Local gun stores

[rushca01]

I live around NE Indiana as a reference point.

My big gripe about not spending money at local gun stores is none of them carry qualty stuff. If you are an AR shooter, forget it. Most of the stuff sold around here would not make it through one carbine class....but it's sold like it "just as good as" blah blah, it's not. Gun selection in the area is OK, but not great. I know it's tough to compete with the online retailers and maybe get contracts...I just wish a local GS would carry some of the following stuff:

Blue Force Gear
Daniel Defense
Larue
Aimpoint
EoTech
Surefire
Magpul
Tango Down
Benchmade/Emerson/Spyerdco knives
AAC
LMT
BCM

ETC:

Tapco parts are not quality parts for a serious end user, neither are fake points etc..

The new "freedom fire arms" is doing a decent job on gun selection and prices are in line for a retail store. Accesory selection has picked up there, hell I even saw blue force gear slings last time I was in there. They have aimpoints for sale but 900 plus for a M4s....get real, that's 300 over realistic pricing.

I may get flamed just my obersvations....I would be willing to spend more money locally if retailers carried qualty gear and not bubba gear. With that said some stores do a better job then others. I am an AR and handgun snob..and yes I shoot all my guns and take several carbine/handgun classes a year. Flame away

One last story, I was at Gander Mountain last week and I heard the nice kid behind the counter explaining how a Kimber 1911 is the best you can get. It's not (period). Kimber 1911's are barely hobby grade 1911's. At one point they made a decent 1911 (Classis Series 1) but now they are junk. If the salesman would have said "if you only intend to shoot this at the range and not bet your life on it it should be fine", but don't make it something it's not.

 

[elpenguin0717]

Really no one around you carries the good stuff!? Lol dang that blows I live downtown Indy and elmores guns carry all the good stuff not just the sparklers type stuff

 

[JohnP82]

I know of several shops in the area that are more than happy to order any of those for you. I know it sometimes sucks having to wait for them to come in, but it is an option.

The problem is many people want the cheap stuff so that is what the shops stock the most of. They know it will sell. I know it is frustrating and I am not in any way against you, but that is the way I see it.

 

[LotsofGlocks]

I dont disagree with ya but you got to look at it from the buisness aspect. Tapco stuffs flies off the shelf because most people can afford it. Overhead is the biggest concern for a local shops having 10 Eotechs/Acog's on the shelf sitting isnt paying the bills. Most high dollar stuff is select market.

 

[sparkyfender]

Kimbers are "junk?" Okay. Your opinion. That's fine.
You can't find a Spyderco knife? Even Wal-Mart has Spydercos.
I'm having a hard time relating to your tale of woe. Must be all the "bubba" gear I own.
Good luck in your search!

 

[Hondo]

I agree for the most part with Rushca01....I too wish the quality of some of the stuff was better...Local gun stores don't need to stock 10 of really expensive items but they could stock 1 or 2.

I am also aware that they can order these items for me....but I can order them myself, get them faster and avoid any mark up.

As for Kimbers....I am not here to flame them,,I own 1 but if you really do your research they have more reliability issues than most other "custom" brands. They are not Wilson Combat, Ed Brown or Les Baer...of course they are at a lower price point....but for the $$$$ I would rather have a Springfield or Colt....O K rant over.

This whole thing is a bit of catch 22...stores don't stock the stuff and we go to the internet to order....stores do stock the stuff but if we feel we can buy it cheaper, we go to the internet.

I believe in supporting the local gun stores as much as possible and understand they can't be all things to all people....it might be interesting if they started slowly stocking better stuff...I am willing to pay more (not 50% more) for convenience and to support the locals

This will be a never ending problem...guns stores in general tend to market to the general population rather than the "specialist" but the same is true for most industries.

My 3 cents....I too stand subject to ridicule...

 

[malern28us]

If the stores don't carry what you want, order it online. The glory of capitalism is your money determines which businesses stay open. If a dealer wants to sell high end accessories, they will be hard pressed to make many sales based on the average dealer markup. Your Tapco stuff can be marked up and sold at a good profit and still be in the normal persons (hobbyist) price range.

 

[DRob]

Indicator

I think one of the market indicators is reflected right here. How many threads have you seen that start out asking something like, "where can I get an AR cheap". Or, they ask for "the best" price and the answers are typically the lowest price. Any shop will carry what sells. Their option is to have a bunch of high-end inventory on hand when they go out of business.

Figure out what you want, I'm sure they'll order it for you.

 

[Sajer]

Out of your list Midwest carries Eotech,Aimpoint, magpul(but not a full line),surefire,AAC,Benchmade,spyderco,cold steel, and so on.

I wish we carried DD or Bravo, but I dont see that happening anytime soon. As was said above the cheaper stuff moves and most people dont care if its UTG or not as long as it looks good. So you put less money into stock and make a good profit on what sells.

 

[drillsgt]

I can see both sides of the issue. When I worked at a large gunstore in Michigan our holster selection was meager basically consisting of some uncle mikes and galcos. I started the store on being a stocking dealer for both Kramer and Milt Sparks (this was in around 2000-2003 before the kydex craze took off). These holsters were more expensive but they sold. The problem is to sell them you had to know the product and be able to explain the advantages of paying a little more now than later. It took a little time but after awhile those who were in the know came to us for quality gear. Of course after I left they reverted back to prodominately galcos but I tried.

 

[Kimber]

I own a Kimber custom shop 1911, and i am very happy with it. I have had no prblems with it. Is there something I am missing?

 

[Dead Duck]

I own a Kimber custom shop 1911, and i am very happy with it. I have had no prblems with it. Is there something I am missing?

A Colt!

 

[Double T]

You open a store and only stock high end stuff. Overhead alone will close your doors.

If you don't like a shops supply, ask if something can be ordered. If people order enough of something odds are they will start stocking it.

 

[Hanen42]

Drive to Bluffton and go to 21st Century. You wont be disappointed.

 

[sparkyfender]

I own a Kimber custom shop 1911, and i am very happy with it. I have had no prblems with it. Is there something I am missing?

Just a chance to beat on an internet whipping boy! And don't forget all new Sigs are junk as well! Ditch those Bubba guns!