Online or gun shop
- Thread starter smc85
- Start date
I only have one rifle that has a synthetic stock and that is a Ruger 10/22. I like the look of real wood, so whenever I buy a new gun, it includes a pretty good "look-see" to make sure the stock is "pleasing to the eye".
Then again, buying a gun may be like ordering a mail order bride: sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, but always keeping in mind, that beauty is only skin deep and it's how the gun (or bride) performs that's important!
Then again, buying a gun may be like ordering a mail order bride: sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, but always keeping in mind, that beauty is only skin deep and it's how the gun (or bride) performs that's important!
MarkGlazer
New member
Depends. Comparative shopping has to be done of course.
LGS. Do they charge any fees for the completion of the transfer paperwork? (yes, believe it or not some shops do that while others wouldn't think of it). Do they charge an FFL - although I expect it's built into the price? Do they charge a fee to go through the national registry to validate that you can in-fact make the purchase? (that's when I walked out the door and vowed never to buy a gun at that store) Don't forget the cost of sales tax. Ask about any other fees they may decide to charge you, anything is possible.
On-line purchase. You'll incur a shipping fee and FFL transfer charges, which you have the ability to control. You should have flexibility selecting the FFL when you buy on-line, choose the proximity to where you live or work depending on your intended circumstances and what their fee might be.
Overall, I have made all of my purchases on-line, beating local deals. I shop long and hard before I make a purchase decision. I've never shopped at pawn shops and there are many on the board who will tell you about the diamond in the rough they found at their favorite locale. They too put a lot of time and effort into the process and there's no cost to you but you do have to contend with the transfer cost and possibly sales tax - not sure, which you won't have control over (hopefully the price off-sets any pain that the transfer fee may bring).
Then there is the intangible of putting your hand on the gun immediately and that's an intrinsic value to you.
I hope that helps.
Have fun shopping. Good luck.
LGS. Do they charge any fees for the completion of the transfer paperwork? (yes, believe it or not some shops do that while others wouldn't think of it). Do they charge an FFL - although I expect it's built into the price? Do they charge a fee to go through the national registry to validate that you can in-fact make the purchase? (that's when I walked out the door and vowed never to buy a gun at that store) Don't forget the cost of sales tax. Ask about any other fees they may decide to charge you, anything is possible.
On-line purchase. You'll incur a shipping fee and FFL transfer charges, which you have the ability to control. You should have flexibility selecting the FFL when you buy on-line, choose the proximity to where you live or work depending on your intended circumstances and what their fee might be.
Overall, I have made all of my purchases on-line, beating local deals. I shop long and hard before I make a purchase decision. I've never shopped at pawn shops and there are many on the board who will tell you about the diamond in the rough they found at their favorite locale. They too put a lot of time and effort into the process and there's no cost to you but you do have to contend with the transfer cost and possibly sales tax - not sure, which you won't have control over (hopefully the price off-sets any pain that the transfer fee may bring).
Then there is the intangible of putting your hand on the gun immediately and that's an intrinsic value to you.
I hope that helps.
Have fun shopping. Good luck.
cc-hangfire
New member
If my LGS's have the model that I want at a competitive price, LGS. I'll pay a small extra cost to support a locally owned gun shop. Otherwise, I shop the best price online. It my $, and I'd rather spend less on firearms and accessories and buy more ammo.
I`ve been known to buy guns about every where. If you know little about guns then the local gun shop with the best service and knowledge is the place to get your gun. I got my first gun in 1958 and since 1965 have loaded about all of the ammo I shoot. I have more wildcat rifles than most people have rifles, so I buy guns where I can find them the cheapest. God has blessed me, and if I see a gun that is under priced I pretty much buy it no matter what it is.
I think many people have made some very good points, and I will only add a small caveat:
If you are buying a new gun, then it really is a matter of personal preference, comparasin shopping, and personal ethics regarding online vs. brick and mortar stores.
If you are buying a USED gun, I strongly reccomend being very cautions making those transactions online. I have 2 shops that deal almost exclusively with used guns, and that way I get to put my hands on them and determine their level of wear. Buying a used gun online should be done carefully, through a reputable site, and with an understanding that you may possibly get cheated with little available recourse (obviously not extremely likely, but possible).
If you are buying a new gun, then it really is a matter of personal preference, comparasin shopping, and personal ethics regarding online vs. brick and mortar stores.
If you are buying a USED gun, I strongly reccomend being very cautions making those transactions online. I have 2 shops that deal almost exclusively with used guns, and that way I get to put my hands on them and determine their level of wear. Buying a used gun online should be done carefully, through a reputable site, and with an understanding that you may possibly get cheated with little available recourse (obviously not extremely likely, but possible).
