Where do you buy guns and how was the experience?

I almost bought a gun at Cabela's from their gun library. Notice I said almost. It was taking wayyy to long and I told them, never mind.
I buy from small shops, private sales and internet.
 
Unfortunately many of the LGS's I bought from are gone, alas.
Being primarily a "collector" who prefers guns from the Steel and Walnut Era, I prefer to buy from an LGS as they usually have used guns in stock.
 
I've purchased most of my guns from local dealers (Lexington, Ky.):

Classic Arms and Archery
Evans Firearms
Buds Gunshop

I've never had a bad experience with any of these dealers. The atmosphere is different at Bud's because it's bigger but the staff has always been friendly and professional.
 
Governors's Gun Club- Powder Springs, GA
GA Firing Line- Kennesaw, GA (I think it's considered Kennesaw)

GA Firing Line has MADE (i.e. I had no choice or self control so I can not be held accountable) for 4 gun purchases this year.

Governor's for 3 gun purchases this year. Again, it's the fiance's fault for allowing me to do things unsupervised.....


Don't regret one purchase.
 
Cabela's who usually price matches and will hold layaway and have always been nice to me.

Academy because they are often the lower price without price matching and are fast to check out if not busy.

I do not understand online buying but if somebody can explain it to me and how it works I would love to.

Frankly, when it comes to poor experiences I have done much better with those above than independent stores, maybe just me. Cannot explain it but many times I have gone into a small shop with the full intent of buying something only to be ignored completely.
 
I won't list them all, but suffice to say I've done just about every legal method (in 'Merica ... you might live elsewhere, so YMMV!) of purchasing a gun except a gun show ...... been to few ... sorely tempted once or twice, even haggled a bit ..... but never bought a firearm there .... nor much of anything else. ..... Hardware stores, Pawn shops, K-Mart, WallyWorld, Cabelas, LGS's , heirloom, private sales ...... the most negative experiences were weeks of delays in shipping an online order that was said to be in stock when I ordered it .... that level of customer non-service could not have happened in a brick and mortar store because I would have taken my cash down the street to the next one ....

... just proved my belief that you can generally have it "Now, Good, or Cheap, pick 2" .....

..... no brick and mortar store was within $400 of what I paid.... the gun has surpassed my expectations thus far .... I just had to wait several weeks and endure a couple of "we misplaced your order/paperwork" excuses ....

My best customer service experiences have been at the local FFL (Fort Crook Armory and Supply) that I shipped that problem order to ....the lower shipped promptly, the upper was repeatedly delayed - I mentioned that I was having issues getting 5 round magazines for the gun I was having problems getting shipped ..... time was getting short before deer season and if they knew where I could find some ..... "hunting generally isn't our thing ...we'll look..." they promptly called my cell when the order finally arrived and had 2 5 rounders on the counter ....not cheap, but I NEEDED them Now.....my local LGS - mention you are looking for a thing and they will call you if they can find it ...... and at my local Cabela's "Gun Library" which is a $10 dollar phrase for "Used/Consignment" ...... they have some REALLY nice stuff there .... and some junk that sets ....... I picked up a "used" hex receiver Mosin 91/30 there that some kid had bought, cleaned the cosmoline off of and returned the next week (needed the cash, minus 35%, I guess)... the greased ones on the rack were marked $199 and up depending upon maker and year ..... the guy said, "We made our 35%- Cut to the chase: get it out of here: 99 Bucks." OTD in 20 minutes with a good shooter for a C-note and tax ....
 
Bud's Gun Shop.......online
Gunbroker........online
B&B gun shop........Abilene Texas

Being left handed rules out many chain stores.Was in Academy in Wichita Falls Thursday and inquired about a Ruger American left hand model.........they cannot order them in LH for some damn reason.Ordered it from Bud's........it'll be at my local midweek.
 
I started acquiring some fire arms I always wanted but too poor to get...when I was working and raising kids...

I have had very good experiences at a lot of different locations and on line sources through a local gun store FFL

Some desires just have to be hand held first to see about weight, fit, quality of workmanship... others like a Ruger 10/22 are so well known that best price is my decision tree

I loath finding something at a very good price in most of the bigger stores like Cabela's or Bass pro or Academy...

did buy only once at each of the noted above...never again


If I am out at one NOW and see something tempting, I head to my very good LGS and tell my guy what I saw, wanted, and the price.. he can usually get it for me within $20~$30 and I am willing to pay that premium for the MUCH less hassle free experience

Or his price is a lot higher than a GunBroker's seller price-- and I tell him up front I am going to have GB sent it through him to me...still a $35 fee for MY LGS guy...but on three rifles now GB beat his price by over $65...my guy is OK with me getting what I want for a price I like

First ever firearm bought by me was in a Sears Roebuck store in 1971
Ted Williams Model 100 (Winchester 94)....

