First purchase: local dealer or order?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tl
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T

tl

New member
I'm returning to shooting after several years absence, will be taking a handgun course this weekend, and shortly after that (hopefully) purchase my first handgun.

There is not an abundance of dealers within an hour's drive of where I live; and while those visited have been polite and generally helpful, they seem more interested in their 'old' customers than helping a 'new' customer like me make sense of an amazing array of choices. I have handled a lot of guns while 'window shopping', and done a lot of reading on very helpful sites such as this. The nearest range with rentals is four hours away, but will probably also make that trip before making a final decision.

So here are the questions: Buy from a local shop to help keep them in business and have a source when I need help; or go with price and buy 'mail order'? If I order, doesn't the gun need to come through a local dealer; and won't this tend to compromise their willingness to offer service later? Any direction will be appreciated.
 
I used to be a stalwart of a local shop. I finally got tired of their snobbish attitude and disinformation. I'd hear things from employees like "Glocks are junk" and "SIGs rust when you touch them." If I asked to see a pistol two out of three times I'd have to wait until an employee finished talking with a friend about the latest and best pistol. Their prices, although never affordable, have reached insane levels, e.g. $700 for a Glock 30 and $850 for a P245. I located a local FFL, a fine and friendly gentleman, that is able to get much better prices and instead of the cold shoulder and attitude I get friendly and helpful advise. If I had a local shop worth supporting I would. Since I don't I deal directly with a FFL.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
tl the answer is simple. Go there often enough and buy enough guns that soon you to will become an "old customer". :)
Seriously if I didn't get a good feeling from the owner then I would look else where to spend my money. However "gun people" while not clanish do have a certain commeraderie (boy did I misspell that or what). It may not be that they are shunning you but rather just doing the certain amount of b/s that goes along with the ones they see practically daily. Like any other "club" the new guy is going to feel a bit left out at first until everyone gets to know him. Find a dealer that you like or think you can and visit. Hang out. B/S and talk guns. In no time you'll probalby find a whole new group of friends.
Oh and PS.....hang out here and you'll have another new group of friends in the TFL family. :)

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Gunslinger

We live in a time in which attitudes and deeds once respected as courageous and honorable are now scorned as being antiquated and subversive.
 
And an FFL is what, how do you find one, and what do they do?

[This message has been edited by tl (edited April 06, 2000).]
 
I suggest visiting several gun shops. Get a feel for the store and the guns at the same time. It is like anything else- think in terms of service and price. If one or both are lacking, look elsewhere. I have had good and bad experiences shopping for guns. Needless to say, those who treat me well get my business.
 
You can find a local FFL by usind the search engine at www.gunsamerica.com Make sure you call and discuss the cost and terms of ordering, don'd do this blind. In my area some shops will charge 10% of a gun's price just to order, others won't special order, and some individual FFLs charge anywhere from $15 to $30 per transaction.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
I think the answer is that it depends on the dealer,
that is, on what added value the dealer you perceive
the dealer to be offereing in exchange for the
higher prices. If the dealer is really knowledgable
and willing to stand behind their product, that may
be very useful.

I haven't bought a weapon yet, my son and I are
happily shooting our way through a decent range's
rental collection. But I faced this same sort
of question WRT model railroad shops. Some of the
louded whiners about "Support the local shops!"
were also the least helpful and knowledgable. I could
not see that I was getting anything for the money
I was spending over and above what the same item
would have cost me mail order.

Assuming the the local dealer prices are higher
than you'd get ordering by mail or on the Internet,
it seems to me the question is "What are you
getting
for the extra money?" A good, helpful dealer
may
be worth. I am equally sure that many out there
are not.



