Wal Mart Guns

[fabsroman]

I'll agree with that too. Luckily, I can do most of my own gun work and car work, so ordering the parts on-line isn't too bad. Then again, I also learned that it is sometimes better to go to the local Advance Auto Parts store to order parts. I tried to order some Bendix brake rotors from their on-line site and they sent me some no name junk but charged me the same price. I went through hell trying to get the Bendix rotors and finally settled, if you want to call it that, for Brembos from another retailer. However, I was told a week later that the Brembos would take about a month to get. Mind you, my car had already been sitting on jacks for two weeks. So, I up and decided to go to the Advance Auto Parts store and buy whatever they had in stock to put on my car. While I was there, the guy told me he could get me the Bendix rotors in a day, and I asked him if he was sure because the guys on-line were telling me 2 to 3 weeks. He told me that I should never deal with the on-line site for serious parts because they only got their parts in Arizona. This guy told me he could get me the rotors in 24 hours through a local distributor. So, I waited a day.

I did the same thing with my wife's engagement ring. There was no way I was going to order a stone and setting over the internet, even if they let me inspect it for 10 days.

In the end, it all depends on what we care about. You can bet that I will not buy a car on-line, but I will haggle about the price via e-mail.

So, that means that I have to rephrase the post above.

Most transactions will occur via the internet, with the exceptions being somewhat few for high dollar and technical purchases and the need right now purchases.

[PJgunner]

One day, while cruising through the lanes at a gun show, I spotted what looked like a winchester M70 Black Shadow in .300 Win. Mag. The price was right and I bought it. When I got it home, it didn't have the hinged floorplate of the Shadow. The guy said he was selling it because it kicked too hard. I would think so. What purported to be a recoil pad was as hard as the Rock of Gibralter. I replaced it with a Pachmeyr Decelerator and did a bit of a trigger job on the rifle. That rifle is now one of the most accurate rifles I own, with 180 gr. hot handloads doing .75" and hot 200 gr. loads pushing the .5" level. I later found out this rifle is a special version made exclusively for Walmart to sell for $350. I paid $295 for it. I did replace the crappy Simmons scope that was on the gun with 3x9 Leupold vari-X II. I would be hard pressed to part witht hat rifle, if the truth be known.
Paul B.

[fabsroman]

Now when you say that it was a special version made just for Wal-Mart, does that mean that the local gun shop would not have the same identical model? I would assume that the Wal-Mart model is sort of like the Winchester model of the Browning Gold. Same gun with less bells and whistles. Sad thing is that all of my rifles have a floor plate in them, but I prefer to take the cartridges out by hand or via the bolt.

[denny]

That particular M70 was made exclusively for Walmart, as were several other firearms model variations from other manufacturers. When that M70 synthetic first appeared in Walmarts, there were many mentions of it on the internet, as some didn't notice it wasn't actually a Black Shadow until they looked closer.

A couple years ago I came aross a new M700 ADL with a laminated stock, matte-finished metal, at our local Wally's and was told that model was exclusive to Walmart too.

Don't know if it's still the same, but for years Walmart was the only place one could buy the Weatherby Vanguard (Howa) as well.

In one of your earlier posts, you referred to the Rem. M710 as being made for Walmart, but you also saw them at Dick's.

No such connection to Walmart, as that POS is available at any gunshop and always was. It was Remington's sorry answer to inexpensive rifles such as Savage sells and can't hold a candle to a Savage, in my opinion.

I have never bought a firearm at Wally's, but will say that the one closest to me has an impressive variety of green box Rem. ammo in stock, at decent prices. What little factory ammo I purchase though, generally comes from a local small shop.

Do occasionally pick up a few boxes of sale-priced 30-06 ammo for a relative, from places like Walmart, Dick's or Gander Mtn. He tends to my hunting camp that's in his neck of the woods, I buy the ammo he likes. It's a good deal for both of us.

