Buy cheap, buy twice. The "Sweet Deal" mentality.

[Kuting]

So for quite a few years I've evolved in my firearms and accessories knowledge. I still leaf through Cheaper Than Dirt every time it comes in the mail, and every now and then I pick up a Shotgun News but I very rarely have that "WOW!" reaction I used to from either of them. Looking around at most of the cheapo gear at gunshows and the people who absolutely LOVE NcStar, Tapco, and other Chinese knockoff junk confuses me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a billionaire AR snob with a room sized gunsafe, but I know what quality gear is through experience and failure.

I've seen lots of threads around the net, and I was also at one time the guy saying "No guys, I'm not dropping the extra money since I'm only using it for XXXXX." But since then I've learned that buying cheap just means you're spending more money because you're just gonna keep replacing it with crap until you buy something good or decide not to use said item any longer.

Do you need the top gear on the market to take your rifle to the range or pop a varmint? No, but you should buy the best possible gear to fit your needs. Remember that gear is mission dependent. If you want to build a fighting rifle or a CCW pistol then EVERYTHING on it or your person, related in any way to it should be the best out there. If you are putting your life on the line and this weapon is your ticket to safety then there should not be ANY link in the chain where you attempted to save a few bucks.

Do your research, find quality gear out there, BUY AMERICAN, train, and use your gear.

For all of those of you who are under the impression ModGear, UTG, Tapco, NcStar, and may other companies out there are just fine for your weapon I hope you come to the same realization I have, before it comes time for you use your weapon in the most extreme manner, in which the slightest failure of second best gear will cost you dearly.

Kut

 

[LPMan59]

the funny part is that often that high-priced gear can be had for (relatively) cheap if you are patient and/or know where to look.

 

[Eddie]

I would generally agree with the OP. Sometimes I will buy the cheap version of a piece of gear that I am looking at to get a feel for it and see if I really like it. If I don't see any problems with the cheap version then I'll buy name brand for my go to guns and throw the cheap stuff in a drawer for parts. I'm still buying cheap and buying twice, but at least there is a method to my madness.

 

[E5RANGER375]

the name brand stuff could be had a lot cheaper if the dealers didnt jack up the prices. most of the time your getting screwed by them, not the manufacturer.

 

[shooter521]

Do your research, find quality gear out there, BUY AMERICAN, train, and use your gear.

Yup; love them "American" Aimpoints...

 

[Elkrock777]

I totally agree, when you buy cheap stuff, not just in guns, but walmart junk its usually throw away And you end up buying it again or spend more $ trying to make it work like the good American made stuff.

 

[Cwood]

the name brand stuff could be had a lot cheaper if the dealers didnt jack up the prices. most of the time your getting screwed by them, not the manufacturer.

Examples? As being in the business there is not a lot of mark up on most items.

 

[Kuting]

the funny part is that often that high-priced gear can be had for (relatively) cheap if you are patient and/or know where to look.

I agree. Hit up ebay for some ok deals every now and then, but networking is your friend. I'm a member of another tactical forum, and the guys on there will announce they're trying to get rid of something, then ask what an appropriate sale price would be, and when someone offers to buy it they'll say something along the lines of "Well I was gonna sell it for $250, but I'll go $175 for a forum member." I haven't trolled the swap meet portion of INGO yet, but I'm sure it's the same thing. Guys get new gear all the time, people have babies, and some just decide they longer like a certain platform or caliber. These are amazing opportunities for you and all of us. You may pick up a $2000 weapon system for half price because someone needs quick cash, or a load of gear that's taking up room and never gets used.

Watch sales, hit up clearance or inventory sales when Military Surplus shops go out of business. Virek's in Lafayette used to have a surplus store up top a few years back, when they were clearing it out I picked up a PASGT helmet for like $75. Garage sales are another amazing utility. We all know the stereotypical garage saler, women looking for good buys right? Well when some guy tosses some BDU's or mags on a table they'll probably sit there all weekend and get tossed back in a box later, so go out ther and snatch them up.

Servicemen are your friends. I have a buddy who's gone through so much gear trying out new things that I now have a couple closets of near new stuff for about half price.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Examples? As being in the business there is not a lot of mark up on most items.

one example: CAA gear

second example: Condor

third example: Fobus

fourth example: UTG <<< especialy!!! HUGE markup by dealers

i list those specificaly just because ive seen the markup abuse on them.
and I Was "in the business" and did the show circuit, so i know what dealer cost on all of those brands are.
im not calling out or naming any specific dealers, all im saying is i dont do business with the ones who excessively mark up their gear. I use to get so much repeat business i couldnt stay in stock. quantity over azz raping, was my policy will i buy at fair retail price when its there in front of me, even if i can order the same thing at dealer cost? YES, i have and will. because i understand the cost of shipping and such. also some company's like UTG require a $3k minimum a year purchase, or they did at one time,, etc,

i understand there are MAP prices that must be followed. i always sold for MAP. but hey thats why buyers have a choice on who they buy from. no harm in alittle markup to make profit, its the American Way.

also. ive never bought ONLY AMERICAN products if it wasnt the best thing for the money. dont get caught up in the "Buy ONLY American" hype. if you buy something from China, it doesnt make you any less patriotic. you still shop at walmart dont you?

 

[Snayperskaya]

....... BUY AMERICAN........



