GunsDirect @ Burbank, Ca = HIGHWAY ROBBERY. AVOID.

[Tarn_Helm]

holes de culos

Store information: http://www.yelp.com/biz/guns-direct-burbank
Why I decided to make this "review thread": http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=433680

I've been to GunsDirect a total of three times and I will only be back there one more time to pick up my brand new PPT'd Glock 17.

The first time I was at Guns Direct I was in the market for my first ever handgun. Having shot the p226r in .40 and 9mm I decided to pick up the Sig Mosquito so I can save money on ammunition and have the same "feel" of the p226. Not knowing ANYTHING about the value of handguns I went ahead and purchase a brand new Sig Sauer Mosquito @ GunsDirect for ~$455.00 OTD. I was extremely happy in the purchase until I found out they sold the SAME EXACT handgun at Turner's for ~$350.00 OTD.

At this point I was mad and disappointed in myself, I promised myself to do research before impulsively purchasing any handgun. I private messaged one of the workers at GunsDirect and expressed my thoughts and emotions about overpaying ~$100.00 for the handgun they sold me. The worker assured me that even though I overpaid $100 for the handgun that I would definitely be taken care of in the future.... this was not the case.

I went in for a second transaction today @ GunsDirect, this time it was for a PPT. I went into the store with the normal documents for a PPT: California Drivers Lience, HSC Card, Proof of Residency, and a receipt for a brand new gun lock less than 30 days old. Additionally, we gave Phil, the store owner, the firearm that was going to be PPT'd, a brand spankin new glock 17. Unfortunately Phil@Guns Direct did not accept my gun lock receipt, claiming that I had to bring physically bring in the lock in order to use my own. Living 30 minutes away from the GunsDirect I had no choice but to purchase one off them... They charged me a WHOPPING $20.00 for a gun lock. It honestly SUCKED because I went into the store thinking I was only going to pay $35.00 for a PPT but ended up paying $55.00.

Honestly, I don't know if they were taking advantage of me because they knew I was fairly new into the firearms community but this is the LAST STRAW for me at this store. It was convenient going to the store because it was fairly close by but I will never be visiting this store ever again besides picking up my Brand New Glock 17 10 days from now.... and the gun better be in brand new-mint condition because that is how I gave it to them.

If proof is needed, I will scan all my original receipts... Yes, I got ripped off silly at this store and definitely learned my lesson

TWO THUMBS DOWN FOR GUNS DIRECT @ BURBANK, CA. STAY AWAY FROM THIS STORE.

Thanks for the heads-up.

I'm always on the lookout for mentions of effed up stores so I can avoid wasting my time on them.

Best of luck to you.

[GettoPhilosopher]

On the bright side, you bought my P226 for a good price and get to pick it up on Thursday?

Sorry to hear this man. You were a great, relaxed buyer...I'd do business with you again anyday.

[knucklez]

It is not highway robbery to sell items for MSRP.

A Sig Mosquito MSRPs for aroudn $390. Add tax and DROS and you get your $455. Just because Turners went out and made a deal to buy 50-100 of them at rock bottom price in order to get a good price to extend to their customers during a special SALE period does not mean that Guns Direct is a rip-off store.

Like I said before, I'm not blaming them for anything, everyone's gotta eat in life, right? If I were really mad about overpaying for the gun I would've written up a review the day I found out I overpaid $100, but I didn't. I purchased a gun well above competitors prices and went back for another deal hoping it would be a smooth painless transaction, it wasn't, so I'm just warning fellow calguns members about a store that marks up their gun locks over 300% for a PPT.

On the bright side, you bought my P226 for a good price and get to pick it up on Thursday?

Sorry to hear this man. You were a great, relaxed buyer...I'd do business with you again anyday.

