Gander Mtn. vs. local gun shops

[Bapak2ja]

I check out GM because I can get my wife to stop there. She can look at the camping things, and clothes, while I drool over the guns. I can price the ammo, check out the gun safes and handle things if I am really interested. Wife does not mind as long as she has something to do. She does not like to go to Freedom because of the atmosphere (it intimidates her) and I would not consider taking her to the shops in New Haven—those places are OK for me but I do not want my wife to go in there.

So GM fills a niche. I will buy there if I can get a good price on something I want, but so far that has not happened.

 

[JetGirl]

Not all mom & pop places are shabby and dark. The place I work is frequently dusted, vacuumed, and free of little bits of things (like candy wrappers that people drop or pop cans they leave wherever they finish them). Our fluorescent lighting is always kept replaced and in the winter, you'll find the entrance shoveled for you.

Places like Gander (or any big box store) can often have a specific gun for less because of dealer price breaks for ordering in quantities. Most mom & pop establishments don't have a chain of themselves to farm out the delivery to, and they don't have on-site space for storage of all the duplicates.

My advice is; if you find a "too good to be true" price...go ahead and snag it.

 

[Dirtebiker]

I check out GM because I can get my wife to stop there. She can look at the camping things, and clothes, while I drool over the guns. I can price the ammo, check out the gun safes and handle things if I am really interested. Wife does not mind as long as she has something to do. She does not like to go to Freedom because of the atmosphere (it intimidates her) and I would not consider taking her to the shops in New Haven—those places are OK for me but I do not want my wife to go in there.

So GM fills a niche. I will buy there if I can get a good price on something I want, but so far that has not happened.

I don't know about the shops up north, but if they're so bad that you don't want your wife shopping in them, I'd say it's time to move!
Come down to the south side of Indy! We have a few GREAT shops (and a couple crummy ones) that you and your wife don't have to be afraid to walk into!

 

[mainbreak]

GM does have Gun Smith on site but wait time is really long. Like alot of people have said I go in to check prices and for feel then shop around

 

[Bisbobble]

I check out GM because I can get my wife to stop there. She can look at the camping things, and clothes, while I drool over the guns. I can price the ammo, check out the gun safes and handle things if I am really interested. Wife does not mind as long as she has something to do. She does not like to go to Freedom because of the atmosphere (it intimidates her) and I would not consider taking her to the shops in New Haven—those places are OK for me but I do not want my wife to go in there.

So GM fills a niche. I will buy there if I can get a good price on something I want, but so far that has not happened.

This is exactly what I do. My wife (and kids) will look at other parts of the store. I've never bought a gun there (yet?) but we always walk out with something. Last time, I walked in to look at 22 rifles and walked out with new arrows and an arm guard for my bow.

 

[gungirl65]

GM gun purchase

I think GM is like any other place. Some things are priced cheaper and others are more expensive. It's just a matter of shopping around. Their ammo prices seem to be higher than most places but I go there to look at their guns.

Saturday night I picked up a target Ruger MKIII 22/45 Long Rifle at the Castleton GM for less than I saw the non target one for at my local gun store. I am very pleased with my purchase and believe I got a good deal. Perhaps if I went to other Indy area gun stores I could have possibly gotten it cheaper. To me it was a matter of them having a gun I wanted at a price that I was willing to pay that was less than the one I had seen locally.

As usual the gun counter guys were very friendly. This is the fourth gun we have purchased from them. I will continue to check them for gun deals whenever I am in the area.

Here's are pics of my latest GM gun purchase.

 

[blamecharles]

My recent purchase from GM was cleaning supplies, i don't want to drive all over to look for it. The last gun i looked at though let me give an example.

Gun Looked at: Sig P238

GM $549 plain Jane model no laser, no night sights.
ITP $589 Laser, Night Sights(bright nitron)

So i think i got a real good deal or GM just has the price too high. Not bashing as the price is still better than MSRP but not like i ended up getting for looking elsewhere.

 

[Llamaguy]

If you want a NIB firearm, big box will probably be cheaper. I bought both my wife's guns this way, Ger Beretta wasn't even available at the gun store and a .22 rifle that was at MSRP OF $150.

 

[shadow6492]

i normally shop gander mountain for my fishing needs. Sometimes I head over and check the guns out but always disgusted on the prices especially the used prices. thats just my

 

[K_W]

Having recently worked at the Castleton Gander, I can tell you the big reason that it is so busy is location. All there is in North Indy / Carmel / Fishers area is couple of Dicks and the Goose. And the Dicks sell guns almost as an after thought.

IF SOMEONE BUILT A NICE GUN STORE IN WESTFIELD/CARMEL/FISHERS hint... hint...

maybe... BRADIS III?

 

[Llamaguy]

Having recently worked at the Castleton Gander, I can tell you the big reason that it is so busy is location. All there is in North Indy / Carmel / Fishers area is couple of Dicks and the Goose. And the Dicks sell guns almost as an after thought.

