Buying local vs buying online? How much xtra to buy a new Gun local would u spend

[Jimmy's]

When all of the LGS's and the corner liquor stores, Mom and Pop hardware stores are all gone and you can't get something the day you want it or need it you'll know why and who's to blame. It's not the internet it's the users of it.

[Maht_g]

Never bought a gun online, but I will shop around town to price check and ask questions. 9 out of 10 times it's always the same shop that gets the business, if I only went there I'm sure I'd be way ahead on the gas money... this shop has great prices, every time I've checked online prices the LGS is within $20-30 and that's not worth the effort to buy online.

Ammo and accessories are different. Rarely buy local because the prices aren't even close, or they don't carry what I'm looking for, or sold out, etc... I have bought quite a few mags local when the prices are fairly competative, also at the same gun shop.

[Divernhunter]

I use to buy most C&R rifles off the internet until Ca screwed that up. It is good I do not buy them anymore.
Other firearms I have almost always bought new locally or sometimes from a person which I did before Ca screwed that up also. So now just from local shops or mass marketers that have stores here.

[Wordupmybrotha]

Nothing firm, but something similar to this. But if I really wanted it and the gun wasn't available online, I'd pay a higher premium.

<$25 25%
<$50 20%
<$100 15%
<$700 10%
>$700 5%

[rauldelga]

It depends on how much the item costs. 20 bucks on top of 2k isnt much. But 20 on top of 100 is quite the bump.

However. Whether im willing to pay a premium has nothing to do with supporting a business. Its for my selfish needs of wanting the item now. Id pay a premium if convenience is worth it. People say i need to support the local shops. Unfortunately what i want and the size of my wallet doesnt line up with what the shops are asking.

At the end of the day, any time ive spent extra money buying something in a store ive always regretted the extra cost. No matter how good the service was, finding out i paid a 50 dollar premium on a 400 dollar gun made me wish i had shopped elsewhere. To me, it isnt worth the 1 hour i spend in the store.

[Abu Riyah]

I don't have a set amount that makes me buy local over online. Availability takes priority, so I'll pay extra to buy online if I cannot find what I want locally within a reasonable time. Past that, the bottom line is the bottom line...I'm going to buy wherever I get the best price, especially if it is a new item. That being said, I *always* look for a local PPT before I look anywhere else. That's the easiest way to get off-roster handguns (availability) and $10 transfers with no sales tax (best price).

[FresnoRob]

I like touching before I buy. 10-15%. A bit more if I like the person I'm dealing with

[Lightstrider]

There are three main gun stores in my area I frequent. Two sell all sporting goods from hiking to fishing, they are the most expensive but one of these two will special order what you want and give it as close to competitor's price as they can which in my case I ordered an EOtech and Leupold for what it was online and the other store wanted $200 more for the Leupold and couldn't get EOtech.

The third store is all firearms and much cheaper, it's a little shop with the owner working it himself. They don't have much but he told me he'd order whatever I wanted if he can get it and match the price of the other two stores.

So mostly I can buy locally without breaking the break, except for ammo. The stores rarely have bulk deals and it's a waste of money to buy by the box.

[Norcalkid]

If it's close on price then I just buy at a LGS. Usually ends up being cheaper guns. More expensive stuff I normally buy online. EX SCAR was about $700 cheaper, M1A about $500 cheaper online. Where Shield wasn't mich more bought locally so why not support local.

But 90% of the time it comes down to availability. I couldn't find what I want local even at a higher price. (run of the mill handguns excluded)

[oc16]

it depends ammo If i am looking for something obscure or cheap I go online if it has free shipping or hit the forums. guns are a hit or miss at stores and I avoid online shopping to avoid California tax. its more of a mix but I would say ammo online guns at a shop if decent prices.

[beanz2]

If we don't support our LGS's, they'd go the way of Barnes & Noble, Radio Shack and Office Depot. Then we'd be like Mexico, where there is only one gun shop. Imagine having to drive 5 to 8 hours to start DROS then again in 10 days to pick up.

[mooseboy84]

This question depends upon where you live. In the SF Bay Area, the few gun stores around pretty much outright gouge on every damn thing they sale. Now there are some retailers that are modest, but many are comical the prices are so high. If you live in the Sacramento area there are more stores and prices are reasonable. Its actually cheaper if you're in the Bay Area to drive up to Sacramento and go to a place like the Gun Range which will have just about everything 50-150+ cheaper than you can find in the Bay Area.

Ive never been to any stores in SoCal, but at least from postings I see here (places like Turner's) appear to have better deals than what is typically found in the Bay Area.

I end up doing online transfers through my local FFL, which still is pretty costly (50 first, 25 every other) but it still is generally less than they sale the item for.

I wish I could purchase everything through my local, but I don't work for Facebook, Google, nor am I an ER nurse. The Bay Area is a bad confluence of stifling laws that make it challenging to be in business alongside an abundance of very high income's that don't mind $875 for mini 14!