Is your Gun Store Overpricing Things?
- Thread starter Mosin-Marauder
- Start date
TruthTellers
New member
Price gouging and high prices are two different things. All my LGS's charge super high prices for ammo and magazines and on top of that I have to pay a 7% sales tax.
That's unacceptable.
So I buy my ammo online, buy in bulk to get free shipping, and get exactly what I want, which is better than dropping by my LGS to find out they don't have any .22 LR, Ruger ARX ammo, or LCP magazines. About the only thing I do buy from my local stores is powder and primers because they sell them for a good price and I don't have to pay the actual price gouging in a hazardous materials fee.
For me, it's not high ammo and accessory prices that stand out, but gun prices that vary between FFL's I frequent.
One lgs is about 20 mins away and their guns are all 10-15% higher than the average price I see online and so I don't buy their guns and haven't bought a gun of theirs in over 2 years. For example I was fortunate to find an LCP Custom, which has been discontinued by Ruger, on Gunbroker for $195 while this same FFL I had it transferred to was selling one for $269, plus that 7% sales tax.
The price of that LCP Custom they had is unacceptable.
However, they're not all bad as they offer the lowest FFL transfer fee in my area and I've had them handle 3 transfers for me this year and they'll continue to get my business in that regard.
Then there's my closest lgs. They're great guys to work with when I do business with them, they sell new guns for as good a price as I can find online... but again, I get hit with that damn 7% sales tax for everything I buy from them and I absolutely refuse to give any tax revenue to my awful, incompetent liberal state that can't even cut welfare checks correctly.
So their new gun prices are good, but their used gun prices are outrageous. They have a used .40 S&W Hi-Point pistol they're asking $200 for. For $200, I can buy a new one online, have them do the transfer, and still pay less for it than the used one they're selling, which btw, the FFL transfer price they charge is $50 for a new gun.
$50 for an FFL tranfer is unacceptable.
I'll buy a firearm from my LGS up to $300 because over $300, it costs me less to buy it online and pay the FFL transfer.
Oh, and on top of the costs involved, I have a lovely incompetent, liberal state that I'm stuck in that, along with the 7% sales tax and the standard NICS/4473 background check, requires the State Police conduct a background check on me and they're given 7 days to complete that check, which they never seem to complete within that 7 day period and I have to wait a full week after I make payment to get my property that I paid for.
So, there are big reasons why I don't buy much from my LGS, but it's not so much high prices. I know there are some here that are going to toot their horn and say, "Oh, you really should support your LGS and like it. They NEED your business."
I would do that, but I'm not going to overpay, support my horrible state through tax revenue, and wait a week before I can get my property.
That's unacceptable.
So I buy my ammo online, buy in bulk to get free shipping, and get exactly what I want, which is better than dropping by my LGS to find out they don't have any .22 LR, Ruger ARX ammo, or LCP magazines. About the only thing I do buy from my local stores is powder and primers because they sell them for a good price and I don't have to pay the actual price gouging in a hazardous materials fee.
For me, it's not high ammo and accessory prices that stand out, but gun prices that vary between FFL's I frequent.
One lgs is about 20 mins away and their guns are all 10-15% higher than the average price I see online and so I don't buy their guns and haven't bought a gun of theirs in over 2 years. For example I was fortunate to find an LCP Custom, which has been discontinued by Ruger, on Gunbroker for $195 while this same FFL I had it transferred to was selling one for $269, plus that 7% sales tax.
The price of that LCP Custom they had is unacceptable.
However, they're not all bad as they offer the lowest FFL transfer fee in my area and I've had them handle 3 transfers for me this year and they'll continue to get my business in that regard.
Then there's my closest lgs. They're great guys to work with when I do business with them, they sell new guns for as good a price as I can find online... but again, I get hit with that damn 7% sales tax for everything I buy from them and I absolutely refuse to give any tax revenue to my awful, incompetent liberal state that can't even cut welfare checks correctly.
So their new gun prices are good, but their used gun prices are outrageous. They have a used .40 S&W Hi-Point pistol they're asking $200 for. For $200, I can buy a new one online, have them do the transfer, and still pay less for it than the used one they're selling, which btw, the FFL transfer price they charge is $50 for a new gun.
$50 for an FFL tranfer is unacceptable.
I'll buy a firearm from my LGS up to $300 because over $300, it costs me less to buy it online and pay the FFL transfer.
Oh, and on top of the costs involved, I have a lovely incompetent, liberal state that I'm stuck in that, along with the 7% sales tax and the standard NICS/4473 background check, requires the State Police conduct a background check on me and they're given 7 days to complete that check, which they never seem to complete within that 7 day period and I have to wait a full week after I make payment to get my property that I paid for.
