Heads up reloaders!

[redneckmedic]

What you get from a good local gun shop...

A fellers opinion on what and why, he opinion is best for your interest not his, as a happy customer returns.

All the fix'ns, he will accessorize you as you need it.

Your product is squared away... did Walmart lap your rings? Lock-tite your rail-receiver screws? Offer you a choice in scopes for your specific needs? Did the entry level employee behind the counter take the time to show you proper assembley-disessembly of your new rifle? Did he make sure your receiver screws were tight? The scope was level? Each ring screw was tightened equal as to hold the top ring one equally on both sides?

If you aren't getting quality results can you take your rifle back to Walmart and get a once over from the feller that is only working there because he can't live on his failing social security retirement plan and they were the first to hire him to look over your MOA rifle.... does he know what MOA is?

Folks... buy from who you choose, I support capitalism, know what you aren't getting from your hard earn cheese.

I support local gun shops and I do drive over an hour if need be to get more than just a rifle.

 

[giovani]

What you get from a good local gun shop...

A fellers opinion on what and why, he opinion is best for your interest not his, as a happy customer returns.

All the fix'ns, he will accessorize you as you need it.

Your product is squared away... did Walmart lap your rings? Lock-tite your rail-receiver screws? Offer you a choice in scopes for your specific needs? Did the entry level employee behind the counter take the time to show you proper assembley-disessembly of your new rifle? Did he make sure your receiver screws were tight? The scope was level? Each ring screw was tightened equal as to hold the top ring one equally on both sides?

If you aren't getting quality results can you take your rifle back to Walmart and get a once over from the feller that is only working there because he can't live on his failing social security retirement plan and they were the first to hire him to look over your MOA rifle.... does he know what MOA is?

Folks... buy from who you choose, I support capitalism, know what you aren't getting from your hard earn cheese.

I support local gun shops and I do drive over an hour if need be to get more than just a rifle.

I do most of these things myself , because I wouldn't trust very many shop owners or walmart employees to do it correctly.
Therefore I can buy where I please.

 

[Broom_jm]

Seriously, Richard? No...Im gonna send it back to Remington once I obtain an RMA and they email me a prepaid shipping labor for WARRANTY repair. Who else better to fix a gun than the MANUFACTURER? Any gun Ive ever had still under warranty Ive sent back to the manufacturer and they have fixed it. Just got my CZ75 P01 back about a week ago for a warranty repair.

Who else better to fix a gun? Oh, I don't know...a qualified gunsmith? In case you haven't been paying attention, Remington has been getting a reputation for lower quality and guns that are not nearly as accurate as they once were. Maybe that's because they're churning them out at Walmart prices?

What is your definition of "much older"? Im 41. "The general quality of items at the big box stores///the kind of firearm and service I want" Now Richard, you arent one of "those" that are trying to sell a different Remington 700 (in this case) than what any other shop would carry. Let me guess...Walmart's are defective because they are being sold at Walmart? Even though Remington made them..... The "service" again...I get from the manufacturer...NO MATTER WHERE I BUY THE GUN FROM.

Well, apparently you're still not old enough to have a civil discussion. Attempts at clever name-calling aside, you have clearly put your money where your mouth is...in the bargain bin. Do some reading in this thread about how Walmart gets all those great "deals" and ask yourself if that's really the kind of rifle you want to own? Penny wise...pound foolish. What "service" are you going to get from Remington? Have you even tried calling them lately?

Seriously Richard? You want to get into a financial peeing match? Ok Ill play Im a Federal Technician with not 1, not 2 but 3 retirements and ill clear 65k this year....how about you Richard?

This is clearly about money to you. To me, it's about supporting the local entrepreneur that actually CARES about his customers. FWIW, I'll clear more than that just on investment returns, but if you want to throw around numbers, talk to me when you get to 6 figures. I've spent more $$ on a single Contender barrel than you paid for that "great" Remington rifle.

 

[remauto1187]

This is clearly about money to you. To me, it's about supporting the local entrepreneur that actually CARES about his customers. FWIW, I'll clear more than that just on investment returns, but if you want to throw around numbers, talk to me when you get to 6 figures. I've spent more $$ on a single Contender barrel than you paid for that "great" Remington rifle.

How many Remingtons have YOU bought and needed serviced because they were "lower quality"? Ive bought 2 in the last 5 years and havent once had any problems with them....and they are still here.
Of course its about the money....I still have extra to buy what I want because I dont carelessly throw it away to someone that makes a rude attempt to insult me instead I buy the goods somewhere else. Lets face it...it is stereotypically more expensive to buy MOST goods at a LGS. They have higher overhead and blah blah blah. Ok I get that...doesnt mean I have to pay their overhead for them though.
Once again...that Walmart Remington 700 SPS is the same Remington 700 SPS I can get from a LGS. Only real difference is the Walmart one comes with rings and a scope. If anyone is lacking enough that they find the need to have to ask a Walmart employee on how to operate their gun of choice...well either they shouldnt be buying it or they need to learn how to read the owners manual that comes with it.
So we are both doing great in the financial Peeing match...Im assuming you are in your 50's ...guess what? Ive still got 10 plus years to match your 6 figures. And i didnt lose any of mine in the stock market crash or housing bubble either. Contender? LMAO All my guns go bang when the trigger is pulled and hit where they are aimed. Sounds like by all your gun quality whining...You are the one having problems...not me. Try the owners manual.

