Good buying experience at academy!

[muleman]

Ok, let me start by saying i tried to support the small local gun store, i really did. I had decided to get myself a LCP since the wife took over the Bersa. so i went by academy to check prices and availability before i went to the local gun store.

When i got to the gun store, they had the LCP in stock but it was 50 bucks more!! I asked why so high, and he said "its a ruger". I just couldnt make myself pay that much extra to support the little guy so i went back to academy and made my purchase.

It was totally painless, in and out in 10 - 15 minutes. The manager walked it to the cashier and then left. I gotta say, i have had horrible experiences from the one in Plano but i will definitely buy from the McKinney Academy again!! Now to go shoot!

[glbedd53]

Everyone likes to complain about the Mom and Pops getting run out by Walmart, Academy, etc. That's how they do it, by saving you 50 bucks here 50 cents there. Sam Walton was a Mom and Pop when he started but he did what it took to survive and grow.

[muleman]

I really dont mind paying a few bucks more to help out the little guy but 50 bucks?? cant do it.

[cougartex]

I have always had a good buying experience at Academy. It has never taken more than 15 minutes.

[texasjeep44]

50 bucks ain't so bad.

I just hope that when folks are looking for information they don't go to the local gun shop where the folks might know something, chat them up, get all the info they are looking for, and then go to the Academy or wherever and purchase the gun from the kid behind the counter that doesn't know which end of the cleaning rod to attach the brush to.

Yea, box stores might have the better price initially, but if you have a problem with the gun, or need something out of the ordinary etc, your just another customer. To the box stores, every customer is the same, every time you walk into the place. Whether you have purchased 20 guns or this is your first one it doesn't matter to them.

The local gun guy, well the more you do business with him, the better the deals get. He is probably more willing to help you through any problems you might have after the purchase and the profits stay in the community, thereby helping out everyone.

I will stick with my local gun guy.

[A-R]

I really dont mind paying a few bucks more to help out the little guy but 50 bucks?? cant do it.

I gotta side with muleman here. $50 more to buy a $1,000-plus Kimber from a local dealer, I can understand. But a $50 markup on a $300 gun is a bit much.

Anyone know what dealers pay Ruger for an LCP? I've heard it's $200 or even a bit less - but that's not from a reliable source. During the initial "new gun" rush, LCPs were selling in the $350 - $375 range - a few gun show ripoff dealers were even charging $400. But now $300-$325 seems to be a "normal" retail price, with $275 possible from discount online and gun show dealers.

[texjames]

Academy is buying guns for about 475 stores...thats hard for the small shop to compete with.
I feel for the local guy but i want to save some money and i will buy from who has the best deal.
Sorry buts thats the way it is.One great thing we have here locally now is the Base Exchange on
the local AF Base has guns and ammo in the store now...No sales tax. Thats even harder to compete with.
I have been a regular in there since i am retired AF.When i was stationed in Clovis NM i had a FFL(1985-1988) and
worked out of my house and even the local shops could not compete with me on most items.

[TxDrifter]

Everyone likes to complain about the Mom and Pops getting run out by Walmart, Academy, etc. That's how they do it, by saving you 50 bucks here 50 cents there. Sam Walton was a Mom and Pop when he started but he did what it took to survive and grow.

Yep, strategic locations and customer service WAS how they got there. The catch is that in Academy, I can't get a Kimber, STI, Wilson Combat, Meprolight sights for a specific model, etc. Similar to other small businesses, survival is accomplished by specializing and providing quality service. I agree that it sounds like a bit much of a gap in price but I would have at least let them know what Academy's price was and see if they would come down on theirs. They may not match it, but they might lower it a bit. A lot of these guys will haggle some. Heck, ask if they would throw in an extra magazine. You might be surprised.

[A-R]

I agree that it sounds like a bit much of a gap in price but I would have at least let them know what Academy's price was and see if they would come down on theirs. They may not match it, but they might lower it a bit. A lot of these guys will haggle some. Heck, ask if they would throw in an extra magazine. You might be surprised.

I agree with you in general - let the local guys know "hey, I'd really prefer to buy from you and support local business, but Xxxx Big Box store has the same item for $XX less.

But I also don't think it's any surprise to any local businessperson in a field as specialized as firearms what the few local big box stores are charging for the same item. Everyone you see charging $575 for a brand-new basic no-frills Glock knows good and well that Academy's regular everyday price on same gun is $525 (and this includes competing big box stores like Cabelas, which like to put a $560 sticker on a Glock then make a big deal about "$40 off special sale price").