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ahlan wa sahlan
PCV Yemen 1984-86
 
I went through this some time ago when I lost the dealer I had been doing business with for a lot of years. I just stated checking with some of the people I knew that were into guns and where they did business. Then I started going around to those dealers and now I blieve I have found one that I like and feel comfortable doing business with. I have spent a good piece of change at his shop and he seems to be giving me pretty good prices. He seems to be a down to earth person and knows what he is talking about. The only thing we don't agree on is Glocks. He is a Glock dealer and a fanatic with them and I think they are hideous and won't buy one,but that probably will change. But anyway I found my new local gun emporium that I can go to and check out the goods and shoot the breeze with him and the other gun crazed junkies :). It took some time to find this place and I still miss the old guy that I bought my very first handgun from :(
Hope this helps,for what its worth.

Happy Shooting :)

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We preserve our freedoms by using four boxes: soap,ballot,jury, and cartridge.
Anonymous
 
If you order by mail, internet, etc. the arm must be delivered and processed by someone that has a Federal Firearm License (FFL). As posted above, many FFLs will receive and process arms for a nominal fee. Be prepared to pay a serious deposit or in full for the arm when you place an order with the FFL unless the initial source will take your payment directly. You may want to ask your nearest retailer if they will process a transfer, just don't expect a lot of hand holding from them, and if you have a problem they are likely to tell you to ship it back to the manufacturer.
 
Many shops also provide little support. In fact, you're pretty much left out in the cold if the number of posts stating that they've shipped back their firearms to the manufacturer is any indication.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
always establish a good reputation whith your dealer and be loyal.he will appreciate it.you may have to pay a little more on some things but you may get alot of free stuff and advice down the road.the worst thing you can do is constantly remind him of what things sell for out of shotgun news and at gunshows.your retailer cannott compeate with the shows because many dealers there do not have storefronts and do not pay all there sales tax.thats how they can offer a better price than me.
 
Going to the same dealer again and again may cause you to spend an extra $25-$50 on your first couple guns, however, you'll find that the dealer will save you that much on your third, fourth, etc. Whether it's freebie accessories, good advice, or trade-in allowances, I'm a big fan of dealing with the same guy as often as possible.

Just make sure the dealer you get hooked up with has several brand name lines to offer...

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Triggers exist to be pulled... again and again.
 
Thanks to all who responded; this forum has been very helpful. Taking in all the comments, I think I will start with a smaller shop (but reasonable selection) less than 20 minutes from where I live, and see how it goes. They have outgrown two locations in the last few years; I take that as a good sign. The fact that they are gunsmiths is also a plus to me, even if a firearm needs to be returned to the manufacturer. I'll give it some time, and if it doesn't work (and hand guns are still legal to purchase), will look more seriously at ordering. All things considered, I would rather have a person to deal with rather than a name only.

Had the first day of instruction today, will finish tomorrow. So far, it has been most helpful, with good instructors who are officers of a larger metro police force nearby. If tomorrow is as good, I'll have no hesitation recommending this to any new shooter.
 
I prefer to pay the lowest price possible for any product. Most of the time, the lowest prices will be found over the internet. I'm not gonna pay an extra 20-25% in hopes that some guy at a local shop will be friendly and give me some free stuff some day. I go to the local shops just to fondle, ask questions, and make final decisions on what to buy. My money goes to the seller who offers the best deal.

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bullet placement is gun control
 
I have learned that establishing a relationship with a local dealer can pay dividends. My dealer is also an indoor range where I shoot every monday night in a league. I pay more for the guns I buy from him but get perks and help when I need it. If you purchase a gun from them they give you a 1 year membership to the range, this would normally cost $100 a year. They also give me breaks on supplies when I need them, and have allowed me to use their FFL to purchase a very expensive O/U from the manufacturer without charging me megabucks for the transfer. The extra $25 to $50 I pay for guns is paid back to me in other ways, and they bend over backwards to help new shooters.

If you find a good dealer, patronize him and don't fret about the $10 you could have saved by buying from Shotgun News. The guy has overhead and must keep his shop open, and having a friendly dealer is a rarity these days.

Geoff Ross
 
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