Thanks Bud and yes, on the bright side I will be picking up my p226r this Thursday. Shoulda went to AmmoBros for the PPT on the g17 the PPT for the p226r @ AmmoBros was smooth and painless... darn gas prices

[oaklander]

Here's how I would do it:

Print out this thread and fax it to their manager. Then schedule an appointment to meet with him and discuss this. I agree that gun shops should be able to sell a GUN at any price. I do not like it when gun shops start nickel and diming on the "CA stuff."

If he is rational, he will do the right thing here.

The ONLY caution is that you had better be able to face the man, and back up your words. The general rule is to never say anything online that you would not say to a person's face. If you can do that, then you have fixed this situation. If you can't, then your words are like "pleas to the gods" here. . .

[comblock]

Thats just business. You as a customer has to shop around and research the best prices. Google is your friend. The phone is your friend. Call and ask for prices and the out the door costs to you BEFORE YOU DO A TRANSACTION. Just think about this as a lesson that costs you $100. They probably did you a favor. Now you are a smarter consumer. Dont get fooled a third time ever.

[Blitzburgh]

This is not in any way pointed at anybody in this thread, just an observation that's been bothersome to me lately. I figured this was as good a place as any to post it.

I was always taught Value is a function of 3 things: Price, Service & Quality. You can't have all 3.

If you want to eat cheap go to Del Taco or Dennys. Food is iffy at best, service sucks. You want to be treated like a king? You go to someplace where the steak is out of this world and the service is stellar. But you are going to pay. Dearly.

If you want to buy a gun at rock bottom prices you wait until Turners has it on sale. But as we all know, the service sucks. You'll wait around for an hour just to see the gun, the employees will treat you like dirt, but what the heck, you are getting a killer deal. If you want convenience, you don't want to wait for the sale, you want the personal touch? You go to a small local owned shop that may be more expensive, but at least you get taken care of.

But not gun buyers. I see thread after thread about "Where is the cheapest so-and-so". Don't get me wrong - I get that! But I also understand that when I'm bottom fishing I will more than likely have to put up with bad service. That's the way it works.

(again, this post is not specific to Guns Direct or your experience there).

These poor guys that sell guns are trying to make a living and get beat up each and every day buy bottom fishing buyers, the DOJ, the ATF, the local authorities, all while trying to scratch out a living and continue to be able to provide you access to things most people here in Kalifornia don't want around.

I've seen a few threads about Atlantic Firearms and what a **** Blaine can be. Yep - I know this first hand. But when I dealt with him, yes - he was very short with me, he got me a PSL and a PTR91-MSG shipped to Kalifornia and at a pretty decent price. Do I care he was a little rude? Not in the least. I saw the PTR on his website and called to ask if he would set up the MSG Perimeter Sniper Model for me. "Sure! I'll throw the BB on at no charge and just charge you for the rifle". He can be rude all he wants to me. He got me 2 very cool rifles at a very good cost and shipped them to KA, something a lot of dealers won't do.

I think we as gun buyers want the world, want it cheap, and want to be treated like kings while we are picking it up. I think we want more than we deserve.

And I really don't understand why anybody in their right mind would open a gun shop. I had one a few decades back. Long before all the new crazy laws and it was a daily fight to make enough to pay the light bills. The competition is insane. The customers can be... um... a little demanding? And all the law types breath down your neck constantly, just waiting for one little mistake so they can shut you down.

Like I said, this is not about Guns Direct - I've been there, only live a few miles away. Bought a S&W M22A for $189.00 (MSRP $299). Have been treated really well a few times, and not so really well a few times. Oh well. Yep - I got stuck buying the cheap-o orange cable lock also. I chalked it up to me not paying attention to the rules. Next PPT I did there I knew better.

But the bottom line is I feel sorry for them - and anybody else in the gun business. I give them a lot of lattitude because I know they get jacked around on a daily basis. But I also appreciate that they are putting their necks out on the line to sells guns to us. And maybe in the process be able to make some money for themselves in the process.

/rant.

