Don't expect any bargains in the reloading supplies! :evil:

 

Port of last resort.

Nothing's a bargain, and I've seen clueless clerks abuse guns in a manner that made me decide to NEVER buy a gun there.

 

Without any questions they are a candy store for the out door guy. I like looking around in there stores. For the most part you can find about anything you need but it is all high priced. I walk in, look around and 9 out of 10 times buy nothing.

 

Slim. I learned along time ago never buy a gun from nay store unless they can present it to me in a box from inventory. If it is still sealed so much the better

 

We had one here in Michigan. It opened November1, 2007, and closed yesterday.

As others have mentioned, no real bargains on guns, and lead was $50/bag. It finally got to $43/bag last week.

I don't recall ever seeing an ad run in the local papers the entire time. No TV or radio, either. They "raided" Gander Mountain for some employees, and now those folks are out on the street, and no way to get back to Gander.

I did get a good deal on a Dillon electronic scale, and they had decent prices on wads. I also picked up a nice Browning shotgun case. However, they were really inconsistent in their stock. For instance, they would have Red Dot for a couple of weeks, and then none for a month.

When they announced the closing, the only publicity was two signs on the door, announcing they would close at 6:00PM on July 20th. There were no "clearance" prices at all. The inventory was crated and shipped to some of five other stores opening in July, in other states.

Odd way to run a business.

Best,
Dennis

 

Expect clueless clerks, however they do have just about anything you may need. I usually just go in and look. As stated earlier must things seem to be oooooverpriced. My local gun club gets a 5% discount from this local store.

Hey bobeye, nice looking brit. They are wonderful dogs and companions. Good luck this fall

 

One opened in a neaby town last Thanksgiving.
As mentioned, no deals on anything, and I know more about guns and outdoor gear than the clerks. They have more of everything than most locally-owned stores, though. Good camouflage selection. I buy socks for myself and novelty items for friends there, but mainly look to see what I want to buy somewhere else. I've found many times that I could get a better deal shopping on the net and paying the shipping.

 

If it's general hunting/fishing supplies you need there's a fair chance they have it. I needed some hooks to tie flies last week and they had them in stock - no other store in town had them.

I have long arms and they do NOT carry outdoor clothing for tall sizes. Bummer.

Reloading supplies are expensive. Don't expect any bargains - but you never know. I went in one day and they had mispriced an Impact aluminum gun case at $74.99 instead of the regular $169.99 - I took it to the customer service desk to verify the price and the clerk said that the price marked was the price they'd sell it for. Yep, I now have an Impact break-down shotgun case. It's the only bargain I've gotten there.

Basically, if I need something in a hurry, or if it's not worth the shipping for a small order I go to SW.

 

All of you sure are bursting my bubble. At least I won't be disappointed when I walk in the store. I might use them for small quantities of reloading supplies, especially if I need something and I need it now. Hazmat fees hurts me for mail orders on small quantities. As it stands now we have a handful of Wal-Marts and one sporting goods store. An example of what is available at the local gun store is $60 bags of shot, nothing but AAHS wads, and one pound canisters of powder at an average of $25. When put into perspective Sportsman's Warehouse should be better than what I currently have locally to choose from, even if only marginally so.

Skip

 

We have a newer one her in nor cal and when they first opened they had a hell of a time keeping their inventory up it almost looked barren at times. I think that their prices on guns is fair but not great and am really disapointed that they do not run more sales on loss leaders like shotgun shells and what not like dicks and cabelas do.

I actually like the one in reno better because I think the staff is more knowlegable. However I went to the new cabelas there and am not impressed by it at all.

It makes you wonder when these store will lose their attraction and people will realize how overpriced they are and actuall make it affordable for the real people.

For example you used to be able to get encore prohuinter barrels for 299 at SW and they were 349 or more at cabelas and now SW is 339 for that you can almost get custom built ones.

 

They do have, to my eyes, lots of stuff. The clerks that I have delt with know little about any of the shooting sports.

At some matches here, Washington State, I can pick up a $10 off coupon for a $50 purchase. That discount and "reasonable" prices on Estate shells has gotten me to stop more than once for a flat of shells.

The closest one is about 50 miles from my home and there is no competition for shooting supplies unless Wallmart meets your needs.

For a while we actually were getting a military discount, a flat (case) discount, plus the $10 off. Eventually they decided you could only use one of the above. Given the price of transportation I only shop there when I do a drive by.

 

The only thing I used them for was Estate shells when they were 3.49 a box last year and with my military discount it was worth a trip......but no longer do I waste my time there.
Never a good sale, flyers they put out are nothing to write home about. Prices are nothing to get excied about, employees ( most of them) are worthless.

 

I guess I am going against the grain here a little bit, but I really enjoyed having the store close by (until it CLOSED). The prices seemed reasonable enough as I purchased a rifle there that was EXACTLY what I was looking for, for less than an "internet" deal-that didn't even have the gun in stock (and no other local store could even find one to order- even at a price premium)!

I am fortunate to have a Gander Mtn. and a Cabela's near me also and the pricing seemed a little better than those two on bowhunting equipment and some guns and ammo, but no screaming deals by any means. I don't reload, so I have no prices to compare for that. I guess the competition from Gander and Cabela's was taking too much business away, so the store folded.

