Where do you buy guns and how was the experience?

[Prof Young]

The post about slow service at Cabela's made me think we should talk some about where we buy guns. Got me to thinking. I have bought guns via no less than 11 places.

Jerry's Bait and Tackle
Walmart
Midwest Gun Exchange
Buchheit
Rural King
Joe's After Four Gun Shop (Auction pick up)
Bell-eclair Fairgrounds - gun show pick up
Ramparts Range
Troy Arms
Belleville Shooting Range
individual private sales

Of memorable note:
One can order guns from Walmart. I got a nice Rem 7, my first Coyote rifle that way.
Really good buys via private sales. A Beretta 92fs with multiple magazines and holster. And a Rem 1100 semi-auto scatter gun.
Buchheit is the only place one can buy guns in town where I live.
I lived in Indiana for six years and bought a long gun at Midwest Gun Exchange each year. If you are near there you have to to see it. Huge store devoted only to guns, gun gear and ammo.

Life is good.
Prof Young

P.S. and I've bought one hand gun from Scheels . . . making the total 12 locations.

[FrankenMauser]

Oh, my. The list is long.

A quick tally from the brain box...
I've got 34 retailers or dealers; not including heirloom firearms, other face-to-face transactions, person-to-person sales involving shipping and dealer transfer, or gifts. ...And I'm certain there were a few forgotten, since at least half of what I could remember is a list of businesses that have closed their doors.
(Multiple purchases from different locations of the same chain store are lumped together -- even Sportsman's Warehouse's original Midvale UT store and the 'new' Midvale store, before they became a chain.)

Most brick and mortar places aren't bad. (Sam's Gun Shop in Pocatello, ID, being a big exception! )

Most chains aren't actually bad, either.

But two big stand-outs are Cabela's and Gander Mountain.
They suck. One has gone under, and the other is on its way. I'm not surprised.

Some notable dealers that got multiple sales and repeat business from me:
Gallenson's Gun Shop, SLC, UT.
Old Town Gunlsingers, Pocatello, ID.

[Nathan]

I have bought from many dealers of various sizes. It is all about the retailer 's process and day/time...I'll leave out names except Cabelas....

Cabelas Gun Library - Wed or Thursday off season, about 8P. - after saying I'll buy it, I'll bet I had another 30-40 min. Basically as soon as I say that, I had to go stand in the zig zag gun line. I think there were 2 of us, so we both had a computer. I completed the 4473 and then I waited 20 min or so to be checked out. Not bad, but I have seen the 2-3 hr wait times on Saturday. To me, this process is prioritizing the selecting customer over the buying customer. It sucks.

Large Columbus OH retailer - On Saturday morning. You are literally waiting 20 min to look at a gun. Once you say "I'll take it", it takes another 1-1.5 hrs to pay for it. You do the 4473 on a computer, then it prints and goes into a que of some sort behind the wall. Your salesman leaves too. I'm guessing they are grabbing the gun and standing in line with it?? Then you walk up to pay, which can be quick or another 5-10 min.

Small town store with one guy - about 4P M-R - Ask to look.....small talk....check it out....more small talk...."I'll take it" Then you fill out the paper form. Then some long lost gun store friend walks in.....an hour of small talk later, he calls it in. Then after some small talk about what you are doing with it, you leave....1.5 he's total....better.

Medium size store doing lots of sales - Tuesday 500P - I know what I want....lask to buy, but request to look at the one I will get.....5 min later..."I'll take it." Form....form check by manager.....calll....gun walk to register....sold and out the door 30-45 min total. Huh! Torturous wait time not required.

Small one man shop/internet order - every time - Order gun online...ship to retailer....box unopened when I arrive. I open, inspect...say "let's do it"....form/log in book(simo)....call...ok...I'm packing up and leaving in 10-15 min if I'm in a hurry......why? Cause that is all it takes. There is about 5 min of small talk in this.



If a "sold", but not paid for gun were a priority, you would be out the door in 15-25 min.


