Online Handgun Puchases?

[zxcvbnm]

I generally will rent what I'm looking for at a range first. I probably rented the equivalent of the price of a Glock looking for my first handgun so the range made out pretty good on me.

Depending on where you rent and shoot, I've found it's actually easier on the wallet to buy a new gun, shoot it, and sell it rather than spend the money to rent. If I liked it I would keep it and if I didn't like it I could sell if it was a popular enough gun.

 

[pilot25]

Depending on where you rent and shoot, I've found it's actually easier on the wallet to buy a new gun, shoot it, and sell it rather than spend the money to rent. If I liked it I would keep it and if I didn't like it I could sell if it was a popular enough gun.

yes, that is what I should have done but since it was my first purchase I didn't even know where to start.

I'm a member of HTC now and they have a huge selection of firearms to try and all it costs me is ammo.

 

[jlowe23]

One P938 Nitron coming up....Check your PM box and careful the plate is hot!

 

[kenpo333]

Always great to support local good businesses. Try working with the FFL IP's. They have always treated me right.

 

[pilot25]

Always great to support local good businesses. Try working with the FFL IP's. They have always treated me right.

No kidding! I think jlowe is hooking me up...

 

[pilot25]

Jlowe,

I just sent you two PMs with my name and email.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Like HawaiiMark mentioned, being able to be hands on with a specific item is a major plus.

 

[pilot25]

Ha.....I just bought a gun online from a local dealer. Killed this thread with that one.

If it weren't for the reviews on here I would have never done it. Just plopped down a bunch of money for a gun I have never seen to a guy I have never met.

 

[Stoveman]

You would be surprised at how many people pay MORE for a gun online when we can beat the online gun store's price. Had a guy the other day pay $43 more for a Glock he found online. And that was with everything factored in.

Some people try and haggle with us for $5 vs online gun stores.

Had a guy in last week that was on Bud's Gun Shop's website on his phone and using me as their showroom. He felt 4 handguns before I figured it out. He said "They're just cheaper and you can't feel the guns before you buy online." I said, "If you want to save $40, then you're buying before you touch it." He said, "Well, that's what you're here for." It was then that I asked him to leave my store. He can back two days later and bought a Taurus 809 because he felt guilty about what he was doing... LOL

If saving a few dollars is worth it to you, by all means, buy online. If a local gun store's expertise, the face to face interaction and customer service is worth $50 to you, buy from your local gun store.

That guy should feel guilty.

Geez, he already bought a Taurus, no need to pile on......

 

[TylerFirearms]

Geez, he already bought a Taurus, no need to pile on......

Kenny says that about Hi-Point, too. One of these days I'm gonna load up a round of G2 RIP in a Hi-Point 380 and shoot him in the leg. Then I'll say, "I told you. It's not a POS."... LMAO

 

[pilot25]

Anyone live near the area of Jlowes? Looks like I'm headed up there to pick up a new purchase in a while. Anything special I should visit since it's and hour and half away?

 

[Chaim]

I have bought both online and from local stores. Most of my online purchases have been used guns (though I usually look locally for a little while first to see if I can find what I want here), or guns that are hard to find. My last new online purchase was late last winter or early spring when I bought a 3" Rossi 461 (there were none available locally). Though, when the price is right, I will buy online without feeling guilty. I don't go to the local shop to just fondle guns. I will often handle them when shopping prices (if the local shop is within a reasonable price difference of online I'll buy from them, but if not, I'll buy online) but I only handle a gun at a shop if the shop is truly in the running for the purchase so no need to feel guilty. Note, when I say a reasonable difference, I don't just mean $10 here or $20 there, but if the local FFL is significantly more expensive I'll buy online. Also, I've found most local FFL's charge $60-75 for transfer fees and I figure that's a pretty nice profit for helping me with some paperwork and storing my gun for the waiting period, so I'm not really contributing to the demise of locally owned businesses IMO. Sure, if you go with a gunsmith without a storefront you can sometimes find someone cheaper, but the lack of a storefront and limited hours (often by appointment only) has dissuaded me from going that way so far. I haven't been buying guns as much lately as I used to, but in the last 5 or 6 years (6 or 7 guns), I bought my P250 and the previously mentioned Rossi online (both new), go back to the entire time I've bought and owned guns, I've bought a few online, but by far the vast majority I've bought were local.

I no longer buy from those local stores who treat you like you are bothering them. I now stick to those who obviously appreciate their customers (and we have quite a few in MD). However, sometimes you will get a much better deal online, and I don't feel it necessary to apologize for those guns I have bought online.

 

[pilot25]

Well, to update. I purchased a P938 from Jlowes Guns. No he doesn't have a store but he is an IP. He gave me a good deal. Good enough to drive 3 hours round trip to get it.

So far the process has been smooth and Jlowe has been prompt in his responses to me. Hopefully the pick up will be smooth too.