So I decided to spend a good portion of my deployment money on guns and went looking around for prices. In the end I bought 3 from the internet; a SIG556 SWAT, Springfield M1A, and a Arsenal 7.62 Saiga. So now i go to a gear store that happens to have a FFL nearby thinking since they don't really sell alot of guns but rather gear due to the last time i was there they only had 2 high end AR's and 2 high end 1911's. I enter and the place has a new whole new inventory of guns  which happens to include all 3 of the ones i was buying online, however the SIG556 they had was $400 more than what i was paying and the AK's they had were around $100 more. I didn't check their price on the M1A but that got knocked of my order since the site went out of stock just a little earlier than i could get the FFL paperwork sent to them. I kinda felt bad using their FFL when they had these guns in-store but at the same time a little bit put off because of the price differences. i was wondering if anyone else had ever had the same situation before. But in the end I'll probably end up buying my M1A from them when my order comes in.

I have not specifically used a store to bring something in when it's been on a shelf.  However I say this because usually the stuff I buy is pretty close in price to what it should be.  If the store will not price something reasonably (and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt of making a fair profit), then I don't buy from them.

Our gun club has an FFL.

I totally understand how you feel.

I buy a lot of guns. Both from my LGS (local gun shop) and from online sellers.

I usually try to buy locally as much as I can.

What I do is price the gun online, including shipping and FFL transfer fee.

Then I go to my LGS and see if they'll match that price, including tax.

If they'll do it or are within 50-100 bucks or so, then I buy it locally.

If they are more than that, I buy it online.

There are reasons why buying locally is a better plan than buying online.

1) Buying locally means that your local gun shop will stay open.
    If you cut them out and they're not making a profit, then they go out of business.
    Then where do you go when you want ammo or accessories?

2) When you buy local you can inspect the firearm BEFORE you buy it.
     I have personally experienced situations (more than 1) where the pictures of the gun for sale do not match the current condition of the gun.

Remember that profit is not a bad word.
It's ok for the LGS to make a little money.
As long as they're not ripping your head off, its ok.
The cost of doing business is much higher in Hawaii than on the mainland.

If i was in Hawaii i would definitely try to buy from a LGS, but I'm out in NC so I don't have as strong an attachment for the stores aside from the fact that i can just buy any rifle or shotgun on the same day and go home with it. Although some people do feel sympathy for the pains we have to go through back home.

You know, I am into the whole "buy locally" thing, I really am.  I pay top dollar for eggs that are laid locally, for beef that is raised locally.  But that doesn't mean I'm willing to be abused for it, either financially or logistically.  So, be it a gun, a hard drive, or a pair of pants, I comparison shop between local stores and the cloud.  On big-ticket items, like computers, cameras, and guns, I am not at all shy about walking into a local store for some hands-on time, and then buying the product off the internet.  Nor do I mind paying a slight markup for being able to buy locally.  So I don't sweat it.  You want to charge me a 5% markup for walking into your store?  That's fine.  You want to charge me a 20% markup?  I have alternatives. 

Believe it or not, I've been buying my swimming earplugs online.  No one in town carries a decent product at a reasonable price.  WTF?  We live on an island, retailers!  People swim!!

You know, I am into the whole "buy locally" thing, I really am.  I pay top dollar for eggs that are laid locally, for beef that is raised locally.  But that doesn't mean I'm willing to be abused for it, either financially or logistically.  So, be it a gun, a hard drive, or a pair of pants, I comparison shop between local stores and the cloud.  On big-ticket items, like computers, cameras, and guns, I am not at all shy about walking into a local store for some hands-on time, and then buying the product off the internet.  Nor do I mind paying a slight markup for being able to buy locally.  So I don't sweat it.  You want to charge me a 5% markup for walking into your store?  That's fine.  You want to charge me a 20% markup?  I have alternatives. 

Believe it or not, I've been buying my swimming earplugs online.  No one in town carries a decent product at a reasonable price.  WTF?  We live on an island, retailers!  People swim!!

This is basically how I think and shop, but after thinking about it I think we're in the minority.  Otherwise, how would Magnum still be in business? Some most people just don't want to wait for shipping or hassle with researching online for items. 

Quote from: Tom_G on September 29, 2011, 01:45:33 PM

You know, I am into the whole "buy locally" thing, I really am.  I pay top dollar for eggs that are laid locally, for beef that is raised locally.  But that doesn't mean I'm willing to be abused for it, either financially or logistically.  So, be it a gun, a hard drive, or a pair of pants, I comparison shop between local stores and the cloud.  On big-ticket items, like computers, cameras, and guns, I am not at all shy about walking into a local store for some hands-on time, and then buying the product off the internet.  Nor do I mind paying a slight markup for being able to buy locally.  So I don't sweat it.  You want to charge me a 5% markup for walking into your store?  That's fine.  You want to charge me a 20% markup?  I have alternatives. 

Believe it or not, I've been buying my swimming earplugs online.  No one in town carries a decent product at a reasonable price.  WTF?  We live on an island, retailers!  People swim!!

This is basically how I think and shop, but after thinking about it I think we're in the minority.  Otherwise, how would Magnum still be in business? Some most people just don't want to wait for shipping or hassle with researching online for items. 

808, I think this is a GOOD thing!  Let those other folks keep the overpriced stores in business.  That way, I can walk into Magnum, try out the feel and action of a gun, then go buy it online for a reasonable price.  Not that I've ever walked into Magnum a 3rd time.  The first 2 were enough to cure me of that!

...........Believe it or not, I've been buying my swimming earplugs online.  No one in town carries a decent product at a reasonable price.  WTF?  We live on an island, retailers!  People swim!!

Have you looked into casting your own plugs?  BTW when I dive, I don't wear ear plugs.

This is basically how I think and shop, but after thinking about it I think we're in the minority.  Otherwise, how would Magnum still be in business? Some most people just don't want to wait for shipping or hassle with researching online for items.

I dunno how Magnum does it.  There are so many bad stories about them that you'd figure they'd go under, but I guess there's just so much stuff that others don't have that they can keep bringing new guys in and the occasional former customer.........maybe it's just that there are so many new people who are casual shooters that they are OK with getting the bone from time to time.