I've heard salesmen tell customers it takes about an hour. Really?
Log in book.......5 min
4473................5 min
Call..................5 min
Log out of book..5 min
Obviously, I'm being generous with times here. There is a reason the 20 min guy can do it the cheapest too.....hmmm....let me think....oh yea...time is money. He has one person tied up for 20 min vs 4 tied up for 20 - 45 min each in a sale.

[BarryLee]

Well, recently I’ve purchased guns from only a few places:

Clyde’s Armory – Athens, GA
Hill Top Pawn - Snellville, GA
Gallery of Guns (Gun Genie)
Wilson Combat

Everyone was very professional and the transactions went about as fast and efficiently as possible.

[jmr40]

I buy them where I find them. I've used pawn shops, guns shows, big box stores, small independent shops and from individuals.

The bigger stores are under a microscope and are easy targets to be sued if something goes wrong. As a result they use far more checks and balances to ensure everything is done correctly before you get out the door.

There is a HUGE independent gun store in Smyrna GA that boasts over 10,000 firearms in stock. Adventure Outdoors. https://www.adventureoutdoors.us/

They were sued by the state of NY years ago because too many guns originally purchased from there ended up being used in NY crime. Adventure Outdoors won, but it still cost them plenty. When you sell that many guns some end up in the wrong hands. But as a result it takes a long time to make a purchase there. They have 4-5 different layers of management double and triple check everything.

They aren't nearly as likely to go after the small guys, even if they win there is no money to be had. In GA your carry permit negates the need for a background check. In many smaller shops I can walk out the door in 5 minutes after agreeing to the purchase. I simply fill out the 4473, hand it and the cash to the dealer who will usually make a photo copy of my drivers license and carry permit which they keep on file.

It takes a lot longer at the bigger stores. But I understand why and if they have what I want at the best price then I deal with it.

[rickyrick]

Most of my complete guns were purchased at Academy. Not too many hiccups in the process. Have bought from Walmart and Big5.
I used to buy stripped lowers from a local shop, but they went out of business.

[TXAZ]

Buds
Gunbroker
Cheaper than Dirt

[ATN082268]

Originally Posted by jmr40

I buy them where I find them. I've used pawn shops, guns shows, big box stores, small independent shops and from individuals.

The bigger stores are under a microscope and are easy targets to be sued if something goes wrong. As a result they use far more checks and balances to ensure everything is done correctly before you get out the door.

There is a HUGE independent gun store in Smyrna GA that boasts over 10,000 firearms in stock. Adventure Outdoors. https://www.adventureoutdoors.us/

They were sued by the state of NY years ago because too many guns originally purchased from there ended up being used in NY crime. Adventure Outdoors won, but it still cost them plenty. When you sell that many guns some end up in the wrong hands. But as a result it takes a long time to make a purchase there. They have 4-5 different layers of management double and triple check everything.

They aren't nearly as likely to go after the small guys, even if they win there is no money to be had. In GA your carry permit negates the need for a background check. In many smaller shops I can walk out the door in 5 minutes after agreeing to the purchase. I simply fill out the 4473, hand it and the cash to the dealer who will usually make a photo copy of my drivers license and carry permit which they keep on file.

It takes a lot longer at the bigger stores. But I understand why and if they have what I want at the best price then I deal with it.

Aren't places that legally sell guns immune to lawsuits merely for selling guns?

[rickyrick]

Big chain stores don’t want to be the target or bad publicity for letting the next mass killer get a gun because of lack of due diligence on the part of the store. Most big-box stores have seemed overly cautious, that’s fine with me.
When high profile crimes happen, the store is sometimes briefly in the news but it goes away if the sales person did everything legally required for a transaction. It’s their store, they are not required to sell anyone anything. If they want to take an hour to complete a transaction, that is within their rights too. If it takes more than 15 minutes from when I complete the document, I’ll probably choose another place the next time.

[JWT]

LGS if in an actual store. On line - Impact guns, Buds, Gunbroker, Gallery of 'guns.