[Steve G]

Guns Direct is AWFUL. If you search my previous threads I have a horrible experience with them also. Stay away (sent from a fellow gun nut)

[knucklez]

oaklander, i'm definitely directing phil or whoever the owner of GunsDirect is to this thread when I am there to pick up my glock 17. If they have anything to say to me in person, I will talk to them about it.

comblock, I called GunsDirect at 11:30am before heading in at 3:50pm for a PPT. The worker on the phone said: bring all the necessary documents and the firearm. Never did he say "Oh by the way, just warning you, we don't do PPT's like AmmoBros, Turners, or other southern california FFL's. We charge $20 for a gun lock and it must be present so please be sure to bring one." I clearly accept the fact that not bringing the lock was due to my lack of knowledge but to have a lock price jacked up over 300% is not right.

Blitzburgh, thanks for your input. I'm not trying to be a dick but have you been to AmmoBros? I've only been there once for a PPT and they have extremely competitive prices comparable to Turners, have the most polite service from a gun store i've visited yet, and has the best quality merchandise any gun enthusiast may ask for. If i'm paying anywhere from 500-3,000 of my hard earned money for a new firearm, well then damn, i better be treated like a King or else i'm going somewhere else. I gave GunsDirect a second chance with the PPT and they screwed me so this is the last straw for them.

Steve G, I have already warned my sister and all her friends about this store (she works for the los angeles county police department). Let's keep this active so more people are warned about this store.



So far here is the lowdown: 4 people who have posted in this thread have been to GunsDirect. knucklez (myself), Cali-Shooter, and Steve G all had an "AWFUL" experience and Blitzburgh is the only member out of the 4 to have a so-so but questionable experience... Does that say anything about the store?

[Rob454]

Like I said before, I'm not blaming them for anything, everyone's gotta eat in life, right? If I were really mad about overpaying for the gun I would've written up a review the day I found out I overpaid $100, but I didn't. I purchased a gun well above competitors prices and went back for another deal hoping it would be a smooth painless transaction, it wasn't, so I'm just warning fellow calguns members about a store that marks up their gun locks over 300% for a PPT.

First of all, yes you are blaming them for your uneducated purchase that you did without checking out the competition or waiting for a sale or even walking in and saying hey x gun store is selling it for this much so can you guys match or beat the price. And you are mad for being "taken advantage of" which IMO they simply sold you a gun for a price you AGREED to buy it for. You made the choice to purchase the item "well above competitors prices" as you put it and now you have buyers remorse cause you can't return it and by doing so you are unable to get it cheaper somewhere else. So yes you feel like you were taken advantage of but you really weren't. You are mad at yourself but want to blame the store.
As for the gun lock Ive gone in for a PPT and forgot to bring a lock receipt and had to buy one at the store. 12-15$ spent. I didn't like it but I am not about to blame the store because I was not prepared.
You as a consumer made a clear choice to purchase a gun for the advertised price. Nobody coerced you into the purchase. I will however give you that they were wrong in needing the actual lock and you could of argued the point that all you need is PROOF of purchasing a gun lock in the last 30 days but you did not. I would of asked them where does it say I need to physically bring in the lock at the beginning of the DROS process. Then you came on here with the pretense of warning cal gunners about a store that is overcharging customers where by your own admission you paid the asking prices of the items. While I may never shop at that store i don't see how they did anything wrong. Just because a store sells a gun lock for $6.99 does not mean that someone else is going to sell it for that price.

I think we as gun buyers want the world, want it cheap, and want to be treated like kings while we are picking it up. I think we want more than we deserve.

.

