Stopped going to your LGS?

[Pyscodog]

I'm retired and single. My main downfalls are I smoke and love firearms. I've sold my Harleys so between the gun club and my interests in guns is about all I do. I like to hit the local shops quite often and I go to gunshows a lot to. If I didn't, I wouldn't have that nice new to me Tikka. One shop I use to work at. Even though I don't care much for the owner, I do like a couple of the guys that work there. I don't always buy but they are friendly and they show me new stuff thats came in new and used. He's high as hell on powder but usually has a pretty decent supply of bullets and fair on the price. Another store I go to is small but the owner and I have become pretty good friends as well as his staff. First name basis with all of them. His inventory is small and he's a little over priced but I buy there just to help keep his doors open. JMO, I am willing to pay a little more if it might help keep the local stores open. I won't pay gouger prices but a couple of bucks more isn't gonna kill me. And if I need it, its worth it. Support your local shops!!

 

[FNSafari]

I stop at a few once in a while, mostly looking for what they might have bought from someone getting out of hunting, shooting or reloading. One shoo took on a collection of components including a huge supply and variety of .25 cal bullets. I bought a few boxes. Their powder selection is spotty and primers are high. But, I'm guessing they are paying $10 a sleeve for primers and have to make a profit. Another had varieties of Alliant reloader powder but for $80 a pound plus tax. In the end its not my job to keep them in biz at those prices. I buy what I need and can afford and that's that.

 

[sandwarrior]

Yesterday I found myself in the usual Sat routine ....rifle range, then visits to LGSs. On the way, I axxed myself "Why am I going to the LGS?"

THey don't have the stuff I *really* want, but that's such obscure stuff for 6 Dasher / 6 ARC / Midas+ and some very specific parts / reloading tools. NOT AT ALL their fault. They can't guess what I'm gonna need. Or carry EVERYTHING.

Powder / primers are scarce.. tho they had Varget ($54 / lb) and primers ($10 / 100.) I'm good for now. No need to pay those prices. Leave them for ppl running out. Enuf hording.

Local car dealers have very low inventory. Might be COVID crap. Or maybe the effect of internet retail, that carrying inventory just doesn't make sense. Esp the obscure stuff. Same with the LGS?

LGS is maybe now really for the "newbie." Buy their first 9mm handgun, 100 practice rounds and 40 self defense rounds. Maybe a few AR15's for the "cool kids." Minimal supplies and accoutrments for both.

Is the LGS gonna survive the next 50 years? What are you seeing? Do you do the "visit 1x / week, every week" thing?

Best reason I can think of is they get 'old' (any used in fact) guns that you can't get at big discount stores. If you find an 'old' gun it's got to come through an FFL. big discount stores don't do transfers. Thus, unless you want your own FFL, it's how you get 'old' guns.

That said, I just bought an 8# jug of H4350 that I was running out of. I was down to about 400 rounds worth and needed at least 1000 rds. worth. It was too much, but not really that much more than what I would've paid shipping, handling and hazmat, IF I found it online.

Yes, they've still got uses. I make it a point to get there once a week.

 

[shoot4fun]

For several years I basically made a living going to ALL the LGS in my territory. While I was blessed to have made many great friends in them I no longer feel the need to "hang out". Yes, I think that is exactly what the habitual LGS visitor has become. Often, even if you do see something you like you will not buy it. Instead you will add it on to your next internet order.
PS
My favorite shop is now 75 miles away. Time and fuel prices keep me from them.

 

[BlueWater]

Ah but, LOYALTY is a TWO WAY street.

I prefer to support local business even if it costs more. But I expect as much loyalty in return as I give.

Yup. To a point. All of the examples of $80/lb powders and $150/1000ct primers are (at least IMO) beyond that point.

Still, to be fair, we the individual customers likely have little appreciation for who the intended target market is for a given shop. They might be focusing on the newbies, or the competitors, or supporting their range members, or whatever.

Had a small indoor range that had a dozen guns for sale and a robust reloading business. He offered fairly fabulous discounts to range members on his over-stock reloading cases. Purchased uncounted thousand-round cases of 9mm from him, back in the day. Literally, for "a song." If he ended the season with 5K to 10K too many rounds made (for his county contracts), I'd ensure him I would pick up the remains. He offered a steep discount. I always got 'em through that shop. Win/win. There don't seem to be many shops around, anymore, like that.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I have a new LGS 9 miles from me. It's been open for about a month. It has 2 sister stores. 30 and 50 miles from me. There's another LGS in the same area as the new one but the owner is closing those doors. He is actually the other owner to the Gun Range I belong to and is opening a store on the premises. 25 miles from me is another that I spend a bit of money in. The original owner is a retired Marine, he has now handed the store down to his grown kids. Both his daughters served in the Army over in Iraq, one is now a County Sheriff and the other works the store with her brother. They have a good staff and I will continue spending money there. I've always been dealt with more than fair and you feel welcomed when you walk through the doors.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Why yes, I was stopped going to my LGS by an LEO and when I told him where I was going, he said Go Ahead……..or he called me Goat Head.

