any one gone to gun vault recently?

[Backinblack1234]

Not to bash them but the last time I was in there, it was like a bunch of Union Workers standing around. There were like 5 workers bsing etc and I saw a Mosin Nagant for $250 and it wasn't even a rare one. I missed the original lay out of the store when they first opened.

[1988]

Not to bash them but the last time I was in there, it was like a bunch of Union Workers standing around. There were like 5 workers bsing etc and I saw a Mosin Nagant for $250 and it wasn't even a rare one. I missed the original lay out of the store when they first opened.

5 workers for a shop ? $250 Mosin Nagant ? $1200 Rommy SAR-2 ? $1500 WASR-10 ?

It takes 3 engineers to install a light bulb. One does the installation and the other 2 would argue on which is the right way to install the light bulb.

No wonder they have out of this world prices to make up for all the overheads.

[cantony]

+1, cash talks.

Cash talks loudly at the BAGV. Their business model is very simple, give great service to the cash rich first time buyer who all work within 5 miles of them and over charge them by 30-50%. Think about it, a typical Apple or Google engineer has several thousand shares and only needs to sell 4-5 to fund a $1k purchase.

[pointedstick]

Positive experiences:
- I bought a Ruger Mark III at a very reasonable price there, but I'll admit it was one of those "5% off and we pay the sales tax" days.
- Once when I got my car stuck in the place next door when they chained up the lot I had parked in (oops, my bad), one of the employees drove his car out of his space so I could drive out over a wheelstop. Funny story.

Negative experiences:
- Outrageous transfer fees if you're coming from out of state and need to send your guns from store to store. It came to more than $150 for two guns.
- Pushy employees. This one guy seems either bored or stoned 100% of the time.

Meh, I mostly shop for gun parts online anyway.

Think about it, a typical Apple or Google engineer has several thousand shares and only needs to sell 4-5 to fund a $1k purchase.

Ain't it the truth. But more like 30 or 40 shares, especially in the case of Google! I mean, 2,000 shares of Google works out to more than a million dollars.

[Buddhabelly]

Cash talks loudly at the BAGV. Their business model is very simple, give great service to the cash rich first time buyer who all work within 5 miles of them and over charge them by 30-50%. Think about it, a typical Apple or Google engineer has several thousand shares and only needs to sell 4-5 to fund a $1k purchase.

Goggle guy will only need to sell 2 shares.

The weasels there don't shoot anyway...

[Cyc Wid It]

Sometimes phone shopping won't get you the best prices. I find that walking into a place, CASH in hand, and a positive attitude will give you the best results.

To the OP, seriously, San Leandro to Mt View isn't that far. Who you would try to work a deal for, some nameless voice demanding your best deal? Or some dude who walks in with a pocket full of money and a big smile, who took the time to come to your place?

I never understood this "no quotes over the phone" and "have a great attitude/kiss ***/show cash in hand/buy something every time you're there or PPT just to show support" crap. This attitude does not apply to any other type of retail business.

[SJgunguy24]

I never understood this "no quotes over the phone" and "have a great attitude/kiss ***/show cash in hand/buy something every time you're there or PPT just to show support" crap. This attitude does not apply to any other type of retail business.

It's called "probing" by your competitors. It happens more then you know. Guns are a hard commodity and have a profit margin to work with. Some vendors get better deals then others when dealing with manufacturers. While one shop can't fathom selling "Gun X" for 499 and make anything off that deal. The shop selling "Gun X" at 499 makes up for that in volume or just gets a better deal.

Now if I owned a shop and I had a guy drive across the bay to check my prices out, I wanna make that dude happy. I want him to spend every penny he has in my shop, if I can cut a deal here or there for cash then I'll do it. Look at gun shows, everybody knows cash is king.

[Acaron76]

I agree with everyone, avoid that place. I went in there and was not helped for 20 minutes while one of the guys sat there eating a sandwich and they only give out prices over the phone half of the time, it's really annoying, not to mention that they overcharge. Avoid it.

[battleship]

I recommend Triple A's sporting goods in Vallejo, straight up highway 80 and exit Georgia street thats not to far from San Leandro.

[Themandalorian]

I like them, everyone has been nice to me. Offering a Spikes Tactical Complete AR 15 for 900 dollars OTD, tax, dros and everything, now granted it was a sale but how is that not a good deal? Romy GP 1975 AK for 600 OTD, hows that bad?

[bwiese]

Several comments:

1. The Bay Area Gun Vault is run by some nice guys. I think they generally get things
right, a lot of folks are happy with them. Sure every once in awhile every gun shop
mungs a DROS, and some people just can't be pleased anytime.

2. Gunshops don't set the price on consignment guns, they just get a markup. Blame
the seller for pricing, not the gunshop.

3. One or two nice BAGV staffer have worked at SJ Gun Exchange; the former is not a
"spinoff" of the latter. Both places are good gunshops with nice folks and nice guns. In
fact, we're fortunate in the Bay Area to have quite a few OLL/black-rifle-aware FFLs
(shout out to brother Calguns sponsors City Arms, Irvington Arms, and Bullseye too!)

Count your blessings - consider your luck if you're way up north and only have Jones Fort
and Big 5 as your gunshops!!

4. Gunshops are not charities. That gun on the shelf takes allocated heat/light bills, rent,
staff time, state disability insurance/workman's comp, insurance, etc. It's called running a
real business - and it's a gunshop in CA so there are elevated thresholds just to break even.
Most people beyotching about prices have never run a business, esp in CAm or are idiotically
comparing gunshop overhead in, say, NV with that of CA.

If you don't like the price, find it elsewhere if you can. Capitalism works. I'm fairly sure the
staff of BAGV are capitalists and not socialists.

[Yute]

I like them. Went to find a S&W MP-15-22, which they didn't have in stock but quoted me a perfectly reasonable price, close to MSRP. They were the fixed stock variant, which I didn't mind. The shop told me they were a couple days out, but I would have first dibs on any that would come in. Put down a small down payment on it and went on my merry way - they called me the next stay saying they got the shipment early! Went in and did the paperwork with no problems. After seeing how the stock was had just one pin to keep it fixed, I even asked if they could pull the pin off the stock for me so it would be collapsible again - they said no problem, they would get their armorer to look at it. 10 days later I picked it up again with no issues - they had also pulled the pin out of the stock and didn't charge me for it.

They were also very helpful with trying to help me find a pistol for my girlfriend. A pleasant experience for me, I'll probably be picking up a handgun from them in a week or so.

[Themandalorian]

For the gun shops I have been to they've been great. Most shops I go to see an 18 year old kid and completely ignore me, not there

[teflondog]

For me it's always been hit or miss at the BAGV. When the owner (Gary) is there, I always get prompt and excellent service from the staff. When he's out to lunch, the employees aren't as helpful. If I'm looking to purchase a gun, I'd call first and talk to Gary to schedule a time to come in. I only deal with him directly now since he knows his stuff.

As a side note: When I picked up a gun after the 10 day wait, it was already cleaned and lubed. I was also told that if I had any problems with the gun, I should bring it back and they'd take care of it. That makes me a returning customer.

Prices aren't everything to me. I'd rather pony up a little more cash for good service than to put up with ignorant staff just for a good deal. Not to get off topic, but I've had a lot of bad experiences at Target Masters. I won't shop there again even if their prices are usually the best.