turbo
.30 Stingray
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Post by turbo on May 26, 2009 13:09:34 GMT -5
Or does the average gun shop pull in so much cash that they don't really care about one sale to the next? In my years of visiting gun stores from Michigan to Arizona I've come to the conclusion that most of these shops are some of the only places that a person can walk into with hundreds if not thousands of dollars to spend and be treated rudely, flippantly or even dismissed when looking to but a new gun. It just never ceases to amaze me! Today I went to a gun shop that I've never been to before looking to get one of the new Ruger flattop .44 specials after finding out from the lipsey web site that this shop was a "Lipsey dealer". After looking around a bit I go up to the counter with a few boxes of ammo and my credit card in my hand and ask the gent behind the counter if he could get me one of the new Lipsey Ruger .44 specials and he says "what's that?" I say, "it's the new Ruger 44 that I've been reading about and wondering what kind of price you can get me one for?" He looks at me with sort of a blank stare... and I say's "I read on their web site that this store is a lipsey dealer" He says "yea, we've dealt with Lipsey's in the past and then turns and walks down the counter and starts talking with someone else, didn't ask me if I was ready to pay for the ammo, didn't ask me anything else about the gun I wanted, nothing!!! after about two minutes of standing there with my face turning red I just left the ammo on the counter and walked out of the store. WTF!! Sorry about the rant but I am really starting to hate even going into gun stores...besides the fact that I cant even find .22 ammo around here!
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
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Post by Fowler on May 26, 2009 13:19:26 GMT -5
Just like any thing else, some shops are good and some shops are crappy. When the panic buying settles down the crappy shops will bleed and go out of business or change their ways. I for one remember the good ones that treat me fairly and they get my business.
There is a shop pretty close to work that has about 20 M4 style ARs in stock, no one else in town can keep them on the rack. Why? Well he is $200 high on everyone of them and he is a bit of a jerk to deal with. Funny every time I stop by I wonder if he will still be open or not! I never spend my money in there but I do check in every now and then. I know one of these days I will stop by to find the door locked permanately....
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Post by nobearsyet on May 26, 2009 13:21:02 GMT -5
Amen, me too, I have found one shop in the Phoenix metro area that I will even buy a box of ammo at, keep in mind we have a Cabela's and a Bass pro around here and they have the same problem.
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Post by TEXASFIVEGUN on May 26, 2009 13:28:05 GMT -5
It's not you. One of my best friends and I went gun shopping. He wanted a "Colt Peacemaker" and had $1800 folding money in his pocket. The store had five new Colts like he wanted and just needed to see them to pick out the one to take home. When he ask to see one he was told "NO" and the person behind the counter walked off. When we got through with the jaw drop and bug eyed thing he pulled out the cash, waved it in front of them and loudly let them know you just lost a sale. Three salesmen looked up and then turned back to what they were doing, not a word to us.
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Post by taffin on May 26, 2009 13:33:15 GMT -5
Or does the average gun shop pull in so much cash that they don't really care about one sale to the next? A FRIEND RECENTLY CALLED ME ABOUT GETTING A CCW GUN. I RECOMMENDED HE GO TO BUCKHORN GUN & PAWN. HE CALLED ME LATER AND SAID THEY WERE SO NICE AND SPENT OVER AN HOUR ANSWERING ALL HIS QUESTIONS THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS GO THERE EVEN IF THEIR PRICES WERE HIGHER THAN THE CHAINSTORES. THERE ARE BAD SHOPS AND GOOD SHOPS.
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pd
.240 Incinerator
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Post by pd on May 26, 2009 13:53:36 GMT -5
No, it's not just you. They're raking in the money right now, and some are getting cocky. On the other hand, I hang out at our local shop, and I know I couldn't do the job. Some of the folks going in there are crazy as an outhouse rat, and you can't tell them anything. Still, it seems if you're in the business, you should be making your best effort.
