Heads up... Sportman's Guide

[steel-cut]

Stay away from Sprotmans guide. I tried to buy a scope mount for the M1A and they refused to ship it to CA. What the ??????????....... They said we do not sell "Assault weapon" parts to CA. Scope mount = assault weapon parts ?.....I tried to explain to her that it is legal to buy the scope mount for the M1A here in Cali and also stores here sell those but the sales rep just kept repeating herself. She said SG'S lawers said it was elegal in CA for them to sell the scope mount to CA residents. What a bunch of BS....Also, she was very rude over the phone...... I think it was "Vickey"... These people have no clue about the laws and cutomer service... Oh, one more thing. After they declined to sell me the scope mount they wanted me to sign up for their membership for $29. Thank you but no thank you, I will take my money and my business elsewere..... Has anyone else had bad experience with SG ?

[bwiese]

Yes, these guys and a few other vendors don't have a clue (like not shipping ammo to various areas where it's indeed legal).

Their lawyers DIDN'T tell them that. Paid lawyers give better advice than that.
Sportsmen's Guide probably asked, "Can we ship ammo or gun parts to CA?"
They probably said, "Be sure of the laws, check certain areas for these laws, etc. etc." SG was then too lazy to do it or pay for further legal research, so their sales mgmt guys just decided to do a blanket ban on stuff like this for given states/areas.

They won't ever get my business. I can understand some confusion over local ordinances about ammo, but basic state law is quite comprehendible, and they can look at what their competitors are doing (Bushmaster, Armalite, Cheaper Than Dirt, Brownell's, etc.)


Bill Wiese
San Jose

[M1A Rifleman]

Sorry for the bad experience. I assume you are looking for the SA 3rd Generation type mount - check Cheaper Than Dirt. Also, Midway has them - they are made by "John Mason" - I think they are like $50. I am not sure on the quality of these, but they appear the same as that sold my SA for $150.

Regarding Sportsman's Guide, I have read bad stories about them on other posts - false/mis leading advertising - for instance the "GI" M14 mags:rolleyes:

[steel-cut]

This is what they refused to sell to CA residents... http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=180438

[M1A Rifleman]

This is what they refused to sell to CA residents... http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=180438

My mistake - this IS NOT the same mount I mentioned above.

[Mike Searson]

FWIW

I refuse to do business with any of these vendors that rewrite/interpret CA laws.

You guys have it bad enough.

I can understand them refusing to send Non restricted Capacity magazines, linked Ammo, Sub 18" .410 bbls for the contender, etc.

But scope mounts?

Sounds like they're applying Wacky Washington State's laws to you guys.

[Turbinator]

Why not try www.riflescopes.com -- they advertise in Shotgun News as SWFA, and I don't think they have any problems selling to California residents.

Turby

[steel-cut]

Why not try www.riflescopes.com -- they advertise in Shotgun News as SWFA, and I don't think they have any problems selling to California residents.

Turby


Yah..... SWFA is great. I have bought couple of the SS scopes from them in the past. But the scope mount price on SG was good.. I guess that doesnt apply to us Californians....Looks like I will stick with SWFA

[Guns R Tools]

On the website it says they cannot ship 50bmg ammo to CA. But I heard otherwise. So I placed online order of 50BMG ammo. Sure enough it went through. And few days later I received the shipment. I never called and talked to anybody just pure online transaction.

It was best price so far including shipping. I paid litte less that $190 for 150 rounds of 50bmg with shipping. I also used online coupon which you can easily find online.

About the same time ammoman.com lowered the ammo to $199 shipped, like they used to. Ammoman.com raised price to $215 shipped, not too long ago. Now it's $199.

Isn't competition great.

So try online. It just might go through.

[steel-cut]

On the website it says they cannot ship 50bmg ammo to CA. But I heard otherwise. So I placed online order of 50BMG ammo. Sure enough it went through. And few days later I received the shipment. I never called and talked to anybody just pure online transaction.

It was best price so far including shipping. I paid litte less that $190 for 150 rounds of 50bmg with shipping. I also used online coupon which you can easily find online.

About the same time ammoman.com lowered the ammo to $199 shipped, like they used to. Ammoman.com raised price to $215 shipped, not too long ago. Now it's $199.

Isn't competition great.

So try online. It just might go through.

I tried to place the order on-line first but it would not let me check-out and pay for it based on my zip code. Got "This item can not be shipped to California". Thats why I called to see if it was a mistake on their part. I also tried to use a coupon which dropped the price down another $10.

[Nylo]

Write/call Bone-Head Vicky and tell her, and SG how you feel.

1-800-882-2962
custserv@sportsmansguide.com

[bwiese]

Write/call Bone-Head Vicky and tell her, and SG how you feel.

1-800-882-2962
custserv@sportsmansguide.com


Better yet, a well-written letter sent as registered/certified mail to its owner/mgr/CEO would be helpful.

He may even believe what is published in his catalog, and would like to know the truth...

Bill Wiese
San Jose

[Charliegone]

Yes, these guys and a few other vendors don't have a clue (like not shipping ammo to various areas where it's indeed legal).