IF SOMEONE BUILT A NICE GUN STORE IN WESTFIELD/CARMEL/FISHERS hint... hint...

maybe... BRADIS III?

Dick's sells guns? I thought they were just there for decoration. Stand there for 10 minutes and no one seems to notice.

 

[K_W]

Dick's sells guns? I thought they were just there for decoration. Stand there for 10 minutes and no one seems to notice.

You're right... my mistake.

 

[flukose]

Why is ammo expensive at GM? Seems like they would sell larger quantities and/or cheaper...

 

[serf]

GM does seem to attract the crowds. I've seen over a half hour wait in the Castleton store on a Saturday (they were calling numbers). The staff is friendly and patient. They were a bit better about answering the newbie questions than some of the smaller shops. The prices are high, but then again like every big store they have sales. Price check was 550@GM and 489@BGF.

As for ammo Meijer carries it at a decent price if you don't care for Walmart. Tracking down someone at Meijer is every bit as hard as at Walmart. I usually just head for the nearby photo deparment and they open the case for me.

 

[JBI812]

If Bradis, Elmore's, Beach Grove or Palinfield SS were big box national stores with high overhead cost like GM, Pro-Bass, Cabela's or Dick's Sporting Goods then they also would have higher prices. If you want a better deal then travel to one of the other retailers. GM does have services and products you don't find at the smaller places.

 

[LadyRuger]

I believe there are three major advantages GM has over the LGS.
* *1.). Store hours. When I leave work at 6:00 pm M-F the only store open is a GM. I drive right by two of my LGS on my way to GM. My guess is that the people with the money that can afford making gun purchases work full time. Many of us fit that work M-F schedule and that is when we find many of the LGS open. There is also Saturday for us to shop, but I don't know about you but I have all that work to do around the house before I can play and by then the LGS is closed. GM is opened until 9:00 pm so i can go after supper. Sunday? Forget it, my LGS closed - only GM is open. Advantage GM.

2.). Marketing. it is a known fact that those multipage advertising circulars work to get people into the store. When was the last time you received such a thing from your LGS or even yet, when was the last time you saw a 1/2 page or full page add *in the paper by your LGS? Sales create excitement. How will the GM customer ever know that gun they have their eye on is cheaper at the LGS? They won't because GM is their destination. GM does a much better job marketing than the LGS. As someone already mentioned, the cleanliness. Again, people make big money studying these things and regardless of what the customer thinks, sub consciously customer prefer the cleaner, more organized and newer looking store to shop in. GM has access to all of these studies, and employee people that marketing is their job. The LGS is usually ran by the owner and family, and then some other people that know things a out guns. I suspect that the LGS are not hiring people with marketing degrees. Advantage GM.

3.). Inventory & Selection. When you want to look at the new M&P that just came out, do you want to go to a store that has one that you may hold in your hands and drool on or the store that can order if for you for less money? You might not like the way it feels in your hand. You want to see it now, not order it and be stuck with it. Besides, when we want something we want it now. We do not want to wait a week or two for it to come in, then have to leave work early to get to the store before they close. *GM can afford a good selection of guns, which regardless of price, it is the gun that is in stock that is going to sell. Plus like someone already pointed out, GM domes a fine job of also stocking fishing, camping and clothing. *Advantage GM.

Jay's Sporting Goods in Clare, Michigan started in Jay's garage. *Jay's offers all the advantages of a GM while still being family owned, the best of both worlds. This smart man understood the experience that the customer wanted. Although Jay has passed away, his wife and son continue on. Today Jay's is bigger than the average GM and employees hundreds of people. Jay's is open 7 days a week and does not close down for the rifle deer season like other LGSs do. People don't go to Jay's to get the best price on a gun, they go because they know it will be in stock along with hundreds of other guns. They have a choice of what they will buying, maybe they will buy two guns because they can't narrow it down to just one. Used guns. Jay's used gun selection would put to shame some LGS new gun selections.*

These are my personal opinions derived from having owned/managed my own store for 6 years and now shopping as a customer at both GM and the LGS when possible. GM makes it easier to shop. I realized that I have stated a lot of generalizations about GM and LGS but I believe that is what we are doing in this thread. *There are GM that are not as stated and there are LGS that do a great job, like Jay's.

 

[JetGirl]

I nominate LadyRuger's first post as a waive of the 50 post rule.

 

[LadyRuger]

Kisses to JetGirl

I nominate LadyRuger's first post as a waive of the 50 post rule.

Kisses to JetGirl and the monkey. At least I didn't give a gun to the monkey!

 

[Bapak2ja]

I don't know about the shops up north, but if they're so bad that you don't want your wife shopping in them, I'd say it's time to move!
Come down to the south side of Indy! We have a few GREAT shops (and a couple crummy ones) that you and your wife don't have to be afraid to walk into!

There are other reasons for living in the Fort. Not a fan of Indy. So, a visit to GM is a reasonable alternative.

 

[HICKMAN]

for those visiting the GM up north, one of our own INGOers is now working in the gun dept. Just ask for Mark.