New Gun Shop in Noblesville "BareArms"

[LE1911]

If you have not pick up a copy of yesterdays "Current Noblesville Magzine" It would answers your questions about the owner and his staff. To make critical comments about a man who has been in busniess about a month is a bit pre-mature; could we let him get this store going and work his prices to meet the market. He can't compete with Gun Broker, I would hope gun savy individuals would recognize that. If you want a home town shop like this you are going to have to pay a bit more. So if he doesn't make it I guess we will all go back to the internet and the Indy 1500 a few times a year (I just love that shoulder to shoulder event). So give him some time before you sling judgements just yet. It is a great shop; and he got a lot of new stuff in yesterday and some of his prices on merchandize are dead on or actually low.

 

[stryguy]

While I never expect a brick and mortar store to compete with the internet on anything I also don't expect a store to levy their personal tax on me to try to make themselves competitive. It's just a poor attitude which I then will attribute to all business dealings. BareArms is also not the only gun store in town. It's not like the Internet and the 1500 are the only options in the indy area.

Time will tell but if our dislikes are not voiced then how will he know to fix them?

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

While I never expect a brick and mortar store to compete with the internet on anything I also don't expect a store to levy their personal tax on me to try to make themselves competitive. It's just a poor attitude which I then will attribute to all business dealings. BareArms is also not the only gun store in town. It's not like the Internet and the 1500 are the only options in the indy area.

Time will tell but if our dislikes are not voiced then how will he know to fix them?

Yeah. Damn those retailers to hell for trying to make a living supplying stuff you want today. Who do they think they are anyway.

 

[Pyriel]

PF9 ($335)

This is legitimately the first time that I've heard of a gun being priced higher than Don's

But seriously, it's the closest shop to my location so I look forward to going in and having a look around. Hopefully by then he as well as the prices are settled in, and I'll be able to save myself a 40 minute drive south.

 

[MrFive]

While I never expect a brick and mortar store to compete with the internet on anything I also don't expect a store to levy their personal tax on me to try to make themselves competitive. It's just a poor attitude which I then will attribute to all business dealings. BareArms is also not the only gun store in town. It's not like the Internet and the 1500 are the only options in the indy area.

Time will tell but if our dislikes are not voiced then how will he know to fix them?

A tax? Come on now. They are the ones that went through the hassle and cost of obtaining the FFL, and you are paying for the convenience of using it.

If a FFL was so cheap and easy to get we would all have one.

 

[adam]

I've been in there a couple times, and he's always said (to me) that he'd haggle on some of the prices.

 

[hooky]

Pat Comer will do transfers for $15. He's just a little further north on 19.

 

[stryguy]

@MrFive: It is a tax when the price he charges is different based on if he can sell the gun or not. You see, it's the same amount of work on his part regardless but in an attempt to discourage you from buying a gun he can sell through someone else he charges double for his FFL work. That is the definition of a tarrif tax.

Lets face it. This is a gun store in Noblesville and it's catering to Fishers/Westfield/Carmel crowd. He's charging big bucks for everything hoping to fleece that uneducated suburbanite. $50 for an FFL transfer.. LOL.. Don's doesn't even charge that.

 

[Michiana]

I don't see this in the same light you do.

@MrFive:It is a tax when the price he charges is different based on if he can sell the gun or not. You see, it's the same amount of work on his part regardless but in an attempt to discourage you from buying a gun he can sell through someone else he charges double for his FFL work. That is the definition of a tarrif tax.

Lets face it. This is a gun store in Noblesville and it's catering toFishers/Westfield/Carmel crowd. He's charging big bucks for everything hopingto fleece that uneducated suburbanite. $50 for an FFL transfer.. LOL.. Don's doesn't even charge that.

My view of this is that it is a free country and this gun store owner can charge whatever he wants and you don’t have to buy from him if you don’t like his service or prices. I can imagine that he is struggling to make a go of his small business and gets tired of people coming in to get the feel of a specific gun and then go home and order it on the internet because it is a few dollars cheaper. Remember he has to collect 7% IN sales tax which makes him even less competitive than the internet sellers; he probably has to pay more for his firearms than places like Buds who buy large volume.