So, there are big reasons why I don't buy much from my LGS, but it's not so much high prices. I know there are some here that are going to toot their horn and say, "Oh, you really should support your LGS and like it. They NEED your business."
I would do that, but I'm not going to overpay, support my horrible state through tax revenue, and wait a week before I can get my property.
You're blaming your LGS for collecting a state-mandated tax? You DO know you are legally required to submit its equal, called a use tax, for interstate purchases, right?.....
No such thing, EVER, on ANY commodity
Depends on the state and their laws - in some it IS a bad deal, in others, that would be considered a deal
No such thing, EVER, on ANY commodity
Depends on the state and their laws - in some it IS a bad deal, in others, that would be considered a deal
TruthTellers
New member
Did I say I blamed my LGS for this? No, I mentioned that that tax money goes to the state I live in, which I wish to provide as little tax revenue for as possible. I know it's not the LGS that taxes me, it's just something I consider and is a reason I don't buy as much from my local stores.
And $50 is robbery compared to the $25 I pay elsewhere for the same exact amount of work done on a transfer.
Yep. We need to be more precise in our language. In legal terms, price gouging is a crime that involves exploiting a monopoly during civil emergencies. Contrary to what you may hear on the news, an election that doesn't go the way I may have wanted it to does not constitute such a situation.
The market will charge the prices consumers will pay. In 2013, those were some pretty high prices. The irony? Folks complaining the loudest were the ones who admitted selling PMags at the gun shows for $100.
Look, gang: there's precedent for this. Most of us saw what happened last time. Wait out the initial panic, and the market will level out in a few months.
Glenn E. Meyer
New member
The local WalMarts have plenty of normal price ammo and the gun stores have plenty at regular prices.
It appears that well over half think the local shops charge too much.
I'd suggest those who feel that way should all refrain from going in to those shops to ask questions and handle different guns before buying online or at the "box stores".
If you aren't serious about purchasing you shouldn't be wasting their time and handling their merchandise.
I'd suggest those who feel that way should all refrain from going in to those shops to ask questions and handle different guns before buying online or at the "box stores".
If you aren't serious about purchasing you shouldn't be wasting their time and handling their merchandise.
I dont. I wont waste my time, or money in their shops. I saw the games they played, and know who is friendly, or at least reasonable to us and who isnt.
Seeing what they did and when, I still say they were gouging, or at the very least, taking advantage of a bad situation. If you think different, so be it. Either way, they dont get my money, and the result is the same.
I buy about 2-3 guns a year. The last gun I purchased at a gun store was a Ruger LC9 about 5 years ago. Before that was a used Savage 30-06 purchased about 8 years ago.
All new guns in gun stores are over priced, unless a particular store has a ton of them and needs to dump them. All parts and accessories in gun stores are over priced. Most used guns in gun stores are over priced, unless you stumble upon one that the gun store owner/manager took in on trade and doesn't know much about. That's rare!
All fair deals are either on-line or at gun shows. Yes, you can find some fair-to-good deals at gun shows. You just have to know what to look for. For example if you can't find a good deal on AR15 barreld uppers and lower receivers at a gun show where everyone and their mothers are selling them, then you aren't looking! On the other hand, if you think you are going to get a good deal at a gun show on a Python or some other rare and desirable gun, think again.
All new guns in gun stores are over priced, unless a particular store has a ton of them and needs to dump them. All parts and accessories in gun stores are over priced. Most used guns in gun stores are over priced, unless you stumble upon one that the gun store owner/manager took in on trade and doesn't know much about. That's rare!
All fair deals are either on-line or at gun shows. Yes, you can find some fair-to-good deals at gun shows. You just have to know what to look for. For example if you can't find a good deal on AR15 barreld uppers and lower receivers at a gun show where everyone and their mothers are selling them, then you aren't looking! On the other hand, if you think you are going to get a good deal at a gun show on a Python or some other rare and desirable gun, think again.
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I have yet to ask a firearms question at a local gun shop. I can get more (and more accurate) information on the internet, primarily on TFL, than I can from the clerks at any of my local shops. I also almost never handle guns there. I prefer to just go ahead and buy the gun online, and it I don't like it for some reason resale it. I guess this is one good thing that comes from the high prices local shops charge. I can resale a good 3/4 of the guns I buy online for as much as I gave for them if not a little more.
I don't mean to direct this at the poster that I quoted in particular, but has anyone else noticed that the LGS price topic is almost like 9mm vs. 40? It seems like one side always seems to act offended by the other side's opinion.
