Price Breaking Point From Buying At Your LGS?

[jonp]

I like to buy local if I can but I hit the limit with one store to the south of me a bit. They opened a few years ago and are pretty proud of their firearms. The recent SW Rebate had me stop buy and take a look at a Shield. I found them online for $320 or less with free shipping. I saw one place at $309. The local wanted $389. The price for a transfer was $35 new and $25 for a used gun. Too much for my blood. They are enamored with black guns anyways and if you express an interest in one of the few revolvers they have they pretty much snort at you and treat you like a red headed stepchild.

[Greg S]

It sounds as if selling guns is not their business but black rifles as a way of life. I've had the same experiance with a snot nosed kid. I asked him what he recommended and what he owned and then compared johnsons so to speak. To say the least, he came up alittle short and surprised.

I rarely buy something new although I just purchased my first new gun a 627 PC the other day. There was mainly half a dozen new one on GB, one used with a reserve above the new 'Buy It Now' prices. I only seem to buy new stuff if it is relatively new to market and their is a short supply or over priced in the used. For example, a Colt S80 Commander for 585 with less than a box through it, a no brainer.

I don't know where you live but I would search out local private FFLs who do business on line and also sell off their kitchen table. A good source of possibilities would be the auction sites Locate and FFL. Punch in you zip code and weed out all the bs store fronts that don't interest you. Most dealers are more about volume than BS. They have a lower overhead and a good friendship might form.

As far as the firearm in question, you need to do the math and figure out what is economical for your money and time. I despise the storesthat charge you a surcharge or 10-15% for something that they have in stock or can order.

[snowwolfe]

Here in Tennessee the sales tax is killing local stores. Even if the store can match an online price I will have to pay 9.5% sales tax if I order or purchase from a dealer. If I order it myself then it is a $25 FFL charge. The local FFL wins every time.

[mjkonopka]

At the shop I work at we have the shield right now for $290

[Remiel]

That's why I like the old codgers at my lgs, that have a few black rifles but have a good selection of used guns.

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[jonp]

Here in Tennessee the sales tax is killing local stores. Even if the store can match an online price I will have to pay 9.5% sales tax if I order or purchase from a dealer. If I order it myself then it is a $25 FFL charge. The local FFL wins every time.

I figure the state tax is the transfer fee so don't really include it when making a decision. The local just has to be in the ballpark and I'll do it but coming on $100 over the price elsewhere is not reasonable to me. The only thing in their favor is that they don't appreciate lever guns. In fact I didn't see one on the shelf but last year I wandered in and saw a used Rossi 45LC. Excellent shape and about $300 OTD. I think they were ashamed to have it on the shelf but I wasn't ashamed to walk out the door with it.

I know a guy 20 miles from me, on the way to the range coincidentally, that charges $15 and works out of his kitchen. I'll transfer through him from now on since my regular guy who charged $25 went out of business due to health. He was a good guy to sit and shoot the bull for a few minutes when doing the transfer and I'm sorry to see him go.

[richhodg66]

Hope it doesn't offend anybody here, but to me, black rifles and modern auto pistols are about as interesting as watching paint dry. I try to avoid stores where those are the bulk of their business.

Anymore, seems most of my gun purchases are from pawn shops. We have several around here where I know the owners, one in particular that has been a three generation family business and the guy there is a real solid pillar of the community and has always treated me very fairly on guns and some other things I've bought there. Seems the pawn shops are taking the place of brick and mortar gun shops anymore.

[waksupi]

Hope it doesn't offend anybody here, but to me, black rifles and modern auto pistols are about as interesting as watching paint dry. I try to avoid stores where those are the bulk of their business.

.

I agree. Recently a young guy who just got out of the service hauled out his tactical rifle, loaded with gizmos. Proud as could be with it.

However, all of us who he was showing it to are into muzzleloaders, BPCR, Winchesters, single action Colts, and Schutzen rifles. Not a soul showed the slightest interest in it, or even wanted to hold it. I told him those rifles have no soul. I could see that puzzled him.