Why do you think Gander Mountain charges (I believe) $70 for any transfer, they want to discourage people from buying on line. I am not positive of this but I have been told by several of my customers that Don’s charges a lot more than $50 for a transfer; correct me if I am wrong.

As for uneducated suburbanites from Fishers-Westfield-Carmel I believe you are seriously mistaken with that statement. Being a FFL in Fishers I deal mostly with folks from those towns as well as Noblesville, Geist, McCordsville, Fortville, and areas throughout Central IN and beyond. I find most of my customers to be very knowledgeable on firearms. They are also price conscious like everyone else but most appreciate quality service as they value their time as well as their wallets.

 

[Munky]

I'm going to stop in there today, I live right around the corner.

 

[LE1911]

@MrFive: It is a tax when the price he charges is different based on if he can sell the gun or not. You see, it's the same amount of work on his part regardless but in an attempt to discourage you from buying a gun he can sell through someone else he charges double for his FFL work. That is the definition of a tarrif tax.

Lets face it. This is a gun store in Noblesville and it's catering to Fishers/Westfield/Carmel crowd. He's charging big bucks for everything hoping to fleece that uneducated suburbanite. $50 for an FFL transfer.. LOL.. Don's doesn't even charge that.

Ok, wow you don't like the store, don't like the alledged high prices on everything, and in another thread you want your gas money back if you had to drive to get there. So you have made your point about your feelings. Why contiune and why should you even go there again. You have tried your hardest to make sure others don't go to this store. So don't go back. The funny thing is I was there today and there were 30 people in there, and I will be darned; they were buying stuff. The other funny thing was some of them were NRA instuctors and some were guys who shoot/carry/compete all the time. I guess the owner does not have em all fooled like he has the wool over your eyes.

 

[defender14]

I stopped in for the first time today, I called first to see if they had an SR-22 pistol in stock and they said they just got one in. 20 minutes later I was at the store starting the purchase process. Yes, I did pay about 15% more than what another store quoted me (I still paid less than MSRP fwiw) but I was happy to support a local business, this side of town needed a LGS.

They were really nice and friendly, during the 30 minutes I was there in the middle of the day on Thursday probably a dozen people came and went and the guys behind the counter took the time to greet everyone as they walked in.

 

[pjcalla]

I was in there yesterday afternoon. The owner seemed nice, and asked if I needed any help after I had been browsing for 15 minutes or so. He was helping another gentleman with an XD. He had the M&P's for $499, which isn't bad, imo. I asked about an M&P in 45, but he didn't have one. He asked if I wanted to order one, I had him look up the price and WOW! He quoted me $575. I don't think there is a $75 difference between the 9 and 45. Am I wrong?

Anyways, nice little shop. I will be going back from time to time to check his inventory, since it is so close to me.

 

[Michiana]

Were you comparing apples to apples?

I was in there yesterday afternoon. The owner seemed nice, and asked if I needed any help after I had been browsing for 15 minutes or so. He was helping another gentleman with an XD. He had the M&P's for $499, which isn't bad, imo. I asked about an M&P in 45, but he didn't have one. He asked if I wanted to order one, I had him look up the price and WOW! He quoted me $575. I don't think there is a $75 difference between the 9 and 45. Am I wrong?

Anyways, nice little shop. I will be going back from time to time to check his inventory, since it is so close to me.

*****************************************************

I am wondering what model M&P 45 you are pricing and what model was the other M&P that was selling for $499? Here is the list of model numbers I got off a distributor's web site for M&P's in 45acp and the dealer cost from the lowest to the highest has a spread of $183.00 so it is hard to make general statements that a gun from a particular family of models seems high priced. High compared to what? I like to use Gunbroker as a good place to see what specific models are SELLING for, not the asking prices. When comparing gun prices make sure you are talking apples to apples as there can so many variations on a model in the M&P's or Ruger single action 6's or Glock 19, 21 etc. families. Sometime people miss a deal because they are comparing apples to oranges.

