Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How’s your local gun store doing? Mine’s going out of business.

Ours is just a hangout for the local police. There's more guns and gear in my pickup than in that store. No idea how they keep the lights on.

They are dropping like flies around here (NJ). Cabela's is an hour west in PA, the internet and high fees killed them! Some FFL's here charge $65 for a transfer, NJ law now requires all transfer go thru an FFL, I go 8 miles west to Easton, PA and have it done for $25.

They are dropping like flies around here (NJ). Cabela's is an hour west in PA, the internet and high fees killed them! Some FFL's here charge $65 for a transfer, NJ law now requires all transfer go thru an FFL, I go 8 miles west to Easton, PA and have it done for $25.

The one shop I used to frequent seldom has customers- then it is hard to get customers inside when the doors are locked. A couple years ago he changed his hours and now it is a guess if he will be open when one stops by. I bought mainly reloading supplies and obsolete ammo there but occasionally he had a gun that struck my fancy. The last time I passed through the area I stopped in an hour after the sign said he would open and an hour before it closed and both times the doors were locked and the lights off.

The last time he was open I caught him purely by chance loading up to go to a gun show. I bought some powder, a loading manual, and a box of 40/82 ammo. At that he was disgruntled as I took less than 15 minutes of his time, much of it waiting for him to fire up the card reader.

He has been around for decades but I suspect he won't last much longer, at least not as an actual store. What help he has had in the past has moved on and he seems to make no attempt at hiring anyone new. He will probably hang on with a gun show presence but that doesn't do much for those needing to buy things more than once a month someplace in the state. Even with his gruff demeanor he is a wealth of accurate knowledge and a great resource to tap into.

The other shop is two businesses under the same name. The gun side is doing well with reasonable prices on new and used guns. They do a thriving transfer business from what I have seen. They do consignments in addition to used sales which is not common in the area. I've done less business with them than I wish as they are an hour plus drive but it has been a good experience.

The reloading side is Jekyll and Hyde. If the owner is there it is a good time as he is personable and a font of knowledge both useful and
Interestingly trivial. He sold me my first reloader in 1975 and has been a favored place since.

The heir apparent is another matter. I only deal with him at the cash register and both of us prefer it that way. I've seen others turn around and walk out if he is in attendance rather than the owner. "Hippo-like" has been a term I have heard used and it fits. He prefers to sit in the office and when forced to leave those safe confines he is unpleasant and unsurly at best. I don't expect that side of the store to last if/when he takes over. Then it's a question if the gun side has enough business to take over.

All of the LGS here (except one) have fallen to the same problem (I'm speaking of Pueblo not Alamosa). The owners put their buddies behind the counter because the buddies are retired, they work cheap, and their wives are tired of them standing in the kitchen all day.
When they guess at an answer to a customer question that's a bad deal.
Also bad when they all have to huddle together and whisper to come up with the answer to a question.
We've probably had 4 or 5 shops that closed due to this same affliction.
The retirees were always eager to assist. They would be butthurt when I motioned toward the gunsmith or the owner and said I wanted to deal only with them.
Lots of customers won't put up with that. If they have trouble once they just don't go back again.

The one shop that is doing well is a father and son plus one knowledgeable employee. If you are in a hurry that is too bad. The shop is outside (Democratic governed) city limits which cuts the sales taxes for gun buyers by more than half. They have a large selection of consignment guns. They eagerly do FFL transfers. They have a reasonable selection of new guns. Occasional sales on ammo. One thing I really like is they will give me a quote on the phone. When I offer them a CC number for the deposit to begin the transaction they just tell me to do that when I come in for the gun.

When Obama put Biden in charge of new gun restrictions gun sales were good for a while, but I always wondered, If Obama was really serious about gun control why would he put Biden in charge? Obama acted surprised when his plan failed and resulted in his temper tantrum of 24 executive orders .

