I had a time at the lgs today

[TruthTellers]

This will be a somewhat long story, but for a while I have wanted to sell a bolt action .22 that didn't live up to my expectations and isn't as accurate as other .22's I have that are also lighter and smaller. I figured with it being a seller's market, it was time to move on it.

At my preferred FFL who I have do transfers for me I had a Beretta .32 to pick up and the last few times I'd been there I saw an LCR .327 for $450 and each time I asked about it they said it was new. I had the plan all thought up, I'd give them the .22 if they'd take $150 off the LCR. They agreed and during the ring up I was expecting to pay $321t and heard $331. I asked why and they said total before the $150 credit was $481.

They rung it up at the full price instead of the agreed upon price of $300. Like, if we make a deal, don't give me credit, sell me the gun at $300 and save me $10.

Okay, whatever, the gun is new and I'm getting it and dumping the big, heavy .22 I don't like. So after paying I asked for them to box up the LCR they said there isn't a box.

What? I've never heard of a new gun that didn't come with a box, owner's manual, and whatever else it came with. That was so odd that it sent up a red flag for me.

The story I was told was another LGS had that in their inventory for a while and it didn't sell (doesn't surprise me as .32 isn't popular and 2 weeks ago I saw a .22 Mag LCR next to this .327 LCR and that sold) so they made a deal with the LGS I was at to unload some inventory. Allegedly it's a new gun, but if you were an FFL and had new guns that you were dealing to another FFL, why aren't the boxes and manuals going with them? You would think an FFL would have their stuff together, especially if the first FFL is a place that has Holland & Holland shotguns in their inventory.

That was another thing that I thought was weird. The other gun shop is a real high end place and for them to be selling stuff like LCR's when most of their shop is stuff like Holland & Holland, Rizzini, Parker, and other fancy names is questionable.

Like, that other shop is so high end, I've never stepped foot in it because I know I don't belong there.

The revolver didn't have a turn ring on it, but the bore didn't look clean and the crown looked dirty too. I'm sure there was nothing wrong with it, but I didn't like the way things were sounding and I backed out. It's plausible that all that is true, but the fact a new gun didn't come with a box was very suspicious to me.

I put the .22 up for consignment instead and decided to never bother trying to buy a gun from this lgs again.

[Aguila Blanca]

Good choice, IMHO. I loathe and detest bait-and-switch tactics.

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by Aguila Blanca

Good choice, IMHO. I loathe and detest bait-and-switch tactics.

It wasn't so much a bait and switch, the two people I had asked who were working there are not the main employees who I've dealt with the most over the years. The other guy who was there who I've dealt with for years said that it was used and came from the other shop.

Even if it's an honest mistake, there's no excuse as to why the gun wasn't marked properly to inform the customer of its condition. Even tho it appeared to be in fine condition and is backed by Ruger's customer service, I want a brand new LCRx that I know hasn't been dorked with and, hopefully, wouldn't be a problem, which with Ruger and their revolvers lately isn't a guarantee.

[dogtown tom]

I'd give them the .22 if they'd take $150 off the LCR. They agreed and during the ring up I was expecting to pay $321t and heard $331. I asked why and they said total before the $150 credit was $481.
They rung it up at the full price instead of the agreed upon price of $300. Like, if we make a deal, don't give me credit, sell me the gun at $300 and save me $10.

Your state probably requires sales tax be calculated on the full retail price before a trade in is deducted. Texas does.

The story I was told was another LGS had that in their inventory for a while and it didn't sell (doesn't surprise me as .32 isn't popular and 2 weeks ago I saw a .22 Mag LCR next to this .327 LCR and that sold) so they made a deal with the LGS I was at to unload some inventory. Allegedly it's a new gun, but if you were an FFL and had new guns that you were dealing to another FFL, why aren't the boxes and manuals going with them?