[johnwilliamson062]

My favorite is a sports card shop that basically does orders and transfers. The owner knows a little about guns, but not a whole lot. He is smart enough not to pretend. Quick, easy, close to home, and the conversation is decent, but not verbose.

[TruthTellers]

2 different LGS. First was my first time buying a gun, I didn't know about online sales and that stuff, so I overpaid on that sale. Owner was happy though, but she was generally clueless about certain things.

Next one was at a different lgs during their 25th anniversary, so they discounted stuff 7% to mitigate the local sales tax. They had the Kel Tec I was looking for and this was still in the aftermath of Sandy Hook, so I had to get it. This was probably the best experience buying a gun at a store I've ever had.

Then the third and final gun I ever bought direct from an lgs was something I had them order through their distributors. Took about 3 weeks to get in and had I bought online I'd have had it within one week. That did not make me happy and I know it wasn't the FFL's fault, so I decided that was the final straw and I wasn't gonna bother ordering through gun stores anymore.

I have saved hundreds buying guns, ammo, etc. online.

Then I shifted to online purchases for pretty much everything because I decided I also didn't like giving a state that puts an 8 day waiting period on my 2nd amendment rights any of my sales tax money.

I've bought from several online stores, whichever gave free shipping or reasonable cost shipping. So far Gunbuyer and Tombstone Tactical are my favs. They have great prices and nice customer service. I got lucky with Grabagun last year around this time. No problems, but it didn't ship until a week later. That's fine for where I live now, but I've heard bad stuff about them in the past and haven't bought from them since.

Have done a lot of buying through gunbroker now because there are a lot of older guns that I really want and have wanted and I can't find them where I live and if I do, they're not in good condition, the lgs is asking an arm and a leg, and with tax included the gun would cost me $200 more than if I bought online.

Case and point I was at the lgs yesterday and I saw about half a dozen AMT Automag .22 Mag pistols and the cheapest one was $750. Just looked online at gunbroker and they're not even selling for $500. $300 for a .38 S&W H&R top break, $200 for a used Hi Point .40 S&W, $120 for a .32 S&W Hopkins & Allen top break... these prices are ridiculous.

Anyway, of the two FFL's I go to for the transfers, one has gotten to know me well and they like me. Generally that's a smooth process, but ever since a new owner bought the place this year things have been rough at times. The last transfer I had them do, the owner lost my 4473 and I was waiting on a busy Saturday for 30 mins before I had to leave. Before I did, the counter guy gave me two boxes of ammo and when I went back after a few days when they found my paperwork, gave me another box... $60 worth of ammo for free.

The other FFL who is closer to where I live, they seem to not like doing transfers for me because I've done about 5 of them through them this year. The main counter guy even said to me last time I went in to buy primers, "Not here for another transfer, eh?" It's little stuff like that I pick up on to get the message that they're not too keen on transfers with me anymore. They don't refuse me, but I don't like that they take the gun out of the box without me around so they can log it in their books.

[TruthTellers]

And I'm gonna jump on the Cabela's stinks bandwagon because, while I've never bought a gun there, I can't get one of the doofus counter people to just give me a gun from behind the counter cuz I wanted to get a feel for it because I'm waiting behind other guys who are mulling over paying a hella lot of money on a 1911.

Even when I just want to ask where the cap and ball revolvers are, I have to wait in line at the gun counter behind another guy asking a million questions about a damn S&W polymer gun. I can imagine how much more of a PITA it is when you actually do buy a gun.

Customer Service doesn't get a pass at the stores either, especially not on a Saturday. OMG, I've just learned to avoid going to any gun related anything on Saturday.

I love the Cabela's stores tho, they're some of the most beautiful retail locations I've ever seen.

[JohnKSa]

I've bought guns at gun shows, at department stores, at sporting goods stores and pawn shops, I've ordered them and had them delivered to local FFLs without store fronts, ordered them and had them delivered to local gun stores, I've bought from local gun stores, and bought them in private sales.

