzy pictures aren't worth messing with.The local shops carry the latest and greatest,while a few carry consignments with optimistic prices.

 

[gunblade]

It's dissapointing when everything seems priced out of reach or they just never have what you're looking for, or want an arm and a leg to special order something. If you're not into ARs, Glocks, M&Ps or XD whatevers there's not much to look at. The gun shows up here have been lacking lately and shipping prices are higher than just about anywhere else, plus we get ripped off with the "next day" BS from UPS since it's highly unlikely they can get it up here in one day. I've just about given up on looking for a particular item at local shops...if I happen to be in one and see something interesting I might consider it, but if I want something in particular, like a vintage S&W, I look to the internet more and more.

 

[tall gunner]

I keep trying to buy from my local but i can almost always get it cheaper online and used guns?...forget about it. Very few used guns show up in my area worth looking at. When I read about all the good finds my fellow forum members come across I turn green with envy.

 

[Pete99004]

I would prefer to buy local but I'm not a Glock or an AR buyer. The dealers that don't "only" offer the above seem to think their stock is rare and collectable! Used guns are usually trash at full retail, so I buy most of mine off the internet. I've been lucky so far in that I've been able to pick up some nice ones here and on GB, but as you say - you have to add shipping, FFL transfer fee and "WA State Sales Tax" so you need to buy right or live with your decision to have more invested in it then you should when it's finally yours.

 

[jimmyj]

I am very lucky that I have a great old fashion gun shop with an indoor firing range five minutes from my home. The firearm prices are much higher here in Tennessee than in Florida where I am from. However
Tennessee is a "Gun Culture" state and everyone owns guns. Also every third person I have met in Tennessee is a un-licensed gun dealer, so this might be why the prices are so high.
My friends purchase firearms privately thus avoiding sales tax (9.5%) and FFL fees, plus background checks.
Surviving on a disabled pension I do not buy but have sold most of my firearms to meet medical expenses not covered by insurance.

 

[labworm]

I guess it has a lot to do with competition in your area, up here in the Boston vicinity I have 5 gun shops I can shop at within a 10 mile radius.

When it comes to a new gun purchase the prices especially on S&W's are usually $100+ below the MSRP.
But in used guns, especially pre locks, different story.

I purchased a revolver in 1990 for $300.00, two weeks later decided I made a big mistake, traded it in (unfired) for $150.00.
But once I walked out of the shop, it no longer was considered new, just like purchasing a brand new Automobile.

Up here in this neck of the woods, the dealers have huge expenses just to be able to operate, taxes, rent, employees etc.

Another thing, people that buy online can't physically see or handle the firearm they are interested in, so off to the local gun shop with no intent of purchasing.

So I guess if selling or buying, go the private sales route and see if you can get what you want.

In many states the hand gun purchased on line would have to go through a FFL, no FFL then what?

The shop I always do business with, check it out Specials at Four Seasons in Woburn, MA

 

[mkk41]

Not very many 'new' guns interest me. I'm more into finding the good old fashion real steel classic autos and sixguns that were traded in on the tupperware.

About two weeks ago , I watched some nimrod trade a near mint with box & papers 70s Colt Det Special and $100 cash in on a Taurus auto!

 

[BaldEagle1313]

I would prefer to buy local... - you have to add shipping, FFL transfer fee and "WA State Sales Tax" so you need to buy right or live with your decision to have more invested in it then you should when it's finally yours.

Absolutely. I'll bid lower on an out-of-state auction than I will on something local. You're paying tax no matter what, but I can drive quite a few miles on the $60 or so shipping and transfer fee would cost, plus you can see it in person rather than rely on a picture or three.

Pete - have you been to Double Eagle pawn up in Deer Park?

 

[rondo]

Yes! All they have anymore is Taurus at S&W prices. Cannot deal at all, and they wonder why no guns are selling. Nothing but cheap dirty ammo. Bleh.

 

[Stevie]

Well..no..I believe you pay for the privilege of having a selection of stuff you can look at and buy first-hand.

You cannot expect a store to pay it's overhead with a minimum of profits. And it's not like a gunstore is government subsidized. In fact in Oklahoma an extra tax is charged on sporting goods for the state wildlife department.

Reminds me of a joke..two fella's decided to buy a truck load of watermelons and sell them along the road to make a few extra bucks. They buy a bunch of melons for $1.00 each and sold them for a $1.00 each..when they tallied up at the end of the day..gas..time..lunch and all..they lost money on the deal. They concluded that they needed a bigger truck!

If I can buy a firearm or other product local..and the price is not just ridiculously high/out of line..I will do so. I figure both the merchant and myself will profit in the long term.

 

[slowburninsteve]

Have any of you out there basically stopped looking for new firearms at you local gun shops and pawn shops? Every shop in my area seems to have greatly inflated prices, even for items in very marginal condition. And don't even consider trying to trade in any firearms that you may have. They always offer an insulting amount and basically lie to your face telling you that "we wouln't be able to get more than $350 for that if we sell it here." You can expect if you do trade it in, you will see the same item with a $550-600 price on it next week. If you are going to low ball me, you do not need to lie in the process. If I offer even a bit below what they are asking for an item they look at you like you are crazy and do not seem to appreciate the fact that you have made a decent offer. I have gone to mostly private face to face transactions in my state. Once in a while I will buy online but only if it is a very hard to find item or a very good deal. By the time you add the FFL fee and state sales tax (which in Washington state the FFL MUST charge) you are usually adding at least $100 to the cost of a gun. I guess it is going to take a lot of time to build my personal revolver collection! I hope some of you out there have a better options. Perhaps there is just not enough competition in my local area.

