Where Do You Buy Your Guns?

M

MTT TL

New member
The Walmart thread got me to thinking. TBH, in the last 30 years I have bought exactly one gun from Walmart. They had a sale on AR-15's a few years back and I got a good deal. They don't carry those anymore.

Today all my new firearms I buy either on-line, at a discount sporting goods store or in the case of used guns at the LGS/ Pawn shop. For a new gun on line purchase I do a transfer through the LGS and they pick up a few dollars there. I could send them through a friend with an FFL for free but $20-30 is not that much and I prefer to try to support them when I can. Also when doing Class III items they tend to have much more up to date knowledge and experience.

But the LGS simply can't afford to sell new guns to me at the prices I pay on line and at discount stores and often times they don't carry exactly what I want.

For used guns however the LGS has huge advantages of:
- Allowing me to examine the item hands on prior to purchase
- Guaranteed delivery of the item
- Less worries about it being stolen, as opposed to PP sales
- Easy payment methods
- Occasionally provides province of the weapon (FWIW)
- They take trade-ins if I want to go that way
- No dealing with strangers to meet up with in odd locations for PP Sales

So where do you buy your guns these days?
 
I support my local gun shop. They have always been able to get in what I request, and their prices are competitive with online sources when one factors in shipping and transfer fee. Whenever possible I try to keep my money local, including charities, and favor small private businesses.
 
Mini14 at Walmart, a shotgun at big 5, AR lowers at local gun shops all handguns from Academy, one FAL from an acquaintance everything else was from some store or business.
Haven’t bought anything since UBC laws went into effect in Washington.
Don’t really plan on buying any more firearms but I do plan on reconfiguring a pistol into a rifle of some type.
 
One of 3 LGS. 2 take guns in trade..1 does not.
Prices..when you consider shipping and FFL transfer fees..the LGS prices VERY competitive. Only not with some sort of one-off, penny auction where you get a screaming good deal but that's unusal..

For example..Glock 43-$445 LGS..8% tax, $10 BGC..$492
Gun Broker-$449 plus $25-$35 shipping and $40 FFL transfer-$519

Plus immediate possession. LGS support..etc.

YMMV and all that
 
I've bought a total of two from Walmart, a Colt SAA and a Combat Elite around 1979. At our Walmart store the gun/ammo counter is never manned. You have to find some one to call someone. I've left and bought ammo elsewhere more than once to not have to deal with it. We are fortunate, an Academy store is due to open here this fall some time. Living in a small town I'll still have to shop at Walmart. It's a shame Walmart is bowing down to the left.
I buy guns at gun shows, on line, at LGS, where ever I can get the best deal.
 
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Seldom do i buy guns local, largely because of the limited selection (very small stores). They sell little ammo, and even less reloading equipment. To get any selection have to travel 30 -60 miles. Still gonna shop at walmart, but have not bought much of any ammo/guns from them in past several years.

While it's their decision, am not seeing many liberal yuppie pond scum in there shopping. Mostly just us folks that need to buy cheaper.
 
While it's their decision, am not seeing many liberal yuppie pond scum in there shopping. Mostly just us folks that need to buy cheaper.
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You must not have mean house prices in the 7 figures then, like around here..more than a few 'liberal yuppie pond scum' around here need low priced toilet paper and t shirts too..

'You folks' eh?
 
Another great option is LGS that will do price matches! Find an amazing deal online and talk to your LGS... especially the owners understand that making a sale is how you keep the lights on.
 
In my life time I've only bought two firearms from WalMart. A handgun, back when they sold them, and a shotgun for my daughter. The remaining purchases have been private sales, LGS, gun show, in that order. But, I've bought tons of ammo from WalMart.
 
USNRet93 said:
Plus immediate possession. LGS support..etc.
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And you may get to handle what you are contemplating before you buy it.

If it's a local gun shop with whom I already have a relationship, it doesn't bother me to pay $40 or $50 more for a gun than I might have online. I'm cheap, but I don't buy lots of guns, so it doesn't work out to be a lot of money over time. Having stock that can be examined is a service in itself.

I'm not going to pay him $13.00 for a box of MiniMags for the same reason I wouldn't buy gasoline from him for $8 a gallon.
 
I've only bought one firearm at Walmart about 16 years ago and that was an experience. The associate had no idea what he was doing. Most of my recent purchases have been on-line or at gun shows, the purchases at the gun shows are from the LGS. I buy some of my ammunition on-line in bulk or I reload my own. So if Walmart here stops selling guns it's not going to upset me, besides that dept. is never manned and ammo wise they never have what I'm looking for.
 
I pretty much don't care for almost any currently produced guns so more than 99% of guns that I'm chasing are used. And I love to keep my eyes on discussion forums for something I may want, but most of what I end up buying either comes from Gunbroker or my once every other month gun show.

Wal-Mart trying to be politically correct is a dumb decision that WILL affect their bottom line, but their bottom line is so gargantuan that it won't matter.

If anything, gotta hope that other smaller outfits gain some market share.
 
Buy guns from friends, bought a few from Gander Outdoors, buy online. No issues with any of those methods.
 
'You folks' eh? Am in rural vacation area. By Boulder standards, bout dirt poor. House next to me sold for 60 k.

Just a matter of perspective, apologize if it was insulting.
 
It is pretty rare for me to find one online that beats what I can do at one of our local gun stores. Especially after you consider shipping and transfer fees. They price them so that the price on the box is the OTD price. I paid $600 for the Sig M17. The Sig 356 was $450. Ruger American rifles are $389. They had all Glock 9mm pistols for $400 recently. Remember, these are OTD prices.

As far as Walmart is concerned I've bought 2-3 guns from them years ago and I haven't bought any ammo there in about 10 years. Nothing against them, I'm just able to get better prices elsewhere.

I think their most recent move is based more on economics than politics. They've been looking for ways to downsize their shooting gear for a long time to make room for more profitable items. They are just timing it to appear they are doing it to support more gun laws.

If Walmart got completely out of the firearms and ammo business it wouldn't effect me at all. Local stores have been beating their prices for years.
 
I have bought some online, some at my LGS. Their prices are only a little higher than online prices when transfer fees are considered, but I make my transfers through them when I find something online that they have a hard time getting. Wal-Mart never tempted me for gun purchases, and I reload, so the only ammo I buy there is .22LR. I'm kind of glad they showed their stripes. I know to take my business for other purchases elsewhere. Most of their inventory is such poor quality that I don't consider them for many purchases. Going from rare to zero won't, I am sure, be noticed by them, but I will feel better.
 
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