Where do you go to buy your firearms?

[Lethaldosage47]

This is a post that is following up my previous post of wanting to buy a shotgun. In my last post I asked what you would recommend for a type/brand of shotgun I should buy. Most of you had recommended a Remington 870 or a mossberg 500. After a little research and sitting on it for awhile, I ended up deciding I wanted to go with the Remington 870 Express Tactical.

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Roughly, this shotgun if bought from the Remington website it going to cost me 650ish. The question I had was where do you buy your firearms? Is there a more reasonably priced website or do you prefer to buy from your local gun shop? Same with any attachments and what not. Any positive feedback at all would be great. Thanks!

 

[Kalamity023]

I have a local gun shop that I'm loyal to. He is always fair, knowledgable, and all around a great guy. I prefer the local guy because I value the relationship I can build with him. He usually charges about $50-$70 over what he pays and if he isn't in stock he orders it and has it in a day or 2. If I see something and have to think about it he always holds it for me until I decide. (I usually bring it home) To me that's a much better value than a website. Not to mention the stories he tells... He's been in business for a long time!

 

[Purple]

Try Budsgunshop.com . I've bought lots of guns through them for customers and handled the FFL transfers. Good prices.

 

[Duke of Advil]

I seem to find the best deals at gun shows.

 

[gunnerbob]

I've never purchased online, always at local gunshops and/or local gun shows.

 

[rogn]

If $ are important, get the Mossberg. And get it from your local shop. Both are good weapons, but in my conversations with front line troops, most prefer the Mossbergs. Nothing bad said about the Remis, except maybe too tight.

 

[Sandy Scott]

I've purchased two guns this week, one Mossberg 500 tactical shotgun model 51523 and one Ruger LCR with CT. Bought the former at my favorite dealer, Cheaper Than Dirt. They have the best prices and fast shipping. The Ruger was purchased at Bud's Police Supply, a division of Bud's Gun Shop. I used them for the Ruger because they had stock. Even thought they discount for police & military (active and retired) their prices are higher than CTD and if you want the advertised price, you have to pay cash which entails sending a check or doing an electronic bank transfer. Even though I did the latter, they still didn't ship for a week allegedly awaiting fund clearance which happens the same day. Grab-a-gun also seems to have great prices and good stock. Right now I'm waiting for one of them to get a S&W Shield in stock - I want one!

BTW, that Remington looks super - I would have considered it in retrospect having seen the picture you posted and knowing the super reputation of Remington and the 870 series of shotguns. I think no one can go wrong with either a Mossberg or Remington although the former is a bit less expensive.

 

[Sir Diealotz]

Friend who has FFL gets me whatever I want.

A few years ago I was about to order a remi 870 express tactical from my friend FFL when another friend offered me his like new Benelli tactical at a price I couldn't pass up.

It's a sweet HD shottie now (I added a few accessories)

 

[hogdoc357]

I have bought at a gun show. I have bought online (Cheaper Than Dirt & Bud's Gun Shop) and had the guns sent to a FFL local dealer. I have bought from local gun shops too.

 

[Lethaldosage47]

After having both the remington 870 and thr mossberg 500 in my hands, I didnt see all that much of a difference. The one thing I really didnt like how the Mossberg safety is located in an very inconvienent spot on top. So after looking and looking the remington is my decision. now its just finding a seller.

 

[craigguinn]

i always use a local gunshop that i have patronized for several years. they are always the cheapest, and if they don't have what i want they will get for me in a matter of days. by the time i pay an ffl and freight it just seems cheaper and faster using the local guys.

 

[MPO Southy]

I rode with a Remington 870 Express next to me for 20+ years,and after retirement I now have a Rem.870 Express (with extended mag.)as one of my HD weapons.I wouldn't be without one.As for buying,I prefer to deal locally but on occasion I have made purchases at gunshows.

