Where Do You Buy Your Guns?
- Thread starter MTT TL
- Start date
I buy from local gun shops, and large sporting goods stores , I dont like to order guns because a lot of times they have something wrong , could be a scratched finish, or sometimes somebody swapped parts, one time a shotgun had a mismatched butt pad that somebody switched.
If it's not in stock, I shop around until I find one at another shop
If it's not in stock, I shop around until I find one at another shop
FrankenMauser
New member
Where ever I find them.
But almost never from a chain - and never from a 'big box' store.
A little more qualification for those that desire it:
Never from Walmart.
Never from another 'big box' store.
Never from the big sporting goods chains, except the one noted below.
Only once from Cabela's. (A debatable purchase, at that. Long story. Irrelevant here.)
Only once from a regional gun store chain (Impact Guns).
A rifle was purchased for me from Sportsman's Warehouse; but I didn't buy it.
All other transactions were private party, LGS, cross-country small gun shop (calling around for and obtaining something rare and specific), online gun shop like Bud's, or auctions.
For NFA items, I order through my LGS, or direct from the manufacturer.
Lately, my go-to source is grabagun.com -- the prices are low enough that I can save $100 over LGS and chain-store brick-and-mortar retailers even after I pay the LGS's $45 FFL transfer fee.
If the price difference was less, I might be less decisive. But $100+ is convincing. This is about 10%. For cheap guns, the difference is less.
The main reason I've bought from a big chain store is they buy guns, so I can effectively trade. Private sales are getting to be a hassle. I've done armslist, but besides the increasing pressure to legally complicate private sales, armslist buyers are rarely worth dealing with. I've had good buyers, but too many time-wasters.
The chain store can be less expensive than online stores plus the FFL transfer fee when the gun has a low price. For a $500 polymer pistol like a Glock for example, the FFL transfer fee will easily erase any savings I might get from an online store. But I usually buy guns closer to $1000 and up where the price difference can be substantial.
I have bid on gunbroker but have been consistently outbid. I guess the guns I like are the same ones other people love even more. I have not tried to sell on gunbroker because the stuff I've sold is frankly not very attractive.
I've bought at LGS when they happened to have something new I was looking for that was out of stock at lower-priced chain stores and online. I've also bought used guns at the LGS when they had something interesting.
Mostly the used guns at the LGS's are similar to what I see at local gun shows - junk. I can imagine some shows are better, but locally there is rarely a needle in the haystack.
The only future purchases I'm anticipating at the moment will be "builds." If anything else comes up, I will check all the sources - online retailers, classifieds, auction sites, local chain stores, LGS, and shows. I wouldn't want any of these options to go away because I'm convinced they all work together to provide the best opportunities.
If the price difference was less, I might be less decisive. But $100+ is convincing. This is about 10%. For cheap guns, the difference is less.
The main reason I've bought from a big chain store is they buy guns, so I can effectively trade. Private sales are getting to be a hassle. I've done armslist, but besides the increasing pressure to legally complicate private sales, armslist buyers are rarely worth dealing with. I've had good buyers, but too many time-wasters.
The chain store can be less expensive than online stores plus the FFL transfer fee when the gun has a low price. For a $500 polymer pistol like a Glock for example, the FFL transfer fee will easily erase any savings I might get from an online store. But I usually buy guns closer to $1000 and up where the price difference can be substantial.
I have bid on gunbroker but have been consistently outbid. I guess the guns I like are the same ones other people love even more. I have not tried to sell on gunbroker because the stuff I've sold is frankly not very attractive.
I've bought at LGS when they happened to have something new I was looking for that was out of stock at lower-priced chain stores and online. I've also bought used guns at the LGS when they had something interesting.
Mostly the used guns at the LGS's are similar to what I see at local gun shows - junk. I can imagine some shows are better, but locally there is rarely a needle in the haystack.
The only future purchases I'm anticipating at the moment will be "builds." If anything else comes up, I will check all the sources - online retailers, classifieds, auction sites, local chain stores, LGS, and shows. I wouldn't want any of these options to go away because I'm convinced they all work together to provide the best opportunities.
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I bought from gun shops after reading up on a rifle I wanted but once I got into benchrest shooting now I would look for a Precision Shop like Accurate Ordanance or GA Precision . It comes down to the type of shooting your doing also , for fun any 22 would do from what ever store that sold it. Better question is where do you find a good looking woman that likes to cook .
458winshooter
New member
Gun purchases
For me a local pawn shop that has a huge selection of both new and used guns for sale. They can also order almost anything. They have a 10% down 10% a month policy so I have gotten a few that I would not have otherwise been able to afford. I have bought Three pistols and a muzzleloader from GunBroker as well. Only two at a gun shows and yes did background checks on both when I bought them several years ago.
For me a local pawn shop that has a huge selection of both new and used guns for sale. They can also order almost anything. They have a 10% down 10% a month policy so I have gotten a few that I would not have otherwise been able to afford. I have bought Three pistols and a muzzleloader from GunBroker as well. Only two at a gun shows and yes did background checks on both when I bought them several years ago.
I'm fortunate that Bud's is local to me. For the past several years, I have bought most new guns from them. I get to support a local business at competitive prices. I'm normally willing to eat the six percent sales tax I have to pay.
I have bought most of my used firearms from another local dealer who doesn't have a large on-line presence.
I have bought most of my used firearms from another local dealer who doesn't have a large on-line presence.
TrueBlue711
New member
Usually online like GunBroker or Bud's if it's factory new (less need to inspect for flaws compared to used guns). If used, local gun shops.
Another spot for factory new is my nearest BX (PX or NX for you non-Air Force bubbas). No tax and they will price match local shops if they have it in stock. At least the one next to me does.
Another spot for factory new is my nearest BX (PX or NX for you non-Air Force bubbas). No tax and they will price match local shops if they have it in stock. At least the one next to me does.