DAVID NANCARROW
New member
I would rather buy local and do at times, but I will not pay $300-400 more for the same weapon which I can buy on line.
Case in point: Wanted a basic Colt Series 80 Government Model. LGS wanted nearly $1000 for it. Bought it at Buds Guns for $740 which included transfer and mailing fees.
Case in point: Wanted a basic Colt Series 80 Government Model. LGS wanted nearly $1000 for it. Bought it at Buds Guns for $740 which included transfer and mailing fees.
Unfortunately most of my local shops have priced themselves out of a ton of loyal long term business. They now cater mostly to new shooters who don't know any better, like selling used Glocks priced higher than what you can buy a brand new one for online. Practices like this along with local taxes make purchasing 'local' an obsured choice, yet every weekend and most evenings these places are crammed with folks thinking they are getting a deal.
If any retailer is packed and selling whatever his goods are for his asking price, then he has priced the correctly for the market he is in. Doesn't matter if it is guns, cars, or peanut butter.
You have decided you do not like his asking price and you have chosen to go elsewhere - that's the smart thing to do from your perspective, but it seems, not for those other folks. Their choice. For some it might be fear of buying on the Net, or the desire to handle the exact gun in person or something else.
All we can do on forums like these is share our experiences and hope some learn from our previous mistakes (or good fortune).
Shopping for guns is great to do at a dedicated gun store because of the breadth of knowledge (usually) and because you can handle it...
If the price is within $75... I will buy local, for a number of reasons..
- Supporting small/local businesses
- The ability to bring the gun in if something feels off (go ahead and try to return a gun or email budsgunshop.com and tell them that the action feels "off" and see what they tell you...)
If the price is WAAAYYYY better online or totally unavailable for me locally, then I'll buy online and pray all goes smoothly and the gun works perfectly. Also... let the local gun store know how much you found it for online... most will say "go for it, buy it online" ... but sometimes they can give you a deal and come closer to matching the price because they would usually rather sell a gun for a little less and make a little less than not selling any guns. Especially on guns that don't sell quickly.
Good luck!
If the price is within $75... I will buy local, for a number of reasons..
- Supporting small/local businesses
- The ability to bring the gun in if something feels off (go ahead and try to return a gun or email budsgunshop.com and tell them that the action feels "off" and see what they tell you...)
If the price is WAAAYYYY better online or totally unavailable for me locally, then I'll buy online and pray all goes smoothly and the gun works perfectly. Also... let the local gun store know how much you found it for online... most will say "go for it, buy it online" ... but sometimes they can give you a deal and come closer to matching the price because they would usually rather sell a gun for a little less and make a little less than not selling any guns. Especially on guns that don't sell quickly.
Good luck!
Depends.
It costs money to run a brick and mortar store, as opposed to an online retailer having their distributor drop ship a gun from a warehouse. This means prices are generally higher at brick and mortar shops, running from about fair to absolutely outrageous. This doesn't mean that there aren't deals to be had, you just have to look a little harder.
If you order online, you still have to figure transfer, shipping, and taxes into your purchase. And then there are shipping times. How much is it worth to buy a gun off the shelf in 10 minutes instead of waiting a week or two?
For used guns, how much is it worth to be able to hold the gun in your hands and personally inspect it? Dark grainy cell phone photos of one side of the gun make me nervous.
Some gun shops have also given me completely terrible customer service, so I would hesitate to buy a gun there, even it was a bargain.
It costs money to run a brick and mortar store, as opposed to an online retailer having their distributor drop ship a gun from a warehouse. This means prices are generally higher at brick and mortar shops, running from about fair to absolutely outrageous. This doesn't mean that there aren't deals to be had, you just have to look a little harder.
If you order online, you still have to figure transfer, shipping, and taxes into your purchase. And then there are shipping times. How much is it worth to buy a gun off the shelf in 10 minutes instead of waiting a week or two?
For used guns, how much is it worth to be able to hold the gun in your hands and personally inspect it? Dark grainy cell phone photos of one side of the gun make me nervous.
Some gun shops have also given me completely terrible customer service, so I would hesitate to buy a gun there, even it was a bargain.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Buy online or order through a "kitchen table" FFL. The FFL I have used recently owns a storefront for a different retail business and is an FFL as an aside. NIce storefront with regular hours, customers service better than most gun only stores, and really great prices.
The only thing I can add to the previously offered advice is that I consider it to be unfair to use a LGS for making your selection, then buy online. It costs real money to own a store and its inventory, and a non-customer who uses it as a showroom with no intention of buying is not being fair to the business owner. If the prices are out of line, you can know that without handling a bunch of merchandise and taking a lot of time up, and make a polite exit. I know there are folks on TFL that disagree with my opinion, but expecting free advice and unlimited access to merchandise of a for-profit business is not reasonable.