Cheaper than Dirt

[Rothdel]

Anyone ever purchase a firearm from Cheaper than Dirt?

I have ordered non FFL items from them before and as long as I manage the shipping cost issue have been pretty happy.

For some reason I'm hesitating pulling the trigger on a firearm purchase however. I have never purchased a firearm from a website and I'm cautious for some reason. My LGS is good for the transfer so no concern there. Just would like some positive/negative reviews from this group before I make up my mind.

[FITASC]

I have never found CTD to be the best price deal on anything - and their shipping can get down-right stupid.

There are a LOT of reputable internet dealers; have you checked the usual like Davidson's, Buds, etc to compare?

[Sevens]

Cheaper Than Dirt was one of the companies who upset many long time gun folks by jacking prices overnight after the Sandy Hook massacre and there are plenty of screen shots still littered all over the web that shows it plainly.

In my opinion, there are FAR too many great businesses to deal with then to ever support CTD. I won't buy from them.

[Targa]

I dont support them....I will leave it at that.

[osbornk]

Based on their past actions, they need to change the name to Dirtier than Dirt.

[5whiskey]

Sevens hit the nail on the head. I have used CTD in the past, but I watched the price of 30rd Pmags go from $15 and some change in the morning to over $60.00 that afternoon the Monday after the Sandy Hook shooting. I don't even think I've been to their website out of fear that Google Ads *MIGHT* give them a half penny for my internet traffic since then. Scoundrels IMO.

You will likely find a better price on whatever you're trying to purchase at JGSales, Sportsmans Guide, or a number of other good companies. I have ordered a rifle from JGSales and all went smooth.

[dajowi]

During the .22 shortage the highly inflated prices CTD was charging encouraged me to look elsewhere...where I found some at a price I was willing to pay. From that point on I'll never shop at CTD again.

[gbclarkson]

I haven't ordered a firearm from CTD, either, but I have ordered ammo, accessories, and camping supplies; still do if the quirky shipping rates are favorable. I have noticed, though, that many of CTD's firearm reviews include compliments of CTD's service. Hmmmm.....

[KEYBEAR]

If I buy new on line I use Buds Guns often . The prices are mostly good free shipping and easy finding an FFL on his site . Last year I bought two Ruger Revolvers(at the same time) from Buds saved some cash and it cost 20 bucks total for the FFL.

[2123]

I'd never buy a firearm (or anything) from CTD.

[redrick]

I will never buy from them again after the way they jack there prices up when something happens . Part of there name is right Dirt .

[Bozz10mm]

Friends don't let friends shop at CTD.

[Eazyeach]

Buds, jjgunsupply, palmetto, and Whitaker's are all great. Prices and service. I've never used ctd so I won't comment on them. But I'm not fond of the price gouging.

[Bigtimber]

Never dealt with them. Always fond better deals elsewhere....I've put a few items in cart once....shipping seemed inflated......never messed with them beyond that.

[Don P]

Anyone ever purchase a firearm from Cheaper than Dirt?

I haven;t and after their choices after Sandy Hook I'll never buy ANYTHING from them. That's just me and my feelings toward them

[Ed4032]

Never ever ever.... nor will I buy from them ever.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

I don't understand all the hate for surge pricing. If a vendor doesn't raise his prices to market rate (or above), it will get bought and you won't be able to find it easily at any price. So I don't mind CTD jacking their prices up during Sandy Hook.

Having said that, I think I can count on one hand in the last 15 years the times they were even competitive with market prices. I rarely buy from them because they are usually overpriced and/or don't stock the products I am interested in.

But I will say this for them, when every gun store in the state was stripped bare of AR15s, you could still walk into CTD's McKinney selection and see a full selection of AR15s. And I once got a very good deal on a weaponlight from them.

[buck460XVR]

Don't know what CTD policy is on firearms, but Davidson's has this warranty, and depending on the dealer, many times beats CTD's prices. While this warranty is not needed with certain firearms, with others, it may be.

If anything ever goes wrong with any gun you buy with the Davidson's GuaranteeD® Lifetime Replacement Warranty, it will be replaced. If no replacement is available, it will be repaired at no charge to you. Simple, just return it to the GuaranteeD® retailer where you purchased it, pay for the return shipping and upon receipt Davidson's will ship the returning retailer a *BRAND NEW GUN.

[shootbrownelk]

Cheaper than Dirt was a price gouger after the Sandy Hook massacre. They were charging $120.00 for a brick of $25.00 .22 LR's. That isn't just "inflating" the price....that's a Rip-Off, plain & simple. They are lower than a snakes belly. I'd never buy anything from them...EVER. I hope they go out of business.