This^^^^^^^^

[knucklez]

First of all, yes you are blaming them for your uneducated purchase that you did without checking out the competition or waiting for a sale or even walking in and saying hey x gun store is selling it for this much so can you guys match or beat the price. And you are mad for being "taken advantage of" which IMO they simply sold you a gun for a price you AGREED to buy it for. You made the choice to purchase the item "well above competitors prices" as you put it and now you have buyers remorse cause you can't return it and by doing so you are unable to get it cheaper somewhere else. So yes you feel like you were taken advantage of but you really weren't. You are mad at yourself but want to blame the store.
As for the gun lock Ive gone in for a PPT and forgot to bring a lock receipt and had to buy one at the store. 12-15$ spent. I didn't like it but I am not about to blame the store because I was not prepared.
You as a consumer made a clear choice to purchase a gun for the advertised price. Nobody coerced you into the purchase. I will however give you that they were wrong in needing the actual lock and you could of argued the point that all you need is PROOF of purchasing a gun lock in the last 30 days but you did not. Then you came on here with the pretense of warning cal gunners about a store that is overcharging customers.





This^^^^^^^^

I'm not mad or blaming GunsDirect about selling me a gun for retail price, that was totally my impulsive decision. I'm mad about them charging 300% more for a lock. I think because I wrote my first experience with the store, members are getting confused with what I am actually ticked off about. I originally did not want to create this thread, if you click on the 2nd link on the original post there are numerous calguns members stating I should warn people about this store. I don't want fellow calguns members visiting this store to come out the store feeling like I did.


And believe it or not, according to the Librarian@CalGuns, by law you are required to physically bring in the lock.
edit: but i only believe this is the case when picking up your firearm? i'm not too sure, can you direct me to some proof that the receipt is the only thing you need? i've been looking for an answer to this too.

Dealer is required to see you leave with a lock; the receipt alone is not sufficient.

See the wiki - http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/in...es.2C_and_Laws

[paul0660]

The sig, thats your fault. The lock, they bent you over on that. I dont know where your located (fillout your profile) but Oak Tree has been a pleasure to do PPT's at. I've done 3 the last two month, twice they gave me that red lock for free (or a penny, i forget.)

The OP is still pisst about overpaying for his first gun. Goes to the point of the last line of my sig. Get over it.

The lock thing, total BS by the shop owner. Eventually it should bite him in the butt.

[MacOtac]

You cannot blame a guy for not doing research... Guns store should have the moral duty and integrity to be courteous to their customers. They are a business and need to make a profit, but to go and do things like is explained above is ridiculous and shady.

We all share a common interest in guns and should respect each others interests and not turn this into a greed based business where we treat our customers like doodoo. It is the repeat customers that are going to bring you business.

[thedrickel]

Why didn't you return the lock after securing the firearm in your vehicle?

[bjl333]

I think all the above post covers the shop & price!

Small shops are hard to come by nowadays, it is getting harder for smaller guys to stay in business. I would say support them or visit Turners. Simple!!

[knucklez]

You cannot blame a guy for not doing research... Guns store should have the moral duty and integrity to be courteous to their customers. They are a business and need to make a profit, but to go and do things like is explained above is ridiculous and shady.

We all share a common interest in guns and should respect each others interests and not turn this into a greed based business where we treat our customers like doodoo. It is the repeat customers that are going to bring you business.

Well technically it is my fault for impulsively buying and I have accepted that 15 days ago. But yes, I agree with everything else you say. If I clearly overpaid for a handgun and returned for more business knowing that I overpaid for a handgun, I am approaching the business with the mindset of creating a consumer related-long term relationship. I guess Phil didn't see that in me and decided to charge me $20 for a lock after clearly showing him proof I had a receipt less than 30 days old for a brand new lock at home.

Why didn't you return the lock after securing the firearm in your vehicle?

This was even before I picked up my firearm, this was during the PPT process! My gun is still in jail @ GunsDirect! Oh yeah by the way, No returns at GunsDirect, all sales are final (even if it's brand new)!

I think all the above post covers the shop & price!

Small shops are hard to come by nowadays, it is getting harder for smaller guys to stay in business. I would say support them or visit Turners. Simple!!

I've been to Turners@Norwalk before and people are right about Turners, they have attitudes but they have the best prices. In my book, attitudes and best prices are allowed to gel together however highway robbery and agro owners don't.