Hopefully as he gets a bit older, and shoots with us more, he will understand.

[William Yanda]

For $10 more, I would still buy local, maybe more. I feel for the local guy who is charged more by his distributor than the big on-line sellers advertise for the same gun. Of course the lgs could buy from the on-line seller, but then how does he cover his overhead. And what is it worth to have someone in your corner if there should be a problem?

[Bzcraig]

Local FFL charges $20 to receive/transfer. I draw the line at paying 10% up to $500 to buy local, after that every man for himself.

[stubshaft]

I don't mind supporting my LGS. BUT, when the FFL fee's jump to $100.00 and the price is DOUBLE what I can buy it for online. Goodbye!

[richhodg66]

I found a guy locally who will do a FFL transfer for gunbroker purchases for a flat rate of $10. That's less than half of what the going rate is around here.

I still like to browse gun shops. And when you consider shipping and FFL transfers from online sales, it's good if you can get what you want locally.

[Snow ninja]

I like shopping local, and the last few I bought were from pawn shops. The hunt is half the fun. Not as much fun to just order online.

[Preacher Jim]

My local shop is cheaper than shipping and hazmat on powder gives discounts for purchases of quanity buys. I don't know what he charges to transferr cause I have decided I don't buy any more guns. I know he is fair on used gun prices and new in his case.

[54bore]

I like to buy local if I can but I hit the limit with one store to the south of me a bit. They opened a few years ago and are pretty proud of their firearms. The recent SW Rebate had me stop buy and take a look at a Shield. I found them online for $320 or less with free shipping. I saw one place at $309. The local wanted $389. The price for a transfer was $35 new and $25 for a used gun. Too much for my blood. They are enamored with black guns anyways and if you express an interest in one of the few revolvers they have they pretty much snort at you and treat you like a red headed stepchild.

Be the last time i walked in this store!

[GhostHawk]

I too have been doing most of my buying online. Finally found a decent FFL who emails me when the gun comes in, we work out a time to meet. 20$ and no sweat.

I tried my local pawn shop and they screwed up big time twice.
Now they got bought by someone who is concerned about their "image" so they are no longer selling guns. They will buy one and ship it off to a broker who lists them someplace.

Took the fun right out of going to the pawn shop friday nights.

Spent a lot of money there in the last year between me and guns and my wifes little Black Hills Gold Jewelry obsession.

[Tom W.]

The bulk of firearm sales in this area is pawnshops​. The LGS in Columbus will transfer a handgun to a specific pawnshop in Phenix City, which is just across the Chattahoochee here in Alabama, for $10. Yesterday I looked at the Redhawk .45 Colt / .45 acp at the clean upscale pawnshop here in Phenix City and they wanted $899 plus tax. The shop across the river wants $815 and tax, plus the $10 transfer fee. I think I'll find a Commander size Ruger or Springfield 1911.

[MT Gianni]

For an idea what an FFL transfer costs the local pawn shop does it for free for local residents. Nearest gun store is 60 mile round trip. The pawn shop does ask that you buy something if you transfer.

[jonp]

For an idea what an FFL transfer costs the local pawn shop does it for free for local residents. Nearest gun store is 60 mile round trip. The pawn shop does ask that you buy something if you transfer.

I'd buy a box of ammo and call it good. That is a good shop you have and if one near me did it for free like that I'd buy something anyways even if it was some Hoppes #9

[runfiverun]

half the fun of GOOD lgs is in the trading up or down of stuff you no longer have an interest in or know your no longer able to shoot.
and in digging through the little junk boxes scattered about the shop.
I got a pretty good 250 savage Ackley size and case form die set for 10$, and a good 6.5X 257 Rob. Ackley size die for 15$ digging through those boxes.
odd ball once fired brass sometimes, some partial boxes of bullets, felt wads for 12 ga shot shells, some over shot wads.
I even picked up 3 SAS swage presses, 3 die sets, the instruction booklet, and some other stuff for them for 200$ by looking in the scrounge boxes.