Michigan gun dealers

[historicfirearms]

I've had it with the gun dealers in my area. They are some of the slimiest, shadiest, cheating people that I know of. I know that gun trading is a tough business to make a living off from, but is that any reason to treat you customers with disdain and contempt?

I live in a rural area of Michigan with only a handful of gun shops within a reasonable drive. There was one hardware store where I had done most of my gun business, as I felt that he was an honest man. We had traded often and he had always made a good profit on our deals. A month ago I got a pre-64 Winchester model 70 from his gun rack. When I got it home and started cleaning it I noticed some unusual wear on the bolt lugs. Looking under a jewelers loop, I could see that the wear marks were actually file marks where someone had tried to dress out some cracks near the lugs. There was also a 2 inch long lateral crack in the bolt body.

The next day I returned the rifle to the hardware store, thankful that I hadn't just loaded the rifle and fired away. I was hoping to return the rifle and get my money back, or maybe trade for something else. The store owner is a Model 70 collector and looked the rifle over. Instead of refunding the purchase, he insisted that he send it in to the Winchester repair gunsmiths to see what is wrong with the rifle. Ok, I guess. I give it two weeks and go back to the hardware store to inquire. The owner said he hadn't heard anything and that he will give the gunsmiths a call, and he will call me back. A week later I hadn't received a call so I drive back over to the hardware store. Owner tells me that he has an upper receiver coming in that I have been waiting for. I ask him about the Winchester and he says he hadn't heard back on it yet. I ask him if he wants to trade the Winchester for the upper and he says he will have to wait to see what's wrong with it. Says he will call me back. No call, so a week later I go in and he avoids me for 45 minutes. I finally corner him and go into his office while he calls the gunsmiths. It turns out he never sent a note in with the rifle explaining what to look at. Now the rifle has been gone a month and might finally be inspected soon.

Am I over reacting? I used to consider this guy a friend, but now I am so mad I don't even want to go back in the store. I think he should have given me a refund the day I first brought it back to him. It hadn't been shot, thank god. Anyone got any advice about what I should do, or at least recommend an honest gun dealer in Michigan?

[nagantguy]

The powder keg in Howell Mi is where I do most of my selling swapping and buying. Prices may be close to retail on some stuff, and the owner a little gruff but its a old fashioned coffee pot on have a seat and talk a spell gun shop. The owner just had a series of health problems but his grandson and son in law are helping out to keep the place open. His gun smith is very good and not overly pricey. Being from Mi I'm sure you also know about guns galore. They have the largest selection and good prices but the staff is for the most part a#&?holes. Hope this helps.

[eljefe]

I guess it depends on his policy regarding refunds on used
guns. Most dealers, me included, do not warrant used guns.
He obviously was avoiding telling you bad news, and that is
not a good business practice.

I will do everything possible to make a customer happy, within
reason. I will go the extra mile to satisfy someone who is a regular
customer. Can the rifle be fixed? If so, who is going to pay for the
repairs? These are details that I would find out before discontinuing
doing business with him.

I would also get the details on any possible problems on future dealings,
before plunking down the cash. Good communication goes a long way
to head off problems.

[WILCO]

Anyone got any advice about what I should do, or at least recommend an honest gun dealer in Michigan?

If this is the first incident, I'd cut him some slack, as you consider him a friend.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

The owner of the hardware store is no friend and he knew very well there were problems with the rifle when he sold it to you. You said he was a Winchester collector. If it were me he would either give me my money back or go to small claims court. What do you have to loose. It only costs a few bucks to file. I have done it and I got my money back. My case was not dealing with the purchase of a gun but a rather a car. As a holder of a FFL he is obligated to sell guns that are at least safe to shoot. He is hoping you will simply just go away.