 

[Aszerigan]

IBTL.

 

[lowendgenerator]

 

[remauto1187]

OBTL

 

[bstewrat3]

Oh no you didn't question the accuracy of the T/C Contender! I have stayed out of the mix all day, but now you have done it. I do not work 10 hours per week and make 6 figures per year to have someone question my favorite firearm ever. This isn't locked yet? This horse died this morning.

 

[Iroquois]

Considering that Rosy O nearly got the big K out of the gun business, it's good to see a "big box "
store that's not scared to sell them. When I started buying guns and ammo the only local outlet
For reloading supplys was the K 's Merchandise mart. The local gun shop was out in BFE
and had no reloading stuff. If it wasn't for the box store I wouldn't have got into guns as much
as I did. Maybe some folks will buy their first gun at Walmart and get hooked like me.
Then maybe he'll go looking for the good stuff at his LGS.

 

[ckcollins2003]

The statement that "I don't have a dog in this fight", is probably the most cogent sentence I have read so far. Basically, I read a post that some guy was trying to deliver a heads up on Ingo of possible convenience making a purchase of "whatever". Then his face is rubbed in the dirt because he offended a local shop dealer for it. While it is true, supporting a local shop owner has distinct value in several more ways than just a dollar bill, knowledge, wisdom, a face to look at and primarily helping to keep a guy that also has bills to pay and a family to feed in the game, is it fair to redicule someone that simply was trying to offer information that could help someone else out. Oh, then the question comes, helping someone else out but at what expense, the local gun shop's? I personally try to shop within my community, small business needs our support, hell, I get that, but don't put Andrew on any different level as anyone else try to either make a buck or save a buck. I've sold a couple of items on here, Ingo, am I a bad guy because the same item could have been purchased at 21rst Century, did I take a dollar out of their wallet? Buy local, buy American, buy what you want where you want to buy it, this is America. The guy was just passing on a tip that he thought might help someone out, I doubt very seriously he was trying to collaspe our economy.

Repped.

 

[g+16]

it would still take a hellova deal to keep me out of Bite the Bullet, on relaoding supplies and some firearms

 

[dukeboy_318]

it would still take a hellova deal to keep me out of Bite the Bullet, on relaoding supplies and some firearms

Mark at BTB is another great example of why I refuse to shop at chain stores, I'm on a tight budget, very tight. The pennies i'd save at walmart do not add up to the experience and atmosphere of shops like BTB or Profire etc. The only way I'd ever buy a gun from walmart is if it was marked 70% off or something. and then it'd have to be something like an AR in 308 for 20 bucks type deal. other wise, I'll still go to the LGS.

 

[shibumiseeker]

If people need to find fault with my personal feelings about the sustenance of local and regional gun shops, then that's their business. I accept that. If certain people in this thread decided not to shop in my store because they think that big box stores provide better service, extended knowledge and honest real world experience, then I'll accept that as well. I'll even take responsibility for being an abrasive jerk. It's part of being in business.

Actually, there are customers you DON'T want. I speak as a business owner for 13 years now. Those are the ones that will never be happy, never be satisfied, and will badmouth whomever grabs their attention at the moment. They don't appreciate craftsmanship and they don't appreciate good customer service. FWIW for those out there who don't understand it, good customer service doesn't mean being a yes-man to whatever fool idea the customer gets into their head or whatever gripe their imaginations might dream up. On a few occasions I have refunded a customer's money and suggested that since they cannot be happy with my product and support behind it, that they please do business with my competitor instead. Thus far this has never hurt my business in any way and indeed has lessened my headaches so I am better able to devote supporting customers who can be made happy.

Anyway Andrew, you know you have earned the accolades folks give you. No need to wrestle with the pig: you both get dirty and the pig enjoys it.

 

[wizard_of_ahs]

I always try to keep my $$$$ LOCAL

 

[42769vette]

There is SO much I want to say about this post.... biting my tongue... biting my tongue....

I'm glad to see someone besides me has to bite their tongue sometimes.

For a lot of folks price is the only issue. I actually had a Ingo member that I talked to on the phone for over a hour explaining every part of a scope and how they applied to his goals with his particular rifle, then 25 emails picking the exact model that best fit his price range and needs, and he bought the scope from optics planet because even though our shipped price was down to the penny identical, I had to collect tax and optics planet did not have to collect tax

 

[snowrs]

The only thing I find amusing here, is a couple of months ago I complained about a dealer scalping a hard to find gun, and the comments were the market supports the price and they can charge what they want its your choice to pay. Now we have a competitive situation and the screams are about buy local. You can not have it both ways. Either be loyal to your customers who do pay some extra for your services but not rip them off, Or compete cut throat and deal with the consequences. You can not play both sides of the ball.

