[Guest]

I think I'm done with gander mountain. My Battalion did a group buy on AR15's and 1911's with our crest engraved. Gander Mountain agreed to do the transfer for $20 per firearm. When I picked up my AR15 I gave them 20 bucks and my carry permit. They ran the background check (I didn't think it was necessary with CCL, but whatever) and got my rifle.

I went in Saturday to get my pistol. They charged me $50 this time for the transfer fee. I told the guy doing the purchase I though this was a completely ridiculous price to which he replied "you're getting a deal, we usually charge $75". I was pretty PO'ed at this point and told him this was BS. His response was GM didn't like doing transfers and this was their way of keeping them down. To me that sounded like he was saying "gander mountain does not want your business". Again the ran the background check, this time they ran it twice with my permit and my military ID. What really gets me is in order to get my pistol I had to pay the fee. That's about as crooked as it gets. I can understand not wanting to do a firearm here and there, but we are talking about over 100 firearms at $20 per transfer, I'd say that's a pretty good profit. If they didn't want to do the transfers they should have just said so in the first place.

 

[captain-03]

Now I not only call that a bad experience, it is not acceptable in my book ... I take it these were all for members of our Military? If so, please give us some more specifics - Which Gander Mountain, etc. I think I (possibility others) would like to email their HQ and tell them "Thanks" for screwing over our men in uniform ...

 

[Xd357]

Never been to GM and the more stories I hear I don't believe I'll be going.

Thanks for your service.

 

[GunOneDown]

I drove by it Saturday and thought what a rip-off place, I won't be going to. Been there done that once about 2 years ago. not again for me. They need an Academy up there close and it would put them out of business.

 

[Hammer]

Definitely call their hq and let them know what happened.

 

[Guest]

It's the GM in hattiesburg. I just spoke with the guy that coordinated the group purchase and he said it's the first he's heard of them charging $50 for a transfer fee. I'd say they are blatantly taking advantage of us. We arranged the deal while we were deployed to Iraq. Soldiers were able to order the pistol through Kimber and have it shipped to GM to do the transfer. I have several junior enlisted that ordered the pistol with what they saved while overseas and it really has me peeved about them being railroaded into a $50 transfer fee.

 

[nhstk02]

One of many bad experiences I have heard about that place. Although this one actually pi--es me off.

 

[Subsonix]

@ G.O.D.

We are getting an Academy in Hattiesburg out by Target. Gander's day is coming if they don't lower prices.

 

[Rebel Rifle Ordnance]

I recently called GM and spoke with an assistant manager over a safety issue I observed at their store in Hattiesburg. They have quite a few long guns on tables. I picked up 15 or 20 and noticed that about 1 out of every three had a loose trigger block. You could very easily load, cock and fire these guns. I have a problem with that. Gun's aren't tennis rackets. You may say they have the same thing at gun shows, however there is always a person standing at the table (at least there is supposed to be) and a zip tie through the action of the gun.

The asst. manager stated the general manager would call me but I never got a call. I told them that they are setting themselves up for a major law suit. They've already had one ND several months back. I also emailed GM about the safety issue, no return email or call.

GM is insanely over priced on most of their inventory. Some of their ammo is x 3 cost what wal-mart sells the same ammo for.

Regarding the xfer. Whomever was calling NICS when you have a CCW is a total idiot. One of the main reasons I have it is to bypass letting the Fed's know every time you purchase a firearm. They "claim" they don't keep records, whatever the gov. keeps records on everything. You can believe that after a certain number of firearm purchases, you are put on some kind of list.

Next time you need a xfer in H,Burg, check out Michael Smith in Purvis, http://www.smithsspeedshop.com/ He is a Class III dealer, great guy. He can hook you up with some great deals.

 

[Subsonix]

I was told by someone at GM that calling every time was corporate policy. I told them it was stupid. They agreed, but had to do their job. It doesn't mean the clerk is an idiot, just following store policy.

+1 on Mike. Good guy.

Bill and Richard Fisher @ Pawn Shop Plus on West Pine are great to deal with as well. $25 xfers.

 

[Rebel Rifle Ordnance]

I was told by someone at GM that calling every time was corporate policy. I told them it was stupid. They agreed, but had to do their job. It doesn't mean the clerk is an idiot, just following store policy.