 

[piesyor]

I have purchased about 15 new guns this year. 85% from budsguns.com, 10% from cheaperthandirt.com & 5% from Cabellas

 

[bimmerstuff]

I usually buy my guns from the gunshows, but I've also had good luck with GunBroker.com, both buying and selling. I also have good luck at Butch's Guns here in Seattle. They're a bit gruff until after you've been there a few times and get to know you, and then they're a fine bunch to work with. I also had this experience a couple of days ago at while attempting to buy a Mossberg 500, 20"bbl, 8-shot gun that was on sale for $299.99:

I went to the Big 5 Sporting Goods store in Ballard on Leary Way to look at a Mossberg shotgun that is on sale this week. After looking at the display model, I told the clerk that I wanted to buy one. I won't bore you with the customer service issues that arose during the 65 minutes (!) I was in the store, but suffice it to say, I walked out without buying a shotgun! After filling out the Form 4473 (new version, and I'm still not Hispanic), the young lady was told by a coworker not to forget the "questions". Well, those questions are what has prompted me to contact you. The first question was, "are you buying this for yourself or someone else?" I indicated to the clerk the first check box on the 4473, which asked for that very information, and indicated my response to that question. Then came the zinger, "what are you going to use this gun for?" The next loud noise was my lower jaw striking the glass counter top. I looked at her and told her that "it was none of her business", and in fact may be illegal for her to ask. Her reply was that it was "store policy" to ask those particular questions. I asked her to bring the manager over and I would tell him the same thing. I never got to ask a manager. At approximately minute 50 of my visit, I was told that the NICS check was a "proceed", at which time she began to fill out an internal form for removing the gun from their locker. I noticed that she was copying the serial number from the display gun onto the form. I asked her if the display gun was the only one they had in the store, to which she replied "no, we have more in the back, but all the serial numbers are the same". After 15 minutes more, and still no shotgun, I left in disgust telling her coworker that I was leaving and that it shouldn't take an hour to buy a shotgun.

As one might guess, I'll NOT be buying anything else from Big 5!

 

[piesyor]

I think I have to change my opinion on Buds.
In the past I have received my purchase at my FFL dealer within 2-3 days of my order.
This time I still have an order pending and it's the 6th day already. There policy says usually within 7 days.
Possibly a mgmt change or a policy change has slowed down there previously lightning fast order processing.
I may have to reconsider where I make any futon-lineline purchases.

 

[coldwater]

I try to support my local gun shops. I really want them to stay around. As far as odds and ends, I usually buy on line after searching the best price. This includes everything but powder for reloading.
I picked up a Mossberg 590 A-1 for a tac shotty.

 

[mmckee1952]

When ever I want to be informed on a gun, I type the gun's info into Google and then proceed to rule out the places that want an arm & a leg for it and then dray up a Excel spreadsheet listing every place that has this gun and the prices, that way I can obtain the best price possible, I have to do this because I can't keep all the places in my head, No confusion, I can look it over after a few days or when I obtain enough money to but it. I also have a favorite FFL dealor & since I do alot of gun buying from him, I'm able to also put gun's he has onhand on layaway, so I can make payments, isn't that great or what?

 

[Etkini]

The last purchase I made, I got it through a guy that's about 30 minutes from me who operates out of his house. I was going to purchase a Springfield XDM 40 from Bud's Gun Shop but he got it to me cheaper; even after tax I still paid less than the cost of the handgun and the $20 transfer. Before that, I was going to purchase a Remington 700 SPS Tactical from Bud's, but found one used (almost new, really) in a shop that was local that had it set up almost how I wanted it for a price I couldn't refuse (the trouble I had trying to buy it is another story..). Any purchase I make from here on out is probably going to be through that FFL that's local to me, as he only charges $30-60 over what his cost is. I'm not a big fan of used firearms, unless I can get a really good deal on it.

Sometimes you can find a good deal on Gunbroker too. I know, because I've sold one that was a sweet deal for the buyer, and that's actually how I met the guy I now do business with. :yes4:

 

[Sandy Scott]

I try to support my local gun shops. I really want them to stay around. As far as odds and ends, I usually buy on line after searching the best price. This includes everything but powder for reloading.
I picked up a Mossberg 590 A-1 for a tac shotty.

IOW, you really don't support your LGS in that their bread and butter is those little "odds and ends."

 

[Sandy Scott]

I think I have to change my opinion on Buds.
In the past I have received my purchase at my FFL dealer within 2-3 days of my order.
This time I still have an order pending and it's the 6th day already. There policy says usually within 7 days.
Possibly a mgmt change or a policy change has slowed down there previously lightning fast order processing.
I may have to reconsider where I make any futon-lineline purchases.

I recently made a purchase from Bud's Police Supply. I transferred the funds electronically the same day and they took about a week prior to shipping. I thought that was crap service.