Their lawyers DIDN'T tell them that. Paid lawyers give better advice than that.
Sportsmen's Guide probably asked, "Can we ship ammo or gun parts to CA?"
They probably said, "Be sure of the laws, check certain areas for these laws, etc. etc." SG was then too lazy to do it or pay for further legal research, so their sales mgmt guys just decided to do a blanket ban on stuff like this for given states/areas.

They won't ever get my business. I can understand some confusion over local ordinances about ammo, but basic state law is quite comprehendible, and they can look at what their competitors are doing (Bushmaster, Armalite, Cheaper Than Dirt, Brownell's, etc.)


Bill Wiese
San Jose


Tell me about it.. Can't even buy a forearm for a g-3 from them! A forearm! LOL. Besides how hard can it be for one of them to just go to the doj website and search for this stuff. Sheesh I can do it.:rolleyes:

[joel1316]

I tried buying some perfectly legal items from SG on the net and I was sent an Email saying that the parts I ordered could not be shipped to CA?!?!?!? Along with it a $10 coupon.... F that! They will never see another penny from me ever!

[Librarian]

We've had this hooraw about SG before.

They're within their rights to run their business as they see fit; if they overestimate their risk in California, that's their choice.

You and I are free to 1) write and tell them they're wrong and 2) spend our money elsewhere, and tell them so. If they calculate they are losing enough business, they may change their policies. Risk vs reward is always a balance, but the business gets to put the thumb on the scales where it chooses.

Me? I wrote them and inquired, got the same runaround and stupidity, and now I won't spend money there. And I told them, once.

I still think they're idiots. But I'm over it.

[Gnote]

I'm sorry you guys had a bad experience with them. If they treated me bad, I wouldn't go back either.

I am probably in the minority here but I actually order from them and they seemed friendly enough. I ordered a case of 00 Buck from them and UPS shipped to the wrong adddress. It was totaly UPS's mistake and when I called SG, they shipped out another right away. I told them I didn't want ammo that ended up in another's hand because I was afraid it might have been tampered with and they were cool about it.

Again, sorry about your experience.

[JS-M1A]

I checked this out too.I sent an email to the one listed.
Here is the reply

Dear X,

We have placed certain restrictions, on certain items listed in our catalog and our web site.
Due to the various state, county and municipal laws that exist, we are not always able to comply with each individual guideline. Not all of the restrictions are based on laws on the books, but could be a company decision based on certain concerns. Things such as whether the state law suits pending involving gun owners, recent court decisions that may effect businesses like ours.
Finally it may be that the states laws are so vague that they could be interpreted unfavorably in the event a court action was ever involved, and finally as a public held company, we are obligated to safeguard our stockholder's investments.
We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
If you have any other questions please contact us.

Enjoy the Outdoors,


Rebecca Reynolds

Customer Service

Visit our Website at www.sportsmansguide.com
Please retain your Customer ID Number for order status and fast Express Internet Checkout.
Top sellers: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/section/section.asp?s=2283
SPG Email sign up: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/email/specials_form.asp
Buyers Club Sign-up: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/club/club_tour.asp
Customer Service Phone Number 1-800-888-5222
Customer Service Fax Number 1-651-552-5305

The Sportsman's Guide
411 Farwell Ave
So St Paul, MN 55075

I will not be buying anything from this company.

[SkyStorm82]

They haven't pissed me off yet. I've ordered from them quite a few times...usually ammo.

[pieeater]

They suck I wouldnt order **** from them. I've also heard they will not ship ammo to Reno NV. and other parts of the country.

[tenpercentfirearms]

When I bought my FAB-10 I wanted to get some accessories for it. They said no AR parts to the PRK. I wrote them and informed them those parts were completely legal to sell, they still refused with the same canned crock they sent you guys. I will not order from them ever again. If a business is unwilling to support us in enemy territory on perfectly legal products, I won't support them or ever encourage anyone else to suppor them. They have the right not to sell to me and I have the right not to buy from them.

I have since made orders through CDNN with great satisfaction and SARCO with limited satisfaction. SARCO kept messing up my order, but thankfully it was in my favor so I didn't raise a ruckus.

I will say Cheaper than Dirt is a good outfit. In fact, they leave it up to you to know local laws. In fact, I didn't know tracer rounds were illegal in the PRK so I ordered a 100 tracer rounds and they sent them to me! At the time I was working for a police department as a student employee and as I was telling one of the detectives about my buy, he informed me he didn't want to know anything about it and handed me a copy of the Penal Code. Ooops. They have since been removed from the state. No more felonies for me!

[delloro]

Better yet, a well-written letter sent as registered/certified mail to its owner/mgr/CEO would be helpful.

He may even believe what is published in his catalog, and would like to know the truth...

Bill Wiese
San Jose

He who? Gary Olen? No such thing, as I learned a while ago. Some years ago, he sold it to some folks who went public and still use his likeness. but they will not put you in contact with him or forward any complaints to him. no way, no how. To the CEO? no way, no how; SG's customer "service" stops at the customer service lackeys and harpies, and it goes no further.

SG used to be a great place with good prices and fun stuff, even if the shipping was steep. now they are deceitful, dishonest, and after one thing and one thing only - money.

I have sworn them off after they pulled a bait and switch manoeuver on me with some ammo.

they SUCK.