Wal Mart?
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280

I say thank God for Wal-Mart. I remember what it was like to be totally at the mercy of the sporting goods stores here in my area. Outrageous prices and stores that closed at 5 pm on weekdays, 12 noon on Staurday and all day on Sunday. Hell, a 9 to 5 working man had 4 hours Saturday morning to shop at the places. As far as knowledgable sales people, well thats not a given at a sporting goods store either. 90 percent of the time when I go to my local sporting goods store the guy who owns it is out fishing or hunting and has left his mother there running the place. And a lot of the guys at hunting/fishing stores that actually do know what they hell they are doing are arrogant SOB's that try to steer you to what they think you need or what they have an overabundance of instead of just selling you what you want.
#13
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location:
Posts: 98

I agree Todd, in some areas, wal-mart has made some sporting goods stores step up and get back into competing for business. But, in some markets, wally world is closing down some good stores. I have shopped in good ones and bad. I feel for the little guys who are working hard, and always have, even before the big boys came to town. I have to admit, I do occasionally shop at wal-mart, but the only hunting supplies I will buy there is stuff that is on clearance for pennies on the dollar.
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: A shack in Arkansas
Posts: 2,029

Well said todd. i have no problem dealing with wal mart if they have a better price on a gun than a gun shop. i have been in lots of gun dealing business's and the majority are to high and i really don't find them that much help when it comes to guns that i want. one should have an idea what one wants.
I look back and remember that before wal mart there was gibsons or howards or otasco or whatever.
Ok lets say it's the night before opening day and you forgot your ammo or just noticed your hunting license expired and it's 10 pm and home is 100 miles away and wal mart is 5 miles away. where do you go ? call bubbas gun shop and see if he'll open up for you or go to the 24 hour wal mart?
hummmm i'll bet on wal mart!
I look back and remember that before wal mart there was gibsons or howards or otasco or whatever.
Ok lets say it's the night before opening day and you forgot your ammo or just noticed your hunting license expired and it's 10 pm and home is 100 miles away and wal mart is 5 miles away. where do you go ? call bubbas gun shop and see if he'll open up for you or go to the 24 hour wal mart?
hummmm i'll bet on wal mart!
#15

I may buy a gun from Wally-World if the price were exceptional, as in 15% or more lower than all the other gun/sporting goods stores in town. I do shop around before I buy a gun, because for me a new gun is a large investment and I don't want to pay too much more than the gun is worth.
I am very blessed that I do have a very good small, privately owned/operated gun store across town from where I live (called Cedar Valley Outfitters). What's even better is that his price is always +- $25 or so of the current market price of any gun you're looking for, and all the guys working there are very knowledgeable about their trade. I once asked a teen-aged Wal-Mart employee working in sporting goods if I could look at a Baretta (semi-auto) shotgun that had caught my eye, and he started to pull a Weatherby Vangard out of the case! And when I told him that that wasn't even a shotgun he just had a clueless look.
CVO is also very fair about things like trades. Try trading a gun at Wal-Mart and see what happens, and the big chain gun stores like Scheels will try to rip you off if you try to trade a gun with them. As a case in point, I used to have a H&K USP 45 stainless that was in 98% condition that was worth at least $450-500, especially since H&K no longer makes the full-sized USP 45 in stainless. But the gun didn't fit me very well and I couldn't shoot it as well as I thought I should be able too, so I decided to trade it off for a more suitable pistol. I took it to Scheels and they only wanted to give me $300 for it in trade, which is a minimum of $150 less than what they would turn around and sell it for.
So would I buy at Wal-Mart if the price were outstanding, and in fact I have bought a couple guns from them, but not before I've given CVO a fair look.
Mike
I am very blessed that I do have a very good small, privately owned/operated gun store across town from where I live (called Cedar Valley Outfitters). What's even better is that his price is always +- $25 or so of the current market price of any gun you're looking for, and all the guys working there are very knowledgeable about their trade. I once asked a teen-aged Wal-Mart employee working in sporting goods if I could look at a Baretta (semi-auto) shotgun that had caught my eye, and he started to pull a Weatherby Vangard out of the case! And when I told him that that wasn't even a shotgun he just had a clueless look.
CVO is also very fair about things like trades. Try trading a gun at Wal-Mart and see what happens, and the big chain gun stores like Scheels will try to rip you off if you try to trade a gun with them. As a case in point, I used to have a H&K USP 45 stainless that was in 98% condition that was worth at least $450-500, especially since H&K no longer makes the full-sized USP 45 in stainless. But the gun didn't fit me very well and I couldn't shoot it as well as I thought I should be able too, so I decided to trade it off for a more suitable pistol. I took it to Scheels and they only wanted to give me $300 for it in trade, which is a minimum of $150 less than what they would turn around and sell it for.
So would I buy at Wal-Mart if the price were outstanding, and in fact I have bought a couple guns from them, but not before I've given CVO a fair look.
Mike
#16
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471

I say thank God for Wal-Mart. I remember what it was like to be totally at the mercy of the sporting goods stores here in my area.
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 6,471

If your a small store you cannot compete with them on price, they buy in way too much volume. Their only weakness is they have incredibly stupid people stocking up their sporting goods stores and they have very little in there that interests me other then shotgun ammo and the occasional cheap factory load.
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a

For some people it works out great having Wally world, others don't. Here in MD, all the gun owners have this expert chip on thier shoulder. When most people I see couldn't get thier butt up a tree to save thier lifes. Most business owners don't know how to run a store. Some here in MD, doesn't keep up with the newer products, want to sit there and debate with you about knowledge of guns. I think that is the only reason alot are in business, they wanted a place to sit there and act superior to everyone.
But I have found one in Mt. Airy, MD, gunshack, that the people there doesn't debate with you. They will sell you anything they got without a whole lot of personal opinion. And for ok deals.
But I have found one in Mt. Airy, MD, gunshack, that the people there doesn't debate with you. They will sell you anything they got without a whole lot of personal opinion. And for ok deals.