I've never bought a firearm from a 'box' store, but I was in one the other day and the had a Mossberg 500 with a smooth and rifled barrel combo for sub 300 bucks. They also have right now a Mossberg 500 special purpose for the same price range. Anyone ever had issues with buying from them? I could buy a used 500 with a rib vent barrel then I'd have to buy another barrel to get the same thing. Just curious as to how people have felt about Dunhams.
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Dunhams quality
- Thread starter Rexmage
- Start date
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On the whole, they are overpriced and the employees are a bunch of ignorant dumb a$$'s. Been there several times and each time confirmed my first impression.
Just my opinion of course!
Just my opinion of course!
That's the case in some of their stores but not all. I only go to the Marion store, or the Wabash store if I get that way. Been to a few of the others and was not that impressed. Anytime I go to a box box store, I go knowing what I want or need. If I am looking for knowledge on an item, I tend to go to my LGS.
funeralweb
Expert
Never had a problem with the Windham-built Bushmaster I picked up from them several years ago. Most of their stores have decent selection and have even added handguns recently. You won't find much of anything exotic but lots of stuff that's fun to shoot.
I visit the Dunham's in the Fort frequently. The normal prices are fair to high. The sale prices can be very interesting. The folks who man the firearms section are young and inexperienced. They are able to read the data on the label and tell you what is written in the documentation given to them. They are good kids, but they know more about city high school sports than shooting. They are polite and helpful, but they are not experts in the firearms department. Can't blame them for this. They are hired to stock shelves and pull things out of the locked gun cabinets. They are not supposed to know about firearms. I have met a couple older guys working the department, and they have more knowledge of the products offered than the kids; but they are store keepers, not warriors, hunters, or shooters. Does not mean the are "dumb a**es", just that their expertise is in other areas.
The handgun selection is limited, but useful. One can fondle the hardware and check prices, but one best know competitor prices if one hopes to make a purchase.
My biggest complaint with the department is that the long guns are locked up behind the counter. It is impossible to see what is written on the tags, so one has no idea of the caliber or the prices of a gun. Often the guns are grouped by manufacturer, but even then you can't tell what they have unless you are very knowledgeable, have great eyesight, and can recognize a gun in poor lighting from over six feet away.
The handgun selection is limited, but useful. One can fondle the hardware and check prices, but one best know competitor prices if one hopes to make a purchase.
My biggest complaint with the department is that the long guns are locked up behind the counter. It is impossible to see what is written on the tags, so one has no idea of the caliber or the prices of a gun. Often the guns are grouped by manufacturer, but even then you can't tell what they have unless you are very knowledgeable, have great eyesight, and can recognize a gun in poor lighting from over six feet away.
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This is my biggest complaint as well. I'd add that, in the Bedford store, they like to put the handgun ammo in a lower cabinet, down and behind the counter. It shouldn't bother me because if it's like their rifle ammo, it's probably too high too.
I used to work forn Dunhams in laporte, bought a gun or two while I worked there, always good stuff, prices can be decent when there's a sale and ya most of the people who work there don't know a lot about the guns, but it's a decent place all around
The Bubba Effect
Grandmaster
I had good experiences buying Mosins from their Bedford store. $80 for a proper fascist killing battle rifle, heck yah.
A brand X gun from there is going to be the same as a brand X gun from Buds or your LGS, and would be covered and serviced by the manufacturer.
Regular price is usually fairly high there, but they do have some good sales and will give you a rain check if they are out of a something that is in their add.
Regular price is usually fairly high there, but they do have some good sales and will give you a rain check if they are out of a something that is in their add.
Except for the extremely rare 'impulse buy' firearm, I tend to thoroughly research whatever I'm interested in buying, and know what I want well before I walk in. I'm just there to physically check it out and confirm the decision.
This is true whether the purchase has been firearms, cars, trucks, motorcyles, watches, TV's, or anything else.