 

[Wesley929]

The personal values that those who have contributed to this thread hold in such high regard such as patriotism, loyalty, free market capitalism, sharing knowledge about a craft we all enjoy, are being tarnished because we can't grow up and accept that we don't always see the big picture or agree on everything. There have been some really good posts about why some people do what do and shop where they shop, but there have been some very harsh posts that didn't really add to the discussion any and only served to denigrate the OP or LGS.

The OP simply notified a gun loving community of a 'geographically local" big chain store that carry goods we all enjoy and I thank him for the notification. Come to find out there is a "geographically local" LGS right across the street from said chain store the OP was unaware of. The OP thanked the person who posted that info and said he would have to check it out.
It seems like Que being the good moderator that he is tried not to intervene and lead by example and quoted and thanked both the OP for his info and csmith for the info about the LGS. The rest of the childish bickering and wallet thickness contests are very unflattering of this outstanding forum we all get to be part of.

I challenge all of our upstanding members of this forum to ask themselves this before posting "Does my post benefit the thread or am I being argumentative? Is this constructive criticism or am I abusing someone who may not be as knowledgeable on this topic as myself". It saddens me to see people who think 98% alike tear each other down in an anonymous internet setting over the 2% of things they disagree on.

 

[4sarge]

The only thing I find amusing here, is a couple of months ago I complained about a dealer scalping a hard to find gun, and the comments were the market supports the price and they can charge what they want its your choice to pay. Now we have a competitive situation and the screams are about buy local. You can not have it both ways. Either be loyal to your customers who do pay some extra for your services but not rip them off, Or compete cut throat and deal with the consequences. You can not play both sides of the ball.

The personal values that those who have contributed to this thread hold in such high regard such as patriotism, loyalty, free market capitalism, sharing knowledge about a craft we all enjoy, are being tarnished because we can't grow up and accept that we don't always see the big picture or agree on everything. There have been some really good posts about why some people do what do and shop where they shop, but there have been some very harsh posts that didn't really add to the discussion any and only served to denigrate the OP or LGS.

The OP simply notified a gun loving community of a 'geographically local" big chain store that carry goods we all enjoy and I thank him for the notification. Come to find out there is a "geographically local" LGS right across the street from said chain store the OP was unaware of. The OP thanked the person who posted that info and said he would have to check it out.
It seems like Que being the good moderator that he is tried not to intervene and lead by example and quoted and thanked both the OP for his info and csmith for the info about the LGS. The rest of the childish bickering and wallet thickness contests are very unflattering of this outstanding forum we all get to be part of.

I challenge all of our upstanding members of this forum to ask themselves this before posting "Does my post benefit the thread or am I being argumentative? Is this constructive criticism or am I abusing someone who may not be as knowledgeable on this topic as myself". It saddens me to see people who think 98% alike tear each other down in an anonymous internet setting over the 2% of things they disagree on.

+1

Gas at 4 Dollar a gallon hinders my travel and purchase choices. The Internet is my friend and I can have most things shipped to my door without a problem. Shop where you want and support shooting/firearms rights.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The only thing I find amusing here, is a couple of months ago I complained about a dealer scalping a hard to find gun, and the comments were the market supports the price and they can charge what they want its your choice to pay. Now we have a competitive situation and the screams are about buy local. You can not have it both ways. Either be loyal to your customers who do pay some extra for your services but not rip them off, Or compete cut throat and deal with the consequences. You can not play both sides of the ball.

That really only works if you are lumping all LGS together, AND if you think all of the same people are doing the screaming on both sides (some are I'm sure, but I was a voice supporting your position in that thread). In this case, I cannot imagine Andrew charging 150% of MSRP of a popular gun simply because it is hard to find right now like that other gunshop is doing. Point in fact if it was in his character to do so, I would not be so supportive of him and wouldn't patronize his business, just like I don't patronize that other business for their practices.

In my case the screams aren't about "buy local," the screams are about supporting someone whose business ethics I not only support, but admire. I don't admire that gunstore that was charging $1300 for a $700 gun (and yes, I plan on buying one someday, but never from them), and I sure as hell don't admire the ethics of a huge megacorporation who uses their corporate might to dictate and bully their suppliers as that's not exactly free market either.

If I were starving then you bet I'd buy the cheapest food I could. But shooting is not the same as starvation, it's a hobby, and if it costs me a few bucks more to support something that I believe in, like honesty and integrity, or buying local goods, then I will do so as long as I can afford it. Other folks are free to do as they choose.

 

[snowrs]

Agreed Shim, my point was more to the general feel of this thread and not to anyone in particular. My point is if a local business wants to compete they can not wave both flags. The people who tout these local businesses and run them also need to see the same.

If you are a good business and hold to your values people will gravitate, if you wave the independent flag then turn around and play the Internet game be prepared to get hammered.

If people make excuses for the local business enough people will lose trust. People supported what the LGS was doing with that popular gun because that was the going rate, yet in this thread people are saying spend a little more to support the local guy, my point is that trust and support needs to go both ways.