And every local ammo supplier knows good and well you can buy Federal Premium 9mm 115 grain FMJ at Wal Mart for $9.47/box. They just hope YOU don't know that. Heck, during the ammo rush many of these "local businesses" were the people buying out the entire stock of ammo at Wal Mart and Academy and then reselling it either in their stores or at gun shows.

I realize above may sound like I'm down on local small business people. But nothing could be further from the truth. Local businesses that treat you right, go above and beyond, and keep their prices reasonable get my business every time. Local businesses that charge substantially more than what I can pay down the street do not. And locals who purposely try to rip off the unsuspecting public by reselling retail merchandise at a huge markup when certain items become scarce not only lose my business THAT time but EVERY time.

It's the same thing in real estate. When "One Percent Realty" types came along, all the other Realtors started screaming "the sky is falling the sky is falling". But as soon as home buyers and sellers realized they were getting substantially LESS service for this reduced fee, those who wanted full service came back quickly. Things like Wal Mart and One Percent Realty and all the other "discounters" have a place in any business climate. Some people only want basic products and service. But other people want better service, better selection, etc and are willing to pay more.

There's room in most markets for multiple different business plans. Previous poster stated it well: Academy has good prices on guns, decent prices on ammo; but if you want green front/orange rear Meprolight night sights for that Glock, you're gonna have to find a local gun shop or order online. Internet retailers are a bigger threat to local businesses than big box stores, IMHO.

[RHenriksen]

I agree that it sounds like a bit much of a gap in price but I would have at least let them know what Academy's price was and see if they would come down on theirs. They may not match it, but they might lower it a bit. A lot of these guys will haggle some. Heck, ask if they would throw in an extra magazine. You might be surprised.

I agree with you in general - let the local guys know "hey, I'd really prefer to buy from you and support local business, but Xxxx Big Box store has the same item for $XX less.

Boy, I wish I knew of a local store that wouldn't sneer at me and throw me out for asking. I've tried to haggle and failed every time. Maybe I'm just bad at haggling. Ultimately, the big store winds up getting my business most every time.

[FL450]

My previous two Sig purchases were from Marksman Range in South Houston but when I was on the hunt for a Coytee edition LCP I had all but given up finding one at a price I could afford when I ran across one at Academy for 310 on sale.
I had never purchased at academy but I could not turn it down for the price.

[Cobra Medic]

I just hope that when folks are looking for information they don't go to the local gun shop

I hear more bad advice at gun shops than any other specialty shop.

[muleman]

For the record, I did inform the gunstore dud what academy was selling them for and also mentioned throwing in a magazine. He offered to sell me as many extras as I wanted. I also found the guy at academy to be way friendlier and much more patient with showing me guns. I felt like I was bothering the gun store guy.

[texjames]

For the record, I did inform the gunstore dud what academy was selling them for and also mentioned throwing in a magazine. He offered to sell me as many extras as I wanted. I also found the guy at academy to be way friendlier and much more patient with showing me guns. I felt like I was bothering the gun store guy.

I have seen that to at local Gun Shops.The Academy guys are very freindly and go out of their way it seems to talk to ya and let ya take your time
looking over guns and fondling them etc. We don't have a huge amount of places you can buy handguns in Abilene. CDNN is located here but he is mail order
only.We have Wild Bill Pawn, Shoot'n Shop, Patriot Gun Works (class 3 and struggling), B&B Pawn , Frontier Sportsman (low budget),Indoor Shooting Range.
I was in one of them yesterday and some guy was looking at some pistols and he says thats not to bad a price...the guy behind the counter says we have the best prices in town.Good thing i was not drinking coffee as i would have spit all over the counter.They have the highest prices in town.Anyone who looks around would know.They also turn me off because they give you a feeling your and idiot when your looking at something and give you a feeling they wish you would just go away so they can get back to the bull sessions with the other workers behind the counter.We have a Gun Show this weekend and they have high prices to but i hope i can find some ammo. A local guy doe's gun shows here and has not bad prices on ammo.

[Salty1]

"Anyone know what dealers pay Ruger for an LCP? I've heard it's $200 or even a bit less - but that's not from a reliable source."

That price is not even in the ball park of what dealers pay for LCP's, the big box stores who buy large quantities get a better price, but it is not that much better. My cost is in the low to high $270's depending if a "sale" is going on with a distributor. There is also shipping involved. We sell them for $310.00 and typically will make around $30 give or take a few dollars. Some people believe that we should sell them cheaper, had a potential customer call saying he can buy them for $265 on the internet and wanted me to match that price, obviously I very politely told him to go buy it there, then he complained to me about charging $20 for the FFL transfer. I do not know where people get the ideas that gun dealers make lots of money selling them. I truly wish we did, the market determines the price either be competitive or go out of business...........