Think of it this way, more choices to find your hunting stuff can't really be a bad thing, can it? 8)

 

I frequently visit the one closest to me(about 8 miles away ), mostly to look around, but I do buy occasionally. They have good prices on wads(particularly windjammers, so let the flaming begin!), I bought a scale at a price $20.00 less than anywhere else I saw. In a pinch, you will be happy to have it around, IMHO. The coupons are nice to use now and then as previously mentioned. I have also purchased a soft sided breakdown case, some gun socks, and choke tubes from them. Like most places(Gander,Cabelas, etc), you may have to talk to a few people before you get one that knows something. My store has some pretty good ones, fortunately. Have fun walking around and looking! :wink:

 

Last winter I was going to buy a Benelli SBE II at the Pocatello, Idaho store. Asked the dude if I get any discount, he replied that the employees don't even get a discount. You guessed it, I didn't buy it. A weak later I was in the Idaho Falls store witch is about 50 miles away and asked the clerk for a discount and he said know problem. He gave me a 10% discount. Go figure. How can one store do it and another not.

 

I frequent the ones in my area, Loveland CO, Casper and Denver. They have good prices and stock of fishing equipment. I have never bought a gun there but I did get a great price on some Pentax DCF's. I think their fishing supplies are superior to our Sidney Cabela's in price and stock. Their shooting supplies are plentiful but mostly the same or higher priced than Cabela's. I have found that buying guns through our local small store is much more satisfactory than any of the big stores. They will match the prices and you can expect a fair deal on your trade ins. They order anything I want and I don't have to bargain . . . they tell me what the bottom dollar is.

 

There's one in my area .... you can get a good deal on some things some times .... You really do have to do your homework first and know how much something is supposed to be before you go to buy.

 

I agree with everyone in that it's normally pretty high priced. What I enjoy about it is the fact that they carry some things that Gander and Cabelas do not. The only thing that comes to mind right now is that they carry a full line of Browning clothing wich is awsome. I did buy a Beretta 391 urika 2 there for $725 which was a great deal as Cabelas had it for $950. I also managed to make it to the West Bend store almost every day for the last 2 weeks of the closing sale. The deals I got there should last me a life time. Not nearly as good of deals as when the 2 Madison and Brookfield Ganders closed though. I almost feel bad for the amount of stuff I came home with. In one trip to the Brookfield store the last week it was open I rang up a $6000 tab and after the discounts I paid $200.

 

I have found some good prices on shotgun shells that had not been marked up when the prices of non-toxics went up (Kent Tungsten Matrix) and on last years Kent Ultimate Upland loads. Otherwise, their shell prices are too high. Gun prices are also way to high. Do buy some small items (recoil pads, etc.) that I can not get locally.

 

I hear that Seattle store has good deals on Briley/Browning Invector+ chokes.

 

I hear that Seattle store has good deals on Briley/Browning Invector+ chokes.

You are so bad!

 

Wow, my experiences (or at least my perspectives) have been different.

I only go to SW when I visit a "big city"; I'm about equidistant from Albuquerque, Lubbock and El Paso. About 2 weeks ago I was in ABQ and made sure to stop in. It's a big store with just about everything a sportsman could want (although I have yet to see any buckshot or slugs for 28 ga, here or anywhere else).

The guys at the gun counter were very nice and helpful, and better informed than those I've met at Bass Pro Shops. In fact, everyone I talked to was very polite and helpful. We really enjoyed our visit, and will certainly drop in every time we're in town. I did make a purchase; they happened to be the ONLY place I could find a pair of brush pants in my size, including the internet. (I'm not THAT oddly shaped! Or am I? 36x30 shouldn't be so hard to find.)

If you want to look at "Fine Guns", you'll have to go elsewhere. For just about anything else, I think it's a good place to visit. Their prices are higher than you can find on the internet, but who's aren't? Bricks, mortar, employees and utilities don't come for free, ya know. I thought their prices were pretty much in line with other "big box" stores.

In short, I like 'em and I'll go back. Sorry y'all haven't had better experiences.

 

I think you guys are hard to please. I like Sportsman's Warehouse. They are a "big box" store, with a lot of variety. Expensive? Not really, compare them to Cabela's. Now THAT is an expensive store. What big box store has knowledgeable employees? None that I have found. So what?

IMO Sportman's Warehouse is a great store.

 

..... compare them to Cabela's.....

We had a SW in West Bend, Wisconsin.... high prices and dumb clerks, but it survived because it was at least an hour's drive to the nearest Gander Mountain and 5 hours to the nearest Cabela's.

Then, about 2 years ago, Cabela's opened a store about 15 minutes away. About 8 months later, the SW closed. That tell you anything?

At least in my experience, the clerks at Cabela's are a little (sometimes a lot) smarter, and the prices at Cabela's are definitely lower.

 

I go to the one in Columbia, SC a couple of times a year. They finally got shot back to $42 a bag, which is as cheap as I can order it. They've got a good selection of guns, and they've got a few up for good prices. I think when I went in there a month ago they had a Wingmaster Super Magnum on the rack for $450. Remington stopped making them about a year and half or two years ago and they're about ready to get rid of it. We were going to buy a Remington 7600 there about 2 years ago, and they had good prices on them then, but I haven't looked lately. There are deals, you just have to watch for them carefully. I think they still have Hornady Buckshot cheaper than you can get it anywhere else.

BT