Never, ever buy a story, buy the gun. "This was John Dillingers Hi Power that my granddad took off of him in 1922 at a Walmart on Iwo Jima".

It's possible that a new gun doesn't have the factory box. Display case guns are usually displayed nekkid, the box kept elsewhere in a location so safe that it got lost.

You would think an FFL would have their stuff together, especially if the first FFL is a place that has Holland & Holland shotguns in their inventory.

I'm not sure what having expensive guns means in regards to cardboard boxes.

[FrankenMauser]

Some gun shops toss boxes when they put guns on display. "No box" is undesirable but not unusual.
Their story, however, is a bit funky.

Dirty Rugers is normal. They're test fired but not cleaned, before being boxed up at the factory. You can't judge a Ruger as used or new based on being dirty.

It takes a LOT of wear to develop a drag ring on an LCR. The blackened stainless doesn't wear like blued steel. Don't judge an LCR by the lack of an obvious drag line.

The better way to judge use on an LCR is to look at the recoil shield and frame, to see how much brass has been embedded from firing and recoil. (There should be almost nothing.)

All in all, I wouldn't have paid "new gun" price for it.

[jmr40]

I've seen stores lose boxes and sell guns at a discount. It's been years ago, but a local Walmart had a single 870 Wingmaster in their display case marked down cheaper than their 870 Express's. When I asked about it I was told they had lost the box and all extras including the choke tubes and wrench so they were selling it as is. I bought it.

[Warhammer]

Sounds like you almost bought a used gun at the new price. Good job smelling a rat and backing out. Even if the salespeople were new and not the "main guys", there's no excuse for making up stories about a gun if they don't know the facts. I don't think that experience would turn me off of the LGS permanently, but I'd want to have a discussion (a calm discussion, not going full Karen) with the owner to figure out what happened before I considered another purchase there. As a business manager, I want to know if my sales team is trying to BS my customers instead of doing their job with integrity.

[buck460XVR]

You got a great OTD price on something you really wanted. What you didn't get was a cardboard box, a gun rug, a trigger lock, owners manual and two fired bullets. Hard to believe the gun was shipped, even between stores, without those.

IMHO, you got a sketchy story and I too would have been a tad leery of it being an actual "NIB". But in the end, getting a good trade in from something I didn't want towards something I did want, that was in "LNIB" condition, I don't know what I would have done. Used guns in "LNIB" condition at favorable prices is something I prefer.

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by jmr40

I've seen stores lose boxes and sell guns at a discount. It's been years ago, but a local Walmart had a single 870 Wingmaster in their display case marked down cheaper than their 870 Express's. When I asked about it I was told they had lost the box and all extras including the choke tubes and wrench so they were selling it as is. I bought it.

Big difference between a Walmart that's only going to sell guns they get from their distributor vs an LGS who got product from another LGS and happened to come with nothing else and a sales staff oblivious to the condition of the gun.

And it's not like this LGS has dozens of employees who may not get notified of things, they have I think 7 employees, owner included.

For all I know the high end, fancy LGS may have gotten that LCR from another LGS. Whatever the case it didn't smell right and while I'm sure the gun would have functioned fine, if it didn't because it was a previously owned gun, I wouldn't have been happy.

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Sounds like you almost bought a used gun at the new price. Good job smelling a rat and backing out. Even if the salespeople were new and not the "main guys", there's no excuse for making up stories about a gun if they don't know the facts. I don't think that experience would turn me off of the LGS permanently, but I'd want to have a discussion (a calm discussion, not going full Karen) with the owner to figure out what happened before I considered another purchase there. As a business manager, I want to know if my sales team is trying to BS my customers instead of doing their job with integrity.

I have this particular LGS do my transfers because they give a discount for members of the local gun club. Even tho they're a 25 min drive away, it's $15 for a transfer and it's 15 minutes away from the range, the closest FFL to me that's 5 mins down the road hits me for $50 to transfer a new gun, $25 used.