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rigby
.327 Meteor
Posts: 769
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Post by rigby on May 26, 2009 14:07:44 GMT -5
As others have said there are good ones and bad ones. The one thing I think that makes it so much more shocking when you hit a bad shop is you come to think of those in the guns field to be different. There in the gun business they're good people. So it hits a little harder when you find they are just like everybody else. If I get rudely treated at the furniture store I could care less. If it happens at a gun shop I feel let down.
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Post by CraigC on May 26, 2009 14:25:39 GMT -5
There are definitely plenty of both. Had no idea at the time how good I had it but there were several local shops when I lived in the Orlando area that I had no problem spending money with. Of course, there were also several that I wouldn't pee on if they were on fire but I avoided them and spent my money where they deserved it. Haven't had a bad experience up here in the hills but there's just not many of them. None as well-stocked as those I was used to.
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Post by Charger Fan on May 26, 2009 14:30:08 GMT -5
It sucks when that happens. Luckily, I live in a city that's got a decent amount of dealers to choose from. If I get treated badly by one place, I make it a point to never return again. If I lived in a smaller area, with fewer dealers around, I may have to put up with their BS, but since I don't, I deal with it in my own little way. ;D
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Post by Mark Terry on May 26, 2009 15:49:34 GMT -5
CraigC: I used to visit a shop in Humboldt, TN, W.H. Mc --Guns. Walter was (probably still is) a real gentleman to talk to and he'd spend time with you even if you didn't buy. The most outstanding selection I'd ever seen, much less for a small town shop. Lots of gunsmithing work. The guy knows his business.
I left money there on several occassions and would undoubtedly leave more there if I had the opportunity to drop by. I don't remember a lot of reloading supplies but I'm sure he had them.
If you're in W TN, you prolly already been there and drooled all over the place like I did. Not the average shop. No blank stares to be found.
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Post by CraigC on May 26, 2009 16:33:51 GMT -5
Thanks, I'll have to check that one out. It's not too far away.
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Post by blkhawk73 on May 26, 2009 19:40:08 GMT -5
PPl complain about their shop yet still go there and complain again. Hint- be a loyal customer and you'll be recognized and treated as such, not simply as a usual browser. Keep in mind a LOT of the ppl that enter a shop are the "expert" and will waste, yes waste, the person's time behind the counter with their tales and "knowledge". It does get tiring. The god dealers can spot these types and deal with them properly while at the same time recognizing the preferred customer and giving them the extra time. Imagine person after person walking into your business and telling you all there is to know about your job. Get's old fast. Ok that all said, there may be quite a bit of monies in some shops in inventory but there is not a lot of monies being made. Profit margins are low on firearms and not much better on many accessories. The dealer depends on quantity not a couple high dollar sales. Find a good shop, be a good customer, not the know-it-all, and it'll pay off.
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Post by jwhardin on May 26, 2009 19:40:40 GMT -5
Turbo,
I agree with you...2 of 3 I go in are as you say, not really interested.
Sure is nice when you hit the good one.....heck, I still go into the ones that just don't care, yet, ask myself why everytime after about 3 minutes in there....seems like I will never learn, or the Single Action hobby is so much fun its still worth lookin in to see whats there.
I think its the later, just love this hobby and the people!
JWH
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Aggie01
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Post by Aggie01 on May 26, 2009 19:57:58 GMT -5
I especially LIKE going into bad shops with guys who don't pay attention. Thats where you can find deals that would make you feel bad about taking em, if the guy behind the counter wasnt a jerk. Like my 45 Colt Bisley with Ruger ivory polymer grips for 300 cash... Or my scoped 10/22 - $99 + tax. I am still praying for the day I walk into a hole in the wall pawn shop, and get to say Longhorn Arms? Who's that? I'll give you 300 for it... and they take it.
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Post by firstshirt on May 26, 2009 20:05:29 GMT -5
I guess I'm just lucky, there are two dealers in the immediate area that are great to deal with, they both go out of their way to make sure the customer is happy, and has what he NEEDS (as opposed to what he THINKS he needs). There are some big stores around where the clerks act like their personal feces is non-oderific, but I don't have to shop there, and I won't. Don't have a problem paying a few bucks more for something, because I know I'll get it back down the road.
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