[woodteacher]

My wife has worked for Wal-Mart for 20 years. She ran the sporting goods dept. for some time. They order their guns from the same wholesalers as other gun shops. One I know of is Ellett Brothers. They have an order book under the counter. You can order anything you want. I've ordered mod. 70 featherweights, Ruger 77's, etc., etc. A buddy of mine who owns a gun shop uses Ellet Bros. for some of his ordering also. Ask to see their special order book. Last fall I ordered a Ruger Compact .308 and a Ruger M-77 mark II Ultralite in .243. They had them in 3 days. This is just a misconception people have. If you buy a gun cheaper than your buddy it is not going to shoot as good as his.

[BRUNORED]

just started sighting in new 22 mag from wal mart.it is tube feed.after seting targets up.i went to load gun.but the 22 mags would not fit the cut out in the tube,had to pull rod all the way out and load through the end by droping them in to the tube.after makeing sure it was a 22 mag that is.read barrell.set targets at 50 yards & 75 & 100 yards. useing 1 quart downy bottels as targets. first 3 shoots hit all 3 targets.rounds used were 40 grain j.h.p.the gun shoots very good and see no problems out side of the cut out on the tube .looks as if it is cut for a 22 long rifel round.wonder if all marlin model 983's are like this.or maybe some how they installed the wrong tube?anyway i see no problem out side of that as far as work men ship.very nice rifel as far as weight nice wight ,good looking gun.action-nice pull,and wal nut stock.had to put about 30 coats of gun wax on to the stock to make it what i think looks good.the gun and scope was right out the box.so the targets were not hit deed center.but at the range i shot at i thought was very good as not have set scope.just remebered your quastion so i replyed as to haveing a new wal- mart gun.this will be no problem for me as i will put the tube on the mill and open it up.but why would they put a tube with a cut out that will no acc a 22 mag round.first thing i thought was dam they gave me a long rifel instead of the mag.but it is a mag from the barrel and the chamber.you got me wondering now.let me know what you find out if you research wal- mart guns.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

moss 835 combo from WW. Two of us bought at the same time this set up. Worked just fine out of the box till came time for the 3/12". Loaded fine but after fire, neither of ours would cycle. Jam. Calls were made to Moss about this and words from the company were, if more attention to the small thinkgs like de-burr, we would never have gotten this price for the gun. Such is true, so we took them apart, honed here and there, lots of burrs. With a little TLC now have fine shotguns. Now my cousin bought for more $$ an 835 not in the combo set-up and after looking at the action in his, this work had already been done. But a cost diffenence. We would have taken to doing this during the clean-up sooner or later anyhow....so to me, it was worth the $$ diff.
.....as for the escort out of store with a firearm?..we don't see many old ladys shopping in a gunshop where this isn't the practice...so it just has to be the standard to satisfy everyone with a need or want to shop at the same store....if it keeps people quiet and lets me shop for my wanted items and pass this little ole lady on the way out...is how it has to be now that the Hippies from days gone past and the flower child / draft dodgers have made their way into the ranks of ruining...I mean running our government/courts.Thank God we can still buy them.

[RUMLUVER]

I think there were fewer hippies than there were law abiding citizens so if in fact they made their way to ruining our goverment it is because we let them and didn't vote. Those once hippies and draft dodgers like to convince people just vote your rights away and we(big government) will take care of you BS! I think our government today both sides democrat and republican seem to forget that it is the duty of the goverment to serve the people and our best intrests not themselves and their own best intrests. As far as being led out of any shop or store that you purchased a firearm is also BS it is not that way in ND nor should it be that way anyware and as far as the old ladies I hope they sleep well knowing that there are still citizens with a spine that still purchase and own firearms and are willing to use them in anyway that they may be called apon to do so at any given time! Always remember the Minutemen!

[gmherps]

I've bought quite a few guns from Wally World. I'm going to buy my TC Encore from them when I get the $$.

[analyst]

Walmart does indeed purchase in enormous quantities and they purchase directly so there is no distributor to add costs into the system. Also, manufacturers are very willing to sell Walmart what it specifies (high volumes allow factories to be run at peak efficiency). Walmart probably specifies a lower finish level (finish might be less than a dealer gun), but the safety and strength are the same.

Dealers who have higher per unit overhead costs have to have an advantage and that advantage is going to be in the finish. This allows the dealer to stay in business.