This is why God invented gunshows.
Steve

 

[delta-419]

Gunshops

I don't buy black guns or spazmatics, just the old stuff. FL seems to have a love affair with preparing for the next holocaust. I guess I will be undergunned with my Winchester 38-55 and my S&W 38/44. I don't even own an AK47 and that is about all the gunshops in my neck of the woods have to offer. The FL gun shows are not much better, however the AL shows are much better and offer some chance at old stuff, usually a table or two. In recent years about the only old guns come from friends or from on-line. Pick'ins are scarce at best.

 

[GKC]

I have been dealing with three local gunshops for the last few years. One has always had the best prices, and the best inventory...but they really lowball on trades. I have spent a small fortune with them, and I am not exaggerating. The end of our "relationship" came a couple of months ago. As I said, they lowball on trades, and I know that...I prefer to trade rather than try to sell outright, even though I know I am going to lose money, because I don't have to deal with shipping, and I don't have to worry about keeping records, etc.

So anyway, they had a NIB S&W Model 908, and I decided I needed it. I took in a new, unfired Ruger LCR .357 (which I had bought at this shop) wanting to trade it in on the 908, and of course I knew I'd have to put some cash as well. Well, the owner said he wouldn't take it in trade, because he had others in his inventory...wouldn't even make me his usual lowball offer. So, I said I'd just buy it outright. When we were at the register, he hands me a beat up, really scruffy looking 908 that he said he had taken in trade, and would sell it to me a lot cheaper than the new 908.

So, he'll take a beat-up used gun in trade, but not my NEW revolver, and from a customer who has spent a great deal of money there? I said no thanks, I'll just buy the new one...and I wish I had said no to even buying it, but you just don't come across NIB 3rd generations very often (or at least, I don't) so I bought it and left...but I'm not going back, if that is how they value my business.

 

[ColColt]

The dealer I go to most never has the kind of primers or powders I need. I get those at the gun shows as they're cheaper and no hazmat fees. Use to you could buy all sorts of primers, powders, brass, dies, presses, etc and most gun shops but not anymore. they are all but worthless when it comes to reloading or casting needs.

Most all the guns are out of sight in price except Glocks which are on par with the Internet prices. I have yet to see any Ruger SAA's, double actions or any S&W autos and for sure few, if any, revolvers.

 

[mac2]

Seems to be a problem common to my hobbies: you see all this lovely kit in the magazines and can't find anywhere that sells it - they have to order it - which takes months. There was no ecommerce back in the early 90s so you had to go to the local gun shop or order it through the post.

 

[scooter123]

I seem to be a bit fortunate in the the Detroit area has a multitude of gunshops both large and small who tend to be competitive. So, while I don't see prices as low as some of the internet dealers they are normally within what the total for purchase, shipping, and transfer fee would be. About the only negative is that I have yet to find a shop that I would consider revolver specialists, so the selection is limited to just those revolvers that are percieved as being "easy" to sell. One odd aspect of this is that in the past 3 years I have only seen one single 22 caliber revolver for sale and that was a model 63 which went fast. You'd think that with the demand for 617's out there that at least one of the larger shops would stock the 617.

 

[Mike1957]

No. My favorite local shop is pretty fair on prices. You will never find a bargin there, but you will never get cheated either.

 

[Pete99004]

Absolutely. I'll bid lower on an out-of-state auction than I will on something local. You're paying tax no matter what, but I can drive quite a few miles on the $60 or so shipping and transfer fee would cost, plus you can see it in person rather than rely on a picture or three.

Pete - have you been to Double Eagle pawn up in Deer Park?

No - but I hear from a neighbor that I should go up and take a look. They also have a shop in Spokane.

 

[golfrj1]

Have any of you out there basically stopped looking for new firearms at you local gun shops and pawn shops? Every shop in my area seems to have greatly inflated prices, even for items in very marginal condition. And don't even consider trying to trade in any firearms that you may have. They always offer an insulting amount and basically lie to your face telling you that "we wouln't be able to get more than $350 for that if we sell it here." You can expect if you do trade it in, you will see the same item with a $550-600 price on it next week. If you are going to low ball me, you do not need to lie in the process. If I offer even a bit below what they are asking for an item they look at you like you are crazy and do not seem to appreciate the fact that you have made a decent offer. I have gone to mostly private face to face transactions in my state. Once in a while I will buy online but only if it is a very hard to find item or a very good deal. By the time you add the FFL fee and state sales tax (which in Washington state the FFL MUST charge) you are usually adding at least $100 to the cost of a gun. I guess it is going to take a lot of time to build my personal revolver collection! I hope some of you out there have a better options. Perhaps there is just not enough competition in my local area.

My Sentiments exactly, I had a local shop try to take advantage of me (misrepresented a WASR AK) even though I had bought other guns from him for years.. Must be the dollar crunch affecting their thinking....