gun shop frustration

[thetrikerace]

I've had the following experience at multiple gun shops over the past couple months and it has me frosted.

me: Hi there, I'm looking for a Savage Model 12 Low Profile Varmint (insert your rifle of choice)

employee: What caliber would you be looking for?

me: .243

employee: we have a Remington 700 in .243

It seems to me most gun shop employees are more worried about selling you a gun off the shelf that day than helping you find what you actually looking for. I think this problem is probably helped along by guys walking into gun shops and buying the first thing someone puts in their hands. If you're going to invest in a new firearm, do the research at home first, find a model or two that seems to fit what you want then go out and find one at your local shop to shoulder. While caliber is important, I would argue that the specific model is almost more important in whether or not you will be successful with your new firearm. Your shop can order you a rifle, while you will have to wait, its a better option than walking out that day with something that won't fit you or do what you want it to.

 

[J E Custom]

I've had the following experience at multiple gun shops over the past couple months and it has me frosted.

me: Hi there, I'm looking for a Savage Model 12 Low Profile Varmint (insert your rifle of choice)

employee: What caliber would you be looking for?

me: .243

employee: we have a Remington 700 in .243

It seems to me most gun shop employees are more worried about selling you a gun off the shelf that day than helping you find what you actually looking for. I think this problem is probably helped along by guys walking into gun shops and buying the first thing someone puts in their hands. If you're going to invest in a new firearm, do the research at home first, find a model or two that seems to fit what you want then go out and find one at your local shop to shoulder. While caliber is important, I would argue that the specific model is almost more important in whether or not you will be successful with your new firearm. Your shop can order you a rifle, while you will have to wait, its a better option than walking out that day with something that won't fit you or do what you want it to.

I would recomend that you go to a gun shop and try to look at everything they have and leave.

If you know a good Gunsmith that will advise you on a factory rifle, talk to him and get some
input before you decide.

After several days of deliberation, go back and look at "Only the ones that you are interested in"
and pay little attention to the guy behind the counter because he probably knows just enough to
sell and ring it up.

Occasionally you will find one that can help but that is rare.

After singling out the one that is best suited for you and your type of hunting then and only decide if you want there rifle or just want a Custom exactly like "You" want.

Buying a rifle is not the time to be impatient.

Just a recomendation.

J E CUSTOM

 

[rscott5028]

Sounds pretty simple to me.

Choose one...
(a) look at the Remington for the heck of it
(b) say, "no thanks, my mind is made up and I'd like to custom order the Savage"
(c) leave and look elsewhere

If they had both Remington and Savage, someone will come in and ask for Winchester, Tikka, Sako, Steyr, Sauer, Klienguenther, etc... You just can't please everybody and the more specialized a rifle, the less likely it will sell to the masses.

-- richard

 

[wbm]

Check out Jim Briggs at Northland Shooter Supply or Bud's Guns.

 

[thetrikerace]

I know this is more of an annoyance issue than anything and there are ways to painlessly purchase the firearm you want. I guess I would like to see more integrity on the part of shops to listen to the needs of their customers, the research they've done on their own and offer them good advice and get them into a rifle that will suit their needs/wants. It seems to me in the majority of the shops I've visited that the emphasis is on selling you something that day whether it's the right gun for you or not. And they can't give me bottom line as an excuse. If they help me into a great rifle that I'll be successful with and enjoy I'm much more
Likely to be a return customer, spending more in their store. To you gun shop owners out there, please listen to peoples needs and respect the time and research they've put in before they come in your door.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Buying a rifle is not the time to be impatient.

J E CUSTOM

I second that-- I turned a rifle back in to the local shop once and got store credit towards another(the rifle was a vanguard and it was plain bad). I foolishly bought a rifle that day that wasn't really what I wanted, it just fit based on the bullets/brass/ ect. I had around. Needless to say I traded it after a bit and lost $$$ on it. I've sold or traded too many rifles for someone my age and I'm a lot more cautious about what I plunk money down on these days.

 

[Joe King]

I second that-- I turned a rifle back in to the local shop once and got store credit towards another(the rifle was a vanguard and it was plain bad). I foolishly bought a rifle that day that wasn't really what I wanted, it just fit based on the bullets/brass/ ect. I had around. Needless to say I traded it after a bit and lost $$$ on it. I've sold or traded too many rifles for someone my age and I'm a lot more cautious about what I plunk money down on these days.

That's why I don't buy new rifles anymore. I found that I'm a lot happier in the end buying one of the ugliest used rifles off the shelf I can find as long as the action will fit what I want and making it exactly what I want out it to be. Generally as long as the action is sound and I can get a fair deal on it, I'll do most of the work myself.

 

[FEENIX]

Why sweat the little stuff, it's not worth the trouble ... move on!

 

[Zep]

I am glad I found this older thread. I like J E Custom's point - "ask your gunsmith", I did this before I bought my last rifle. Actually I asked 2 gunsmiths.

I also like Joe King's comment - "find a good used rifle". I remember over ten years ago when I was shooting trap I walked into a little old style gun shop where they had the hand guns swinging on wooden pegs. They had an old Browning trap gun that was in darn good shape for the money and it fit me but I walked away from it and I still regret it to this day. Instead I bought something new for much more money (great shotgun but the old Browning would have been fine).

You have to find a dealer you can work with. And leave your money at home when you visit the store. I see so much impulse buying in gun shops it is scary. And if there is a great deal you can always ask them to hold it a few hours and go home and get the credit card, I did that once.

Most gun shops are tired of the newbies that have no clue so I can understand why they sell the way they do. But for those of us that want something specific or better we have to take our time. My last rifle took me 9 months to get.