[5whiskey]

I don't understand all the hate for surge pricing. If a vendor doesn't raise his prices to market rate (or above), it will get bought and you won't be able to find it easily at any price. So I don't mind CTD jacking their prices up during Sandy Hook.

CTD was quite a large and popular vendor at the time, and I believe they directly contributed to inflating the market rate a good bit. I understand raising prices in times of extreme demand, and I have no issue with it so long as it is within reason. It is capitalism 101. That being said, a 400% increase is not within reason, IMO. Virtually every state in the Union has price gouging laws. Virtually no state would think of prosecuting a gun dealer for it... but that's fine. Many of us just choose not to use CTD anymore because of it.

[osbornk]

I don't understand all the hate for surge pricing. If a vendor doesn't raise his prices to market rate (or above), it will get bought and you won't be able to find it easily at any price. So I don't mind CTD jacking their prices up during Sandy Hook.

There is surge pricing and there is gouging. There is a difference. I suppose you don't have a problem with the price gouging the new owners that make EpiPen did. When you take advantage of being the only source and price gouge, you deserve to be punished by being avoided.

[Aguila Blanca]

Cheaper than Dirt did me dirt a number of years ago. It was long enough ago that I don't even remember the specifics of the transaction, but I will not buy anything from them. I'm still on their e-mail list and I just delete their messages without reading. The word "unscrupulous" comes to mind ...

[dogtown tom]

CTD didn't "gouge" anyone.
CTD didn't scam anyone.
CTD didn't cause market inflation of firearm or ammo prices.
CTD and ANY seller has the God given right to charge what they want for their own property. Disagree? Then sell me all your guns for what I think they are worth.


No one forces you to buy from any seller. How many of you go on Gunbroker or this forums WTS subforum and harangue sellers for how they price their guns? Good grief there must be dozens of firearms in TFL's Want To Sell section that are laughably overpriced......yet you let them slide?

Anyone that paid $60 for a CTD PMag deserves to pay $60 for a PMag. Not being prepared SHOULD be expensive. And for those that say they would NEVER pay that much for an AR magazine? How many do you think CTD actually sold? I'll bet it was less than a hundred. Kinda hard to gouge or profiteer when you aren't actually selling anything.

Those that say CTD shouldn't have raised their prices? You SUCK AT BUSINESS.
If you have 1000 mags in stock ($8each) and sell them at $2 over cost.....do you profit? If you say yes you fail at business.

Why? Because your next order to resupply those mags may have a wholesale cost of $12 per mag........you should have priced your initial inventory of mags at $15. Your profit is determined by what it will cost to restock.

CTD could have priced all their PMags at $15 and been sold out within a day. And then what do they do........mags weren't available from distributors for months. Same with AR lowers, same with ammo, same with any high demand firearm item.

Is it any wonder why so many gun stores went out of business during the Obama gun panics? Sure, they could sell their current inventory, but getting restocked as a mom & pop? Not when Wal Mart, Cabelas and the big accounts were allocated inventory first.

But you know what? If you REALLY, REALLY NEEDED ammo in Dallas......CTD always had it. It was triple the normal price.....but they had it when WalMart, Academy and every other gun store had bare shelves.

Oh, full disclosure..........I don't buy from Cheaper Than Dirt for reasons unrelated to their pricing during the gun panics. I just dislike this nonsence about their supposed price gouging.

[Targa]

Quite the rant but yeh, I do agree that they were not price gouging, no where near the definition of price gouging. With that said, CTD can still pound sand.

[5whiskey]

CTD and ANY seller has the God given right to charge what they want for their own property.

Generally, yes, within reason. Insider trading laws would put some limits to that very broad and general statement. If you have the ability to make the news, or learn of the news before anyone else, and manipulate the "free" market, then you have an unfair advantage. In addition, technically a gas station can sell their gas for whatever price they want... until they triple the price during an emergency and are criminally charged for price gouging.

I just dislike this nonsence about their supposed price gouging.

And I dislike what I believe to be their actual price gouging. Hence why I don't buy there. I believe in the free market... I vote with my dollars. Almost everyone that has replied to this thread says to stay far away from CTD. I remember, at one point, when they were probably one of the primary retailer sites suggested by many. Not just here, but among my circle of friends as well. Those days are gone, so something in their business model rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way. Their pricing schemes has been cited by many as a reason.