TruthTellers
New member
This is the typical response to someone who thinks their LGS prices are high: Just don't go there, they're busy.Snyper said:
Yeah, because when I go into their stores, they are just SOOOOOO busy with other customers. Most of the time I go, I'm the only one or I'm waiting behind the only other customer.
That just goes to show that these LGS don't get a lot of business, likely BECAUSE of their high prices.
Now, if we took Wesley Snyper's advice here, the traffic to these LGS's would drop dramatically and so would their impulse buy sales. For example, I went into my LGS and inquired about the LCP Custom cuz I wanted to see if they could get one for me from their distributors. They couldn't, but they did confirm that the LCP Custom was discontinued, which I assumed but didn't know for sure. Anyway, while I was there they had .22 Short and I bought 2 boxes of that purely because they had something in stock I wanted at a fair price.
Had I not gone to their shop, they wouldn't have made that sale, but I don't expect nearsighted people like the above mentioned to think that one through.
Is your Gun Store Overpricing
A broad subject.
Gander Mountain, here and Nashville had some firearms above MSRP and magazines repackaged under Blackhawk label thee times elsewhere. Ammo was very high.
Bass Pro prices by market. My Kimber Ultra Carry II was 50.00 cheaper at Chattanooga than at Nashville.
Prices all together are better than Gander Mountain.
Cabelas had better pricing than Bass Pros and 5% Military discount applies to firearms and ammo. 10% at Bass Pro does not.
Cabelas has better selection of what you want and can get what you want.
Bass Pro told me itt depends on what the Rep orders when he comes around and they have no control.
Sporstmans Whse has better pricing than the others except on some promotional guns, perhaps. They offer 5% discount to Military to boot.
Ammo is sometimes cheaper at Sprotsmans but Cableas has more stock and a bit cheaper on .22s.
One other store I shop at owned by Barrett has a better selection of desired guns but prices tend to be MSRP. discounts from 5% to 10% on some guns to Military and Police on most things but not ammo since it is still being horded.
I haven't found a gun shop, other than Buds near Pigeon Forge with cheap prices. Certainly nothing like all the small Mom and Pops, that Clinto put out of business. I generally saved half on everything or more.
A broad subject.
Gander Mountain, here and Nashville had some firearms above MSRP and magazines repackaged under Blackhawk label thee times elsewhere. Ammo was very high.
Bass Pro prices by market. My Kimber Ultra Carry II was 50.00 cheaper at Chattanooga than at Nashville.
Prices all together are better than Gander Mountain.
Cabelas had better pricing than Bass Pros and 5% Military discount applies to firearms and ammo. 10% at Bass Pro does not.
Cabelas has better selection of what you want and can get what you want.
Bass Pro told me itt depends on what the Rep orders when he comes around and they have no control.
Sporstmans Whse has better pricing than the others except on some promotional guns, perhaps. They offer 5% discount to Military to boot.
Ammo is sometimes cheaper at Sprotsmans but Cableas has more stock and a bit cheaper on .22s.
One other store I shop at owned by Barrett has a better selection of desired guns but prices tend to be MSRP. discounts from 5% to 10% on some guns to Military and Police on most things but not ammo since it is still being horded.
I haven't found a gun shop, other than Buds near Pigeon Forge with cheap prices. Certainly nothing like all the small Mom and Pops, that Clinto put out of business. I generally saved half on everything or more.
They obviously get enough to remain open.
There is also a lot of work to do when customers aren't there.
The shop where I worked only marked the guns up about 10% and accessories about 25%.
It had already been in business a couple of decades before the advent of the internet though.
It's still going strong now too
Maybe because they are a retail store? Do you pay the going rate at the grocery store, or the liquor store or the C-store? folks may gripe about pricing at those locations, but they pay it. Why does everyone on a gun forum think they should be entitled to free stuff or discounts that do not allow the store to make a profit? What if your employer did the same? No need to whine about it; there is plenty of competition all over.
Mosin-Marauder
New member
Well, this is a thread I forgot about! Lol
Hunter Customs
New member
There's your answer, they are not part of a large chain/discount store so they do not get the same breaks the large stores do when purchasing items for resale.
Also they have business cost like everyone else, most smaller shops offer services that the large stores don't and they will be missed when they are gone.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
I happen to live in north western Pa, which is rural and also has many gun stores. Result is that all price competitively, with places such as Cabela's much higher. This also goes for accessories/components. For example, this past Friday, I bought a pound of Unique power for $21.00.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Damn, I'm going to have to start buying my powder in Pennsylvania.