Where do you buy guns and how was the experience?

For those of you that are gun experts I apologize for this response

I buy only thru Buds & that what I buy from them are True NIB. Every time that I wanted to get what I now own I went to a GS first. I always want to do
business near where I live.

GSs for me, are totally unreliable & strictly blood suckers.
Especially down here in South Florida on the Yankee Doodle side.
The only places that are worse than the GSs are Pawn Shops.Three times
I went to my local GS and was shown merchandise that they clained were
NIB & even a blind person could tell that what they claimed were new was not.

There are a huge amount of us that really can't look at a Pistol or Revolver and tell if any of these are NIB, in great condition, or are junk. These places drool
when some poor slob comes in looking for their first gun.
 
I buy about 99% of the guns I've ever purchased from one large dealer here in Richmond. I don't buy "new" guns generally speaking, and they have a large and constantly changing inventory of handguns, especially the classic revolvers I prefer. While their prices aren't the lowest in the world probably, they have what I'm looking for. I stop by every couple or three days just to look and shoot the breeze.

My wife and I are well known by the entire staff, and are treated pretty much like we are family. I see no reason to go anywhere else.
 
Rustys outdoor sports( been closed for years)
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I still have the box for my 10/22 that was purchased from David's when Rusty was the sporting goods manager before he opened Rusty's damn I'm old lol.

As to the rest most have been online and I've used 2 different pawn shops the first was kinda a PITA cause he didn't open til noon and was right next to UPS and FedEx hubs and they couldn't seem to get delivery done while he was open, the one I use now is super it's on my way home and real nice people.
I've also used 2 home based Ffls both of them are great but one has closed shop due to age/health.
A lot have been bought/traded for at various gun shows, multiple from the same vendor.
A few a local gunstore/range, Cabela's and other stores.
 
Never have bought a gun on line. I have bought from LGS, Sportsmen's warehouse, Impact guns (In their store) , Cal-Ranch, lots of Private parties, and a bunch of other places. It is always quick and painless.

I have never bought a gun at Cabela's. I find their prices are very high.
 
My main gun adviser says big chain stores buy repaired guns from companies. So I stick with the locals.

Zancha's guns & ammo
Locked & Loaded


Both take care of me and both price match to area prices.
 
My main gun adviser says big chain stores buy repaired guns from companies. So I stick with the locals.
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Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
Believe even less of what you hear in a gun store... :rolleyes:
 
Depends on what I'm buying. Big box stores typically get unbeatable prices on big sellers like Remington 870s, Mossberg 500s, 10/22s, ect...

If I'm buying something that won't be heavily discounted by a big box stores I'm checking with 2-3 local gun shops to see if they have it in stock and if not how much it would be to order it in. If I'm still not satisfied I'll start looking at places like Bud's and see if it's worth paying a transfer fee.
 
One trend I’m starting to notice, that’s good for the community, is that the surly know it all gun store environment is starting to disappear. Almost every gun store in town is very friendly and tries to accommodate newbie gun owners, and especially female shooters. I’ve listened to some of the interactions between clerks and first time buyers, and it’s quite a change from the old days.

The only gun store I can think of with condescending customer service is Gander Mountain, which you would think had the best customer service due to their sky high margin. It’s probably good for the gun community that Gander is out of business.
 
For Cabela's it must be a store by store thing. I have used the Waco, and Buda. When it was packed to the gills the longest transaction took 45 minutes, and that was waiting for them to be able to mount the base, rings, and scope on a rifle I bought. One other took a wee little bit longer as they had to dig to find a gun in the back that was showing as in stock, and no one could find. It was there and one of the guys found it when he came off his lunch break.

Many times it seems to take so long as they have people applying for the in store credit card at the same time as the transaction, and that can take well over an hour to get every little thing done with. If you are in line behind two people that did the credit card application process you may be waiting. They may have 5 people behind the counter, bot only one that can do the transaction, and if that person is helping the person that is getting a card you are in for a long wait.
 
