Disapointment

[Rustystud]

Yesterday I drove an hour to the new Gander Mountain Store in Morrisville, NC. The purpose was to get some powders and rifle bullets for reloading. Guess what the Gander Mountain Store had no reloading components. The clerk said the fire marshal prohibited the store from carrying powder and primers. He said corporate said if they could not have powder or primers ther was no need to carry bullets. Strangely they had black powder and black powder substitutes. The federal government requirements for black powder and black powder substitutes is much stricter than nitrocelulose powders.
I think there is more to the story than has been shared. The new store is a big box store standing independently in a shopping center. The store advertises to have the largest selection of firearms in the state. I am surprised the "fire marshal would allow them to carry loaded ammo or firearms. It appears Gander Mountai's management either did not do their homework or has no backbone to stand up to local government. They don't have to worry about my returning to their store.

Second the store clerk tried to tell me the inch requirements for Boone and Crocket was 140" for typical. Unless there has been a big change I was of the belief that Boone and Crocket required 170" for typical.

This is a reason we need to support our local small mom and pop shops.
Nat Lambeth

 

[Taildrag15X]

Nate same here with our Gander Mountain Store in Plattsburgh, NY, they don't carry squat for anything to do with loading ammo........I shop local for a few items but most powder and primer needs are meet through the internet as the mom & pop starting charging $30 lb. plus for powder.

 

[JohnMill]

Hey Stud
Have a similar story from Stalingrad by the Lake (Mich) They hire clerks by the old standard, S4B. One told me the high cost of bullets was that it was not loaded ammo. I just left. No sense talking to that one. My sweety knows far more about reloading than he does.
John

 

[mshelton]

We had a Gander mtn here north of Richmond, VA.

They were horrible, stock was hodge podge and prices were the highest around.

Keyword again is 'had', they closed up about 4 months ago.

 

[civil82]

The Gander in Erie, Pa is down to almost nothing for reloading. I'm happy, as it forces people to go to local shops, where the price was cheaper in the first place. Our Gander NEVER had reasonable prices. If I can find the e-mail that I sent to their HQ several years ago, I'll post it.

 

[Bradley Walker]

Screw them... Sounds like a company of clowns....

 

[Larryh128]

Here is the ISSUE with Gander Mt, ALL of their buying for stores all over the country are done at corporate. The store managers CAN NOT order items for their stores but are limited to what the corporate buyers decide to send them. All of their buying is based off of the buyers experience(which may be limited) in Wisconsin. All indications point toward them going the way of the dodo bird. The only reason they are still in business is because there is some huge $ that own them. THE absolute worst big box store (next to Kmart) to deal with. Claim shortages, take discounts not allowed & pay when they feel like it. POS company with no clue how to deal with vendors or customers.

 

[HoytFlinger]

The 140" is P&Y minimum I believe. He is confused.

Sportsmans Warehouse is the same deal on ordering. Their Managers cannot order anything. All done at corporate. Very frustrating. Thankfully, I am only an hour drive from two Bass Pro Shops.

 

[clowdis]

My opinion, for what it's worth. Same is true with the store in Greensboro, NC. I think their business has been hurt by mail order reloading supplies. Most people who reload shoot a lot and therefore order in enough quantity that they can pay the fees involved in shipping powder and bullets. I always order 8 lb. jugs of powder when I buy powder and 500 quantity of bullets or share an order with someone to split the haz-mat. I've only bought from GM when I wanted to try a different kind of powder to see if it worked or not. Gun shows hurt them too. You can get a pound of powder at almost any gun show for much less than $30.00. Gun shows haven't done my business much good either.

 

[Beau]

I know of local gunstores that have been prohibited from carrying smokeless by their fire marshals too.

