Small Gun Shop vs Chain Sporting Goods Store?

[Grayling14]

This question may seem rudimentary, and many answers will be obvious, even to me, but I am interested in hearing some opinions.
I am in the market to buy a new Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle. Since the only locally owned gun shop in my town burned down a few months ago my best options are to buy from Big 5 Sporting Goods here in town for $699, or from a small, privately owned gun shop 70 miles away for $800. I always prefer patronizing small businesses over large corportations, but; 1) Ruger has very few variants of the Mini-14, so I feel assured of recieving an equivelant product from either store, 2) The $100 difference buys 200+ cartridges at bulk pricing.
Question: Other than supporting a small business owner, what advantage would I gain from travelling farther, and spending more $?

[Ak44]

You might be able to find better customer service at the smaller shop, or you may not...Kinda luck of the draw. I would check out that shop and see what kind of people run it. And see if they deserve your money.

[Robb Jensen]

Have you thought of buying it online and having it transferred at your local small business gun store? If they can't compete for the price that's always an option.
Sometimes the small business offers things the 'you name it Nat'l commerical' store doesn't offer. The shop I work at offers free installation of any gun part we sell. Lifetime repair service (if the firearms has to be shipped to the manufacturer for repair) the store pays the repair cost and shipping that we can't do at the shop (this is my job). Most 'the you name it Nat'l commericial' gun stores don't offer this. I've been working there 5yrs and have seen exactly 1 gun company charge for 1 repair. The owner of the store I work for covered it for the customer but there you have it. This service doesn't include 'transferred' guns but does include all guns my employer sells = new, used and consignment guns.

FFLs are on a descending number each year. It's the Wal-Mart syndrome...Wal-Mart has hurt local hardware stores, paint stores, gun stores, bike shops, clothing stores, fabric shops, automotive shops, drug stores, home and garden shops and lots of other small businesses. Hurt them long enough and poof one day they'll be all gone. It's your money shop wisely.

[Thomas M-4]

The chain sporting good stores don't sell the guns I like to buy And they usually shit a brick if I ask to have something ordered
The small gun shop is usually more than happy to try to get anything I want even if they have to order it

[PrivateCitizen]

I am to the point that I nearly refuse to walk into a local gun shop, let alone approach the gun counter at Cabela's, etc.

Not only is the service a joke, the dis-info is felony stupid. There is a GD thread to this regard.

I shop exclusively online anymore and base much of those purchases on the sage-like caliber of advice at M4C.

G&R, BC-USA, Rainier, GG, SKD and a select set of others. If one of them was a local like VA then I'd surely go there.

I look at this now as a matter of preservation … even if it is(and it never is) more expensive. If they go under my procurements would suck. Hard.

[C4IGrant]

Have you thought of buying it online and having it transferred at your local small business gun store? If they can't compete for the price that's always an option.
Sometimes the small business offers things the 'you name it Nat'l commerical' store doesn't offer. The shop I work at offers free installation of any gun part we sell. Lifetime repair service (if the firearms has to be shipped to the manufacturer for repair) the store pays the repair cost and shipping that we can't do at the shop (this is my job). Most 'the you name it Nat'l commericial' gun stores don't offer this. I've been working there 5yrs and have seen exactly 1 gun company charge for 1 repair. The owner of the store I work for covered it for the customer but there you have it. This service doesn't include 'transferred' guns but does include all guns my employer sells = new, used and consignment guns.

FFLs are on a descending number each year. It's the Wal-Mart syndrome...Wal-Mart has hurt local hardware stores, paint stores, gun stores, bike shops, clothing stores, fabric shops, automotive shops, drug stores, home and garden shops and lots of other small businesses. Hurt them long enough and poof one day they'll be all gone. It's your money shop wisely.

Robb is right. The big chain stores usually sell Remy, Ruger, etc for what I pay. So your local mom & pop really can't compete, but as was pointed out, their CS will most likely be better.

You can also ask them (politely) ask for a better price.

If the small FFL's aren't supported, they will disappear and then you will really be screwed.


C4

[dbrowne1]

My experience has been different. The chain stores in my area (Bass Pro, Dick's, Cabela's, etc.) seem to sell mostly Fudd guns for full retail, along with high prices on ammo and usually junk in the accessory/cleaning aisles. I rarely set foot in them anymore as I always walk out empty handed, thinking "why did I bother."

If I want anything other than a firearm, it's usually being ordered online and shipped to my office based on both price and convenience. For firearms, I have a couple of home-based dealers (including a FFL/SOT) who can order or transfer exactly what I want for great prices.

There are a couple of independent brick-and-mortar gun stores around here that I'll pop into from time to time as they have large and interesting selections and occasional deals on ammo and used guns.

[120mm]

My experiences roughly shadow dbrowne1's. I've never seen a "deal" at a big chain gun store. Unless by "deal" you consider MSRP or higher on inferior guns, accompanied by ignorant or worse advice.

[GermanSynergy]

I prefer to give my business to guys like VA Arms, G&R Tactical and one other FFL (in Maryland for all transfers). These guys have an exceptional knowledge base, and don't try to sell you a bunch of BS.


I literally cannot take the stupidity and disinformation at some of the places like Dicks and a few of the local yokel FFLs in Maryland. Anyone that charges $3800 for a DPMS carbine with EOTECH (there is a MD dealer that does this) and treats their customers like total dirt doesn't deserve my business...

[BVickery]

I try and support my local FFLs whenever i can. But when 9mm was in short supply I bought it where I could get it.

I love patronizing my local gunshop, for you never know what comes in. When I was building my AR it turned out their order from Magpul came in, and when the box came in, it had 3 UBR's in it, but not for long.

Hell, I live in FL and LOVE dealing with Grant and his shop and though I know I will pay more for it, if it aint right he would fix it to the best of his ability.