Death of the LGS

[frenchiectfd2203]

I really enjoy my LGS here in Lebanon. Spectacular owner and employees. They might not have every single gun but they have enough to keep a person busy for an hour. The knowledge and willingness to make conversation makes it for me. Indiana Firearms, Lebanon IN.

 

[2in1evtime]

Local gun shop here local doesn't seem to want to order anything and if you order say 3 lowers he charges a call in of 30 each. I have bought several rifles lately and none there always out of town?? I drive 30 minutes away at 2 different shops and get excellent service!!! I use to buy a lot from a friend who has a FFL but he is a truck driver now over thread so it is really hard to work with him now, he only charged me 10 dollars whether it was one item or 5!!!!!! I gave up my FFL a long time ago but am considering reapplying for one. Hate the paper work though!!!!

 

[edporch]

I have a LGS in NWI I go to when I have the money, that I've used for decades.
(since getting married some years back I don't have as much disposable income these days. )
He knows me by name when I walk in, has fair prices, and he's the first place I check.
Jerry's Gunshop in Rensselaer.

 

[SouthernStar25]

Sorry to hear about your negative experiences with your LGS. I feel fortunate to have found Atkinson Firearms in Greenwood. They have an excellent selection of guns and their old-school customer service is second to none. It is owned by Sean Atkinson, a retired fire fighter and an all around cool human. If you're ever around Greenwood, I suggest you stop in. You'll be real glad you did.

 

[littletommy]

Not defending poor customer service or lazy useless workers but it's a two-way street. I have some gun store and gun range experience. A lot of people come in with an attitude and treat the employees like a dog and then expect excellent service and a deal. I always wonder what the A$$hat in a restaurant who treats the server bad for no reason winds up eating!
Waiting for littletommy to chime in.

My general rule is, never tick off the staff at whatever establishment you are in.

But yeah, I found out real quick that customer service, ie, dealing with people, isn’t for me. I can build you something, or fabricate you something out of steel, aluminum, stainless, whatever, just don’t stand over me with your pie hole running.

 

[bwframe]

I do most of my shopping in the INGO classifieds. For the most part, real good people in there.

 

[MrSmitty]

Here in the Jeff/Clarksville/New Albany area we are blessed with a few really good LGS's. Starting with our own Rick, at Falls City Firearms, then there is Kavanaugh Tactical, and Kenny's gun shop in N.A., forget about Kentuckiana arms they suck a$$, and are price gougers, and last but not least is "The Gun Shop" Brian, the owner is a great guy, and his prices are really good, his stock turns over very quickly..

 

[JTScribe]

I'm not sure if they are site supporters, but Madison Outdoors has absolutely knocked it out of the park in terms of customer service and just overall friendly behavior every time I've been there.

 

[wcd]

So at least it’s not Just an Indiana thing. We have some real winners here. The ignorance of the law is astounding. Not only the ignorance but the arrogance, and refusal to even look at a statute while they overflow with narcissism.

But then they do a great job of making you appreciate the good ones.

 

[cg21]

I have a LGS in NWI I go to when I have the money, that I've used for decades.
(since getting married some years back I don't have as much disposable income these days. )
He knows me by name when I walk in, has fair prices, and he's the first place I check.
Jerry's Gunshop in Rensselaer.

I try so hard to like that place and have stopped in there on multiple occasions every time buying something small just hoping he gives me a reason to come back and make bigger purchases but he is just always grumpy…. Passed couple times I just skip it.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

The ones I’ve enjoyed doing business with are simply too far away to be regular customers with. There’s only one “gun shop” locally that I know of. They usually have a decent selection but their prices are pretty mush MSRP. I’ve instead resorted to building a relationship with a FFL who does transfers and do my shopping online.

 

[cg21]

I am curious where you went in nwi I have been to most of them curious if I have had the same interactions

 

[NHT3]

I've noticed it more in what most would consider "medical professionals". They are no different that any other business but act like they are paying me to be there.. I refuse to have someone I'm paying for an opinion to dictate anything to me. After what has transpired the last couple of years when anyone tells me I don't have a choice or I feel like the BS is getting deep I'm headed the other direction.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Im spoiled. Between Bradis and USDS I always get GREAT service.

Do your best to support your LGS, event if its a little higher. For starters, the LGS will follow the law and release your gun after 3 days after a delay with no follow up. I dont know of a single big box store that will release a firearm without an explicit "proceed". Hell, I remember talking to the guy at Dicks* as they walked me to the register and we were discussing that issue. He had one guy that would always get a delay and never a follow up. Guy spent 45 days trying to get a gun but could never get a "proceed" so he never got it. He finally gave up. And thinking back to a RK story, a LGS isnt going to make you buy a lockable hard case before they allow you to take it to your car. (they allowed him to come back in immediately and return the case and lock, but still)

The one thing I didnt like about a LGS is purchasing power. I called USDS to see if they could special order a rifle for me. "yep. We can get it, the distributor has one. Come on in." So I did, cash in hand. Unfortunately the first guy didnt notice the gun was in "allocation." Apparently that meant that the distributor had one, but it was being held for so many weeks for a big box store in case they wanted it. Eventually it would come off allocation but they couldnt tell me when. So I gave up.

*I was only buying the 10/22 from them because it was a black friday loss leader. I enjoyed buying the gun below cost and not adding any accessories. LOL

 

[jy951]

I am curious where you went in nwi I have been to most of them curious if I have had the same interactions

Yes, me too. Name names.

 

[SouthernStar25]

Yes, me too. Name names.

 

[Ark]

As I'm sure I've said before, I do acknowledge that LGS employees have to deal with a uniquely stupid subset of the human species, and they have my sympathy on that.

But yeah. Customer service is in the toilet lately. If you're at least professional, you're ahead in the game. If the law didn't make me go through LGS middlemen, I'd probably never set foot in a LGS.

 

[wcd]

As I'm sure I've said before, I do acknowledge that LGS employees have to deal with a uniquely stupid subset of the human species, and they have my sympathy on that.

But yeah. Customer service is in the toilet lately. If you're at least professional, you're ahead in the game. If the law didn't make me go through LGS middlemen, I'd probably never set foot in a LGS.

You need a local Pawn shop that is a FFL. We have one down the road from us. Will gladly do a transfer for 35.00. I would say he does 10 to 15 a week.

 

[Ark]

You need a local Pawn shop that is a FFL. We have one down the road from us. Will gladly do a transfer for 35.00. I would say he does 10 to 15 a week.

Pawn shops can be a little more fun. They get weirder stuff, and not every single customer they have to deal with is "gun people".

 

[MrSmitty]

I'm not sure if they are site supporters, but Madison Outdoors has absolutely knocked it out of the park in terms of customer service and just overall friendly behavior every time I've been there.

Yes, Elijah is great guy!! I forgot about him........ he's about 50 miles from me...need to get up there!!