Personal experience has been, regardless of the store, the sales staff tends to be fairly to completely unknowledgeable, unless they happen to personally own that item. Even then, it's a coin toss, and they may well be looking to 'confirm' their own buying decision by getting you to 'join their club'.
Can't really blame the sales staff. With the vast array of products (in any category) out there, and few stores truly specializing in a specific brand or line, it would be virtually impossible for even the most avid and ardent sales person to know everything about everything they sell.
Or, they may just want to sell those items that bring in the best profits for them or their store. Profits (whether commission-based or not) tend to take precedence over 'service to the customer'. That may be the decision of the individual sales person, or being pushed by the store - big box or local.
Knowing what's wanted also forestalls a lot of 'sales chatter'. And buying 'Jerry Miculeks S&W' won't 'automatically' make me shoot like Jerry Miculek. A mistake LOTS of buyers make.
This is true whether the purchase has been firearms, cars, trucks, motorcyles, watches, TV's, or anything else.
Personal experience has been, regardless of the store, the sales staff tends to be fairly to completely unknowledgeable, unless they happen to personally own that item. Even then, it's a coin toss, and they may well be looking to 'confirm' their own buying decision by getting you to 'join their club'.
Can't really blame the sales staff. With the vast array of products (in any category) out there, and few stores truly specializing in a specific brand or line, it would be virtually impossible for even the most avid and ardent sales person to know everything about everything they sell.
Or, they may just want to sell those items that bring in the best profits for them or their store. Profits (whether commission-based or not) tend to take precedence over 'service to the customer'. That may be the decision of the individual sales person, or being pushed by the store - big box or local.
Knowing what's wanted also forestalls a lot of 'sales chatter'. And buying 'Jerry Miculeks S&W' won't 'automatically' make me shoot like Jerry Miculek. A mistake LOTS of buyers make.
That would have been time to cancel the purchase and take my business elsewhere. Totally unacceptable!
Bought alot of them for that price and less. Sold a few off, only keep the rarest ones, and updated Dragoons. Let a couple go a short time back for a real nice Russian SKS. Just wish I hadn't missed the M44s...
PGRChaplain
Master
I've bought 2 guns from them, 1 in Auburn 1 in Ft Wayne. Guy in Auburn very good, used to work at Goose Mountain. Ft Wayne store not so much knowledge, friendly efficent service. I've run into morons at many LGS. I go buying, not shopping, research and find what I want for the best price. I remember all the Gouging after Sandy Hook, that's why Dicks, CTD and several LGS don't get any of my $$$$.
I watch sales pretty close. Dunhams sale prices are the same as ZX Guns normal prices. I'll just go to ZX.
In my opinion there is only one caution when buying any item from a big box store and a small business. That is that the Big Box stores (Sears, Durhams, Dicks, Cabelas, RK, Bass Pro, etc.) is that with their buying power they often will have a supplier ship them an item slightly different from the normal package sold by others.
They may sell a rifle that normally has a Nikon scope included with a much cheaper model, a handgun with 1 mag when the standard is two or three, a synthetic stock when a "standard" rifle or shotgun has a Walnut. Normally the model number will be changed IE: instead of a Mossberg 500 theirs will be a 501 or a 500a. The other reason they do this is that they can avoid price matching, "this is a different model so we can't sell it for $XXX." Other than that the quality is normally not altered.
So as long as you make sure the item you are purchasing has the same components and features included as the ones sold elsewhere, you are good to go.
They may sell a rifle that normally has a Nikon scope included with a much cheaper model, a handgun with 1 mag when the standard is two or three, a synthetic stock when a "standard" rifle or shotgun has a Walnut. Normally the model number will be changed IE: instead of a Mossberg 500 theirs will be a 501 or a 500a. The other reason they do this is that they can avoid price matching, "this is a different model so we can't sell it for $XXX." Other than that the quality is normally not altered.
So as long as you make sure the item you are purchasing has the same components and features included as the ones sold elsewhere, you are good to go.
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