I really haven't had any bad experiences while actually buying guns, part of that may be that I don't usually buy from a place where I have no experience. That means I know what to expect. It also means I don't mess around with places that I expect to have bad experiences based on past outcomes.

[Nathan]

Forgot on.....

BA retailers with locks they will not remove. They could be giving them away and I just walk away.

[Longhorn1986]

I bought my AR from the LGS on my lunch hour early last year. Granted, with my LTC, the background check was a breeze, but it took longer to complete the form than to pick up the rifle. My local transactions at brick & mortar stores (even Cabelas in League City!) were no big deal.

I guess I've been fortunate as I've purchased several firearms through Gunbroker (admittedly, through established dealers on there) and have never had an issue.

[kmw1954]

So far all guns have been found thru online auctions. Some have been shipped and others were purchased in-person.

Also so far I have not seen any deals at the local gun shows I've visited. New or used guns.

[AlaBusa]

I have bought a couple online. Most of my purchases are private party, hand to hand. When I buy from a store, I will go to one of the big chains with a large selection, find what I want and then go to one of the 2 Indy shops I have been doing business with for 25 years.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

[hemiram]

All but a couple of mine have been bought online from either Gunbroker sellers, or from online dealers. The last gun I bought from a local place was a 10 year old Astra A-90 I bought at a local gun store. I made him a lowball (Compared to the crazy high price he had on it) and he took it, as it had been there at least a year. It was a decent fun, and I made a little on it when I sold it a couple of years later.

[Ruga Booga]

Gunbroker
Armslist
Pawnshops
Walmart
Rustys outdoor sports( been closed for years)

[Doc Holliday 1950]

For those of you that are gun experts I apologize for this response

I buy only thru Buds & that what I buy from them are True NIB. Every time that I wanted to get what I now own I went to a GS first. I always want to do
business near where I live.

GSs for me, are totally unreliable & strictly blood suckers.
Especially down here in South Florida on the Yankee Doodle side.
The only places that are worse than the GSs are Pawn Shops.Three times
I went to my local GS and was shown merchandise that they clained were
NIB & even a blind person could tell that what they claimed were new was not.

There are a huge amount of us that really can't look at a Pistol or Revolver and tell if any of these are NIB, in great condition, or are junk. These places drool
when some poor slob comes in looking for their first gun.

[CajunBass]

I buy about 99% of the guns I've ever purchased from one large dealer here in Richmond. I don't buy "new" guns generally speaking, and they have a large and constantly changing inventory of handguns, especially the classic revolvers I prefer. While their prices aren't the lowest in the world probably, they have what I'm looking for. I stop by every couple or three days just to look and shoot the breeze.

My wife and I are well known by the entire staff, and are treated pretty much like we are family. I see no reason to go anywhere else.

[mavracer]

Rustys outdoor sports( been closed for years)

I still have the box for my 10/22 that was purchased from David's when Rusty was the sporting goods manager before he opened Rusty's damn I'm old lol.

As to the rest most have been online and I've used 2 different pawn shops the first was kinda a PITA cause he didn't open til noon and was right next to UPS and FedEx hubs and they couldn't seem to get delivery done while he was open, the one I use now is super it's on my way home and real nice people.
I've also used 2 home based Ffls both of them are great but one has closed shop due to age/health.
A lot have been bought/traded for at various gun shows, multiple from the same vendor.
A few a local gunstore/range, Cabela's and other stores.

[kenny53]

Never have bought a gun on line. I have bought from LGS, Sportsmen's warehouse, Impact guns (In their store) , Cal-Ranch, lots of Private parties, and a bunch of other places. It is always quick and painless.

I have never bought a gun at Cabela's. I find their prices are very high.

[Green Lantern]

My main gun adviser says big chain stores buy repaired guns from companies. So I stick with the locals.

Zancha's guns & ammo
Locked & Loaded


Both take care of me and both price match to area prices.