[ballistim]

[QUOTE=nagantguy;
Being from Mi I'm sure you also know about guns galore. They have the largest selection and good prices but the staff is for the most part a#&?holes. Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]

I had bought several times from them in the past, and then on my last visit several years ago couldn't believe how rude the staff was. I drove two hours to purchase a firearm from them and then waited at the counter for about ten minutes for them to decide what to order from the Chinese food place. I waited while one of the guys at the counter called in the order, and after he hung up he looked at me and turned and walked away- which is what I did and will never go there again, as they obviously don't need my business. Several times since then have heard of similar experiences and it's a shame as they have so much there.

[ballistim]

Oops! Meant to include this previous post regarding Guns Galore in Fenton.

[quote]
The powder keg in Howell Mi is where I do most of my selling swapping and buying. Prices may be close to retail on some stuff, and the owner a little gruff but its a old fashioned coffee pot on have a seat and talk a spell gun shop. The owner just had a series of health problems but his grandson and son in law are helping out to keep the place open. His gun smith is very good and not overly pricey. Being from Mi I'm sure you also know about guns galore. They have the largest selection and good prices but the staff is for the most part a#&?holes. Hope this helps.

[Mk42gunner]

I don't know what to tell you, but it sounds like he doesn't want to eat the price of the unsafe rifle he sold to you. Whether he noticed it when he bought it or not is irrelevant.

One time I bought a Winchester Model 43 in what was supposed to be .22 Hornet from Weisser's in National City, Ca.; between getting underway for a week or so and going on leave, it was a few weeks before I tried shooting the rifle. Imagine my surprise when out popped a .22 K-Hornet case. No real problem, except this rifle hadn't been drilled and tapped for a scope, and I bought it as a stock rifle.

When I got back from leave, the retired GMC that sold me the rifle about messed his pants when I said to him, "Remember that Hornet you sold me?' when he said yes, I said "It wasn't a Hornet."

They worked with me and gave me a couple of options: either order custom dies at their cost, or take the gun back with full refund. I ended up trading the gun back, the cases didn't come out quite round.

It could have been because they were doing business in CA, and it is a very litigious society, but I think it was just good customer service.

Robert

[Firebricker]

I've been in Guns Galore I liked it that's a lot of guns for a building that size. Some of the guys I work with have bought guns from them and have said they can be a little gruff but always good service. I didn't buy much but looked at some rifles from behind the counter the guy I dealt with was friendly. FB

[Hardcast416taylor]

William`s Gunsite shop in Davison is a shop that tries to get as much from you as possible on a sale and give you as little as possible on anything you want to sell. They are trying to make a name for themselves on their custon made firearms now and have had write ups in several gun mags about their work. One of these rifles was in a counter case with a $30K price tag on it, a new model Win. 70 I believe! I only go there now if I have no other alternative for smith work.

Guns Galore kept me on hold on the phone for 20 minutes a few years back while checking to see if they had an 8 lb. jug of IMR-4350. They didn`t even bother to put the call on hold - they just put the reciever down on the counter and walked away, another counter worker did pick up the phone once to see if anybody was on the line. Never have darkened their door since.

I`d avoid The Gun Barn in Otisville at all costs. They actually have a barbershop in the shop/old dairy barn where everybody seems to hang out if you do want a salesperson.Robert

[357maximum]

I have been into all but one of the above mentioned stores listed above and none of them came even close to Classic Arms in Lansing. I would not walk into that place again if you told me there was a free rifle in there with my name on it. The "lady" that owns that joint cannot be accurately described on this forum as the word that no woman likes to hear will not make it through the filters.

[Lloyd Smale]

never had a problem with any gun shop in the UP other then the fact theres not enough of them.

[historicfirearms]

Lloyd, I used to live in Hancock so I know what you mean. Before the Internet it was like we were living on another planet. The two sporting goods stores rarely had anything interesting in stock, but they would gladly order anything you wanted.

[Adam10mm]

Yeah, there's more FFLs than "gun shops" up here. I could never be a gunshop. No way I could stand to have all that inventory sit idle for weeks or months before it moves. I like being the tiny homebased FFL. Most of the gun stuff I do is transfers. Cheaper and better service than the local gun shop in Hancock.