How much over would you pay just to buy local?

[bu-bye]

I put up for sale my Kahr K40 that I loved to fund my SU-16CA. Problem was the Kahr never sold in time and I bought the SU out of pocket. Its been a couple of months and the gun just sold today. So now I ask myself do I take the cash or buy another gun. Well I have been flirting with a Spingfield 1911 for a few year now and thats what I'm going to buy. I make it a point to buy everything local to keep the shops open here in cali. Problem is they want $750 for a PX9109L when I can get is for $600 or less off the net. Sure add the extra fees that come with buying out of state but its still lower. With the extra money I could buy part of multi-stage press to load my own 45's.

On the other hand.....
These guys have been very good to me. If I added up all the discounts and freebees they have slipped me over the years it would be around $150 worth.

90% of me says "buy here stupid" but the poor side of me wants to save. Either way, I'm just going to tell my wife it was an even trade with no money so I still have a bed to sleep in lol.

[CraigC]

The truth of the matter is that local guys make almost nothing on those online transfers. Obviously, they understand if you're getting something special or one-of-a-kind, but we're talking about a current production piece. Some of these local dealers have got a lot of insight into the products they sell, since they deal with other customers who buy other stuff. You can't get that sort of feedback from the internet dealers.

Now, I know that there's this new-fangled thing called the internet forum, but c'mon, who're you really talking to? That "expert" on ARFCOM or The High Road may just be an airsoft monkey who played too much Counter-Strike. A store employee who lied to make a sale would lose his job, and get you a refund if found out.

Support the local guys, or you might not HAVE an FFL to do your transfers in the future.

[gunsnrovers]

Tough call. In May I bought a Hi-Power for $449 from out of state. The local ones were $679~$699. Even with $15 shipping and a $80 transfer fee, my HP was over $135 cheaper then the local pistol.

I'd like to buy local, but it's obvious that on some pistols, we pay a local PRK tax and I'll work to get around that.

[Nosmik]

I prefer to drive a few hours and buy out of state. With all the bad experiences here, I am feed-up. Overpriced, employee doesn't have a clue about guns, attitude problem, etc.
I think there's only one place that I would buy in case I find that "have to buy now" item.

[pitbull30]

Recently I was looking for a new handgun. I called all around my area within about a 30 mile radius. The gun in question averaged about 575.00+ Without tax, state etc.

One guy quoted me 675.00. Another guy told me he wouldnt give me a quote over the phone. Just to drive 20 miles down there and ask. I laughed and hung up. Another well known shop had poor customer service. Didnt even acknowledge I was there.

So after this I gave up, I resorted to gunbroker. Found a guy selling the same exact gun for 470 bucks+15 shipping. No Tax.

Talked to the FFL-70 Bucks No Tax.

So total I pay 560 flat which is roughly a 100.00 plus savings. 200 plus if I wanted to support the local guy and pay his 675 for the gun..

[imported_1911_sfca]

Originally posted by Nosmik:
I prefer to drive a few hours and buy out of state. With all the bad experiences here, I am feed-up. Overpriced, employee doesn't have a clue about guns, attitude problem, etc.
I think there's only one place that I would buy in case I find that "have to buy now" item.

If the feds find out that you do this, there's one place you will find yourself.... federal prison.

[Pablo]

Originally posted by bu-bye:
On the other hand.....
These guys have been very good to me. If I added up all the discounts and freebees they have slipped me over the years it would be around $150 worth.

.

It seems that you are good friends with your local dealer, this would be enough reason for me to buy local.

[colossians323]

It seems you are at an impass, economics, or relationships?
It is great being able to price online, to see what the rest of the free world pays for firearms, but it is also great to have a loocal source that takes care of you.
I personally have never had a relationship with any gun store, but have bought from many.
On the other hand I have used the internet to buy guns and have formed a relaitonship with my ffl transfer dealer, [shameless plug] ROB BLANK [/shameless plug].
If they have given you freebies, because you do business with them, 150.00 bones isn't really all that great of a savings. I would just buy the gun from the store, and call it good.

[CaliTheKid]

Do whats best for you. In this case it sounds like buying it online and having some extra cash to purchase what you need to hand load and thus save even more cash. You'll do more business with you local gun shop-- just not this time.

[bear]

Are you taking into account negotiating price with the local store. Sometimes they are susceptible to actual green money instead of credit card or check, for example.

If the local place can come sort of close to the internet sale + 'import' fees, that's good enough for me, they don't have to meet the price.

[bu-bye]

You know they really have been good to me. When I first wanted to start reloading a worker there, who I'm now friends with answered all my questions and even let me borrow some of his equipment like dies and priming tool and even gave me a box of .224 bullets he had at home and didn't plan on using. He also said If I wanted to come over to his house after work he could just let me use his presses and see if I like reloading before I bought. If I'm there buying ammo or something under $20 and they are busy a lot of times they just tell me to pay the next time I come it. Not many places let you do that. I think I should just pay the extra money and keep the relationship strong. If something goes wrong with the gun I know their Smith will take care of me and deal with Springfield directly.

Thanks guys for all the advice. I guess its kinda true, money can buy friends.

[Guest]

Originally posted by GunsnRovers:
Tough call. In May I bought a Hi-Power for $449 from out of state. The local ones were $679~$699. Even with $15 shipping and a $80 transfer fee, my HP was over $135 cheaper then the local pistol.

I'd like to buy local, but it's obvious that on some pistols, we pay a local PRK tax and I'll work to get around that.

Hi Jeff,

I own apiece of a company that sells to LE's so I get to go to SHOT show and have access to wholesale prices. The price you mention is wholesale cost on the FN Hi Power, and well below wholesale on the Browning Hi Powers so it’s no surprise that a local retailer didn’t do that for you. I would think a 15% mark-up would be minimum for any retail gun store.

BTW, currently both Rettings and L. A. Guns has the FN HP for about $525 so that's about what you ended up paying after all was said and done, unless you didn't pay tax which is due.

[gunsnrovers]

Uh, you need to look around. CDNN has been selling FN HP's for $399 for over a year now. There are a few guys who are getting the same pistols and selling for a bit more to the PRK.

Was in Rettings on Tuesday. No FN's in the store. Only Brownings and all new Brownings were above $675. When I bought the FN, LA Guns could not get the FN and they refused to assist me in bringing one in. Rettings is the shop that brought in the FN for me and they have a policy of NOT transfering pistols from out of state that they carry in house.

Just hung up the phone with Ted at LA Guns and did say he could get them now for between $525 and $550 (they do not have them in stock), but that didn't do me much good 6 weeks ago.

And yes, I realise that Brownings retail for more then the FN pistol, but the FN HP-SA is the exact same pistol as the Browning MkIII except that is is assembled in Belgium and not Portugal.

If you have access to wholesale prices, why are you buying all your guns at retail plus over at LA Guns?

[Gisherwitz]

GunsnRovers, my thoughts exactly. I will take this one step further after reviewing the posts of ShorePaul and LAGUNS comparing language, knowledge base and the plugging of one store in particular that ShorePaul = LAGUNS.

[CaliTheKid]

x1 on the Gisherwitz theory.