I'm not going to be working with any other FFL's, my .22 is on consignment with them currently, and I doubt the owner would really care to hear my thoughts, so I'm not going to bother.

Unless there's some laws changed where online guns sales go away, I'm pretty much never going to attempt to buy a "new" gun from this LGS ever again. Used... sure, if it's something I want and not jacked up $200 more than what I could get elsewhere.

[Warhammer]

Pretty disappointing that a shop would do something like that. I generally like to support local small businesses, but I won't deal with someone I think is dishonest or simply doesn't value me as a customer.

[luger fan]

The old 'Snap On Tool' pirate game.

[JohnKSa]

Maybe it's not reasonable on my part, but I wouldn't accept a gun as new if it didn't come with all the normal factory accessories.

I would be willing accept it as "like new", and with some consideration on price given, but that would have to be discussed up front--not sprung on me at the register.

[Double K]

If a gunshop can't produce a box with a matching serial number and manual I treat it as a used gun {pricing}, being a gun trader at heart and expecting to sell the gun at some point not having the box hurts the resale even with used guns to much to not have them.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by JohnKSa

Maybe it's not reasonable on my part, but I wouldn't accept a gun as new if it didn't come with all the normal factory accessories.

I would be willing accept it as "like new", and with some consideration on price given, but that would have to be discussed up front--not sprung on me at the register.

I agree. So does the Blue Book:

New/Perfect - 100% condition with or without box. 100% on currently manufactured firearms assumes NIB (New In Box) condition and not previously sold at retail.

It can't be "New In Box" if there's no box.

[reynolds357]

Originally Posted by TruthTellers

This will be a somewhat long story, but for a while I have wanted to sell a bolt action .22 that didn't live up to my expectations and isn't as accurate as other .22's I have that are also lighter and smaller. I figured with it being a seller's market, it was time to move on it.

At my preferred FFL who I have do transfers for me I had a Beretta .32 to pick up and the last few times I'd been there I saw an LCR .327 for $450 and each time I asked about it they said it was new. I had the plan all thought up, I'd give them the .22 if they'd take $150 off the LCR. They agreed and during the ring up I was expecting to pay $321t and heard $331. I asked why and they said total before the $150 credit was $481.

They rung it up at the full price instead of the agreed upon price of $300. Like, if we make a deal, don't give me credit, sell me the gun at $300 and save me $10.

Okay, whatever, the gun is new and I'm getting it and dumping the big, heavy .22 I don't like. So after paying I asked for them to box up the LCR they said there isn't a box.

What? I've never heard of a new gun that didn't come with a box, owner's manual, and whatever else it came with. That was so odd that it sent up a red flag for me.

The story I was told was another LGS had that in their inventory for a while and it didn't sell (doesn't surprise me as .32 isn't popular and 2 weeks ago I saw a .22 Mag LCR next to this .327 LCR and that sold) so they made a deal with the LGS I was at to unload some inventory. Allegedly it's a new gun, but if you were an FFL and had new guns that you were dealing to another FFL, why aren't the boxes and manuals going with them? You would think an FFL would have their stuff together, especially if the first FFL is a place that has Holland & Holland shotguns in their inventory.

That was another thing that I thought was weird. The other gun shop is a real high end place and for them to be selling stuff like LCR's when most of their shop is stuff like Holland & Holland, Rizzini, Parker, and other fancy names is questionable.

Like, that other shop is so high end, I've never stepped foot in it because I know I don't belong there.

The revolver didn't have a turn ring on it, but the bore didn't look clean and the crown looked dirty too. I'm sure there was nothing wrong with it, but I didn't like the way things were sounding and I backed out. It's plausible that all that is true, but the fact a new gun didn't come with a box was very suspicious to me.

I put the .22 up for consignment instead and decided to never bother trying to buy a gun from this lgs again.

Guns are factory test fired and its not unusual for gun store to not have box.