Cost of Guns in The Lowcountry

safetychain · Nov 23, 2009

This kind of thing bothers me. Upstate last week looking for a NAA Guardian .380, I came upon a couple for $400 NIB but the 'Boss' said wait for the tax free dates. Checked a few online sales sites and found their prices $400 and above. One stated in an e-mail to me that their cost was $388 and would sell for a bit over $400 so suggested that I buy locally to avoid shipping and transfer. The only Charleston shop that has a Guardian for display/sale that I've found states that their cost was (I can't remember exact numbers because I was so Hot about it) like $435 and wanted $465 or about for it. In a well established Anderson sports store they had the Keltec and Ruger .380s for the same price that is cheaper than this same local shop has it written on their tags as their cost. This can't be fuzzy math or a 'loss leader.' Hey I understand the law of 'supply and demand' and don't begrudge them charging what the market will bear, but I can't see that these Upstate shops are selling at a loss which implies that the local shop is not being entirely truthful about their cost which is written on their sales tags (or their costs include the $50 bucks or so the owner puts in his pocket). I didn't say anything about the apparent underhandedness but just walked out. They won't get any more buisness from me and hopefully not from my friends.

greenjeans · Nov 23, 2009

The Anderson store has some good prices when they put things on sale. Their Christmas flyer in on-line now and they have some decent prices. Take a look.

fordnut · Nov 23, 2009

Try Chuck at Eastcoast Powersports...He is a friend and their gun shop is new. He will beat anyone elses prices. I have seen some of his pricing, and he tries real hard....

Lots of people don't know that there is a gun shop in the motorcycle shop....They are new in the gun buisness...

Stop by or call and ask for Chuck...You will like the "small town" feel, and he is a real person...

Their address is: 1725 N, Main street Summerville...or call @ 843-832-2453...
Steve

safetychain · Nov 24, 2009

Thanks Fordnut, did check out EastCoast in Summerville today. His prices were not quite as good as a few of the Pickens/Central area shops but is definitely the best I've seen in the Charleston area, and more economical than driving back upstate. The counter folk were very customer oriented and pretty knowledgable for just starting up.

WILDCATT · Nov 28, 2009

yrs ago I had a FFL and the markup was 15% but times change and I believe that their getting 40%.I do know I bought a
hi-point at $79 when MSR was $139 and it came thru a large northern distributer.no one wants to admit what the cost is.
I got a ruger 45 colt at $219 a number of yrs ago and they were going for $359 or so.

Pops · Dec 19, 2009

this is interesting. I have considered trying to get an FFL someday.
I always figured it would be hard to pay the bills on gun sales and a profitable shop needs a strong sideline.
Something like a range or a gun smith operation, or perhaps a web based parts and supply operation.

I can see how the bigger operations like Dicks or BassPro can undercut the local shop. If they can buy in larger quantities they can get a better wholesale price and still make as much profit as the local shop.

I believe in buying local. I've bought almost everything I own from local shops. I have one gun I bought from a BassPro shop and I went to the local shop first. They did not have the model I wanted. It was the Ruger Mark III with the 6 7/8 barrel. I specifically wanted the longer barrel. They had a variation, but not the specific one. Other than that everything I've bought came from a local shop or a private individual. And I tell them I'm buying from them because I want them to be here in the future. They appreciate it.

The question comes in when the local shop ceases to realize how important the local shoppers are. Price is important to a lot of people, but service is even more important to most. How they treat you from across the counter makes the difference.

Since the locals can't compete on price so easily, they can still wipe the floor up with the big guys by giving real help and personal service to every customer.

armedpig · Dec 20, 2009

Pops you nailed it on the head. In a down economy great customer service will keep your core customers coming back. The reason I don't go into local shops much any more is lack of service and prices.

Since the election I have noticed something with alot of local shops. It seems as though they don't want to wait on anyone that knows anything about guns or knows what they want to buy. They are now focused on the mass of people that are buying their first firearm since "you won't be able to get it next week". Because most of these folks are unfimilar with guns and the shops know they can upsale them into a gun that is more expensive. These people will buy their one gun, a box or two of ammo,and maybe a holster. These people will now be content with their new pistol beside the bed, and they will never see these people again. What they have done is fustrate alot of their core customers and ended up running them off. So when this hype is over some of them will end up shutting down. I am not a high roller by any means, but I would spend quite a bit of money a year in these places. I have now taken my business more to shows, the internet, and boards.