Yep Grice. They had10% off auto loading pistols, that was last month, could still be in effect. I was looking at rifles Monday, and many used ones were discounted on the tag. They have a nice Sako TRG that has the price cut. It is in 308, if it was 260 it would be in my safe.
They have new MP 2.0 for 429.00, and shield 1.0 for 279.00. Cool prices.

Same at all Walmart's here in SW Missouri. Not only the sporting goods dept but most other dept's. No assistance on the floor and 1 0r 2 checkout's open out of ten. Trying to force you to use their money saving self checkouts. No thanks Walmart's. Best customer service in this area will be found at Meniards? GW

Euro-Optics won't take in used anymore either! I think the firearms industry cut their own throat making $300 NIB rifles!

They shop I go to seems to be doing fine.

I'm glad that I don't have to live in a place that has Walmart as the LGS.

Small town i live in has 1 pawnshop. Kinda shady used car salesman looking dude. Gotta step around someone stretched out in a old dingy recliner to get to the gun counter. No deals. No dealing. Not sure how he stays in business unless it’s the pawn side.

The LGS I frequent is still going strong. Family owned by great folks. It’s been in business since 1973. I’ve been buying there since I was 13.

My LGS is at least second generation as well. And appears to be doing well. Two things I notice: (1) They have ZERO issue receiving transfers in, nor boxing and shipping transfers out, for internet sales. And their prices are reasonable $20 to receive, and generally ~$30 to ship depending on amount of insurance. (2) They have a couple tablets and large smart phones. When guys want to run their mouth about "well I saw this" or "I saw that", they whip out the tablets or smart phones and start comparing prices.

And finally SERVICE... Everyone is polite and none of the condescending talk. Just good folks to work with. Still local owned. The owner is in the shop most days. For a small town shop, they seem to be doing a credible job of melding the typical brick and mortar operation with some internet adaptability. Obviously better than Sears, K-Mart and host of others...

Well, this is AK so gun shops usually do pretty good. I know one of the LGS in town has made several bucks off me the last 9 days. I am going on three trips there in 9 days. First one I did transfers for 3 stripped AR lowers. Second time was for a spring I needed, and third time was for a .338 cleaning jag that they were out of and sold me out of their personal gun smithing stash, that ended up being a .375 jag. Granted they only got about $50 out of me, but in five minutes yesterday, I watched them do two transfers. There was probably about 12-15 customers in there at the time, and even though they doubled in size in the last year, it's packed. They have lots of used guns at premium prices. For transfers though and parts, I'll continue to use them.

I have only frequented two gun shops out of the five states I've lived in that good service. The one locally here, and one in Biloxi, MS I used to frequent. One in TX was ok, but AR and MT I never got consistent service at the gun shops there.

where i live, jgsales is not far, it's got lots of stuff. but not your local gun store, cept it is.
the last couple of times i have been interested in something, you go to davidson's, find what you want, and they ship to one of a number of local places near you. For me, that has been a pawn shop down the street.
I had a friend who now retired owned a very well known shop here, it's still in business.
he told me a number of times there wasn't much profit in the new stuff, he made most of the money on the accessories on the display floor.
with amazon, other internet sales places, you can order that stuff often cheaper, right to your door.

Well, the local gunstore here is also the local hardware store. I sure hope they don't go out of business!

I have a FFL and most times I can buy from Gunbroker, Buds or Palmetto cheaper than wholesale. The money is in buying used stuff. I cruise the LGS for unique stuff that is underpriced. Occasionally you can find some gems.

Two here in the Peoria area, on specializing in Target high grade shotguns, the other our local premier site for components. Illinois is meeting it's goal of shutting them down through the new Illinois gun dealer certification law. Pure scheitt.

My LGS is Grabagun's retail location 20 mins from my office. Order online and pickup there. My daughter just bought her first handgun when she turned 21 from them ordered on Tuesday and picked up on Friday. In and out quickly with no FFL fee but paid Texas sales tax.