 

[jcm800]

Local LGS gets alot of estate consignments, collections ect. They are nice enough to give me a call when something I'm looking for comes in. Been a customer a long time, will be a sad day when the owner retires.

 

[Pyscodog]

Been a few years since I worked at the shop I mentioned in a previous post. His prices on powder and primers are stupid high and I refuse to pay his prices. I know we blame the govt for all the inflation but a lot is corporate greed IMO. Years ago at the same store when the 22LR shortage was going on. The owner of the store was gouging so bad it wasn't funny. While I understand I don't really agree. He said it was him that ordered the ammo, it was him paying the hazmat, him paying the employee's and him keeping the bills paid that it was going to be him making the money. At the same time it was when people were buying as much as they could then flipping it for a profit at gunshows. While I understand you have to make a profit if you want to keep the doors open but $80 and tax for a pound of powder and $16 for a sleeve of CCI 41 primers IMO is gouging.

 

[Bill K]

Well the two gun stores in my local town, both do the best they can to obtain and get what those of us in the area need, gun, reloading and supplies the best then can, with the present situation.
It is just a hard time for all of us and them also to do this, but they work at it. So I deal with both whenever I can and they have a product I want and can get it. No complaints with either of them.

 

[AccelR8]

Almost all of the local gun stores are gone around here. There still is one in particular that I started going to almost forty years ago. It was started by a cop (I was a cop at the time) and he had an indoor shooting facility. This was a real oddity and a great asset at the time. He also sold new and used guns, ammo, reloading stuff and some cop gear. I shot there regularly and tried to spend most of my shooting money there. Over the years the store changed hands several times and I stuck with it. The next-to-last owners hired a retired cop as a manger. He and I really hit it off right away and we got along extraordinarily well.

One day a few years ago I went in and a total surprise to me, a new name and new people. I was treated very, very badly the minute I stepped inside by some guy who was way overweight, sitting in a chair behind the counter rubber stamping a big pile of some kind of form. I left and promised myself I'd never go back.

There's a Cabelas 2 miles from my house. I went there a few times but I don't waste the time any more 'cause they never have anything. It's mainly clothes, dog toys, and fishing gear.

About the closest thing to a LGS I now frequent is a small chain of stores, a local Ohio-based outfit called Fin, Feather and Fur. I give them a thumbs up! Not close to home, but there's one near the range I go to.

So, no more LGS's for me but I have to say, one thing I do miss is meeting all the Viet Nam Navy SEALS and Marine Corps snipers that used to hang out in those shops. Met dozens of 'em..

 

[chop house]

funny this thread has come around. this morning i got a call from lgs where i had put my name on a wtb list almost two years back. they showed me the spiral notebook, since transfered to a spread sheet, that was pretty dang full of wtb's they collected over the ensuing year(s).

long story, but today they sold me a brick of primers and pound of imr below midway and just barely over midsouth prices.

(some time ago they told me they didn't want to be known as 'that shop that gouged everyone' when supplies came back. they seem to be keeping their word.)

 

[DangerRanger]

Local shop just opened up near my work. I was on an emotional rollercoaster when they said they stocked reloading supplies! Then they had h4350! Then it was 100$ a pound!

 

[SecondsCount]

I like supporting local businesses but they aren't always competitive. I don't mind paying 10% more but 20-50% more is kinda steep.

One of the local stores closed last year and the other one seems to be doing okay. Sportsman's Warehouse opened a store nearby and I like going there because chances are they will have what I need. There is a Cabelas further south that usually has a decent selection as well.

I typically buy my powder, primers, and bullets online because I can get bulk lots/prices. That is something that none of the stores around here offer. They cater to the guy buying 1 pound of powder or 100 primers at a time.

I do buy factory ammo from a local guy who deals in cases only, typically 500 rounds at a time. His prices are competitive with the online stores and he takes care of me during these times of shortages.

 

[M-61]

A few years ago a local shop said (on social media) that if you've ever bought a gun from Cabelas, which is local to us, he doesn't want any of your business.

Wonder if he thought about that PR move?
Actually wonder how that worked for him?

 

[rijndael]

Actually wonder how that worked for him?

Well, they're still in business.