I am all for small businesses. My family has been in the food business since 1960. I always try to buy from the small man when I can, but if they continue to act like this screw 'em

Frost · Dec 20, 2009

Pre-internet it was often very difficult to find someone who had an inkling of what your problem might be.
Thankfully now there are people you can turn to with questions.
Someone on the internet will know the answer, you just have to know how to ask google.

jonyrotten · Dec 28, 2009

just do gunbroker and have it shipped to a local FFL. problem solved

also, prices for about anything are volatile and change all the time. walmart can buy cheaper than i can. if someone paid X for something, and you don't want to pay Y, just walk away.

Frost · Dec 28, 2009

Gunbroker is broken
More than little of what you see there has crazy prices on it.

jonyrotten · Dec 28, 2009

Frost said:
Gunbroker is broken

as with anything, buyer beware. i've bought my last 6 firearms thru them. haven't bought a gun local since may 2007 because every gunshop i could find up here was "broken". i only buy from dealers with thousands of A+ ratings and i have zero problems. i also don't buy things that i think are overpriced. the final choice to buy or not is mine. i don't see what the problem with gunbroker is.

Frost · Dec 28, 2009

The problem is individuals.
Guy 1 has no real idea what his gun is worth so he lists it for some crazy price.
Guy 2 thought he knew but he sees the price Guy 1 put on the same gun, well guy 2 says my gun is in better shape so it is worth more.
Before you know it all the damn things are over priced.

jonyrotten · Dec 28, 2009

Frost said:
The problem is individuals.
Guy 1 has no real idea what his gun is worth so he lists it for some crazy price.
Guy 2 thought he knew but he sees the price Guy 1 put on the same gun, well guy 2 says my gun is in better shape so it is worth more.
Before you know it all the damn things are over priced.

as i said, i only buy from reputable dealers on gunbroker. ignore guy 1 and guy 2, do the same as i do and you'll have no problems. and as always, we all have the option of clicking X

Frost · Dec 28, 2009

But because you don't buy from individuals you miss out on the real deals.
Although I must admit buying from dealers your chances of getting burned are much smaller.

jonyrotten · Dec 28, 2009

yeah thats it, i'm just trying to get around buying from these jackasses up here in upstate and around the charlotte area. don't make me tell you who pissed me off **cough cough sportsman in rock hill cough hack**

guess since you drug it out of me, i might as well post this....and it's not PG13, you have been warned. this is a post i made after sportsman in rock hill screwed over me, and i swore i'd tell anybody that wants to listen. page down if you want to see it. go away if you don't. this is why i do gunbroker

SPORTSMAN IN ROCK HILL REVIEW BELOW

HAHA, great example of a bunch of assholes. let me tell you about it.

my wife, who you guys know on here and other gun boards as Rottie, calls SPORTSMAN around MAY 2009. we have purchased 2 handguns and many holsters and equipment from them within the past year, $1000 +. she tells them, "i'm buying a present for my husband, i need a 2.25 barrel .357 sp101." she is repeatedly assured that they have a 2.25 barrel .357 in stock. remember, they are talking to a woman. we drive quarterway across the state to get this 2.25 inch barrel .357 sp101, only to find a 3.06 barrel sp101. their response? "oh, isn't that a 2.25 inch barrel?". these dipshits thought they were going to sell a woman whatever they had and she would take it. then when i walked in and questioned them on it, they played dumb.

my question is.... are you

1. so stupid that you don't know the difference between a 2.25 barrel and a 3.06 barrel? IF YOU'RE THIS STUPID YOU NEED TO BE SELLING PENCILS ON THE STREET CORNER

or

****THIS IS IT****

2. you were going to fuck over my wife and sell her something she didn't ask for after you got her 75 miles to your store and figured she'd buy anything because either she didn't know the difference or it was too late to get anything else.

^^^^****THIS IS IT***^^^^^^^

FUCK SPORTSMAN, I'LL NEVER SET FOOT IN THERE AGAIN AND I'LL MAKE SURE EVERYONE I KNOW HEARS ABOUT IT

jonyrotten · Dec 29, 2009

DOH!! just bought another one through gunbroker. sorry but true we gotta make the total 7

rhino233 · Dec 30, 2009

I went to the last Charlotte gun show and noticed a Ruger LCP was $50 cheaper than anyone in the lowcountry/SC gun shows. Can anyone recommend a place in the lowcountry that will receive guns for a small price? (Just for future use)