 

[jonbearman]

I worked for gander part time for 2 years. They told us the same bullcrap about the firemarshall. It was all a big lie and corporate controlled everything.We had a huge archery center and it is gone.They are down to guns behind a couter display now and no reloading. As a matter of fact I am pretty sure that there are money problems as their stock is dwindling and they will be gone sometime next year. Their prices were list plus ten practically.They couldnt order squat except for archery for some reason.All in all I wouldnt waste my time in that store again. The store is in rochester ny.

 

[KMart]

There are 2 stores in Houston. For a while they carried a very small amount of bullets but at retail + prices. The last time i went in, I told the store manager that they had just about priced me out of their store. That was about 6 months ago.

 

[tclaunch]

I run a reloading center/gun counter here in Memphis for Avery Outdoors. I`t not corporate, you need it, I order it. The guys give me much in the way of leaving me to decide what we carry. Its a great job, and I enjoy the customers very much.

 

[infantrytrophy]

The Gander Mountain store just north of Richmond VA was taken over over recently by Green Top Sporting Goods, a well-regarded local hunting/fishing store. Green Top will expand dramatically and occupy the nearby larger (former) Gander Mountain facility.

Link to news story: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2012/may/31/9/gander-mountain-closing-store-green-top-sporting-g-ar-1956017/

This was predictable. The local Green Top store is known for its excellent service - very knowledgeable and helpful sales staff. They quickly answer emailed and telephoned questions. It has always been well-stocked with new and used firearms and reloading supplies - bullets, primers, powder, brass cases. Gander Mountain - forget it - high prices, personnel not knowledgeable, virtually no reloading supplies.

Score one for a good local merchant competing successfully against a well-financed big-box chain.

(I have no affiliation with Green Top - just a satisfied customer.)

Randy

 

[Larryh128]

You're a lucky man, Green Top is an A+ store. Been there several times, good people.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

The Gander Mt. in Kalamazoo, MI is the same way! They have no powder, bullets, primers but, have black powder/muzzle loading supplies! Fortunately, there is a gunstore that has reloading components not too far from that Gander Mt. but, both are atleast a 45min. drive for me! Speaking of mom & pop operations, there are a couple close to me but, they don't carry much in the way of bullets, powder, and primers. Sinclair has been good to me except for when I buy powder or primers! The hazmat fee leaves me feeling a little violated!!

Mike

 

[doc gordon]

there is a gun score of 160 typical and 185 non-typical for 3 year period recognition but still 170 and 195 for inclusion in B&C book.

 

[rjtfroggy]

Don't have nor do I want a Gander Mt. store close by, we do have a Cabela's about one hour away don't go there either, Prices way to high.
I used to use one of the two small local shops for everything but one closed and the other is pricing himself out of business, no more competition.
I now use the internet for all my reloading supplies. I buy in bulk when I can and it does save some $$. Example 8# imr 4895 locally $198 plus tax, internet $171 delivered all fees included.Most boxes of bullets and or primers go the same way $8-10 higher per 100 locally,so now I type out an order send it in then wait for UPS, no travel-no gas expense-no aggrevation. Works for me.

 

[fdshuster]

I stopped buying reloading supplies at Gander Mtn. years ago. For some reason they insisted on putting the bullet box's out on the floor, where they were all opened with the factory seals cut, and of course, they all were "short" on the 100 count. It was obvious that "customers" were opening the box's and walking out with free "samples".

All other stores in this area keep the bullet box's behind the counter where only the clerk has access.

When I reported it to the manager, he blew it off, so from then on I blew them off.

I also found their prices to be above retail, but to save the gasoline cost of driving further, I would sometimes buy there, since their store is closer.

Good riddance.

 

[Glenn Powell]

Must be nice to just drive to another gun store and get what ya need. We have one, and the only thing he keeps in stock is primers and powder. Some of the bullets he has on the shelf are older then me, no that is not a joke! Every bullet I reload is ordered and shiped, right to my door, even though Ray says he can order anything, ya can't depend on him to order it. Been waiting 3 years for an #8 can of H110, and don't even get me started on the hazardous shipping costs.