Easiest rifle purchase ever...grabbed off open rack display, shouldered the rifle, looked at the price, paid the counter person $78.99 and tax...took to my car...signed nothing
 
I have bought them from all over the country...in 40yrs of buying them from every corner of the country, I have never had an issue with any purchase.
 
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Lately I have been buying from Buds Gun Shop...I'd like to buy locally but the price difference is too much....Buds gives free shipping, so by the time you add in sales tax on a local store it can be close to $100 difference.
I also found an FFL that only charges $15 including the background check.
 
My last two purchases were off Gunbroker, both were NIB rifles. It was hassle free.

The key was that I found an FFL license holder that handled the transfer and the back and forth between all three parties. The only thing I was really involved with was the money end.

Since both guns were NIB, there was little risk in doing an online sale.
 
With the internet, consumers have been winning.

There is no reason to pay more for a gun. A Glock 17 is a Glock 17, no matter where you buy it from.

I usually showroom shop a gun, then pull up the price online, either usually Buds or GB, and give the dealer a chance to match the price, post tax but with $20 shipping and $15 transfer fee, but minus 2% on the deal if I pay cash. It’s never anything personal, and the dealers never take it personally. They know I’m a buyer, not just a looker.

About 1/3 of the time, they can match the price. 1/3 of the time, they can match the price before tax, but can’t impound the sales tax into the price match. 1/3 of the time, they just say no.

The exception to my bean counting ways is when the dealer is someone I know personally, or someone I’ve done formal business with. In which case, I just consider the premium over the lowest price to be the cost of doing business.
 
Over the years, I bought a lot of guns at pawn shops. I scored a couple of great deals over the years.

My list would be something like:

Wonder World, Las Vegas
El Cid Guns, LV (Several)
Target Alley, LV, now called "The Gun Store"
Las Vegas Pawn?, LV
?? Pawn, Reno.
Kowalka Guns, Toledo, Oh
GAME, Holland, Oh.
Several NW Ohio pawn shops.
Can't remember the name, near Marion, OH
Bud's
Whittaker Guns.
KYGunCO
CDNN
Classic Firearms.
CTD.
 
I actually just used a home based FFL last night for the first time and will continue to do so transfer fee is half of any shop around.

I have also started to like gunbuyer.com, they were pretty quick to ship and had good prices.
 
Best purchase experience ever was my first, at a drug store in 1974. The old pharmacist had a couple racks of new and used guns in the back, next to the prescription counter. The store is long-gone but the building is still there and I can visualize that experience every time I drive by. In my town, all the good LGSs are gone. The few new ones that have opened in recent years are staffed by knuckleheads that are resentful and rude if they suspect the customer knows more than they do. I'm never comfortable with online purchases, but I can't say that I've ever had a bad experience either.
 
In recent years (all good experiences):
Bud's
GrabaGun
PSA
Tombstone Tactical

Before that:
Academy
McBride's (Austin)
Gun shows

Way back in the day:
US military Rod & Gun clubs
Chuck's Gun Shop (Austin)
Petmecky's Sporting Goods (Austin)
Gibson's Discount Center
Firestone Tire Store
Sears
 
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Gunbroker and private local shops only for me. My last purchase was a Rami 2075. Walked in and asked if they were expecting any in, said he just unloaded 2 of them 3 minutes ago. When I walked out it was still ice cold from being on the shipping truck. In and out, 10 minutes.
 
The only firearm I have purchased at a retailer was in the early 1980s. Ruger 10-22 openly carried several blocks to my car from downtown located sporting good store. Nobody paid any attention.

Since then, live auctions, friends, collectors, small gun shows, and Gunbroker have supplied everything. When visiting Utah, Gallensons in Salt Lake City is a must stop for browsing.

As much as I would like to support local gun shops, they seldom have the older or odd firearms that catch my interest.
 
I've bought from my local cabelas, and gander mountain (when they was open) and never had a long wait.. maybe it was because I never went on a weekend... and always caught them at a slow time? And even with my LGS I've been in and out with a new gun in like 20 minutes?

Now usually If I am interested in a gun I will look at one handle it and then go home and watch video reviews on the gun... and then in a week or so I will go back and buy the gun and not waste my time at the counter thinking about it...

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