S&W M&P45C 109158 45 4 AMSFT DE8R
S&W M&P45 109307 45A 4 10R
S&W M&P45 109107 45A 4 MSAMSFT 10R
S&W M&P45 109157 45A 4 MSAMSFT DE10R
S&W M&P45 109106 45A 4.5 AMSFT 10R
S&W M&P45 109156 45A 4.5 AMSF DE10R
S&W M&P45 109556 45A 4.5 AMSFTNS BRN
S&W M&P45 109306 45A 4.5 DOT BLK
S&W M&P45 109706 45A 4.5 NS BLK
S&W M&P45 120072 45A 4.5 CT 10R
S&W M&P45 *MA*109356 45A 4.5 10R
S&W M&P45 *CA*109006 45A 4.5 MSTS 10R
S&W M&P45 *CA*109206 45A 4.5 MS 10R

As for the M&P in 9mm looking at an "average" range of pricing his $499.00 price seems like a decent one; again from lowest to highest price there is a spread of $183.00. If he can come close to what they are selling on line after you factor in having to pay IN sales tax but saving shipping and transfer fee and still make a profit he is being fair to himself and his customers. A lot of the internet stores don't even carry their own stock, they are just middlemen and have the large distributors ship directly to their customers FFL. They save on stocking costs and by not having to charge customers state sales tax have a 7% cost advantage over the local gun shop.

 

[pjcalla]

*****************************************************

I am wondering what model M&P 45 you are pricing and what model was the other M&P that was selling for $499?

Well, I really don't know which one he was quoting, since he never showed the pricing to me. All I know is he asked 4" or 4.5" barrel, to which I said 4". Don't know if there were night sights, etc. As for the $499 model, he actually had one in 9, 357 sig (I think), 9c and 40. All were regular sights, no safeties, 4" barrel (except 9c, obviously). Looked to be pretty bone stock. I would expect him to price the same options only in 45, but I don't know for sure.

I have always purchased from a LGS (except the PSA lowers I bought on sale). I have even used you before. I'm not knocking the LGS, just wondering why there would be a $75 difference, when online the difference is minimal (if any).

 

[jimmyw86]

I'm going to stop in there today, I live right around the corner.

Let me know how it goes. I might go there and get a shotgun.

 

[Michiana]

Well, I really don't know which one he was quoting, since he never showed the pricing to me. All I know is he asked 4" or 4.5" barrel, to which I said 4". Don't know if there were night sights, etc. As for the $499 model, he actually had one in 9, 357 sig (I think), 9c and 40. All were regular sights, no safeties, 4" barrel (except 9c, obviously). Looked to be pretty bone stock. I would expect him to price the same options only in 45, but I don't know for sure.

I have always purchased from a LGS (except the PSA lowers I bought on sale). I have even used you before. I'm not knocking the LGS, just wondering why there would be a $75 difference, when online the difference is minimal (if any).

Apples to apples there is not a big difference which makes me believe the 45 he quoted was an upgrade from the 9mm he had in his store. I always ask customers to go on line and find the exact model they want and get me the part number to work up a quote.

 

[Eprobertson1]

Question to those that buy on line to save the 7% sales tax. How many of you are claiming the purchase on you taxes at the end of the year? Your LGS has to pay this along with permit fees, overhead (rent, heat, electric, water, etc,).
I personally do not buy online firearms from gun dealers, because I want to support the good local guys. If all of the LGS's close their doors, where are you going to get your transfers done?
While I do support one local shop most of the time, I do stop in other local shops and make purchases to help support them as well.

 

[avengedXT]

WHY am I JUST NOW reading about this? I remember crying to my wife on our way through there just the other day there needs to be a gun store.

Oh well, thanks Bare Arms I'll be stopping by my next trip up there!

 

[Kafer_Mike]

I've been in there several times. The owner is always friendly and helpful. Prices aren't too bad for a shop of his size -- and being new. I'll pay a little more to keep my money in town with a guy that greets you with a smile and shakes your hand when you leave.