Kut

No. Not until American's build something I want to buy. Just because it is American does not make it good. I buy things that are good.This is not to say we make NOTHING that is good, just that for the most part I think this is an idiotic method of making purchases. This mentality inhibits R&D. What is the point in making the highest quality product if you will buy it simply because it was made in the USA. The "buy American!" attitude is the reason US made cars are completely blown away by foreign manufacturers these days. Where is the need to complete if the only people you are trying to win care only about where it was made, and not how good it is? As to the rest of your point, I agree. At least when it comes to optics. If you want to dress your rifle with tacticool tapco plastic I really don't think it matters. Tapco optics? you are asking for trouble.

 

[Cwood]

one example: CAA gear

second example: Condor

third example: Fobus

fourth example: UTG <<< especialy!!! HUGE markup by dealers

i list those specificaly just because ive seen the markup abuse on them.
and I Was "in the business" and did the show circuit, so i know what dealer cost on all of those brands are.
im not calling out or naming any specific dealers, all im saying is i dont do business with the ones who excessively mark up their gear. I use to get so much repeat business i couldnt stay in stock. quantity over azz raping, was my policy

i understand there are MAP prices that must be followed. i always sold for MAP. but hey thats why buyers have a choice on who they buy for. no harm in alittle markup to make profit, its the American Way.

I thought we were talking about quality gear? To me those 4 brands are not quality.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I thought we were talking about quality gear? To me those 4 brands are not quality.

mmmmm ok. brand whore much?

Cwood, i agree it would depend on what your buying. some UTG stuff is crap, and i dont like it, but thats my personal preference.
Condor: quality stuff, and now being made in America (some of it)
Fobus: lifetime guarentee, good if you like it. i dont much.
CAA, never had a problem, revolutionary ideas too. lifetime warranty too if i remember.

ok then.

AIMPOINT: high markup. back when i sold, the buy in was 5 scopes minimum. i could sell like 3 at retail and the others were almost all profit. id have to dig out my white dealer folder, but im pretty sure. i wont list prices for confidentiality agreement reasons, but im sure you know what im saying.

i wasnt trying to get in a price war. your right on some stuff the markup isnt high even at MAP. but other it is. also, i wouldnt knock a name brand just because the armchair comando community doesnt like its name or country of origin. if it gonna be knocked, knock it on it performance ability if youve seen it fail first hand.

 

[Cwood]

mmmmm ok. brand whore much?

Not too much.

I am a Condor dealer but I find most of their products to be lacking. There is only a couple items from them that I find acceptable. The discreet rifle cases and the new soft shell jackets come to mind. Even with Condor they have a MAP policy so it is Condor that sets how low a dealer can sell the item.

 

[LPMan59]

as i noted before, you just have to wait/shop around. i picked this beauty (the ACOG lol) up NIB for cheaper than any I've seen on ebay or ARF.com. the asking price was so low i thought it was a joke.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Not too much.

I am a Condor dealer but I find most of their products to be lacking. There is only a couple items from them that I find acceptable. The discreet rifle cases and the new soft shell jackets come to mind. Even with Condor they have a MAP policy so it is Condor that sets how low a dealer can sell the item.

yep. they didnt use to have a MAP price. and on the website (logged in as a dealer) they still only list the dealer cost price. i do like the new softshells. also Cwood, just for the record, i DO think that you are a fair priced dealer. and i would recomend you to someone that wanted to make a purchase, for what its worth.

 

[Cwood]

I only buy Aimpoint from a distributor and with that being said, there is not the mark up you are refering to.

Don't get me wrong I am not trying to say I do not make money off of items. Just that there is not a lot of mark up for numerous items. That and almost all have MAP pricing that a dealer has to abide by.

 

[LPMan59]

MAP often has a large markup involved. not saying this is the case for this situation, but i can tell you that Gibson's MAP is aaay above the dealer's cost. a good dealer (ie not Guitar Center) will knock 20%+ off the MAP.

 

[E5RANGER375]

i havent bought an aimpoint for years so i dont even know the prices anymore. just the old ones. I hooked up a few LEO's at cost so i could afford my original buy-in back in the day, lol

yeah i use to go through distributers too for some stuff, and then id see dealers on ebay selling below my cost, i was like WTF?? LOL

one thing i dont like about condor is all the good stuff is almost always back ordered. that word will kill a sale quick, lol

 

[Cwood]

yep. they didnt use to have a MAP price. and on the website (logged in as a dealer) they still only list the dealer cost price. i do like the new softshells. also Cwood, just for the record, i DO think that you are a fair priced dealer. and i would recomend you to someone that wanted to make a purchase, for what its worth.

Thank you, I did not think you were insinuating otherwise.

BTW, Condor sends a list of its pricing with retail, MAP and wholesale at the beginning of the year with a new catalog.

 

[Kuting]

No. Not until American's build something I want to buy. Just because it is American does not make it good. I buy things that are good.This is not to say we make NOTHING that is good, just that for the most part I think this is an idiotic method of making purchases. This mentality inhibits R&D. What is the point in making the highest quality product if you will buy it simply because it was made in the USA. The "buy American!" attitude is the reason US made cars are completely blown away by foreign manufacturers these days. Where is the need to complete if the only people you are trying to win care only about where it was made, and not how good it is? As to the rest of your point, I agree. At least when it comes to optics. If you want to dress your rifle with tacticool tapco plastic I really don't think it matters. Tapco optics? you are asking for trouble.

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