When I'm going to put down a grand or so on anything, I guarantee that I’ll go in that store knowing more than anyone in the place about that product. I don’t care if it’s a TV, refrigerator, car, or firearm. I will have done quite a bit of research on that one item and a few like it and I expect to know more than the “counter guy”. So, since I expect to know more than the counter guy, then it doesn’t bother me that I do. The only question I usually ask is, “Do you mind if I dry fire this thing?” I will ask specific questions about any flaws that I see, especially if I’m looking at a used piece, which usually is the case. And I really don’t expect the guy to know the answer. I’m really looking for negotiating tools. If a gun is priced as a NIB and I’m seeing this and that, then I’m hammering away at a lower price right from the get-go. Like I said, I would do the same thing if it were a refrigerator or a car.WarHawk-AVG wrote:Well...at least you have to hand it to the guy..he said "I don't know" instead of blowing some "armchair commando" smoike up your skirt.
I hate talking to "tacticool" gun dealers who think they know about guns but when they open their mouths they just sound like a walking talking sales flier.
So, quit bumming the counter guys when they don’t know as much as you do.
Now, as to Collectors; I went there 7 years ago right before my plastic came in because I had heard they had a great holster collection and I needed a holster.
I went in, violating my own personal rules because I knew nothing about holsters.
The guy that waited on me spent at least an hour. He went to their stock and pulled a similar pistol to the one I was going to carry and pulled countless holsters out of their bags and I spent that hour trying things on, walking around, and generally getting an idea of what would work. I tried pancake, paddles, SOB, IWB, Ankle, and whatever else they had. I felt like a sophomore girl going to her first prom looking for shoes.
I ended up getting an IWB from a (then) little known Houston holster maker called Tucker Gunleather. I ended up getting a Heritage Special and had it built with the added feature of having belt loops cut in case I wanted to use it as a pancake.
I purchased that holster and a Galco CB4 belt and spent around $250.00 for both.
I was very impressed with the fella that waited on me for so long with a relatively small sale at the end and told him as much. I left with a very good feeling from doing business with Collectors.
Now, we skip ahead 4 years or so:
Kydex clips do wear out and have to be replaced every 6-12 months. I purchased my first 2 sets of spare Kydex clips from Collectors for the obvious reason that it gave me an excuse to go in there and look around. On my third set, I was told that they didn’t have any. Not only did they not have any clips, they had NEVER stocked them and that they had NEVER sold Tucker holsters.
High prices don’t bother me so much if they are the only place in town that has stock and the personnel to actually sell that stock but I hold no truck for this.
I’ve related this story on this forum before and it’s not my intention to beat that horse again but I will repeat the fact that I too have never darkened their door again and never will.