I went to the BassPro Shop on black Friday. They opened at 05:00 that morning, but I didn't go 'til around 09:00. Wadering around the store for a coupla hours, I met a man and wife that had been there since opening.

They had some sort of 380 ACP on sale and the guy picked one. This was around 11:00 and he was still waiting on the back ground check to come back. I think there were lots more poor folks waiting along with them.

It took me maybe 45 minutes to go thru the normal check out for a non firearm purchase.

In relation, I bought a Henry 30-30 back in September of 2015 and it took prolly 45 minutes from start to finish. That is the only firearm that I have bought from BassPro Shop and have never bought anything from Cabela's.

BassPro is 15 minute drive and Cabela's can be as much as 1 hr 15 minutes depending on traffic.
 
Several LGS, Dicks Sporting Goods. GunBroker. Never had anything but a good experience at LGS. No issues with GunBroker, bought from pawn shops, individuals and small stores.
Only issue was one time at Dicks, background check took some time. I don't believe it had anything to do with the sales person or the store in general. Glitch in system or system overwhelmed. Took about an hour to get a proceed. Not a big deal.
 
Cabelas is the epitome of customer unsatisfaction an does not seem to care as “THEY” are cabelas. How dare you expect anything different.
 
Don't remember all the places. Many I have were purchased from out of area smaller mom & pop gun shops and the occasional estate sale or farm place auction. To be honest I'm no longer into the "I got'a have" mode. I'm into shooting em all now. >well at least once is on my bucket list.
 
I have purchased from two different LGSs, a private buyer, and a couple of different online sellers, as well. All have gone fine. Never bought from any of the big national retailers.

One story that is worth relating regards a purchase of a Beretta 84 from CDI Sales via Gunbroker. They sent me a tracking number and I watched its progress to Orlando, less than an hour and a half from my hometown in Florida. I figured it was only a day or so away, but then it disappeared for a couple of days and turned up in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I sent CDI an email, and they responded immediately with a promise to make things right. They contacted the post office inspectors, got it tracked and shipped back and routed correctly, and kept me updated with emails a couple of times a day. It wound up being three or four days late, but I give them credit for the way they handled it. It wasn't their error, but they made it clear that they were going to make sure that their customer was taken care of. It left me with a good impression of them.
 
If a "sold", but not paid for gun were a priority, you would be out the door in 15-25 min.


I've heard salesmen tell customers it takes about an hour. Really?
Log in book.......5 min
4473................5 min
Call..................5 min
Log out of book..5 min
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When Gander was in business, the process was a MINIMUM of 30 minutes because they used the online direct system with a PC and, IMO, most of the time was due to the person trying to fill out the form electronically. Then they had the double check everything and have a second person double check that.
My local small time guy? About 10 minutes in and out.
 
Just bought my first gun from kygunco.com. My FFL was in their system and they shipped the same day I ordered.
 
There are a few local gun stores here that I like to shop at. I have had my fill of the big box stores when it comes to firearm purchases.
 
I went to pick up a used 1911 at Cabelas. Price was $699.Turns out someone else bought it. They gave me a brand new,in the sealed box,$1200 1911 for the same 699 price
 
I don't really buy many but I've bought most of my firearms at local estate sales/firearms auctions (and sold a few that way). I look mostly for older hunting guns particularly marlin lever actions and I don't mind if they have a few dings/scratches on them (woods character as I've come to call it).

As for the experience doing it that way it can vary greatly, I like the atmosphere/excitement of doing it that way I suppose and the chance of a bargain such as a mid 80s marlin 30-30 in great shape for $220.

It can also be frustrating though as an example I can forget about getting anything military at least at a reasonable price there's at least 2 buyers at every auction around here that will get into a bidding war over those items every single time. If anybody else wants it they'll be paying a massive premium.

There are a couple of local shops that I will go in and browse through but there's only one small shop that I've bought something out of as I really like the atmosphere and demeanor of the employees.

I did pick one up from a table at a local gun show lately which that was a first but the model and price was something I couldn't pass up. I was really there looking for a couple of bayonets.
 
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