+1 on Mike. Good guy.

Bill and Richard Fisher @ Pawn Shop Plus on West Pine are great to deal with as well. $25 xfers.

Then GM's policy is idiotic. An FFL isn't required to call NICS if one is a CCW holder. If I had a dealer try and do that I would tell them never mind about the gun I'm buying. I always get price and policy of transfer's before I have any guns shipped to an FFL dealer. I also use Extreme Outfitters in Laurel. They xfer for $25 which is a reasonable fee.

 

[Free_Stater]

My first trip to GM was not pleasant. I was browsing around in the handgun area, and a store employee was dealing with what appeared to be a merchandise return at the register. He reached into the box to remove the handgun, then immediately removed it, stuck his finger through the trigger guard and started moving it around looking for a serial number.

His line of fire covered a goodly portion of my midsection, and I was so pissed I was afraid to say something. Had I been in most any other public situation, I would have felt threatened enough to draw on him and put a couple of 230 grain attitude adjusters in his breadbasket.

Not an auspicious start for a business relationship, I'd say. I've been back to get powder and other supplies a couple of times simply because there is nowhere else to go locally. As soon as I can make some bulk purchases of the supplies I need at the next Hattiesburg gun show, I'll sever my ties to GM.

I saw Bill Fisher down at the shop today; I've been a customer of the Fishers for over 30 years, and I second Subsonix's opinion. Good folks and they don't try to screw you on things like transfers.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I bought a taurus P 24/7 from Gander Mt up in MI right before I got off active USMC, I asked for a military discount and they said no. I asked if they have an employees discount and they said yea so I asked if I could get that. They obviously said no so at that point I get heated. Needless to say I got escorted out of the place and then filed a compliant. Nothing happened and so I have boycotted them since.

 

[sidroski]

We were able to buy two firearms directly from Beretta back when I was in. We didn't pay taxes or transfer fee. Course the weapons were stored in the ships armory until we got back to the U.S. Just wish I'd bought an AR70 (thinks that's the model). They were selling for a little less than 300 and I saw one on gunbrokers for 3500 a while back.
Never heard anyone on any forum have anything but bad things to say about GM.

 

[bullet]

I think they do need to lower prices and competition will do that. I have never had problems with them in ordering anything. In fact I saved $135.00 in ordering a rifle from them recently. I had called a bunch of places in Louisiana and in South Mississippi from Jackson to the coast, and the cheapest was $135.00 above what Gander Mountain sold me the rifle for.

They had one left and it was part of inventory they had purchased when the rifle first came out and they still had the original price one the rifle from back then. It was in their warehouse and the sales person could not believe that it was the price it was. He said, "that is cheaper than we can buy this rifle at our price today from the manufacture." So he asked the management about the price of the rifle and they told him to sell it to me with the price that was on the rifle.

They did not have to do that but they did. I don't have anything bad to say about them and the only thing I think they should do is lower their prices some which as I said, competition in the local area will do that.

 

[smoffett]

I agree that prices are high in the Hattiesburg GM. But if you just want to buy a pound of powder, their price is better than ordering it and paying hazmat plus shipping. Also, I've had some small gunsmithing things done there, and the work and service were both very good.

 

[bullet]

I agree that prices are high in the Hattiesburg GM. But if you just want to buy a pound of powder, their price is better than ordering it and paying hazmat plus shipping. Also, I've had some small gunsmithing things done there, and the work and service were both very good.

Yes, the powder is cheaper than having to pay for the hazmat and shipping. As far as gun work Scott, who is the gunsmith there is good at what he does and a nice guy on top of that. He built me a Sako TRG with a Shilen barrel in 30-06 Ackly IMproved for a bear hunt and it was a shooter and I got the bear.

 

[Rebel Rifle Ordnance]

There are plus' to having GM. I'm not a GM hater or anything. I like going in and tire kicking and for laughs on their prices. In all seriousness though I have spent a lot there on stuff I needed when I needed it which was right then.

 

[jakeg823]

their rifles are usually decently priced, its their pistols and ammo that'll get ya!

 

[Guest]

Well, I wrote Gander Mountains customer service through their website on Monday. I didn't even get a confirmation email like most sites give you when you use a web form. I can see their dedication to customer satisfaction is nonexistent. I expected to at least get a canned response quoting corporate policy.